The Villainess Winning Back Her Beast Husbands-Chapter 29: I Cannot Let You Suffer Anymore

Orion’s impassioned defense sparked a wave of murmuring among the beastmen below.

As a tribe that had only recently joined the Grymdale Tribe, the Midridge Tribe had little say in the matter. Saskia toyed with the bonfire before her, poking it with a wooden stick. Her gaze flickered over Thorne with disdain, then settled on Orion.

Orion of the Wyvern Clan. She’d heard his famous name back when she was still in the Midridge Tribe.

But she never thought Orion would actually be willing to offend the entire Grymdale Tribe for Thorne.

Just then, a figure slowly strode out from the back.

The Witch tightly gripped an ancient staff. Strange runes covered its shaft, shimmering faintly as he moved.

He came to a firm halt beside Chief Lana, tilting his head up slightly. His eyes were sharp as a hawk’s, and his cold gaze locked onto Orion, as if trying to bore a hole right through him. His voice was chilling as he said, "This is the Grymdale Tribe, not your Wyvern Clan’s territory. Your actions here must abide by the rules of Grymdale."

Orion frowned, meeting the Witch’s cold, cloying gaze. ’If there was anyone in the Grymdale Tribe he couldn’t see through, it was this Witch. He’d heard from Thorne that this Witch wasn’t originally from the Grymdale Tribe, but had been a wandering beastman. After entering the tribe, however, he formed a Contract with Chief Lana and became their Witch.’

"The Beast God has unleashed his wrath. Your Wyvern Clan may ignore it, but we of the Snake Clan cannot."

"The failure of the totem ritual is a clear sign of the great crisis our tribe now faces—this is the Beast God’s prophecy! The only solution is to exile Thorne from the tribe! Only then can we appease the Beast God’s wrath!"

As his words fell, the Witch struck the ground hard with his staff, producing a dull THUD.

Orion’s face fell. Just as he was about to speak, Thorne was already on his feet.

He was very tall, towering even over Orion. The soft strands of his hair swayed as he moved. His dark green eyes swept across the crowd, finally settling on a single person.

"And what about you? Are you going to cast me out of the tribe, too?"

Thorne spoke slowly, his voice rough and fractured. Every word was laced with a long-suppressed, sinister resentment.

The crowd followed his gaze and saw Chief Morgan, seated in the seat of honor.

Exile was the harshest punishment for a beastman. It not only meant facing the wilds alone but also signified the loss of one’s totem, faith, and the protection of the Beast God.

Morgan Moretti was Thorne’s Beast-father.

At Thorne’s words, he slowly raised his head, his stoic face twisted in a pained struggle.

Lana turned to look at Morgan Moretti, her brow furrowed and her voice turning cold. "You are the leader of the Grymdale Tribe. You must think of your people. If you don’t exile Thorne, can you bear the price of the Beast God’s wrath?"

Hearing her words, Morgan Moretti seemed to have been struck by a heavy hammer, his spine suddenly hunching over.

Here in the Grymdale Tribe, he had no authority, and he certainly couldn’t protect his own son.

Looking at Morgan Moretti’s pathetic display, Thorne suddenly laughed, his cold, harsh face filled with scorn. ’It was always like this. Always. Whether it was his mother’s murder or his persecution by Evangeline, he was always the same, letting Lana make every decision. He was supposed to be the true leader of the Grymdale Tribe!’

The Witch turned his head and exchanged a meaningful glance with Lana.

He struck the ground hard with his staff, his voice chilling as he announced, word by deliberate word, "Today, the Grymdale Tribe shall banish the beastman—Thorne! His totem is to be stripped from him at once. From this moment on, he is no longer a member of the Grymdale Tribe!"

As he finished speaking, the stone pillar statue erupted in a blinding light. A halo surged from it, as if propelled by an invisible, giant hand. It carried an irresistible force as it shot toward Thorne with the speed of a lightning strike.

To strip a totem was to sever the bond of faith buried deep within a beastman’s soul.

To a beastman, a totem was the symbol of the Beast God’s blessing. To have it stripped away meant becoming a wandering beastman, utterly losing the Beast God’s favor. Even their own Star Pattern would drop in rank!

Even though Thorne’s Star Pattern was already shattered and his life force was fading, everyone knew that stripping away his totem would weaken his already frail body even further. What was worse, he might even suffer a horrifying backlash to his soul!

"Thorne!" Orion cried out, frantic. He lunged, trying to grab Thorne’s arm.

Thorne calmly pushed his hand aside. His eyes remained fixed on the halo of light rushing toward him as his chapped lips parted. "I’ve been through worse," he rasped. "What’s there to fear?"

The beastmen around the bonfire fell silent. Some of the more timid females had already shut their eyes.

Just in the nick of time, a voice drifted out, laced with a captivating charm. It was bright with amusement, as if holding a world of allure. "I can’t let you endure such agony again."

Evangeline reached out and pulled Thorne behind her.

Thorne could only watch as Evangeline stepped in front of him, and the world exploded in a fluorescent glare!

When the light dissipated, Thorne saw Evangeline, her body spattered with blood. Blood oozed from her wounds, a ghastly sight under the firelight. He seemed frozen, not knowing how to react.

Evangeline lifted her hand to wipe the startling trace of blood from the corner of her mouth. Simultaneously, she covertly gathered the immense Totem Power into her palm, like a master hunter concealing their edge.

She had suppressed most of the Totem Power’s might, allowing only a small fraction to manifest as wind blades. Where they struck, the wounds looked horrifying and bled profusely, but in reality, they hadn’t caused her any substantial damage.

’The self-injury ploy was a cliché, but it was practical.’

’It was a move that had never failed her on past missions. She’d stumbled upon the perfect opportunity, and she certainly wasn’t going to miss it. She was serious about conquering Thorne, that tough nut to crack.’

Evangeline’s figure was slender, yet she was covered in wounds. Blood trickled down her skin, staining her body red. But even so, she stood firmly before Thorne, determined to shield him even while grievously wounded.

The sight was like a clap of thunder, detonating in the hearts of the onlookers. Everyone was utterly stunned.

Orion stared at Evangeline, his heart pounding uncontrollably, as if it would break free from his chest.

’On the Beastman Continent, where females were revered, it was always the males who fought to the death to protect them. He had never imagined a female would so resolutely shield a male, unhesitatingly taking a fatal blow on his behalf.’

’This sight completely shattered his entire worldview.’

Evangeline had no idea how deeply her ’self-injury’ ploy had shocked everyone. She slowly lifted her gaze, her eyes as sharp as frost, and stared directly at the Witch. Her voice was chilling, as if laced with shards of ice.

"You keep insisting that the Earth-drake’s rampage is connected to Thorne, that it’s a punishment from the Beast God. But where is your evidence?"

"To recklessly strip a tribesman of his totem based on mere conjecture? If the Beast God truly has a spirit, the first one he will punish will be those who, like you, abuse their power and treat the lives of their people so callously!"