CHAPTER 24: I’M A TROUBLEMAKER

I don’t know what’s going on in Fenric’s mind. I don’t know what he was searching for that he claims to have found here.

And I certainly don’t know what to do about this situation.

They smirk definitely meant something, and the way he’s just charging into the water... Does he even know how to swim?

I can’t get out, cause I’m naked and I still have a modern person’s sense of embarrassment.

Even if I like him, ahem his body, I know he doesn’t like me, so I don’t feel comfortable showing him my body.

I can’t swim out and I can’t stop him.

Do I have to silently watch whatever happens happen?

I gulped and secretly prayed Fenric didn’t know how to swim but nope, he does. It’s as if swimming is inherent in beast men, even if they don’t do it regularly.

He was getting closer and I was getting even more panicked.

"Just what are you after? Why are you coming here?" I asked, slowly retreating back and then he grabbed my arm.

He suddenly pulled me towards his body, wrapped his arms around my waist, and smirked into my face.

"I wondered where you’d run off to before I got a good look at you." He said, his personality seeming completely different from the expression he had worn earlier.

"W-what... What do you mean?"

"I heard from Kaelor." He said. "He has a sister who runs around trying to act like the males. She enjoys hunting and isn’t gentle to a fault. That’s my type of female."

I paused, my entire body freezing in place.

Excuse me, what?

Your ’what’ type of female?

"Y-you... You’re messing with me right now, right?"

Besides, I’m not the original Arinya so I don’t know if I enjoy those things. I might decide to try hunting, since it’s better than staying in a hut all day waiting for my spouse to return and then pound me till I’m too weak to move, but I’m not sure I’m the exact definition of ’Arinya’ he wants to meet.

"Nope." He said, leaning closer.

I threw my face away, puzzled, confused, and dismayed.

This was not the right time to be doing this. And it certainly wasn’t the right place.

For all I know, Damar might be listening in on this conversation and could go out of control.

"You might be mistaken about something," I said, barely looking into his eyes and feeling extremely conscious of my breasts pressed against his chest.

My eyes were literally spinning in spirals.

"What mistake did I make?"

A lot, you dumbo. Can’t you see I’m undressed?

"You... I thought you were going for Veyra." I said. "Don’t males usually prefer docile females who can wait on them and act all dependent on them?"

"Ah, I see. The prejudice that males only want weak females is everywhere, so I won’t blame you. But such weakness doesn’t suit me well. I feel burdened having to even look at a weak and lazy female who does nothing but sit inside all day."

I assure you, they do more than sit down inside. They go out to gossip with other females and bully the ones they don’t like.

But I guess he knows this as well, which makes him not fond of weak females.

"But I’m not that strong either," I said. "I may go out hunting and stuff like that but I don’t have the strength of the males, so I can only catch a rabbit at best."

"It’s still something."

Wait, why does this suddenly feel like a get-to-know-each other session of a blind date?

My brother set up a blind date and didn’t even let me know in advance.

Then, that means Kaelor at least sees me favorably, as he said so many things about me that could pique Fenric’s interest, knowing the kind of female he was into.

"I’m sure my brother told you this, but I’m not well-liked by my tribe," I said but he gave an immediate response.

"Doesn’t matter."

"I’m a troublemaker. I don’t follow the rules, and..." He suddenly pulled his head closer and tapped his forehead on mine, the same place Damar had just rested his forehead, telling me all sorts of sweet things. It made me hesitant to speak further.

It made me forget the reasons I want to give for excluding myself from the list of popular females to take as a spouse.

But I had to get things clear between us.

"And... You didn’t even look at me for more than a second, as if it was hard to look at me, and you looked at Veyra instead. Why are you suddenly claiming to be interested in me?"

Silence fell on us and I swear I could hear my heartbeat racing and my chest steadily rising and falling. I’m sure he felt it as well, since my breast was practically glued to his chest.

"I didn’t look away because I find you unattractive. I looked away because we were still doing the introductions. I wanted to settle down and talk to you once my father and your father were done with the introductions." He said. "Your name is Arinya, right?"

I nodded, subtly. He remembered my name.

I mean, he heard it just half an hour ago but it shows that he had been paying attention.

"Arinya," he raised his hand and then cupped my face. "... you’re not unattractive. In fact, you are plenty attractive and..." He suddenly leaned closer and sniffed me. "You smell so nice. It makes me wonder if the beast folks in your tribe have been blind to this fact or... Simply blinded by your brilliance."

His words nearly took my breath away.

I didn’t know he could talk so softly and so mesmerizing, his ruby red eyes gazing so closely into mine.

He’s the second person who has claimed to smell a scent on me, and he’s the second person to call me attractive as well.

I thought he didn’t like me. I thought he would choose Veyra for sure but... To my astonishment, he came to find me because I was the one he chose.

He doesn’t hold any prejudice against Arinya for not being gentle and sees it as a strength.

Even before he knew me, he had already been interested in me. This... What do I call this?

"I... I..." My heart was thumping warmly, just as it didn’t with Damar.

Wait, Damar. And... My clothes... I suddenly began to struggle, trying to push him away as the facts came flooding into my head.

I was still naked and Damar was still here.

"I... I have to put on my clothes." I said, my throat feeling parched. "This... You shouldn’t see me like this."

"Does it matter?" He asked, his smirk spreading wider into a grin. "You’re going to be my spouse."

My eyes widened, and that seemed to be the trigger word because as soon as he said this, Damar, who had hidden himself in the water, dove out, snatching me from Fenric’s arms as the splash of water disoriented us.

He shoved Fenric back while glaring with so much hatred, it could burn through Fenric’s skin.

"Keep your filthy paws away. She’s mine."