Chapter 3

Just then, an even colder wind whipped past, cutting through me like a knife. I shivered uncontrollably.

At the same time, a delicate, shrill cry rang out from nearby. "Ouch... It hurts!"

The comments section instantly caught fire.

[Ooh, the heroine is making her entrance ahead of schedule.]

[Awesome! Fox and Silas are about to start their happily ever after with her. Finally, we get to see the good stuff.]

[Wait, that's not right. Why are Fox and Silas heading back toward Lily?]

I reflexively shoved Ben away, my mind racing.

Were the comments pulling my leg? I had laid all my cards on the table. There was no reason for Fox and Silas to come back for me.

Besides... they were high and mighty. There was a never-ending line of people dying to be their mates. To them, I really didn't have much to bring to the table.

"Lily?" Ben called out twice before I snapped out of it. He looked at me with genuine concern. "Are you alright? You're miles away."

I shook my head. "It's nothing."

"Ben, thanks for the thought, but I've got enough food of my own." I glanced up at the gloomy sky. "The weather's turning. You'd better head back."

No sooner had the words left my mouth than the heavens opened.

The girl who had cried out earlier was now limping toward me. She was dressed in a peculiar way, and though she looked pale, there was no hiding her beauty.

"Hello," she said. "I've lost my way... could you give me a hand?"

She was petite, with flawless skin and beautiful long hair. Even if I was slow on the uptake, I could tell she was the human heroine the comments kept mentioning.

She was stunning, a completely different kind of beauty compared to us beastmen.

Her arm was bleeding, and without a second thought for Ben, I dashed over to her. "You're hurt. Come on, let's get you to my cave and patched up."

She gave me a look of pure gratitude. "Thank you so much."

I helped her toward the cave, but with her injury, she was moving slowly.

With the rain coming down in sheets and her clothes getting soaked through, I scooped her up in my arms and hurried into the cave. "Let me carry you. It'll be faster."

In those few short steps, I couldn't help but be amazed. She was so tiny, so light, and so thin. Even as a bottom-of-the-barrel beastman, I could lift her without breaking a sweat.

Once we were inside, I grabbed my medical kit to dress her wound.

The human heroine gave me a soft, radiant smile. "Thanks for helping me out. I'm Mia Rivers. What's your name?"

Once I was done wrapping up her wound, I replied, "Lily Hart."

"Lily Hart," she repeated, her smile brightening. "That's a lovely name. Since you helped me, we're friends now. Is it okay if I call you Lily?"

[Something is fishy here. Very fishy!]

[Where are Fox and Silas? Where are my two big, hunky male leads?]

[Why does this plot feel like it's turning into a girls' love story?]

I wasn't quite sure what they meant by that. While I was staring at the comments in a daze, Ben, who was still standing by the entrance, spoke up again.

"Lily." He scratched his head sheepishly. "Actually, the reason I came by is because I heard you broke things off with those two. I..."

"Ben, I know how you feel about me," I said, cutting him off. "But we..."

Before I could finish turning him down, Fox's irritated voice cut through the air. "Who told you we broke off our bond with her?"

Fox, who was usually all smiles, now looked absolutely grim. Standing right behind him, Silas looked even more formidable, his presence cold enough to freeze hell over.

As they closed in, I involuntarily shivered.

Good grief, it's freezing! Are they trying to turn me into a popsicle or what?

I took a fearful step back, my mind going completely blank. I hadn't even processed a word Fox just said.

Fox shot me a glance, his expression souring even further. Silas, on the other hand, crowded into my space. "What are you hiding from?"

"I-I'm not hiding." I managed a weak laugh. "What are you two doing back here?"

My poor heart was thumping so hard I thought it might just stop. Meanwhile, the comments were having a field day.

[Talk about playing hard to get. Looks like Fox and Silas totally fell for it.]

[Have a little faith, will you? Fox and Silas are strictly loyal to Mia.]

[Are you guys just seeing what you want to see? It's plain as day that Lily is the real leading lady here.]

[Loyal? Don't make me laugh. They've slept with Lily more times than I can count. Do I need to shove those steamy chapters in your face?]

[I bet it's the same people who were begging the author for more smut in the comments. Talk about a flip-flop!]

At the mention of those memories, my face and ears flared up in a burning blush.

Fox and Silas watched me intensely, though I couldn't tell what was going through their heads.

Finally, Fox turned his gaze toward Ben. "I'm only going to say this once, so listen up. We haven't broken our bond with her. So stop sniffing around what's ours."

Ben gave a slow nod, shot me a parting look, and dejectedly turned to leave.

The penny finally dropped as I heard those words. I looked at them, completely bewildered. "But why? Didn't we settle this morning?"

Just then, Mia's gentle voice drifted from behind me. "Lily, who are they? What did you settle?"

I turned around. The moment I saw Mia, it was like a bolt from the blue. The haze in my mind lifted.

I got it! The reason they suddenly went back on their word about ending the bond had to be because of Mia.

The comments said she was the heroine of this story. Silas and Fox were destined to fall for her at first sight and live happily ever after. It was destined to happen.

So, they must have come back for me because I was the one who rescued Mia. Yes, that had to be it.

Once I put two and two together, I looked back at Silas and Fox. Those earlier comments started flashing through my mind again.

If I stood in the way of them and Mia, they'd definitely fly off the handle and make me pay for it.

The mere thought of lying wounded in the middle of nowhere, being torn apart by wild beasts, made my fingers tingle.

Even though... I really, truly liked them; I'd have to bite the bullet and play matchmaker for them and Mia if I wanted to stay alive.

Love might be precious, but life was priceless.

A foolproof plan began to take shape in my head.