Reborn As A Beast Queen with Too Many Husbands to Pet novel Chapter 5

Annelise didn't even have time to dodge. The snake dropped straight onto her and sank its fangs into her right cheek.

Hudson reacted instantly. His claws flashed—one swipe, one grab—and the snake flew off into the darkness below the mountain path.

"Ms. Crawford! That one's… that one's deadly. They usually stay deep in the wilderness. I've got no idea why it came down to the mountain entrance tonight."

Annelise frowned. So I'm just unlucky, huh?

Half her face had already gone numb.

But she didn't panic. She pulled out several thin wooden spikes she had sanded smooth and jabbed them into the pressure points across her right cheek, sealing them to keep the venom from spreading.

Then she angled the torch closer, preparing to guide the venom downward to her chin and pierce a vessel to draw the blood out.

She had barely lifted her hand when more hissing echoed overhead.

Annelise raised the torch and swept the flame upward.

Dark, writhing shapes curled across the branches above them—stretching from one tree to the next, farther and farther into the woods.

Every tree seemed loaded with venomous snakes.

Hudson's foxy eyes widened in horror.

"Why are there so many? If they all drop…"

He didn't dare finish. He grabbed Annelise's arm and pulled her deeper into the forest.

"Ms. Crawford, there's a cave ahead—snakes won't go inside. We can hide there."

Foxes moved fast, and Hudson was even quicker at night.

After only a few strides, he suddenly swept an arm around her waist and lifted her clean off the ground, shielding her with his own body in case more snakes fell.

He was basically throwing himself into danger for her.

Fortunately, they made it to the cave quickly.

Inside, the ground was covered in diamond-shaped grass that gave off a sharp, minty scent—so strong that even snakes and insects stayed far away.

Hudson's breathing came rough and unsteady, his stomach rising and falling under his thin shirt. The coarse cloth did nothing to hide the perfect lines of his abs.

And the half of Annelise's face that wasn't full of spikes was pressed right against them.

One feeling—dangerously exciting.

God, I want to bite him.

But she said, "Put me down."

"Yes."

He did more than put her down.

Just as she pulled out the spikes and aimed to draw the venom, he suddenly leaned in and pressed his mouth to the bite.

"What?"

Before she could even react, he began sucking out the poisoned blood, spitting after each pull. His pale lips flushed red, making him look strangely tempting.

"Don't worry, Ms. Crawford. I'll get the venom out."

"Little fox, you really don't need to—oh look at you, your lips are swelling!"

Hudson shook his head, his fiery fox ears twitching.

"It's fine. A male's poison resistance is much higher than a female who hasn't awakened her beast form. A little venom won't kill me."

But even as he said it, his body wavered.

Annelise reached to steady him. Hudson quickly waved her off. "Really, I'm fine. Even if a snake bit me, I'd only sleep it off. But you'd die. When morning comes, go down the mountain right away. Don't worry about me if I've already fallen asleep."

Then he bent to suck again.

And now the numbness in Annelise's face began to fade.

But she also knew this. Shifters were powerful, far above ordinary beasts. Yet once they fell unconscious, they were helpless—easy prey for any predator in the mountains.

The fox was risking his life for her.

Hah. Silly fox. Here's your punishment for throwing your life away for love.

"Come on, we both need to eat some. No one's getting poisoned today."

Hudson's cheeks puffed out adorably as she shoved a mouthful into him.

Annelise stuffed her entire bag full—then noticed that outside the cave, dozens of venomous snakes had gathered. The same species that had bitten her, scales patterned with blotches, hissing nonstop.

She lifted an eyebrow.

"You said they leave after sunrise. Why?"

From her understanding of snakes, they preferred cool, damp environments and were more active at night. Sunlight and heat should make them retreat—but up here, huge leaves blocked most of the sun. And it was already autumn; daytime temperatures wouldn't rise much.

They shouldn't just vanish.

Hudson explained that she had never climbed the mountain before, so she wouldn't know. These blotched snakes lived only near a shallow pool deep inside the woods. They never left because that's where their food—certain mice—lived.

There was nothing for them to eat at the mountain entrance. Naturally, they never came out here.

Annelise pinched her chin, muttering, "A change in behavior usually means disaster."

The words had barely left her mouth when a roar tore through the mountains—deep, coarse, powerful. The echo plunged the whole area into tension.

The snakes scattered instantly, wriggling away as fast as they could.

"What kind of beast makes a sound like that?"

Before she could get an answer, she turned—Hudson had curled up in a corner, facing the wall. His ears drooped flat. His tail was tucked tight. His whole body trembled.

"You're scared?"

Annelise strode over and helped him up.

"Is it a really big predator?"

"It's… It's a high-ranking male shifter's call." His voice shook. "He's ordering us to get off the mountain. If we don't… he'll tear us apart."

The roar thundered again, and Hudson jolted upright, grabbed Annelise's hand, and ran for the exit.