Rebirth: Beasts Bound

I stared at the closed door, heart still pounding. The tribe chief’s clenched fists outside told me everything. She had planned this. Every single second.

"Ryker," I said quietly, not looking at him yet. "Stay right there."

He froze, ears twitching. Good. I needed him steady for what came next.

I pushed the door open. The tribe chief tried to slip inside with a fake concerned smile, but Azrael blocked her like a wall. "Raven wants answers first."

Her eyes narrowed at me. "What is this about? I already explained the accident—"

"Accident?" I cut her off, stepping closer. My voice didn’t shake this time. "I saw the twig. I saw your hands guiding his to your cheeks. And that little smile when I walked in? You wanted me to see it."

The room went dead silent.

Ryker’s eyes widened behind me. "What?"

The chief laughed, but it sounded forced. "You’re imagining things because you’re jealous. Beast-men are loyal, but maybe you don’t deserve one."

Cat appeared beside me, invisible to everyone else. "She’s lying. Push harder."

I smiled, not a nice one. "Then let’s check the memory crystal I planted near that tree earlier." I didn’t actually have one, but her face paled anyway.

My bluffing worked.

"You... you set me up?" she hissed.

"No. You set yourself up." I crossed my arms. "Why? What do you gain from breaking our contract?"

She lunged forward suddenly, claws out. Ryker moved faster than I’d ever seen him. He grabbed her arm and slammed her against the wall, fangs bared. "Don’t touch her."

The chief spat at him. "You were supposed to be mine! I marked you first, years ago. One little push and you would’ve remembered our bond, but this human girl—"

"Marked?" Ryker growled. "I never accepted any mark from you."

Liora and the others burst back in at the noise. Veyra had her blades ready. Thyrian looked ready to shift. Azrael just watched me, calm.

I felt the system panel pulse above Ryker’s head. The affection bar was climbing already. Not 30% yet, but moving.

"Talk," I said to the chief. "Or I let them handle you."

She laughed again, wild this time. "You think this is about him? Pathetic. The real prize is your power, Raven. Your system. I felt it the moment you arrived. If I break your heart enough, the system weakens. And when it does... I take it."

My Jaw-dropped, my stomach flipped.

Cat’s ears shot up. ...She knows too much. Dangerous....

"How?" I demanded, stepping closer even as Ryker tried to pull me back. "Who told you about the system?"

The chief’s eyes glowed with strange energy. "There are others like you. Travelers. One visited our tribe seasons ago. He failed his quests and died screaming. I watched, I learned. Your kind always has a weak point...emotions."

Ryker’s grip on my arm tightened. I could feel him shaking with rage.

"So you staged everything," I whispered. "The slip. The touch. Hoping I’d run and the contract would shatter."

She smirked. "Almost worked. Until you got smart."

Power surged through me without warning. The wind outside howled. Flowers bloomed rapidly across the floor, wrapping around her ankles like chains. She struggled but couldn’t break free.

"Raven..." Ryker’s voice was soft now. Worried. "Don’t let her get to you."

I turned to him. Really looked. His golden eyes were locked on me, not her. No guilt. Just fear that I’d slip away again.

The panel flashed.

[Affection +12%]

Not enough, but close.

I reached up and touched his cheek. The same place he had supposedly touched hers. "I believe you," I said. Simple. Honest.

His breath caught. Then he pulled me into his chest, arms wrapping around me like I might disappear. His tail curled around my leg without thinking.

"I swear on every contract I’ve ever taken," he murmured into my hair. "Only you."

The chief screamed in fury. "This changes nothing! The system will demand more. It always does!"

Veyra stepped forward and pressed a blade to her throat. "Shut up."

But the chief wasn’t done. She bit down on something hidden in her mouth. A small crystal cracked between her teeth. Dark energy exploded outward.

I felt it hit me like ice water. My vision blurred, and the flowers holding her withered instantly.

[Warning! Hidden debuff applied. Affection drain activated.]

No. Not now.

Ryker held me tighter as my knees buckled. "Raven!"

The room spun. I saw flashes—Danny laughing, the tribe chief’s smirk, shadows of other travelers dying. The system was panicking too, panels popping up everywhere.

[Counter the debuff or lose 20% affection permanently.]

I gritted my teeth and pushed power into the bond between me and Ryker. The contract mark on my wrist burned bright. "Stay with me," I whispered to him.

He didn’t hesitate, his forehead pressed against mine. "Always."

Golden light flared between us. The debuff cracked like glass, and the chief screamed as the backlash hit her instead. Her body jerked, dark veins spreading across her skin.

Liora whistled. "That’s new."

Azrael smiled faintly. "Soul resonance, a strong one."

I clung to Ryker, breathing hard. His scent; forest and smoke, filled my lungs. The panel updated rapidly.

[Affection +18%]

[Total: +30% – Quest Complete!]

[Reward: Beast Bond Enhancement – Temporary shared senses unlocked.]

A rush of warmth flooded me. Suddenly I could feel Ryker’s heartbeat like it was my own. His worry, his relief, the steady love underneath it all.

The chief collapsed, gasping. "Impossible... you completed it that fast..."

I looked down at her. "You underestimated us."

Ryker lifted me easily, even though I could stand. I didn’t complain. It felt nice. He carried me to the bed in the corner while the others dragged the chief out.

"Lock her up," I told Azrael. "We’ll decide her fate later."

He nodded once.

When the door closed, it was just me and Ryker. He set me down gently but didn’t let go. His hands cupped my face.

"I thought I lost you back there," he admitted. Voice rough. "When you walked away... it felt like dying."

I traced a finger over his jaw. "I thought the same. But we’re here. Together."

He leaned in slowly, giving me time to pull away. I didn’t. Our lips met..soft at first, then deeper. Heat rushed through the new bond. I felt his affection like a living thing, wrapping around my heart.

When we broke apart, both breathing hard, the system chimed again.

[Beast Bond Enhancement: Level 1 – You can now sense each other’s emotions within 100 meters.]

Ryker chuckled, warmly. "Handy."

I laughed too. It felt good after all the pain. "No more misunderstandings?"

"None." He kissed my forehead. "I’m yours, Raven. Contract or no contract."

We stayed like that for a while, his tail brushing my back, and my fingers in his hair. The forest outside seemed quieter, like it was giving us space.

But peace never lasted long here.

A distant roar shook the trees, heavy footsteps, multiple sounded.

Ryker’s ears shot straight up. "Tribe reinforcements. She must’ve signaled them before the crystal."

I stood quickly, power humming under my skin. The new bond made everything sharper. I could feel Ryker’s readiness mixing with mine.

"Let’s end this," I said.

He grinned, fangs flashing. "Together."

We stepped outside. The others were already forming up, Liora with arrows nocked with blue flames, Veyra flaring red hands, Thyrian glowing silver-white, Azrael glowing with dark energy.

The trees parted. At least twenty beast-men emerged, bigger and meaner than the ones we’d met. Their leader, a massive lion-type pointed right at me.

"Hand over the Traveler! The chief’s orders!"

I stepped forward, Ryker right beside me. "Your chief is finished. Leave now or join her."

They charged.

The fight exploded around us. I raised my hands and the ground split open with vines and stone spikes. Ryker moved like lightning, tearing through two attackers before they could reach me.

One beast-man broke through and swung at my head. I ducked and slammed my palm into his chest, my power surged. He flew back twenty feet, crashing into a tree.

"Nice," Ryker called, grinning even with a cut on his cheek.

I smiled back. The shared senses made us move like we’d trained together for years. He covered my blind spots. I boosted him with bursts of wind when he leaped.

Veyra laughed wildly as she took down three at once. "This is fun!"

The lion leader roared and charged me directly, he was huge, claws like daggers.

Ryker intercepted, but the lion was stronger. They crashed together. I felt Ryker’s pain through the bond as claws raked his side.

"No!" I screamed.

I turned my flower power into a weapon; sharp petals slicing through the air. One storm of them hit the lion leader, cutting deep, and he stumbled.

Ryker finished him with a brutal strike to the neck.

The remaining attackers froze, then started backing away.

"Your chief lost," I shouted, breathing heavy. "Take her and leave this territory. Or next time we won’t be merciful."

They grabbed their wounded and retreated into the trees, a smart choice.

I rushed to Ryker. The cut wasn’t too deep, but it bled. I pressed my hands over it, willing the system to help. Warm light flowed, the wound closed slowly.

He caught my wrist and kissed it. "I’m okay. Thanks to you."

The others gathered around, tired but smiling.

Liora nudged me. "That bond thing is impressive. You two fought like one person."

Azrael just nodded approvingly.

I leaned into Ryker’s side, exhausted but buzzing. The affection bar had climbed even higher after the fight. The system seemed pleased.

But as we walked back inside, Cat appeared one last time. Her expression was serious. ...Bigger players are watching now. The other Travelers... they won’t like what you just did...

A chill ran down my spine.

Ryker noticed through the bond. "What is it?"

I shook my head. "Later. For now... let’s just rest."

He pulled me close as we reached the room. "Whatever comes, we face it together."

I nodded, heart full. The jaw-dropping part? For the first time since arriving in this world, I really believed it.

But deep down, I knew the chief’s words about other Travelers would come back to haunt us.

"So when do we also become one with you?" Azrael said and my other beast-men gazed at me with longing.

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