Ace smirked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Should I find yours?” he teased, wiggling his fingers threateningly.

My eyes widened. “Wait, no—”

Too late.

He poked my side.

“Eeps! Hey, Ace!” I squirmed violently, laughing despite myself.

Why did he have to do this? He knew I was very ticklish!

Ace chuckled but then suddenly paused. His expression turned a bit more serious as he sniffed lightly.

“I guess I should collect some cotton,” he muttered. “You’re smelling sweet.”

I froze.

“It’s very faint, but it’s started. I've smelled it before so I can tell.” He dropped his voice a bit, knowing this wasn’t something just anyone should hear.

Here, in this world, a female’s cycle wasn’t just a cycle.

It was considered their mating time.

And males went crazy over the scent.

“It’s still one and a half weeks away,” I told him, frowning.

My cycles were regular. It shouldn’t start anytime soon.

“Hmm. That’s why it’s faint,” he nodded, standing up. “Better to be prepared beforehand. I’ll go collect the cotton from outside the city.”

I nodded.

Allmer had planned to return before my date, so he didn’t collect any this time. He always said fresh cotton helped reduce rashes, but yeah… better safe than sorry.

I sighed, staring lazily at the sky.

That’s when I saw it.

A female soaring high above us—atop a huge bird.

My eyes widened.

Was that a kite bird?

It looked similar to an eagle, but its wings were longer, its flight graceful.

I stared, completely in awe.

I had always wanted to try skydiving but had been too much of a coward.

The closest I had ever come to flying was in VR games, and even that had felt thrilling.

But this?

This was real.

And it looked amazing.

“Iker?” I called out.

He was beside me in an instant, his usual silent presence making it seem like he had always been there.

I pointed toward the sky, still watching the couple flying effortlessly through the wind.

“How do the females even stay atop when the males are flying so fast?” I asked, my biggest burning curiosity after seeing that.

Iker followed my gaze, eyes flickering toward the sky.

His answer was so casual.

“They just sit.”

“…What?”

“If they fall, their mate catches them.”

I blinked.

“Huh? Seriously?”

I had thought there would be something to secure the female in place.

But no?

Just pure trust?!

Iker shook his head. “No extra support. It hinders the males.”

I turned back to the sky, completely stunned.

Wow.

I felt Iker’s gaze on me.

And then—

“You wanna try?” he asked.

I stared at Iker, my mind racing.

“Isn’t it only for mates?” I asked hesitantly.

I had only ever seen females riding on their bird mates.

Iker tilted his head slightly, his usual unreadable expression giving nothing away.

“Not if the male allows,” he replied simply. “And don’t worry, I won’t take it in any other way.”

I blinked.

That… was actually reassuring.

“I’m fine with it,” he continued, his voice as calm as ever. “So, wanna try flying?”

Flying.

My heart thumped.

This was an awesome offer.

A chance I definitely wasn’t going to miss out on.

I took a deep breath, excitement bubbling up in my chest.

“Yes, please!,” I said eagerly.

Iker gave a single nod.

And then—

He shifted.

Within seconds, he stood before me.

A majestic eagle.

A huge one.

His feathers were a deep raven black, sleek and glossy, catching the sunlight in a way that made them look almost liquid. His wingspan was enormous, easily stretching wider than any normal bird I had ever seen.

His talons dug into the ground as he folded his wings slightly, tilting his head to look at me with those sharp eyes.

I gulped.

Okay.

This was… real.

I stared at Iker’s massive form, then at his broad feathered back.

How do I even get on?

After a moment of hesitation, I placed my hands on his sleek feathers and awkwardly tried to haul myself up. My foot slipped once, but with a determined grunt, I finally managed to straddle his back, gripping his feathers for balance.

I was still trying to figure out the best place to sit when Iker jerked slightly.

“Whoa—!” My bum jumped forward, landing in what I assumed was the correct position.

I blinked.

Guess that’s his way of adjusting me.

I glanced at the rich black feathers beneath me, running my fingers over them in awe.

I always thought eagles were mostly white and brown—like the typical ones I had seen in books back on Earth.

But Iker was pure black, glossy and sleek.

Did black eagles even exist on Earth?

I wasn’t exactly an animal expert, so I had no clue. But damn, he was beautiful.

I tightened my grip slightly.

"I'll have to hold onto your feathers on your back. Sorry if I break a few."

I really didn’t want to be responsible for making him bald in spots because I panicked and yanked out his feathers mid-flight.

But before I even finished speaking—

He took off.

Fast.

Wind whipped against my face, and I immediately shut my eyes and mouth, my heart hammering against my ribs.

The sensation of suddenly losing the ground beneath me was terrifying—like the drop in a roller coaster, except I had no seatbelt.

I squeezed my thighs against Iker’s sides, pressing myself low against his back, bracing for the worst.

Then, after a few seconds of chaotic ascent—

He steadied.

The sharp, terrifying speed softened into a smooth, gliding motion.

Carefully, I cracked one eye open.

And then—

Damn.

My breath hitched.

The view.

The breathtaking, unreal view.

The City of Beasts stretched out beneath me, a sprawling mix of buildings and nature. The river below, half-frozen from winter, glittered under the sunlight, its winding path looking like something straight out of a painting.

The trees, the distant mountains, the way everything seemed so small yet so vast at the same time—

It was mesmerizing.

It was the kind of view people paid thousands for back in my world.

But here I was, experiencing it firsthand.

Feeling the wind.

Seeing the land in all its untouched beauty.

A wide smile spread across my face. I was so grateful to Allmer in this moment, for fixing my vision.

I tightened my hold on Iker’s feathers, leaning forward slightly.

"Iker... thanks."

I wasn’t even sure if he could hear me over the rushing wind, but I said it anyway.

"The view, everything—really, thanks for allowing me to see this."

Because this?

This was an experience.

An unforgettable one.

I could see why Iker loved staying up in trees.

After seeing this, the ground seemed so... bland.

I suddenly realized I had been gripping his feathers too hard.

My hands ached from clutching so tightly, and Iker’s poor feathers were all out of place.

I quickly loosened my grip, using my fingers to gently smooth them down.

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

Iker didn’t respond.

Just the steady, peaceful rhythm of his flight as he continued circling the sky.

We stayed like that for a while—just soaring, no rush, no pressure.

Then, finally, he started descending.

I braced myself, expecting the hollow, stomach-dropping feeling like when you go down a roller coaster—

But Iker was kind enough to make the descent slow and steady, gliding in circles to soften the landing.

The moment we touched the ground, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

And then—

I threw my hands up and grinned.

“That. Was. AMAZING.”

I turned, hoping Iker had already tied his animal skin around his waist in those few seconds I looked away.

He had—mostly.

He was just about to slip into his usual jacket-style top when he suddenly froze.

And that’s when I saw it.

His back.

Iker always wore that jacket, and I assumed it was just a style choice. But now—

Now I knew why.

His back was ruined.

Deep claw marks.

Uneven scars.

Faded bruises in shades of white, blue, and purple.

It was a mess.

Iker didn’t rush to cover up. He just stood there, as if he didn’t care I was seeing it.

"Glad you enjoyed it," he said, finally putting on the jacket. "If you wanna do it again, just tell me. It’s fine by me."

I nodded, forcing myself to act normal.

But that sight—gruesome.

I knew this world was brutal. Of course beastmen got injuries.

But this?

This wasn’t just a fight.

It looked like one sided torture.

Iker noticed my glances.

"What?" His tone was casual, but his lips curled in a self-mocking smirk.

"Ugly, right?"

I sucked in a breath.

Ugly?

No.

That was not the first word that came to mind.

Painful.

I tried to keep my voice steady.

"Painful, rather."

I swallowed.

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to see that… but—was it because of ferals?"

Now fully dressed, Iker gave a simple nod.

"Mm. Few weeks back. The reason the whole tiger village moved here was because of ferals."

His voice too calm.

"Five or six three-striped and above attacked. Got these protecting my brother’s mate and cubs."

My heart dropped. Yes except Felix and Iker, all their brothers were two stripes.

Iker wasn’t the type to boast.

But this—

This wasn’t just some fight.

This was him throwing himself into death to protect his brother’s family.

In a world where family meant nothing.

Where siblings fought to the death for dominance.

Where males only cared about their own survival and getting mates.

And yet, here was Iker—choosing to protect his brother’s family at the cost of his own future.

That was…

That was amazing.

Iker must have noticed my silence.

His fingers clenched slightly.

His body tensed, as if bracing for judgment.

Because in this world, females wanted perfect males.

One scar?

Ruined goods.

I had heard those words from the females I spent time chatting with.

Disgusting.

Shallow.

But that was the reality here.

“That was a really honorable thing to do, Iker,” I said, quietly.

His eyes flickered toward me—like he hadn’t expected me to say that.

"Yeah," he exhaled. "Don’t regret it one bit."

Then, with a small shrug, he added,

"Though it did ruin my chances of finding a mate."

"It shouldn’t," I shot back.

"Getting a man who can endure that to protect his brother’s family?"

I met his gaze.

"Think about how much he’d do for his mate. How much he’d love her."

I sat down on the grass, letting my words sink in.

"That’s something too rare to pass on."

Iker hesitated—then quietly sat down beside me.

He didn’t say anything, but I could tell my words had hit deep.

After a few moments, I glanced at him.

"Does it still hurt?"

He shook his head.

Then, surprisingly, he shrugged off his jacket again, turning slightly to show me.

"The healer’s too good. Fixed me up in just two days."

His fingers traced a white scar near his ribs.

"But see this one?"

I leaned in.

"It still has some poison left. This is the only part that needs healing."

He smirked faintly.

"It’ll fix itself after I hit four stripes."

That was good news.

But my eyes were still drawn to the deepest claw marks.

They looked like they could split open if he moved wrong.

I wasn’t good with blood. Never had been.

But still, my fingers moved without thinking.

Lightly, I touched one of the scars.

The skin was hardened—rough under my fingertips.

Iker stilled.

But he didn’t stop me.

I let my fingers linger, brushing softly over the scars.

Let him interpret it however he wants.

Right now, I wanted him to know—

Females won’t run from you just because of scars.

Suddenly, he grabbed my wrist.

His grip was firm, but not painful.

His voice was low. Thick.

"Doing these things will just give me the wrong idea, Shira."

My breath hitched.

I—

I opened my mouth to say—

But then—

Iker suddenly shoved me down, his massive body covering mine in an instant.

A sharp grunt escaped him.

His muscles tensed, his wings half-flared, shielding me completely.

"Iker!" I screamed, horrified.

My blood ran cold.

Iker's body was pressed over mine, his breathing rough, his hands braced on either side of me.

I felt something warm drip onto my cheek.

Iker’s blood.

____________________

Author's Note:

5 long chapters, in a single week is a big feat for me ⊂⁠(⁠(⁠・⁠▽⁠・⁠)⁠)⁠⊃

I'm so grateful to everyone who regularly reads, votes and comments. I'm not able to reply to all comments but trust me I read them all and look forward to seeing your thoughts (⁠ᗒ⁠ᗩ⁠ᗕ⁠)

It's because of you all I got the strength to publish 5 chapters one after another 乁⁠[⁠ ⁠◕⁠ ⁠ᴥ⁠ ⁠◕⁠ ⁠]⁠ㄏ

Now I'm gonna study hard for the next two days. And of course in the break time I'll get the next chapter ready, since I know it's kinda a cliff hanger hehe. Look forward to another feral mate soon~~ (Let's see if anyone can guess who it's gonna be)

And yeah don't forget to vote! I love seeing that my regular readers have read my latest chapter ヘ⁠(⁠￣⁠ω⁠￣⁠ヘ⁠)