Korrin saw the change in Harvey's demeanor, and it didn't take long for him to realize what had happened. The way Harvey walked around with that satisfied look on his face and the scent of him mingled even more intensely with Rhea's. It hurt like a bitch.

"Dude, are you alright?" Leo asked. Korrin looked like he had swallowed a bug.

Everyone knew Harvey had marked Rhea. Leo, who had become one of Korrin's closer confidants, saw the obvious change in him.

Ever since the realization that Korrin liked Rhea became obvious, Leo had been sworn to secrecy by Rhea, who feared for the scorpion's life.

"If you like her, just tell her," Leo said exasperatedly. Watching him mope around like this was torture.

"I don't like her!" Korrin snapped instantly.

Leo didn't know what to say. A tsundere? Really?

"Fine, fine, you don't like her," he said, not caring enough to push the issue.

Korrin felt aggrieved. He really didn't know how to tell her. He had never expressed his feelings to anyone before, let alone to someone as formidable as Rhea.

Rhea, meanwhile, was busy organizing the preparations for winter. The hibernation period was critical, and she wanted to ensure everything was perfect.

Leo accompanied her, helping her allocated resources to each home.

"Rhea, have you talked to Korrin lately?" He asked after a while, though he didn't want to get involved if he saw Korrin's moping face one more time he would really lose it.

Rhea looked up from her work. "Not really. Why?"

"He's been acting strange. More so than usual," Leo said, his voice laced with concern.

"Did anything happen?"

"Harvey marked you didn't he? Korrin has been moping around because of that."

Rhea sighed. "Well, he should say something about me, going around kissing me in my sleep won't change anything."

"He's a tsundere." Leo explained.

"That makes sense." Rhea said nodding. If anyone else heard their conversation they would thoroughly confused. "Well, what do you want me to do about it?"

"Talk to him. Maybe it will help him sort out his feelings," Leo suggested.

She looked at him with a raised brow. "Did you just say something... Reasonable?"

He raised his middle finger silently.

.

Later that day, Rhea found Korrin near the training grounds. He was practicing with some of the younger scorpions, he was diligent and disciplined she had to admit.

"Korrin, can we talk?" Rhea called out.

Korrin turned, surprised to see her. "Of course, Queen Rhea."

They walked a little away from the others, finding a quiet spot under a large tree. Rhea took a deep breath, unsure how to start.

"Korrin, I've noticed you've been... different lately," she began.

Korrin stiffened, his eyes darting away. "Different? How so?"

"You seem tense, and I feel like there's something you're not telling me," Rhea said gently.

Korrin swallowed hard. "It's nothing. I'm just... adjusting to everything."

Rhea shook her head. "Korrin, I need you to be honest with me. If there's something bothering you, I want to help."

He took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "Rhea, I... I don't know how to say this."

"Just say it. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out," she encouraged, it took everything in her to not roll her eyes.

"I think I have feelings for you," he blurted out, his face flushing with embarrassment.

Rhea's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected him to come right out with it. "Korrin..." She expected him to say something stupid first and then call her baka! Maybe he wasn't a tsundere? Then maybe something else?

"I know it's wrong. You're with Harvey and Curtis, and I don't want to cause any trouble. But I can't help how I feel," Korrin continued. "We'll be going into hibernation soon and I think it's better I tell you befreo I go."

"What do you mean?" He talked like he was going to die.

"I am as old as my father was before he slept and never woke up again. I don't know if I will survive this hibernation."

What?

Rhea stared at him blankly. It has not occurred to her that they could sleep and never wake up again.

"I don't expect to mark you, having you publicly as my mate is enough for me, but if I don't wake up after this winter. I don't want to regret telling you that I.." he mustered his courage, his cheeks feeling warm. "I love you Rhea."

Why did this hurt?

Curtis had told her that he loved her but her heart didn't feel anything, but for some reason, this man's words moved her considerably.

"Rhea?"

Ah.. why was she crying?

She didn't know.

Was it the prospect of the people around her dying? For some reason she thought this world was a rather magical world, you could live forever with the right amount of emeralds, you could level up by fighting monsters.

But they could die?

Then Curtis could die? And Harvey?

"Rhea? I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"No you didn't!" She said. "I just didn't think you could die."

"Of course I could die, everyone dies eventually. For us, sometimes we just sleep and we don't wake up."

Rhea felt shaken, It was a stupid thing to be shaken up about.

"Korrin, you need to wake up, once spring is here I'll be waiting for you to wake up."

Did that mean she accepted him?

"I will, my Queen."

.

Leo watched from a distance as Rhea and Korrin talked. He couldn't hear their conversation, but he saw the way Korrin's shoulders relaxed and the smile on Rhea's face. He hoped this would help Korrin find some peace.

"Looks like things are getting sorted out," Leo said with a smile, at least he didn't have to see Korrain moping around again.

A scorpion's life span is only a maximum of 15 to years, by consuming emeralds they can live longer. But even then there was still a chance of death during hibernation.

That's why most scorpions were you g and obsessed with continuing their lineage. They didn't have the grace to live till they were 40 or 50.

This year was Leo's 15th year, whether he would wake up or not, he had never cared about that, but now he felt a bit sad that he wouldn't see what Rhea would manage to achieve if he didn't wake up.

.

When Curtis returned from the peacock clan, he was shocked to receive such a long hug from Rhea.

"Did anything happen?" he asked her, lifting her up in his arms.

"No, nothing happened. I'm just glad you're back," she replied, her voice soft and full of emotion.

His heart felt warm as he licked her lips tenderly. "I will never leave you, Rhea. Don't worry about something like that."

"I know," she said in a small voice. "Did you bring the ferals back?"

Curtis nodded. "Yes, they're here."

He took her outside to meet them. A group of beautiful men stood looking around in awe. They were black-tailed snakes.

"They are siblings who have been abandoned," Curtis explained.

There were only five of them. Rhea's heart ached, wondering how many had died after being set free. She let Curtis sit her down as she approached the new arrivals.

Seeing a female come close, accompanied by the snake who had brought them here, they remained docile, hoping to avoid another beating.

"Are you hurt? Are you hungry?" Rhea asked, her voice gentle. She reached out and touched their faces kindly, like a mother would. "Welcome to the Black Wind tribe. I do hope you find your place here."

Kindness was all she could offer, and they were ready to receive.

.

When the first snow fell, the village settled into silence, Harvey in his leopard form stood at the highest point of the valley with Rhea in his back watching the blanket of snow over the now silent village.

Rhea closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath.

"Let's go."

Harvey nodded and started their journey to beast city.

A/N: Arc 1 over? Anyway let's go join the plot, this chapter has my heart feeling heavy 🥲.