Chapter 6
Jamie's POV
I woke up to the unmistakable smell of burning wood and roasted meat. The scent, a primal mix of smoke and savory richness, made my stomach rumble. My eyes brightened with a renewed sense of purpose. I had successfully had noodles in the morning,and now?, I was ready to face the day. I walked out of the room, ready to accept my newfound role as the family chef.
My gaze landed on the little family, all sitting around a crackling fire, enjoying their meal.
As my eyes adjusted to the early morning light, I saw the kids and Lucien happily chewing on large chunks of roasted meat. But then, I saw it. In Lucien's hand was another piece of meat, raw and bloody, with a thin layer of fat still clinging to it. The kids, in turn, were gnawing on their own bits of raw meat, their faces showing an animal-like pleasure.
Raw meat! My mind screamed, my blood running cold. I watched in horror as Carlos, with a wide, innocent grin, tore into a piece with his small teeth. The sight sent a wave of nausea through me, and all my careful plans for the day vanished in a puff of pure, unadulterated disgust.
Without thinking, I walked straight to Lucien and, with a force I didn't know I possessed, knocked the raw meat from his hand. It landed in the dirt with a wet, sickening thud. The whole family froze. The air stilled, the crackling of the fire the only sound. The tension in the atmosphere was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Lucien's gaze, a dangerous, primal look, fell upon me. My skin prickled with a sudden, primal fear, a warning that told me I had just made a very big mistake. But still, I stood my ground. The kids' eyes widened in shock, their faces a mix of confusion and anger. They were ready to fight, their small bodies tensing, as if I had dared to lay a hand on their precious father once more.
"Don't you know that eating raw meat is unhygienic?" I questioned, glaring hard at him, my anger flaring up. "It's a risk for bacteria, parasites… it's a health hazard!"
Just then, a systematic, yet feminine voice rang out, echoing in my head. "Host! Host!"
I spun around, a jolt of panic shooting through me. "Who is there?" I questioned, my voice a panicked whisper.
"It's your system," it replied, its voice now clear and distinct, coming from inside my head.
"Can you give me a heads-up before doing things that freak me out?" I questioned, rubbing my aching temple. I had enough on my plate without a disembodied voice in my head.
"Adrien, he's going mad?" Carlos muttered, clinging to his older brother, a boy who, with his serious expression and watchful eyes, looked like a miniature version of a CEO.
The system's voice boomed in my mind, a little louder this time. "Stop saying rubbish, new host! Remember, you're in the body of an omega male that was brought up eating raw meat! He's not used to your modern-world thinking!"
I flinched, a part of me wondering if they could hear the voice too. "Raw meat makes you freak out?" Lucien asked slowly, his voice deep and hoarse, a hint of mockery in his tone. He was clearly amused by my bizarre behavior, probably assuming it was a sign of madness.
I let out an awkward laugh, trying to soothe the angry beast in front of me. "Yes… I just heard too much raw meat killed some beast cubs back during one of my… outings?" I replied, more like a question, trying to not sound strange.
He looked at me with a strange expression, a mix of curiosity and something I couldn't quite decipher.
"I'll compensate you. I'll cook something for you," I said, my voice now a bit more confident. "Will that be okay for the loss?" I tried to soothe him, staring at the raw meat on the dirt, a symbol of my audacity.
System, did you upgrade or what? Please search what I can make that is free in the Millar app. I'm in deep shit, I thought, using the telepathic link that now existed between us.
The system replied immediately. "Yes, I upgraded because the user accepted his new life. The user's options remain: noodles. You can also win missions to unlock other foodstuffs or earn mineral materials like gold, silver, ruby, and the rest to unlock the user's wants."
Noodles can't satisfy beasts, I grumbled, turning to look at the kids who had also dumped their raw meat and were now chewing on the roasted meat, their eyes bearing an expectant look. They were fully cautious, but also filled with hope.
"Which kind of mission am I to conquer before I'm able to get food like rice?" I questioned, having an internal monologue with the system.
The system, as if trying to play a joke on me, replied with a bold, ridiculous offer: "Kiss your beast husband for 30 cups of Newrich Company's rice."
Keep dreaming, I replied, ending that absurd discussion immediately.
I ended up standing inside the unkempt and littered kitchen, a makeshift stove made of stones and a large iron pot at its center. I couldn't do it. My modern sensibilities screamed in protest.
"I can't do this. Cleanliness first," I muttered to myself, turning on my heels and walking toward Lucien, who sat like a politician, while his kids sat like guard dogs around him.
"Lucien, I can't cook in a dirty environment," I muttered, my voice firm.
"Hmmph. I knew he was going to find an excuse," Fiona mumbled, glaring hard at me. I looked at her affection bar, a solid zero. It hadn't moved a single point.
I turned my attention to Daniel, the easiest target. "Daniel, did you eat my snacks? Did you enjoy them?" I questioned, watching him nod, a wide smile on his face. He had already confirmed that he had shared it with his siblings, a fact that both frustrated and amused me.
"Do you want another one?" I asked, a sly smile on my face. I watched not only his eyes but the eyes of the other kids sparkle too. I waited for him to nod, and he did, his head bobbing up and down. I then gave him a little homemade bowl made with tree bark.
"Fill it with water so we can clean away this mess and eat well," I said, pointing toward the dirty kitchen.
Watching him rush away with the bucket, his small legs pumping with excitement, I smiled. My clothes tugged, and I looked down to see a cute little girl with a timid expression. I crouched down to meet her height. From the way she felt embarrassed, I could tell she had trouble talking. I looked over to see the holographic image above her head. It read: Ella, affection bar 20. I smiled and gave her a little bowl. I picked up a bucket myself and we strolled together to fetch water.
Behind me, an energetic boy rushed after me with a bowl. Over his head, I read: Benjamin, affection bar 14. I smiled, and then turned to see Lucien. He picked up a very big bowl, a drum that even if I visited the gym for years or became an over-manly man, I surely couldn't even lift it. He followed us with a serious expression.
Looking over to see the serious-looking kid, trailing after his father with his name hovering over his head in that holographic image, I sighed. Adrien, affection bar 3.
Then, the sound of a bowl being raised with a grunt made me turn to see Fiona, walking away grumpily with a solid 0 bar over her head.
I sighed. I still had a long way to go.