103 - Little Devil (3k words)

3rd person POV

Somewhere in the past...

Howls filled with anger and pain echoed through the trees.

"Would she rather see our cubs harmed than see us happy?" Bart let out a deep growl, shifting into his human form, "How far will she go just to see everyone miserable?"

He didn't need an answer. The moment he overheard Rosa persuading their cubs to kill other cubs, his heart sank.

The cubs recognized Rosa as their birth mother and usually listened to her. They were old enough to roam the forest on their own, and Mama Yaya had entrusted them with protecting the younger ones. So when Mama Rosa told them to betray that very duty, they hesitated.

"No, Mama. We won't do it. The other cubs didn't do anything wrong."

"No, Mama. We don't want to do that."

The cubs howled and cried when Rosa kicked them away, "You're not my cubs anymore! Get off me! I will throw you into the river and let you drown to your death!"

Their faces were covered in tears when he appeared, drawn by their whimpers.

Bart glanced down at his claws, his chest heavy and his eyes wet. They cut deeper than her tongue, and his tears were thicker than her blood.

The cubs adored their mother, no matter how she treated them. Why? To them, it was normal to be treated like that by Rosa. Bart used to be just like them. It was how things were until one day, he realized this was not how things should be.

"Why? Why did you save her?" Bart asked as he turned his head toward the woman who stood behind him.

"Why not? It's interesting seeing everyone lose their shit when she is around," she leaned against the tree, her arms crossed, "Will her death satisfy you, or will it haunt you for the rest of your days? Regrets are a waste of life."

"A dead person can't feel anything," Bart closed his eyes and exhaled, trying not to let his ex-female affect him, "I need her to feel my pain. I need her to know how much she's hurting others. I need her to see how ugly she's become..." Then, he began clawing at his chest, but a hand stopped him, "I'm a horrible person. What am I doing? This is insane."

"Nothing of this would have happened if I just banned her from entering our territory, so it's not entirely Rosa's fault," Yaya chuckled as she wrapped her arms around his chest, guiding his hands to rest on hers. "Her males are probably still counting their blessings that they didn't end up as rootless."

Bart's actions made Rosa's males aware that it was not only her who had their lives in her grasp. His spousal imprint was still on Rosa's body, which meant she didn't turn him into a rootless (they didn't know it was fake), so it might give them some confidence to go against her wishes and not end up like him.

Bart lowered his head, his bangs falling over his eyes. His voice cracked as he whispered, "I'm sorry. The Ape King is dragging you into his mess because of me, too."

She laughed, "It's not the first time someone wants me dead. What makes you think it will be the last? I'm leaving him to you to deal with."

Bart's body froze, "Me?"

"Yeah, you. It's your problem. Solve it."

"But─"

"Solve. It."

Bart swallowed. "How do I..."

"I don't care. You have a brain. Use it."

Bart shut his mouth. No help? No advice? He had expected her to at least give him a few pointers, but now he felt stupid for assuming that. She probably didn't even view the Ape King as her opponent, just an inconvenience, and therefore, had no reason to kill him.

"If you need a hand, here," she raised her hand, "You can hold it if you want."

Bart stared at her open palm. It was such a tiny gesture of support, barely anything at all, but somehow it warmed up his heart, "You're giving me your hand?"

"For you to hold. Yes."

He reached out his hand, slowly sliding it under hers, and then clasped her fingers with his own, "It feels like I'm holding the devil's hand, forbidden and yet so tempting to take." A smile slowly formed on his lips, "A little devil that would grant me my deepest wishes, but not in a way I would like to achieve them." His gaze softened, "The way you make me want to keep sinning with you is beyond me."

"Don't say stupid things. It's just a hand," she said.

"Just a hand," Bart repeated.

Just a hand.

Just a simple, ordinary hand.

She walked ahead, and he followed, his fingers tightening around hers. As a beastman, it was his duty to remain faithful to the Beast God. But his instinct told him to follow the Beast Devil's will. Rosa's corruption was the result of his influence, would his be any different?

Yaya knew how to navigate in the dark like it was her home, and it made him wonder if she was born there. In the place, where the moon light didn't reach and the stars weren't visible. Where her soul was the only source of light and her heart the only source of warmth.

"My Dearest Little Devil," he whispered, the words feeling right as they rolled off his tongue, "I will follow you until the end of time. Even if your heart is not mine to hold, it will always be mine to protect."

"Good."

"...Is that all you have to say?"

"Yes."

"..." It was so hard to keep his cool like Vick and the rest. She observed him like nobody else ever did, and he felt both flattered and embarrassed. Every little detail about him seemed so significant in her eyes, as if his existence was special and unique.

"Can I kiss you?" he blurted out.

"Later."

"Pretty please?" He jumped before her and cupped his cheeks with his free hand, his sharp eyes blinking and turning into a pair of innocent orbs, staring at her. His furry ears flopped as his tail wagged behind him. "Puppy eyes," he pouted cutely.

YaYa's fingers twitched.

"Puppy," he pouted louder. His big blue eyes blinked, his lips slightly open, and his cheeks tinted with a shade of pink.

She pinched his cheeks and stretched them, "Be a good boy, and I'll give you a treat."

His lips quivered, "H-how good?"

"Very good."

He gulped, "Like... the bestest?"

"Mhm, the bestest," she said, her fingers scratching under his chin, which earned her a soft sigh, "Only the bestest treats for my bestest boy."

Bart's knees weakened. If she didn't stop, he would drop to his knees and beg for her to let him lick the dirt off her feet. He breathed deeply, his mouth parting slightly.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"About me... inside of you."

Yaya laughed, "Continue."

"Against the tree."

"Nice."

He covered his face, his cheeks reddening, "This is embarrassing. You're enjoying this."

"I am. Very much."

"Ughhhh," Bart groaned and took the lead, pulling her along, "I can't focus on patrolling when I have such thoughts and a hard on."

That's right, Bart was on a patrolling duty tonight. Many tried to hunt him down after what he had done to Rosa. You simply don't hurt your female, no matter what her sins were, and expect to get away with it. Especially one, who gave birth to your cubs.

His crime was so grave, many viewed him as the Beast Devil's worshipper. They wanted his head for their own gain and to earn the Beast God's blessing.

· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·

Current time...

In the heart of the bustling village, beastmen of all kinds gathered in the main square.

Amidst the lively atmosphere, one figure commanded attention: the Ape King.

"I bring grave news. A curse has befallen our lands," he announced, "A female. She is the cause of all this chaos. Her presence is the poison that is killing our society."

"What are you talking about?" a beastman asked, "Who are you referring to?"

"The Cloud Nine's Madam," the Ape King answered, "She's the reason why our females are turning their backs on our males. She's the reason why the ferals are becoming more and more violent. She's the reason why the rootless are increasing. She's the source of the disease that is spreading."

"What proof do you have? I've visited the Cloud Nine resort before, and I can tell you, all the females and males are having fun there. The ferals are not harming anyone, and the rootless are behaving," one of the beastmen argued, "Why would we risk our lives and start a war with all the ferals and mermen over your speculation?"

"..." the Ape King tried to conjure up a vision of the masked female, but without touching her or her belongings, he couldn't get a clear picture. "Bart! She tricked him into leaving and injuring his own female. Doesn't that make him no different from a rootless? Isn't that enough evidence for you? Do you want to end up as her next experiment?!"

The beastmen scratched their heads, "It's still better than risking our lives to fight a war we cannot win."

Also, the peacock beastmen have made it clear why Bart punished Rosa. It was to save them from the same fate that fell upon her previous males. Anyone who dared to harm Bart's cubs or the female he had chosen would face his wrath.

He may not have control over the wolf tribes whatsoever, and the title of the Wolf King was taken by his brother, but if a title was necessary to prove his power and authority, he was more than willing to take the title of the Beast King. His arrogance turned him into a laughing stock, but nobody dared to question his ability to carry out his promises. This guy had guts to go against all the odds and defy the common sense, that's a fact nobody could deny.

The female was obsessed with the Scorpion King? Well, the self proclaimed Beast King had openly stated that if the Scorpion King were with her out of pity then he should step aside and let someone else who was truly worthy of her fill the gap.

"..." The vein on Ape King's forehead throbbed when he saw the beastmen were not convinced. He had already lost a lot of his credibility after the volcano eruption.

That wasn't even the worst part.

His dear female refused to spend time alone with him, and her attitude toward him became colder and colder after they were denied access to the Cloud Nine resort.

Bart didn't want him there because he exiled him at his lowest.

The mermen didn't want him there because he took away their female.

The scorpions didn't want him there either because...well, they were just petty like that.

When the Ape King requested the audience with The Clouds Nine's Madam, she didn't even bother to come down and greet him. She passed a massage instead, and the contents were enough to drive him mad:

"You make me feel uncomfortable, and it's not good for my health. I don't know how to deal with people like you, so I don't want to talk to you or be near you. Please, leave."

That was the message.

A female who was mated to the meanest, most dangerous and fearsome males among all the males was scared of him, the Ape King?!

Only a fool would believe such lies!

He wanted to build a resort that would outshine Cloud Nine and knock them off their pedestal. However, most of the beastmen sided with Winston, who was more concerned with building protective walls and a defense system to keep their people safe.

He had no choice but to leave his female behind, pay for her stay and return to pick her up later.

When he finally picked her up, she hit him with a bucket full of ice water: she wanted a scorpion and a peacock beastmen as her new males and wouldn't leave until she got them.

The Ape King felt like screaming and crying when every peacock and scorpion beastman flat-out rejected his female. It was just too strange for a female to have only one male. No one in their right mind would risk being stabbed in the back by an Ape King—or his female.

Winston was a prime example of that. The Ape King used to send the White Tiger out on deadly missions to get rid of him, said Bart.

The Ape King killed Rosa's parents and wanted to put the blame on the Tiger Queen's mates, said Bart.

The Ape King changed his plans and tried to befriend the Tiger Queen because her snake male could fight against mermen in the water, said Bart!

The Ape King's teeth gritted and his fist clenched. He couldn't wait to kill that damn wolf for his insolence and disrespect!

"Bart cut off his female's tongue! She must know something we don't. If we can find a way to make her talk, she can be the evidence that would convince everyone of his wrongdoings."

· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·

Somewhere near the mansion...

"Forget about him, Darling. I can't believe we have such an idiot among us. What a waste of space," Mitchell scoffed, his sharp teeth gleaming, "We should throw him away."

"My Dearest," Bart whispered, "If he wants to be stupid, let him. Let's focus on more important things..."

Yaya jumped off Bart's shoulder just in time for Mitchell to tackle him down.

"You think you stand a chance against me? Let alone claim to be better?" Mitchell's voice was a low growl, seething with dominance.

Bart yelped as he rolled in the dirt with Mitchell, both growling and cursing at each other.

"I'm sick of you acting like she's a burden in front of everyone. You'll learn what it's like when someone fights for her—for real," Bart spat, leaning in closer. "She's mine, and I'm going to show the world exactly what that means."

Bart's words were raw, final, leaving no room for doubt. Having others badmouth him was one thing, but having them badmouth Yaya was an entirely different matter. It made his blood boil, his ears burn, and his fists itch.

Territorial. Protective. Dominant. The more she opened up, the stronger her males' urges became. The more she relied on them, the more possessive they felt.

They should be grateful for what they had and not be greedy? Hardly. The moment one of them gained the upper hand, the others would begin to retaliate.

They were that kind of bunch, the ones that would never agree to be at the bottom of the food chain, not without a fight.

· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·

Meanwhile...

"This way," A scorpion beastman said, a group of females trailing behind him together with their males.

"Are you sure we can come in here?" Lia gulped, her skin crawling at the thought of running into something dangerous, "It feels like it's not allowed."

Slithering and hissing sounds echoed through the forest, accompanied by the flapping sound of wings. It was daytime, but they couldn't imagine how terrifying it would be at night.

Walls would surely give a sense of security, but the owners refrained from building them exactly for that reason. They focused on guarding their guests, not some walls that could be easily breached.

You pay for VIP treatment, so you can enjoy the VIP experience. That's what the Cloud Nine resort was about. You get to roam the forest, swim in the rivers, explore the dangerous jungle, and experience the thrill without a care in the world.

"What is that?" the girls gasped.

A silhouette emerged from the fog. It was a female. A female with her face covered. She lifted her hand and pointed in another direction, "Take the other path."

In response, they heard trees snapping and deep growls from the direction they were heading.

"Ma'am," the scorpion beastman stopped, bowing his head slightly, "Our guests would like to have a chat with you."

The female gave the group a once over then said, "If you are looking for Gold. He is in the river," she pointed in another direction.

"No. We are not─"

"You're not here for Gold?"

"No. We─"

"You're not interested in my males?"

"Yes, no! Wait!"

They all gulped when they walked closer, realizing how tall she was compared to them.

The Scorpion males by their side, who were tall and big, didn't make her look small. If anything, they made her look even more imposing and intimidating. Her legs were long, her curves were feminine, but her posture was... regal. She looked like she could easily break their necks if they made her angry.

"Yaya," Mandy bravely stepped forward, her heart pounding and her throat dry, "We came here to see you! Let's be friends, okay?"

"Friends?" She paused, "Go ask my males. They are the ones in charge of me."

"But you are their female. Why don't you have a say?"

"I do. They just won't listen," she muttered, and the group was left dumbfounded, "I don't want to be punished for talking to strangers, but they are insistent, so I have no choice but to ask my males for permission."

"Punished?" the mermaids exchanged confused looks, "Is it really that bad?"

"Mmm."

"What happens if you don't ask?"

"My males get mad, and my body will hurt."

"What?!"

"You mean they hurt you?"

"Mmm."

"They're abusing you?!"

"Abusing? What does that mean?"

"They're hurting you and making you suffer!"

"Suffer? No. They are teaching me how to be a good female."

The group was silent, unable to form a reply. They didn't know what to say. They didn't expect this. They didn't expect Cloud Nine's Madam to be a pushover.

Why did she suddenly look so pitiful?

What training did her males push her through?

╔═══ Author's note ════╗

Yaya is devil in such a playful way, I can't. 🤣 She's going to drive her males crazy with her antics again. 🤣

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