Samuel wiped another tear off Scarletra`s velutinous cheek. Her vibrant yet pained golden eyes stared back at his gilded emeralds. How the massive Varintol woman intently held his gaze was near haunting, as if she judged every twitch and tug of his brow.

　　Scarletra leaned against Samuel while sniveling, her massive head pressing tightly against his firm muscular shoulder, wondering why and how, in the Great Mother`s command, he could have seen through her attempted rouse? Even now, with her punctuated sobs and fear, she needed to understand how he knew?

　　She had worked so hard to not tell him, but it was all for nothing. He admitted he knew it felt like a massive relief, a weight of burden ripped from her chest. But the words "I know." By the Great Mother, those husky words might as well have been a spear through her heart. She had been lying for nothing; all her efforts and days silently moping to piece together this conversation did nothing but hurt the only person she had cared about in years.

　　Scarletra halfway broke down, begging Samuel for forgiveness. Even though, as she saw it, she was being coherent and made perfect sense while asking him to understand that she was so afraid he would make her leave. Or he would think she was the animal she knew herself to be—and hate her for it, condemning her to a life alone.

　　On the other hand, Samuel could not comprehend almost anything she was saying. Her voice was overloading the translator`s abilities. She lacked clear verbiage, and her sheer volume caused the translator to pick up maybe one out of every ten words. Eventually, Scarletra slowed down enough for him to make out a few begging half-phrasing.

　　"Sam—how?" Scarletra choked out between a pair of sobs.

　　"Hey, hey, hey, slow down. I can`t understand you." Samuel pleaded.

　　Scarletra only cried harder, hearing that all her preparation was also worthless. Samuel could not even understand her. Not only was she a Monster, but she was also stupid.

　　"Scar, your story and actions didn`t add up. I`m not stupid."Samuel replied, going on despite her current sobbing, knowing she could at least hear his side. "Flat out the intelligence, knowledge, and craftiness you have did not make sense; You had to have some kind of teacher, formal training, and access to knowledge."

　　Scarletra grabbed the hand he rested in hers tightly, a bit too tight for Samuel`s liking, but her tears and heaving chest were too much for him to complain about. Samuel had read her like a book from day fucking one. That he kept her around after he figured something was off was horrifying; he opened up his home and heart to her despite knowing. Scarletra might have thought she was a monster because of her curse, but now she felt like a vile abomination.

　　Compared to her, the worst creatures of Maruvak would make more pleasant company. At least those sins against nature would look you in the eye, insult, and then kill you. She has just been stabbing Samuel in the back for no reason.

　　"Unless the Ursana tribe cared about education far more than my species at the roughly equivalent level of technology, you had to be more than some simple crafter while growing up." Samuel softy said, running the hand she was not crushing on her plush cheek. "Take all the time you need, and just be honest with me. I hate seeing you like this."

　　"Sam—can I get a hug and a minute first?" Scarletra ululated

　　"Uh, sure, but—" Samuel started, but scarletra tugged his arm and caused his words to end in a yelp.

　　Before Samuel had even noticed, Scarletra had dragged him across her body and buried him against her. His entire face was engulfed by her lustrous cleavage, and she held him tight to her form, barely giving him enough room to breathe. At least, unlike the last time she hugged him this tightly, he still could look up and see her and was not suffocating in her welcoming canyons.

　　Samuel took a moment to recover from the sudden shock and returned the hug to the best of his ability, but her massive, squashy frame did not let him reach all the way around, not that either of them cared—Scarletra especially.

　　Scarletra had been along for so long, stewing in her emotional struggles. Having someone around to lean on was more euphoric than she imagined it would be. That Samuel had not just told her to leave immediately on admitting she was lying was equally fantastic—although admitting she was lying was the easy part. She prayed to Levaal that he would not despise her because of her past. Could this kind and caring man love and accept a monster whose trail to meet him was bathed in blood?

　　"Once I tell you, you will hate me!" Scarletra quaved, her tremoring arm struggling to hold onto Samuel like a vice.

　　"I won`t—" Samuel began.

　　"You don`t know you won`t. You don`t know the monster I am," Scarletra protested.

　　"Then tell me," Samuel pleaded, gripping her plush sides.

　　They sat there for a long while. As they did, Scarletra`s powerful heartbeat was in Samuel`s ears, sounding like a panicked drum. And her pained tears landed warmly in his salt and pepper hair, soaking to his scalp. Samuel was not going to interrupt her need here. It takes a lot of guts to admit you lied or were at fault, and not allowing the buxom bearish woman her time would not help.

　　Scarletra was trying to savor this. For all she knew, once she told Samuel, he would kick her out of his home. Treating her like the living abomination she was. Even if she knew this moment of his warmth was an extension of her lie, she wanted to pretend he was there for her— even if it was for just a few more seconds.

　　After she had steeled her nerves, managed to mostly abate her crying, and was prepared for the upcoming trial by emotional combat, Scarletra began to weave her story from far further back than Samuel had expected. Literally from her earliest memories of the main village of the Ursana. Although what she described as a village sounded like a modern town on earth in size with several hundred if not a thousand inhabitants.

　　Their culture sounded absolutely as insane as she had hinted at before. A culture that values warriors, war, and honor. An honor that was centered around serving the goddess Hurot. There was also honor in other noble professions: a form of religious leaders and specific trades, namely the smiths, cooks, and carvers. They were valued because they aided the war efforts far more than the others through weapons, food, and tools.

　　Then Scarletra explained what her role was. A warrior—well, that did not express the point accurately. Scarletra was made into what might as well be a berserker at a young age, being forced to ingest some moss that altered her mind. And had been used in hundreds of bloody battle after battle, leaving crimson snow in her wake. The worst part was how she said she could not remember the fighting; Scarletra would just wake up after being covered in blood, guts, and viscera and surrounded by bodies. Not just the bodies of Ursana`s enemies but also her own allies, including, at one point, one of her sisters.

　　That news did not shock Samuel too much—it was a bit horrifying that Scarletra`s mother would do that to her daughter. But Humans have done the same thing for centuries, giving drugs and other poisons to their troops to take advantage of the effects, from ancient times to now with modern stimulants. But this was different; it wasn`t some man from an old story of humanity eating mushrooms and going mad for a few hours. No, according to Scarletra, it was permanent. Even today, when she got genuinely angry or had to fight for life and limb, she would enter a trance and slaughter everything she could touch.

　　"I`m afraid I will kill you if Hurot calls to me. The other day, when we were hunting, the sudden loud noise freaked me out, and I almost killed you," Scarletra explained.

　　"Ah, is that what happened," Samuel pondered.

　　Samuel wondered how much effect it had on her and what it did exactly. Not that he could ever truly know; He assumed it had to do with her amygdala or at least her species equivalent. Considering it gave her strength beyond normal, jacked her heart rate, and put her in a near-blackout trance, her Fight-or-Flight response was the only theory he could drum up. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

　　"Yes, I don`t want to hurt you or anyone. That`s why I was hiding away," Scarletra admitted.

　　"I`m sorry you went through that and all those fights. I can understand why you did not tell me about that," Samuel admitted.

　　"Do you want me to leave now that you know?" Scarletra questioned after a few long, drawn-out moments of silence. Her golden eyes looked toward the door as if she knew the answer already.

　　Samuel leaned his head against her and took a moment to ponder it. Did he? She had issues from her past, but they were her past, and Scarletra was not the horrible monster she described herself as. And was clearly making efforts not to ever be considered that horrendous Hurot-possessed beserker. If she stayed with the GU, fighting wars would never be an issue for her again. She would be safe, happy, and able to do whatever she wanted. Especially with how quickly she learned, Samuel had no doubt that the Varintol could do something menial to pay for a place to live and then study to do more if she wanted. Either way, she could live comfortably.

　　"Of course not. Why would I want you to go because of your past?" Samuel said with conviction.

　　"Because I might kill you like the monster I am," Scarletra restated.

　　"You don`t want to kill or hurt me, or anyone for that matter; Hell, you are the sweetest, gentlest person I`ve ever met," Samuel assured. "Scar, I`ve watched you try to lure the small creatures closer in the woods, cooing that you want to hug them. I can`t think of a monster that would want to cuddle a tiny furred animal."

　　Scarletra blushed slightly but could not deny what he was saying. She tried to pet some of the little four-legged animals living in nearby woods almost daily. They were so cute, and she had been trying for years; with each attempt, she prayed they would finally let her cuddle and cradle them. She just was not aware that Samuel had watched her doing that.

　　Scarletra leaned down and licked the top of Samuel`s head a few times before gently muttering between wet strokes, "Thank you, Sam." Scarletra felt like a massive weight was off her shoulders. She was free to be herself now, not that there would be any changes in how she acted other than she would not have to step around specific topics like they were thin ice.

　　After licking his hair for a few minutes, Samuel silently accepted her expression of care, mainly because he enjoyed it. Scarletra nuzzled against his neck, and her soft fur tickled him. The Great Mother and Levaal truly smiled upon her, bringing such a wonderful man to her.

　　"No problem, but I want to know everything you can tell me. I am honestly a bit curious to hear more about your Mother and what happened to you while growing up," Samuel requested

　　"I can," Scarletra agreed, stopping her nuzzling and smelling his delicious smokey scent.

　　Because Scarletra had already told him the worst part of her life, visiting the rest was not a massive request. She lessened her grip on him, letting him turn around and settle into her lap for more beers and stories while holding him.

　　Next, Scarletra told more about her Mother, the grandiose warlord`s role. Apparently, as is tradition with the Varintol, once you become the clan`s matriarch, you are referred to as Mother by your tribe. Still, in her case, the matriarch was her biological mother. That gave Samuel a funny thought that technically made sense based on everything, and with how scarletra had been feeling, he figured a bit of a joke might be good for her.

　　"So wait, are you technically a princess then?" Samuel joshed, taking a sip from his second can.

　　"Technically, I suppose that is true. Although I do have six sisters, older and younger. But Mother favored me as next in line for her because of my size and ability to fight. Which was not good for me in any way," Scarletra replied with a chuckle.

　　"Why is that?" Samuel questioned. "While you have explained your mother is a brutal warlord, would she not want her daughter to be a good leader? Or prepare you to become a Matriarch?"

　　Scarletra sighed and thought about that while reaching over for her sixth beer. She wanted to put this in a way that did not make her sound pathetic, but she doubted that was possible. However, Samuel had been so accepting of her past that he likely would not care.

　　"She essentially tortured me to ensure I practiced and learned how to be a matriarch. That treatment was one of the reasons I did not do well when you yelled at me." Scarletra replied, "Along with her forcing me to lay with diplomats from the other tribes, trying to butter them up for negotiations. While my sisters were treated similarly, I, without a doubt, got it the worse."

　　"ah—That makes sense. It was horrible, but if your Mother selected you as her successor, she probably was trying to raise you how she was raised." Samuel groused.

　　"I never asked nor really thought about it. I simply ended up hating that vile woman," Scarletra admitted. "I ran away and have been alone for years because I hate her. Being alone was better than daily torture."

　　"Still, you aren`t alone anymore," Samuel said, looking up at her. His heart warmed, seeing her vibrant smile had returned.

　　"Yeah, I suppose I`m not," Scarletra replied, leaning down, kissing his head, and gently growling.

　　Scarletra continued to tell Samuel more about the village, her people, her sisters, and even more about the myriad of caves she had used as shelter for the last few years. She mentioned decorating them extensively with carvings, pelts, and other things she found curious over the years. Samuel could not deny wanting to see at least one of them. Thankfully, Scarletra was more than willing to show him but warned taking the Varintluk would be a several-day trip, as her in a full sprint took nearly all day—and lord knew she was faster in the trees than the lumbering vehicle.

　　Scarletra opened up further to him about life, and what she had done without the vague attempt at censoring everything with the crude lie she was some crafter, and he started to admire her more. Scarletra was even more impressive knowing the truth about her.

　　 She was adapting like she always had, but away from the violence, bloodshed, and survival; She was attuning her life and happiness to what a more normal person would want and have.

　　"What do you want to do once you are off this rock? The representative will likely expect you to want to leave based on what he already knows. Samuel questioned once they had settled from real conversation and simply basked in each other`s company.

　　"I wanted to just learn more for you. Do I have to leave? I would rather stay with you." Scarletra questioned.

　　That answer nearly floored Samuel, almost choking on a sip of beer. He had expected her to talk about her crafting or something along those lines or possibly going on an adorable rant about what she thought the wider galaxy might be like. But Her implying she would rather stay here was not on the list of expectations—having assumed she was just doing what he said around the outpost because he told her it was the expectation to be here.

　　Samuel shimmied up from Scarletra`s lap, a bit to her surprise and worry. Was staying a proper line in the snow? Samuel had told her the GU representative would take her, but she assumed there was no option. Now she knew there was one.

　　Samuel gently caressed her cheek, smiled, and said in a hushed, husky breath that she adored, "Of course, you don`t," as he leaned in and gently kissed her.

　　Scarletra gently wrapped her hands on his hips, guiding him against her while holding the long, understanding kiss. She leaned against the wall, letting gravity sink him into her plush body. By all that was divine, Levaal might as well have been screaming at her how that mossy, warm odor that began to pour off him meant he wanted her. She prayed to the goddess of love Samuel would keep going and entirely accept her as his warm fire.

　　Once Samuel broke the kiss, that little angel and demon on his shoulder started staking claim to him and his future. Arguing about his need to move on or cling to the past. But they won out between Scarletra`s fanged smile and the angels prising. The vile shade of guilt stood no chance. The demon`s harsh condemning statements lasted for little more than a second before the little abomination faded, and he felt near weightless.

　　Samuel could not fake it or deny it anymore. He did not want this remarkable woman to leave. If she left, he would feel worse than he had in years.

　　Samuel reached up with a hand and rubbed Scarletra`s ears softly, causing her to lightly moan from the massage. Simultaneously, he re-engaged the kiss, far deeper this time around, both their hands pressing the other forcefully, their teeth touching in surprise because they both tried to continue their sensual acceptance.

　　Scarletra`s massive velvet tongue pushed past his diminutive appendage and filled his mouth to the brim, running along his teeth and palette. He could only manage a few supple licks against her meaty tongue and fangs. Even so, they had an equal amount of lust, ferocity, and care for that moment. They moaned into the other`s mouth and accepted the other sweet as candy flavors. Scarletras other hand took one of Samuel`s entire asscheek into her fuzzy palm, giving him a firm squeeze, her claws teasing him through his jumpsuit.

　　After a blissful minute of their tongues coupling and writhing like two animals trying to find shelter in the deepest blizzard, they leaned their heads forehead against each other, looking into the other`s eyes.

　　Scarletra waited, knowing she had to let Samuel make the first move; if he wanted it to end there, she would regrettably agree, even if she had already felt her body flush with anticipation. Thank Levaal, she did not have to wait long.

　　 Samuel gently reached up and snaked his hand between their bodies, caressing the zipper to her jumpsuit.

　　"Sam, don`t unless you mean it," Scarletra licked her lips, challenging his decision, offering him one more out.

　　"I do mean it," He replied, pulling at the metal zipper.