10
“I don’t like her.”
Caleb repeated nervously in my ear.
I absently nodded, still thinking about what had just happened.
Valerie had run her arena for years, and never once had she tried to reclaim a beast-man.
<
Unless, she no longer had many capable beast-men left.
I knew Julian had some skill; among Valerie’s beast-men, he was only mid-to-high tier.
But the beast-men who had followed Valerie in my past life were now nowhere to be
found.
It dawned on me: Julian must have secretly dealt with Valerie’s other beast-men.
I understood now. I looked up and realized Caleb hadn’t followed.
He was kneeling a few steps away, his eyes red-rimmed.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t like her, and I never saw her when I was locked in the arena. I only have you as my
master.”
Caleb’s ears drooped. He cautiously reached out and tugged at my sleeve.
“Master, I only have you. Please don’t abandon me.”
I was slightly startled, my heart aching in that instant.
I knew so little about Caleb.
And even less about where he’d developed such an insecure personality.
I could only say softly, “Mmm. I know.”
“Master.” He pursed his lips, looking up at me.
“I’m stronger than him. Tomorrow, I won’t lose to him.”
I ruffled Caleb’s ear and nodded.
“Of course. You’ll win.”
“Then, if I win, can I…?”
<
His emerald beast eyes gazed steadily at me, like looking into the deepest sapphire.
My heart skipped a beat. A strange emotion seized me in that moment, then swallowed
me whole.
Amidst my thundering heartbeat, he said,
“Don’t throw me away.”
