Trapped in the Beastworld Breeder System (BL)-Chapter 25: Bring the tiger brand!

Ravien had, in fact, noticed that it was Aries from the very moment he stepped into the courtroom.

Still, he had withheld confirmation until the moment his breeder stood before him, no longer disguised, now nothing more than a small, delicate cub in his eyes. And that scent—sweet, intoxicating had clouded his senses the instant he took Aries’ hands into his own.

It had happened as swiftly as the wind, yet it was more than enough. In that brief instant, Ravien found himself wanting to tear away whatever spell Aries had dared to place upon himself.

"You... you... knew?" Aries asked, his voice trembling, the words stuttering out of him before he could stop them.

He was dragged closer to him without warning. Ravien clasped both of Aries’ hands firmly in his own and spoke, his voice low and deliberate. "From the very moment you walked into the courtroom with your head lowered, I knew you were something I would want to possess."

He leaned in slightly, his grip tightening. "And yet, you still had the nerve to raise your head and look at me so confidently."

His lips curved into something sharp and dangerous. "Then you dared to come before me to feed me, and in doing so, you released exactly the scent I needed."

The Tiger King’s fingers locked around Aries’ wrist, squeezing so tightly that Aries struggled instinctively to pull free, only to realize it was completely useless. His breathing turned labored as he stared into the twisted expression on Ravien’s face, his mind scrambling for words that refused to come.

In that moment, Aries felt like a complete fool—utterly stupid. The realization that he had been so easily misled by the Tiger King, that he had allowed himself to believe Ravien was the ignorant one, struck him hard. It forced him to finally see just how twisted and dangerous the beastworld truly was. This world was nothing like the simple version he had imagined in his head.

The one he had thought foolish was, in reality, far more calculating than Aries could have ever anticipated. And now, all Aries could think about was how desperately he wanted to escape—free, alive, and whole.

’System, can anything be done about this?’ he asked silently.

[Host, since the escape protocol is currently activated, I advise that you endure what is to come for now. You will be safe soon.]

"Fuck!" Aries cursed aloud.

The slap came instantly.

It was brutal—so sudden and powerful that Aries’ vision spun violently. His eyes rolled back, and for a moment, he felt as though he were floating in a dimension that sought only to erase him from existence.

When he finally came back to his senses, he found himself staring at the Tiger King again, shock filling his expression. Ravien had already risen from the bed.

Aries’ gaze drifted toward the women in the room. Their faces mirrored his own shock, wide-eyed and frozen. Then Ravien’s voice thundered through the space.

"All of you, get out of the room!" he roared. "I have a more important meal to devour!"

The servants who had accompanied Aries scattered instantly, dispersing like dust swept away by a sudden gust of wind. The only ones left behind were the concubines, who stared at Ravien with watery, fearful eyes.

Ravien waited several seconds, allowing the silence to stretch, before slowly turning his attention back to them. His brows furrowed as he demanded, "And what are you lot still doing here?"

One of them, a fair beauty with plump pink lips, looked up at him. Her ears twitched nervously as she spoke in a small, uncertain voice. "My King... we thought you were only referring to the servant."

Ravien’s gaze darkened. "And I reckon you are ready to be punished for that."

His words sliced through the air. The women dropped to their knees immediately. They had made a grave mistake. The Tiger King spoke only once, and misunderstanding him always came with consequences.

"Guard!" Ravien called.

Two burly men entered the room at once, positioning themselves behind the kneeling concubines.

"Take these two away," Ravien ordered coldly. "Punish them accordingly. I don’t want to hear of them walking for the next few days or even speaking."

Aries listened to everything, his fear multiplying. If this was how Ravien punished a simple misunderstanding, what would he do to someone who had truly defied him?

He hadn’t merely disobeyed the King. He had listened, planned an escape, and fled.

The realization made Aries lift a trembling hand to his face. ’I’ve done the stupidest thing imaginable,’ he thought bitterly.

"Why didn’t I just kill him?" he muttered under his breath as he watched the concubines being dragged away.

When the room was finally empty, Ravien’s full attention returned to Aries.

The Tiger King smiled as he studied his breeder—now reduced, in his mind, to a small, helpless cub. He glanced down at the wrist he had been holding; the skin there had flushed pink beneath his grip.

For one fleeting second, Aries felt as though he were catching a glimpse of freedom of relief.

Then it vanished.

A crushing force slammed down on him without warning. His legs buckled violently, and he collapsed flat onto the floor.

Ravien stepped closer, looming over Aries’ sprawled form as he watched him struggle against the unseen pressure pinning him down. Aries slowly lifted his head, confusion clouding his eyes, his vision unfocused and hazy.

"What are you?" Ravien asked calmly, his tone deceptively mild. "Confused?"

Aries couldn’t answer. His mind was in complete chaos—thoughts colliding, unraveling, and slipping through his grasp all at once. It felt as though the entire world was collapsing inward, crushing him beneath its weight. Every attempt to push himself up failed. His palms slid uselessly against the floor, his arms trembled, and his knees buckled beneath him, leaving him helpless and exposed on the ground.

After observing him for several long, deliberate moments, Ravien turned away. He returned to the bed and seated himself comfortably. From there, he continued to watch in silence.

Minutes passed.

Eventually, Aries stopped struggling. His body gave in, and he accepted what was coming. At the back of his mind, the System’s words echoed relentlessly—you won’t die. As someone who had transmigrated into another world, Aries clung to that belief with everything he had. His death couldn’t come so easily. There had to be a reason he was still alive.

And he was right.

The crushing pressure vanished without warning. Air rushed freely into his lungs once more, so sudden that it nearly hurt.

Aries coughed violently, his body shaking as he gasped and fought to clear his airways. He managed to push himself upright, drawing in ragged breaths, but his knees betrayed him again, forcing him down onto them with a dull thud.

Ravien watched the entire display without intervening.

Then he laughed.

The sound was deep and dark, thick with amusement, filling the room. When it finally stopped, Ravien rose slowly to his feet and spoke.

"Finally," he said, his voice smooth and satisfied, "I can see my breeder for what he truly is again. But I’m afraid you’ll try to escape once more, and next time, you might actually try to kill me."

He began walking toward Aries at an excruciatingly slow pace. Each step felt deliberate, measured, as though he were savoring the fear building in his prey. Aries watched him approach, dread coiling tighter in his chest with every second that passed.

Ravien stopped directly in front of him and reached out, gripping Aries’ chin and forcing his face upward.

Fear flooded Aries’ eyes. He had barely recovered from the crushing force earlier, and he wasn’t sure he could survive anything worse.

Ravien’s fingers tightened, pressing hard into Aries’ jaw until blood welled at the corner of his mouth. Before it could drip onto the floor, Ravien wiped it away, smearing the blood across Aries’ face with his other hand in a slow, possessive motion.

"Don’t you look beautiful like this," Ravien murmured, his voice low and intimate, "without that tiger disguise you dared to use. And this scent..." He inhaled deeply. "I love it."

This time, Aries forced himself to think, to act. Whether he truly felt stronger or was merely pretending for survival, his mind began to work again through the haze of pain and fear.

Summoning what little courage he had left, he opened his mouth and spoke, his voice hoarse. "What... what do you intend to do to me for escaping?"

Ravien released his chin and fell briefly into thought, rubbing his own jaw as though considering the question seriously. Then he bent down again, bringing his face closer, his expression thoughtful and cruel.

"Who knows?" he replied softly. "But I do remember enjoying the way your skin turned pink."

The slap came without warning.

Pain exploded through Aries’ face. He felt something crack as his head snapped violently to the side, stars bursting across his vision. Tears welled instantly in his eyes as agony surged through him, sharp and blinding. It was the hardest blow he had taken in years—perhaps the hardest of his life.

Hands traced over him again. Hot breath brushed against his eyelids.

Ravien’s face hovered dangerously close, his presence overwhelming. Then, to Aries’ misbelief, Ravien extended his tongue and licked the blood from his face.

The gesture was deeply unsettling, unexpected by Aries.

Ravien straightened abruptly, his expression shifting as if something had just occurred to him.

"Who’s there?"

At that moment, the heavy gates rattled as another guard entered the room.

Aries heard Ravien’s voice cut through the air.

"Bring the tiger brand," he ordered. "I want to mark this one as mine."