Transmigrating to the BeastWorld,I Picked Up an Adorable BeastHusband!-Chapter 25: I already have a mate

Puka raised the fish again, smiling as she took another step toward Ningning.

Ningning’s face turned pale.

She took several hurried steps back, her feet slipping slightly against the wet sand. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Don’t come closer." she said stiffly. "I don’t like that."

Puka laughed, clearly finding her reaction amusing. "You are already in the water. Why are you pretending to be afraid now?"

As she spoke, she lifted the fish higher, letting its tail brush Ningning’s arm.

Ningning felt her scalp go numb.

Before she could retreat further, a hand suddenly reached out and seized Puka’s wrist.

Puka froze.

Una stood between them, her expression cold and displeased.

"That’s enough." Una said.

Her voice was not loud, but it carried weight.

Puka frowned. "I was only joking. She’s too timid."

Una looked at her sharply. "Fishing is not a game."

She pushed Puka’s hand down, forcing her to lower the fish. "Stop playing around and go back to the water."

Puka was unhappy. "But—"

"Fill your basket," Una interrupted. "We are leaving before it gets dark."

Her tone made it clear there would be no argument.

Puka pouted, clearly dissatisfied, but she did not dare disobey. She turned around and waded back into the river, muttering under her breath.

Only then did Una look at Ningning.

Ningning was standing stiffly, her chest rising and falling quickly as she tried to calm herself.

"Leave the water." Una said. "Since you can’t fish, stay on the side and watch us."

Ningning nodded, though her fingers were still trembling.

She stepped back onto the sandy bank and crouched down, pressing a hand against her knee to steady herself.

[You used to love fish.] Doudou said, laughing lightly. [You ate it almost every day.]

Ningning exhaled slowly.

"That was my past life," she said. "This body doesn’t agree, I’m sure being scared of heights was my only fear then."

Doudou laughed even harder.

Ningning ignored him and looked toward the women in the water. They were laughing and talking as they worked, hands moving quickly beneath the surface as fish were tossed into baskets.

For some reason, watching them made her uncomfortable.

She felt like she was doing nothing while everyone else was working.

After a moment of hesitation, she reached into her space and opened the cookbook.

If she couldn’t catch fish, she could at least make something good out of it.

She flipped through the pages carefully, stopping when she saw several fish-based dishes.

Her eyes brightened slightly.

"These ingredients..." she murmured.

[Some of them grow near the riverbank.] Doudou said. [If you walk a little farther upstream, you’ll find them.]

Ningning closed the book and stood up.

She felt much better now that she had something useful to do.

She glanced back at the women. None of them were paying attention to her.

After making sure she wouldn’t be in the way, she turned and walked along the riverbank in the direction Doudou had indicated.

Ningning followed the riverbank upstream, keeping close to the tall reeds and low shrubs that grew near the water.

The ground here was damp but firm, dotted with broad-leafed plants and thin-stemmed herbs.

She crouched down from time to time, comparing what she saw with the images in the cookbook.

"These should work." she murmured, carefully plucking a cluster of leaves and placing them aside.

She was focused, so focused that she didn’t notice the shadow falling across the ground in front of her.

A figure stepped into her path.

Ningning halted instinctively and looked up.

The male beast standing before her was tall, with broad shoulders and long limbs.

His hair was a dull brown, tied loosely behind his neck, and faint whisker-like markings framed his cheeks.

His eyes lingered on her in an open, unrestrained manner.

He smiled.

"What is a beautiful female like you doing alone?" he asked slowly. "And dressed so lightly at that."

His gaze swept over her from head to toe, deliberate and unapologetic.

Ningning’s expression darkened.

"This place is crowded." the male continued. "Yet you walk all by yourself. Are you looking for a mate?"

There was a hint of confidence in his voice, as if he already knew the answer.

Ningning straightened her back.

"I am not looking for anyone," she said.

"Move."

The male chuckled softly. "You wear such a wanton hide and wander alone near the river. If you are not seeking a mate, what else could it be?"

That word made Ningning’s eyes turn cold.

So what if he was tall?

So what if his body was strong?

He was nothing like Weijie.

He had no restraint, no courtesy, and no sense of boundaries.

"I said move," she repeated.

Instead of stepping aside, he moved closer.

"There is no need to be shy," he said. "If you follow me, I will make sure you are well fed. You won’t need to pick plants like this."

Ningning hissed softly, anger rising in her chest.

She tightened her grip on the herbs in her hand and met his gaze head-on.

"Sorry," she said clearly. "I already have a mate." she said pointing to the mark on her neck.

The smile on the male’s face stiffened slightly.

"A mate?" he repeated. "Then why are you alone?"

His eyes sharpened. "Did he abandon you?"

Ningning’s expression hardened completely.

"He did not," she said. "And even if he were not here, you would still not be worth my attention."

The male’s smile faded.

For a brief moment, irritation flickered across his face.

Then he laughed again, but this time, there was no warmth in it.

"We’ll see," he said.

And he did not step aside.

Before Ningning could step back, the male suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.

The male tightened his grip around Ningning’s wrist.

His fingers dug into her skin, preventing any movement.

"Don’t be afraid," he said, his tone slow and confident. "You are strong-looking for a female. Soft too. That means you will bear good children."

Ningning stared at him.

She couldn’t pull away.

His strength was overwhelming, crushing her wrist in place.

"Our children will be plump." he continued, his eyes roaming her body without restraint. "Healthy. Loved by the tribe. I will protect you, so you don’t need to wander alone like this anymore."