Imara Diversifies The Beastmen World

Chapter Ninety Four: And Ahh Ooop..

I saw my chance and took it. "Why don't we let Winston decide for himself? He's right here. That would be the fairest way, my friend. I'm willing to accept whatever he chooses."

Another wave of gasps rippled through the crowd. The shock was clear on Qean's face, and it spread to everyone—Wilbard, my mates, the Three Kings, and even Winston when our eyes met.

When we locked eyes, I made my message clear without saying a word. I'm not letting you go. You're mine.

But I needed him to say it for himself. This wasn't about giving him up—it was about giving him space to figure it out, to understand that my claim on him was real, but so was his choice.

I saw the relief in his eyes. He understood.

A pulse of purple energy flickered over my skin, feeding off the emotions running wild inside me. Clenching my fists, I pressed a hand against my forearm, grounding myself in the moment.

Qean had stepped into my territory. Into something that mattered to me. And it rattled me.

I met Winston's gaze again, and a quiet understanding passed between us. As I let out a deep breath, the crowd seemed to do the same, their murmurs filling the space like a soft wave of support.

Then, I stepped aside, giving Winston room to face Qean.

That's when my eyes met Wilbard's.

His stare burned with anger, jealousy... maybe even something darker. It hit me hard.

I could feel the heat rising inside me again, the tension thick enough to choke on. My instincts flared—this wasn't just about mates. It was about territory, power, and control.

Wilbard met my gaze, and for a second, it felt like we were speaking without words. The same intensity stared back at me, raw and unfiltered.

He couldn't even hide it anymore. Not in front of everyone.

It made me wonder—after everything I'd done for him, after all the times I stood by him—was this what we had come to?

Did he really want to throw it all away? Did he see me as a threat now?

For a moment, the weight of everything we'd been through hung between us, unspoken but heavy. My heart ached with the realization that something had shifted between us, something I wasn't sure we could fix.

The silence stretched, and then—

Qean's voice snapped us back to reality, pulling everyone's focus back to the moment at hand.

"Not once did I hear you accept her answer," Qean said, her voice cutting through the tension. "You're just going along with it. Now that you know I want you, think clearly. There's no need to be desperate—I'm right here."

That pissed me off. Frustration bubbled inside me. Is she saying Winston has to be desperate to want me?!

Horace and John huffed loudly at her words, clearly irritated.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Memi, my best friend, getting ready to step down from the stage, but Calum stopped her. He must have said something in his leopard voice because she huffed and sat back down, arms crossed.

Winston's hands moved to his crystal necklace, his fingers tracing the waist cloth I had given him.

He let out a deep exhale, but instead of relief, it sounded more like frustration. He looked stunned, like he couldn't believe Qean would say something like that. He respected her feelings, but it was clear he didn't agree with her assumption.