My Wild Beast
Chapter 59: Fallen Prey (1)

Chapter 59: Fallen Prey (1)

Yoa stormed through the narrow corridors of the caves, retracing his steps in silence. There was a slight grinding sound like a rock rolling over the rock, but when he peered around at the noise, he couldn’t see anything amiss. His eyes glowed with his night vision, but all that came back to him were the creepy bats starting to yawn and wake up.

As he neared the entrance, a few lesser vampiras stirred, their bright, wide eyes glinting in the shadows as they watched him. They didn’t approach, no matter their constant thirst. One look from him was enough to remind them of what he was.

He stepped back into the light at the mouth of the cave, the cool air washing over him like a sigh. The sun was lower now, casting long shadows that danced along the canopy. The jungle around him buzzed and hummed with life, yet it felt...off.

Yoa paused, chest rising and falling slowly as he turned his senses outward. Something in the rhythm of the island had shifted, and he felt it—like a dissonant chord vibrating just beneath the soil.

The Akhlut’s return had already tilted the balance, but that wasn’t it.

Something was pulling at him. A subtle thrum of unease prickled the edges of his awareness.

He turned his gaze towards the east. The marshlands?

Nova?

Her name flickered in his mind like a spark. Not a thought. Not a memory. A feeling.

Yoa stood perfectly still, letting the unknown instinct rise. The jaguar in him stirred. Hackles lifted. Ears twitched.

Something wasn’t right.

He couldn’t explain it. Couldn’t pin it to a scent or sound. But the pull in his chest was sharp and sudden, like a thorn pressing inward.

He’d only known her a short while — a flower that had drifted into the wild, soft-spoken but fire-tempered. She didn’t belong to this island, not the way he did. Not yet. But it had taken a liking to her. And so had he.

He hadn’t finished mating with her, but the bond between them was undeniable. She might not understand it but once she allowed herself to feel, she would. There was something forming beneath words and flesh, deeper than mere attraction. He hadn’t realised how strong that tether was until now when it suddenly tightened like a noose.

Something was wrong.

His pulse quickened. Fear rooted under his skin.

It wasn’t his fear. It was hers.

He shifted without hesitation, bones cracking and fur erupting from skin as he dropped to all fours. The jaguar bolted into motion, powerful limbs tearing through underbrush, heart hammering in rhythm with the panic beginning to coil in his chest.

The jungle passed in a blur of green and gold, vines whipping past, branches breaking beneath him as he took to higher ground. He sprinted along fallen trunks and scrambled up tree roots, ears tuned to every chirp and shuffle and whisper.

The animals knew something, too.

Birds scattered ahead of him. Small creatures scurried undercover. The hush wasn’t just from the time of day — it was fear. Fear of him and the constant growls and roars ripping from his curled back lips.

Nova was in trouble. He couldn’t explain how he knew, but his gut, his blood, every fibre of his being screamed that she needed him. And he would find her.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

On the other side of the island, Nova was too restless to stay cooped up in the treehouse after the deer hunt. The scent of blood still clung faintly to her skin, no matter how many times she’d scrubbed her hands. Atia had shown her how to skin the animal with practised precision, guiding her hands with quiet patience. The action made her feel nauseous, but she listened intently to Atia.

Even though she didn’t do it, it was essential for survival. It was also either skinning her meal or eating it with the fur on. Skinning animals, it was.

They’d sorted the meat together, and then he’d led her to their so-called ’freezer’ — a hidden underground ice cave nestled beneath the roots of the ancient ceiba tree.

It shouldn’t have existed.

It didn’t make sense. An ice cave in the middle of a tropical island? It defied everything she understood about nature. And yet here it was. The ice wasn’t thick, more like layers of crystal clinging to the rock, but it preserved the meat well. Shelves had been carved along the walls where previous kills had rested before, safe from rot, pests, or thieves.

Would anyone dare steal from Yohuali? Absolutely not. Unless they were desperate. But Nova had a feeling the cave was another secret. Nobody neared the treehouse so it was highly unlikely anyone would search for frozen foods.

As she’d stared up at the shards of stalactites dripping water in slow, rhythmic plinks, the sound echoing softly off the frozen walls, she’d sensed a low pulse, deep in the stone beneath her fur-wrapped feet. It wasn’t a noise or vibration but power like magic.

Before any questions formed on her lips, Aiyana had called from the cave entrance. Her head poked through the vines, all sharp eyes and barely concealed mischief. Was Aiyana the mischievous type? Atia and Yoa were, so maybe their fun-loving energy rubbed off on her from time to time.

"You coming? I thought you’d want to see how hunting is done properly." Aiyana’s grin was wicked, all teeth and challenge.

Atia protested at first, for once acting stern, but Aiyana only had to bat her lashes and offer a coy smile that said trouble, and all was forgotten. Atia followed Aiyana without any hesitation.

Hours later, that was how she ended up in the heart of the jungle in the dark. Atia had remained by her side throughout most of the hunt, following Aiyana at a distance and pointing her out in jaguar form before she’d burst through the bushes. But he’d bounced on his feet, watching like an impatient child wanting to join in. Nova urged him forward, pushing back his insistence on remaining by her side until he finally succumbed to what his instincts were craving and shifted mid-jump to the forest floor below.

Nova watched the pair stalk and hunt for prey while she followed high up in the trees. ’Followed’ was her strolling along one of the thick branches the size of a pavement and then sitting down and dangling her legs to watch them go from hunting to tackling each other.

Was she about to watch a certain lion film right now, the two tumbling around in the bushes... Oh no, Aiyana got the upper hand, nipped his ear and raced ahead to get the prey they were both chasing. Nova silently raised an invisible flag. Rooting for you, Atia! Go get her!

Atia rolled onto his front and then chased after the girl he was obviously infatuated with.

Nova watched on with a sigh, cheek resting on her hand as the pair remained in one location, even if it meant their prey managed to escape. They were still aware she was around and needed to guard her. She felt bad for coming now. But if she was back at the treehouse her mind would wander again.

Was Yoa okay? Was he safe? Would she know if he wasn’t? It gnawed at the back of her mind as she zoned out a little to the dark jungle surrounding her.

A sudden thud behind Nova snapped her out of her daze. She spun around with a gasp, her heart pounding against her ribcage at the sight of the figure now standing far too close to her. He was within arm’s reach.

"Don’t-"

Her foot slipped. Air rushed from her lungs as she stumbled backwards, arms flailing for anything to hold onto.

Her mouth fell open in a silent gasp as Vulcan’s hand shot out, grabbing hers just in time.

Then they plummeted.

The wind roared in her ears, and her hair flew back as a scream strangled up her throat until, with a violent snap, Vulcan’s wings unfurled and caught the air, lifting them sharply toward the sky.

He’s kidnapping me!

"Aiya—mph!"

His hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her.

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