Trapped in Beast World: My Husbands Are All Animals! Novel

---- Chapter 46 Under His Protection "And remember-only pick buds that are half- open. Fully bloomed ones lose half their potency and are practically useless," Ardenia added. Her mates heard her instructions and plunged into the sea of flowers in perfect unison. Ardenia didn't waste a moment either. She scanned the area, searching for the clusters of honeysuckle in bloom. The air was thick with humidity, but she decided to give it a try. Mint favored the damp, shady edges near water. Ardenia rolled up her pant cuffs tightly to prevent insects from crawling inside.

Once ready, she braced her arms and leapt from a small mound of dirt. Her footing slipped, and from the corner of her eye, she thought she caught a glimpse of a snake. Shock froze her expression. Her body jerked, and she tumbled straight down. She didn't even have a chance to scream. ---- Vesper was returning from the bushes when he saw it. His gaze hardened instantly. Shifting into his beast form, he lunged toward Ardenia. He barely caught her before the ground beneath them collapsed. The thicket gave way with a thunderous crash, mud and debris tumbling down.

Vesper shielded Ardenia entirely, so she remained unscathed when they hit the bottom. His back, however, was torn by thorny vines-deep gashes, split skin, blood streaming freely. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice tight with tension. "I'm fine," Ardenia replied, still shaken. She glanced upward from their landing point. The drop was far taller than she had expected. That couldn't be right-when she had surveyed the terrain, she hadn't seen a cliff this high. Even with her wood-based technique suppressed, something this large shouldn't have escaped her notice. ---- "It's a hidden drop.

You can't see it from above- the vines and overgrowth conceal it," Vesper explained, carefully setting Ardenia down. He reached for his back; his hand came away sticky with blood. Even the lightest touch made cold sweat form on his brow. "You're hurt!" Ardenia's chest tightened. She helped him sit up. His beast-hide shirt was gone, revealing a back shredded with wounds. Her stomach churned at the sight. "I'm sorry... I just wanted to check something," she muttered. D*man it, she thought, guilt washing over her. Ardenia's heart sank. "You don't need to apologize.

My job is to protect you,' Vesper said quietly, turning away. The sight of his torn flesh made her ache with worry. He glanced at her concerned face and forced a smile. "It's nothing," he said lightly, attempting to ease her anxiety. When they had hunted with the vanguard, injuries ---- like this were commonplace. At that time, Ardenia was only focused on her share of the prey, paying no attention to the wounds on her mates. "How can this be nothing? If I hadn't been here, you wouldn't be injured like this," she murmured. Green light began to flow from her technique.

Tears slipped down her cheeks despite her effort to stop them. One by one, they fell onto Vesper's back. His body tensed. He forgot to breathe. She... she is crying? All Ardenia could think about was how grateful she was that her technique was still partially active. Otherwise, she didn't know how she could cope. This had to sting like hell. And her favorite ears-fur rubbed away, moss stuck in the strands. As she worked to heal Vesper, Ardenia reached over and carefully plucked the moss from his ears. ---- The brush of her fingers sent a shock through him.

Vesper caught her wrist before she could pull away and drew her into his arms. Ardenia blinked, gazing up into his piercing golden eyes. She raised her hand to caress his cheek. He leaned into her touch as her palm slid down to the wound on his shoulder. "Does it hurt?" Her eyes glistened red at the edges. Vesper shook his head, pressing a kiss to her palm. His warm breath sent shivers across her skin. "Liar,' Ardenia whispered, letting the green light of her technique envelop his shoulder wound. Falling from that height-without Vesper, she'd be toast. "I'm not lying.

It doesn't hurt," he said firmly. He pulled her closer. "This is nothing. You're safe, and that's what matters. You nearly gave me a heart attack just now." ---- "I'm sorry." She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing half her face against his solid chest. Oh, his chest is so firm and solid. Yes... The more she thought about it, the tighter she held him. D*mn it, I'm almost losing the hottest male I have. Ardenia's sobs came in hiccups. Vesper sighed, helpless. He was the one injured, yet she was the one losing it, gasping for air between tears.

He was trying to figure out how to calm her when she suddenly let go, grabbed his hide skirt, and said, "Let me check on you. Did you get hurt anywhere else? Honey, you're my hottest male. You can't get hurt."