Chapter 7
Looking around at the market stalls, all I could see were claws, fangs, pelts, and bones—animal parts lined up like trophies.
Was I expecting fresh vegetables? Maybe herbs or something edible to cook with? I sighed, disappointed.
"Take me to the forest," I muttered, losing interest. Kai didn't question me or try to persuade me to stay. He simply nodded and led the way at a steady pace.
We were halfway out of the market when someone suddenly stepped in front of us.
A female.
She looked familiar.
Wait… wasn't she the one who nearly bumped into me the day I arrived?
I muttered under my breath, turning to face her. Her eyes were burning with hatred, completely undisguised.
"Chief Kai, I see you've made up your mind, but I'm still waiting. Waiting for you to choose me," she muttered bitterly, as if I wasn't even there.
"Sola," Kai's voice dropped low, cold and edged with warning. "I'm letting this go because you're a female. But if you come at me again with these delusions, I won't care about the consequences of killing one."
"Kai... I..." she stammered, but he didn't let her finish.
He walked right past her, still holding my hand tightly. I felt the weight of her hateful glare trailing behind us, and in that moment, I understood the depth of her resentment.
Honestly, I couldn't blame her. I wouldn't want to share my husband either. But watching him shut her down like that? I couldn't help the small, satisfied smile on my lips.
Once we reached the forest, I stopped, both confused and amazed.
The tall timber trees stretched into the sky, their canopies whispering secrets I couldn't understand. I had come here to find ingredients, but the tranquil beauty of the woods made me forget all about food.
"Kai, I need your help," I said softly, turning to him with hopeful eyes.
"I've got nothing else to do. Why not?" he replied, stepping closer.
"Do you have people working under you? I mean… the job ahead might be too much for just one person," I said, gesturing toward the woods.
"What exactly are you planning to do?" he asked, a bit amused by the mischievous smile playing on my lips.
"Nothing too crazy," I said innocently. "I want to build a house. Something more comfortable than a cave. I can't live like that."
I gave him my best puppy-eyed look. I'd heard that such looks could melt even the coldest man.
He sighed, then blew a sharp whistle. Within seconds, the area filled with tall, strong beastmen—handsome and intimidating. But the way they looked at me made me uncomfortable.
"Do men in this realm think with nothing but their dicks?" I muttered under my breath.
Then I felt it.
That heavy, possessive aura that only Kai carried. The temperature around us shifted, and just like that, all the ogling stopped. The men snapped back to focus.
He definitely noticed my discomfort—and he clearly didn't like other men looking at me.
With my instructions, they began hauling wood back toward our domain. I was honestly impressed. Tasks that would take an ordinary man three weeks were being completed before noon.
I drew the house design on the ground, explaining the layout to Kai and his right-hand man, Sam.
"So, where do we start to make sure it's stable?" Kai asked, crouching beside the sketch.
"A foundation," I replied. "Deep and steady."
I walked over to the other beastmen who were slicing the timber, supervising their work.
"Sir, your female may look delicate, but she's not," Sam commented, watching me with curious eyes.
Kai's jaw clenched. He didn't like others complimenting me—or even noticing me.
I hadn't realized any of this until I felt a heated stare lingering on my legs. I turned and caught Kai, his eyes openly drinking in the sight of my fair, hairless legs.
He didn't even look away when I caught him. Instead, he smirked. I blushed and looked away quickly.
"Mrs. Walmart," Sam called out, inspecting the marked area. "Digging with these stones is hard. But if I shift into my beast form, it'll go much faster."
"O-Okay," I said, trying not to sound too eager. I was curious to see a transformation.
Sam smiled and, without any warning, began removing his clothes.
"Do they not give a heads-up before stripping?" I muttered, quickly turning away.
Still, I peeked back just in time to watch the transformation. It was both horrifying and incredible. His fur was deep red, like a burning fire, and my first thought—ridiculously—was how it reminded me of a luxury blanket.
He was massive, more fearsome than any wolf I had ever seen. It was hard to believe such a beautiful man could transform into something so wild.
I turned to look at Kai, but his expression made me pause. His gaze was sharp, dark with something primal. I instinctively walked toward him, drawn in by that magnetic pull.
Was he jealous? Possessive already, after just a day of being together?
"You wouldn't show yourself to me," he murmured, slipping an arm around my waist, "but you stared at his body like you couldn't tear your eyes away."
I jolted at his sudden touch, especially out in public. I tried to wriggle free.
"Stop accusing me," I said under my breath. "I was just curious about his beast form."
"And if we weren't in public," he whispered against my ear, "then I can do whatever I want with you?"
The warmth of his breath sent tingles through my body. My stomach flipped, heat rising to my face.
"Stop being naughty," I muttered, stepping out of his embrace.
He smirked and leaned in to kiss the side of my neck before releasing me.
"You owe me tonight," he added, watching me with those tempting eyes.
"Such a bully," I grumbled, turning away—but the tiny smile on my lips betrayed me.
He knew exactly what effect he had on me, and he was definitely using it to his advantage.
Scum.
Charming, gorgeous, impossible-to-resist scum.