❝Do you know how dangerous it is in the forest? It's not simply wild beasts. To think of going in there alone, you must be crazy! The previous time you were lucky to run into me. Now look at you bearing a feral's mark. He could have captured you back to his nest, locked you up, and forced you to keep giving birth to his cubs. No way would he consider your feelings.❞
Earlier on when he was woken up by Harvey and saw that his mate was missing he went berserk and the fact that his female later in the day came from the forest while a feral's mark was presented on her right wrist caused him to think that she would rather be mated with a feral beast than be together with him, which was a fatal humiliation to a male.
❝Feral beast?❞ Mariette's face turned confused as she was verbally attacked by Parker's insecurities. She felt that Parker was trying to intimidate her with his words because he doesn't want her to have more males.
At hearing this, Harvey raised a brow, realizing that Mariette didn't even know about the existence of feral beasts, which made him feel even more alerted now. That feral probably sensed her naivety and took advantage of her while posing as a normal beastman. The fact that red hounds could blend in with normal wolf beastmen must have played a part too.
❝Feral beasts are male beastmen who are not popular with the females. Snakes, lizards, cold-blooded beastmen. They treat females terribly.❞ Parker decided to inject her with a strong dose of fear.
Parker wasn't lying though, but he did conceal one thing—feral beasts usually resided deep in the forests and only came out during the breeding season to seek a female. Moreover, they only dared to go to small tribes. Their tribe was in the vicinity of the City of Beastmen and feral beasts didn't dare intrude, well until that feral decided to risk his luck.
❝But he didn't treat me rough nor did he seem like a bad person.❞
❛He looked more like a cinnamon roll than a feral beast.❜
Parker assumed a calm and composed manner as he gazed at his female, trying hard not to scream in her face for daring to call a feral gentle.
❝Tomorrow we are leaving for the city of beastmen before the feral comes back. My mother must know a way to remove that feral's mark.❞
❝I don't want to remove it.❞ Mariette shook her head repeatedly. She just started expanding her harem and now this frat boy wants her to give up her hard work?
Harvey's stern eyes softened as he heard his female's answer. His mate's heart must be so pure for wanting to accept a feral without a second thought.
❝You really think a feral can be kind? Then let's see what you are going to do when your heat comes and he demands you to have his children.❞ Parker chuckled bitterly.
❛I doubt that he will succeed anyway since I'm infertile.❜
❝How many marks did he have?❞ Harvey put a hand over Parker's shoulder and asked his female with a soft voice.
❝Why does that matter?--❞
❝I think he had one on each of his cheeks but he looked younger than Parker.❞ Mariette cut off Parker to answer Harvey.
Impossible! Parker was praised all his life for being on of the first males to reach a second mark in his age and now a good for nothing feral decided to show up, claiming to be better than him.
❝Impossible, I will not believe that a filthy feral can beat me.❞ Parker's eyes dilated as he spat those words but what Harvey said after made him almost bounce on him, tearing him to pieces.
❝If what you say is true then you must use your spousal mark and invite him over. He shouldn't have a problem entering the tribe if he is mated to a female from here.❞
❝Have you lost your mind?!❞ Parker was enraged.
❝I would like to ask you the same. You know that our female's beauty could rival that of a peacock or even a Mermaid. Do you think with me having no marks and you having two we will be able to protect her?❞
Seeing that Parker was unable to refute him, Harvey felt pleased with himself as if he was a victorious general.
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I started watching the men arguing about my own safety and decided to use my new skill Examine on both of them. Who knows, maybe I will end up learning something crucial.
【Name: Parker】
【Race: Leopard】
【Sex: Male】
【Marks: Two】
【Age: 20】
【Examine Skill increased to level 2.】
【Name: Harvey】
【Race: Leopard】
【Sex: Male】
【Marks: Zero】
【Age: 24】
【Relationship status: Mated】
The sudden rise in the level of Examine caught me off guard. Now I could determine more personal information at a glance? That almost seemed like cheating.
Being able to determine was not as important though since most males I encountered had their marks visible.
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Just then, she saw Eve walking out of the village so she hurriedly said to her males, ❝I'm going over to Eve.❞
❝Just don't go too far away and stay on village grounds. Be back before night fall incase that feral shows up again.❞ Harvey replied, not seriously worrying for her since he had a feeling that the feral wouldn't bring her harm.
Parker seemed like he wanted to express his disagreement but one side glance from Harvey was enough to shut him up.
❝Got it.❞ After waving goodbye, she walked towards Eve. The truth behind wanting to hang out with Eve was to find out whether or not she was just a one night stand for the red-head beastman. Would he be lingering around or did he move on to another village?
She didn't wish to admit it but the thought of Beryl, her red hound mate, moving on just like that made her stomach turn, making her feel sick.
❝Mariette.❞ Eve, who was holding a small rattan basket under her arms, greeted Mariette cheerfully upon seeing her walking towards her.
Mariette did her best to return the smile. ❝Eh? Are these the kittens you're carrying?❞ She asked seeing the three ugly little kittens in the basket Eve was holding.
❝Pff!❞ Eve sputtered with laughter. ❝They're not cats, they're the cubs I gave birth to.❞
❝I've never seen leopard cubs. Sorry about that.❞ Mariette's expression turned stiff.
❝It's alright. Leopard cubs look rather like cats in their infant days. It's little wonder that you're mistaken.❞ Eve couldn't help smiling as she walked out of the valley, getting farther from the village.
❝They're two months old now. They have weaned off breastfeeding and are incredibly mischievous. I had no choice but to bring them to the grassland outside the village while the sun isn't too glaring for them to expend their energies.❞
❝Okay.❞ She pondered a moment, then asked conservatively, ❝Are there fewer females than males in every tribe?❞
❝Yeah. Exactly because there are too few females, that's why the beastmen population isn't able to grow. We can only try our best to not let our population shrink.❞ Eve sighed helplessly.
As they were talking, before she realized it, they had reached a grassland outside the valley. Behind that grassland was the forest entrance leading to the hot springs.
Eve bent over and placed the basket tipped over, causing the cubs to spill out of the basket and begin running about.
❝Eve, can you help me?❞ Mariette questioned the leopardness as fake tears began to pour down her elegant face.
❝What happened? If I can be of help, I'll surely help you.❞ Shocked to see the female's expression and thinking something major had happened, Eve instantly grabbed Mariette's hand as an effort to comfort her.
❝I-i mated with a feral,❞ Her eyes lowered as she said drearily. ❝And although Harvey doesn't seem to fully dislike the idea, Parker said that if I don't reject the feral, he will kill him❞
【𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 3.】
❝A FERAL!?!?!❞ Eve imagined that it would be something major but not as big as that. ❝Did it force you to mate with it? If that's so I understand why Parker wants to avenge you.❞
❝No no no, I give him permission to mate with me but Parker does not understand how I feel.❞ Mariette replied right away.
❝There is a way.❞ Seeing her about to cry, Eve's heart softened.
Mariette raised her head immediately, a hopeful look in her eyes.
❝You can simply tell Parker you're unwilling to reject your feral male.❞
❝I've told him that. He refuses to listen to me. Even Harvey can't get to him.❞
❝Then just tell him you'll abandon him after he kills your mate and that you'll cancel your spousal relationship with him. He surely wouldn't dare to lay a hand on him then.❞ Eve smiled slyly.
❝Eh?❞ Mariette asked with uncertainty, ❝Will that truly work?❞ She felt dazed from all the new information. Cancel the spousal relationship? She sounded like they were discussing a contract.
❝How does one go about canceling their spousal relationship? I must go back and say this to Parker, to scare him.❞ Mariette asked enthusiastically. But at this point, Eve fell silent.
She, however, noticed Eve glancing at the lifelike leopard tattoo on her own arm.
Has it got something to do with the tattoo? Does she have to tear off her skin!?
It felt like that there was a profound mystery behind the tattoos on the females.
Unable to withstand Mariette's relentless asking, Eve could only say, ❝You'll find out once the time comes.❞ She then got up and chased after her cubs.
Mariette stood up feeling satisfied after the conversation with Eve and starting approaching the seemingly red haired beastman who was peaking behind a thick tree.
Surprisingly, after their little sexual romp in the spring, Beryl was keeping his distance from her. He'd occasionally glance, blush, and look away, however, he never made any attempt to approach her as she was talking with Eve. Most likely the only reason she spotted him out was because of his fluffy tail swaying around like a maniac.