Taming the Beast World with a Frying Pan-Chapter 105: The Fox’s Proposal

Vex looked at her like she had just asked why water was wet.

"How else?" he asked, gesturing to the unconscious mass of muscle on the ground. "Did you expect me to ask him nicely to walk to my den?"

Before Ren could argue, Vex bent his knees and grabbed Kael’s arm. With a grunt of exertion that quickly turned into a show of impressive strength, he hoisted the massive Tiger King onto his shoulder.

Ren’s eyes widened. Vex was lean—wiry, even—compared to Kael’s hulking frame. But as he adjusted the weight, the muscles in his back and legs flexed and bulged under his skin, corded like steel cables.

"Ugh," Vex groaned, shifting Kael’s weight. "He is a lot heavier than he looks. Does he eat rocks for breakfast?"

Ren frowned, crossing her arms. "You didn’t have to shoot him! We could have carried him together. Or... or Syris and Viper would have helped!"

The amused, flirtatious expression instantly vanished from Vex’s face. His orange eyes turned cold and serious.

"If Syris sees me," Vex said flatly, "he will kill me. No questions asked. I lied to him. And the Snake King does not take kindly to deception."

Ren shook her head, her naivety shining through. "No! That’s not true. Syris is reasonable! He knows I need your help. I’m sure he’s already forgiven you."

Vex stared at her for a moment. Then, he chuckled humorlessly. Behind him, three fluffy orange tails swished agitatedly through the air.

"You really don’t know him, do you?" Vex murmured. "You don’t know Syris as well as you think you do."

Vex looked at her with a mix of pity and amusement.

’The Snake King is possessive, cruel, and paranoid,’ Vex thought. ’He wants to lock you in a glass cage and swallow the key. How has she not picked up on that yet?’

"Listen to me," Vex commanded. "If you leave with me now, the Snake King and his guard will track your scent all the way to my home. You cannot come with me yet."

Ren bristled immediately. "Absolutely not. I am not leaving Kael with you."

Vex rolled his eyes so hard it looked painful. "Oh, calm down, Mama Bear. I give you my word. I won’t skin him, I won’t eat him, and I won’t draw whiskers on his face while he sleeps. I will not mistreat him in any way."

He shifted Kael again.

"Besides," Vex added, his voice dropping lower, "you are the key to treating him. I can’t fix him without you."

Ren opened her mouth to ask what that meant, but Vex cut her off.

"But right now, he is better off with me. The scent of other males—especially that cold-blooded snake—clings to you. It agitates his feral instincts even while he sleeps."

He looked up at the sky. The sun was dipping lower, casting long shadows through the trees. It was already late in the afternoon.

"Meet me here tonight," Vex instructed. "When the moon is at the center of the sky. Alone."

Ren hesitated, looking at Kael’s sleeping face. She hated this. She hated separating from him. But Vex was making sense, and right now, he was the expert.

"Fine," Ren whispered. "I’ll be here."

"Good. Now, regarding your escape tonight," Vex said, pointing a finger at her. "When you sneak out, you must wash off in the river first. Scrub your skin until it is raw. And you must abandon your clothes on the bank."

Ren’s jaw dropped. Her face flushed a brilliant, indignant red.

"Excuse me?" she screeched. "Abandon my clothes? You want me to run through the forest naked to meet you? You perverted lunatic!"

Vex sighed, looking exasperated. "It is the only way to ensure you cannot be followed! Fabric holds scent longer than skin. If you wear those clothes, Syris will find my den before sunrise. Leave the clothes. Come to me as nature intended. I will have furs waiting for you."

Ren groaned, realizing he was right, which only made her angrier. She sighed in defeat.

"Fine. I’ll figure it out."

She looked at him anxiously. "But... what do I tell them now? They’re going to ask where Kael is. They’re going to ask why I’m coming back alone."

Vex shrugged, the motion jostling Kael’s limp arm.

"I’ll leave that to you to figure out," Vex quipped. "You’re a creative girl. Lie."

He turned to leave, taking a few steps toward the dense thicket. Then, he paused.

He turned his head back over his shoulder, his orange eyes locking onto hers.

"And Little Rose?"

"What?" she snapped, already dreading the walk back.

"Do something about the smell. Before you go back to him."

Ren blinked, confused. She sniffed her armpit. "What smell? The swamp water?"

Vex turned fully around. His eyes darkened with a sudden, intense lust that made the air feel heavy.

"No," he purred. "Not the swamp."

He licked his lips slowly.

"You smell very strongly like a female in heat," Vex growled low in his throat. "Sweet. Heavy. Ready to be bred. If you go back to the Snake King smelling like that..."

Ren turned to stone. The blood drained from her face as the realization hit her.

Syris was possessive. If she returned alone, claiming Kael got lost, but she smelled wet and aroused... he would think she had been with another male. Or worse, the scent would drive him into a frenzy.

Vex grinned, a wicked, raunchy expression taking over his handsome face.

"I could always lick it up for you," he suggested seductively, "I promise... I always leave a clean plate."

Ren felt like steam was about to shoot out of her ears.

"GO AWAY!" she shouted, grabbing a handful of leaves and throwing them at him.

Vex threw his head back and laughed, a rich, delighted sound. With Kael effortlessly balanced on his shoulder, he turned and sprinted into the bushes, vanishing into the greenery in seconds.

Ren stood there alone in the clearing, her chest heaving, her face burning.

She sighed in exasperation, running a hand through her hair.

She looked back in the direction of the river, where Syris and Viper were waiting.

"Great," she muttered under her breath. "Just great. Now I have to put on the performance of a lifetime."