Chapter 216: The Silent One Speaks

Maren, Zoey, and the silent guy finally reached the leopard tribe entrance.

They were shocked to see that it was completely different from any other tribe they had passed on their journey here.

The other tribes had looked like a real animal kingdom. Rough huts made of wood and stone, basic structures, everything primitive and wild. But here at the leopard tribe, it looked like a town from Earth.

There were buildings that resembled actual houses. Stone structures arranged in organized patterns. Even what looked like streets laid out between them. It was civilized. It was modern.

"Wow, it is really different from before," Maren muttered, looking around in surprise.

"Woah, are you sure this is not connected to Earth?" Zoey asked, her eyes wide as she took in everything around them.

Someone from the tiger tribe walked toward them at the entrance of the village. The figure was tall and muscular, with stripes of tiger markings visible on his skin.

"You are here!" the voice spoke warmly.

Maren turned and saw a familiar face. The tiger chief who had been at some of the earlier tribal meetings.

"Ryker, right?" Maren asked, remembering the name from the last time he had seen him. .

"Yes," Ryker replied with a smile. "And you must be Maren, from the shark tribe. I have heard much about you."

He tilted his head slightly to look behind Maren at the other two.

"And they are...?" Ryker asked curiously.

"They are here for Neve. Part of Neve’s people," Maren said carefully.

Ryker’s eyes widened in understanding.

"Neve’s people? You mean, from the other world?" Ryker asked, clearly knowing more than Maren had expected.

Maren raised a brow in surprise. He was not aware that Ryker knew about it. Maybe Neve had told his mates about the earthling situation.

"He knows about us?" Zoey even leaned forward to whisper to Maren, her voice filled with shock.

"Seems so," Maren replied quietly.

"Come with me, let me take you to him," Ryker said and began walking through the village toward the cave.

Zoey and the silent guy kept walking beside Maren, both admiring the fruits hanging from trees and everything else they saw as they passed through the tribal village.

The structures were impressive. Gardens were planted all around, filled with vegetables and fruits thanks to Sorin’s regeneration ability. The village looked healthy and prosperous.

They finally reached the cave entrance.

They found Sif and Doris’s siblings playing outside with a ball, laughing and running around without a care in the world.

"Are those his kids?" Zoey asked, gasping at the sight.

"What? No!" Maren replied quickly as they walked closer to the cave entrance.

Zoey froze when she saw so many handsome beastmen around the cave. As if gawking at Ryker on the way here was not enough, she could not get enough of the handsome faces she was seeing now.

She could see Kael with his wolf features. Sorin with his eagle-like grace. Cael with his leopard markings. And several others who were all ridiculously good looking.

"Oh my gosh, who are all these men?" Zoey asked, her French accent thick with excitement.

"Neve’s mates," Maren replied simply.

"Fuck," Zoey cursed under her breath. "I did not know they would be so... so..."

She could not even find the words.

Ryker walked to the inner room to call Neve and Neve’s voice echoed from deeper inside the cave.

"Oh my! Maren is here?" Neve called out with excitement in his voice.

Neve walked out of the room, appearing with his long red and black hair flowing behind him. His belly was visibly rounded with pregnancy now, the cubs inside him clearly growing. He looked beautiful and radiant despite his condition.

Maren’s lips curved into a genuine smile as he saw his mate. The smile was warm and full of affection.

"Neve," he called out softly.

Neve walked closer to Maren, moving carefully due to his pregnancy. He held Maren’s arms since he could not hug him properly due to his stomach pressing between them.

"You are back," Neve said happily. Then he paused and looked at the other two people standing behind Maren. "And you brought guests."

"They are the other two earthlings," Maren said, introducing them.

Neve’s eyes brightened up with recognition. But then his expression faltered slightly. His eyes lowered and a shadow of sadness crossed his face.

"Since you have seen the other two, then the time to return is near, right?" Neve asked quietly, his hand still holding Maren’s arm.

Maren felt the weight of the question.

"It is," he admitted, "but I have not completed mission two yet. I have to find The Key and I do not know what it is or where it is or if it even looks like an actual key."

Neve rubbed his chin thoughtfully, looking at the other two earthlings standing behind Maren. Then he clapped his hand together decisively.

"Then I have something to tell you," Neve said. "But first, let us all eat first. You must be exhausted from traveling so long."

Zoey stepped forward, speaking quickly.

"Please, I do not want meat or fruit or anything raw," she said. "I am so tired of hunting food in the forests. Do you have anything civilized? Like pasta or bread or anything from an actual kitchen?"

The silent guy who had been walking with them the entire time, who had not spoken a single word since they met him days ago, suddenly spoke.

"Then would you eat pasta?" he asked calmly.

"Yes," the silent guy spoke almost immediately, his voice deep and smooth despite hardly ever speaking before.

The entire cave went quiet.

Zoey’s eyes widened in shock.

Maren’s mouth fell open slightly.

Even Neve looked surprised, his hand freezing mid-gesture.

The silent guy had finally spoken, without being spoken to first and his first words were a simple agreement about pasta.

But that was not the most shocking part. It was the way he had spoken, as if he had been waiting for someone to offer something that would make him want to talk. As if this simple question about pasta was important enough to break his long silence.