Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Frozen Lemons

The hardened, half melted snow crunched beneath Winston's serving plate sized paws. Other than that, and the rustle of wind over evergreen branches, it was quiet. The night air smelled like campfire from the city's many residents trying to stay warm or cook their late-night snacks. My black bearskin coat, sheepskin boots and Winston's fur kept me warm despite the late winter air.

I wasn't sure where we were headed, but nothing looked familiar. We were getting further and further away from the densely populated areas. He was taking me to a thickly wooded area where the trees were so close together, I couldn't see past their massive trunks. That was when he finally stopped.

He sat down on his haunches, forcing me to slide off his back. I walked to his side and looked at his face, but he turned it away with a huff.

"Hey handsome hubby. If you don't talk to me, how am I supposed to know what's wrong?" I put a hand out to touch one of his ears but he shot me a look, stilling my movement. My arm dropped back to my side.

Then the tiger sighed. Or at least it sort of sounded like a sigh. He stood up straight and lifted his forepaws, shifting into beastman form.

Winston always looked powerful and no matter how many times I saw him, his masculinity made my lower parts clench. He stood taller than most males and every inch of him was heavily muscled, but not with gym trained lines. His muscles were all naturally and perfectly acquired through countless struggles and conflicts. His shoulders were wide and reliable, and his pecks were the hardest pillows I'd ever used. His abs were defined but not cut like bodybuilders who only eat chicken breast and broccoli for days before a competition. His member, though flaccid now, was just as thick as his tail when erect and capped with a feathering of fine white hair. His thighs and calves were solid and long and looked like he could do squats nonstop for days. His light skin had a few scars besides the one on his face, but they were even lighter and healed to be nearly invisible. Thanks to my frequent contact with his skin, I knew where each one was.

Winston coughed and I realized I had been staring at my mate like a perv. I brought my amber eyes up to meet his silver-grey ones. Once my active listening face was on, he spoke. "You were reckless tonight."

My gaze lowered automatically in shame. He wasn't wrong. I had run into a very dangerous situation headlong and dragged my mates with me. It could have gone much much worse. Not only that, but I had also lost my temper and physically assaulted a princess.

That being said, I didn't regret it. "Those cubs would have died if we hadn't been there."

Winston ran his calloused hand through his medium length hair in frustration. "That isn't what I'm talking about. You should have just left it to us and stayed home."

Excuse me? Did he just say what I think he did? Did he think I was a burden? My lower lip pouted in indignation. "If I wasn't there, those males would have fought to the death. That's just how they are. Do you really thing Bai or Rosa would have done anything to stop the violence?"

Winston's deep voice rose an octave. "I don't care! At least then you would have been safe!" Both of his arms were outstretched towards me and his hands looked as though he were trying to desperately grasp something incorporeal.

Feeling too much like he was trying to put me in a box labeled 'weaker sex' I shot back, "So, it's ok for you to be in danger but not me?"

He moved forward and I reflexively stepped back. With his hands on either side of my head, he kabedon-ed me to a tree. "YES!"

Startled by the desperation in his eyes, I was rendered speechless. Maybe he was right. Maybe, because of my blind faith in my mates, I had taken their protection for granted. It wasn't like I could rip limbs from bodies like they could. It was natural for me to rely on their strength and feel that they would do everything in their power to keep me safe. If in the end, I was still injured or killed, it would be because there was nothing they could have done. That instinctual thought process for me as a female was causing Winston immense frustration. Maybe I truly was a burden.