Help! I transmigrated to a Beast World

Chapter 130: Sorry Stray Cat Gets Kissed

Hei Yan hesitated for a brief second before stepping onto the woven blanket. For a massive, apex predator who usually moved with the grace of a shadow, he sat down with the awkwardness of a giant, overgrown puppy trying not to break a delicate teacup.

He crossed his long, muscular legs, resting his large hands on his knees.

In the warm, flickering orange light of the fire, his dark skin seemed to glow, highlighting the battle-hardened scars crisscrossing his chest.

His panther ears, sitting atop his dark hair, twitched nervously.

He looked down at his hands, refusing to meet her eyes. What did he want to talk about?

"I... I wanted to apologize," Hei Yan rumbled, his deep voice barely above a whisper. "For this morning. In the Badlands. I nearly crushed you when I pounced. And... and I am sorry for how I acted back in the Neutral Zone. And how I acted....then. When I banished you from my tribe."

Xin Yi stared at him, her brown eyes widening in shock.

She remembered the Hei Yan she had first met in the forest. The feral, impulsive, overwhelmingly stubborn Black Panther who didn’t know the meaning of the word ’sorry’. Back then, if he was upset, he would just roar, throw her over his shoulder, and drag her into a cave. He acted entirely on primal instinct.

But looking at him now, sitting respectfully on the edge of her blanket and carefully articulating his regrets.....it was a staggering amount of character growth.

"Hmm," Xin Yi murmured, a soft, affectionate smile pulling at the corners of her lips.

She reached out, gently running her fingers through his thick, dark hair, carefully avoiding the glowing red lump on his head.

Hei Yan’s breath hitched. His eyes fluttered shut, and he instantly leaned his head into her palm, a deep, rumbling purr vibrating in his chest.

"It is fine, Hei Yan," Xin Yi said softly, scratching him right behind his panther ear. "You’ve apologised already, and I am sorry once more. You waited for me and....I came back with Qing Lin. I am very sorry about that. I should not have."

Hei Yan opened his eyes. His striking purple irises locked onto hers, filled with an agonizing vulnerability that made Xin Yi’s heart skip a beat.

"So..." Hei Yan swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly. "Can... can I be your harem?"

Xin Yi blinked. "My what?"

"You never agreed to it," Hei Yan continued, the words tumbling out of his mouth in a desperate rush. "When Sha Chen suggested the pact, you never finalized it. And ever since then, you will only lay with Qing Lin. He has wrapped you in his scent completely. I.....I want you to bear my mark again. I want to hold you."

Xin Yi stared at him.

She let out a long, exhausted groan, dropping her face into her hands.

"Hehehe," a low, manic chuckle slipped out of her lips. She really couldn’t help it. The absurdity of her life had finally reached its absolute peak. Here she was, an adult woman, sitting in the middle of a literal savanna construction site, being earnestly asked by a giant, shape-shifting panther if he could officially join her reverse harem.

"Hei Yan..." Xin Yi chuckled, shaking her head.

But Hei Yan completely misunderstood her reaction.

To the Panther Alpha, her groan and her laugh sounded like a dismissal. His ears immediately flattened against his head, the hope completely draining from his purple eyes.

"I know," Hei Yan whispered, his voice cracking as he immediately began to push himself off the blanket. "I am too impulsive. I am too rough. I am just a stray cat to you now. I... I will leave you to rest."

"Wait!"

Xin Yi lunged forward, grabbing his thick wrist with both hands before he could stand up.

Hei Yan froze, looking down at her small hands gripping his arm.

Xin Yi looked up at him, her heart aching. He was the very first beastman she had encountered. He was the one who had saved her from the terrifying forest. He was her first mate, the one who had fiercely protected her.

She had completely neglected the loyal panther who had been standing by her side from day one.

Sigh, Xin Yi thought, her modern sensibilities finally surrendering to the absolute madness of the Beast World. So this is how to manage a harem? You have to balance their emotional needs like a full-time job? I need a spreadsheet for this.

"Hei Yan, you absolute idiot," Xin Yi whispered fiercely, tugging on his arm. "Come here."

Hei Yan blinked, his panther ears perking up in confusion. "What?"

"I said, come here."

Xin Yi didn’t wait for him to process the command. She pulled herself up onto her knees, grabbed the collar of his leather harness, and yanked him down toward her.

She pressed her lips firmly against his.

Hei Yan let out a muffled gasp of shock. For a split second, his entire massive body went completely rigid.

And then, the panther instincts completely took over.

Hei Yan wrapped his massive arms around her waist, effortlessly lifting her up and pulling her flush against his solid body. He kissed her back hungrily. His mouth was hot and demanding, his fangs gently grazing her lower lip as he poured weeks of pent-up longing and possessive need into the kiss.

Xin Yi let out a soft, breathless sigh, melting completely into his embrace. She tangled her fingers into his dark hair, returning the kiss with equal fervor, entirely forgetting about the dirt, the building projects, and the audience.

From across the campfire, Qing Lin accidentally snapped a thick wooden branch perfectly in half with his bare hands, his fangs glowing in the dark as he glared at the embracing couple.

[Ding!]

[(⁠★⁠ω⁠★⁠) SYSTEM ALERT!]

[Warning: Alpha Testosterone Levels are rising exponentially! Temperature is increasing! This is getting STEAMY!]

[Host, there are children and uncultured lions in the vicinity! Better find a cage! Or at least a privacy screen!]