Please-- wake up!

Don't die on me! Please!

Please breathe! For God sake, please do breathe! Don't make me worry.

-----

I open up my eyes slowly and saw a man with a long, shining maroon hair sitting next to me, hugging his knees with his head resting on it. His hair looks silky and soft with a strike of black strands on one side of his face.

Who is he? Is the voice that I'd been hearing in my dreams just now was his?

"Urghhh--" I try to sit myself up but I felt pain when I prop my hands onto the ground to support my body weight.

"Please don't move hastily. Both of your hands and knees are injured." The man says in a hurry while helping me up and propping a pillow to my back, so that I can sit comfortably.

The man pulls out a basket next to him and pouring some water into a bamboo cup. Then, he gave it to me.

I took the cup from him and take a sip from it. I cast a glance at him and the surrounding.

This is not the king tiger's castle.

"Where am I?" I ask as soon that I realize that I am in a desolate place. In an underground cave maybe.

"Your home." He says nonchalantly while glaring his scary eyes towards me.

"But-- I don't even know you! I don't know this place! Are you-- ahh!"

I dropped the cup once I remembered the same scarlet eyes of the snake beastman who had kidnapped me. The unknown man has the same eyes as my kidnapper.

He is the same feral that kidnapped me from the meadow!

I trembling in fear. I quickly hide my whole face with a thin blanket that I had on me.

He's gonna eat me! I'm sure of it!

"Please don't be scared. I am not going to hurt you." The man says softly.

Suddenly, I felt a cold and icy arms hugging me tightly. The hug was comforting even though it was a bit cold.

I look up and saw that the man was indeed not showing any harm towards me. In fact-- he was crying.

"You are a feral, right?" I ask as I embracing him.

I even patting on his back slowly trying to comfort him. I don't know why, but seeing him crying, really makes me wonder, is a feral is really ruthless like Yin said.

He seems lonely though. What did this feral had going through. He looks like he has a lot of things he pent up inside of his heart.

"Yeah-- I'm a snake beast. A feral. I'm sorry that I made you scared. I-- never have met or get closer to any female before--- You're the first one."

His voice sound kind of a bit hoarse.

"Please drink some water. Your voice is getting raspy." I push him away a little bit for him to get a drink but his embrace was too tight.

He is not willing to let me go.

What should I do? I'm not fond of this type of skin ship he shows me. Especially not with a kidnapper like him.

"What's your name?" I ask.

I took a short glance at his watery eyes.

Oh my! It was totally mesmerizing!

The color was red indeed, but if we take a closer look, it was likely like a ruby kind of red with a little shine in it.

"My name is Joo. It's okay. I just don't have enough sleep since I need to take a good care of you."He rubs his teary eyes while hiding his gloomy looks from me.

"Then-- just rest. You can let me go and have a good rest at the corner of the room." I say out loud while pushing him away a little bit harder.

He was stunned.

"Can I sleep next to you like always?" He asks politely.

My eyes was widen when those word flew out from his cunning mouth. His lips was twitching upward too.

How annoying.

"No. My husband will be mad if he knew that an unknown male is trying to share a bed with his lovely wife. He is a triple mark beast. He will not let you go easily." I grumble.

"Oh-- then I should be the household's head as I am more superior than him." He shove his left arm to me and there are exactly 7 stripes of mark imprinted on his wrist.

My face became pale.

He is the infamous quintuple snake beast. What should I do?

"Don't you ever think of leaving me. I'll hunt your mates and beheaded him like all those beastmen that trying to hurt me. I won't let him live happily with you. Not without me in the picture." His eyes became dark, pitch black. He grits his teeth hard and his fangs protruding out from his mouth.

I was petrified. His demeanor was overbearing.

"I-- I'm sorry. I will not leave you. I promise." I swear out of panic, fearing that he would kill me too.

He's mentally unstable. How am I going to save myself from this shit. Aaargggghhhh!

Joo demeanor became gentle. His eyes reverted back to his shining ruby colored.

"Will you keep your word?" He asks softly as he strokes one of his hand to my cheeks.

I just nodded silently.

"Good."

He get himself up and morphs into a half beastman. He was already tall in his human's form to begin with. But when he morphs into a half beastman, his height doubled due to his long and monstrous tail.

I'm afraid of snake. Of course. But a handsome snake like him, I think it would be alright. If he can put aside his ugly attitude. Maybe I'll consider him as charming. But for now, he is just a delusional kidnapper with an attitude of an asshole.

"I'll be back with a lot of food. You had been passed out for almost a day. You might be hungry." He says with a smile on his face. He looks harmful.

I shake my head vigorously.

"I'm not hungry. Don't mind me. Just take a rest already." I muttered.

"Grukkkk----"

And---- my stupid stomach had just need to argue with me.

"You're definitely starving. The rambling sound of your stomach had scared all the rabbits at the cave's entrance away." He chuckles lightly.

My face flushing beet root.

Damn you stupid tummy!

"Just sit here and wait. I'll be back shortly."

He slithering himself out towards the cave's entrance and disappear through the thick forest up ahead.