Imara Diversifies The Beastmen World

Chapter One Hundred and Forty Three: Placed Before The Beast God

The room fell silent, no one moved even Rosa didn't speak.

She stood trembling, eyes wild, scanning the room—desperate for an escape that didn't exist. She was being caged in like the beast she'd proven herself to be.

The name Beast God carried too much weight—no one dared challenge it outright. You could feel it in the air: a slow, dragging tension pressing on every shoulder in the chamber. The kind that makes you forget to breathe.

I continued as they were processing my words and this moment.

"How wonderful," I said softly, stepping forward, voice smooth but it didn't bend. "We are all in agreement, yes?"

No one replied—but no one objected either. "I knew none of you would be willing to deny the truth of the Beast God, right?" I asked, just digging the nail in a little deeper. "What better way to resolve this than with the final judgment from the divine himself?"

Still, no answer. But Memi folded her arms with a grin and leaned back on the table, already seeing where this was going. She understood I wasn't just cornering Rosa—I was removing every path she could use to rescue herself.

Including her father.

I turned toward Wilbard, standing tall beside him, my hand held out in offering. "Now... who's going to bring the girl's essence to our benevolent Ape King?"

Eyes darted across the room as we all looked directly at him—King Winfrey.

"Father. King. Protector of your tribe..." My voice softened as I turned toward him. "Will you do us the honors?"

He flinched.

I said sincerely. "It is better that it comes from you... than someone else. Don't you agree?"

"WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?!"

Rosa's scream ripped through the chamber, raw and unraveling.

She shot out from behind her father King Winfrey, hands trembling at her sides, face red with disbelief. "You think my hair is going to fix this?!" she cried. "You think some... some offering will decide my fate?!" Her voice cracked with fury. "This is to be settled between us!"

Her mates moved instantly. Bart stepped forward, shielding her with a guttural growl. Lucas and Will flanked him—defensive, flinching, bracing against the heat pressing in from every side.

Bart's shoulders tensed, teeth bared. "You're not taking anything from her," he snapped.

My hand stayed out, steady beside Wilbard, then I slowly lowered it. I tilted my head, voice light with slyness. "Then why don't you do us the honor instead, Bart? Or you? Or maybe one of you..?" I pointed at each of her mates in turn.

They froze, completely thrown off.

Bart finally spoke. "We would never do such a thing to our mate."

I blinked, feigning confusion. "Then who gave you permission to speak on her behalf?" My tone sharpened. "You're wasting everyone's time with foolish words. Since when has Rosa ever allowed you to speak for her? Matter of fact..." with my head tilted, blinking my eyes and eyebrows raised. "When has she ever allowed any of you to?"

I didn't hold back.

I threw Rosa's own words back in their faces—how she spoke to my boy Frank. I wasn't letting anything slide.

"How dare a 'no matter his stripes'—nothing of a male—talk back to me?!" I snapped, throwing Rosa's own venom back at her mates. "Don't you see the females speaking? Because last time I checked, I was addressing a King—Winfrey, not any of you." as I threw my hand out in a dismissal like a slap in the face.