Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Forty-eight

And just like that, the rest of the cold season passed without incident. Or at least it almost did.

It was a warmer than usual night. I laid in bed between Winston and Lance with Harvey in leopard form at my head, when the niggling feeling I'd had all day finally became too much. I could feel that something wasn't right, and it was preventing me from sleeping. But no matter how much I thought about it, I just couldn't pinpoint the issue.

Bai hadn't come around in weeks. Shuu was back to whatever soldier duties he had. Oliver was excelling as Harvey's apprentice. Kit was healthy. I literally had nothing to worry about. Then why wasn't this sinking feeling going away? All my mates were doing well too. Even Lance had started having more energy.

With that thought, I finally realized what it was. If my snake was getting more energy, then Curtis would be waking up soon. And when Curtis woke up, someone would die. Four little someones.

I shot up in bed and Kit who had been sleeping on my chest rolled down to my lap with a disgruntled cry, waking the others. They all looked at me questioningly.

"Get up. We have to go." I said as I rushed to stand and hopped to put on clothes.

"While I love to be ordered around by you, I think you should slow down and give us some context." Lance said drowsily as he rose from sleeping on his stomach to propped on his elbows.

I forced myself to stop what I was doing and look at my mates. "We have to go to Qingqing's. Curtis will be waking up and if things haven't changed from what I saw, he is going to eat Rosa's cubs for trespassing onto his territory and killing her shortbirds."

Lance looked like he had just swallowed something bitter.

Harvey shifted and got up to put on his robe, "Why would he do that? The law of the city protects cubs. Killing them would be a serious crime."

Lance sneered, "He's a feral. It doesn't matter if you are a cub or a female, if you trespass in his territory, you forfeit any rights you might think you have."

Harvey understanding, then asked, "Are you sure it's tonight?"

I shook my head, "No. But tonight is the warmest it has been in weeks. I'm making an educated guess here."

Winston got up with me and placed a black bearskin coat around my shoulders, not bothering to get dressed himself. "Didn't you warn Rosa about the snake before?"

I looked up at him as I pushed the toggles of the coat through their loops, "Do you really think she listened or even remembered my words?"

"...no." He admitted.

Kit interrupted with a yip, still sitting on the bed and demanding to know what was happening. I looked at my son not quite sure what to do with him. I couldn't take him along; it was too dangerous. If Rosa brought her entourage like she did in the novel, I would need all of my mates with me. But I couldn't leave the six-month-old cub in the house alone.

Sensing my conflict, Harvey offered a solution, "We can leave Kit with Oliver in the upstairs room of the clinic."

I nodded in agreement. Kit's scent was already all over both buildings so he wouldn't be easy to find if someone comes looking while we're out. Oliver has also been a good friend to Kit since they go out hunting together with Winston almost every day.

"Some cubs your age are in danger. Your mama and papas are going to go help them. I need you to stay with Oliver until we're back." I explained to Kit. He might be young, but he was intelligent and could grasp when I needed him to stay put. He pouted a little at being left behind but the mention of staying with Oliver brightened him up again.