The Beauty's Hidden Beast

╔═══ Author's note ═══╗

Salem witch trial - mass hysteria, which led to witchcraft accusations and brutal executions of people, primarily women.

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3rd person POV

Vick could fly, but only if there was plenty of water vapor in the air to fuel his water dragon ─ like clouds, the morning mist rising over the river and lakes, or even the rain itself. Nevertheless, he still refrained from flying unless necessary.

Bluepool's big mouth revealed his identity as a tentacled monster. Still, he continued to identify himself as an ape beastman who used an illusion to disguise himself, to protect his female from the merfolk.

The only way to protect Precious's shady activities? Make the other guy look unreliable. They say what's done in the dark comes to light, but when it came to Precious's mess, he'd bury her skeletons for her.

This woman had also covered for him countless times. The way she did it got him beaten up, but it got him out of some sticky situations. It was like she was hurting him so that he wouldn't be hurt worse.

Karrak revealed her father started a witch hunt similar to the Salem witch trials, but on a larger scale, to make her listen. He used the weak against her since she avoided interacting with others. If the weak could not be used, then it was the innocent, the pure, the kind, and the helpful.

Her response? She disobeyed even more to stop him. You can't blackmail the blackmailer if they're the better blackmailer.

Vick was like a reward, fruit of her labor, a consolation prize for all the sacrifices she made to get where she was today.

Her father continued to haunt her even after his departure. He won because of the lasting effects he had on her. She started to mirror him to save herself, becoming the very person she feared.

Precious's fists and words still stung them, but it was like a splinter in the foot. They didn't have time to worry about the pain. They needed to pull it out, clean the wound, and move on.

There was a plus though, and it was the fact that they didn't have to walk on tiptoes around her, fearing she would get hurt or trigger a negative reaction. Past trauma? No, she was the type to shove trauma in your face, make you cry, and then laugh at you.

So when Karrak revealed there wasn't any male Precious liked enough to keep in contact with like she did with Romeo, Vick and the boys decided not to take in any more guys.

Then the Dragon King appeared. He looked like a cash cow they could milk for the rest of their life, so they had to make sure to rope him in.

"It's not me who keeps attracting new males. It's all of you."

Their wife's words popped up in their head. Pfft, what was she talking about? As far as they could remember, it was her, who attracted them in the end!

As long as they hide and prevent her from meeting up with other males, everything should be fine. Right?

· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·

The majestic beast gained a lot of attention in a short amount of time, and now the resort's guests were pouring out of their Spring Houses to see the creature.

"You've built an interesting place here," the dragon said in the beast language, looking around, "It must be a paradise for your female to enjoy. Did she help you come up with the concept? To have such powerful males, she must be a remarkable female."

"It was a surprise gift, which would no longer be one if our female had to help us in any way," Vick replied, smiling. "We wanted to build a place that would cater to her every need and desire. She's a bit hard to please, so we had to be very creative in our approach."

The dragon raised a brow, his curiosity piqued. While he did his research on the Tiger Queen, he also learned a bit about the infamous Cloud Nine and its owners.

The males shined like the stars, brilliant in their own right. They somehow united their forces and created a special kind of harmony. Their female, however, didn't shine as brightly. She was hidden away by the brilliance of her males as if their light was a veil that concealed her.

· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·

Nivi and her male companions were returning from a little stroll when they noticed the commotion and wondered what had happened.

The dragon shifted into his human form when he spotted the Tiger Queen. Imposing and powerful, his aura overwhelmed the area.

Nivi was taken aback by his looks; he was handsome in a way that felt almost otherworldly, like a creature half-hidden in myth. His striking red hair was tied in a low ponytail, but stray strands curled like flames around his face. His skin held a faint shimmer, like scales hiding just beneath the surface.

"Are you the Tiger Queen?" The male raised a question.

"Who is asking?" Nivi quickly responded with a witty comeback.

"Lazark, the one who rules the red skies," he replied, and it was more than just a name. It was a declaration, spoken with the authority of a king who did not have to raise his voice to command.

"Nice to meet you, Lazark," Nivi's voice was soft but with a hint of wariness. "I'm Neveah, and these are my males. You may call me Nivi. What brings you here?"

"Your beauty," Lazark said, "Your beauty has reached my homeland, and I've come to see it for myself. And true enough, you are the most beautiful female I've ever seen."

"Is that so?" Nivi said, her eyes narrowing, "Beauty is a shallow trait, hardly worth mentioning. If you are done looking and have no other business with me, you are free to leave."

Lazark laughed, his eyes crinkling with amusement at the little female before him, "You think that's the only reason I've come? I've visited your Kingdom and have seen what you've done for your people. You have a good heart, Nivi. You're the only woman I've ever considered worthy of standing beside me as my Dragon Queen."

Nivi's eyes widened, her heart racing. A dragon. She had a Dragon King interested in her, and he was asking her to be his queen. She felt lightheaded, overwhelmed with emotions. But would her males accept it? She wasn't sure.

"Your offer is tempting, Lazark," Nivi began, careful not to repeat the same mistake she'd made with Mitchell, yet determined not to sound desperate, "But I have my males to consider. They have been by my side through thick and thin, and their opinions matter greatly to me."

"As expected of a female with a heart as beautiful as her face," Lazark's voice was a whisper, but the impact was like a roar. "You are a queen who considers the well-being of her people before herself. I'm impressed, and even more enamored than before."

"..." Nivi's eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed lightly, and she felt a spark that sent a tingling sensation down her spine. She was attracted to him, and it left her a little shaken. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, but the dragon's words had ignited a fire within her, "I appreciate your compliments, Lazark," she replied, trying to compose herself, "But, as I said, I cannot give you an answer without discussing it with my males."

"As it should be," Lazark pulled a stack of clear crystals from under his coat and paid for a Spring House, not only for his stay but also for Nivi's group. "Would you mind if I stayed in the same Spring House as you and your males? I would like to know you better."

Nivi's eyes were on her males, who nodded in approval. They probably sensed her budding interest in the male and didn't want to stand in her way. It was rare to find a good match, and he looked like a strong ally to have.

"I look forward to it, Lazark," Nivi smiled gracefully.

Muir accepted the payment and bowed slightly, his face remaining neutral, "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be happy to assist you."

Muir had a natural grace and confidence that made others respect him. The King's right-hand man was what he oozed, and he did his eagle beastmen's duties so well that nobody would have thought he was a penta-ranked male.

Lazark nodded, his gaze lingering on Nivi. She was everything he had heard about and more. Her beauty, her heart, and her grace. He was certain she was the female he had been waiting for his whole life.

He looked around, and everyone was jealous of the relationship her males had with her, even the Scorpion King and the wolf beastman by Vick's side.

Nobody knew they were actually trying to entertain the person, who was watching them from the comfort of her throne. (They were holding back from roasting her best friend and her males to avoid being roasted back later on.)

Mitchell wanted to chew on his thumb as he shot invisible fire at the other group whenever they expressed some public display of affection. They were lucky the dragon was present, or he would have made his foul female adore him to the skies until they choked on their own blood.

Outwardly, The Scorpion King looked like he was wallowing in regret for rejecting the Tiger Queen, which made her males smirk in his direction. Nobody could be more amazing than Nivi. It was simply impossible for them to imagine. Every other female paled in comparison compared to her.

Did Yaya's males finally see that Nivi was much better, and now they wanted to have that kind of relationship as well? Once the spell of YaYa's beauty faded, they must have realized they'd made a terrible mistake. Nivi's males also found Yaya beautiful, but her bad character ruined all of it.

Muir tried to act respectful and attentive, asking about the Tiger Queen's stay.

Vick just smiled at her from a distance, "I wish Skaris were here too." All he really wanted was for Skaris, the worst actor in the group, to kick Nivi from her pedestal.

On the other hand, Bart's cheeks flushed with heat when he imagined his dearest in the same outfit as Nivi, "Too beautiful..." he sighed, lost in his daydream. When would he be able to show off his female in such a way?

"Don't even think about it!" Shuu growled at Bart, thinking he wanted to change his current female for a better one. How could Bart allow himself to become such a fickle person? He used to shower Rosa with so much affection…what happened?

It was YaYa's fault that Bart became blackened beyond recognition. It was her fault that the Scorpion King continued to kidnap females, and it was also her fault that Nivi continued to worry.

What Nivi despised more than anything was unfaithful men. The world she came from was full of them, and she was afraid Yaya was testing the beastmen's loyalty to prove her point.

Bart snapped out of his fantasy and realized the misunderstanding, and before Shuu could start with his accusations, he defended himself, "Think about what?" he asked, sounding offended. "Think about my female? About how beautiful she'd look dressed like that?" he added, his voice laced with annoyance. He somehow couldn't function around normal beastmen anymore. His blood pressure would always spike to a boiling point.

"Which female, the one you betrayed, or the one you cheated with?" Some females from the crowd hissed in response. What Bart did was wrong and should be ashamed, "Rosa is still carrying your spousal imprint on her body, and you still dare to think about another female?"

Bart clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing at them, shutting them up. The stigma would continue to follow him, no matter where he went. If only his dearest showed up and snatched him away before he met Rosa...

"Remember, it's thanks to Rosa that we are together in the first place. Don't question your loyalty. There's nothing wrong with it. It's me, who broke you two apart. I wouldn't show interest in you otherwise," Yaya's words echoed in his mind.

Bart couldn't help but want to take part of the blame off of her, without turning her more villain by saying the imprint was fake, "If it weren't for Rosa, I'd still be looking for the right female. Who knows, if I rejected her like Parker and Winston did, we could have been standing on the same side today, with the same woman in our hearts." He looked up at his brother, his smile turning evil. "So I must say, I'm thankful to Rosa for allowing me to meet my current female. We all should."

With those two constantly rejecting her, Rosa went all the harder on Bart to make him hers. He didn't have the support of his family like Parker and wasn't blood-related like Winston. He didn't even have four stripes to protect himself. She would hurt whichever female he chose, so what could he do?

Did they even realize Rosa would have kept targeting Nivi if Yaya hadn't stopped it? If yes, would they have dealt with Rosa by taking away their life? Bart would have lied if he said he didn't want to take his own life a few times, but the only thing that kept him going was his cubs. Without them, he would have been gone long ago.

Shuu couldn't connect with Bart's words but held back for Nivi's sake, who had become increasingly restless lately,  "I just hope the female you chose won't lead you to your own grave."

"I hope the same, brother," Bart replied, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm when he noticed how Shuu looked down on his relationship. "The last time I checked, you were ready to die for your female's sake."

Shuu blushed slightly at the comment, "That was different." He muttered under his breath before putting on a stance more worthy of the Wolf King, "She's worth dying for."

Bart looked at Shuu knowingly and let out a small laugh. "Yes, I'm sure she is."

Muir dispersed the tension by asking everyone to return to their respective spring houses. He smoothed out the situation and asked Nivi if she could help him show Lazark to her Spring House.

"With pleasure," Nivi agreed and led the way. 

· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·

YaYa's males were quite courteous to Nivi compared to before, but Nivi knew it wasn't sincere. They put up a facade to blend in with the rest of the beastmen.

In reality, Cloud Nine's relationship with her wasn't exactly on friendly terms, but they had to keep the peace for their mutual interests.

Nivi couldn't break the ice no matter how hard she tried. They became like Yaya, hard to approach and even harder to get along with. Instead of opening up, they closed their doors even tighter.

Nivi refused to admit it, but she eventually did. The moment she let ambition take the lead, she lost her best friend. To reach the top, she wanted the best men, the best resources, and the best life. 

Could someone blame her? Who would give up Winston, the sweet, loyal, and doting male to another female? Nobody.

Except for Yaya...

Nivi covered her face, shoulders shaking. She refused to let the world's plot favor Bai Qingqing and felt confident she could succeed. But Yaya was a wildcard. 

Why did Curtis accept a female, who wanted to kill him like Qin did? Why was he so interested in Yaya, despite the fact that she treated him like a nuisance?

"My Queen?" Lazark asked. Her males gathered around her in panic.

Nivi tried to wipe away the tears, but her trembling hands did not cooperate. She thought she was the one who had to keep the friendship alive, make amends, and work her way up from the bottom to make things right again.

The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to cry.

Why would she still bother herself with someone like Yaya?

Because it was Yaya. Her character, the way she saw herself, the way she viewed the world, and the way she loved and lived.

If she said you were her best friend, then you were her best friend. It didn't matter if you came to hate her or hurt her. You would still be her best friend.

That's how Yaya was.

She was like a storm that swept through your life, leaving destruction behind, and sometimes, a little bit of wonder.

The kind of friend, who would stab you in the back, and then help you clean the wound with a smile on her face.

A best friend.

Nivi's chest heaved as her tears continued to fall. No matter how much she tried to hold them back, they still came pouring out. Yaya would never compete with her for a guy's attention. Even if she liked a male, she would probably give him away like a gift card.

She didn't want to kill Curtis like Qin did. She held back from killing Curtis because she found out it was her best friend's book husband. She bit his tongue because she realized he was catching feelings during their bonfire night, and it was not right for her best friend, who was still unconscious, to lose her chance of happiness.

She did it, knowing she would end up being hated. 

She did it because her best friend's happiness was more important than hers.

╔═══ Author's note ═══╗

Our drama boys are putting on a show to ward off unnecessary pests. They are fooling everyone but Nivi, making it clear to her that their feelings for Yaya are genuine, unlike her best friend, lol. 😁 It helped Nivi to realize a few things about Yaya, but honestly, they're so pettyyyy. 🤣

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