Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel Chapter 31

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**
**Chapter 31: She Was Used to It**

“If I manage to hunt a few more level 5 beasts this time around, I should finally have enough star coins saved up to purchase a Gravicar,” Damian mused, his thoughts racing with the possibilities.

As he contemplated the hunt, a striking figure emerged from the Gravicar, capturing his attention.

A tall woman, her silver hair cascading down her back like a shimmering waterfall, stepped out with an elegance that seemed almost ethereal. She was a Rank 5 beauty, exuding an aura of power and confidence that turned heads.

Behind her trailed five males—three at Rank 6, one who had just ascended to Rank 7, and another who stood at the pinnacle of level seven. Their presence was imposing, and as they approached, the air thickened with unspoken tension.

The silver-haired woman’s piercing gaze fell upon Emma and Damian, her eyes narrowing in a scrutinizing appraisal. For a fleeting moment, her expression softened as she took in Damian’s androgynous features, but that warmth evaporated the instant she recognized his Rank 5 status. Disdain flickered across her face like a shadow.

Stopping directly in front of Laura, she offered a smile that lacked any real warmth, and then her gaze turned sharply towards Emma, her disdain barely concealed. “Laura, please tell me you’re not bringing those two along for the beast hunt?”

Evie Graham’s voice dripped with contempt, her eyes flicking dismissively toward Emma. “A Rank 4 female and a Rank 5 male? They’re practically useless. What kind of help will they be out there? We’ll be the ones doing all the killing while babysitting them.”

Laura, who had known Evie for many years, was well aware of her tendency to speak without a filter. Keeping her composure, she responded with a calm smile, “Evie, Emma is my closest friend. She may still be a Rank 4, but trust me, she possesses strength that rivals a Rank 5 Etherian.”

Evie scoffed, her laughter tinged with derision. “One suitor and not even a mate? How formidable could she possibly be? I’ll be blunt, Laura—I have no intention of wasting my time on weaklings. If they find themselves in trouble, my mate and I won’t be coming to their rescue.”

Her words struck a nerve, crossing a line that Damian found intolerable. Anger surged within him, igniting a fire that demanded release. He glared at Evie, his fury palpable.

“Rest assured, Ms. Tibarn and I do not require your assistance,” he replied coldly, his voice steady despite the storm brewing inside him. “And should you find yourself in peril, don’t expect us to intervene.”

Evie came from a prestigious lineage—on Earth, she would have been considered part of a noble family—but even that status did little to shield her from the reality of being challenged. Males typically fawned over her, circling her like loyal pets, eager to please. This was the first time anyone had dared to speak back to her.

Her expression twisted in anger, and she redirected her venom towards Emma. “You’re his huntress. He just insulted a female right in front of you. Shouldn’t you discipline him for that?”

The very notion of a suitor speaking out without his huntress’ permission was akin to courting disaster. Damian’s jaw tightened as he looked at Emma, the internal battle between rage and restraint raging within him. He had almost forgotten—

Suitors weren’t meant to act without their huntress’ approval, especially not when it came to challenging an honorable female.

Emma might have been his matched huntress, yet it was painfully evident that she felt nothing for him.

Though she was the smallest and the lowest-ranked among them, to Damian, Emma stood before him like an immovable mountain, shielding him from the storm.

Evie snorted derisively. “A worthless female who can’t even discipline her own suitor? You’d be lucky to protect yourself.”

And she claims she’d save me? What a laugh. The biggest joke of the day.

“Enough already. We’re supposed to be teammates—stop the bickering,” Laura interjected, her voice slicing through the tension like a knife. She urged Evie to let the matter drop and then sent Emma a gentle wave of mental comfort.

“Emma, it’s alright. I’ll look out for you,” Laura reassured her, fully aware of the challenges Emma faced and the hardships she endured. She was more than willing to be a shield for this girl who had fought so hard.

“Thanks, Laura,” Emma replied, brushing the encounter aside with a wave of her hand.

She had dealt with this kind of scorn far too many times to let it bother her now.

She was used to it.