Jagger's boots hit the stone path leading away from the square.

"Stop right there, Jagger!"

A shrill, grating voice cut through the tension.

A woman stepped into their path, blocking the way. She wore a skirt made of vibrant, iridescent feathers that caught the sunlight. Her face was painted with aggressive red lines, and her eyes were fixed on Cora with pure, unadulterated hatred.

This was Inell, the tribe leader's daughter.

Cora lifted her head from Jagger's shoulder. The sheer malice radiating from Inell made the hair on her arms stand up.

Inell pointed a manicured finger at Cora. "You brought back a piece of trash from the mud? Look at her. She's pathetic. She smells like a rotting corpse."

Jagger's body went rigid. He slowly lowered Cora to her feet, stepping in front of her, completely shielding her from Inell's view.

"Move, Inell," Jagger warned. His voice was a low, dangerous rumble that vibrated in the air.

Inell flinched, her eyes shining with unshed tears of jealousy. She had thrown herself at Jagger for years, only to be ignored. And now, he was protecting this filthy outsider.

She forced a sickeningly sweet smile onto her face. She snatched a beautifully crafted leather waterskin from one of the women standing behind her.

"I only came to offer you water, Jagger," Inell purred, holding the skin out. "My father sent the sweetest spring water for our strongest warrior."

Jagger didn't even blink. He didn't reach for it. The disgust in his eyes was clear.

Inell's smile tightened. She shifted her gaze to Cora, peeking out from behind Jagger's arm.

"If Jagger won't drink, perhaps your... little pet is thirsty," Inell said, her voice dripping with fake pity. She shoved the waterskin toward Cora. "Drink. You look like you're dying."

Cora stared at the waterskin. Her throat was parched, but something in Inell's eyes felt wrong.

"BEEP! Critical Warning! Liquid contains high concentrations of alien aphrodisiac herbs. Ingestion will cause severe mental disorientation and forced heat."

DAISY's voice screamed in Cora's head.

A cold sweat broke out on the back of Cora's neck. Inell wanted her to drink it. She wanted Cora to lose her mind in front of the entire tribe, to become a spectacle of uncontrollable lust.

Cora's hands trembled as she reached out. Behind her lowered eyelashes, DAISY's interface rapidly scanned the ground beneath them. "Notice: Indigenous 'Blue Flame Grass' detected in stone crevices at 6 o'clock. Chemical property: Reacts violently with alien aphrodisiacs, emitting visible vapor." Cora's mind raced. This wasn't just a trap; it was her chance to turn the tables. She adjusted her footing, calculating the exact angle.

She played the part of the weak, exhausted victim perfectly. Just as her fingertips brushed the leather, she feigned a stumble, intentionally twisting her wrist to knock the waterskin downward at a sharp angle.

The heavy waterskin slipped from her grasp. It didn't just hit the stone. It splashed directly onto the cluster of small, blue-leafed weeds growing in the cracks of the path.

The moment the liquid touched the 'Blue Flame Grass', a violent chemical reaction occurred.

Thick, bright pink smoke hissed up from the weeds, carrying a heavy, sickeningly sweet, musky scent.

Several older hunters in the crowd instantly covered their noses, their eyes widening in shock.

"That's heat-root!" one of them yelled, pointing at the pink smoke. "It's a breeding drug!"

The square erupted into chaos. Every eye turned to Inell. The disgust that had been aimed at Cora was now entirely focused on the Chief's daughter.

Inell's face drained of all color. She stumbled backward, her hands shaking. "I... I didn't know! My servant must have grabbed the wrong skin!"

Jagger didn't care about her excuses.

He lunged. His massive hand wrapped around Inell's throat, lifting her entirely off the ground.

Inell kicked her legs wildly, her hands clawing at his thick forearm. Her face turned a deep, mottled purple as her airway was crushed.

He was going to snap her neck right there.

Cora knew if Jagger killed the Chief's daughter, the entire tribe would turn on him. She grabbed his thick bicep.

"Jagger, stop," she pleaded, her voice shaking.

The warmth of her small hands on his skin seemed to break through his bloodlust. Jagger's golden eyes flicked to Cora. The murderous rage in them dialed back just a fraction.

He threw Inell onto the hard stone path like a piece of garbage.

Inell gasped for air, coughing violently, tears streaming down her face.

Jagger stood over her, his chest heaving. He looked at Inell, then swept his deadly gaze over the rest of the tribe.

"If anyone touches her again," Jagger roared, his voice echoing off the stone huts, "I will slaughter your entire bloodline."

He turned, scooped Cora up into his arms, and walked away, leaving the tribe in stunned, terrified silence.

Jagger carried Cora away from the settlement, heading toward the steep, jagged cliffs at the back of the valley.

The noise of the tribe faded, replaced by the sound of rushing water. Cora let her head rest against his chest. The adrenaline was crashing, leaving her bones feeling like lead.

The path upward was treacherous. It was a near-vertical climb over sharp, loose rocks.

Jagger didn't even breathe hard. He scaled the cliff face with terrifying ease, his arm locked around her waist like an iron band.

Cora made the mistake of looking down. The ground was hundreds of feet below, a dizzying drop that made her stomach lurch. She squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face into the crook of his neck, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

Jagger felt her tremble. His throat worked, swallowing hard, and he adjusted his grip, pulling her even tighter against him.

They reached a wide ledge hidden entirely behind a massive, roaring waterfall.

Jagger stepped through the mist. The entrance to the cave was lined with sharpened bone spikes and tripwires-a paranoid, highly lethal defense system.

He navigated the traps with practiced ease and carried her into the dry, cavernous space. Faint, glowing moss illuminated the walls.

He walked to the back of the cave and gently set Cora down on a massive bed made of thick, snow-white furs. His touch was incredibly light, a stark contrast to the violence he had just displayed.

"BEEP! Congratulations. Host has successfully survived and entered a Safe Zone."

"Quest Settlement: Thwarted the malicious female's plot. Reward: High-Tier Survival Loot Box."

Cora's heart leaped, but she kept her face blank. She watched Jagger through her eyelashes as he walked over to a fire pit in the center of the cave.

He struck two dark stones together. Sparks flew, catching the dry moss instantly. The fire flared, casting dancing shadows over his heavily muscled back.

He reached into a pit dug into the stone floor and pulled out a massive, bloody haunch of meat. He used his bone knife to hack off a thick slab, the blood dripping onto the floor.

He walked over and held the raw, dripping meat out to her.

The metallic smell of blood hit Cora's nose. Her stomach violently rejected the idea. She clamped a hand over her mouth and shook her head frantically, pressing herself back against the furs.

Jagger frowned. He looked at the meat, then back at her. He thought she wanted a softer piece. He turned back to the haunch to cut a different slice.

Cora panicked. She pointed at the meat, then pointed at the fire, making a sizzling sound with her teeth.

Jagger stared at her, completely baffled. In his world, only the weak and toothless cooked their meat, burning away the raw energy.

But he looked at her pale face, her desperate eyes, and he sighed. A low, rumbling sigh.

He grabbed a thick stick, impaled the meat, and jammed it into the ground next to the flames.

While his back was turned, Cora mentally screamed at DAISY. Open the loot box!

The virtual box exploded in a shower of golden pixels.

"Items acquired: Earth-grade Appearance Restoration Serum (Oral), Plant-fiber Towel, High-Purity Synthetic Salt (1 jar)."

Cora nearly cried with relief. These were exactly what she needed.

The smell of burning fat filled the cave. Jagger pulled the charred meat from the fire and handed it to her.

It was tough, unseasoned, and tasted like ash, but Cora forced it down. She needed the calories.

When she finished, she looked down at herself. Her hazard suit was torn, caked in mud, dried blood, and the acidic slime from the predator. She felt disgusting.

She looked at Jagger, then mimed scrubbing her arms and pointed toward the back of the cave where the sound of water echoed.

"I need to wash," she pleaded softly. "Please."

Jagger looked at her dirt-smudged face. Something soft flickered in his dangerous gold eyes.

He stood up, his massive frame blocking the firelight. "Come."

He didn't wait for her to stand. He scooped her up again and carried her deeper into the dark tunnels of the cave.

The air grew thick and heavy with warm steam as Jagger carried her through the narrow tunnel.

They emerged into a hidden cavern. A natural geothermal hot spring bubbled in the center, the water crystal clear and radiating heat. Bioluminescent ferns clung to the walls, casting a soft, ethereal blue glow over the water.

Jagger set Cora down on a smooth, flat rock at the edge of the pool. He pointed at the water.

Cora looked at her ruined clothes, then up at Jagger. He was standing there, arms crossed over his massive chest, watching her intently.

Heat rushed to her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around herself, biting her lower lip. She couldn't undress with him staring at her like a predator watching its next meal.

She gestured with her hand, silently begging him to turn around.

Jagger raised a thick eyebrow. The concept of modesty didn't exist for him. Mates didn't hide from each other. But he saw the deep flush on her face and the way she shrank into herself.

He let out a low, rough chuckle that vibrated in his chest. Slowly, he turned his back to the water.

Cora let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She quickly unzipped the ruined hazard suit, peeling the stiff, filthy fabric off her skin.

She stepped into the hot spring. The hot water enveloped her aching muscles, and a soft, involuntary sigh escaped her lips.

The sound echoed in the quiet cavern.

Jagger's broad back went completely rigid. His hands curled into tight fists at his sides. The muscles in his neck strained as he fought the overwhelming, primal urge to turn around and drag her out of the water.

Cora didn't notice. She pulled the plant-fiber towel from her system inventory and began scrubbing the grime from her skin.

Under the hot water, the mud and dried blood washed away, revealing her pale, delicate skin. The heat brought a healthy, pink flush to her cheeks.

As she finished washing her hair, a sudden realization hit her.

Her hazard suit was destroyed. She had absolutely nothing to wear.

Panic flared. She sank deeper into the water, bringing her knees to her chest until only her head was visible.

"Jagger..." her voice trembled slightly. "I don't have any clothes."

He didn't turn around. "Wait," he grunted, his voice tighter than before.

He marched out of the cavern.

Cora sat in the hot water, the silence pressing in on her. Ten minutes passed. Then fifteen.

Heavy footsteps echoed in the tunnel. Jagger returned, his arms full, and immediately turned his back to the pool again. He tossed a bundle over his shoulder. It landed softly on the rock next to the water.

Cora swam to the edge and pulled the bundle down.

It was a massive, incredibly soft white animal pelt. But beneath it was something else.

It was a crude, makeshift skirt woven from thick, green vines and broad leaves.

Cora stared at it. The knots were messy, tied by massive fingers that were used to killing, not weaving. A hard lump formed in her throat. This terrifying, lethal beast had sat outside and clumsily tied leaves together just because she asked for clothes.

She quickly wrapped the soft white pelt around her torso, securing it tightly, and pulled the vine skirt over her hips. It was bulky, but it covered her.

She climbed out of the water, using the towel to squeeze the excess water from her dark hair.

"I'm done," she said softly. "You can turn around."

Jagger turned.

The moment his golden eyes landed on her, he froze.

With the mud and grime gone, her skin was luminous in the blue light. The white pelt clung to the curves of her breasts and hips, and the damp hair resting on her bare shoulders made her look impossibly fragile and breathtakingly beautiful.

Jagger stopped breathing.

The gold in his eyes flared, burning away all restraint. His chest he heave as a raw, possessive hunger took over his features.

He took a slow, heavy step toward her.