Xin Yi's heart was still hammering in her chest when Hei Yan emerged from the bathroom in her palace.
Dripping wet.
Still very, very naked.
"Oh my god," she squeaked, immediately spinning around. "CLOTHES! You need CLOTHES!"
She fumbled in her dimensional storage, , and pulled out one of the new fabric wraps they had been making. The rough, burlap-like material that was leagues better than leaves.
"Here!" She thrust it backward at him without looking. "Put this on! NOW!"
"Hmm?" Hei Yan's voice was right behind her. Too close. "What is this?"
"It's proper CLOTHING! We made it yesterday! Just—just wrap it around your waist like—like—" Her face was burning. "Like the Tiger does!"
Silence.
Then: "Why?"
"BECAUSE YOU'RE NAKED!"
"But you saw me naked before." He sounded genuinely confused. "Many times."
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"
More silence.
Then she felt his breath on her neck. "Xin Yi."
She froze.
"Why don't you like how big I am?"
Her brain short-circuited. "WHAT?!"
"You always tell me to cover myself." His voice was almost.….pouty? "The other females don't mind. They like looking. But you always turn away."
"I—that's not—you can't just—" Xin Yi's face was on fire. "JUST PUT THE CLOTHES ON!"
"Hmm." She heard rustling behind her. "Fine."
"Thank you!"
"I like your big breasts too," he added casually. "So we are even."
"HEI YAN!"
"What? It's true."
"SHUT UP!" She spun around, grabbed a cup and splashed the water in it at him.
He was standing there, the fabric finally wrapped around his hips, water droplets running down his chest. And he was chuckling. A deep, rumbling sound that made her stomach pool with…...
Then his expression changed.
His nose twitched. His eyes narrowed, and his whole body went tense.
"What—" Xin Yi started.
"Tiger scent," he growled, moving closer to her. "It is still all over you."
"Oh! That's because Feng Huang visited and—HEY!"
Hei Yan grabbed her waist and pulled her against him. His face buried in her neck, and he inhaled deeply.
"Hei Yan, what are you—"
"Reclaiming what is mine," he said simply.
Then his tongue dragged up the side of her neck.
"AH!" Xin Yi's hands flew to his shoulders. "Hei Yan!"
He didn't stop. He licked her neck. Her shoulder. The curve of her jaw. Her collarbone. Covering every inch of skin the Tiger might have touched with his own scent.
It was…..it was...
"Oh," Xin Yi breathed, her knees going weak. "You're so... possessive.…."
He pulled back just enough to look at her, his purple eyes intense. "Do you prefer me or Feng Huang?"
"What?! I—no—you're still COURTING me!" She pushed weakly at his chest. "Both of you! That's the rule!"
"Hmm." He didn't look happy about that. "Fine."
But he didn't let go of her. Xin Yi sighed and gently extracted herself from his grip. "Come on. You must be hungry."
She started pulling things from her dimensional storage. The flat cooking stones. The herbs. The meat she had preserved.
Hei Yan watched with fascination as items appeared from thin air.
"Magic pocket," he said, nodding like this made perfect sense.
"Not magic. System." Xin Yi arranged everything and started cooking. The familiar, comforting process of seasoning meat, heating stones, creating something delicious from raw ingredients.
Hei Yan sat beside her, still watching. His stomach growled.
"Almost done," she said, smiling.
When the meat was perfectly cooked, tender, seasoned, aromatic, she cut it into pieces and handed him the largest portion.
He ate like he was starving. Which he probably was. Nearly finishing everything in seconds.
But he stopped. Left one small piece, and held it out to her.
"For you," he said.
Xin Yi's chest felt warm and she blushed. Awww, was this big kitty cat sharing with her? How adorable. "Thank you."
She took the piece and bit into it. The flavor exploded on her tongue.
"Mmm," she hummed, closing her eyes.
When she opened them, Hei Yan was staring at her with an expression that made her face heat.
"So," she said quickly, trying to distract herself. "You got the cub back from the Snake King. Did anything.….happen?"
"No." His answer was immediate. "Nothing happened."
But Xin Yi's mind drifted to earlier. To Qing Lin rising from the water. To his words: My people long for your delicious food. Will you come feed us?
Hmm.
"What are you thinking about?"
She jumped. "What?! Nothing! Nothing at all!"
Hei Yan's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Hmm."
Then suddenly, he was pouting. A whole Panther Alpha was pouting. He turned his face the other way.
"What is it, cute cat? Do you want all my attention to be on you?" Xin Yi couldn't help but smile.
"I'm not a cute cat! I'm an Alpha!" He pouted harder.
She giggled and reached out to pet his damp hair. "You are adorable when you pout."
His hand shot out, grabbing her wrist. His expression turned serious. Very serious.
"I am an Alpha. I am not adorable," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
[Ooh! Alpha mode activated! (≧▽≦)]
Xin Yi's heart started hammering. "I—I know that—"
He pulled her closer. "You are still being courted."
"Y-yes—"
"Hmm." His grip tightened slightly. "I will win you fair and square, Xin Yi."
The way he said her name made her shiver.
"And then," he continued, his voice rough, "I will mate with you and make you mine."
He leaned in and licked her neck again. One slow, deliberate swipe.
"Don't let him touch you again, Xin Yi. I mean it," he growled against her skin.
"But—" Xin Yi's brain was struggling. "You're cheating by doing this!"
He pulled back, and he was smiling at her.
"I found you first."
Then he kissed her.
Not a quick peck. A real kiss. Deep and possessive and claiming. When he pulled away, Xin Yi's entire body was tingling.
"I—" She tried to think. "Since you kissed me…..I'll let him kiss me too!"
"NO!" Hei Yan's roar was so loud several birds fled from nearby trees. "Don't! I won't do it again!"
She smiled, filled with satisfaction. "Good."
[LOL Host played him like a fiddle! (≧▽≦)]
[Also! Host has unlocked: Territorial Alpha Management Skills! ☆]
"System, not now—"
[New Quest Alert! Ready to hear it?\]
Xin Yi stood up, brushing off her clothes. "What is it?"
[Time to teach these primitives about IRRIGATION! Transform this place into an agricultural paradise! ♪]
"Oh! That's actually a good idea. We could set up water channels for—"
[Also! SIDE QUEST UNLOCKED!]
"Side quest?"
[Yes! But this one is... special. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]
"Why are you being weird?"
[Because it's VERY important! Want to know what it is?]
"Obviously!"
The System's voice dropped to a whisper.
[Side Quest: Survive the Mating Heat Festival!]
[Details: In exactly 7 days, the full moon will trigger a mass heat cycle among unmated beastmen. All three Alphas, Hei Yan, Feng Huang, AND Qing Lin, will enter aggressive mating mode simultaneously.]
[Objective: Choose a mate before the festival OR manage all three without starting a war!]
[Reward: Advanced Civilization Package + 500 System Points]
[Failure: Literal bloodbath + possible accidental harem formation + Host's dignity goes BYE BYE! ☆]
Xin Yi's face went white.
"No."
[Yes! (◕‿◕)]
"NO!"
[YES! And it starts in SEVEN DAYS! Better prepare, Host!]
"SYSTEM!"
Hei Yan looked up from where he was finishing the last of the food. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing!" Xin Yi's voice came out too high. "NOTHING AT ALL! EVERYTHING IS FINE!"
[Everything is definitely NOT fine! This is going to be HILARIOUS! (\*°▽°\*)]
Xin Yi buried her face in her hands.
Seven days.
SEVEN DAYS.
She was so screwed.