Silas had not expected the female to catch him off guard. He had not thought she would touch him of her own accord.

But he let it happen. Out of curiosity.

And because something about her had awakened his hunting instinct.

Her slightly rough voice sent a shiver through his body. If he had been in his beast form, every hair would have stood on end.

But it was a pleasant feeling. One he wanted to experience again.

He felt alive. Something he had only ever known from battle.

"I didn’t realize even big cats liked to play."

Something about him drove Mirabelle to provoke him further.

Her tongue darted out, slowly brushing over the sensitive tip of his ear.

It was not as unpleasant as it sounded. The fur there was soft as silk.

But the effect it had on Silas was explosive.

A deep rumble rose from his chest, and she realized he was purring.

She leaned back against the door again and looked up at him, deliberately letting her lashes flutter.

’Ha. Let me show you the weapons of a modern woman.’

The panther beast struggled to maintain control.

Dark streaks flickered in his eyes as they devoured the lynx female. His jaw tightened so hard it clicked, the sound loud in the stillness of the night.

Everything in him screamed to claim her, to sink his teeth into her skin.

So close, he could take in her scent more clearly, and it wrapped around him like a toxic cloud. It was as if it pulled him closer and closer — sweet and tempting.

Mirabelle registered with satisfaction what she had done to him, unaware of the consequences.

A deep sense of satisfaction rose within her.

"Are you sure you could handle me?

Because right now, it doesn’t look like it."

She flashed her fangs.

Silas chuckled.

"Oh, I wish you would waste my time for the rest of my life."

Mirabelle suddenly felt thrown off balance. The sense of control she had just held slipped through her fingers like water.

Her memories told her that beastfolk made their decisions quickly. Knowing instantly whether someone suited them or not. Often, two beasts mated on the very day they met.

But this... this was far too fast for her.

She had not realized that her small provocation could trigger something like this.

Wasn’t that already a confession?

Her lips parted slightly in surprise as she stared at Silas with wide eyes.

The gold of her gaze resembled honey lit by sunlight.

His arm, which had caged her in until now, fell to his side.

Her reaction was so disarmingly sweet, while her behavior remained so full of rebellion.

He leaned forward slightly until his forehead touched hers.

Instantly, Mirabelle calmed. Her entire body seemed to relax.

Almost at the same time, they both closed their eyes and simply breathed the same air. Slowly.

Her heartbeat synchronized with his, and for a brief moment, they simply existed together.

Silas wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms. But he feared that would startle her.

She had just shown him that she was not yet ready for all of this. Perhaps that was why she fought it so fiercely.

But to him, it only made it clearer that he wanted her.

The voices of his ancestors — whose blood ran through his veins, whose strength lived in his muscles, brought his life into being — roared in his mind.

They screamed so loudly that she was the perfect one, no, the only female who could bear his offspring. The only one he could stand beside without the world falling out of balance.

And even though he often cursed his instincts...

...today, he trusted them.

Mirabelle did not understand what was happening.

Her mind wanted to analyze. To overthink. To plan.

But her body... felt.

Silas felt like safety. Like comfort. Like home.

Her mind resisted — but her body had already chosen.

The lynx female had the sudden urge to bite him.

’Wait—what? Ohhh no. Definitely not.’

Her ears flattened, betraying her reluctance.

Her eyes snapped open, and as if he sensed her sudden unease, he gave her a bit more space. Enough for her to breathe her own air again.

Suddenly shy, she looked to the side as heat rose to her cheeks.

"We should probably stop this before it becomes a problem."

"Am I not worth the problem?"

He flashed her a disarming smile, his fangs glinting in the dim light.

’He’s far too eloquent for me... how am I supposed to keep up with that?’

She almost groaned. Out of frustration, of course. (What did you think?)

Yes, she enjoyed the way he danced with her verbally. But that did not help her here.

She had barely arrived — and already had to dodge husbands.

What kind of idiot ended up in a new world and took a husband on the very first day?

She definitely did not intend to be that person.

"Careful... you almost had me there."

He tilted his head, and for a moment, he reminded her of a puppy.

A very large, slightly terrifying puppy. Probably straight from hell...

’I should definitely not say that out loud.’

Her memories told her that even in this world, cats and dogs — and their kin — did not get along well.

"Almost?"

Now she rolled her eyes. Somehow, Mirabelle had expected this kind of banter more from Kaelith.

A/N: If you enjoyed the Chapter, I’d really appreciate your support — it helps more than you think.