Tired from running and heavy with ragged breath, Travis stumbled deeper into the forest, not caring if his life was at risk.
At least he wouldn't be turned into a breeder. The fear of that alone was enough to give him lifetime PTSD.
Stopping for a second to catch his breath, he gasped like a man falling off a mountain.
"Oh hell yeah, disasters sure love me," he muttered between gulps of air. "And birthing lions? Not happening. Not in this lifetime."
He shook his head hard, trying to get rid of that gruesome thought. But before he could even regulate his breathing, a low, deep growl echoed behind him.
Shit.
Not another beastman.
Travis spun around, eyes darting through the thick trees—and took off again, heart thundering. Before he could make it far, something cold and slimy coiled around his ankle. A tentacle-like appendage yanked him backward, slamming him to the ground.
"No! What's happening? Please don't eat me—I'm not even that delicious!" he screamed as he was dragged through dirt and leaves, his hair gathering mud and broken twigs.
Each pull tore the ground beneath him, and when he tried grabbing onto a tree trunk, the branch snapped clean off. His stomach lurched as he realized how stupid it was to flee from a lion's protection into a forest crawling with who-knows-what.
The dragging wasn't merciful. It went on and on until he was dumped into a damp swamp surrounded by towering vegetation. Then—silence.
He coughed out mud and cursed weakly, "F–fuck you, beast..."
But when he looked up, the tentacles were gone—vanished, like a nightmare dissolving into thin air.
"Should I… stand up and leave?" he muttered, eyes darting around. Only the chirping of birds and the croaking of frogs replied, an orchestra of chaos that grated his ears.
Gathering his courage, he rose to his feet—only to freeze mid-turn.
A massive snake—an anaconda, and not your average one—was coiled before him. Its head alone could crush him, and its body looked long enough to swallow two grown men at once.
"Mama… nooo. This is not my time yet…"
The scream that ripped from him could have woken the dead, but the snake only stared. Its tongue flicked lazily, eyes glittering with curiosity.
Travis's blood ran cold. He tried to reason, maybe pray—but even God seemed to be on vacation.
"Please," he whimpered, "I haven't even had my first kiss yet—or shagged a hot boy. Please just let me go!"
He hoped it was a beastman and could understand him, but nothing in its expression gave him hope.
Come to think of it… why hadn't it attacked yet? Was it hesitating? Planning something worse? And where the hell was that useless fairy guide of his now, when he actually needed help?
The snake finally moved—and before his disbelieving eyes, its massive body began to shimmer and shift. The transformation was mesmerizing. Scales melted into skin, the enormous frame shrinking, limbs sprouting, until a man stood where the serpent had been.
And what a man.
He was stunning—otherworldly—with strange bluish hair that shimmered faintly and crystalline eyes that looked like frozen lakes. His body was a masterpiece of muscle and tattooed art. The intricate markings ran from his arms to his chest, down his abs, curling around his legs and neck like living ink.
And then—Travis's eyes widened further.
"Oh my god… he has two penises. He fucking has both."
For a moment, his brain went blank. Maybe this was shock, or maybe stupidity—but damn, that man was beautiful.
"Stop admiring him, idiot," Travis muttered to himself. "Focus on not dying."
The snake man's voice broke his daze. "You're a beauty. And a male… that's quite a surprise." His tone was curious, deep, and sinfully smooth.
"Isn't a male allowed to be beautiful?" Travis snapped, finally finding his voice. Why did he sense discrimination in that tone?
Intrigued by the comeback, the snake-man walked closer. He poked Travis's chest, sending a chill straight down his spine.
"What was that for—"
Before Travis could finish, the man tilted his head, examining him like a science project.
"No… watermelons?" he murmured.
It took Travis a second to realize what he meant. His jaw dropped.
"You—you pervert! Were you checking if I have boobs?!"
The snake looked confused, as though he hadn't done anything wrong.
"Keep your hands to yourself, man! You don't just touch people like that—it's considered rude!" Travis scolded, watching the snake blink blankly.
Rude? The word seemed foreign to him.
"Male," the snake finally said, voice low and smooth, "I'm going to call you Beauty. And we're going to produce lots of eggs—especially during the winter days."
Travis froze.
Did he just say eggs?
He complained earlier about lions wanting to mate with him, but at least they were mammals. This… this was on another level of terrifying. And "lots of eggs"? Nope. He might faint any second.
"Reproduce? Sorry to break it to you, but I don't have an estrous cycle like normal beastmen," Travis stammered. "So, uh, you can forget about it."
But of course, the snake wasn't giving up.
"Don't worry, Beauty," he said smoothly. "Even if it's just once a year, I don't mind. The mating ceremony is in a week. You'll be my mate."
Travis gaped. Was reproduction the only thing anyone ever thought about in this world? What was this—Nature's twisted matchmaking show?
"Wait, wait—hold on," he said quickly as the snake started to move closer, possibly to mark him.
"Now that's better," Travis said nervously when the man paused, watching him expectantly. "Let's, uh, start with your name, shall we?"
The snake's expression softened. Was he… that intrigued by him?
"My name is Leonard De Capri," he said proudly.
"Yeah, no need for the full royal name," Travis muttered. "Leonard's fine."
Then, hands on hips, he frowned. "Now, Leonard—this is called kidnapping. And that's a crime. Punishable by law."
"Kid…napping?" Leonard repeated slowly. "Crime?"
Travis sighed. Great. Of course these were uncivilized beasts. What law? What civilization?
Before he could explain, a deafening roar shattered the moment.
Travis's face drained of color.
Another predator.
Leonard reacted instantly, pulling Travis protectively against his chest. "Stay close," he whispered.
Through the trees, a pride of lions emerged—eyes burning, muscles rippling.
And leading them was Derek.
"Travis!" Derek's voice thundered across the clearing.
"Derek..." Travis gasped, hope lighting his face. Please, save me from this nightmare, he prayed silently.
But when Derek saw Travis clutched against another beastman's chest, something inside him snapped.
With a furious growl, he shifted into his lion form.
"Get away from him, you feral freak!" Derek roared—and lunged straight at Leonard.