Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Eighty-one

*Again these images were spliced and edited by me from images I found on Pinterest. Whoever you are, credits to the original artist.

"Well that was stupid." I groaned to myself as I regained consciousness. I woke to find myself in a plain stone room with no door, on a plain stone bed with no furs and no clothes. My head ached and as I touched it and brought my hand back around, dried blood left flakes on my fingers. My body was covered in bruises, my stomach rumbled in hunger and my throat was dry with thirst.

I'm not sure what made me think I could possibly defeat the Scorpion King by only borrowing a fraction of my mate's strength. I guess dying once really messes with one's ability to judge a dangerous situation. Before regaining my memories, I hadn't been a very brave female. Arrogant, yes, but brave? Nope. I was just an average human too. No great confidence or abilities. So what the hell?

My head pounded and I groaned. Sitting up on the bed I leaned my back against the limestone wall, pulling my knees up to my chest. It was cold and though nudity didn't bother me as much as it had when I was human, it made me feel defenseless. In my last life, I even avoided wearing skirts. Too exposed. So I used my knees to cover my chest and my heels to cover the rest. At least nothing was broken and it didn't feel like I'd been sexually violated. Silver lining.

I sat like that and pondered my situation and what I knew about Flame City, the Scorpion King and St. Zachary. It wasn't much. I knew I wouldn't be able to escape alone. This place was a death trap for any female. I remember screaming at the screen when I read how Bai had brought her baby through the desert and to this place, then used the child as a shield to prevent Mitchell from raping her. I had no such shield against Mitchell. I couldn't be certain he wouldn't try the same to me.

Mitchell was a bit of an enigma. He did horrible, scary things with no remorse but because the reader was able to know his inner thoughts, he ended up getting a bit of a fanbase. The Scorpion King was a sociopath that wanted to feel. Born rootless, he had to use soul stones to have feelings love and lust.

The boy was the only one of his clutch that survived his mother's act of infanticide before killing herself. His father had raised him as a puppet ruler of the city to search for her soul stone while the ancient beast wallowed in his despair next to her frozen corpse deep beneath it. It was a tragedy where the reader was pushed to sympathize with the villains before the end.

I was brought out of my reminiscence by part of the wall turning to flowing sand and Mitchell with his deeply tan skin and long black hair walking through it. It turned back to solid stone behind him. He still had a soul stone around his neck and was wearing a roman looking skirt made from leather and carapace. His four red stripes looked like the blood of an enemy painted on a warrior's face.

"Female. You're awake. You slept for a long time. I wondered if you would ever wake." He moved closer to me and reached out a hand to stroke my cheek with his fingertips. I did not flinch.

I looked him in his eerie but mesmerizing eyes. "Your friend nearly killed me. I hope you know by know how fragile females are." I pointedly looked at the darkest of bruises on my bicep.

He shrugged, "Yes. I've already killed him for being so rough, but you really shouldn't have tried to run away."

"Then you shouldn't have tried to kidnap me." I snapped.

He snorted, "I doubt you would have come willingly had I asked nicely."

He got me there.

I buried my head in my knees, "I'm injured, thirsty, hungry and cold. Females are often as weak as newborn cubs. Before we continue this delightful conversation, can you please provide cooked food, water and warm furs so I don't die first?"

He raised one perfect eyebrow, "Why must the meat be cooked? It will take too long."

I took a breath to gather my patience, "Because uncooked meat is poison to a female. Cook it slowly and don't let it turn black. Burnt meat can be just as bad."

He grimaced, "I think you females are more fragile than any cub."

"If you find the task too difficult, I'm sure Ryan can give you some pointers." I said seriously.

He frowned at the insinuation that he couldn't handle this much, turned on his heel and left. I tried to let go of the tension I'd been holding in my neck and shoulders before it turned into a migraine. Thanks to the conversation, he hadn't immediately taken me as his mate. Point for me.

He came back about an hour later with soot covering his stripes. With an annoyed look, he threw a wolf pelt at my head, placed a stone jar of water on the bed by my feet and handed me roasted mystery meat on a stick.

I wrapped myself in the fur, took a long swig of water and devoured the mystery meat. I didn't need to know. If I didn't know, it didn't matter. Humans eat way worse things.

"Thank you." It felt weird to thank my kidnapper, but kind words can go a long way when you're in an unfavorable situation.

He looked smug at my gratitude and took it as an invitation to sit next to me on the hard bed. "You really are nothing like the Bailey in Ryan's memories." Again he stroked his fingers against my cheek, unable to resist the warmth of my skin.

I took a bite of meat, chewed and swallowed before asking, "How does the soul stone work? Can Ryan hear, feel and see everything you do?"

Since I hadn't turned away from his touch, he ran his fingers down my neck and placed his palm against the back of it. "Not always. As a soul, he has limited energy. He can only be present a couple hours a day."

"Is he here now?" I asked. I wondered if how I felt now was how my human family would feel if I came to them in my current form, claiming reincarnation. No. Humans have a hard time believing anything so magical. They love to imagine it but fear it becoming reality. They would likely try and get me arrested for fraud.

"He is." He said and leaned his face towards my ear, inhaling my scent. "His love for you is fascinating, annoying and overwhelming all at the same time. He says you smell different."

Goosebumps rose on my flesh. "Can I talk to him?"

Mitchell frowned as though I was trying to get rid of him. "Anything you say to me right now, he will hear."

I'll take that as a 'no'. "I've been through a lot since he died. I found strong mates, had a cub, and learned many things about the world. But mainly, I learned how to be strong, how to be kind, and how to be grateful. I regretted never being able to tell him how grateful I was for everything he did for me. I- I took it all for granted. I'm sorry Ryan. I loved you." My throat was tight and tears were streaming down my cheeks even though I was still dehydrated. Then in a whisper I said, "I missed you."

Deep in my heart I was actually grateful for this turn of events because it gave me chance to say the things I never thought to when he was alive.

Mitchell's hand stopped roaming my neck and shoulders and his muscular arms encircled me. He placed his lips against my hair and in a soft voice said, "I missed you too BB."

*Guys I was crying writing this.