Transmigrating to the BeastWorld,I Picked Up an Adorable BeastHusband!-Chapter 29: If we delay hibernation, our strength will dwindle
Ningning looked at him.
Really looked.
The way his brows were drawn together, the way he held her hand like it was something precious he was afraid to lose, the way his chest was slightly puffed out as if he were bracing himself for a blow.
Her lips curved slowly.
Then she smiled.
"Well.." she drawled, tilting her head as if deep in thought, her eyes tracking Ayres’s retreating back. "Ayres is very... sturdy. And did you see the way he lifted Runa? It was like she was made of feathers. There’s just something about that kind of raw, effortless strength. It’s quite impressive, don’t you think?"
Weijie’s expression shifted instantly. The wounded puppy look vanished, replaced by a sheer, competitive determination that flickered like a blue flame in his pupils.
His grip on her hand tightened ever so slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to remind her exactly whose territory she was standing in.
"Sturdy?" he echoed, his voice dropping an octave into a low, possessive growl.
"Ningning, I could carry you from the base of this mountain to the peak without breaking a sweat and any where else you wish to go. I don’t need to show off like a Bear who only knows how to use his bulk to move."
Before Ningning could even get a retort out, the world tilted.
In one fluid, lightning-fast motion, Weijie swept her off her feet. It wasn’t the heavy, braced lift Ayres had used; it was an explosion of grace and power.
He tucked her against his chest as if she were the most precious treasure in the world, his movements so smooth she barely felt the transition from the ground to his arms.
Her heart hammered against her ribs as her face was pressed into the crook of his neck.
He smelled of sandalwood, crisp mountain air, and that distinct, masculine warmth that was uniquely him.
"Look at me." he commanded softly.
Ningning looked.
Up close, the symmetry of his face was almost unfair. His jaw was set, the lines of his throat taut.
She could feel the hard ridges of his abdominal muscles pressing against her side, and his arms felt like iron bands wrapped in silk.
"Is he still more handsome?" he challenged, his eyes searching hers with an intensity that made her breath hitch.
"Is he still better?"
Ningning let out a soft, airy giggle, her fingers instinctively curling his neck.
"You’re so competitive, Weijie. It’s actually a little bit adorable."
"I am not being a–adorable, whatever human world that is." he countered, though a faint, boyish flush crept up his neck, betraying him. "I am being superior. I am your mate. I am the one who will hunt for you, protect you, and..." He leaned down, his nose brushing against hers, his voice a silken thread, "...the only one you are allowed to admire. Understood?"
[He’s beginning to sound like those Wattpad male lead. AKA "You only look at me cause I’m the best" and then proceed to "Off" the competition]
"Shut up." Ningning thought back, though she couldn’t suppress the radiant smile breaking across her face.
She reached up, cupping Weijie’s face with her palms. His skin was warm, and his eyes softened instantly at her touch, the fierce pride melting into pure, unadulterated devotion.
"Okay, okay.." she whispered, her voice melting with affection. "Ayres might be a giant, but he’s not you. You’re definitely the most handsome man in these mountains. Are you happy now?"
Weijie’s chest puffed out just a little bit more, a triumphant smirk finally replacing his pout.
"We can’t go to see them and they must not see us. We can only see eye to eye when it is the day of the bonding ceremony. With them arriving, preparations for the ceremony will begin as we wait for the other guests to arrive."
Runa and Ayres sat down after entering the hut.
The space was dim, lit only by a fire pit at the center. Animal skins were spread neatly across the ground, and dried herbs hung from wooden beams overhead.
After exchanging brief pleasantries, Runa reached into the inner folds of her dress.
She pulled something out.
It was a leaf. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
The leaf was dry, its veins clearly visible, the edges curled and brittle.
Numa’s gaze paused on it.
When he recognized it, his expression changed.
He took the leaf from Runa’s hand and examined it carefully before letting out a low sigh.
"This should not have fallen yet." he said.
Runa nodded. "It was found near the northern slopes."
Numa shook his head slowly. "By the old count, winter should still be three moon cycles away."
He closed his fingers around the leaf. "If this has already begun, then the cold will come sooner than expected."
Ayres frowned. "Our preparations are not complete."
Runa’s expression darkened. "That is the problem. If we are careless, we will be forced into hibernation halfway through storing food."
Numa’s brows knitted together.
"To sleep without enough stores is no different from courting death."
Runa lifted her chin. "That is why I came."
She paused before continuing.
"There is unrest beyond our lands."
Numa looked up. "Where?"
"The east first." Runa replied. "The Black Vipers and the Eagle Tribe are no longer keeping peace. Scouts report frequent clashes."
Ayres added, "Their hunting grounds overlap now. Neither side is willing to retreat."
Numa’s fingers tightened on his staff.
"And the west?"
Runa hesitated briefly before answering. "The aquatic tribes are divided. Old disputes have resurfaced. Trade routes are unstable."
Numa fell silent.
The fire crackled between them.
"If conflict spreads." he said slowly, "and your people enter hibernation before it is resolved, you will be defenseless."
Runa met his gaze. "Exactly."
Ayres spoke again, his voice firm. "If we delay hibernation, our strength will dwindle. If we enter it now, others may take advantage of us."
"Either path is dangerous." Runa said.
Numa closed his eyes briefly.
After a long moment, he opened them again.
"Then this winter will not be faced by your tribe alone."
Runa’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Uncle?"
Numa straightened. "If the land is moving toward chaos, then alliances must be reinforced before the snow falls."
He returned the leaf to Runa. "You did well to come."
Runa inclined her head. "That is what my father hoped you would say."
