Leo adjusted the fur cloak Zyra had given him, feeling the soft warmth against his bare skin. The lingering sting of her mating mark on his neck was a constant reminder of her claim.
Yet, as they walked into the heart of the village, he felt something else entirely.
Every pair of eyes was on him.
The beastkin women stopped what they were doing, their conversations falling silent as their gazes swept over him.
Some looked at him with lust, others with curiosity, and more than a few with raw hunger.
Leo exhaled slowly. He was one of the few males here. A rare prize.
And from the way their eyes gleamed.....they wanted him.
As Zyra led him through the village, the beast women whispered excitedly.
"A male....?"
"He's beautiful...."
"I never thought I'd see the one that's as handsome as this...."
Leo felt their gazes like a physical touch, their eyes drinking in every inch of him.
One particularly bold woman—a tall, dark-haired feline with emerald eyes— stepped closer, her tail flicking playfully.
"My Queen," she purred sexily, bowing her head slightly. "May I.....touch him?"
Zyra's growl was immediate.
The woman quickly stepped back, though her eyes still roamed over Leo's body with clear longing.
Zyra wrapped her arm around Leo's waist, pulling him possessively into her side.
"He's not for your hands," she warned. "Only I decide who gets close to him."
Leo arched a brow, glancing up at her. "Oh? I don't get a say in this?"
Zyra smirked down at him. "No."
The possessiveness in her voice sent a shiver down his spine.
And yet..... something inside him liked it.
Leo was still getting used to being the center of attention, but he wasn't the only one who noticed the stir he caused.
From the shadows of a nearby building, golden eyes watched.
Lira—the seductive fox-woman with nine flowing tails—smirked as she studied him.
She had waited long enough.
It was time to make her next move.
********
Zyra led Leo into a grand, open hall, where furs and silks lined the floors, and the scent of wildflowers and firewood filled the air.
The moment they stepped inside, several beast women rushed forward, their eyes filled with reverence.
"My Queen," one said, bowing low. "We've prepared a bath for him."
Another, a blonde wolf-woman with striking silver eyes, stepped forward, offering Leo a tray of exotic fruits.
"Please, let him eat," she murmured. "He must be exhausted from the journey."
Leo blinked.
These women weren't treating him like a fighter or an equal.
They were treating him.....a rare treasure. A prize.
Zyra watched with amusement, her tail flicking lazily.
"Eat, bathe, rest," she murmured into his ear. "Tonight, I'll show you what it truly means to be mine."
Leo swallowed hard.
He had a feeling he wouldn't be getting much rest.
*******
The bath had been a surreal experience.
He had barely stepped into the steaming pool before several soft hands were on him, lathering him with fragrant oils, washing every inch of his body with worshipful devotion.
When he finally returned to Zyra's chambers, his skin tingled, his muscles relaxed....but his mind was anything but calm.
Because the moment he stepped into the dimly lit room, he wasn't alone.
A familiar sultry voice purred from the corner.
"You're quite the popular one, aren't you?"
Leo turned— and there she was.
Lira, the fox-woman, draped in nothing but a thin silk wrap that barely covered her curves.
Her golden eyes gleamed with mischief as she lounged on the furs, tails curling around her in a mesmerizing display.
Leo's breath hitched. This was a wrap.
And the worst part?
He didn't want to escape.
******
Lira stretched like a lazy cat, the silk sliding over her soft skin, revealing more than it hid.
"I saw how they treated you today," she murmured lazily. "Like a delicate little thing that needs to be protected."
She tilted her head, lips curving into a knowing smile.
"But I wonder.... do you want to be handled so gently?"
Leo clenched his fists.
He needed to live. He needed to—
Lira moved.
One moment she was across the room — the next, she was inches away.
Her tail wrapped around his wrist, her warm breath against his ear.
"You could have so much more, Leo," she whispered. "I can show you pleasure beyond anything you've ever known."
Her fingers trailed down his chest, nails barely grazing his skin.
"I can give you what a Wolf Queen never will," she purred.
Leo swallowed hard.
His mind screamed at him to push her away, to resist the temptation.
But his body?
His body betrayed him.
Lira's smirk widened.
"You are already thinking about it, aren't you huh?" she whispered seductively, pressing her lips to his jaw.
Leo shuddered.
Just as Lira's lips traced his throat, the door slammed open.
A snarling, furious Zyra stood in the doorway, her blue eyes blazing with rage.
Lira grinned.
"Oh, look," she purred. "The queen is here."
Leo barely had time to react before Zyra lunged.
Lira laughed, dodging at the last second, her tails brushing against Leo as she disappeared into the dark.
Zyra whirled on him, her breath ragged.
"You let her touch you," she growled.
Leo licked his lips, still tasting Lira's sweetness.
"I didn't exactly have a choice," he said smoothly.
Zyra's growl deepened.
"You are mine, Leo," she whispered, her voice thick with possession.
Leo's blood pounded.
"I know," he murmured, pulling her against him.
Her breath hitched.
Then..... he claimed her all over again.