Travis pushed the lion's hands away before things got worse. The beast had been trying to bring out his dick from his pants, and hell no—that wasn't going to happen.
He wasn't about to let some random lion-man—or whatever he called himself—touch his genitals. The lion paused when Travis stopped him, straightening up with a curious look before grinning wide.
"Why the grin? What's he planning now?" Travis muttered nervously. Fear crawled through his chest when, before his eyes, the lion transformed back into his huge, menacing beast form.
Then the beast crouched and motioned for Travis to climb on his back.
"What? Climb on the back of the king of the jungle? Nope, not happening," he refused, hands on his hips.
A loud roar erupted right beside his ears, shaking his bones.
"Okay—okay, change of plans," he blurted, swallowing hard. "Maybe the back of a lion isn't that bad after all."
Cautiously, Travis climbed on. The lion's fur was warm and soft—so soft it almost made him sleepy. But he knew better than to doze off and wake up as stored meat somewhere.
The lion began to move, padding silently through rows of trees and thick bushes. The deeper they went, the denser the forest became. The trees rose like towers, reaching the sky, and below them slithered creatures he couldn't even describe.
Half-human, half-whatever—they were everywhere. Even an earthworm had a human face. Travis almost gagged. "Imagine getting close to a half-worm man—I'd faint and never wake up again."
Eventually, they exited the thick forest and entered a more open area. Houses built from bamboo and leaves dotted the landscape. No sign of human innovation—no bricks, no glass—meaning, clearly, his people weren't here.
The lion slowed down, almost like it wanted Travis to observe their world. And boy, it was bizarre.
A fox and a wolf were dragging a she-wolf across the dirt. The female was hideous—her eyes like deep sockets from a broken phone screen. Her mouth wasn't any better, stretched unnaturally wide. Travis couldn't help muttering, "Maybe it's just that one…" But when he looked around, most of the females looked the same.
"The she-wolf's still prettier than the rest. Some of these faces could rival Peppa Pig," he thought, cringing at the childhood memory.
"No wonder that lion kept staring at me. Even the others we pass are gawking like I fell from heaven." Then again… technically, he did fall from the sky.
The lion stopped before a large circle where a crowd had gathered, all watching the fight between the wolf and the fox.
"Why are we stopping for this? Just a fight?" Travis muttered, sighing. But no one answered. No one ever did.
Different beasts filled the area—some cheering, some growling—as the two males tore into each other. The she-wolf stood nearby, grinning wide as blood splattered around them. When her gaze met Travis's, her grin vanished.
She stared—long and hard. Not with curiosity, but with hatred. Travis could feel it in his bones. She saw him as a threat.
And wow, the men here—if you could even call them that—were all ridiculously gorgeous. Sculpted faces, shimmering hair in every color imaginable. The women? The complete opposite.
Thankfully, the lion stood close enough to shield him from most of their stares—except the she-wolf's burning eyes.
The fight escalated fast. Both the fox and the wolf morphed into their beast forms, ripping and clawing at each other like it was some gruesome show. Blood splattered everywhere. The fox's arm tore off, its limbs twisted, and the feral wolf bit into its body until the poor creature collapsed, lifeless.
Instead of mourning, the crowd cheered. They chanted the wolf's name, celebrating the bloodbath like it was a festival.
Travis could barely breathe. The smell of blood, the heat, and the clingy lion pressing against him—it was too much.
"It's not like I'm married to you," Travis hissed, trying to pry the lion's arm off him, but the grip only tightened.
Then, suddenly, a faint light appeared near his face. He gasped and flinched, catching the lion's attention. The beast looked at him questionably, but Travis quickly shook his head. "I'm fine, don't mind me."
When the lion turned back, the light floated closer—revealing a tiny, glowing figure.
"What the hell now…" Travis whispered.
The small figure giggled. "I'm your guide and fairy godmother! My first gift—giving you the ability to understand the languages here. You'll need it to know the mess you're in."
Travis blinked. "A fairy godmother? Yeah right." He laughed awkwardly, but the moment the words mess you're in sank in, his smile vanished. "Wait—what mess? Is it the lion?!"
But before he could ask more, she tapped her wand against his forehead and disappeared.
Travis groaned loudly. "Seriously? Everyone just leaves me!"
Then a deep voice boomed from the crowd. "That's how it's done, Master Von Don! Make that she-wolf yours! Breed her and fill her with cubs!"
Travis froze. Wait… he could understand them. The fairy hadn't been lying.
And from the words, it dawned on him—he'd just witnessed a mating ceremony.
"Oh hell no," he muttered. "That's not happening to me. Human and beast mating? Not in this lifetime."
As he spoke, the she-wolf got mounted right there in front of everyone, the wolf marking her while the crowd cheered. Travis gagged and looked away, cringing hard.
Before he could protest again, another beast approached them. A massive half-human, half-bear creature.
"Derek, there you are," the bear said. "And who's this gorgeous fellow?"
The lion—Derek—growled softly.
"He's a strange one," Derek said. "I've never met anyone with such a sweet scent or beauty like his. Ethereal, really. Must have fallen from the heavens."
Travis's face burned. They were talking about him like he wasn't even there. Insulting!
Being called a beauty wasn't something he was used to. Back home, he was ordinary—but among these monstrous women, he probably did look like an angel.
The bear leaned closer, sniffing, but Derek growled possessively and bared his fangs.
"Whoa, easy!" the bear raised his hands. "You didn't say he was your mate. I thought he was just your pet."
Derek stepped forward and licked Travis's face. "He is my pet. But that doesn't mean I'll let anyone else touch him."
Travis's body stiffened.
A pet? Absolutely not. He wasn't going to be anyone's property.
"I'm not your pet!" he snapped, glaring up at Derek.
The lion's expression softened slightly. "I know you wouldn't agree so easily. But as payment for saving your life, it's only fair."
Before Travis could respond, the bear climbed onto a platform and shouted, "My fellow beastmen! We have among us a treasure—unclaimed, unmated! Who will fight for his hand?"
The crowd erupted into chaos.
Murmurs spread fast. No one wanted an omega before—but when they saw Travis, their eyes changed. His scent filled the air like perfume, driving them wild.
Derek's body tensed, his protective instincts flaring as dozens of beastmen began to shift—wolves, foxes, leopards, panthers—all eyes on Travis.
The air filled with growls and snarls. Derek roared, standing before him like a wall.
He'd made a mistake introducing Travis to the crowd before taking him home. Now, according to their laws, he had to fight them all—to claim Travis as his mate.
The first beast lunged, and the battle exploded into chaos.
Travis tried to run, but strong hands held him down.
"No—no, I'm not ready for mating yet! Somebody help me!" he screamed, but no one listened. The alphas, crazed by his pheromones, fought like monsters for his body and scent.