Imara Diversifies The Beastmen World

Chapter One Hundred and Seven: Flames A-brewing.

The scene was brimming with warmth and affection as we returned to the bonfires. Cradled in Gabriel's embrace, enveloped by the presence of my mates, I soaked in the waves of love and adoration flowing towards me. Their kisses and tender gestures filled me with a sense of being truly valued and loved. It was a moment of pure bliss and contentment.

To wrap up the night, I proposed a game of duck, duck, goose, but with a slight twist. The ladies and young ones would be the geese, darting between bonfires while their mates, the ducks, pursued them.

For the game of Duck, Duck, Goose, I made sure to include the single males, but with a rule in place. I ensured that the mated males were comfortable with it and understood that it was all in good fun, nothing more. So I invited Nicholas, Frank, Theo, Sampson, and the Guards to join in.

If caught, they returned to their original spot, with the next guy becoming the duck. Only when the call of "duck, duck, goose" was heard could the chase begin. It was a fun way to engage everyone, tapping into the males' natural instinct to chase while giving the females and children an entertaining activity to enjoy.

I got caught a couple of times during the game. Nicholas snagged me once, lifting me over his shoulders and spinning around, eliciting laughter and giggles from me. "Nicholas, heehee! Oh my God!" Another time, Frank caught me, handling me delicately, either by the hand or carrying me princess-style back to the bonfire. He was simply too cute for words.

As I darted between bonfires, successfully evading capture, I reveled in the exhilaration of the chase. But as the familiar call of "duck-duck-goose" echoed, I made a dash for another bonfire.

Wilbard's estate sprawled across vast acres, boasting an impressive array of bonfires.

However, my triumph was short-lived as I was swiftly caught. Yet, to my surprise, it wasn't whom I had anticipated—it was Wilbard himself. Instantly, all joy fled from my body, replaced by a sense of unease.

"I immediately said, 'Get your hands off of me,'" I exclaimed, pushing away from him, my irritation escalating.

However, he halted me, pleading, "Imara, please. You have been—"

"I don't care to hear it. Back up off me," I retorted, preparing to walk away. But before I could, he performed a mesmerizing gesture with his hand, conjuring a force shield that enveloped us. The bonfire and the other guests blurred into a serene, misty landscape of his backyard, instantly calming my frayed nerves.

Lost in the tranquil ambiance, I was momentarily entranced. During this interval, he employed his ape magic to fashion leaves into a swing, gently lifting me into the canopy of a towering tree. With a pull of a leaf lever, I ascended to a spacious seating area, adorned with leaf beds and furs, beneath the moonlit sky. It was a breathtaking sight.

Past Scene of Wilbard in his Sanctuary

Wilbard's sanctuary, usually a place of solace for meditation and communion with the Beast God, now felt suffocating as he grappled with overwhelming uncertainty.

His mind swirled with questions, each one more pressing than the last. Who was she, and could he trust her? Was she merely a stranger, or did she pose a threat? The thought of someone undermining all he had built gnawed at him, threatening to tip him into madness on the brink of his sanity.

He couldn't afford to let her dismantle everything he had worked so hard to achieve. The stakes were too high, and he resolved to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.

Faced with a multitude of challenges, Wilbard found himself confronting old wounds, their scars reopening with painful clarity. The memory of having once trusted wholeheartedly, only to have his heart torn asunder, lingered like a specter, shaping him into a colder, more callous version of himself.