A Novel's Beast World

78. Cliches Are Cringe

"I heard the commotion earlier and saw you walk away." She looked nervous. "My mate mentioned something about the tiger queen and another female quarreling, but I only saw you and the other female from our village." She's beating around the bush. I hate that shit. "You aren't the tiger queen are you?" Finally got to the point.

"Yeah." She looked shocked. Were you expecting something else?

"I-I heard the new tiger king is intimidating." Seriously? Do I have to bash her too? "Are you okay?" Never mind. She's just worried. But she's wrong.

"Of course I'm fine. Winston is a good mate." Those are definitely the magical words. She immediately looked relieved.

"That's good." Eve had been scared for the other female. They might not have had a close relationship, but that didn't mean she wouldn't worry. Especially after hearing the terrible rumors about the cold and scary king. "There are a lot of bad rumors about the king. I hope you aren't offended."

"Not by you. The rumors though, another story." My sexy mountain ain't no bogeyman. "He just looks intimidating on the outside. The inside is what counts." Gag. What a nasty and fucking cliche-ass line. But it's damn true. I still want to flush the mouth with vinegar. Or a dick. That should cleanse the palette perfectly.

"Are you okay?" No. I'm glad you don't understand how soul degrading that line is. I'd never live it down if you did.

"Yeah."

Shuu watched the interaction carefully. He was not going to comment unless it was necessary. Drew seemed to be enjoying the other female's company and the cubs were burning off their extra energy. Shuu wanted to support this kind of interaction. If Drew was talking to another female, interested males would be less likely to approach her.

Shuu didn't want to show negativity openly, but he really didn't want Drew to take anymore males. Now that Winston was tiger king, Drew had a lot of additional protection. Even if it meant having a lot of admirers who were always within reaching distance.

"What's wrong Shuu?" The tat was tingling a little. It wasn't good feelings either.

"Nothing." I gave him the ugliest stink eye. "I-I mean. It isn't something to worry you about." Stink eye continues. "I just..." He looks all flustered now.

"It's okay Shuu." He looked too relieved. "We are talking about it later."

"Okay." Shuu accepted his defeat. At least they didn't have to talk about it in public. He felt embarrassed and steeled his emotions.

Eve eyed the pair curiously. She could tell they were mated by the proximity and interaction. She was confused though. Why did Drew ask her male that?

"Why did you ask him that?" Drew hadn't looked at her male at all and he hadn't made noise.

"Ah. The tat, uhh, tattoo was tingly."

"Tattoo?" Oh.

"The mating mark," I corrected.

"What do you mean by tingly? You didn't use it right?"

"Not exactly. So, you ever try to feel through the tat-mark?" I know the answer already.

"No." Eve thought about it. She never tried anything like that. Only using it if she found herself in trouble. "I didn't know we could do that."

"We can. Well, I did. Just takes focus and..." Sex. Umm. "Mating." Time to move along. "It's cool. I can't guess what he's thinking, but I can tell it wasn't positive stuff."