The Beauty's Hidden Beast

71 - Fragile Trust (3,0 k words)

Skaris's POV

I planned to send the tiger cub to its tribe and the rootless cub to Dear, but Dear asked me if I could take care of it until she was done dealing with Vick. I decided to postpone my original plan, but now that Bart and Mitchell were here, they could look after the cubs in my stead.

'Dear, I would like to leave the cubs in their care. I believe they will take good care of them in my absence,' I sent her my request.

'I trust your judgment,' was her response. She wasn't surprised when I revealed that Bart brought his cubs to the desert, only asked me to make them stay in the oasis until they find a safer place.

'Mitchell has been a great help; his people have provided us with supplies and building materials. He cares a lot about the cubs and the nursery,' I tried to say a few good words for the scorpion king, "Are you sure you don't want to keep him?'

'No,' her answer was immediate. 'Vick thinks he is not a good punching bag, and I think so too," she said, sounding tired, her voice hoarse as if she was sick.

I felt my spousal imprint burn, and my heart shrunk painfully, 'Dear, what is happening to you? I can sense that you're in pain. Did you hurt yourself again?"

'Not really,' she said before the line cut off.

I activated the spousal imprint and heard Curtis roars and hiss in the background, followed by Vick's angry growls, "Don't move! You'll tear your wounds!"

Their words made my chest clench painfully, and a feeling of helplessness settled deep inside of me. I heard some struggles as they tried to contain her. Her breathing was ragged and fast. Her emotions were growing darker. She was in pain, yet she didn't let anyone ease it.

I smiled bitterly. She wanted to restore her body to its original state and said her method was faster than crystals and emeralds, and that's the reason she was using it. Yet nobody believed her, and I could tell it was taking a toll on her. The image of her covered in blood, her flesh ripped apart, and her body torn open flashed in my mind.

I couldn't bear the sight. I leaned over and retched, coughing. Just thinking about her being hurt was enough to drive me crazy, and the thought of her enduring this kind of torture was more than I could stand.

"I knew beastmen couldn't stay away from their females for long, and it's even worse for the rootless," I heard Mitchell's voice, and it snapped me out of my trance. He was following me, but I couldn't bring myself to care. I continued to walk deeper into the desert, looking for the quicksand.

"Wait," Mitchell called, "That's the opposite direction of the jungle. If you miss your female, you should go there instead."

"I'm going to see Muir," I said, knowing I didn't have to explain my reasons to him.

Mitchell frowned, "What about the cubs?"

"Please take care of them and yourself until I return," I said. He looked like he was going to protest, so I added, "I can help you with some of your duties so you can focus on raising the cubs. How about that?"

"You want to do what?" Mitchell laughed in amusement, "Only a King can rule the Flame City. Are you a King?" he eyed the sleeves that covered my stripes, "The Flame City has a strict level system divided into four levels. The Beasts, who enter the Flame City for the first time, are considered low-level beasts, no matter how many animal stripes they have. You must win at least three matches in the combat pit to raise one rank. If you don't fight and win, you don't have a right to talk."

He told me that Muir had already reached the highest Supreme level, and according to the rules, he could get his own territory and abode. But instead of that, Muir requested a meeting with his father.