The Beauty's Hidden Beast

╔═══ Author's note ════╗
If anyone ever wondered what Yaya's backpack was packed with: a laptop, a solar charger, protective gear (gloves, goggles, respirator, gasmask, earplugs), 3x change of clothes, and Vick's memento.
She didn't carry any medical kit, survival kit, or amenities.
The gun and knife weren't hers. She stole it from the van driver. 😁
Btw: Rosa was unconscious when YY put the fake imprint on her. She also knows YY tried to turn Bart rootless.
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Rosa's POV
Instead of getting better, my life just kept getting worse─but why?! No one had ever dared to tell me what to do before! Now, every time, it was: "Rosa, don't do this," "Rosa, don't do that," "Rosa, could you try to be a little nicer?" Nicer? Friendlier? Kinder? Softer? Why would I? They should be grateful I even existed in the same space as them!
Females like me were meant to be worshiped! How could these clueless males even think they had the right to tell me what to do?! They were nothing! They should be tripping over each other, begging to serve me!
I was meant to be the queen. How could I settle for a life with these pathetic weaklings? It was insulting. No, it was disgusting.
I wasn't some common female to be paired off with these losers. I deserved the world's absolute best!
Yet, here I was, forced to follow orders like a dog, a toy, a pet!
No, no, no. It can't be happening.
It can't!
The worst part was that the female was an absolute bitch! She could get away with the most heinous crimes, and no one would ever say a thing. It was sickening.
She stole my male! My mate! Mine! Bart should be kneeling by my feet, serving me and only me!
But that whore dared to lay her dirty hands on me and removed his spousal imprint!
'It's not fair!' I wailed, tears running down my cheeks.
Why was the world so cruel to me?
I didn't deserve it.
I didn't deserve it...
"Look, what I've got for you," the bitch smiled, dragging me toward something in the middle of the room, "I'm sure you're gonna like it."
The leash around my neck pulled tighter, and I stumbled forward, almost falling on my face.
She didn't bother helping me up, and kept pulling me along until we stopped in front of a large reflective surface.
My eyes widened.
Was that me?
It couldn't be.
Compared to the reflection of water, I could see my face more clearly.
A cold shiver ran down my spine when I saw her. She was holding a pair of fluffy ears and a matching tail.
"Come, let's make you presentable," the bitch started brushing my hair. Then, she picked up the ears and attached them to my head.
"Aaarghhh!" I screamed in pain, the prickling sensation stabbing into my skull. I tried to yank away the offending object, but the bitch didn't let me.
She pushed my hands aside and attached the tail next. I wailed and whimpered, clawing at those things, but the more I did, the stronger the pain became.
"It's called a mirror, kitty," the bitch continued, completely ignoring my agony. She lifted me and made me stand, "And you look beautiful in it."
Beautiful?
I turned my gaze back at the reflection. A pair of ears stood on top of my head, a fluffy tail swishing behind me. My eyes were red and swollen, my hair all messy.
"Aaaahhhhhhh!" I pulled at the ears, but it was all in vain. It only made the pain worse.
"Shh...shh..." that bitch murmured, her face inches away from my ear, holding me still, "Don't worry, the pain will be gone soon. Just look, how cute you are now. A little kitten."
My cheeks were stained with tears, too exhausted to fight. I had no way to defend myself, and no one around could help. She was too powerful, too intimidating...too scary.
Why was she hiding behind a cover? She could've obtained the world, had she not hidden herself. She would've never let someone like me stand a chance against her, had she revealed herself.
"There will be many people at the party, and they will be very curious about you," she said, wrapping the leash around her wrist, "Most beastmen might hate you, but I'm sure the people from this place will adore you. If you behave well, I'll let you walk by my side and let you steal the spotlight."
I looked at her weakly, and she chuckled.
"Are you afraid they'll compare you to me?" she asked, turning my head toward the mirror. The image of her face beside mine made me tremble, and the sight of her holding me by the neck terrified me. "Nobody will. If I cover my face, they will never know if you look better or worse than me. Only the weak need attention to feel good about themselves. Are you weak, Rosa?"
I shook her head, "N...o.."
"Really? And who is the girl, who kept flaunting her status and beauty? Who thought of herself superior to the rest? Only weaklings do that to feel better about themselves. If you're not a weakling, then why would you do something like that?"
I shook my head. I didn't know. That's what queens did. Everyone had to acknowledge their position and bow down to them.
"Do you think I'm weak if I hide myself behind a mask, kitty?"
I shook my head. She did absolutely nothing besides walking around silently with her body covered from head to toe. And yet, she still held more power and influence than I could ever obtain. No! I could obtain it too! I just need to steal her males like she stole mine!
"Then why are you scared? Have I ever done anything bad to you? Have I ever laid a finger on you, besides taking your male and cubs in exchange for saving your life from the Ape King? Have I?"
"N-N...o..."
"And do you know why?"
I shook my head.
"Because the weak don't have the luxury to pick their fights. Only the strong can decide who is worth fighting. I have no time to pay attention to the lowlife. And in my eyes, that's what you are, ki-tty,"
I wasn't a lowlife, was I? No. It can't be. I'm better than...than that bitch! I'm better than her, right?!
"I only succeeded in breaking Bart's bond with you because you allowed it. I'll let you try to remove mine after the party, but it all depends on how well you perform," she continued in a whisper, "See, kitty? Where else would you find a mistress as generous as me?"
Cold sweat broke out all over my body, and my throat grew tighter. Nowhere. There was nobody else like her.
"Does it still hurt?" She stroked my head, and I flinched, scared that she would pull out my hair.
I shook my head frantically. I still refused to accept reality, my mind traveling to where I used to have everything. Yes, that's right, I didn't do anything wrong. All of this was just a nightmare. I would wake up, and everything would be back to normal.
"Whose pet are you, kitty?"
I trembled.
"Answer me, whose pet are you?"
"u...r....s." I answered.
"And does your mistress care about you?"
"Y...ys..."
"Do I, kitty?"
"Ye...s."
"Are you sure?"
My legs gave out, and I slumped against her.
She picked me up, and placed me on her lap, petting me gently, "If I didn't, you'd already be dead. If I didn't, the Ape King would've used you as his scapegoat. If I didn't, Vick would've taken pleasure in breaking every bone in your body. If I didn't, Bart would have killed you for threatening the cubs. Do you understand, kitty? The only reason why you're still breathing is because I care. And as long as I'm the only one who cares, you'll be safe and sound."
I nodded, crying and shaking in her arms.
"Now, what did you learn, kitty? Who is your favorite mistress? Hm?"
I clung to her, "U...R."
"Yes, mine." She stroked my hair, her voice dropping, "If you want to be worshiped, become a reflection of my greatness. If I shine, so will you. If I fail, so will you. I can talk, you can do tricks. You can bask in the light, and nobody will be able to take it away from you as long as I'm standing by your side. If they try, then I'll kill them. I promise."
"Hh..." I nodded, a faint smile appearing on my lips. Great like her...I could do that. I was worthy to share her glory and her grace, her beauty and her power. With her by my side, no one would be able to stop me.
She would keep me safe and sound.
As long as she was there, nothing could go wrong.
She was the only one who would give me what I wanted.
No, she was the only one who could.
No, not could.
She was the only one who would.
"Now sleep. You had a long day. When you wake up, you will be reborn. And, everyone will recognize your new power."
"Mmmm," I nodded, smiling softly. I could finally have a chance to show the world how great I was without degrading myself to their level.
I would have my moment.
She promised.
I would have her power.
Her beauty.
Her grace.
And the entire world would worship me.
Just the way I liked it.
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3rd person POV
"What are your plans with her?" Romeo asked, watching Rosa sleeping peacefully in her arms from the comfort of his chair, behind his desk, "I heard she hurt a lot of people."
"They let her. I'm not saying they had a choice, but they let her do it until they snapped. It's always nice seeing people grow a backbone, isn't it? Even the cubs stood up to their mama, and I couldn't have been more proud."
"But, are you sure, having her around is a good idea?"
"It's never a good idea, but I always wanted a pet cat. You know, the kind, which hisses and scratches everything in sight. My little demon, who will lay on my lap and let me stroke her."
"I see," Romeo glanced down at his palms. They were sweating a little. He had no idea what got the dragon so worked up. Was it the way she carried herself around Rosa? The way her eyes glinted dangerously? Or was it her body language?
He had no reason to be afraid, yet the cold sweat kept pouring down his neck. Princess was nothing like her father, and yet, she had a lot in common with him. Her twisted mercy and the way she could break a person's spirit and put it back together, was just the same.
Many tried to change Rosa for better, and many failed. You couldn't heal a pathological narcissist. Their lack of empathy and disregard for others made them hard to work with. But if you made them believe you were their "superior self," someone they could reflect themselves in, they'd see an advantageous connection and submit, driven by a bit of fear. The key was to keep them in a constant state of worship.
Princess wasn't one to manipulate and control, though. She probably truly only wanted a tiger pet with claws and a vicious attitude to accompany her and keep her entertained. She wasn't trying to heal Rosa's mind and soul, but rather, she was keeping it broken. She probably didn't have many playmates growing up, or if she did, they all died a long time ago.
'She is challenging me, and I want to respond in kind.'
The dragon within Romeo, who usually remained passive and indifferent, became sensitive to her every move, even the slightest twitch was not missed.
She usually wore baggy clothes, which concealed her body, and not in outfits, which were meant to highlight her best features.
The uniform fit her like a glove. It was not constricting her movements, but rather, complementing her physique. It wasn't the usual military garb, but more like a dress uniform, the kind the royal family wore during ceremonies and celebrations.
A pair of black boots hugged her shapely calves, reaching all the way up to her knees. The dark, form-fitting pants showed off the outline of her long legs.
A dark red coat draped over her shoulders. The material was thick and heavy, and it didn't have buttons to close the front. Instead, a golden belt secured the garment, and the high collar emphasized the length of her neck.
He smiled, shaking his head, "What is it about you that drives everyone crazy?"
"I'm not sure, but I do enjoy watching people lose their minds," she put down Rosa and went back to the desk. Instead of kicking him out of his seat, she just plopped down on the desk, casually swiping through the screens again.
He stood up from his chair and leaned over her shoulder. Turning his head slightly to catch her gaze, he planted a kiss on her lips, "Well, you drive me crazy, too."
"Do I, now?"
"You have no idea," he said, the corner of his lips curling up, 'When are you going to change my height back to normal, Zeek?'
'My name is not Zeek. It's Zeekhyrion, and you shall honor my name,' the dragon's voice responded in his mind as if bestowing a royal decree, 'A dragon must be bigger than life, not smaller than an ant.'
If the dragon didn't force Romeo's growth, he would be around the same height as Princess, which was unacceptable for the dragon. 2.1 meters felt normal around the boys. But around humans? Even his old height of 1.86 meters would be pushing it.
"Hmm..." Yaya felt his lips descend upon her again, the things on the table scattering as he pushed her onto the table. His kiss was playful and tender, a soft brush of his lips here and a nibble there, his smile never faltering.
His fingers ran through her hair, his touch gentle and light. The way he tried to dominate her wasn't about power and control. It was about taming her, drawing the softer, more delicate side of her.
Her hands pressed against his chest and she pushed him onto the chair behind him. She licked her lips, crossing her legs and tilting her head slightly, her eyes roaming over him, "My, my, aren't you a hungry boy today?"
"What can I say?" He straightened his suit with a chuckle, "I'm a growing boy."
She snorted and shook her head, returning to the screens.
He leaned back, observing her silently. The dragon calmed down after her presence was no longer overpowering, and the air around her didn't feel heavy.
'You managed to tame her...' the dragon hummed, intrigued, 'Impressive.'
'Tame is a strong word, and I'd say, we came to an agreement.'
The dragon ignored his words, and continued humming, satisfied with the turn of events.
Romeo felt his body shrinking, his muscles losing their mass, and his bones becoming lighter. The suit adjusted to his size, and soon, he was back to his original height.
'Thank you, Zeek...hyrion.'
The dragon hummed again, but didn't bother responding.
Yaya turned around to catch a dangerous spark lighting up his gaze before it disappeared into the void, his expression once again serene.
"Something on my face, Princess?" he asked, resting his chin on his hand, "You are staring."
"Mmm... you look absolutely mouthwatering," biting her bottom lip, her gaze drifting over him like a slow, teasing caress, "So, so delicious. I can't wait to sink my teeth into you."
He chuckled, his smile reaching his ears, "And here I thought, I was the only hungry one. How about we get a quick snack, then?"
╔═══ Author's note ════╗
What do you think about the scene between Rosa and YY? Did you like it or not? Ngl, I found it quite haunting. 🙈
Dang, whose dragon heart did YY steal? And how could such a proud and imposing creature coexist with Romeo? 🌚🌝
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