26 - The Beast City (1.27k words)

The Beast City was like a fortress, with towering stone walls for protection and guards stationed on top of them, their eyes sharp and assessing.

The line before the entrance was stretched out far and wide, not just by the number of individuals, but also the invisible territories marked by the males within it.

After what went down with Sei, Nivi had been keeping her distance from me, which honestly worked out for the best. She had her own life to live and should focus on herself, not the drama that came with being my friend.

To ensure the cloak stayed put, I took a few pins and meticulously sewed them in, then carefully pinned the cloak into my hair. Additionally, I attached a sheer layer along its edges, serving a purpose similar to that of a niqab, where I could see but couldn't be seen.

As we queued for the city gates, Bai leaned closer, her voice low but laced with disbelief. "Did you see that female back there? I counted ─ fifteen. Fifteen marks, all visible for everyone to see," she whispered. Her eyes darted back to me, seeking a reaction, clearly unsettled by the display, "Is she proud of that? Why wouldn't she wear something less revealing?"

Those spousal imprints were basically telling the whole world your body count, which left little wonder as to why Bai was hesitant to expand her own list.

"She is building an army of pet servants, and is letting everyone know that she is recruiting, I guess," I commented, turning to Muir, "Can a female force a male into bonding... with the aid of her other males if he resists?"

"Only the really strong males would dare say no to a female," answered Muir. "It's not uncommon for a female to resort to such tactics to get a male she wants. Rules and punishment do not bind a female. She can break a spousal bond or kill a male without a reason if she wanted."

"Are you serious?" Bai exclaimed, "Poor males. They truly deserve more recognition from their females," she added, her tone filled with sympathy, "There should be a law that punishes females for mistreating their males."

"Anything but that," I said, laughter spilling out as I clutched my knees, "It's amusing how males are the ones who need rules to prevent a functioning society from falling apart, isn't it? You give females the power to kill, to abuse, to create havoc, to dominate, yet...it's still other men you have to fear the most."

I shook my head at the irony of it all as I patted Bai's head, "Bai, should you ever have the chance to establish new rules in this world, don't focus on punishing a female. It would affect her stress level and her fertility, which is already ridiculously low. Aim your punishment instead at the most influential males in her circle."

I continued, "The ones with their spousal mark etched near her heart. Those are the individuals with real power, whose choices can shape the course of her actions. If all females in this world can be manipulated into staying at home and doing nothing, instilling this should be a piece of cake for the males to implement."

Curtis and Muir fixed their gazes on me, each pair of eyes reassessing what they thought they knew about me.

Scoffing, I crumbled their opinions with my following words, "But as a female, why would you want to give the already strong even more power, and put yourself at a disadvantage? Kindness won't breed gratitude. More often, it's taken for granted. Offer a little, and suddenly, they'll claim it as their due, demanding more."

Bai pouted, feeling wronged that her opinion had been looked down upon, "You tell me not to try to change you, and here you are, telling me what I should do."

"An advice, as far as I understand, is meant to light the path, not dictate the journey," I replied with a hint of amusement, drawing a blush of embarrassment from Bai. "Nice try, though."

· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·

Before it was our turn, the entrance scene suddenly became a bit of a show.

Sei got stopped, and Nivi had to step in, discreetly revealing her spousal imprint tucked away under her breast by lifting her top. The beastmen guards tried hard not to stare, their cheeks flushed with a shade of red.

Bai had her freckles reapplied, assuming her disguise once more, while I adjusted my cloak to cover most of my face from a beast man's higher point of view, leaving only enough space for my chin and tongue to peek out, revealing my mark.

The guard's surprised gasp when he saw my mark mirrored the moment he discovered a feral could hold a place so close to a woman's heart.

Somehow, Vick managed to breeze through the checkpoint without any hitches again after paying a small entrance fee. This made me wonder if Muir made a mistake when he called Vick a cold-blooded feral. However, Curtis also believed that Vick was a feral.

I reached out for Vick's hand, half-expecting that familiar chill his skin usually had-like a soothing touch of ocean water. Instead of the expected coolness, I found warmth, a heat that felt like my own. My fingers grazed over his skin, detecting a subtle, almost invisible difference-a detail so minute I would've missed it had I not known him so intimately.

I glanced upwards at the scorching sun overhead, a realization dawning on me. This new texture of his skin seemed to be soaking up the sun's heat, making others believe that he was a warm-blooded beastman.

As I made an attempt to retract my hand, perhaps a bit too eagerly, Vick's grip on my fingers became firmer, ensuring I couldn't just slip away.

"Think you can just sneak a taste and dash off?" he quipped with a sly grin, using the bustling crowd as an excuse to draw me closer until our shoulders brushed. "While Muir and Curtis scout for a new home, how about we explore a bit on our own? Sounds good?"

Turning to my left, I noticed Bai trying to mask a flicker of panic with a brave front. "I mean, you two have fun. I'll be fine on my own. Muir assured me the city is safe."

"Do you really expect me to look for you when you get lost?" I made her hold onto the elastic band on my slingshot, to make it more evident that she was a part of my group, "Vick is used to being a third wheel, so it's fine."

Though Bai attempted to maintain a stoic face, a hint of a smile betrayed her as she followed next to me, holding onto my multipurpose toy, "I never knew you could start a fire with a slingshot. Can you teach me how to do it?"

It's all about creating sparks by hitting a spark-producing rock with a metallic projectile. You aim, shoot, and if you're accurate, sparks fly and land on tinder to start a fire.

"Depends on your behavior for the rest of the week, Bai," I responded, a cocky smirk playing on my lips.

Without Curtis and Muir around, Vick gave off strong cub vibes with his stripless body, and with Bai clinging to me like a misplaced chick, onlookers around us assumed I was an eccentric mother on a field trip.

╔═══ Author's note ════╗

We've finally arrived at Beast City! Yay! 🪱🐥☀️

I wonder what emoji would suit YY. 🤔

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