Transmigrating to the BeastWorld,I Picked Up an Adorable BeastHusband!-Chapter 54:Finally

"Spirits of the earth, spirits of the high peaks." Numa’s voice was low and resonant. "Witness this union. The Snake protects, the Sky gives." He moved his hands in a slow circle over their heads, his words taking on a chant-like quality.

He called for strength, vision, and cunning to stay far from their home unless invited.

Numa pulled out two ceremonial knives and handed one to Weijie and the other to Ningning.

Weijie looked at Ningning as he cut his palm, and she did the same.

They pressed their bleeding palms together, sealing their bond. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Numa smiled slightly. "Speak your hearts. Let the mountain hear why you choose this bond."

Weijie’s fingers interlaced with hers, his thumb stroking over the back of her hand, smearing the blood in a symbolic seal.

"I am a man of stone and scale." Weijie began, his voice thick with emotion. "I thought I knew the limits of my world. Then you arrived, and the world became larger than I ever imagined. I will hunt for you until my legs fail; I will fight for you until my blood runs dry. You are my fire in the winter, Ningning. My heart is yours."

Ningning felt her throat tighten.

All the fear she’d felt when she first arrived in this primitive land, all the stress of the tasks, it all melted away under his gaze.

"I was lost when I found you." she whispered, her voice carrying through the silent clearing. "I thought I was a stranger here, but you made me feel like I was finally where I was meant to be. I don’t have the strength of your warriors, but I have a heart that belongs to you. I will walk with you, learn from you, and protect what we have with everything I am. You aren’t just my mate, Weijie. You’re my home."

The clearing remained silent for a heartbeat, the only sound the crackle of the massive flames. Then, Numa raised his arms again.

"It is done!" he bellowed.

The drums of the Snake tribe exploded into life, joined by the deep, guttural roars of the Bear tribe and the shrill, celebratory cries of the Eagles.

Even the Fox tribe began a rhythmic clapping.

[Warning: High levels of oxytocin detected] Doudou teased, though his tone was unusually warm. [You did it, Dumpling.You’re officially a wife.]

Weijie stood up, pulling Ningning with him. He didn’t let go of her hand.

He turned to face the gathered tribes, his chest heaving slightly, the firelight catching the sharp lines of his ceremonial markings.

He looked like a man who had finally won his greatest battle.

The feast was about to begin, and the atmosphere shifted from solemn to hungry.

The solemnity of the ritual shattered as the tribe transitioned from silence to celebration. Hauk was the first to reach them, clapping a hand onto Weijie’s shoulder with enough force to make a lesser man stumble.

"I told you!" Hauk boomed, his laughter echoing against the canyon walls. "The human female belongs to the Snake!"

Loki and Ayres were right behind him, offering respectful nods, while Runa gave Ningning a knowing, rare smile.

Then came the girls, Xiaoli, Puka, and Nala crowding around to touch the mammoth fur one last time, their eyes bright with the success of their handiwork.

Ningning searched for Una but she was nowhere to be seen.

"You look like a goddess." Xiaoli whispered, beaming. "The Fox tribe can’t stop staring."

But Weijie wasn’t interested in the congratulations, the feast, or the admiring stares from the other tribes.

He stood stiffly as his friends joked, his hand still clamped firmly around Ningning’s, his blood still drying against hers.

Every time Hauk laughed or any male craned their neck to get a better look at Ningning, Weijie’s jaw tightened.

He had shared her with the world for the ceremony; he wasn’t sharing her for the party.

[Possessiveness levels: Critical,] Doudou dryly observed. [He’s about five seconds away from growling at his own people]

Weijie didn’t even wait for the first platter of meat to reach them. He leaned into Hauk’s ear, growling something low and final that made the fellow eyes widen.

"Already?" Hauk grinned, stepping back and raising his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. "Fine, fine. Go. We’ll eat your share!"

Without another word, Weijie turned to Ningning. He didn’t ask; he simply scooped her up, bridal-style, the mammoth fur billowing around them.

A cheer went up from the Snake tribe, a mixture of whistles and rhythmic drumming, as he turned his back on the fire and the hundreds of guests.

"Weijie, the feast.." Ningning started, her face flushing as they bypassed the massive tables of food.

"The others can eat." Weijie rumbled, his voice low and vibrates against her chest. "I’ve waited long enough."

He moved with a predatory speed, his powerful legs eating up the distance between the clearing and the higher pathway.

The noise of the drums began to fade, replaced by the quiet whistling of the wind and the heavy, rhythmic thud of Weijie’s heart against her ear.

When they reached their cave, the entrance was already prepared. Two small torches flickered on either side, and the scent of fresh pine and soft furs greeted them.

Weijie stepped inside and kicked the heavy hide curtain shut, sealing out the rest of the world.

He set her down slowly, his hands lingering on her waist. The firelight from the small hearth inside the cave cast long, dancing shadows over his ceremonial markings.

He looked at her, really looked at her without the eyes of the four tribes watching.

"Finally." he whispered, his voice dark and thick with an emotion that made Ningning’s knees feel weak. He reached out, his thumb tracing the paint on her collarbone. "No more rituals. No more people. Just us."

[System Note: I’ll just... go into sleep mode for a bit.] Doudou muttered, his voice fading out. [Good luck, Dumpling. You’ve earned this. And don’t forget page 79 of the illustration.]

-_-

Weijie stepped closer, the heat radiating off his bare chest making the cool cave air vanish.

He reached for the brooch of the mammoth mantle, his eyes searching hers for permission.