The silence after Allmer left was deafening. The house, which had once felt warm, now seemed too large and empty. I stared at the spot where he had disappeared into the woods. It felt strange, this hollow ache in my chest. Did I really get so used to him in just a few weeks?

I stood by the fire pit, watching the embers flicker, my thoughts swirling. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything. I didn’t even want to leave the warmth of the house, not in the mood to go out and talk to the other females.

I sighed, dragging myself back to the sleeping area. Maybe I’d just crawl back under the blanket and sleep the day away and pretend the world didn't exist. The thought of going outside and spending the day chatting held no appeal.

Felix, however, had other plans. He watched me from where he lounged near the fire, his expression unusually thoughtful.

“Hey,” came a voice, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked up to find Felix standing there, watching me with an expression that was harder to read than usual. “Let’s go outside, take a walk. It’ll do you good, clear your mind. The breeze is cool this time of morning.”

I glanced at him. I didn’t want to go outside. I didn’t want to leave the house, not now. “I’m not in the mood,” I muttered, turning back to the fire.

Felix raised an eyebrow, not deterred. “You’re going to sit here all day moping? Come on, the breeze will feel good.”

I bit my lip, resisting the urge to snap at him. Was he right? Maybe the walk would help my mood. “I just don’t feel like it, Felix, I'll go out after a short deep nap,” I said, my voice quieter this time, already ready to sleep.

Felix must have sensed that I wasn’t exactly in a talkative mood, and his posture shifted slightly, more serious now. He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “Fine,” he muttered, stepping closer. “Here," he handed me something, a small item wrapped in a cloth.

My eyes widened when I realized what it was—the dagger Ace had given me.

My fingers hovered over the handle, hesitant. “You… kept it?” I had thought after that "incident" he must have just thrown it away.

Felix looked away, his expression oddly sheepish. “Yeah. I, uh, made it blunt. You know, so it won’t cut your skin so easily with just a small touch. Again”

His voice was quiet, almost like he was embarrassed. I took the dagger from him, turning it over in my hands. It felt good to have back the only thing I can use to remotely keep myself safe. The weight was familiar, but the blade was definitely duller.

“Thanks, I guess,” I said, glancing up at him. Then, with a smirk, I added, “What, feeling guilty about injuring me that day?”

Felix snorted, crossing his arms. “I just didn’t want you hurting yourself, though it ended up like that anyway.”

“Right,” I said, rolling my eyes.

Then, out of nowhere, he said, “You know what? Let’s go train.”

I blinked at him, caught off guard. “Train? Ace is on hunt duty, remember?”

“I’ll teach you,” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

I stared at him, trying to process his words. “You? You’re going to take the effort to train me?”

Felix shrugged, his grin turning smug. “Don’t look so shocked. I’m a great teacher. You might learn a thing or two.”

For a moment, I wasn’t sure if he was serious. But the look in his eyes told me he was. Despite his teasing nature, there was a certain sincerity in his offer.

“Fine,” I said finally, slipping the dagger into the sheath at my side. “But don’t complain if I accidentally cut you.”

He laughed, a low, rumbling sound that sent a shiver down my spine. “You won’t even get the chance.”

With that, Felix stepped back and shifted into his beast form. His transformation was swift, seamless, and strangely mesmerizing. One moment he was standing before me as a man, and the next, a massive tiger with sleek, striped fur stood in his place, his massive body rippling with muscles, eyes gleaming with that familiar playful but predatory gleam.

I blinked, taking in the sight. Felix’s tiger form was regal, no doubt about it, with his sleek, striped coat and powerful frame. He looked like he could take down anything in his path with ease. But as I stared a little longer, something else caught my attention.

His big pink nose.

It was.... cute.

I tilted my head, taking in more details. Forget terrifying—Felix's tiger form was downright something you'll want to cuddle while sleeping.

My thoughts flickered briefly to Allmer and Ace. When I first saw Allmer in his snake form, I was terrified. The sheer size, the cold, predatory eyes, the scales—it took me weeks to get used to him in that form, and even longer to not flinch when he moved too suddenly. Ace, on the other hand, was a wolf in every sense of the word—regal, noble, and quietly powerful. His wolf form didn’t scare me, but I admired it from a distance. I’d always wanted to ask Ace if I could touch his wolf ears—they look so soft in his human form—but I never had the courage.

But Felix? His tiger form didn’t intimidate me. Maybe I have a thing for felines? I couldn’t resist stepping closer.

“Wow…” I murmured, leaning down to inspect his paws."They’re huge”

Felix let out a low growl, a sound that wasn’t threatening but more of a reminder. It was as if he was saying, Come on, let’s go. Get on.

But I ignored him, too engrossed in examining him. I crouched down and gingerly touched one of his paws, pressing my fingers into the soft pads. “Damn, they’re squishy” I grinned, fascinated.

Felix growled again, a little louder this time, but I was in my own world. “Hang on,” I said absentmindedly, stroking his fur now. “Your fur's soft and silky too. Is this natural? Or are there any oils you use?” Maybe I can use them to manage my hair, which no doubt will resemble a broom by the time Allmer returns.

Felix’s tail flicked, and I could feel the annoyance radiating off him. Usual Felix behaviour. He shifted slightly, turning his massive head to glare at me, but I was too busy marveling at the texture of his fur.

“I mean, I always thought tigers were scary,” I continued, “But you’re —”

In the blink of an eye, Felix shifted back into his human form. One moment, I was stroking his fur, and the next, I found myself falling forward, landing ungracefully atop him. My hand, which had been trailing along his back moments ago, now rested squarely on his bare chest.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

“Shira…” Felix said, his voice low, his face quickly turning red.

I blinked, realizing the position we were in. “!” I scrambled off him, my face burning as I took several steps back. “Why—why did you transform back so suddenly?!”

Felix sat up, rubbing the back of his neck, his cheeks still flushed. “You were the one treating me like a damn pet! I kept growling to tell you to stop, but you just… wouldn’t listen!”

“I was— sorry. I didn't mean to offend you” I paused, flustered, and gestured vaguely. “You were just so… fluffy!”

He groaned, running a hand down his now red face. “I didn't take offense,”

Felix sighed, standing up and brushing himself off. “Next time, listen when I growl, alright? It’s not just for show.”

“Noted,” I mumbled.

After a moment of silence, I peeked to see him smirking down at me. “What?” I asked defensively.

“You’re lucky I like you,” he said with a shrug. “Otherwise, I might’ve bitten you for touching me.”

I scowled, throwing a small rock at him, which he dodged easily. “Go transform back, and let’s get this over with!”

Felix chuckled, clearly enjoying, but he obliged, shifting back into his tiger form. This time, I didn’t stop to marvel or pet him—I climbed onto his back as quickly as I could.

“Go on,” I muttered, gripping his fur as he started toward the river.

Despite my embarrassment, I couldn’t help but smile as the cool breeze brushed against my face. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

____________________________

Author Note :

Yeah it was a bad idea on my part to not keep track of when I last uploaded the chapter.

Got too busy with RL and totally forgot to finalize the draft and publish ><

Got a notification yesterday of a comment mentioning about new chapter and then realised it's been well over a month (thanks for reminding me about the update (⁠+⁠_⁠+⁠))