CHAPTER 158: CHAPTER-158.

Flap, flap, flap.

Kaya paused, her brows scrunching slightly as her ears caught the unusually loud flapping overhead. She wasn’t the only one — even the beastmen a few metres away, busy with their tasks, instinctively stopped what they were doing and looked up.

Kaya squinted at the sky, her hand shading her eyes. That sound... it was loud enough to be a mini chopper attempting a very dramatic landing.

But it wasn’t a chopper.

Or a hurricane.

It was vultures. Three of them.

And not just any vultures — massive ones. The kind that made you reconsider your life choices just by flapping their wings. They were the same size as that first giant vulture she’d seen before, enough to make someone think a mythical bird had accidentally flown into the wrong world.

With a loud thud, the first vulture landed, followed by the other two. The moment their clawed feet touched the ground, their giant forms began to shrink and shift, transforming into their human forms with a shimmer of feathers and smugness.

Kaya didn’t even need a name. Just one look at that ridiculous smile was enough.

"Of course," she muttered, unimpressed. "That idiotic leader."

And right on cue, there he was — "Veer" in all his glory, standing tall, wings still half-folded behind his back like some dramatic fashion accessory.

With that infuriatingly charming grin, he called out,

"Hi, sweetheart. Miss me?"

Kaya resisted the urge to throw a rock at him.

Standing there with her arms crossed, Kaya’s eyes were blank—completely unreadable.

Beside Veer stood two men. One had short black hair, sharp black eyes, and a tense expression that made him look like the responsible, no-nonsense type. The other, standing on Veer’s other side, had brown hair and brown eyes—similar to Veer’s, but his features were softer, more casual, and carried the easy charm of someone who likely knew how to talk his way through anything.

Both were dressed in hide, but not in the usual rough, caveman way. Their clothing had been shaped into something modern—half-coat styled tops paired with fitted pants. Still made of hide, of course, and Kaya could only imagine how warm it must feel inside them. But with the cold weather, maybe that was exactly the point.

She slowly turned her head toward Veer, one brow arching with theatrical precision.

"What is all this?"

Her voice was low, but not soft. It didn’t bark or shout—but it made the air shift, made people instinctively brace, because it carried the weight of someone who had no time for nonsense.

Veer, however, had made a home in nonsense.

He strolled toward her with a grin that stretched just a little too wide, like a child proud of a prank no one else found funny.

"A get-well gift," he said, spreading his arms like he expected applause.

Kaya’s gaze didn’t move from his face for a long second. Then slowly, deliberately, she looked down at the offerings—

Raw meat, still gleaming with fresh blood.

Herbs tied in twisted vines, some smelling sharp, others faintly like wet mold.

And the hide, poorly folded, edges still damp—like it had just been ripped from something still twitching.

Her eyes flicked back to him.

Expression dull, voice flat:

"Out. With that."

She turned on her heel and walked toward the hut, done.

But Veer wasn’t done.

He suddenly popped up in front of her, arms wide open like he was about to burst into song. His head tilted dramatically to the side, eyebrows shooting up in exaggerated hurt.

"Come on, sweetheart!" he said, his tone laced with theatric shame. "What a rush you make after so many days! And not even a single smile for me? No hug? No gentle slap across the face?" His lips curled into a grin. "How can you be so cruel?"

Kaya didn’t blink.

"Out."

This time, her voice dropped like a blade. Firmer. Sharper.

Veer shuddered with mock fear, clutching his chest as if mortally wounded. His knees bent, his shoulders trembled—an over-the-top performance worthy of a street play.

"Oh my God, darling," he squeaked, voice cracking like he might cry. "I was so scared." He peeked up at her with a teasing glint. "I thought you’d forgotten how much you love me."

Kaya didn’t respond. She moved.

Fast.

Her right fist shot forward in a blur of motion.

Veer’s eyes widened comically. "Whoa-whoa-whoa!" he squealed, flailing his arm up just in time to catch her punch. "That’s the love language I was waiting for!"

But he forgot one thing.

Kaya was unpredictable.

While he celebrated catching the first blow, he didn’t see her second hand coming.

Wham.

Her left fist landed squarely in his stomach.

Veer doubled over, wheezing. His mouth fell open as if trying to form a word, but all that came out was a strangled sound somewhere between a cough and a dramatic gasp.

He stumbled back a step, then slowly, with the elegance of a dying swan, collapsed to his knees and flopped on the ground, arms spread wide like he was waiting for the sky to take him.

As Kaya turned her back and began walking away, her fury carefully tucked beneath cold control, her ankle was suddenly snatched.

Veer’s hand clamped around it with ease—and without a word, he pulled.

She didn’t fall like a fool. She twisted mid-air, tried to catch herself, but it was too sudden. Her back hit the ground with a solid thud.

Her breath left her chest.

She didn’t move right away.

Her head slowly turned, her hair falling over one eye as her cold gaze locked onto him.

Veer was already standing, one hand brushing dirt off his shoulder. His expression? Calm. Confident. Like he had been waiting for this moment.

"You left too quickly," he said simply, cracking his knuckles. "I hadn’t finished."

Kaya didn’t answer. She exploded upward and aimed a vicious kick toward his ribs.

He blocked it with ease, his forearm snapping into position.

Then she spun—another blow.

Veer caught her wrist mid-swing, stepped in, and without hesitation pulled her flush against his chest. His other arm wrapped around her waist tightly, lips brushing near her ear.

"And now that I have you," he murmured, "should I fight you or kiss you?"

She snarled and shoved him back with brute strength—but he let her, taking two steps before smirking.

Kaya didn’t give him time for more nonsense. She rushed at him again—this time, faster, her fists striking with practiced fury.

He blocked the first. Dodged the second.

Then her elbow came flying—he leaned back just enough, feeling the air whisper past his cheek.

"You’re still angry," he teased, grabbing her arm mid-motion and spinning her—her back now against his chest again. "Admit it. You missed me."

"Let. Go," she spat, thrashing in his hold.

"I will," he said. "After I remind you why you shouldn’t walk away."

He loosened his grip just enough for her to jerk free—but as she did, she turned with a brutal kick aimed at his stomach.

This time, he took it.

His body bent slightly, the force hitting clean—but his smile didn’t falter.

"You hit harder than last time," he said, catching his breath. "Impressive."

"Shut up."

She rushed him again, throwing a flurry of punches. This time, he didn’t block all of them. One grazed his jaw. Another slammed into his shoulder.

He took every hit with deliberate restraint.

And when she finally paused to catch her breath, Veer stepped forward and hooked his arm around her neck from behind—not choking, but holding her close.

His voice dropped, low and close to her ear. "Feel better now?"

Kaya jerked her elbow into his ribs—he grunted but didn’t let go. Not immediately.

Instead, he whispered, "Still not enough?"

And that’s when she spun inside his grip, ducked, and threw him clean over her shoulder.

Veer hit the ground on his back—but this time, he laughed.

A warm, deep laugh that made her pause. Just slightly.

He sat up, wiping a smear of blood from his lip. "If you wanted me under you," he said with a smirk, "you could’ve just asked."

Kaya’s lips curled into something like a smile—but her eyes still burned.

"You’re impossible."

"And you’re beautiful when you’re trying to kill me," he said, getting to his feet and walking toward her again.

This time, she didn’t strike. Not yet.

And he didn’t hug her.

He simply stopped inches from her face. Breathing hard. Smiling slow.

Waiting.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

The sharp rhythm of footsteps echoed, each one louder than the last. Kaya barely turned her head when she saw him—Cutie. He was rushing toward her, his expression darker than she’d ever seen. His usual playfulness was gone.

There was no warning.

Just a flash of movement—

And his fist landed square on Veer’s face.

The sound cracked through the air. Veer stumbled back, hit the ground with a heavy thud, sliding a few feet away before going still.

Kaya’s breath caught. For a second, everything felt frozen.