∘∘∘

"Ian" I said, feeling my back being pressed against a tree as Ian stood in front of me with a chuckle.

We were a bit far away from the group of beastmen that came with us. My mates were somewhere around, guarding just in case a beastman decided to sneak around or anything.

"You're so pretty" he chuckle as he nuzzled his face on my head. "I can't wait to see where my mark will end up in" he murmured before kissing me.

∘∘∘∘

The next day, I found myself back in the camp. Clean and tidy, fully clothed too. Kenji and Marlo were right besides me.

"Finally awake now little mate?" Kenji asked with a small chuckle as I sat up and rubbed my eyes as I yawned softly.

"Mhm" I nodded and looked at him, then at Marlo then at myself. I then looked around my body, trying to find where Ian mark was.

After a minute or so, finally found it and it was at the back of my arm. Just below my elbow, it was a peach colored merfolk mark.

"Breakfast is ready, you should eat now. We're leaving in a few minutes" Kenji said as Xavier came to us, holding a leaf with freshly cooked meat and some fruits and berries.

"It's rabbit meat that I caught, and the fruits were found by Calvin and Roscoe" Xavier said and I nodded in understanding as he sat down besides me and picked up a meat and blow on it gently before feeding it to me.

I just opened my mouth and ate it, gently chewing on it before looking around. "The other three are fixing things up so it would be easier for us to leave" Marlo informed me and I just nodded, chewing on another meat that Xavier fed me.

After a few minutes later, I was finally done. "Ready to go?" Carlos asked as he approached us and I nodded with a smile.

He nodded and picked me up, saying it was his turn to carry me and with that our journey to Autumn city began again.

∘∘∘∘

As we travled for several days, I couldn't help but admire my surroundings. The novel didn't do any justice with how beautiful the beast world was. As much as it was dangerous, it had a certain beauty to it.

I also saw several animals that weren't mentioned in the novel. And during these days, we also encountered several different beastmen, some went on their way while some went with us in hopes of finding a mate in the city.

Some even tried to approach me but quickly backed away with just a quick glare from my mates.

And finally, after several days of traveling we finally arrived at the autumn city.

"State your business" one of the guard said. "We're here for trade business. I am the fox king of black wood city" Kenji said, introducing himself as he stepped forward.

Xavier was also quick to back him up. "I am the peacock prince Xavier of the peacock king, let us enter" he said as he turned to the male.

And it was clear, he had influence and was well known in Autumn city because the guard immediately recognized him and let us pass without any more question.

Xavier then led us through the city, and I looked around in awe. The dens in here looked different from the dens and houses in Blackwood city.

Most of the houses and dens here are made from brown or red colored rocks, kinda similar to autumn leaves.

I also saw many different beastmen, like raccoons, red panda, cheetah, alligator, goats, sheep, and a few others.

As we walked passed by, many head turned towards us and I can hear several whispers and murmurs coming from the other beastmen and the females around.

"We're going to the peacock castle, so you can start with the trading business and I can introduce our little mate to my mother" Xavier said and Kenji just nodded as he observed his surroundings.

It didn't take long for us to arrive at the peacock castle. It was big, with about four floors, a wide open space in front with several big trees and the back part of the castle is probably the same.

We then immediately went to the throne room after asking for the peacock king.

"Mother!" Xavier smiled and went to his mother, with following behind him. "My favorite cub! What brings you here? Who is she?" The peacock queen, Xavier's mother, asked as she hugged him before turning her attention to me.

"She's my mate, Sera from the peacock tribe. The one I told you about a few months ago" Xavier smiled as he pointed to me and his mother gasp.

"You weren't kidding when you said she's pretty. Look at her! Oh my! Oh my!" She smiled as she went over to me, pinching my cheek and looked up and down at me.

"How many cubs have you given birth yet? And how many mates do you have? A female like you, especially a whole female, needs more mates" she said with a smile.

"Um.. I currently have 14 mates, and I have three panthern cubs, eagle and peacock chick" I answered her.

"She's quite fertile too mother, she managed to give birth to a eagle and peacock chick at the same time" Xavier chimed in making his mother look at me with wide eyes.

"My! Looks like the beast god favored you cub, you're quite lucky to have a fertile female. You should take great care of her!" His mother said.

"Oh how I wish I could have a female cub of my own, but no luck. I always end up with male cubs" she sigh.

"My next heat is coming in a week, I hope I can have a female cub" she said as she petted my head. "Cub, you should take care of your female. She only has 14 males, which is kinda low for a whole female like her but I'm sure she has her reasons why so the only solution to that is for you to gain more stars" she said, turning to Xavier who just nodded with a smile.

"Now! Let's leave them alone dearie. I'm sure you won't mind spending time with me. Let me give you a tour of my beautiful castle! And call me Erika, or mother. Whichever you prefer" she smiled and I nodded, returning her smile with a smile of my own.

"Cub, go tell your father to prepare a feast. I want to celebrate you coming here and bringing your mate with you, now tell her other mates she's safe with me. I'll just give her a tour" she said before dragging me to a random direction and began giving me a tour on the whole castle.

[ 3rd Person's POV ]

Xavier could only watch in amusement as his little mate was drag to a random direction by his mother. He was glad that his mate and his mother got along well.

He knew how much his mother craved and longed to have a female cub of her own but wasn't able too and instead gave litter after litter of male cubs.

She hoped that maybe her cubs mates would be good enough that she can treat as her own but none of them passed her taste and she rejected them, not allowing them to stay in the peacock territory.

But this time it was different, he saw how his mother immediately opened up to Sera and how she even offered to give a tour around the castle herself when she would usually just order her cubs or one of her countless mates to do it in her place.

He hoped that this relationship between would continue more, and with this in his thoughts he quickly made way to his father.

He told him to prepare a feast because his mother said so and he also told the others where Sera was and that she was safe, less they went looking for her when they notice she isn't here.

∘∘∘

Meanwhile...

"And this, this a nice warm bath" Erika said, gesturing to a few holes with water. They closely resembles a hot spring, and the temperature around the water holes definitely added to that effect.

"We can take a dip here later after the feast!" Erika smiled, and Sera could only nod and chuckle. Clearly liking the idea of soaking in the hot spring, especially that her body was tired from the several days of traveling around.

"Now, let us go back. We've been here for some time now. Xavier and your other mates might get worry soon if you still haven't come back yet" she said with a smile and began leading Sera back to the throne room.

[ Back to Sera's POV ]

We quietly made our way back to the throne room, and as soon as we entered the smell of countless cooked meat, fresh fruits and vegetables lingered in the air and my stomach growled slightly.

"Oh my, it seems like the little tour of ours made you hungry huh" Erika chuckled softly before leading me to where her mate, the peacock king, was. Along with my other mates who were busy helping around.

"Erika" I called to her as we walked towards them. "Hm?" She slightly turned her head to me with a curious look.

"You said you're gonna have your next heat next week right?" I asked and she nodded. "Yes, I did say that earlier, why?" She asked slightly confused and I smiled.

"May the beast goddess bless you. I'm sure this time it'll be a female cub your gonna have, trust me" I said making her raise a brow one more time.

"And how can you be so sure of that? Having a female child is rare, and those who managed to give birth to them are very lucky" she said and I just smiled.

"Trust me, you'll have one. The beast goddess does not go back on her words. Xavier has told me how much you longed and craved for a female cub of your own. So this is it, just trust me" I said and she nodded with a small smile.

"I suppose there is nothing wrong with trusting you. I hope that I will have a female cub this time" she said, eyes filled with affection and love.

"You will, just believe it" I chuckled as we arrived where our mates were, who all immediately attended to us and served us some food and something to drink. And with that the feast held for us began.

•••••