Chapter 9 Possessive to the Core
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The beast’s vertical pupils gazed at Tessa, yet there was no trace of malice in its eyes–only pure friendliness.
Tessa’s palms were slick with sweat from nerves, fully prepared to fight for her life—only to be greeted with this? Exasperated and amused, she dropped the fork and plopped back down into her chair.
No doubt this is the same guy from last night. So, it wasn’t a dream after all!
—
Just like before, the lion showed no sense of restraint, insisting on pressing close to her side. It even seemed tempted by the leftover oatmeal she’d been eating.
“Hey, you can’t have this.” Tessa pushed the bowl aside with one hand while using the other to block the lion’s curious snout.
Once again, her palm was met with a warm, rough lick.
This time, Tessa was much calmer. Without hesitation, she wiped her hand on the lion’s fur as if using it as a towel.
As she did, her eyes roamed over the creature.
Last night’s darkness had only let her glimpse its general outline. Now, she could fully admire its radiant golden fur, which gleamed with a healthy sheen. Its thick, majestic mane exuded a wild, untamed charm–like a young, handsome lion king. But…
Tessa blinked, tilting her head.
Maybe it was just her imagination, but she thought she saw faint traces of black mist clinging to the lion’s body, writhing and twisting like grasping claws. It didn’t look like anything good.
She reached out to touch it, only to feel nothing.
After several attempts, the lion seemed to grow impatient with her poking. With a low growl, it lunged and clamped down on her hand.
The motion was sudden, fierce, and its expression seemed downright feral. Yet despite its show of aggression, its teeth never actually touched her skin, holding her hand gently without applying
any pressure.
Feigning pain, Tessa let out an exaggerated cry. “Aah!”
The lion instantly released her hand.
For a moment, she swore she saw a very human–like expression of shock and guilt flash across its face. Its reaction was so hilarious that Tessa couldn’t hold back. She collapsed onto the table, laughing until her shoulders shook.
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Chapter 9 Possessive to the Core
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Feeling bold now that they were familiar with each other, Tessa smacked the lion’s head in playful retaliation before bolting from the room.
The lion followed at an unhurried pace, keeping just behind her heels. But as soon as they reached the bedroom, it suddenly lunged forward with a burst of speed, tackling her onto the soft bed.
Despite its overwhelming strength, the beast managed to play without ever causing harm–proof of its impressive control.
Touched by its restraint, Tessa responded with the expertise she’d honed from years of playing with cats. Her hands roamed its fur, scratching and petting with practiced skill. The lion purred contentedly, the deep vibrations rumbling through its chest.
After the playful scuffle, Tessa’s gaze returned to the strange black mist, which she could see but not touch–and somehow, she had a bad feeling that having it clinging to the lion couldn’t be good.
Lost in thought, she pondered ways to get rid of the mist. As she focused on the task, a portion of the black mist suddenly vanished right before her eyes–a shocking discovery.
Her pulse quickened with excitement. Concentrating again, she willed the mist to disappear. And like a swarm of insects caught in a blaze, the dark haze began to burn away, leaving a small gap that slowly widened…
A wave of dizziness swept over Tessa, forcing her to pause and rub her aching temples as a ringing noise filled her ears. A sense of exhaustion settled over her–not the physical kind, but a deep mental fatigue.
Naturally, the sensation led her to recall the mental power that therian females were known to possess.
Could I also possess mental power? But what’s this black mist?
Too many questions swirled through her mind without answers. Perhaps she should ask Jacob- this was his area of expertise, after all.
Glancing at the lion beside her, she found it half–dozing, eyes half–lidded as it purred with contentment. Taking advantage of the moment, she quietly reached for her HoloCore and texted Jacob. ‘How’s work going? A lion showed up at home!
Since Jacob had only just left, she didn’t expect a quick response. Even with interstellar technology, emergency medical work couldn’t be that fast.
But to her surprise, Jacob replied almost instantly. ‘A lion? At home?‘
Before she could type back, a video call request popped up.
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Tessa blinked at the urgency in his voice. If anyone was panicking, it was him. She quickly tried to reassure him. “Yes, it’s a lion, but don’t worry–it’s super gentle and well–behaved—”
Before she could finish, the lion stirred from the noise and appeared behind her, its large head entering the frame of the video.
Jacob’s blood ran cold.
The lion’s muscular frame and powerful build were unmistakable–one swipe of its paw could flatten Tessa. Of course, that was because this wasn’t just any lion–this was Alexander’s beast form. His strength and aggressiveness far surpassed that of a normal lion.
What worried Jacob most was that, in this form, Alexander had no rationality—he was driven purely by instinct. While he might seem calm one moment, the next could see him lashing out with lethal force.
As if to prove the point, the lion’s eyes suddenly turned sharp and predatory. Its body lowered into a crouch, and muscles coiled for a strike–classic attack posture.
“Tessa, move! Run! Get to the safe room–now!” Jacob shouted urgently, his face tense with fear.
Confused, Tessa barely had time to react before a furious roar shook the room. The lion lunged- not at her, but straight at the holographic screen displaying Jacob’s face. Of course, the screen was just a virtual projection, and the lion’s powerful leap carried it straight through the intangible image.
Jacob fell silent, momentarily at a loss for words. He hadn’t expected Alexander to ignore the vulnerable young female right in front of him and instead try to attack him through a hologram.
Meanwhile, Tessa could only rub her forehead in exasperation. She hopped off the bed, knelt beside the lion, and gave it a quick once–over. Despite its rough landing, its thick hide had protected it from any harm. Without hesitation, she smacked it lightly on the head.
“Hey! No biting!” she scolded.
i
Unlike their earlier playtime, she could tell that the lion had been serious just now. That wasn’t the playful mischief of a big cat–it had genuinely intended to attack.
Jacob, watching through the screen, couldn’t help but twitch at the sight of her “disciplining” a lion.
Even more astonishing was the lion’s reaction. Despite its earlier display of aggression, it now lowered its head with a sulky expression, only letting out a few low growls of protest–nothing loud or threatening. It looked almost… sheepish.
Still, Jacob couldn’t relax.
After all, it was a feral therian. No one had ever used words like “obedient” or “docile” to describe a male therian who had gone feral. Most were detained before they lost control, but Alexander’s case was a rare accident–his Ferality Index had spiked by six points in a short time, something
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Chapter 9 Possessive to the Core
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Incidents like that were rare, but when they happened, the consequences were severe. Almost every escaped feral therian had injured someone. Those who transformed into aggressive predator forms sometimes caused fatalities–sometimes more than one. And judging by Alexander’s reaction just now, this situation was no different.
“Tessa, please–stay away from him. I’m heading back right now. Lock yourself in the safe room and wait for me,” Jacob urged.
The lion’s ears twitched at the sound of Jacob’s voice. Its eyes sharpened with renewed wariness as it glared at the hologram.
Before Tessa could respond, the lion suddenly pounced, knocking her back onto the bed. Pinning her beneath its powerful frame, it wrapped its body protectively around her. Its throat vibrated with a low, rumbling growl directed at Jacob–a clear warning.
She’s mine.
The possessiveness in its eyes was unmistakable.
