That morning, Curtis and Harvey insisted Rhea stay in bed while they said goodbye to the healer. Rhea could only send her well wishes. She really wanted to talk to another woman for once, but she was on strict bed rest despite being able to walk perfectly fine.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Korrin walked in with a basket.

"This was submitted for you," he said coldly before handing her the basket.

She looked inside curiously. Dead mice?

She wondered if Korrin was messing with her. Who sends dead mice to someone in a basket?

"They wish you good health," he explained, seeing the confusion on her face.

Scorpions often ate small mammals, so it made sense.

"I'm a bit shocked I'm receiving a get well soon gift," she commented, putting the basket of mice to her side.

"You probably don't know, but the Black Wind tribe does like you as queen... mostly."

"Yeah, right. I'm like a strict mom. They probably hate that I made them give up on kidnapping females."

Korrin didn't comment on it.

"I will take my leave."

Once again, Rhea was left in silence. She shifted the basket away from her just in case any mouse was still alive, and she laid down, looking at the ceiling.

She thought of Winston. He should be leaving right now. She didn't know why, but she wanted him to stay a bit more.

"Rhea?"

It was Muir this time, at her window.

"Hi, Muir. Are you guys about to leave?" she asked, looking at the black bird on her window sill.

"Yes, I just came to say goodbye since it might be a while before you come to Beast City."

Rhea laughed. "Yeah, I'm quite indisposed right now. By the time I'm ready, it will be close to winter, right? Maybe I'll come for the winter since everyone here will be hibernating. It would be quite boring here."

"If you come, you can stay with me! You and Harvey!"

"Winston already offered. We'll have Christmas together."

"What's Christmas?" he asked curiously.

"My tribe celebrated the winter with a big celebration. We decorate an evergreen tree with lanterns and ornaments, and we have a feast, sing, and dance."

"That sounds like fun! We should do that then. Unfortunately, I do not know any Christmas songs."

"Don't worry, I'll teach you."

Muir was quiet for a while. "Rhea, will you be taking Winston as your mate?"

The question came out of nowhere. She hadn't even considered it before.

"Is that something he wants?"

"Well, he has been thinking of asking you for some time. He's quite shy..."

Rhea laughed. That big bag of muscles was shy? "Well, when he gets the courage, I will be ready to listen."

She had two men at home; she wasn't planning on chasing any more.

"Then, see you at Christmas!"

"See you at Christmas, Muir!"

The bird flew away. Rhea sat in her own thoughts. Her arm landed over her eyes, covering them up as she tried to calm her breathing down. She almost died yesterday. Being somewhere with no adequate medical intervention was terrifying. In her world, this wouldn't have been an issue, but here... it was like walking on a tightrope. She was anxious. What was the point of having strength if she would just die anyway?

"Breathe, Rhea..." She told herself, but her arms trembled. "It's okay... it's okay..."

.

Curtis was the first to return. He had a basket of eggs with him. He looked at the dead mice weirdly. Rhea didn't eat raw meat, so who would bring just dead mice to her?

"Rhea, are these from?"

"The scorpions. They wanted me to get better soon." Her arm was still covering her eyes, and Curtis thought nothing of it.

"I'm making eggs tonight. Healer Elara said they are very nutritious, so you have to eat a lot."

"Okay."

"Harvey is getting a surprise ready for you so you'll feel better in the evening."

"Hmm."

She wasn't listening.

"What's wrong?" Curtis asked, his tail wrapping around her waist.

"Curtis, what am I doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"What am I doing here? I don't belong here."

He came closer to her, unsure of where she was going with this.

"I don't belong in this world. Why was I asked to come here? I want to go home."

Her words were like ice piercing through his heart. She wanted to leave him?

"If you want to go home, I'll go with you."

She laughed at his words. If she could go home, she wouldn't be this upset right now.

"In my world, Curtis, it's hard to die. Healers are so advanced that they can even open a body to fix it. I realized yesterday that I could die without even really getting sick. I got an egg stuck in my uterus where it wasn't meant to be, and that was enough to almost kill me."

Her words got more and more frazzled, and Curtis's grip got tighter and tighter.

"I'm scared, Curtis. I'm so scared of dying."

Curtis lifted her body into his embrace, and she hugged him closely.

"You won't die. You have me and Harvey. We'll do better as your mates, we promise. So please... stay."

Were they worth her staying in this world?

"Rhea, I love you."

His words were like thunder in her mind, like a cold bucket of water had been poured over her.

"You don't have to say it back. I understand I am close to your heart, Rhea, so please do not give up on your life here."

Knock knock.

Harvey peeped in to see if she was awake. "Are you free? Just bring her out."

Curtis nodded and carried her up in his arms. She held on awkwardly. He hadn't carried her for a reason; she found this princess style too embarrassing.

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously.

"I told you Harvey has a surprise for you. Maybe after you see it, you will feel better."

She remained quiet as he took her out of the hut to the courtyard.

"Curtis? Why is everyone here?"

All the members of the tribe had gathered, neatly lined up. They all bowed in unison and, with booming voices, shouted, "Thank you for taking care of us, Queen Rhea! Please get well soon!"

Yes, it was cringe and stupid and cheesy, but seeing them all with sincere faces wish her good health was touching.

"Curtis."

"Hmm?"

"I want to go inside."

Curtis looked down at her face, which had glued itself to his chest.

"Just a few seconds."

"Take me inside! Now."

He looked at Harvey, who nodded and signaled to the scorpions.

"Have a good night, Queen Rhea!"

"Goddamnit," she cursed as Curtis took her inside.

"You're cute when you cry," he said.

"Shut up."

Crying in front of a bunch of bugs was humiliating. Why did it mean so much to hear them wish her well? Harvey probably made them say it. But it sounded so sincere.

"See, I'm not the only one who wants you here."

"But I beat them up. I scold them, and I punish them harshly! How can they still look at me favorably? Are they stupid?"

"Queen Rhea..." The voice was Nik's. He had been absent since she was sick, so hearing him was a surprise.

"I told you, us ferals do not have mothers. We are born and abandoned. So to the tribe, you are our mother, good or bad."

"Goddamnit," she muttered, now her sobs becoming audible.

She wasn't a good person at all. Everything she did was for selfish reasons, and yet time and time again, they looked at her and gave her the benefit of the doubt.

She hated it.

She hated this.

Her heart was so full. She hated this feeling. She was so happy.

"Do you still want me to go inside, or do you want to say something to them?"

"You know the answer."

He smirked. Of course, she'd want to talk to them.

He took her back outside, where everyone was still waiting. He let her down as she wiped her face and turned to the scorpions.

"I'm sorry!" was the first thing that came to her mind.

"I have been irresponsible. I haven't taken your needs into account as much as I should have. Truly, I didn't think you saw me as one of your own. But now I understand. As the Queen of the Black Wind tribe, it is my duty to protect you. From now on, I will take my duties seriously and provide you with a happy tribe you can be proud to belong to."

Her gaze met Harvey's, and he gave her that proud smile. He was proud of her. Despite losing a child, despite the near-death experience, she was able to stand tall and finish what she started.

The crowd, who were emotional hearing her talk, erupted in loud applause. They were just a group of people who had been abandoned and rejected from birth.

But now someone was standing in their corner.

Hope is one heck of a drug.