Page 346 of Bride of Choice

I was almost done with my task when I heard it, a faint crunching sound.

Feeling like my heart had jumped into my throat, I glanced up just in time to see the beast woman that had shown up during Joanie’s wedding to Gopher and Odix and never left.

A soft eep of a noise left me as the woman pounced.

She was too fast and I was far too slow.

Timid. That’s what my ex used to call me. A timid, shy little mouse. But I fought this time. I tried to kick and swing my arms. There was no use screaming, as she had her hand tightly clamped over my mouth and the arm banding around me was squeezing my ribs so hard it was hard to breathe.

I was on the verge of blacking out as she toted me away from Rek’s, down a path I’d been warned not to take, bypassing all the other huts, and straight into one of several vacant huts, this one less cozy looking than all the others, more of a shack really, and far enough out it would be harder for someone to hear me, should I start screaming. The second we were inside she tossed me away from her to make her way over to the door to lock it.

Spinning around on lithe feet, she snarled, “Human! Know where Go’s Jo go?”

“Do I what?” I sputtered, gaping at her. Cowering in the corner, I struggled to make eye contact. She was big, like- like a fuzzy, villain She-Ra on steroids with mad anger issues.

She repeated herself, and I finally caught Jo mentioned in there. “I don’t have anything to do with Rek’s mate going missing.” I was proud of the anger in my voice, instead of letting how terrified I was of her show.

Honestly, I was so taken off guard by her accusation, and after all that Rek’s been put through because of me, it just pissed me off, to think I’d have a hand in any of this. If I could track Joanie down myself for him, I would.

When I said as much, the pacing, angry beast foaming at the mouth before me paused and cocked her head. “Why want Jo back? Puny human no want Jo back.”

“Of course I want her back! What’s the matter with you? I’d give anything to get her back!”

This gave my aggressor pause.

A loud snarl issuing outside made us both jump.

“Oh my god, is it a cramps monster?!” I squeaked out worriedly.

“Krampus,” she grunted out absently.

At a loud snarl, she grimaced. “Worse.”

“Worse? Worse?!” Oh my god, what the heck was worse than a cramp monster thing— whatever the heck they’re called?!

“L,” I thought she grumbled as another ominous growl issued and the door rattled on its hinges.

L? What was an L? And why did beast woman seem so worried about it?!

Ducking beneath a very rickety looking bedframe for cover, I scooted in until I was pressed up against the far wall.

Maybe if it couldn’t see me, it wouldn't get me and give beast lady time to fight it off or lure it away from here.

The door slammed open. A small but totally giving my position away scream left me.

There was an insane growl. It rattled the boarded up windows.

Beast woman growled back. They started a back and forth that after a while sounded like a conversation in their growling language.

She could communicate with it? Could she tell it to go away?! Maybe she could convince it that humans taste horrible?

“OUT!”

I could clearly make that one word out.

L’s voice was deep, but not nearly as scary deep as so many of the other beasts in the village.

Staring at a pair of furry boot covered feet and fluffy fur covered legs as I shifted for a better view, a small whimper of a noise escaped me when beast woman’s furred boots stomped several times before she finally left. Just like that, a grumble on her lips, she stormed out and left me all alone with this L creature.

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