The Beauty's Hidden Beast

Lazark's POV

I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was Nivi. "Why are you crying?" I raised my arm, reaching for her face.

Nivi sniffed, grabbing my hand, pressing it against her cheek, "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I'm sorry," she cried, "I should have warned you to stay away from the Cloud Nine's Madam, but I didn't, and I'm so, so, so, sorry."

I chuckled and winced in pain. Nivi immediately pressed her hand against my chest, preventing me from moving. I've seen many females, and none could compare to her. Her kindness, beauty, and her strength, all these qualities made her shine, and the more time I spent with her, the deeper my desire grew.

If getting this injured made her realize her feelings toward me sooner, then it was worth it. It didn't mean I would forget or forgive the ones who put me in such a state. I didn't defeat all the Cloud Nine's owners, but I could continue to challenge them if I was still alive. I didn't expect them to go all out and attack me at the same time. It was a foul move that cut every kind of bond we've built during my stay. 

If Nivi didn't ask her males to spare me, I would have ended like them: trapped with no way out, a prey waiting for the predator to strike. They didn't want me to join their group yet had no choice but to obey their female, unlike Nivi's males, who had a say in the matter. I wonder how they were going to explain about them failing to get me the moment she left the battle.

Nivi brought me back to her kingdom. After marking her with my spousal imprint, I couldn't imagine spending even a minute without her by my side, and the thought of going back to my territory without her made my heart ache, so I decided to move my tribe over here.

I got along with all her mates, and even though they were nice and hospitable, I could tell they didn't like how I showed interest in another female. I should have had eyes for Nivi and only her, from the very beginning.

"The Cloud Nine's Madam is the worst female I've ever met, and the rumors about her were not exaggerated at all," I assured them, and they were more than glad to agree, "She's an ungrateful, greedy, and arrogant female who doesn't know how to respect her mates, nor does she know her place in this world."

"Such a long list of insults, I'm honored," a familiar voice interrupted, "Looks like I'll have to upgrade from 'slightly annoying' to 'completely unbearable' to keep up with your opinions."

Everyone turned around to see the female in question appear inside the room. The window was opened, and the breeze made her cloak dance behind her like the tail of a beast.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"What are you doing here, Yaya?" Nivi asked, and her males immediately took a defensive stance.

"To check on my Bai cub, obviously," she said, looking around, and her eyes fell on me, "And decided to give the pest a chance to join my collection while I'm at it."

Nivi's males growled as she showed me her new spousal imprint near her collarbone, "Well, you'll have to find someone else to complete your harem. Lazark is taken."

"Oh? Is he now?" She laughed, "That's too bad. I wonder if he has any pest friends. Do you, pest?"

"No, I don't." I said, feeling irritated and angry, "You will never get me or anyone from my tribe."

"Not even a single insect?"

I felt the urge to rip her mask off her face, but my hands were trembling with anger. 

"Let me have a word with him, Nivi. Alone. Please."

Nivi glanced at me, and I gave her a nod, letting her know it was okay. She stepped out, closing the door behind her.

The other grabbed a chair by the bed, and sat down. She pulled her hood off, and leaned back, crossing her legs. The mask she wore was engraved with symbols, and I recognized a few that represented her males.

"What do you want?" I asked, not willing to spend even a second more than necessary with her. If she wasn't Nivi's friend, I wouldn't have been so polite.

"We both have things that can't be replaced, and it will be a tragedy if they get damaged," she said and took off her mask, revealing her face in response, "I'm here to keep my end of the bargain."

My eyes contracted, and my mind went blank. It was a lethal blow, a strike that had shattered the illusion of an ugly female. She was like a dark abyss, sucking in everything, including my breath.

"Did your curiosity get satisfied, pest?" she asked when I couldn't form a single word. The corners of her lips twisted into a sinister smile, her sharp canine teeth peeking out, "Being my best friend's male has its perks after all. You wanted to see me, and I let you. So, are we even?"

I looked away, unable to keep eye contact with her, "Are you afraid I will take revenge on you and your males for what you did?"

"What if I am? Don't you want to see me beg?" she tilted her head, amused, "Don't you want to see me kneel? Plead, and cry for your forgiveness? I won't, and I never will, but if it makes you feel better, you can always imagine it."

"This is not how you ask for a truce, and I won't settle for such a poor attempt." I said and waited for her answer, but only silence followed. I turned around to see the chair empty, and the window wide open, "..."

She didn't wait for my answer, because it didn't matter whether I agreed or not. The way she made me doubt everything by simply dropping her mask, how she toyed with my thoughts, and played with my emotions...

She was not interested in me, not at all, even though her words and actions about wanting me in her collection said otherwise. If she wanted me, she could have had me. But she didn't, and the truth behind that was far more devastating than the hidden beauty she kept from the world.

The Cloud Nine's Madam didn't see me as her enemy, but an inconvenience. And she made sure the feelings were mutual, calling me names, not truly wanting peace, nor a war.

She came to put an end to our conflict, not for me, but for Nivi and her males. Her words said it all: We both have things that can't be replaced, and it will be a tragedy if they get damaged. 

She didn't want a war to break out between our territories, a war that would leave her best friend grieving and in tears, and her males' hard work destroyed. It didn't have to be a full scale battle. It could start as a simple back-and-forth between our people.

If I valued Nivi, I would focus on what really mattered, and the least I could do was to avoid making things worse for her.

Just like how YaYa's males spared my life because of my relationship with her best friend, the same courtesy applied to me.

"..."

Was this what she meant by making the rumors sound like the sweet lullabies? I couldn't stop myself from trembling, and it was not because of the pain.

Her males... They knew this would happen if I found out their secrets, didn't they? That was why they wanted me dead. She backed them up to seal my made up truth, but why?

Her bad reputation and actions almost made me forget their origins. Rootless, ferals, mermen, the worst of the worst, and she fit right in, perfectly. It was like she was one of them, a female who adapted to their lifestyle and thrived in it.

Nivi poked her head inside, and when she saw me alone, her expression softened. "Everything alright?" she asked, walking over to me.

"Yes," I responded, smiling at her.

"I hope her beauty didn't shock you into an early grave," Nivi giggled, taking a seat beside me. They must have overheard the conversation.

"Beauty is not everything," Winston said, standing behind her.

"And what's underneath it is the most important part," Sei added.

Shuu nodded, "Just look at the mermaids, they are all beauties like her, yet nobody can stand their personality."

"They are all scary," Harvey added, shuddering.

From what I know, only Sei, Shuu and Harvey saw her without her mask, but to compare her to a mermaid? Did we saw the same person?

Her sharp eyebrows looked intimidating and the snake spousal imprint on her tongue made her seem threatening and dangerous. It was not a trait a normal male would find attractive, but a type that would make them submit, and let her take the reins.

Her confident smile and the wisdom behind her gaze looked like she could bring an entire empire down for your sake. Her expressions didn't look like they belonged to a spoiled, and naive female, but to someone who would spoil and pamper you if you were a good boy, and torture and break you if you decided to be naughty.

Intriguing, fascinating, and utterly breathtaking. A face that held many mysteries, and for a curious person like me, it was like a locked treasure chest waiting to be opened.

I had no intention of ruining what I had with Nivi for what could or couldn't have been. I owed her my life, and I would cherish and love her for the rest of my days.

My feelings for her were genuine, and there was no room for someone else. My choice was her, and only her, from the very beginning.

I may be curious, but not stupid. 

What fool would give up a chance to be with a female like Nivi, give up a chance to have a peaceful and loving life, just to chase after a fantasy that may never come true? 

· ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── ·

3rd Person POV

Somewhere far away, a couple of males sneezed one after another.

"Is Dear thinking about us?" Skaris asked, laying in the infirmary's bed.

"She better be, or else, I'm going to hunt her down and drag her back here," Mitchell groaned, rubbing his back, "She left us to rot alone, the least she could do is think about us."

Muir sneezed a couple of times, causing Curtis to sneeze, and the rest to follow. Who did she think about the most? The one who sneezed the most, obviously!

"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!"

"..." Gold entered, watching them sneeze all over the place like a bunch of idiots, "What's wrong with you?"

"Our female is thinking about us," they answered simultaneously.

Gold's expression changed, and his mood immediately improved, "Good," he said and sneezed as well.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Their combined effort must have reached her sixth sense, because they heard her voice coming out of Karrak's phone, "What are my love bugs doing?"

"Rotting," Mitchell answered.

"Missing you to death," Curtis said.

"Trying not to die from loneliness," Skaris sighed.

"Trying not to kill the others," Muir shrugged.

"Trying to stay sane," Gold added.

"Oh, I won't rush back, then," YaYa said.

"No, come back already, please," Bart said, and the rest quickly nodded, "We really miss you."

"I'm not interested in spending time with a bunch of corpses. Have fun dying. I'll come back to bury you."

"They are doing better," Gold said, and the rest started to brag, "We are almost healed!"

"That's the spirit. I'll be back in two days."

They grinned, feeling their wounds healing at a much faster rate. They needed to strengthen their bodies, so she didn't have to hold back when hugging and kissing them.

"We love you," they said.

"You better. If you ever fall out of love with me, my heart will turn into stone, and I'll die of sadness."

"..." 

"..."

"..."

"Stop trying to kill us with your words you foul female."

"You have no romance in your veins, Mitchell," she complained shamelessly, "I'm not trying to kill anyone. My words are filled with nothing but love. Can't you hear my sincerity?"

"The only thing I can hear is your lies," he snorted, "Who wanted to dance on top of our graves a moment ago? Hm? If you're really sorry, stop wasting time and come make it up to me with a kiss or two."

"Or ten," Skaris suggested.

"Or twenty," Curtis added.

"Or a thousand," Muir said.

"Or more," Gold said, and they nodded.

She burst out laughing, and the sound made them relax and laugh with her, "Bye, my little love bugs. Have fun thinking about fucking me all day, every day, and getting turned on by the fact I'm thinking about the same thing," she said and hung up.

"..."

"..."

"..."

They buried their heads into their pillows, and rolled around their beds, not being able to keep still from the rush of dopamine in their brains and the happiness spreading in their chests. They loved her so much that it was not even funny anymore.

They couldn't handle such strong emotions, so they had to let them out by rolling, flailing, and grinning from ear to ear. They needed a release or their flushing bodies would explode, and the infirmary would really turn into a graveyard.

╔═══ Author's note ════╗

At least one of Nivi's males will understand her feelings toward Yaya. 😁

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