Chapter 22 Did I Do Well?
Finished
Love–or lack thereof–is obvious! Jacob used to be as cold as ice when other females pursued him. When has he ever acted like this before?”
How could he not have ulterior motives?!”
As the comments flooded in, Tessa stared at the screen, stunned. A subtle realization dawned on her–one she’d been slow to notice until now.
Have I been like a frog slowly boiled in warm water?
If that was the case, then Jacob’s plan had worked perfectly–she had indeed grown distant from Alexander and closer to Jacob.
The thought left her deeply uncertain.
er hesitation and the way she eyed him with a hint of scrutiny, Jacob’s smile faltered. “What’s wrong, Tess?” he asked, stepping toward her.
Tessa instinctively took a step back.
Jacob halted, eyes flicking to the holographic screen. Sure enough, the viewers had dissected him down to the bone. His face remained calm, but shadows swirled beneath his
gaze.
‘He’s glaring at me! Someone stop him!”
I’m a sheep therian. I’m going to wet my pants–why does it feel like his predator’s bloodline is suppressing me through the screen?”
“This is terrifying. Is this what it feels like to be stared down by a carnivore?”
“Who said he seemed gentler than Alexander?”
‘Maybe he only acts gentle around Tessa…‘
The viewers quickly dropped the subject, fearing Jacob might abuse his powers as the stream’s moderator and ban them. But the damage was already done.
From that moment on, Tessa maintained an equal distance from both Alexander and Jacob. After briefly explaining the proportions and techniques for preparing the bun filling, she left them to their tasks and focused on engaging with her audience instead.
Tessa’s hands moved skillfully, folding the thin dough over the meat filling with practiced ease. She had cooked often before her transmigration–her family had pressured her to learn from a young age, but she’d never truly disliked it. In her hands, each bun took shape quickly and neatly, its pleats delicate and uniform.
Some viewers had gathered their own ingredients to follow along, but their attempts quickly led to cries of frustration.
2:10 PM
Chapter 22 Did I Do Well?
‘It looks so easy when she does it!”
‘Why are mine turning into weird lumps?‘
Finished
While Tessa and her audience bonded over the cooking process, Alexander and Jacob worked in heavy silence, their frustration simmering as they stole glances at her profile.
Jacob’s background in medicine gave him steady hands and an eye for detail. After a few practice attempts, his buns began
to resemble Tessa’s almost perfectly. Pleased with his results, he placed the best–looking bun on a tray, then stepped back.
A moment later, he shifted into his beast form–an imposing arctic wolf–and balanced the tray atop his head as he approached Tessa to show off his work.
The viewers were stunned.
‘Did he just… transform?!”
‘Does he realize most females hate seeing beast forms? She might kick him out!”
‘I don’t care what happens to him–just don’t scare the young female!”
‘Oh no! She turned around–she saw him!
Tessa, focused on shaping a bun, felt a gentle tug at her sleeve. She turned–and was met with a mass of snowy white fur.
Without thinking, she threw her arms around him.
The chat collectively lost its mind.
Why is she hugging him?!
Why would she hug him?!
He’s a wolf!
In the Empire, wolves consistently ranked among the least favored beast forms for females seeking mates.
While females typically valued status, genetics, and wealth when selecting partners–and carnivore males often excelled in these areas–females generally preferred the gentler presence of herbivores.
Carnivores, with their natural aggression and intimidating aura, could be overwhelming. Even though the Empire’s laws forbade males from betraying their matriarchs, many carnivore males found themselves at the bottom of the household hierarchy–revered outside the home but relegated to a lesser status within it.
Lions, wolves, and leopards… They were prime examples of males whose prestige diminished
Chapter 22 Did I Do Well?
Finished
Yet, because most viewers were Tessa’s fans, their shock quickly gave way to acceptance. After all, this was the same young female who had fearlessly approached a feral black mamba.
The arctic wolf’s snowy fur, though imposing in appearance, felt luxuriously warm and soft against her cheek. Tessa buried her face in his thick coat, momentarily lost in the comforting
sensation.
By the time she realized what she was doing, her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She squeezed her eyes shut, too mortified to meet anyone’s gaze. Her long eyelashes fluttered as she tried to will herself invisible.
Jacob, still in his beast form, gazed down
unmistakable amusement. Lower at her with eyes the color of stormy skies–bright with
made.
“Did I do well, Tess?”
his head, he carefully presented the tray of buns he had
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