BEASTLY ALLURE

●Imposter.

I have no idea what possessed me, but there I was, bending down , trying to sneak a peek under Bai's skirt.

Yeah, you heard that right – manners, meet curiosity, and curiosity, well, you're just a nosy troublemaker.

Bai, quick on her feet, yanked herself back while practically slapping her hand over her skirt. "Lia, what are you doing?" she yelled, her voice a mix of shock and 'did-that-really-just-happen?'

Realizing how crazy I must look, I tried to stand up, but my foot decided to rebel, and I ended up doing a weird ankle twist dance.

To make things even more ridiculous, I grabbed onto Shuu's skirt for support, and it slipped right off him.

Crap!

I stumbled back, coughing like I had swallowed a feather, and frantically scratched the back of my neck. "Um, I'm really, really sorry, Shuu. I promise I didn't mean to pull" I babbled, forcing my eyes to stay away from the ground.

Shuu, now redder than a tomato, grabbed his animal skin and bolted into the bushes like he'd just seen a ghost.

If embarrassment were a currency,Me and him would be the richest people on the planet right now.

With my eyes still stuck to the ground, I braced myself for the epic glare I was sure to get from Bai. Yup, she didn't disappoint. Those eyes of hers were practically Judge Judy presiding over my case.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, my voice came out as a tiny squeak.

If her reaction was bad, I could only imagine what Muir's judgmental gaze would feel like.

Bai, seemingly concerned, asked, "Are you okay?" while her eyes were still sizing me up.

My head bobbed up and down as if it had a mind of its own, while inside, my brain screamed, "Absolutely not!" and my thoughts were still fixated on that red mark I'd glimpsed on her leg.

Muir, like the knight in slightly tarnished armor, jumped into the conversation. "Did a feral force you?" he asked her, his gaze unyielding.

Thank you, Muir, for getting straight to the point. Bai's wide eyes shifted from me to Muir, a mix of surprise and panic coloring her expression.

"Muir... n... no, it's like a deal between us," she explained, pointing frantically in a certain direction.

"You mated with a feral as a deal"My voice slipped out, a mix of disbelief and curiosity as I turned to face the direction she was pointing.

There he was, Curtis!

He was already staring at me.His intense red eyes locked onto mine, and I found myself momentarily at a loss for words. It was as if he were undressing my thoughts with that penetrating stare.

Bai quickly chimed in, "Umm... he saved me from another feral who had intentions of abducting me. When he offered his hell, I already.., well, I accepted."

"Weren't you afraid of snakes?" My regret followed immediately, and I bit my tongue, unwilling to meet Bai's eyes and distracted by Curtis's presence.

In a moment of silence,muir stepped in  "Aren't most females generally wary of ferals?" he asked, offering me a graceful shift in focus.

"Yes, but given the circumstances, he helped me, so... I took him," she explained, her voice returning to a more composed tone.

Why did I feel  that Bai's story didn't quite fit together, but there was a tinge of sadness in me as I observed Curtis. Well, at least I wasn't an option in her tale.