Ari (Child of the Beastman Goddess)

Lev’s POV

The day of the duel arrived while I bid my last kiss on Ari’s forehead as she was sleeping soundly on her bed.

I couldn’t stop myself from worrying though I already prepared everything that was needed to be prepared for.

I stopped by the lake to drink some water as I talked to Dillon seriously and reminded him for the last time to protect Ari at all cost on my behalf if worse comes to worst.

He promised me that he will protect her with his life and might so I believed his words, words he swore to the pride of a lion beastman.

I was sure that I was in a good condition right before the duel, but I suddenly felt dizzy right before Bhari’s punch landed on my stomach and I vomited blood until I almost fell unconscious.

My memory flashes back beyond my sight.

I remembered when Freya and I grew up together. I have liked her since I was young. However, she fell in love with a black snake and a bear. She loved them dearly, but the original rule of the tribe was that once their children came of age, they needed to be handed over to the tribe where their fathers originated to keep the population of the lion beastmen in the tribe aligned because this is the lion tribe.

My dear Freya will be sad if ever it happens so I had no choice, but to become the alpha.

I was so lucky to successfully defeat the old alpha, but I got heavily injured that I almost lost my left eye and left a huge scar on my face.

It took me a few months to fully recover after the duel. Unfortunately, the old alpha died not long after due to his heavy injury that I inflicted. I felt guilty though he smiled at me on his deathbed while praising my might.

“Son, don’t feel aggrieved because you did great back there and I know that the tribe will prosper in your hands. The beastman goddess visited me last night saying she will reward you with a blessing that shall bring prosperity and salvation despite the future chaos not only on our tribe, but to all the beastman. Cherish the blessing and protect it until your last breath. Lastly, thank you for growing up.” He whispered to me as he bid his farewell and wishes before taking his last breath.

Freya finally agreed to marry me though she seemed unwilling, but she had to keep her promise.

On the third day of the courtship ritual, a ray of light descended from the sky covering me and Freya as I transferred my energy to her. The whole tribe rejoiced as the beast goddess blessed our union.

I gifted Freya a coat made from the pelt of the white tiger that I caught during the last hunting season.

Drake and Dov were good comrades though they have some hidden hostility against me, I can understand because males are originally possessive.

If it isn’t because of the low birth rate of the females, no males will want to share their partner with others. Even so, I am content as long as I can stay close to Freya.

The courtship ritual went smoothly and the wedding day was a bliss.

After the bonfire celebration, we headed to Freya’s room for our first night wherein the other spouses are not allowed to interfere until the next day.

Strangely, Freya went into heat and it also affected me making us out of control and so we consummated that night unwillingly.

After a week, Freya laid an egg and a paternity mark appeared on my chest. Freya was happy despite what happened.

I diligently took care of Freya’s egg. The egg was alone in the incubation room since it was strangely laid a month prior to the actual mating and laying season.

A small insignia of a cub inside the egg appeared on my chest. I thought it’s a male.

The elder healer also helped me in taking care of the egg since I had a lot of responsibilities at hand as the alpha of the tribe.

I diligently visited the egg every dawn to incubate him and named him Ari, the lion of God.

The elder healer takes over once the sun rises and keeps the egg warm by keeping the incubation room warm.

One time, I caught a blue wolf and made its skin into a pelt. I was contemplating if I shall give it to Freya and find another one for Ari since blue wolves are rare.

I suddenly remembered the old alpha’s words; to cherish the blessing of the goddess so I decided to place the pelt under Ari’s egg.

The winter and mating season arrived and Freya had undergone heat again. I was so tied up with my duties that I could only come home late at night and they already locked Freya’s room. I can smell her scent from outside her room while Drake and Dov were also inside.

I can hear Freya’s moan as they take turns making love with her. Her scent was so irresistible, so I had to run to the elder healer just to ask for a suppressant and stayed in there until Freya’s heat subsided.

A week after Freya’s heat, she laid two eggs and placed them in the incubation room. I wasn’t able to come across either Drake or Dov in the incubation room since I had too many issues to attend to despite the cold weather and I only visited Ari at dawn.

I was also taking care of their older hatchlings who were placed in the care of the elders in the nursery. Lindie was especially clingy to me that the others almost thought I was the real father if not for her appearance being similar to drake.

Also, I managed and finalized the revision of the law and secured their place in the lion tribe so the cubs no longer need to leave once they came of age.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

Ari’s egg was slowly growing so I sometimes wonder if he really is a male. There were no signs of problems on her egg and even on the insignia on my chest so I continuously proceeded with the incubation.

The spring was slowly approaching and Ari was becoming more and more active when his egg rolled out of the wolf’s pelt multiple times. If the elder healer was not diligently paying attention, he might have already rolled over to the other eggs and it would be disastrous since Ari’s egg was bigger and was about to hatch in a few weeks.