The Beauty's Hidden Beast

I was there when the Ape King pulled off his magic trick and showed us the future-it was grim. He conjured up an image of a mountain blowing up, with ash and smoke darkening the sky.
People freaked out, crying and panicking, so he quickly switched it up with a vision of himself calming the volcano spirits. After that intense display, he collapsed from exhaustion and had to be carried back to his castle.
A few days later, he was back on his feet, boasting about how the Beast God had listened to his plea to stop the eruption with his divine intervention. But for that, he would need lots of energy, which equaled an emerald from the leopard, tiger, and wolf kings every year.
The kings struck a deal with the Ape King under one non-negotiable condition: he had to guarantee the protection of their tribes. With a sly grin and a nod, the Ape King agreed, happy to take on more power.
However, the leopard, tiger, and wolf kings weren't born yesterday. Trusting but cautious, they began scouting out new territories, just in case the Ape King's promises turned out to be scraps. After all, it was always good to have a backup plan-or a backup kingdom, in their case.
After The Ape King assured everyone he had everything under control, I covered the streets with scorpion attacks, droughts, and floods.
Whether they happen or not, who cares?
Fear is fear. Needless to say, it caused the Ape King to pass out a few more times. It was about time that monkey started preaching everywhere that battle scars were a badge of honor, not something to be ashamed of.
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"What if he finds out it was us this whole time?" Muir asked.
I couldn't help but laugh, pulling my cloak tighter around me. "And what's he going to do? Admit to everyone that he's not the hero we've made him out to be?" The absurdity of it all made the idea too delicious not to savor.
"Well... no, I guess not," Muir replied with a chuckle as he opened the gates to reveal a stunning female.
Her skin was pale as moonlight, her hair golden like the sun. Her eyes, a striking shade of bright purple, fixed on me with an intense gaze. She was a vision of elegant beauty, held aloft by one of her males, with a group of formidable two to triple-stripped leopards trailing behind.
"I am Queen Memi of the Leopard Kingdom," she declared, her voice as captivating as her appearance. "My cub has told me that you and your males have refused him to court Bai Qingqing, even though Bai Qingqing, herself, showed no objections to it."
"So, did your cub call you here to finish what he couldn't?" I replied, my arms crossed. "Parker kept barging into our territory, starting brawls, and bolting off whining when he tasted defeat. It's a miracle I let him escape alive." With only his tail tucked so tightly between his legs, he could barely walk straight, of course.
"You speak the truth, and I appreciate your leniency," Queen Memi acknowledged with a polite smile, "I wish Parker would listen to reason more. He is young and reckless and needs a firm hand to guide him. My other cubs were more open to advice, but not him. He thinks he is invincible. I would be lying if I did not say that I wished him to forget Qingqing and find another female, considering her parents' difficult nature."
"I'm sorry, but I don't have time to listen to your family drama," I said, walking away from her.
The leopards were seething with fury at my treatment of their queen. Their snarls echoed through the air.
"Wait," Queen Memi called out, striding purposefully toward me. With a deliberate motion, she unveiled a gleaming emerald held delicately in her palm, "Please give Parker another chance. At this rate, he will die alone and unfulfilled. No parent wishes that for their cubs."

"Then let him die," I retorted. "At this point, you are all asking for it. Don't pretend innocence; you were involved in this attempt to kidnap my cub as well, weren't you?"
"You─" The Queen's voice cracked. "I genuinely believed Bai Qingqing was being held against her will in your place." Her tone wavered with emotion, her words tinged with regret. "As a mother, I trusted my son's words. But now I see the truth, and I am sorry for the problems he has caused."
"Your sob story won't sway me into giving away my cub," I gave the emerald in her hands a fleeting glance, "Show me your sincerity through deeds, not pleas and offerings." Turning slightly, I whispered, "Skaris, let Bai out."
Moments later, Bai burst outside, her cheeks flushed. She fixed her gaze on me. "Mom! I want to give Parker a second chance. Please, stop chasing him away!"
"Bai... Qingqing?" Queen Memi exclaimed in curiosity, "Are you the female my cub can't stop talking about? He was right. You look gorgeous."
"Parker talks about me?" Bai blushed.
"He does all the time," the queen's smile grew. "I know my cub has wronged you, but could you please give Parker another chance?"
"I..." Bai stuttered, and her blush spread further, "I will. I want to meet him, and if he can prove himself, I'll take him as my male."
"Roar!" A leopard leaped out of the bush, "Qingqing! Is it true? Will you really mate with me?"
"Parker?!" Bai exclaimed in surprise.
"Qingqing!" Parker transformed, picking her up and twirling her around.
"Oh, my," Queen Memi chuckled, "That impatient cub. He must have followed me all the way here."
"Qingqing, I am sorry." Parker kissed her cheek, and I saw it must have stung Tony in his chest, watching the two.
"Parker," Bai smiled, "I want you as my male. Will you have me?"
"Of course! I love you, Qingqing!"
"Aww, finally a happy ending," Queen Memi cheered.
"Not so fast," I interjected. "I haven't agreed yet."
"What?" Parker roared at me, "Qingqing said yes, and you can't change her mind. She is my mate now!"
"Listen to your mother, cub," Queen Memi urged sternly. "You know how much I want my cubs to be happy, but I will not tolerate disrespect. If you were not my cub, you would have died under her male's hands a long time ago."
"Fine," Parker growled at me, "What do you want?"
I gestured toward Tony, "Tony will be the head male. Parker will answer and respect him as one," I glanced at the leopard queen, "Any objections, Queen Memi?"
"That bear has three stripes while I also just gained my third one," Parker protested, "It's unfair! I should get a chance to be a head male too!"
I snorted, "Counting stripes doesn't take much brains. Leading does. Maybe focus on that instead of just your stripes?"
Queen Memi covered her face with her hands, embarrassed on behalf of her son.
Tony stepped forward, his muscles bulging as he towered over the leopard, "You're disrespecting Queen Memi and Yaya with your shallow complaints. Grow up and start acting like a head male if you ever want to be seen as one."
"You want a fight?" Parker growled, shifting his body and lowering himself into a fighting stance.
"Stop," Bai yelled, standing between them, "Stop! Both of you! I can't bear seeing you two hurt each other!"
"Qingqing," Tony called out to her, his voice gentle, "I need to fight him and prove my strength, or he will never respect me as a worthy male."
"Bai Qingqing," Queen Memi walked over and touched her shoulder, "Let your male settle this. Don't worry. Neither of them will get hurt. I won't allow it."
Bai bit her lip and nodded, her hands wringing nervously.
Tony and Parker charged at each other, leaping, punching, kicking, and growling.
Bai flinched and closed her eyes, whimpering in terror at the scene, unable to watch.
The other leopards were cheering for their prince, hoping he would emerge victorious.
Tony was holding his own against Parker. He stayed in his half-human form, changing various parts of his body into its bear form.
"This isn't a fair fight!" Parker growled, frustrated and angry as Tony threw sand into his eyes.
"Why?" Tony asked, his fighting style matching Curtis's half-beast style of fighting, "Are you scared you're going to lose?"
"I will not lose to a damn bear!" Parker yelled, attacking him in a fury, his moves becoming sloppy.
Taking advantage of Parker's emotions, Tony growled, sidestepping him and slashing him in the back.
"Argh!" Parker groaned, crashing onto the ground.
"Cub!"
"Parker!"
"Don't get up," Tony grabbed the leopard's arm and twisted it, "I'm Bai Qingqing's head male. You will respect me and listen to my commands or face the consequences. Do you understand?"
I rubbed my chin and nodded, impressed with the bear's display, "Looks like he had worked hard."
Curtis smiled at me, "He's gotten a bit better."
Tony looked up, meeting our gazes, a grin on his face. He had challenged every single leopard in exchange for some offerings to learn their style of fighting ─ everything for this single moment.
Facing males with more stripes became trivial to Tony, thanks to the daily challenges posed by the four crazy titans: Muir, Curtis, Skaris, and especially Vick. Vick skillfully managed both Yaya and her males, earning Tony's deep respect despite having only two stripes, the least of all her males.