Chapter 35: She kissed and told
Jia Hao was scouting the area. His very much pregnant wife was there and he needed to ensure she was safe. While safety was ensured in his pride land, with the recent happening since she arrived, he would not take that chance.
Mira had made a habit of playing with the cubs. It soothed something in him. The same woman who was rumoured to be an eater of beast babies had so many confide in her. Beast cubs are known to be notorious but with her, they were obedient. Jia Hao had no idea how she did it but it made him know he made the right decision making her the mother of his heir. Even though before now, he hated the very air that she breathed.
Jia Hao noticed a lurking cheetah nearby and walked to him. Ming Tao was so involved in staring at Mira that he didn’t notice Jia Hao’s presence.
"Beautiful, isn’t she?" Jia Hao said, capturing Ming Tao’s attention.
"Hm?" Ming Tao murmured. His brain did not grasp Jia Hao’s words till a few seconds later. The last thing he wanted to do was accept that even though deep down he knew it was true. "I don’t know. She’s just. . . . Different. It is interesting to watch."
Jia Hao chuckled. This stubborn cheetah, he thought. "You can’t seem to peel your eyes off her. Yet somehow you do not know if she’s beautiful." Jia Hao pressed. His tone was so carefree around his friend.
Ming Tao scoffed, turning his head away. "I will be leaving. I want to return to my coalition." He uttered. "I came here to tell you that."
Lies! You came here to eat meat! Ming Tao’s mind judged. He brushed the thought off.
"So soon? I thought you wanted to wait till the heir was born. You know, to prove your claim." Jia Hao stated. He had not once forgotten his conversation with Ming Tao. In fact, it replayed in his head every single time and it took a lot from him to not act out based on it. He trusted Mira, for a weird reason he could not fully grasp but he was not about to ruin that trust. He enjoyed being close to her. He always wanted to be. And now that he could be, he would not let assumptions take that away.
Ming Tao laughed, a hand scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. That." He worded. Before, he was so certain that woman was evil and up to no good. Her track record proved exactly that but now, watching the same woman who maltreated the entire beings she came across in the forest risk her life to save one of them made him rethink everything. She still did not trust her, but he would be less closeted about his opinion about her. "I will return when the child is born." Ming Tao said. He did not want Jia Hao to know a part of him may be swayed.
Jia Hao turned to face Ming Tao. "See you soon." He clapped the cheetah’s shoulder. "And when my heir is born, the first one in a long time, I will make you chew your doubt."
Ming Tao laughed. For Jia Hao’s sake, he hoped his words were false but he could not trust Mira. Not again. "I look forward to it." Ming Tao answered. He wanted meat but he knew it was best he left. Lingering in the pride land was messing with his mind.
"I do have something to inquire, Ming Tao." Jia Hao said. Ming Tao looked at him, waiting for what he had to say. "We are both men and rulers of our clan, but we are also friends married to the same fox, so do not find it difficult to speak." Jia Hao began.
Ming Tao listened, curiosity dawned hard on him.
"If you hate Mira as much as you say, why did you not object to her touching you."
Ming Tao’s face blanked. He felt like he was slapped in the face with that question. He. . . Knew? HOW DID HE KNOW? "What are you talking about?" Ming Tao tried to feign ignorance. There was no way he was going to have this conversation and definitely not within a short distance away from the woman in question.
Jia Hao’s gaze lowered. "Down there."
Ming Tao’s face reddened. There was no hiding it now. "You saw us?!" He beamed
Jia Hao shook his head. "Mira told me." He said that so nonchalantly like it was a casual thing to say.
SHE DID WHAT? Ming Tao had nothing to say to that. It was supposed to be private. Never to be seen by anyone or heard of but that fox just had to.
"She told you? Why did she tell you?" Ming Tao panicked. What was more embarrassing than the encounter in the riverbank was claiming to hate the person who made the encounter pleasurable and wanting more of that deep down. Ming Tao shuddered. He had to get rid of the thought of wanting more.
"We are husband and wife. We hide nothing from each other." Jia Hao professed to Ming Tao. Ming Tao could not believe what he was hearing.
"That was so absurd! What even is that?!" Ming Tao protested.
Jia Hao had a plain look on his face as he stared at him. "It’s not. You’re projecting your shame in me knowing because you say that you hate her." A grin formed on his face. Jia Hao had Ming Tao just where he wanted him to be and it was comedic.
"I do!" Ming Tao yelled.
Jia Hao formed a ’c’ with his hand then twisted his hand till his fingers pointed up and mimicked flickering his fingers.
Ming Tao could not bare to watch this anymore. "Go away!" He barked, pushing Jia Hao weakly with a brush of his palm against his concealed by fur shoulder. Mira not only told him but gestured her hand movement on his cock to him.
That woman was so insane. Ming Tao raided his hair with his hands as he bolted. Everyone here is insane, Jia Hao included and he did not want to wait any longer and witness it.