Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Twenty-eight

Think. Think. Think. There are multiple threats in the City of Beasts but if I know what their motivations are then maybe I can find ways to change the course of their decisions. The main threats were the Tiger King, Ape King, Wolf King and Curtis.

Tiger King did whatever Rosa wanted. Rosa wanted Bai and Winston dead. She wanted them dead because...Jealousy? Because Winston didn't give her the emerald and didn't become her guardian. Because Bai collected Winston and every time they met they clashed personality-wise.

Wolf King also simply trusted and followed the Ape King. He was naïve but I don't remember him being malicious.

Ape King's motivations all stem from his mermaid mate. He wanted to become strong and she wanted to remain young and beautiful, both of which required emeralds. He couldn't get the emeralds by himself so he used others, but emeralds are hard to get and rare so no one willingly just gives them away. Ape King was also incredibly jealous. His mate liked strong males like Winston. Another reason Winston was targeted. And Bai along with him since he followed her everywhere. Ape King used Rosa's ire to try and kill Bai without implicating himself. That's how Shuu dies.

Wait. Isn't a lot of this already solved then since I accepted Winston? Rosa is still grumpy but now has no reason to be homicidal towards Bai. I'm not sure she'll react to me being back but hopefully I can get on her not so bad side since she doesn't have a good side.

Ape King had no reason to be jealous since his mate wouldn't be able to like the already taken Winston. That only leaves his greed for emeralds. If I had emeralds, I could bribe him with them, but he would become more powerful than he already was and that scares me. I could find a way to warn all of the kings but how, and would they believe me? I'm a complete stranger to them. I would have to find a way to become someone they could trust.

So, the things we need to do are one, placate Rosa. If she doesn't antagonize Bai then her cubs wont antagonize her and Curtis won't kill them or her mate Bart. And Shuu won't get caught up in her revenge. Two, get rid of the upas tree. If that tree isn't around then neither Shuu nor anyone else can be poisoned by it. Curtis wont be a problem until the cold season is over. We will have some time to see how Winston being my mate has changed things.

The final obstacle is a natural disaster. The City of Beasts is built on the foothills of a volcano. No one knows this because the volcano looks like any other mountain. It will erupt and many will die. When does it happen? The flood was supposed to be towards the end of the drizzle season after Winston became Tiger King. Was it the hot season then? Or the start of the rainy season? If I gained the trust of the kings, could I convince them to evacuate in time? Or would they treat me like a doomsday bringer? Letting anyone know I have this kind of information is beyond risky. I may just have to make sure me and mine get out ahead of schedule. I remember visiting Pompeii in my past life. I do not want to end up like that.

I summed up my thoughts and told Winston, Harvey and Lance. They agreed some things we wouldn't be able to plan for until we knew the current dynamics between the main parties. If we absolutely had to gain a position of power, Winston could challenge the current Tiger King but I wanted that to be a plan C. I didn't like the idea of making Winston risk himself to kill his brother. And it wouldn't stop there. He would have to get rid of Rosa as well but she would never stop seeking revenge.

I was starting to give myself a headache. I didn't remember the novel well enough and I kept feeling like even the novel had some plot holes when it came to the Ape King. It portrayed the Ape King as a major villain, but he wasn't doing anything any other male would do to gain their mates favor. Killing rivals and seeking strength was normal.

I sighed and rubbed my temples. Harvey was there handing me something cool to drink.

"It will be alright Bailey. Your intelligence rivals the Ape King and you can rely on us to keep you and Kit safe." He massaged my shoulders, and I leaned back into him.

"He's right. There is no need to stress about it now. It's late. We should get some sleep." Winston said. Kit was already curled in Winston's lap dreaming about something because his legs were twitching.

"Don't forget I'm here. While I wouldn't normally go out of my way, I will keep you and your family safe. I wouldn't want something to happen to my source of rare entertainment." Lance added.

"Don't you have to hibernate in the cold season? We also have to think about how to get you in to the city since you aren't my mate. Being Bai's mate was the only reason they let Curtis in."

"As if they could stop me." He scoffed. "But as for your first question, no. Not all snakes require hibernation. The cold makes me tired but as long as I find ways to stay warm, it won't be a problem."

"I didn't know that." I said, impressed. "As for getting into the city, I don't really think forcing your way in is a good idea..." I was stumped. If he hung around the city, they would form a hunting party and try to either chase him away or hunt him down. It would be near impossible to sneak in since someone would smell him out eventually. I could draw a snake on myself and pretend he was my mate, but the Ape King would be able to see through that. Was there another option? Only one but I wasn't sure he wanted that. After what we'd been through, I trusted him quite a bit and he seemed to get along fine with my mates. He was also willing to buy us a home. And what about Harvey and Winston? They seemed to accept his presence well enough but that might just be because he was stronger than they were and wasn't trying to harm me.

The headache was getting worse. Fuck it. In the beast world, blunt was best.

"Lance, do you want to be my mate?" All three males froze. I could feel Harvey's tension through the hands still on my shoulders. Winston's hands were balled into tight fists on his thighs. Lance simply stared at me. He was also the first to reanimate.

"That depends." He placed both elbows on his tail and rested his chin in his hands.

"On?" I sat up straight. He was considering my offer.

"I do not wish to procreate." Both Winston and Harvey relaxed a bit at this. Since Estrus comes only once or twice a year, it is usually a competition between mates to see who will have a chance to reproduce with their female.

"That's easy enough. When my estrus comes, you can avoid me. You may not restrict who I reproduce with nor how many mates I take. You also cannot kill or maim them nor any offspring." I needed to add my own conditions if he expected me to follow his. This might turn into a contract marriage before contracts even existed.

He nodded. "I enjoy travelling."

"I wish to settle down somewhere someday. So long as you don't mind me staying behind with my other mates, I don't see a problem." In my memories, I was the same way. I loved to travel. I would feel trapped if I couldn't go for a trip at least once a year. But I had seen plenty in that life, and in this world, having a safe and secure place to exist was my priority.

Another nod, "Lastly, do you think you can keep me entertained for the rest of your life?" He smirked as he said this.

This was my dealbreaker. In my memories, I had married someone who treated me like I existed to keep them happy. Anytime he wasn't happy, he would resent and blame me. He never understood that we are all responsible for our own happiness. It can be increased by those around us but not created. Our mindsets and outlooks determine how satisfied we are with life. I would not become someone's emotional punching bag in this one. "I'd be your mate. Not your entertainment. Your idea of interesting is not something I can control, nor will I cater to it." I answered sternly.

He looked stunned at my answer and then his head tilted back as laughter burst through his beautiful mouth.

It took him five whole minutes to control himself. "Oooh Bailey hahaha! You really are wonderful." He wiped a tear from his eye. "I accept your proposal. Shall we find some privacy or do you want to make this a group effort?"