Free Web NovelChapter 16: Word Choice Matters
Nuan shifted on the sand bed, her skin sticky with sweat as the fever finally let go. She looked toward the cave mouth. The sky outside was a dark, spooky purple. It was basically night.
She sat up slowly, staring at the rocky ceiling and feeling totally drained.
’Hey Blue Buddy, how bad is the damage?’ she called out in her mind.
The blue screen popped up right in front of her nose.
[ Host! Your fever is down! ]
[ But your body is still running on low battery, and your ankle needs more time to heal because you went wild with that torch. ]
[ Suggestion: Mate with Kael right now and get a free Healing Potion! ]
’Why are you so obsessed with making me sleep with him?!’ Nuan hissed internally.
[ Because it is my literal job to help you collect mates, Host. ]
’Aren’t you even a little bit ashamed of your career choices?’
[ At least I am not a Baby System or a Breeding System. They force their hosts to mate with random people within a few-hour time limit or they die. ]
[ That is a real crime, I think. ]
Welp... fair point. You are way better. Thank you for your service, Nuan thought, dragging her legs over the edge of the bed.
[ Speaking of services... let us calculate the bill for the emergency pepper spray. ]
’And I take it back. You are a capitalist demon.’
[ Debt payment: Engage in any foreplay activity with your mate within 5 hours. ]
’Huh?! Why are you putting a deadline on me now? Didn’t you just say that’s a crime?’
[ You already used the pepper spray, Host. If I don’t give you a deadline, you will exploit the logistical loophole and never pay. ]
’This is extortion! Nuan sighed. What if I say no?’
[ No more borrowing cool stuff from the inventory during emergencies. ]
’Ugh!!! I knew you would corner me later!’
[ Hang in there, Host. ] freewebnøvel.coɱ
The screen vanished. Nuan groaned, hopping onto her one good leg. She leaned against the rough rock wall, slowly shuffling toward the exit. But just as she got close, she heard voices outside. It was Kael and his mom.
"Don’t lose your mind like that again!" his mom’s voice was loud and angry. "You were with your mate. Your job was to protect! Threat ran away, but you still chased them. Dumb action!"
Kael didn’t say anything.
After a quiet moment, his mom spoke again. "I hope you won’t be this stupid next time." frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Kael just gave a low grunt.
"So, what now?" she asked. "Your mate said she doesn’t want to be the Alpha female of this pack."
"I won’t let her leave," Kael growled, sounding stubborn.
"Idiot! You have to respect her!" his mom snapped. "Listen, Kael. Either you forget this mate and find a strong girl who wants the pack, or it’s time for you to leave the pack."
"Mother?!" Kael gasped.
Inside the dark cave, Nuan gasped too. Dispersal? They’re gonna kick him out?!
In a split second, thud! Both of them jumped down from the top cliff right in front of the cave mouth.
"Meek savior! You are awake!" Kael yelled. Before she could fall over, his big hands grabbed her waist, lifting her up to give her support.
"Ahh!! Wha—" she squealed, realizing he was just being her human crutch.
His mom stared at her, her eyes narrow. "Eavesdropping?"
Nuan shook her head so fast she almost got dizzy. "Who? Me? No way! Why would I do that? I was just... checking the weather! Yeah, the night sky looks very nice!"
His mom looked at the pitch-black sky and let out a dry laugh. "Fine. Don’t ruin your leg more."
She looked at Kael. "Keep watch on the territory. Take your mate up to the cliff with you. It’s my turn to sleep." She turned around and walked into her own den.
Leaving Nuan and Kael standing alone in the dark.
Kael smoothly hoisted her onto his shoulder like a sack of rice. With three massive jumps, he carries her right up to the top of the den cliff.
Nuan doesn’t even fight it. At this point, she’s totally used to being cargo. He sits her down on the rock and immediately plops beside her, wrapping his big arms around her waist and pulling her tight against his chest.
"Kael, stop with that!" Nuan lets out an exhausted sigh, trying to wiggle loose.
He just holds her tighter, his fur warm and ridiculously soft against her skin. "It’s chilly here... you will catch cold."
"Shhh... fine," she mumbles, giving up. She looks out at the pitch-black forest ahead. Then she glances at Kael, whose golden eyes are moving, scanning the trees. Right, he’s a wolf—he can see perfectly in the dark.
Suddenly, the blue screen blinks in her face.
[ Host! Time remaining for debt repay: 04:49:23 ]
Nuan swats her hand to wave the screen away. She looks up at Kael’s sharp jawline. "Is your mother kicking you out because of me? You know you don’t have to leave, right? You can just find a better woman for yourself, buddy. You deserve a top-tier beastworld breeding machine."
"No!" Kael growls softly, his grip tightening. "You are my meek savior. You saved me twice! I won’t let you leave!"
"Listen, Kael, I appreciate your feelings, really," Nuan says, turning her head as much as she can. "But I’m just not a compatible partner for you. I’m a human. I’ll leave once my leg is fully recovered."
Something snaps within him. His ears flattened hard against his skull. With a low, frustrated growl, Kael pins her flat against the hard stone of the cliff.
"I won’t let you leave!" he barks, his golden eyes flashing wild in the dark.
Nuan doesn’t squeal. She doesn’t even resist. She just lies there on the rock, looking up at his face with a completely blank stare.
Great, she thinks. A nice guy with major red flag behavior. Classic.
"You know," Nuan says, her voice totally calm. "I actually would have thought about staying if you had said ’I won’t leave you’ instead of ’I won’t let you leave.’ Word choice, Kael. It matters."
