The Ugly Duckling Of The Tiger Tribe-Chapter 133: I couldn’t wait

"You... You’re leaving already?" Kaelor asked, and I could feel the weight of those words, like he had poured his heart, just to get an answer from me.

I expected him to come find me before I left, and I prepared myself to answer as calmly as possible.

"Yes," I replied simply, my eyes lingering on him, even though I didn’t want to.

The word felt heavier spoken aloud than I had imagined it.

His eyes lifted to my face, then flicked past me, toward Fenric, and then back to me.

"So soon," he murmured. "I thought you’d stay until tomorrow, at least."

I responded with a cold tone.

"Plans change."

Kaelor’s breath hitched.

For a moment, he didn’t react at all. Then his shoulders stiffened, and his hands slowly curled into fists at his sides.

It looked like he was angry. And I could only interpret it like this. As if my leaving two days later hadn’t already unsettled him, now I was leaving today. Why the rush? Why do I want to get away so badly?

But he already knew the answer to those questions even without asking out loud.

He swallowed hard, and I watched the shift of his Adam’s apple.

Then, he opened his mouth to speak, looking regretful.

"Why... do I feel like once you leave today, I will never see you again?"

He’s quite sharp, I’ll give him that.

"It’s because I don’t plan to return here any time soon," I said. "No, I don’t plan to return ever."

His lips twisted, and I saw agony bleeding in his eyes.

It was as if he was about to lose something so precious... Something he couldn’t do without, but I’m sure he’s been living a hell of a life without Arinya all this time so there’s no need to feel sympathy for him.

"I understand." He said, throwing his gaze aside. "

"Did you go to see her?" he asked.

The question came out low, restrained, but it carried weight. He was curious. He had a feeling I had gone to see her and that was why I had hastened my decision to leave.

My chest tightened, watching the way his expression fell every second, like a rock was pressed on his head.

"Yes," I said quietly. "I couldn’t wait."

After hearing my response, something broke in his expression.

He looked at me with fierce eyes. Though, it wasn’t anger I saw, but guilt.

His brows knit together, his lips trembling as if he wanted to say something harsh—but no words came. His eyes glistened, and he looked away quickly, dragging a hand down his face like he was trying to pull himself together.

"How is she?" he asked.

The question was small. He spoke as if he asked the question too loudly, something inside him would break.

I went silent.

So he didn’t know.

The realization settled heavily in my chest. Kaelor still believed his mother was alive, still believed she was somewhere he could return to once things calmed down.

I couldn’t be the one to tell him.

"I met Father there," I said at last, my voice steady despite the tightness in my throat. "You... you can hear it directly from him."

Kaelor froze.

"Father?" he echoed, confused. "He was there at the time?"

He took a step toward me, clearly wanting to ask more, needing to—but before he could, hurried footsteps echoed outside the cave.

A male burst in, breath ragged, eyes wide with panic.

"Arinya!" he shouted. "You have to stop your mate!"

Damar.

I shot to my feet, my heart slamming violently against my ribs as I felt the inevitable must have happened.

Not even when I was framed as a criminal in numerous attacks on Veyra did anyone barge into my cave like this.

They usually came together in groups shouting for me to come out and own up to my crime.

So, this time, I knew something dangerous had happened.

"What happened?" I demanded.

He swallowed hard, fear etched into every corner of his face and his eyes trembled, like he had seen a ghost.

"That snake—" he said hoarsely and then yelled. "That snake you brought into our tribe is killing beast folks."

The world tilted and my heart slumped at this sudden accusation.

My ears rang, and for a second, the world spun.

"What?" I whispered.

My heart rate began to accelerate and I bit my lip hard.

I knew I felt something bad. A bad omen.

Something was definitely going to go wrong but I wanted to believe it was just paranoia. I wanted to believe that nothing would happen because Damar was smart and wouldn’t cause trouble unnecessarily, but... Killing beast folks?

Damar is not that careless.

Damar would never... he would never do something so reckless.

The only reason why I can believe Damar is capable of doing that, while I’m still in this tribe, is if it has something to do with me.

Aside from that, everything else is a lie.

The terror in the male’s eyes told me he wasn’t lying, so Damar must be at the scene, and there should be others there as well.

I closed my eyes, trying to sink this news into my head, trying to calm my heart and clench my fists.

I believe Damar. I’ll only listen to what he says. I won’t jump to conclusions yet.

I opened my eyes, fierce and heavy.

I didn’t wait another second and asked,

"Where?"

The male went ahead and we followed after. My heart was still thumping, wondering how such an accusation would’ve come about in the first place.

One thing was for sure, though. Someone had died and Damar was being blamed for it.

This must be a scheme, it had to be.

No matter what anyone tells me, I have no doubt that Veyra is involved with this.

After staying quiet for so long, she finally decided to show her claws and fangs. How distasteful.

I clicked my tongue.

Veyra... I won’t let you mess with my husband and get away with it.