Michael was sitting under a tree and was waiting for the news, but even after waiting for many hours the eagle beastmen didn't return, he glanced at the vulture beastman who was with him and said "You, go and look what happened"
The vulture beastman nodded his head and turned into his beast form and flew to the sky. After surveying the forest for some time, he finally caught a glimpse of the eagle beastmen and landed on the ground to take a closer look. As he got nearer, his blood ran cold, the strongest beastmen of the eagle tribe were yanked apart with blood covering the forest soil. He nervously left the scene and flew back to Michael.
"Leader! all of them are dead, they are mutilated to the extent of one not being able to recognize even their dead bodies. The Lord as killed them" he blurted out anxiously
Michael staggered in his steps, killing five powerful eagle beastmen while still in a delirious state because of scorpion poison, he felt cold sweat on his back, it was his mistake to misjudge his lord. He held his forehead and looked at the fear-stricken vulture beastman in front of him, "Let us fight, We must injure ourselves to prove our innocence in this matter"
The vulture beastman nodded his head and attacked Michael, both continued to duel until there were enough bruises on their bodies. Then Michael returned to stray beast's territory and entered his lord's cave.
As soon as he got inside, he heard a loud noise of something shattering. He widened his eyes when he witnessed his lord hitting the boulders down to dust, he slowly approached him and opened his mouth "M-my lord, I know that you are angry because of the attack. I'm worthless, I'm too weak to protect you"
Victor swept his cold gaze on Michael's injured face and replied "I don't care about that, I have already finished them off and the one who sent them will meet the same fate when I find out about thier identity"
He then narrowed his eyes and continued "Michael, get ready to attack the mermaid island"
Michael frowned "Mermaid island? Do-do you think that they are the enemies?"
Victor smiled eerily "Enemies? I guess yes because I'm going to end their lives if they come in between me and my love"
Michael blinked his eyes dazedly "Love? My lord, I think I'm hearing things because of my injuries"
Victor crossed his hand on his chest "Is that so surprising? can't I have a female I love?"
'You can't' he thought inwardly then felt sorry for the poor female who piqued up his crazy lord's interest.
He cleared his mind and questioned, "My lord, where did you even meet that female?"
Victor smiled warmly "She saved me when I was in the forest, Look she even bandaged my wound," he said showing the white cloth proudly.
Michael raised his brows "Sa-saved? I bet that you were completely fine with that small injury" then he started laughing and continued "My lord, I have seen you in far worse situations"
Victor glared at him and said angrily "But no one bandaged me before, she was even sad looking at my wound"
Michael pointed his shaking finger at victor's left arm and suppressed his laughter "So you fell in love because of that small piece of animal skin? My lord, I'm ashamed to admit but that is so silly" he then fell to the ground and continued laughing "I-i thought you were a complicated person to deal with, but who knew that a piece of animal skin could move you"
"Michael" Victor warned him in a threatening tone making him stop his laughing.
He took step towards him and squatted in front of him "Do you think that I'm joking? Don't take liberties, I can kill you any time"
Michael hastily got up from the ground and bowed his head "I apologize for my insolence my lord"
Victor also got up and sat on the boulder "I want my female back! I don't care how many people you kill, I want her to safely return to my arms"
"Yes my lord, but can I know that female's name?" he questioned.
Victor's eyes softened "Lyra, my Lyra"
Michael exited the cave but he couldn't shake off the feeling that he heard that name somewhere before, it felt oddly familiar, he racked his brain but couldn't find anything so shrugged his shoulders and moved to complete his task. He gathered about a hundred stray beasts and set off towards the island.
Back inside the cave, Victor removed the white cloth from his already healed shoulders and carefully folded it, hugging it to his heart "My love, I can't wait to see again"
.
.
.
.
MERMAID ISLAND
A merman hurried inside the castle of wave city and knelt in front of the king "Your majesty! There is information that more than a hundred stray beasts are gathered around our island"
The mermaid king stood up from his seat "They may be just passing by our Island" he reasoned, it was a loss for stray beasts to fight the mermaid tribe near the ocean.
The merman shook his head "No your majesty, they are charging towards our island"
The mermaid king sighed "Inform this to Renold and get our men to defend our Island"
The merman opened and closed his mouth trying to say something. The king noticed it and said "Just say it"
The merman nodded his head "My king, the stray beast leader wishes to talk to you in private"
"Talk to me? didn't you say that they were here to attack us?" he questioned back
"He informed that talking to you may prevent the invasion" the merman replied
The King thought about it for some time and followed the merman out of the wave city. After reaching the borders of the island, he caught a glimpse of hundreds of stray beastmen with a single beastman leading them.
Michael walked towards the king and greeted him "The stray beast leader greets the mermaid king"
The King waved his hand dismissing him "Enough of that formalities, say your purpose in wanting to meet me"
Michael smiled faintly and opened his mouth "I will directly come to the point my king. I'm here to bring back the female who caught my lord's fancy"
The King revealed a disgusted face "Your lord? you mean stray beast king?"
Michael nodded his head "Yes my king, my lord recently met a female from your tribe and fell in love with her. He wishes to bring her back to him"
The King snickered "You have some nerve to ask me to hand over my tribe's female to a stray beast, I'd rather fight your men than let you take that innocent female with you"
Michael remained calm and explained "My king, Our stray beast king is a normal beastman, it just occurred that he became our king, he is not an abandoned beast"
The King frowned "Nonetheless, I'm sure that he is the same as you guys now that he is your king"
Michael chuckled bitterly "I'm trying to make a peaceful negotiation my king, please understand my intentions"
"Are you threatening me?" the king said as he raised his brows.
Michael shook his head "I'm not my king, I'm just informing you about the peaceful solution out of this matter" he then narrowed his eyes "Also, my lord is an immortal beastman, I'm just afraid that your tribe will perish in his fury"
The mermaid King glared at him but his mind wavered that his opponent was an immortal beast. He analyzed the dangers his tribe would face because of one female and sighed "All right, what is the female's name?" saving his entire tribe mattered to him more than losing one female.
Michael grinned and replied "It is Lyra"
The mermaid king widened his eyes "Lyra?" that child? he thought inwardly, then smirked at him "Do you know who she is?"
Michael frowned "I don't care about her identity, I'm just completing my lord's task"
The King casually strode inside the island "You are dead meat if you touch her" he then turned around and smiled "She is the queen of snake clan and the future queen of silver wolf tribe, good luck facing the snake king who is also an immortal beastman" and be careful of facing her father when he returns, he thought inwardly and entered the island.
Michael stood rooted in his spot, he knew that something was wrong when he heard the female's name, it was very familiar to him, the fox king sometimes mentioned her name during thier conversation. He shivered by just the thought about facing the snake king if he kidnapped his female before learning her identity. He turned around and led his men back to the stray beast's territory.
In his cave, Victor was anxiously waiting. when he caught the sight of Michael. His heart throbbed by the mere thought of her coming to him, he strode towards Micahel and asked eagerly "Did you bring her? Where is she?"
Michael avoided his lord's eyes and answered "I'm sorry my lord, I was not able to bring the female"
Victor's smile dropped and he held Micahel's neck "What do you mean? Are you that incapable of bringing a single female back?"
Michael struggled because of his grip and struggled to remove it "Calm down my lord, She is not some random female that I can snatch, She is his majesty Blake's beloved, his mate"
Victor paused his actions when he heard Michael's word "Blake's mate? Are you sure?"
Michael huffed for air still caressing his throat "Yes my lord, I'm confident, I even thought her name was familiar when you mentioned it. The snake king is your acquaintance, you know him better more than anyone, his temper is uncontrollable if someone messes with something of his, more than that, I heard that he is madly in love with her. He will chop me into pieces if he learns about my attempt in snatching her"
Victor closed his eyes and frowned "Why?"
"What?"
"Why can he have her when I can't? Aren't we both similar to each other? His life is as miserable as mine! he is cold and fierce just like me, but why? why can't I get someone who can love me? She even gave birth to his offspring, she must truly love him" his tears made their way as he continued talking "Sh-she was terrified when I tried to touch her, she was scared of me!"
"NO! NO! NO! I want her, I don't care who I have to confront, I just want her by my side" Victor shouted hysterically and went out of the cave and flew to the sky
Michael just watched his lord's back and sighed, he understood his lord's desperation because he was in the same situation. He also didn't care about the aftermaths of his actions as long as he can stay with his mate. He then made his way towards the city of beasts to meet the fox king.