Maya looked at the shocked expressions on the beastmen’s faces and couldn’t help frowning.
What was wrong?
Wasn’t her reward attractive enough?
Three bandaging sessions for one blood drop was much better than Jasper’s “five meals for one drop.” Logically, their eyes should be lighting up.
She blinked and looked at Caleb with confusion.
“Are you… not interested in this reward?”
Her words snapped the beastmen back to reality.
Sage was first to lower his eyes, hiding his surprise.
Jasper’s smile froze for a moment, then he pulled up a playful grin.
Hunter looked stunned, like he hadn’t processed this twist.
Finn breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Caleb.
Maya nodded seriously at Caleb.
“The bandaging was really good.
The wound has already scabbed over.
This counts as once.
Two more bandaging sessions and I’ll give you blood.”
Caleb made a “hmm” sound without saying much.
His fingertips curled slightly, almost unnoticeably.
Jasper looked at Maya’s serious expression.
She probably wasn’t lying.
He immediately got upset and said with dissatisfaction, “Why is that fair? Three bandaging sessions get blood, but I need five meals? That’s totally unfair!”
He knew saying this might make Maya angry, since he was questioning her decision.
He was partly testing her, but also hoping for luck.
She seemed different since yesterday.
He wanted to see what she was really planning.
Maya thought about it and explained, “Because bandaging needs medical supplies. Caleb used nano medical gel on me yesterday. Medical resources are precious and definitely harder to get than food. That’s why three bandaging sessions earn blood. If you want to break your contract faster, you can help bandage me too. As long as anyone reaches three times, I’ll give them blood.”
Jasper was shocked after hearing this.
So shocked he almost couldn’t keep his facial expression steady.
She actually didn’t get angry?
Before, if he dared question her decisions, energy whips would have come flying.
He quickly hid his surprise and put on his usual charming smile.
“Fine, you have a point.
I’ll go process food for you now.
Don’t forget – yesterday counts as once, so today would be twice.”
“No need.” Maya waved her hand.
The dry feeling in her throat came back and she coughed twice unconsciously.
“My throat feels uncomfortable. I can’t eat processed food. Just some nutrition liquid is fine.”
Finn’s eyes flicked to her throat where faint bruises were barely visible.
His expression didn’t change, but his jaw tightened slightly.
Without a word, he reached into his gear and pulled out an energy whip.
He held it toward Maya, his face blank.
“Here.”
The other beastmen looked up, confused.
“What’s that for?” Jasper asked.
“Payment.” Finn’s voice was flat, emotionless.
“I hurt you last night. This is what you’re waiting for, isn’t it?”
Understanding dawned on their faces.
Jasper’s eyes widened as he looked between Finn and Maya’s neck.
“You choked her?” Hunter’s voice was ice-cold.
“Yes.” Finn didn’t elaborate, didn’t justify.
Just stated it like a fact.
“Christ, Finn,” Jasper muttered.
“If she dies—”
“We all die. I’m aware.” Finn’s tone was matter-of-fact.
“Which is why this doesn’t make sense.”
He gestured at the whip.
“Take it.”
Maya looked at the weapon, then at his face.
“Put it away.”
“No.”
“I’m not going to beat you, Finn.”
His purple eyes narrowed slightly.
“Then what’s the game?”
“Look at me,” she said quietly.
“All of you. Really look at me.”
Her voice was steady, certain.
“I know you don’t trust me. Why would you? But watch what I do, not what I say. Judge for yourselves whether I’m serious about breaking these contracts.”
She turned back to Finn.
“The journey ahead is dangerous. I need someone who can purify water sources and extract salt from seawater. That’s you, Finn. Your skills could mean the difference between life and death out there.”
Her tone was practical, but there was something else underneath – a quiet certainty.
“I’m not going to abandon you.”
Finn’s mask slipped for just a fraction of a second.
Something flickered in his purple eyes – surprise, maybe confusion.
His fingers loosened slightly on the whip.
“I tried to kill you,” he said flatly.
“Yes. Don’t do it again.” Maya’s tone matched his for directness.
“Next time you might succeed, and then we’re all dead.”
Finn slowly lowered the whip.
His face was still blank, but there was a new tension in his shoulders, like something inside him had shifted without his permission.
“Fine,” he said quietly.
But the word came out softer than intended.
Maya turned toward the tent.
“Get some food. We leave in an hour.”
As she disappeared, the beastmen stood in uncomfortable silence.
Sage was the first to speak, his amber eyes hard as they fixed on his friend.
“I know you hate her, Finn, but don’t pull that shit again.”
Finn’s shoulders trembled slightly.
“I know.”
Last night’s impulse had made him forget the most basic rule – if a female died by her mate’s hand, all bonded males died with her.
He’d nearly killed them all.
“She seems different,” Sage said quietly, uncertainty threading through his voice.
“What she said about the contracts… maybe she means it.”
Finn looked up, doubt flickering in his purple eyes.
Yeah, he’d noticed too.
The blood she’d given Sage without hesitation.
The way she’d thanked Caleb.
Even defending him when she could have let the others tear him apart.
Nothing like the sadistic bitch who used to torture them for sport.
“She’s either the galaxy’s best actress,” Caleb said quietly, “or she actually wants out as much as we do.”
“Doesn’t matter what her game is. Long as I can break this contract, I’ll play along.”
Hunter stretched, scarred muscles rippling.
“Food first. We’ll figure out what she’s really up to on the road.”
Nobody disagreed with that.
Twenty minutes later, Maya emerged to find them packed and ready.
“We need to go to the Eagle tribe. My father’s clues point there.”
Caleb and Jasper looked at each other.
Their faces got serious.
“Maya,” Caleb said slowly, “do you know what Feral Planet is like?”
Maya shook her head.
She only knew her father was here.
She knew nothing else about this planet.
Jasper spoke up, worry in his green eyes: “Feral Planet is totally primitive.
It has powerful aberrant beasts and wild tribes.
The Eagle tribe exists, but they hate outsiders.”
“Plus,” Caleb added, “our space gear will give us away instantly.
Outsiders here get kicked out or killed.”
Maya frowned.
“So what do we do?”
“We can’t leave the ship here,” Caleb said coldly.
“It shows we were here.
Other forces could track us.”
“I’ll handle it,” Jasper said.
“The emergency fold system still works.”
He quickly worked on the ship.
A few minutes later, he put away the folded device.
“We can pretend to be primitive beastmen.” Sage walked over.
“I found an old cave while scouting the area earlier. Someone used to live there. It has animal skins we can use.”
Hunter nodded.
“We need to look like locals. That’s the only way to get close to the Eagle tribe safely.”
Maya decided quickly.
“Good. Let’s change now.”
They followed Sage to the cave.
It had lots of animal skin clothes.
“Boys and girls separate,” Maya said, looking around the cave.
“I’ll go to that corner. You guys stay here.”
Maya took some animal skins and walked to the back.
The men started organizing their stuff.
When Maya disappeared into the shadows, they all perked up their ears.
Maya came out after changing.
The rough animal skins fit well.
They hugged her full chest and thin waist.
The loose skirt moved as she walked, showing her long, fit legs.
Her body looked perfect.
All the right curves.
Very attractive.
Caleb’s red eyes narrowed.
Jasper swallowed hard.
Hunter’s hands tightened.
Even calm Sage stared for a second.
Finn’s purple eyes showed mixed feelings.
For the first time, they realized just how smoking hot their female actually was.