BEASTLY ALLURE

●Unmistakable.

Picture above does not belong to the author.

The encounter left me frozen, unsure of what to do next. The red snake had saved me from that leapord man, but I didn't know if it was still a danger to me.

I accidentally touched a fallen branch on the ground and picked it up, clutching it tightly in my hand.

It felt like a flimsy defence against the feral, but it was all I had. The snake continued to watch me, its expression unreadable.

Every move I made was met with its unblinking stare. I took another cautious step back, my heart pounding in my chest.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. Ferals were known for kidnapping females, and here I was, face to face with one.

As I took another step back, my mind raced with thoughts of what to do next. Should I try to run? Should I attempt to communicate with the feral? Or should I stay put.

The uncertainty of my situation was overwhelming. I couldn't help but wonder if this was going to be a recurring theme in my life - constantly evading one danger only to stumble into another.

It was a cruel twist of fate, and I felt trapped in a never-ending cycle

A scream of fear escaped my lips as I instinctively raised the branch in my trembling hands, pointing it towards the feral.

But then something inexplicable happened - the feral's form began to shift. It transformed from a snake into a man, his features becoming clear.

Long, flowing ruby-red hair cascaded down his back, framing a face with intense ruby-colored eyes that seemed to pierce right through me.

My breath caught in my throat as his gaze locked onto mine, and I couldn't tear my eyes away. His eyes were searching, as if delving deep into my soul, searching for something hidden within.

As he stepped closer, I noticed the distinctive four stripes on his neck, the same as Curtis.

I gasped, my mind racing with a mix of fear and recognition. Could it be? Was this feral - this man - the one I had searched for?

"Run," he commanded, his voice not as deep or as smooth as I might have expected. The thought of running gripped me, but the fear that I might stumble and meet a worse fate held me rooted in place.

"You'd catch me anyway," I found myself replying, my voice trembling with the mixture of anxiety and defiance.

A slow smirk curled his lips, almost imperceptible if you didn't look closely enough.

And then, the question that had been eating at me found its way out of my mouth: "Are you here to kidnap me after saving me?"

He seemed amused by my question, his smirk becoming more evident. "Do you want me to take you away?" he countered.

"No," I replied, my voice still shaky but determined.

"I saved you, so you belong to me," he asserted.

My heart pounded in my chest as I mustered what courage I could. "No, that rule applies to the people of the City of Beasts, not ferals. Ferals don't have rules," I argued.

He regarded me with a glint of approval in his ruby eyes. "You're a smart female," he remarked, the smirk now fully visible on his face.

He took a step closer, his movements calculated and deliberate. I instinctively backed away, my heart racing with each beat.

"What is your name?" he inquired, his ruby eyes flickering with something that I couldn't quite place.

"I don't know," I replied, my voice quivering slightly. I wasn't about to reveal my name to him, not when I suspected his true identity.