Beastmen: She Tames the Land-Chapter 56: Into the ruins

Xeno moved quickly, catching Visha before she fell to the ground.

He looked at her pale face. His heart clenched see the way she lay limp in his arms. He didn’t know what to do. His hands trembled as he held her close.

He looked at Uri, who was also looking at Visha’s face. He could see the suppressed emotion in his eyes. He knows Uri isn’t one to show emotion openly.

Still holding Visha, he reached out to take Uri’s hand.

"She shouldn’t have had to do this," Uri muttered.

"I know," Xeno said. "But it happened. Now we need to wait until she wakes up."

Xeno watched Uri’s eyes roam over Visha’s body. His jaw clenched, and he gripped Visha tighter.

"It’s going to be fine," Xeno tried to reassure him.

He watched Uri close his eyes. He knew what he was struggling with. Although she wasn’t physically hurt, she still put herself in harm’s way to save them. But now, the only thing they could do was hold her close and keep her safe.

Uri opened his eyes. They looked cold and detached. It was the way he always looked at people he wasn’t close to. It was also what he did when he was overwhelmed.

After years of being with the man, he knew that he was feeling more than he let on. Uri has always been someone who feels too much but refuses to allow himself to feel it all.

Xeno sighed softly.

"We need to leave. This place is not safe." Uri stated.

Xeno watched Uri’s eyes scan the people of the pack, stopping briefly on Krag. Uri didn’t necessarily trust him; Xeno knew this. But neither of them felt malice, and he insisted on travelling with them.

Xeno knew from their bond that Visha didn’t view Krag and Chi as enemies. She considered them friends.

He looked down at her face, brushing away a strand of hair.

Silly mate. Don’t you know not to befriend people so easily?

Holding Visha steady, he stood up. Xeno listened to Uri instructing everyone.

"Everyone, we need to leave. Now," Uri said flatly. Cato stood up, holding Nimo, who had run over to him at some point.

Willa and Kit knelt beside Fil. Their cries could be heard by everyone. This wasn’t the desperation of something lost. No, the cry was one of happiness. Fil’s leg was stretched out. But it wasn’t the mangled mess it had been before.

Rather, it was a completely intact leg.

Uri and Xeno watched him carefully get to his feet. He took a few steps, wincing as he moved.

"It...my leg..." Fil whispered, disbelief clouding his voice. He looked down at his leg, touched it. The utter disbelief on his face made Xeno snort.

Willa launched herself at Fil, hugging him tightly. When she finally calmed down, she bowed in Xeno’s direction.

Everyone knew she wasn’t bowing to Xeno, but to Visha in Xeno’s arms. Their priestess.

After ensuring everything was in order, Uri gave the order to leave.

There was no hesitation as everyone quickly left the place they once stood. The bodies of the wolves lay there. After experiencing the infection, they did not want to know what would happen if they tried to clear the area.

"Let me carry her," Chi suggested.

"No need," Uri responded.

"The leader needs both hands, and I can carry her for you. Remember, she might be your mate, but she is this pack’s priestess. I won’t hurt her." Chi said the last part quietly.

Xeno handed Visha to Chi, placing Visha on her back.

Uri saw what he did and hissed.

Uri was angry, Xeno knows this. But he understood why Chi made the offer.

They have just left one fight. In case there was another, he would need to make sure Visha is safe. He would not give his mate over to a male, so Chi was the only other choice.

Xeno walked up to Uri, whose eyes were glowing blue and had vertical slits. He used both his hands to grab Uri’s nape, pressing their foreheads together. He felt Uri’s struggle.

"I know," Xeno whispered. "I know."

"You gave her..." Uri started, but Xeno cut him off.

"I know, but she’s right. And Shasha would never forgive us if we saved her without saving them," Xeno whispered.

Xeno felt Uri’s shoulder sag. He knew he only allowed it because of the circumstances. But Xeno didn’t care. He grinned before kissing Uri. A soft, tentative kiss. Uri only hesitated for a beat before kissing back.

The tension finally lessened, and Uri deepened the kiss, his hand holding Xeno’s arm. They pulled away, foreheads pressed together, eyes closed.

Xeno pulled away, "Let’s move," he said, instructing everyone to start moving again.

It was still night, so even though they moved quickly, they tried to move as quietly as possible. Every rustle, movement, or shadow was scrutinized. As long as nothing attacked, they continued moving forward.

Xeno noticed it first. A break in the treeline. There was something covered with moss. He gestured for everyone to halt while moving closer. His snake-like elegance seen in his every move.

Getting closer, he saw it. A stone building. The stone walls were crumbling. But one could still see the massive archway leading into the building. It was empty, leaving only some stone structures. It wasn’t like anything Uri had seen before.

Still, he called everyone in. This would be their temporary shelter until Visha could wake up.

"This is where we’ll stay," Uri announced to the pack. "Cato, Xeno Krag, and I will check the perimeter." He looked at Chi, his voice hard, "Keep her safe."

"You don’t need to tell me twice. She’s my friend, of course, I’ll keep her safe," Chi huffed.

"Chi, don’t pout. That’s his mate, you know what it means," Krag murmured, leaning in to Chi. "He’s worried."

Chi huffed, "I know." Then, looking at Uri, she said, "Don’t worry, leader. Your mate is safe in my hands."

She walked away before Uri could say anything.

"She’s like this, I hope you won’t take offense," Krag directed the statement at both Uri and Xeno.

"It’s fine," Xeno said, plastering his signature grin on his face. "But you don’t usually speak up. Why do it now?"

Krag looked around the building. "Well, I didn’t want to talk before. Now I do. Also...I would be upset if something happened to my mate, too." He said this while walking away.

"He’s being weird," Xeno commented.

Uri nodded, his eyes full of contemplation. "Hmm...maybe he really does have a reason to talk now."