The Beauty's Hidden Beast

Vick's POV
Precious was the one, who broke the silence. She raised her head and looked at us, "Let's get married. If we can't have a normal relationship, we can at least have a dysfunctional one."
"..." Curtis and I remained quiet, and I'm sure his heart skipped a beat, just like mine. We were both aware of how important this proposal was. She asked us to stay by her side and to become her partners, not by the bonds of flesh and blood, but by choice and commitment.
She grabbed my hand and intertwined her fingers with mine, then she did the same with Curtis's, "No matter how broken, twisted, or fucked up you are, I'll take responsibility for you and protect you. I'll be your family and treat you as one. I'll be your shield and sword. I'll never abandon or betray you. This, I swear. I won't ask for anything in return, other than for you to trust me, and have faith in me," she finished her vow and kissed the back of our hands.
I looked at her and thought to myself, 'I wonder how many times I fell for this woman.'
Curtis smiled as his eyes glistened. It was the first time I saw him make such an expression. His smile was pure and full of innocence. His skin was radiating warmth, and his cheeks were rosy. He was in love. His lips brushed against her hand, and he said, "Can we marry every day? I want to hear you say this every day."
She nodded as if getting married was an everyday commitment and not a ritual people tend to make a big deal out of once in their lifetime. She didn't correct his concept, nor did she laugh at his request. Instead, she simply replied, "Yes, we can. After we both agree to divorce."
"Will you divorce me tomorrow?" Curtis asked, his face was filled with anticipation.
"No, probably the day after tomorrow." She answered, and his smile brightened.
I chuckled and hugged them. They were so cute, and they were all mine, "What kind of dysfunctional couples divorce after two days?"
"The smart ones," she smirked.
My free hand moved to my face and covered my mouth, trying to suppress my laughter. Did I ever mention that she was the most favorite dysfunctional thing in my life?
The bad mood from earlier was all gone. I was just so happy that we were together, no matter in what state or form.
I coughed to get their attention. It was my vow now, "I promise to be your best friend and your worst enemy. I'll be your biggest fan and your harshest critic. I'll be your safe place and your prison. The person you want to run to and the one you'll try to run from. But, most importantly, I'll never, ever, ever, stop loving you," I said, raising a brow at her, "I love you."
"Not as much as I do you," she raised a brow back.
I think a vein on my forehead just popped, "Say it back, dammit."
She leaned against my shoulder, her eyes closing, "You are a big boy. You'll survive."
"Precious, it's a bare minimum in every healthy relationship," I lectured, my voice sounding stern and serious, "I need your validation and love."
"And I need a pillow and sleep," she yawned, and leaned against Curtis's shoulder next with her eyes closed.
Curtis, the traitor, yawned right after her and wrapped an arm around her waist. They both were falling asleep on me.
What about our wedding night? I sighed and let it go. They've been through enough, and we could always settle our petty arguments later. I carried her inside the tent, then brought Curtis in and laid him next to her. The cold wind was chilling, making him so unresponsive that I could chop off all his hair, and he wouldn't notice.
Curtis held her warm waist and cuddled her, nuzzling her neck. He wasn't very immune to the cold, so I tucked him with an extra blanket. He must have been under great stress and had a rough time because he slept for two whole days. He would wake up from a nightmare, then Precious would hold him and talk him back to sleep. She didn't leave his side at all.
I used my spare time to make some platform crutches and a back carrier for her to sit on during our travels. For now, she should focus on removing the exoskeleton and not on her mobility.
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When Curtis finally woke up, he looked healthy. I could tell that his bones and organs had completely healed. He blinked his eyes and rubbed them with the back of his hands, trying to wake up.
"Feeling better?" I asked.
He nodded. Then, his eyes widened, and he turned around to look at her, his expression softening.
I sat down and wrapped my arm around his shoulders, bringing him closer to me and patting his back, "Thank you for your help. I'm really sorry about everything you had to go through because of me."
He shook his head, "You always treated me well. Sweetheart is lucky to have you by her side."
I chuckled, "Sweetheart is lucky to have us all. Right, Precious?"
"Right." Her eyes peeked from under the blanket, "Are you going to kiss?"
I smirked and kissed Curtis's cheek, moving closer to the corner of his lips. I watched as she licked her lips, and her eyes glinted.
Curtis was too stunned to move, his eyebrows touching in a frown, "What are you doing?"
"Nothing. I'm just testing the waters," I said and raised her blanket. Her hand was on top of her underwear, rubbing herself through the fabric. Her lips were slightly parted, and her eyes were glazed.

She was aroused, and judging by how she switched her gaze between me and Curtis, she must have imagined things to the point of asking for the real thing.
I smiled, "Curtis is like my brother. I won't make out with my brother even if I love and care about him. It's not the most disgusting thing, but it's just gross."
"Sorry," She bit her bottom lip and pulled the blanket back down, "My mind drifted off to a very naughty place."
I patted Curtis's shoulder, "Don't let her persuade you into doing something you're not comfortable with, no matter what the reward is."
"I would never do that," she narrowed her eyes at me as she took her tentacle toy out of the hidden compartment in her backpack. "You two go out; I'm going to play by myself."
I looked down at my erection, the front of my pants was tented from seeing her touch herself, "You are asking for an impossible."
Curtis looked at her, his expression begging her to reconsider her decision, "Can I join you?"
She waved her hand, dismissing the idea.
"Can I watch?" he pressed on.
She slipped the toy under the blanket, considering the option. "Fine, you can stay," she said.
Curtis and I exchanged glances. We sat down on each side of the tent and watched her pleasure herself under the blanket. She struggled. Her legs didn't want to cooperate.
She knew why she wanted us out. Seeing her like this damped our moods even though we tried to hide it and pretend we were having a good time. We ended up adjusting her and helping her under the blanket.
How we wished she could just kick us out like she usually would in these situations.
Precious didn't give up, however. She kept playing until her body was covered in sweat, and her breathing was heavy. She had multiple orgasms.
The mood swings I went through with Curtis were intense. One moment, we were aroused and ready to help her, and the other we were sad and wanted nothing more than to stop and cuddle her in our arms, then her stubbornness to reach another high brought us back and forth between the two extremes of admiration and despair.
Her legs trembled as she reached her last orgasm, I hope.
"I think that should be enough dopamine for the day," she said, panting, her chest heaving, and her face flushed.
I wiped her sweat with the back of my hand, pulled the toy out of her, and gave it to Curtis. He took the toy and went outside the tent, cleaning it up before carefully tucking it back inside her backpack.
I didn't know why she would prefer a toy when there was a perfectly functioning Curtis, but whatever made her comfortable and less frustrated was welcomed. Her eyes were closed the whole time, and I guess she was going after the dopamine rush, not a mind-blowing orgasm or the intimacy and closeness that came with sex ─ very similar to her father.
After we helped her clean up and get dressed, Curtis carried her outside the tent and let Gold keep her company while we packed up our things. That guy must have been wondering what crazy shit we were doing on this island, but he never raised a question and just assisted us silently.
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YaYa's POV
The canal has been finished, and the mermen have been digging deeper and wider near the Beast City. The water should absorb some of the shock from possible earthquakes and reduce the impact on nearby structures.
Gold's tail was in the water, while his upper body was above the surface. "A calamity has fallen upon the Beast City. The ground there became unstable. A small crack was enough to create a landslide, and a large portion of the city collapsed. The Tiger and Leopard King have safely evacuated all the beastmen and females to the canal. Upon the Tiger Queen's request, we quickly transferred them to a safer area."
It seemed that most of the deaths in the novel were caused by the beastmen running inside their homes, getting trapped under the rubble, or being crushed by falling buildings.
The Camel Hump Valley and nearby areas became unhabitable due to the volcano eruption from the two peaks. According to Gold's description, the air wasn't toxic, and there wasn't much smoke or ash coming from the mountain.
However, the ground was hot, and the magma created rivers of lava. The two mountains became one and blocked the flow of a river that used to flow in between them.
Gold continued, "Part of the canal got destroyed by the unstable ground, which caused a small flood."
The hot ground caused the water in the canal to evaporate, creating thick clouds. The rain didn't stop until the ground was wet and cold, and the magma cooled off, leaving behind black rocks. These could later be used as fertilizer for new plants and crops or as a filtration layer for the canal to keep the water clean.
My feet in the water floated with the waves as I sat at the shore, "It seems like our deal is done. You no longer owe me anything."
Gold stared at my legs for a moment. His eyes narrowed as if trying to figure out what had happened. He blinked, then looked away. "I saw Jean... now Qin. She had the Ape King's spousal imprint near her heart."
"I see. Did you take her back to the ocean?" I asked.
His tail moved as his eyes stared blankly at the distance, "I wanted to ask for your opinion first. Now we know where she is, where she lives, and with whom. We could take her anytime."
"It's best if you don't provoke the Ape King. His powers are beyond your understanding. If war can be prevented, then prevent it. The safest way to get Jane back is to make her jealous of the new mermaid you took in. You can start by letting Mandy take in a few peacock beastmen and let her see the land close to the canal from a safe distance. Of course, she should always be accompanied by a group of mermen on flying peacocks."
Just imagine the majestic beauty they would present. How could Jean resist the urge to touch the beautiful feathers or not feel envious when Mandy rode one, and she did not? Would she still agree to have the Ape King as her only mate?
When I saw him contemplate the idea, I continued, "Don't rush to increase the size of your tribe. I recommend building a strong foundation for your future generations first. You won't be here for them forever," the lips behind my veil curled up, "I have some connections with the peacock tribe, I can recommend a few of them to you."
Gold swam closer and lifted himself out of the water, sitting on the shore. He reached his hand and held mine, or at least tried. I caught his wrist, stopping him from getting closer. But he was persistent. He leaned his head closer and rested his forehead against my veil as I caught his other wrist, holding back not to crush his skull with my head, "I taught them all a lesson for calling you ugly, and for disrespecting you. I'll continue to do so until they admit you are the most beautiful creature in the world."
"..."
"..."
"..."
I glanced at Curtis, who only nodded in approval, and Vick, who tried to suppress his laughter.
I looked back at Gold, "You did what?"
"I punished Mandy, Bluepool, and the elders for calling you ugly."
I tilted my head, "Why would you punish them? It's a fact."
He leaned closer, his face just a few centimeters away from mine. "No. It's not. I'll prove it to you, and I'll make sure the whole ocean hears it," he declared. "You won't have to hide behind a veil in my territory. I'll change the rules. Nobody will make you feel uncomfortable."
My brows twitched, and the muscles in my cheeks stiffened. Vick lost the battle against his laughter, and his voice boomed across the island, followed by Curtis's chuckle.
"That's enough," I said and pushed him back into the water.
Gold's head emerged from the water, "If I bring Mandy here, will you allow me to kiss you? I want to show her the difference between someone who deserves my affection and one who doesn't."
"You do what you have to do," I shooed him away, "Just leave me out of it."
His head disappeared into the water, and soon, he returned with Mandy.
The girl's face was flushed, and her eyes were bloodshot as if she had cried the whole way here.
"Why are you crying?" I asked her.
"Gold said that you are more pretty than me and that he only likes you. Then he popped the bubble and forced me to swim all the way here," she hiccuped, and panted on the ground, "I thought I was going to die."
"What? Gold, how could you do that to such a cute girl?!" I faked a gasp, looking at the frowning man, who couldn't believe that I was actually siding with Mandy. "Look, you made her cry," I said.
Gold's expression became gloomy, as if holding back from doing anything that could upset me. He didn't say a word and looked away, his arms flexing.
"Come here, sweetie," I stretched my arms towards Mandy, but she shuddered and scooted away, her eyes full of disgust, "Have you ever kissed a merman? Can you tell me how it feels?"
"Yes," Mandy answered and stood up, trying to snatch Gold for herself, afraid I would steal him away from her, "Most are slimy and cold, and their kisses are very forceful as if they want to devour me and swallow me whole. But the males I like can make me feel very warm for a very long time."
Gold created a bubble and threw her inside it, placing her inside the makeshift pool he had created for Vick. He turned around and walked toward me, kneeling next to me, his eyes looking up, waiting for me to allow him. And it looked like he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, determined to prove his point.
I leaned closer and lifted my veil a bit, watching his head inching closer. And right when he was about to get his wish fulfilled, I grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him back into the water, his eyes wide and mouth still puckered, "A cold and slimy kiss doesn't sound very appealing to me," I said and smiled behind my veil, "Maybe next time."
He stayed under the water for a moment, then his tail emerged, and a large splash of water hit me in the face. I closed my eyes and felt him grab the back of my neck and pull me to his face. I fell into the water as his lips touched mine. His fingers sneaked under the burka and lifted it up to my nose, and he deepened the kiss, his tongue forcing its way between my lips.
I couldn't flip my legs, so I could only move my arms, holding his shoulders. The kiss didn't feel bad. He was cold, but his saliva tasted clean and fresh, like the air inside the bubble. I wasn't attracted to him, but his loyalty and dedication to his tribe and his benefactors were kind of endearing.
Gold pulled away, and stared at me before choking and coughing out some water. He immediately pushed me away as if he just kissed the wrong person, gasping and trying to catch his breath.
I summoned Vick, who whistled at us a while ago to the water, and Curtis as well. I was clearly a damsel in distress in need of saving, so why didn't any of my males bother to help me when I needed it again? Did Gold ask for their approval instead of mine or something?
It was enough that I became a cripple and had to be carried around, but to be treated as a source of entertainment? I should have just told them that my condition was permanent and made them pour buckets of tears and shower me with their pity attention. Actually, no. That would be even more bothersome.
Curtis grabbed me and brought me out of the water while the laughing Vick pulled out Gold, who, despite being a fish, had a hard time breathing underwater and almost drowned.
"Sweetheart, I just air-dried our clothes," Curtis complained gently, his clothes sticking to his skin as he pulled me out of the water and held me in his arms.
I looked around to see if Vick picked up my burka and felt a strong stare at me. I followed its source and met Mandy's gaze, her eyes almost bulged out of her head, her lips parted. She was mesmerized, and it seemed like she couldn't take her eyes off me.
I smiled and sent a flying kiss her way. She snapped out of her trance, her face blushing red as she covered it in embarrassment.
╔═══ Author's note ════╗
Yay, finally YaYa's POV.
Now, let's hope there will be some cubs time in the next chapter! 🥰
It seems like Mandy's character changed a bit under Gold's 'care'. 🤭
Poor Gold trying to be respectful, but keeps getting provoked into snapping. 🤣
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