Nine Hot Therians and Their Only One Queen novel Chapter 35

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

**Chapter 35: Survival on the Line**

Damian didn’t accept the vial from Emma. Instead, with a swift motion, he reached into his storage band and pulled out several vials filled with a pale green energy fluid, handing them all to her with a confident smile.

“Try this instead. The flavor’s better,” he said, snatching the opened vial from her grasp as if it were a mere trinket.

Emma’s heart raced, a mix of disbelief and gratitude flooding her senses. Why was he being so generous? She couldn’t shake off the nagging curiosity about where he had procured such high-quality energy fluid. But Damian seemed unfazed by her potential questions. If pressed, he would simply confess that he had used the star coins he’d cleverly swindled from Edric to make this purchase.

Staring at the cluster of pale green vials now cradled in her hands, Emma thought, Pinch me, I must be dreaming. Damian is actually giving me supplies—and not just any supplies, but the premium-grade kind.

Her mind raced back to the Lightcore Mall, where she had seen this very energy fluid. Produced by Nexus Prime Tech, a single vial was worth a staggering 100,000 star coins. The price tag wasn’t merely for its exquisite taste; its effects were nothing short of miraculous. A single sip could rejuvenate one’s stamina almost instantaneously.

In contrast, the red energy fluid she had just retrieved required a torturous half hour to kick in, and even then, it took a full hour for complete recovery.

Drake had been right all along. The Ashenflame Fox truly was wealthy beyond measure.

She looked up at Damian, her brow furrowed with skepticism. “Hold on a second, you’re giving me all of this? Are you sure you have enough left for yourself?”

Damian nodded, his grin widening. “Oh, I’ve got plenty to spare.”

He produced another vial, effortlessly popped it open, and took a swig himself, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Ms. Tibarn actually worries I’ll run out of energy fluid. If only she could stay this carefree forever.

Seeing that he still had an ample supply, Emma felt a wave of relief wash over her. She opened one of the nutrient fluid vials he had given her and drank deeply, savoring the taste. The worry of him charging her later evaporated like mist, for she now possessed more than enough star coins to cover any debts.

After resting for a brief ten minutes, the group set off again, their determination renewed as they resumed their hunt for beast packs. Just before dawn broke, the quiet instrument they carried suddenly erupted into a frantic beeping.

Laura’s mate’s expression darkened, panic etched across his features. “This is bad news. Over a thousand beasts are charging our way, and among them, there’s a level 8 beast. The readings indicate wild energy turbulence. These beasts may have gone berserk. We need to hide, and we need to do it fast.”

The transition from Level 7 to Level 8 was a perilous threshold. A level 8 beast was capable of obliterating a field of Rank 7 Etherians without breaking a sweat.

“We can’t rely on a Gravicar in this forest,” he added grimly. “We’ll have to run on our own two legs.”

“Head north!” Emma shouted, grabbing Damian’s hand and sprinting in that direction.

He speculated that if the majority were heading north, perhaps there was a reason for it. Along their journey, he had noticed Emma’s familiarity with the forest. She might be choosing this path because something even more perilous than the beasts lurked to the south.

Before he could voice his concerns, Evie had already grabbed one of her mates and bolted south, compelling him to follow suit.

Emma’s group ran tirelessly for over two hours, their feet pounding against the earth without a moment’s pause. The beast tide was closing in, and the ground beneath them trembled ominously with every step.

The three Interstellar Hunter Alliance members kept a close watch on her, ensuring they maintained a safe distance while remaining vigilant.

“Just half an hour more,” Emma called out, her voice steady despite the chaos. “There’s a mountain ahead with a super-hidden cave. If we can mask our scent, the beast tide won’t find us.”

Laura panted heavily, concern etched across her features. “But the potions we have only block level 7 beasts. There’s a level 8 among that tide.”

Without that level 8 beast in the equation, they wouldn’t even consider running.

The level seven peak male from the Hunter Alliance reached into his band and withdrew two vials, his expression serious. “I have potions that can block a level 8 beast’s perception, but I only have two.”

He handed both vials directly to Emma, his tone respectful. “Honorable Ms. Tibarn, we were instructed to ensure your safety.”