CHAPTER 25: THAT CUB WANTS TO TAKE YOU AWAY

Ah, the unthinkable just happened.

Not that it was unthinkable for such a thing to happen but... why did it have to be now?

Why am I stuck in the middle of this mess?

I just wanted to take a bath in peace.

Damar coiled his tail around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest, his cold skin pressed against mine.

His grip was nothing short of possessive and furious, and I could see how he glared at Fenric with pure, venomous hostility.

"Keep your filthy paws away," Damar hissed, with a low and dangerous voice. "She’s mine."

Fenric’s brows lifted heavily as his eyes widened.

"A snake!" He gasped and then gritted his teeth, probably feeling I was in danger as he reached towards me. "Get away from her, you slithering bastard!"

I can only see things growing worse from here. They might even start exchanging punches. But worse, Damar might bite him and poison him.

"You get away," Damar shifted back in the water, away from Fenric’s reach, still glaring at him. "How dare you try to take what’s mine?"

Point of correction, this isn’t a bidding fair.

"Don’t even think of stealing Arinya away from me." He boldly declared.

Fenric was enraged, but at the same time, skeptical. He glared at Damar but did not charge at him indiscriminately without understanding the situation.

But as he looked at me and my frail trembling figure, he concluded that I was in danger and being held captive.

I seemed scared. But mind you, I wasn’t scared of Damar, but rather scared of the direction this situation was heading.

"Don’t worry, Arinya. I’ll save you."

Please, worry about yourself first. Things could go really badly for you.

"No, don’t do anything," I said. "It’s only going to get complicated from here."

"I can’t leave things as they are. Or..." He narrowed his eyes. "Is he threatening you? If you’re that scared, you don’t have to worry. I’ll save you from that bastard."

"I don’t need saving," I yelled, my eyes squinting in annoyance but this snow tiger didn’t buy it.

It was a known fact that snakes were dangerous and even kidnapped females to mate with, and no tale of a female ever willingly taking a snakeman as their spouse.

So, he probably thought I was currently in that situation but it wasn’t so bad.

And I couldn’t even explain clearly because I was currently so embarrassed my head was feeling as light as a marshmallow.

"What do you mean?" Fenric finally asked and I thought he was finally being reasonable. But then he added, "Do you think you can take on a snake bastard on your own?"

I nearly palmed my face, if my hands had been free but they were currently being held by Damar, who still shot daggers with his eyes while hissing in protest of this beastman’s presence.

"No, no, that’s not what I meant," I said and sighed.

I glanced back at Damar.

"Damar, can you release me first?" I asked but he refused.

"That cub wants to take you away." He said.

Um, he’s a grown tiger, not a cub.

"Well, I don’t think he’ll be able to since you’re here. I’m not asking you to just hand me over to him, I’m asking you to release your grip. You’re giving room for a misunderstanding." I said, and Damar went silent, his gaze lowered to the water, and, correct me if I’m wrong, but why did it seem like this guy was pouting?

He was dissatisfied but he couldn’t go against me so blatantly since he was still trying to make me like him.

"Alright," he finally agreed and uncoiled his tail, but he kept his arm around me, so Fenric wouldn’t be able to ’steal’ me away.

I was free, somewhat, but I wasn’t sure if this could offset the misunderstanding that had already been set.

"Fenric," I called and he looked at me. "Right now, I’m not being threatened and I am not in danger. Though Damar appeared out of nowhere, he’s been here the whole time. He just..." I tilted my head a bit, my eyes rolling to the side with a little shyness. "...got jealous since you wanted to take me as your spouse."

"I don’t understand." He said. "Are you saying you know this snake bastard?"

"Yes, and please don’t call him a bastard. It’s rude since you two just met." I said but this shocked him. I didn’t let him speak before I continued. "I know the prejudice against snake beastmen, and that they’re dangerous, that’s why you think calling him a bastard is justified."

Also, they don’t really know their parents since they’re set out in the wild at an early age after they crack from their eggs, but I find calling Damar a bastard offensive and will not put up with it.

"But Damar is someone I care about and..." Should I really be saying this? "...he’s going to be my first spouse."

"What?!"

My words touched Damar. When I glanced back, I found a little blush on his cheek, looking proud and happy that I had claimed him to be my first spouse despite being an outcast.

"You can’t be serious!" He said, his hands swinging in front of him. "He’s a snake beastman. He’ll never be welcomed."

Yeah, I know that, but...

"I don’t think I need permission from anyone to take someone as my spouse. Snake beastmen are feared because they are predators and known for kidnapping females. But they only do that because females don’t want to be their spouse, no matter how gently they approach. It shouldn’t be a problem if Damar has me as his spouse and..." I glanced back at him again. "I’ll vouch for him that he won’t hurt anyone. He... Is kind."

I’m not bluffing.

He’s literally one of the kindest people I’ve met in this world. And, though he might be a predator to other beastmen, I’m sure that if I can get him to promise me that he won’t hunt other beastmen and only focus on wild animals, it will be fine.

If he cares for me, he can do that much.

"Arinya, you don’t know what you’re doing," Fenric said and I closed my eyes.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy to convince him.

"There’s no way to control a snake beastman." He said.

"Yeah, I know," I said.

"Then..."

"That’s why I don’t plan to control Damar. He’s going to be my spouse, not a slave. Why should I worry about controlling him?"