Exiled Villainess: They Threw Me Out, Now Every Beastman Wants Me novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Gossip Under The Treetops II

Ermin watched the small group gather around the fox female from his vantage point in the branches, draped in his panther form.

The group consisted of two males and two females. They huddled around Kiri like she was dispensing wisdom instead of petty jealousy.

He had chosen this tree because it was far from the main camp, quiet, and unlikely to be disturbed by anyone who wanted to disturb or talk to him. He had not chosen this tree to eavesdrop on a group of disgruntled clan members speculating about some pesky thing.

His tail gave a single, irritated flick, wishing for them to wander off and leave him to his rest.

But they remained there, chatting about how their tribe leader was carrying someone around like a cub and how he wasn’t acting like himself.

Ermin’s ears stood at alert when he noticed that Tera was actually their topic of discussion.

They were discussing how they felt Tera was manipulating the clan leader, and how she was scheming.

He had thought the same thing. He had been certain of it, in fact. Every kind act, every helpful gesture, every moment of apparent selflessness—he had dismissed it all as a longer game, a more sophisticated manipulation.

But that mate bond had him very confused. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

He didn’t like how it was shaking his certainty. Her actions were one thing, but there was no acting such deep emotions like these. No one could fake that kind of sorrow, especially not the selfish, tantrum-throwing female who had ruined his life.

But a part of him felt so angry. Why was she changing after what she had done to him? Could she not have left him out of it, or did getting exiled give her that wakeup call for her to change?

One of their voices drifted up from below. "Do you think she’s with him right now? At the lake? I remember we left her there."

Ermin felt annoyed with himself. He had noticed Tera sitting there and then saw her fall asleep before leaving, thinking she would wake up, wash herself and return to the rest of the clan.

To his surprise, evening had fallen, the other scout males had returned, and Tera had not come back. The others had just left her there, and they had seen her still asleep. Ermin had wanted to go and check on her, but he had forced himself not to go.

What would he even do when he got there?

When finally making the last-minute decision to go, someone had mentioned the tribe leader heading to the lake to wash himself. So, he would carry her back to the clan himself.

"Probably," the jackal said. "She looked exhausted earlier. Maybe the clan leader is just watching over her now."

"Or maybe he is doing more than watching," someone laughed.

Kiri looked offended and smacked their arm. "Do not make such a rubbish joke. It is the same stupid one you made about the shiftless one finding the leader during his heat."

"But—"

Another one laughed. "Don’t be silly. She would have died if leader had laid his hands on her at that time."

"That would have even been better," Kiri grumbled. "We would not have had to deal with that one now."

Ermin’s claws extended slightly, digging into the bark of the branch. He made himself retract them.

Why did he even care?

Whatever nonsense they were saying aside, he felt strange that Tera was alone with the bear beast man.

Ermin immediately shook his mind off it. Xavi could do whatever he wanted with the shiftless female. It was none of Ermin’s business. If the bear wanted to waste his time on a female who had already proven she couldn’t be trusted, that was his problem.

’That was just the imprint,’ he told himself firmly.

The group talked for a few more minutes, making vague plans to watch and report and be ready, none of which sounded particularly competent.

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