Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel Chapter 27

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**

Edric responded with a warm smile, “Alright, Ms. Tibarn. Just keep your mind focused on your training.”

He continued, “When you head out for the hunt, don’t forget to send me your location. I’ll catch up with you once I reach F-268.”

Nearby, his subordinates exchanged glances, their whispers barely containing their amusement as they observed Edric’s lovestruck expression.

One of them leaned closer to his companion and murmured, “What kind of mate did the Boss end up with? Look at him—grinning like a lovesick puppy. Is this really the same cold-blooded lunatic we used to know?”

The other nodded, a smirk playing on his lips. “He’s still the same man, but it’s as if some beast has stolen his brain and replaced it with fluff.”

Edric shot them a sharp glare, but he chose to ignore their teasing. What could a couple of unmated males possibly understand about matters of the heart?

If he didn’t play the part of the devoted sweetheart in front of Emma, how else would he ever win her affection?

Closing the chat window with Emma, he swiftly opened another interface, fingers hovering over the screen as he sent a message to his friend, Damian.

“Hey, buddy, did you manage to deliver the gift to Ms. Tibarn for me?”

Damian was lounging in his room when Edric’s message pinged through, interrupting his thoughts. He rolled his eyes in irritation, feeling a familiar frustration rise within him.

Gifts again? That fool only knows how to pander to females. Does he honestly believe that tossing a present her way will win her heart?

Those selfish females are heartless. They might shower you with affection today, but tomorrow, they’ll be enamored with someone else. They’ll take your offerings, cozying up to another male, leaving you humiliated and broken, never sparing a thought for whether you live or die.

When Edric didn’t receive an immediate response, he shot off another message.

“Hey, you there?” he pressed, his impatience growing.

Damian took a deep breath, pulling up the control panel of his lightcore.

“I’m here,” he replied, his tone flat. “I’ve got the gift, but Ms. Tibarn is currently in the training room. I can’t hand it to her just yet. Once she’s finished, I’ll make sure she gets it right away.”

Edric nodded, satisfaction washing over him.

“Thanks, buddy. I really appreciate it,” he said, transferring five million star coins to Damian’s account.

As the transfer notification flashed across his lightcore, Damian’s sour expression softened just a bit.

“Finally, some gratitude,” he muttered under his breath.

Emma didn’t step out of the training room until the evening, her body buzzing with energy and accomplishment. This time, with enough fifth-tier beast cores under her belt, she could feel her abilities surging forward, and she was convinced that after the next hunt, she would retreat into seclusion for training. She was determined to reach Rank 5 within a month.

This was her little secret, a goal that burned brightly within her.

Unlike many other Etherians in the Interstellar Empire, Emma faced no hindrances in her advancement. As long as she had a sufficient supply of beast or insect cores, she could absorb energy at an astonishing rate, breaking through barriers that others struggled with.

Damian’s gaze fell on the necklace, and he let out a heavy, dramatic sigh, his tone laced with condescension.

“Ms. Tibarn, please don’t be angry with Edric. He’s probably low on credits and couldn’t afford anything better. That’s why he gave you this worthless necklace made from discarded ore.”

So that was his game—he was trying to create discord between her and Edric.

Emma had anticipated this; she knew Damian well enough to recognize that he would never willingly deliver something for Edric without a hidden agenda. And after the substantial sum of star coins Edric had transferred to her just the day before, there was no way he was broke.

But why would Edric allow Damian to choose a gift for him? Edric was typically obedient to a fault. Had this cunning fox played a trick on him?

When Emma remained silent, her gaze fixed on the necklace in the box, Damian pressed on, eager to exploit any hint of disappointment.

“I already told Edric that giving Ms. Tibarn such a cheap necklace is an insult. But he didn’t seem to care. Clearly, he doesn’t value you at all.”

He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. “Ms. Tibarn, I know you’re upset. Just give me the necklace, and I’ll dispose of it for you.”

Any Etherian of worth would never give such a trinket a second glance, but even the Subtherian females would find a way to profit from it. Even in the lower-tier markets of Nexus Prime Tech, it could fetch a decent price.

“That won’t be necessary.”

To Damian’s utter astonishment, Emma lifted the necklace from the box with a clear expression of delight, fastening it around her neck with a sense of pride.