Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Ninety

After Mitchell's punishment had been decided, he lead us out of the desert using shortcuts only he knew. As we stood at the boundary of desert and forest, he did not risk Lance's ire by trying to bid me goodbye. Instead he looked at me with sad eyes and mouthed, 'wait for me', before disappearing beneath the sand.

We did not immediately leave for the City of Beasts. We had a group of females and I did not want them going to a city that would soon be destroyed, but Bart couldn't take the group to the tiger village by himself. After he had removed his hooded cloak, we saw he had earned his fourth stripe, but it still wasn't enough to protect all of them. I was tempted to send one of my mates or Tristan with them but after what I'd been through, I didn't want them leaving my side. So, we did the next best thing. We sent Bart on alone while the females and my group waited for them to return with backup. It took an additional couple days, my estrus ended and we were safe with my males.

Bart came back with a contingent of tigers. There were two males to every female and just as they were about to leave, Bart with a dozing Rosa in his arms approached me.

"I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for us. We'll never be able to repay you. But if you ever come to the village, we will treat you like the ]Queen you are. You will want for nothing. I promise you."

With a soft smile I said, "I appreciate that and will keep it in mind. Be safe on the way back and don't push the females to get better right away. It may take years for them to overcome what they've been through. They'll need patient, and gentle males, and each other to help them get through it."

He looked at me searchingly, then at my own males. Then he nodded at us and was gone. I wondered if he was thinking about my own recovery and had deemed my males patient enough. I smirked a little. I would be just fine.

It took us four days to get back to the city and I took the opportunity to ask Tristan why he knew about Flame City's underground so well.

"I'm not surprised you don't remember." He smiled wryly. "We used to live in the same village when you were still a cub. I had a sister that was about twenty hot seasons older than you. She got into some trouble with the tribal leader's mate and was going to be sold with the next caravan, but she ran away before it came. We tried to track her down, but she was taken by ferals and her two mates killed. Most of my family gave up at that point, everyone except for me. She was the only person who was truly kind to me, and I couldn't accept the fact that I'd never see her again. So, I followed their trail to Flame City. But by the time I found her, it was too late. I killed her assaulters but couldn't escape the city. I was forced to mine in the underground. When I found out what we were mining for, I stayed for years trying to find her soul stone. Eventually, I lost hope and gave up, but when I returned to the village, no one was there. I went to the city to find them and, well, you know the rest."

We were quiet for a time. I wasn't sure what to say. Tristan had been through hell and back but the sad thing was, it wasn't all that rare of a story in this world. The thing that made it different was Tristan's perseverance in searching for his sister. Family ties aren't usually that strong. I had no idea where my own brothers were. They had left the village seeking their own females and new tribes. It was common for such ties to fade.

Words of consolation wouldn't help him here. He had gotten his revenge and even if I told where female soul stones were, he wouldn't be able to bring her back.

Instead, I asked, "What are you plans when we return to the city?"

He shrugged as though the future didn't really matter to him. "I was given to you in return for saving my mother. I am yours to do with as you wish."

I nodded and that was enough for him to know I had no plans of discarding him. Besides the fact that he helped rescue me, this male was four stripes. He was powerful, beautiful and kind. And now I regarded him as part of my skulk.

When we got closer to the city, I decided to go through the entrance closest to the Tiger King's territory. I didn't want a bunch of beasts making a fuss at my return. I was tired and just wanted to cuddle with my mates and cub till tomorrow came. But when we got there, only Patrick was guarding the gates.

When he saw us, his eyes lit up and he came running up to us with a sense of urgency.

"You're back!" He was nearly crying with relief. "Thank the beast god. Tiger King you need to hurry. The Ape King has gathered everyone in the city square. He arrested Shuu and Carl. He's claiming they were the ones who led the ferals to the Queen and allowed her to get kidnapped. Everyone thinks they'll be executed today. Please! You have to stop him!"

That sneaky, conniving piece of shit. I was furious. But if he had Shuu, then what about my cubs and Harvey?

Winston asked for me. "Where's Kit, Olly and Harvey?"

"They tried to defend Shuu and Carl when they were being taken. They were taken along with." He answered a bit breathlessly.

Monkey brain touched my cubs.

I heard my sanity snap and pushed past Patrick. I didn't get far before Winston came up behind me and stuck his tiger head between my knees, placing me on his back.

Monkey brain had touched our cubs and he would find that it was probably the dumbest idea he'd ever had.