The next morning, when Ana woke up, she felt dizzy because of her poor health. Slowly, she sat up. Her body was sore, especially at her mark. She touched the place where Xavier had bitten her, but there was no bite mark now.
Only then did she notice her surroundings—and the unfamiliar hand holding hers. Terrified, she yanked her hand away from Xander's grasp. The sudden movement startled him awake. The moment he saw her conscious, he was mesmerized by her ocean-blue eyes.
"Help! Help! He kidnapped me!" Ana screamed, panicking.
Xander reacted immediately, covering her mouth with his hand while his other arm wrapped around her back, pulling her close. The distance between them was mere inches.
Her body trembled. "Please don't hurt me… I can do any chores you assign, just free me."
Xander's chest tightened with anger. 'What did that feral do to her to make her so terrified?'
"Ana, please don't shout," he said firmly. "I'm Xander from the Tiger Clan, the leader's son. We rescued you from that feral."
Ana's breath hitched. Rescued?
She was nowhere near the only person she had even slightly known in this strange beast world. The novel had described Tiger beastmen as reliable, but could she trust anything the book said anymore? The ferals were supposed to be mindless monsters, yet Xavier had been so different.
"What are you even talking about?" she snapped. "Why did you rescue me from him? Once he finds out you took me, he'll go crazy. He's going to kill you—maybe even your whole clan! Please, just send me back. I want to go back to him!"
Tears welled in her eyes. Seeing her distress, Xander instinctively reached out to comfort her, but she flinched away from his touch.
"Don't worry, no matter what, I'll safeguard you."
"Oh no! You've misunderstood the situation," Ana cried. "I was with him willingly. See, I even have his mark. We were happy!"
Xander's eyes darkened. "I know why you're lying like this. You're afraid he'll attack our town. But don't worry—we are not weak like a village. He can do nothing."
Even though Ana wanted to appear strong, her body betrayed her, too weak to fight back. She broke down in sobs.
Xander's heart clenched painfully at the sight of her crying. He tried to move closer to comfort her, but she flinched again, fear flashing in her eyes.
'What did that feral do to you, Ana, to make you fear even a male's touch?'
"If you feel uncomfortable staying alone with me, I'll bring my mother," Xander offered. "Maybe in a female's presence, you'll feel safer. Till I come back, stay here. If you need anything, call the guard outside."
With that, Xander left to find his mother.
Ana curled into herself, her tears soaking the blanket.
'Xavier, when are you going to find me? I really miss you. If they find out about my cycle… I don't know what will happen to me. Please come quickly. I don't know how long I can hold on without you…'
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"Mum... Mum..."
Xander rushed into his mother's quarters, his expression tense.
His mother, Liana, looked up from weaving a cloth. "Cub, why are you here instead of being with your mate?"
Xander hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Mum, I think she is terrified of a male's touch. When I went closer, she started to sob. She even flinched when I tried to touch her. I think she hasn't accepted the fact that she's safe now and away from the snake."
Liana's hands stilled. A heavy silence filled the room before she sighed. "Oh no… I've seen cases like this. It's the aftermath of torture." She looked at him seriously. "Sometimes, they even think we'll treat them the same way as the ferals. Cub, are you sure you want her as your mate? Some traumatized females are tough to win over. You'll need patience—sometimes, a lifetime of it."
Xander's eyes darkened with resolve. "Mom, I only want her. Whatever problems come, I'll face them for her."
His mother Liana's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Fine, then. Let's go and talk to your soon-to-be mate." She patted his arm before standing. "How about this—you go and hunt for a while. We females will have some alone time and talk."
Xander hesitated before nodding. "Okay, Mum. Take care of her."
Liana chuckled. "Of course, cub. Now go."
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'No, I can't just sit here and wait for fate to decide for me. I have to get out of here and find Xavier—quickly!'
Ana's eyes darted to the door where a guard stood watch. Escaping that way was impossible. Her only option was the window.
Since the beastmen were uncivilized, their houses were made of massive stone slabs, with only open gaps for windows—no wooden frames, no glass barriers. And since this was the ground floor, it was easy for her to slip out.
Carefully, she climbed through the opening and dropped to the ground outside.
Now, I have to find a way to reach Xavier…
Liana entered the room, expecting to find Ana resting. But the bed was empty. Her heart clenched.
"Ana?"
Silence.
Her sharp eyes scanned the room, quickly noticing the window.
Her chest tightened with panic. "Guards!" she called out. "Search the area! Find her immediately!"
She turned to another guard. "Go inform Xander—Ana is missing!"
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After escaping, Ana desperately asked for directions to the forest. Some hesitated, but many were enchanted by her rare beauty, and word of a delicate female wandering alone spread quickly. Unfortunately, this only made the guards' job easier.
She ran as fast as her weak legs allowed, her breath coming in ragged gasps. But within ten minutes, strong hands grabbed her.
"Leave me! I'm not going with you!" she thrashed, kicking and twisting in their grip. But her struggle was in vain. The guards were too strong. They effortlessly carried her back.
The moment Xander saw Ana again, his heart leaped with relief. Without thinking, he rushed to her and wrapped her in a tight hug.
Ana's whole body stiffened at the sudden contact. Her breath hitched, her hands trembling at her sides.
Noticing her reaction, Liana frowned. "Cub, move away from her. I need to check for any injuries."
"I'll check, Mom—"
"No," Liana interrupted firmly. "You go and bring her some food. Us females need a little chat alone."
Xander sighed but nodded. "Okay, fine… Ana, you can talk about anything with my mom. She'll take good care of you." His voice softened. "And don't try to escape next time—it's dangerous to be outside alone."
Ana lowered her gaze, pressing her lips together. 'I don't belong here…'