My Wild Beast
Chapter 45: You’re Weak

Chapter 45: You’re Weak

Damn, that’s one way to get a girl’s attention.

Nova felt small under Aiyana’s cold stare. The female stepped closer until she looked down her nose at Nova, arms crossing against her chest. She felt incredibly small under that stare and from their height difference. That only made her feel bolder, though.

Holding the feline’s stare, Nova tried to figure out where Aiyana was going with this. She stepped closer, chin raising higher. "Am I stepping on your toes?" Aiyana frowned at Nova’s question. "From how you acted at the Apatka territory, I assumed Yoa was only a friend."

"He is." Aiyana’s eyes narrowed slightly at Nova. "He is like a brother to me."

Silence stretched between them for a moment as they stared at each other. Nova wanted to hide, preferably behind Yoa or under the covers and not deal with Aiyana’s intense stare again. Aiyana’s stare wasn’t like Yoa’s, whereby she wanted to melt, but it did make her feel trapped. Again, it only spurred her on to defend herself.

Nova had dealt with difficult clients before, and this was no different. That was how she needed to look at this. No matter if Aiyana was some warrior who obviously held a respectful position, even some of those crocodile shifters were cautious of her. "So... You’re protective... Do I seem like such a threat to his life then if you deem me so weak?"

"Yes," Aiyana answered firmly, without pause or thought. She glared past Nova’s shoulder, halting the men in the distance. Yoa took another step, but Atia held him back with a single hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

Nova glanced behind her to see Yoa glowering at Aiyana while Atia spoke to him. She then looked back at Aiyana. "So, you came to warn me away from him?"

"You will be nothing but bad luck to Yohuali. He holds a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders..." Aiyana looked Nova over. "And someone like you clearly cannot be with someone like him."

Nova bristled at her words.

"You think me so unworthy, huh..."

Aiyana nodded at Nova’s comment.

Nova stepped closer, ignoring the warning rumble deep in Aiyana’s chest. She swallowed the slither of fear coiling inside her.

"But that is not for you to decide," she said, her voice firmer now. "I’m well aware of the differences between Yoa and me. I know how I fall short of him in so many ways... and yet, somehow, he still wants me. I don’t understand it, nor can I explain it."

She stepped incredibly closer, now nearly nose to nose with Aiyana, a surprising heat rising behind her next words, shocked by the strength behind them.

"It. Is. His. Choice."

Aiyana’s amber eyes flicked between Nova’s, her face unreadable. "That it is..." Her eyes narrowed slightly as if she were trying to read every single flaw and detail of Nova. "And what will you do when Yoa is not here to protect you... What then?"

Nova blinked back profusely, surprised by where she was going with this. Wasn’t Aiyana trying to split up the start of whatever Yoa and her were becoming?

"Who else is stronger than him-"

"Yoa is one of the most powerful on the island. But he is just one man. You were fortunate Yara was in a good mood and more curious about you than the impending fight that may have surfaced had Vulcan and his flock caught up. Yoa could fight the Apatka but at what cost? He would protect you fiercely like he has done for us so many times. But it is not him that concerns me..."

Aiyana began to prowl around Nova, eyeing her up and down, her lip twisting at what she saw. "Vulcan wants you, and you’re an easy target when Yoa is not around... Will you always rely on him to protect you?"

"Aiyana, enough," Yoa called out, brushing Atia off him as he stalked towards them, his strides eating up the distance quickly.

Nova stared back at Aiyana, the wind sweeping through their hair, forcing a few strands to cover their eyes. "Do you always rely on others for your weaknesses?" Aiyana asked, her voice lower even though Yoa could still pick up on her speech. Her words made Nova’s heart shrink.

Under that fierce dark-golden gaze that was like melted down gold, Nova felt stripped of all clothing, bared to her.

"Aiyana!" Yoa growled, sensing Nova’s mood dropping.

Nova still stood there in her damp clothing, hair nearly dry in the humid forest air. She didn’t look in Yoa’s direction as she spoke to Aiyana.

"There is nothing wrong with reaching out for help," she said, though a seed of doubt took root in her mind at Aiyana’s words.

"No, there isn’t. But in Yoa’s world, our world, weakness is how you— or your partner—dies."

Those were Aiyana’s last words before Atia stepped in, dragged her away and threw her over his shoulder.

Nova knew that if Aiyana truly didn’t want to be lifted, the feline would never allow it. From that position, over Atia’s shoulder, she kept her eyes on Nova as Atia took her away.

"Don’t pay attention to her-"

"She’s right. You know she is," Nova cut Yoa off, suddenly feeling incredibly small and weak now that Aiyana had said it aloud. She’d known from the beginning of this mess that she was nothing compared to the creatures of this island, and Yoa really had been a miracle she’d taken a chance on.

"Everyone is weak to her-"

"That wasn’t why she singled me out, Yoa. You know that," Nova murmured, glancing in Atia and Aiyana’s direction. The giant man, who had been by her side since the beginning, slouched down so his arms encircled her waist, pulling her back against his chest. He inhaled deeply at the crown of her head, taking in her scent and visibly relaxing.

In the distance, Aiyana manoeuvred herself out of Atia’s hold and dropped him to the ground, landing on top of him victoriously with a smirk. Instead of being embarrassed, his eyes shimmered, watching her in awe momentarily, allowing her to straddle him. It was only when Aiyana hopped off gracefully that he scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, I’ll let you have that one."

"Uhuh, should I do that again then?" Aiyana quirked her brow.

Yoa turned Nova away from them so her focus was on him, tipping her chin up with his finger so her eyes met his. His other hand guided hers to his chest and she felt his rapid beating heart. "Why does it matter when my heart beats only for you?"