Whispers of the Beast Realm

Truth

As Allmer's attention shifted to Ace, his demeanor underwent a subtle transformation, his usually stoic facade giving way to a palpable tension that hung in the air like a heavy shroud. His voice, when he spoke, was cold and unyielding, the underlying edge of frustration unmistakable as he demanded an explanation.

"And your reason for not being in the city today so suddenly?" Allmer's words cut through the silence like a knife, the implication clear. Was he angry because Ace wasn't there to protect me? It was a thought that flickered briefly through my mind, but I quickly dismissed it. After all, I couldn't expect Ace to be by my side every moment of every day, especially when Allmer wasn't around. We weren't mates, after all.

Before I could interject, Ace stepped forward to offer his explanation, his voice tinged with a hint of remorse. "Five ferals were spotted just north of the city," he explained, his gaze lowered slightly as if in apology. "Most of the males, except a few left to guard the females, had to leave to track them down. We didn't have a choice."

Allmer's eyes narrowed at Ace's response, his expression inscrutable as he processed the information. "And those left to guard managed to hurt my female," he remarked, his tone icy and detached.

"Drop it, will you?" I interjected, unable to suppress the frustration creeping into my voice. "I've been alone a lot before I met you and was just fine back then."

Allmer fell silent at my words, his gaze drifting to my injured hand as if lost in thought. After a moment's pause, he spoke again, his tone softer this time. "Let's eat. You haven't had dinner yet."

"Definitely starving," I forced a cheerful tone, grateful for the change in topic. "Ace, you join too."

With a nod of agreement, Ace fell into step beside me as we made our way towards the makeshift dining area. Dinner, as usual, consisted of fruits and roasted vegetables, a monotonous fare that left much to be desired. I couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for the varied and flavorful dishes of my own world.

As Allmer and Ace focused on roasting the vegetables, an awkward silence settled over us, the absence of lighthearted banter weighing heavily on my shoulders. It was as if a palpable tension hung in the air, casting a shadow over our meal.

Realizing that now might be the perfect opportunity to broach the subject that had been weighing on my mind, I decided to take the direct approach. Swallowing the last bite of my meal, I turned to Allmer, my expression earnest as I posed my question.

"So, Allmer," I began, the words tumbling from my lips in a rush of nervous energy, "when and how did you manage to find your way to my world?"

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**Thank you so much for reading! I was just reading the comments on the starting chapter where Allmer was introduced to see if anyone had noticed this detail, and surprisingly there was one person who had noticed :)