Chapter 5
The surface of the river smoothed over, leaving nothing but fading ripples where the giant bird and serpent had vanished.
A moment later, a man with a shock of snow-white hair broke the surface. He stood with his back to the shore, his long, damp tresses clinging to the powerful muscles of his spine—a sight so striking it commanded silence.
The females on the bank were once again spellbound, their eyes anchored to his form.
As the man waded further out, the water receding to his waist, he finally turned around. His skin was so pale it looked like polished marble, contrasting sharply with his calm, blood-red eyes. His expression was one of total serenity, bordering on cold indifference. Even with the water obscuring his lower half, his chiseled physique was obvious. Euphoria, viewing him with a soldier's eye for conditioning, couldn't help but be impressed.
He spared the crowd a single, detached glance before slipping beneath the water again.
Shortly after, a large gray bird surfaced, followed closely by a massive white python. The snake was dragging the bird along by its leg. The bird looked half-dazed, its wings fluttering weakly as it resigned itself to being a tow-toy.
But as the bird's gaze swept over the bank and landed on Euphoria, its eyes ignited with recognition.
Euphoria blinked, thinking she was imagining it, until the bird shimmered and transformed mid-river into a naked, handsome man. It became clear that the white python was actually the white-haired man from moments before.
This new man had jet-black hair and piercing red eyes. He ignored the python still clamped onto his leg and waved frantically at Euphoria. "Female! It's you! You're actually here!"
Euphoria looked around. She was a good distance from the other women, and only Wayne stood beside her. Is he really shouting at me? she wondered. Do I know this guy?
The man was being pulled further downstream by the python's steady pace. Panicking, he began swatting at the snake's head. "You damn snake, let go of me!"
The python ignored him, continuing its path with cold determination.
"Luce, I'm serious!" the man yelled, tugging his leg with all his might. "Let go, and I'll hunt for you for an entire month!"
The python stopped instantly. Its red eyes narrowed thoughtfully before it finally unlatched its jaws.
Freed, the black-haired man swam toward the shore with powerful strokes, reaching Euphoria in seconds. He stood before her, water dripping from his skin. "Female, I saw you yesterday in the woods!"
Euphoria was momentarily stunned by the sheer amount of bare skin—it seemed the males in this world had a collective allergy to clothing. She stared into his eyes, trying to place him.
Seeing her direct gaze, the man looked suddenly bashful, a slight flush creeping onto his face. "I saw you... hiding in the tall grass."
It clicked. He was the bird. With an eagle's or hawk's vision, he would have easily spotted her camouflage from the sky.
Wayne, who had been on edge since the bird-man first called out, stepped between them and let out a warning growl. He wasn't about to let another male move in on his territory.
The black-haired man didn't even acknowledge Wayne's existence, though mentally he was cursing Luce. If that stupid snake hadn't started a fight with him yesterday, he would have been the one to rescue the female first, not this mangy lion.
Oblivious to the silent war between the two, Euphoria gave a polite, measured smile. The man's heart seemed to skip a beat. "My name is Vyn," he said softly.
"Euphoria," she replied.
Vyn tasted the name, nodding slowly, while Wayne let out an annoyed huff. He was fuming that she'd given this stranger her name before him.
"Are you hungry?" Wayne interrupted, trying to regain control of the situation. "I'll get you food."
Still full from the feast the night before, Euphoria shook her head.
"Then let's go back and dry your clothes!" Wayne gestured to the camouflage gear sitting on a nearby rock.
Euphoria glanced at the clothes. She was keen to get back and dry them; after her bath, she was currently going without undergarments under her leather top, and the drafty sensation was making her incredibly self-conscious. "Alright, let's head back."
Wayne felt a surge of triumph. He reached for the damp clothes on the rock, but before his fingers could touch them, a white blur swept across the stone, knocking the pile into the river.
Wayne bared his fangs at the white python, which was now thrashing playfully in the water nearby. Snakes loved the water, but this felt pointed.
"Luce, watch your tail," Vyn said with a knowing smirk.
Luce stopped his thrashing and rose slowly from the river. As the snake's head broke the surface, Euphoria felt her heart stop for a very different reason.
The snake was wearing her pink underwear like a crown.
Luce shifted into his human form—a breathtakingly handsome man—but the image was ruined by the pink silk dangling from his hair. Euphoria wanted the earth to open up and swallow her.
Luce plucked the garment from his head, his long fingers examining the lace and fabric with a confused frown. Wayne, remembering seeing these small items during the laundry, wondered again what they could possibly be for.
Euphoria's face was on fire, hidden only by her face paint. She forced herself to stay calm. As Wayne prepared to dive in for the rest of the clothes, a thick snake tail flicked the remaining garments onto the muddy bank.
Wayne gathered the wet clothes, deciding not to pick a fight since Luce hadn't technically kept them. "Let's go," he muttered, returning to Euphoria's side.
Euphoria hesitated, looking at the garment still in Luce's hand. She stepped toward the water. "That belongs to me as well."
Luce raised his pale eyelids, his icy red eyes meeting hers. He hooked the silk between his fingers and flicked his long, forked tongue out, tasting the air near the fabric.
Euphoria watched him, confused. If she had known he was using his heightened senses to identify her scent and its exact origin on her body, she would have punched him in his perfect face.
Luce's expression softened ever so slightly. He waded to the shore and placed the garment directly into her hand.
"Thank you," she managed, turning quickly to leave with Wayne.
The arrival of Luce and Vyn had drawn the attention of the other females, who had completely forgotten their grudge against Euphoria in favor of ogling the newcomers. Only when Euphoria and Wayne were out of sight did the two men turn their attention elsewhere.
"I'm hungry," Luce said tonelessly to Vyn.
Vyn, his mind still on the "ugliest female," shot the snake a cold look. "Then go hunt. Don't starve on my account." He shifted into his avian form and took to the skies.
Luce stood still for a moment, tasting the lingering fragrance of the female in the air. Then, he slipped back into his serpentine form and vanished beneath the dark water.
Back on the shore, the chief's daughter watched them leave with a look of pure longing and frustration. She had wanted Luce as a mate for years—not just because of his beauty, but because a Level 3 mate would solidify her power. But he never even looked at her.
The walk back was silent. Wayne hung the clothes to dry as Euphoria instructed, but he looked utterly dejected.
"Wayne," Euphoria said, sensing his mood. "I'm hungry."
As expected, his face brightened instantly. "I'll hunt for you!"
"I'll go with you," she countered. "Take me back to where the tigers attacked you yesterday."
Wayne stopped mid-stride. "Absolutely not. It's too dangerous. What if someone snatches you while my back is turned?"
Euphoria sighed. She needed to see the site of her arrival to see if there were any clues about the mist. "I'm not that hungry yet. Just take me there. No hunting required."
Wayne shook his head, his brow furrowed. "I'm not strong enough yet. If we run into a high-level predator, I can't protect you."
It was a bitter pill for an orc to swallow, admitting weakness. But Wayne was determined; he would become powerful enough to keep her safe. He also knew the reality of their world: a female could never be truly safe or fertile with only one male to guard her. It was a truth he was starting to accept, however grudgingly.