46 - A Change in Viewpoint (2) - (1.99k words)

Muir's POV - Part 2/2

Did that female only mate with ferals? Why else would another feral suddenly show up by her side? I've never seen an eagle beastman try to win over a female who kept ferals as mates. There's no way they'd let me join their life easily as regular beastmen, right?

But they were unexpectedly friendly, which seemed a bit off (it made me think about a few females who tricked clueless beastmen into mating them), yet I still went with it. Even more peculiar was their insistence on me liking her. I wouldn't court her if I didn't like her, so what was their problem?

Yaya didn't seem too thrilled about their efforts, and I also didn't appreciate them always silencing her, so I called them out on it. That's when she started spilling all those bad things about me while also dragging herself down with it. I wasn't buying any of it, knowing her swindling tendencies. She was clearly playing some angle, and I was determined to figure it out myself.

Why was she trying to make me hate her?

And why did it make me want her even more?

When the two ferals tried to seduce me with her body, I knew I had walked straight into a trap with no way out. Their saliva had healing properties, and each time their tongues passed over her skin, bruises faded, and scratches vanished, leaving behind nothing but flawless beauty.

Her allure was primal, sinful in its beauty, taunting me to dare resist her. Her beauty wasn't merely magnetic; it was a fierce, mocking provocation, challenging me to break, to surrender to the wild call that no beastman was designed to withstand. I've tried to resist my primal urges and utterly failed.

I had assumed they were in search of more males due to her scars, thinking perhaps she needed a servant or a bait. But with those looks, she had the power to enchant any single male she desired. And when I say any, I truly mean each and every one, without exception.

And behold, her head male even apologized, explaining that he expected me to shower Yaya with love, while I should neither expect nor demand any affection in return. Honestly, I never anticipated her love in the first place. Yet Vick still assured me he'd be there to support me as long as I didn't give up.

It was when I met Nivi, YaYa's best friend, that many of Vick's words began to make sense. Nivi's presence exuded a warmth and sincerity, effortlessly drawing people to her. She reminded me of Queen Memi. Her way of connecting seemed to seep into the air around her, making the idea of "drowning in affection" suddenly very real and incredibly appealing.

Still, it didn't make me desire Yaya any less. If I couldn't win her over on my own, then I'd get her with the help of her males - with force - a desperate strategy I never imagined I'd resort to.

· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·

Current time...

"Hey, birdie, are you awake?"

My eyes snapped open just to be bestowed with the sight of the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. Every time I tried to look her in the eyes, I had to do a double take-like, am I seeing things, or is she really that stunning?

I glanced at Curtis, Vick, and Skaris, who were sleeping not far away from us. They had their eyes closed, and their chests were rising and falling.

I wrapped my left arm around her waist and pulled her body closer to mine. She didn't struggle, didn't even try to stop me. I used my right hand to gently squeeze her cheek into a duckey face, "It's still early. You should go back to sleep."

"I'm a morning bird, like you," she whispered.

"I've noticed," I whispered back, not wanting to wake the others.

She nodded, her eyes focused on my lips.

Just as I was about to pull her closer and press my lips to hers, she placed her hand on my chest and pushed herself away. "I've been wondering," she began, her eyes searching mine for truth, "Why are you not pursuing Queen Memi? She is a beautiful female, kind and caring toward her males and cubs. Even if she rejected you, I know you're not someone who gives up easily."

Her question caught me off guard, and for a second, I was at a loss for words, "Why are you suddenly curious about me?"

"Hmm, I wonder?" Yaya hummed, "Queen Memi is beautiful, kind, caring... and loving... and brave... and smart..." It wasn't just curiosity driving her; she simply loved to tease us crazy.

"Stop it," I squeezed her cheeks in an attempt to make her less beautiful. I still wasn't used to confronting her stunning looks without blushing like a cub on his first heat. But the duckey face just made her lips pout in such a cute way that my chest throbbed in adoration. "It's actually not that difficult for us eagles to obtain a female. It's our birthright, our inherent privilege. Our status among the beastmen grants us easy access to their females. We don't need to exert much effort; they practically fall into our claws."

I paused, gathering my thoughts, "By choosing not to pursue the King's females, we demonstrate our respect for the hierarchy and ensure that our interactions with them are based on mutual understanding and cooperation rather than mere conquest. This approach allows us to uphold our position of power while also fostering positive connections within the community, ultimately strengthening our influence and status among the beastmen."

"Hmm," she continued to raise her eyebrows up and down, making me chuckle. "Is it so hard to accept that you have really bad taste in females?"

I choked on air, and the sound must have woken the others. Curtis tail snapped in our direction, taking Yaya from me, and placing her in his embrace before falling asleep again. Vick's hand roamed around before finding her mouth, covering it as he sandwiched her between his body and Curtis's.

My heart was racing, my mind reeling as I gently tried to extract Yaya from their embrace. "I'm going to take her outside for some fresh air," I whispered, "Sleep, I'll keep her occupied."

They both nodded, their eyes heavy with sleep as they settled back into their spots.

I tried to maintain my composure as I wrapped her nakedness with a blanket and carried her outside, "You have too much energy," I complained the moment we were outside, hoping to distract myself from the temptation she presented.

"Now you wish I was more like most females, huh?"

"I would prefer that, yes," I grumbled teasingly, eliciting a mocking snort from her.

"That's why I said we should all sleep in separate rooms," she said as I seated her under the tree.

I'm usually the first to hit the bed but also the one who left it the soonest. Curtis could talk the night away and then sleep through the entire day. Skaris takes naps throughout the day, while Vick is more of a hit-and-crash person. He tends to sleep when we're all present.

"No," I replied, "It's important to build a habit of sleeping together. It will make it easier for you to feel safe and secure, which is essential for your health and well-being. And if you are feeling restless, one of us will gladly take you on a night stroll and could use the alone time to have you all for ourselves too."

She was quiet, and I couldn't tell what was going on inside her head, but whatever it was, I had the urge to know, to share it.

I leaned back against the tree, looking at the dark sky. "I'm going to confess something. Will you promise not to laugh?"

"Sure," she shrugged.

"Most eagles are in love with Queen Memi. This way, it's easier for them not to get attached to their female mate and focus on raising their cubs in the eagle clan despite the spousal mark that connects them," I said, hoping my confession would distract me from the overwhelming urge to pin her against the tree and kiss her until we were both breathless.

Tucking the thick blanket around her more securely, I continued, "They're all just pretending to be not interested in her when, in reality, she's the only female that could make their hearts skip a beat. But since they can't have her, they just decide to settle down and have their own families, which is what most eagles are doing these days. We are the oldest clan and one of the strongest clans. We have enough land and resources. Our lives are peaceful and comfortable. Our only goal is to ensure that our legacy remains strong and healthy for generations to come."

"And what makes you different?" she asked.

"I guess the difference between me and the rest of the eagles is that I want more," I stated casually, looking at her. "I don't want to be just another male raising cubs. I want more than just the safety and security of a stable family. I want passion, excitement, and adventure. I want someone who can challenge me, excite me, and inspire me-someone who makes me want to do more, to be more."

I paused, watching her intently. I didn't know what to expect, but her response definitely wasn't what I thought it would be.

"It's not easy to go against the flow and follow your own path. But you're doing it. I admire that."

I was speechless for a moment. Her response was completely unexpected, and yet it made my heart flutter with pride and joy.

I had never been the center of attention before. I had always been in the shadows, doing my duty, being a good member of society, a devoted soldier.

But this time, it felt like the spotlight was on me. It felt like the whole world was watching me, waiting for my next move.

And it made me want to impress her even more. While she might not have been the most talkative, she was an exceptional listener, attuned to every word and nuance (even though she pretends that she doesn't, she remembers everything we say and then uses it against us in the most unexpected manner). Like Vick said, she is hyper-aware of her surroundings.

Did I need a reason to love her? Did it matter what she was like, what she did, or who she was?

When looking for a female, I've always looked for an excuse why I couldn't mate with her.

Too loud, too shy, too weak, too clingy, too cold, too stupid, too rude, too arrogant. The list could go on forever.

I always found something to hate.

Something to blame.

Something to criticize.

Something to justify.

While courting Yaya, I've tried to show her all the reasons why I liked her, doing my best to demonstrate the depth of my feelings.

Yet, she laughed me in the face, calling my reasons pathetic.

It was funny, really.

Funny how, all of a sudden, I found myself having yet another little pathetic reason to love her even more.

But this time, it wasn't about just charm; it was something deeper, something you can only get when you're right there with her.

╔═══ Author's note ════╗

Uff, I think this is my longest chapter so far (3.8k words), so long that I had to separate it into two parts. Did you enjoy it? 🤭

Now we know the true reason why he fell in love with Yaya. 🤭 She is the "more" that he needs in his life, which I think also suits the novel Muir, who fell in love with Bai instead of Queen Memi. 😌

╚════════════════╝