Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Sixty-five

*Ducky has blue wing feathers now. She's nearly full grown but still follows me wherever I go.

That night I gathered my three mates in the large bedroom of the top floor. They all looked exhausted. Harvey had dark bags under his eyes, Winston kept massaging his stiff neck and Lance was already half asleep on his lounge chair-shaped tail. I myself was not very bright eyed nor bushy tailed after three days of constant cleaning.

I moved over to my tiger and started giving him a neck rub. He started to protest as females almost never do such things but I pinched his fluffy ear making him flinch and told him to just enjoy it. His tail curled around my waist and he ceased his protests. Then without removing my hands from his shoulders, I brought up the topic I new had to be discussed tonight.

"As you know, the Ape King visited today." Harvey nodded, Winston tensed and Lance opened one bleary eye. "He told me the Wolf King is becoming impatient. I know you are all aware that I've agreed to take Shuu as a mate and Shuu has also agreed, but..." I sighed and snuggled my cheek against Winston's ear, "I failed once again to get your opinions before making such a promise. I won't go through with it if any of you strongly oppose."

Lance closed that one eye as if this conversation was no longer worth being awake for. Harvey looked at me lovingly and Winston lifted a hand, placing it on one of my own.

Winston, knowing what I wanted from him, opened his mouth first, "Shuu is only a di-marked male but he has potential as he's still young. He may be able to get a third stripe this year or next. As long as his loyalty belongs to you and only you, I won't have any issues with the wolf." I kissed my tiger on the top of his head as I kneeled behind him but he wasn't done, "If he falters in that, I can't promise I won't kill him." He growled the last bit.

My fox side wasn't bothered by that statement in the least. A mated male's loyalties should primarily be to their female. Though Shuu likely had conflicted emotions towards the Ape King, his father and Bai; if the wolf, true to his nature, had really chosen me to be loyal too, it would be unwavering. My human side was only slightly taken aback by the casual mention of familial homicide.

Harvey added his own thoughts, "I believe the wolf chose where to stand the night you saved his brother's cubs, Bailey. Though I think he was enthralled by Parker's female's uniqueness, after he met you, he couldn't help but to fall for you. Just as I did." My leopard expertly avoided using Bai's name as much as possible when speaking about her. He knew females could become touchy when their mates spoke of other females. I appreciated the thoughtfulness. "If you want him, he is yours." He finished confidently.

Lance yawned so wide I thought his jaw would crack if he wasn't a snake. "I don't care how many mates you take love. Just so long as I get to taste your sweet skin in equal amounts. I know how much you like to keep things fair after all." He smirked and licked his lips with his eyes still closed. "Any other bumps along the way can be smoothed out with a good beating."

Yes, I had no doubt my enforcer mate would make the rules clear to any male I chose to include in the family.

My hands squeezed Winston's shoulders and I pressed my thumbs against the many knots I found there, rewarded with a purr of contentment. 

From the sound of it, the only objection to Shuu was his previous displays of loyalty toward the kings and affections towards Bai. These were things I planned to discuss with the Prince himself before we sealed the deal.

It had always been my objective to prevent his death but I never thought he would show such eagerness to be my mate when I'd proposed. I always thought he would continue to follow Bai and his role would end up similar to Winston's in the novel. Always following but never allowed to cross that line until the plot decided it was necessary. His love for her in the novel had been so strong as to defy death. Even going so far as causing the Scorpion King to acquire a split personality.

With such a strong emotional bond in the story, I worried that mating with Shuu would only cause more confusion for him. But, as Winston mentioned, he was still young and he was no longer just a character in a book. He was real. And I needed to know the truth of his heart before I gave him mine.

"Thank you for your honesty. I'm sorry I kept you up. Get some rest. I'm going to speak with Shuu before I call it a night." With a last squeeze to Winston's neck, I got up and kissed each of them goodnight. No longer needing to worry about my safety so long as I was in the castle, Harvey and Winston only followed me to stairs before going to their own rooms. Lance had already fallen asleep before my departure, softly snoring in the large bedroom.

Another one of Winston's trusted tigers was at the bottom of the stairs and he followed me as I made my way to Shuu's room, bypassing Ollie's where Kit was also likely inside.

I stood nervously in front of it for a moment. Though he had probably heard my approach, he did not open the door until I gathered the courage to knock softly on the wood.

The finely built soldier opened the door with his large black ears twitching this way and that in curiosity and his fluffy tail wagging behind him in excitement at my presence. His piercing blue eyes looked down at me in question. He stood a foot taller than I, nearly as tall as Winston but less muscled. I took a deep steadying breath, inhaling the scent of him. He smelled like sandalwood and what I imagined snow would smell like if it had a scent. Crisp and clean with an undertone of damp earth.

"Hi Shuu. Follow me, please. We need to talk."

Without waiting for a reply I turned around and headed down the next flight of stairs and then the next. Shuu followed obediently, the tiger guard at our heels as we descended to the depths of the castle. I had the tiger wait at the top of the basement stairs and continued on to the cavern's entrance. My intended destination was the hot spring. It was the best place if one did not wish their conversation to be overheard.