**Here's one of Felix's pics. (Ignore the tattoos, they were supposed to be only 4 beastmen marks but ended up looking like tattoos ><) .. ... .... Everyone around us stood frozen, stunned into silence by Felix's unexpected move. The atmosphere was thick with disbelief, and I could practically hear the collective intake of breath. Then, breaking through the quiet, came a loud voice from behind us.

"Did I hear that right? My son has finally found his mate?"

I turned in the direction of the booming voice, and there, standing tall and regal, was the Tiger King himself. Not only him, but the entire group of males who had just returned from hunting. Ace was among them, and the second our eyes met, I saw his expression shift to something grim, almost questioning. His eyes searched mine, silently asking if someone had forced me into this bizarre situation.

I gave him a small, reassuring nod, though inside, I was anything but calm. Everything was most definitely *not* fine, but I couldn't let Ace worry, especially after everything he'd done for me. Besides, the way he looked at me now-concerned, maybe even hurt-it tugged at something deep inside me. This had to be a shock for him too. He knew better than anyone how fiercely I had rejected the idea of taking a mate, and now here I was, caught in the most awkward and unexpected of circumstances.

But why had Felix done this? There was no way he didn't know that Nea had been joking. It was obvious to everyone, wasn't it? I glanced at him, trying to piece together what was happening. His expression was unreadable, but something told me this wasn't spontaneous. The timing was too perfect. He must have known the men were returning, his sharp hearing catching their approach long before the rest of us did. That's why he had spoken the moment they were within earshot.

And now, with everyone present, there was no turning back.

"This calls for a celebration!" someone shouted from the crowd.

"Our young prince is finally hooked!" another voice added, followed by a burst of laughter and cheers. It seemed Felix was very much adored by the tiger clan, and they were more than ready to embrace the idea of his sudden "mate."

Felix stood up, still holding my hand, his grip firm but not forceful. His eyes met mine for the briefest moment, and I searched for any hint of explanation in them, but all I found was that same unreadable mask he wore so well. I didn't pull away, but I didn't lean into it either. During this entire ordeal, I stayed quiet, my mind racing. This wasn't the time to speak. One thing I had learned from my corporate life back on Earth was to always observe when a situation spiraled out of control. Speaking at the wrong moment could make everything worse.

I glanced around, taking in the reactions of everyone around us. The females were whispering among themselves, some giggling, others shooting me curious or envious looks. The males, on the other hand, seemed to be giving Felix nods of approval, as if he had finally done something they had been waiting for. But then there was Ace. He hadn't moved from where he stood, his eyes still locked on mine, a quiet storm brewing behind them. His jaw clenched as if he was holding back something he wanted to say.

I couldn't let my thoughts linger on him for too long though, not with Felix still holding my hand in front of everyone. My mind was trying to catch up with what had just happened. This was no coincidence. Felix had done this with purpose. But why?

Felix gave my hand a small, almost imperceptible squeeze before turning to face his father, a small, triumphant smile playing on his lips. The crowd cheered again, and I realized with a sinking feeling that this wasn't just a joke anymore.

And for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to undo it.

"Should we go near the bonfire, love?" Felix asked, his tone laced with a mocking sweetness that made my skin crawl. To anyone else, it would've sounded affectionate, maybe even endearing. But I knew better.

I nodded, forcing a neutral expression. "I need to go to the sandpit first," I said quietly.

Felix raised an eyebrow but didn't protest. My hand still firmly in his, he lazily led the way, his stride purposeful yet unhurried. Just before we stepped out of the crowd, I glanced at Ace. Our eyes met briefly, and I gave him a small nod, a silent plea. We had spent enough time together for him to catch on to my cues, and I knew he'd follow.

The rest of the clan had already started preparing for the evening, since it gets darker soon due to winter approaching, the bonfires crackling to life, casting long, flickering shadows. The air was thick with the familiar smells of meat roasting and the chatter of voices growing louder as the night wore on. The celebration was in full swing, with males starting their usual rough-and-tumble wrestling matches near the fire, their version of bonding. I couldn't care less about that right now.

The females, on the other hand, were busy trying to calm down the girl who had thought Felix was hers. She was still arguing with Nea, her voice rising in frustration as Nea casually brushed her off with that wicked smirk of hers. I didn't have the energy to deal with their squabbles. My mind was too occupied with what just happened. I scanned the crowd for Iker but didn't spot him. No surprise there, with the sea of males around.

Once we were far enough and behind the thick bushes near the sandpit, I yanked my hand from Felix's grasp and glared at him, anger bubbling up from the pit of my stomach. "Explain," I hissed, my voice low but sharp. The calm I had held onto earlier was starting to crack, and beneath it was a storm of frustration. I could only imagine Allmer's reaction when he found out. He had been subtle, but I caught his hint-he was pushing me towards Ace. But Felix? This hothead? Allmer wouldn't be happy about this.

Felix crossed his arms and leaned back casually against a tree, a smirk playing on his usual scowling face. "What? You asked, and I said yes," he said nonchalantly.

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my irritation in check. "Drop it, will you?" Ace's voice broke through the tension as he stepped into the clearing, his eyes narrowing at Felix. He had followed, just as I knew he would. His presence was grounding, but even he looked furious. The tension in his voice was unmistakable.

Felix huffed, clearly irritated by Ace's arrival but not surprised. He must have known Ace was tailing us. "Yeah, yeah, fine," Felix muttered, rolling his eyes. "It's not like you can back out now anyway," he added with a smug grin.

As much as I hated to admit it, he wasn't wrong. Backing out now, after what had happened in front of the entire clan, would do more than just bruise my pride. It would damage my reputation-something I couldn't afford, especially with Allmer leaving soon.

Felix's expression softened ever so slightly, though his usual bravado remained. "Be my mate for this winter. I'll leave after that," he said, his tone dropping into something more serious.

Ace, however, wasn't having it. His voice was tight as he stepped forward, his posture tense. "And why should we do that?" he asked pointedly, his eyes locked on Felix.

I crossed my arms, waiting for Felix's answer. I needed to know what he was really after. Why would he suddenly agree to something he knew was a joke?

"Winter's coming. Her snake will go into hibernation. So who'll protect her? 'Cause you most definitely won't be able to, given that single males will be sent daily to patrol," Felix answered, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. I grimaced at his words. Of course, he knew. He knew more than I had given him credit for, especially when it came to beastmen and their habits.

Not everyone understood that some snake beastmen go into hibernation during the colder months, though Allmer wasn't one of them. But he still needed to go somewhere. Ace stayed quiet, a muscle twitching in his jaw, which told me what Felix was saying was true. Single males are often ordered by the city to go on long hunting or patrol missions during the winter. That explained why I'd been seeing so little of Ace lately-he had responsibilities that kept him away.

Among mated males, two would stay with the female to ensure her safety, while the others joined the hunting parties. Felix wasn't wrong. The only males who would be allowed to stay close to me during the winter would be those I accepted as mates.

"How does this benefit you?" I asked, my voice steady. Felix wasn't the type to do something out of concern for someone else. There had to be something more.

I glanced at Ace, who was still glaring at Felix, clearly not happy with the situation. But there was nothing he could do. He wasn't offering to be my mate, and he couldn't protect me during the winter. I knew that. He knew that.

Felix's eyes gleamed with something other than just arrogance-there was a calculation behind them, as if he was weighing his next words carefully. "You want to know why I'm offering this?" he said, crossing his arms, the smirk on his face fading slightly. "It's simple. My parents are pushing me to take a mate before winter starts, and the way things are going, I'll be stuck with that annoying girl back there. You remember her, right? The one arguing with Nea?"

I blinked, piecing it together. Of course. The girl who had claimed Felix as hers. She had been relentless, staking her claim on him in front of everyone, probably thinking her persistence would pay off. Felix clearly wasn't interested, though, and now, with winter looming, the pressure on him was mounting too.

Felix ran a hand through his hair, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I don't want to be tied down with someone like her. Hell, I don't even want to be tied down at all. My parents want heirs and a mate who will keep me here, but I've got other plans. I want to explore the continent, see what's out there. Not get stuck making heirs and spending every day trying to win over some clingy female."

He looked at me again, his gaze steady now, without the usual teasing or arrogance. "So, here's the deal. If you accept me as your mate for the next three to four months, I'll disappear as soon as winter ends. You won't have to deal with me anymore, and I won't have to deal with anyone else trying to force me into something permanent. It's a temporary solution-for both of us."

Ace, who had been standing silently this whole time, clenched his fists, his frustration palpable. But before he could say anything, Felix stepped forward, his voice dropping lower, almost conspiratorial. "Think about it. You get protection through the winter, and I get a way out of this mess. No strings attached. If you choose to accept, meet me back at the bonfire."

Felix turned to leave, but paused for a moment, glancing over his shoulder at me. "I promise I'll vanish as soon as winter is over. This is just for survival, nothing more."

Without waiting for a response, he retreated back toward the fire, leaving me standing there with Ace, the weight of his words settling over me like a heavy blanket.