Page 347 of Bride of Choice

Loud grumbling and muttering reached my ears. The sound of toe claws scraping on wood pricked my ears. “Out. Comes out,” this L ordered.

I felt like my heart had stopped. I forgot how to breathe. It wants me to come out? To be killed?! I don’t think so!

My hands slapped to my face. My nails dug in as I clamped my hands over my mouth to try and muffle the noises I was involuntarily making.

A muffled scream left me when a large body dropped down and bright blue eyes scanned my hiding spot. That shockingly bright gaze narrowed as it fell on me.

“Please don’t hurt me,” I whispered, gaping, wide-eyed, at a very unamused looking Yeti person.

I shook, they looked so pissed.

One deep sniff and they cursed, quite clearly, in English. I’d only ever really heard Rek say naughty words in my own language before. Not that I had a ton of meaningful interaction with any other Lo denaii, as they called themselves, mind you.

“No hide,” L grunted out. “Come out now, Rek human.”

“For the love of god, I’m not Rek’s human!” I burst out. My hands immediately clapped right back to my face, this time even harder.

L jerked at the vehemence in my tone. Those wild blue eyes narrowed, shimmering like two glittering chips of blue ice. “Why stay with Rek? Make Go’s Jo sad, not Rek’s? Make Jo think you Rek’s.”

“I don’t belong to anyone,” I mumbled through my fingers.

“Bad female. Pfft,” I thought I heard them grumble as they sat up and turned to sit with their arms hanging loosely off their knees.

“I’m not a bad female!” The very idea- It was plain insulting. I was so sick of being told I was wrong, I was bad, I’m a liar, I’m incapable. I’m none of those things!

The derisive snort issuing above me had my eyes narrowing, teeth gritting. “Hey! Hey, you! You don’t know me!”

“Know you stay with Rek, follow Rek, like you Rek’s female. All say you Rek’s. Whine and chase after Rek, like Rek’s. What all think? You Rek’s.”

Sliding out from my hiding spot, ignoring the dust covering me, I glared at them for that. “It’s not true. Take it back.”

“Take what back?” L cocked their head. Their fur looked so soft, and much fluffier than some of the other Lo denaii I’d come across. The urge to reach out and feel it gave me touch the bear and die vibes. “That you small, loud, whiny female that follows Rek like lost kep-kep?”

“What, are you watching me, you freaking stalker? Maybe you’re a bad male,” I accused.

L blinked at that, realized I was completely serious, their eyes widening when I gave a sniff and dared them to comment, then promptly burst out laughing.

“It’s not funny!” They were making fun of me. What the heck?!

Holding their stomach, they fell over onto their side, they were belly laughing so hard.

Leaning over them, I bared my teeth at them. “It’s not funny.”

Unfazed by me, they swiped at their eyes, still struggling to get a hold of themselves. Leaning in closer, hovering over them, in their face, shocking myself with my own boldness, I demanded to know as I jabbed them in the shoulder, “Why is that so funny?!”

Grabbing my hand, snarling at my hard jab, they had me flipped on my back and were straddling me, growling down into my face, before I could blink. “No jabs,” he growled out gutturally.

It took me a full minute, it felt like, before I remembered to breathe.

Was this the appeal for Joanie? This virile, wild side? The strength, dominance? L wasn’t hurting me. Quite the opposite. I was shocked by how gentle they were. And by how much I actually liked it.

“No pokes,” he grumbled down at me as I gaped up at them. “No like be poked.”

“Well- Well, I don’t like being laughed at. It hurts my feelings,” I blurted.

“Try to be funny,” they said simply.

“You were laughing because you were trying to be funny?” That didn’t even make any sense.

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