The Villainess Winning Back Her Beast Husbands-Chapter 73: He’s the Best Male

At the word "deal," Lachlan’s hands, hanging at his sides, clenched into tight fists.

It was because of that same word that he had formed a Contract with Evangeline, and now, she was bringing it up again.

"Don’t be so tense." Noticing the color suddenly drain from Lachlan’s face, Evangeline let go, returned to the stone table, and sat down. A faint smile touched her lips. "I know you like Galen. Being in a Contract with me has undoubtedly been a constraint on you."

"Lachlan, I can dissolve our Contract. The backlash will fall on me, so you won’t be harmed."

"However, I need you to have a child with me."

"Once your eyes are healed and your Star Pattern regenerates, there will be no issues with conceiving."

"I swear in the name of The Beast God that I will never cling to you. After we dissolve the Contract, you can be with Galen and live a happy life. You can keep the child, and I have no problem with Galen being its Beast-mother."

Evangeline’s detached, business-like tone made Lachlan’s knuckles clench even tighter.

He suddenly gave a cold laugh, cutting her off. His usually ethereal voice was laced with a rare fury. "Dissolve your Contract with me so I can be with Galen? And let Galen be the Beast-mother to a child *you* give birth to?"

"I’m starting to believe what you said before. You’re not Evangeline."

"Because you’re even more despicable than she was! How could you treat the birth of a child as some kind of deal!"

"If you don’t want the child and would just let someone else be its Beast-mother, then why give birth to it at all?"

Lachlan’s thin lips pressed into a hard line, his usual cool composure twisting into something vicious and hostile. His face was so pale it was bloodless as he said coldly, "I will not sire a child with such a heartless female."

With that, he turned and left the cave without a moment’s hesitation.

Evangeline froze, her narrow, fox-like eyes wide with astonishment.

She had considered that Lachlan might refuse, mock her, or question her motives, but she had never expected this kind of reaction.

Evangeline furrowed her brow, propping her chin on her hand, her fingertips tapping lightly on the stone table. ’Lachlan is even more difficult to handle than I thought. He really is a tough nut to crack.’

’The original "Evangeline" was the female lead. To get the plot back on track, *I* have to be the one to bear the child. Only then can I prevent the male lead’s descent into darkness over being heirless and stabilize this world, which is on the verge of collapsing from natural disasters.’

’Perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate my entire strategy.’

*

For the next few days, Evangeline remained in the cave and did not see Lachlan again.

Galen, however, would occasionally bring food. She never entered the cave, simply leaving it at the entrance.

Meanwhile, the plague afflicting the Frost-plain Tribe began to subside, and life gradually returned to the once-ailing tribe.

Evangeline didn’t dwell on Lachlan either. She focused on consuming Spiritual Medicine to recover from the severe injuries she’d sustained holding back the avalanche. After a few days, she had regained most of her strength.

Her once-flat stomach now showed a slight curve.

On the Beastman Continent, the gestation period for females was short; most gave birth after only about two months.

Evangeline decided it was time to leave the Frost-plain Tribe.

She stepped out of the cave. The heavy snowfall had stopped. The ice and snow were even beginning to melt as the temperature rose.

Galen was just arriving with food. When she saw Evangeline emerge, her expression changed, and she immediately turned to leave.

Evangeline turned to her and called out, "Wait."

Galen stopped and bit her lip. She was clearly afraid but forced herself to turn back to Evangeline. Her eyes flickered over Evangeline’s face before she asked, "Wh-what is it?"

Evangeline stepped forward and took a wild fruit from her hand. "Why is the snow and ice on the mountain melting?"

Galen blinked, meeting Evangeline’s curious gaze. She asked in return, "You don’t know? The rainy season is almost here."

Evangeline murmured thoughtfully, "The rainy season..."

’The beastmen always spoke of the rainy season and the Cold Season with great dread. I didn’t expect it to arrive so soon.’

She changed the subject. "What have you found out about the avalanche?"

Galen pursed her lips, her thoughts inevitably turning to the day Evangeline had protected the Frost-plain Tribe. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, "Evangeline, what are you really thinking? Why did you save us?"

Evangeline’s red lips parted slightly. She looked at Galen, about to speak, when she suddenly noticed that the necklace was gone from her neck.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why did you take off your necklace? Given up on being with Lachlan?"

At her words, Galen’s eyes immediately reddened, but she stubbornly tilted her head back, forcing the tears away.

She bit down hard on her lower lip, her gaze toward Evangeline simmering with faint resentment. Then, a bitter smile twisted her lips. "Brother Lachlan... he said he’s already in a Contract... Are you satisfied now?"

Galen’s gaze slowly drifted down to Evangeline’s slightly rounded belly, and a lump formed in her throat.

She looked away, her hand gripping the food so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "Brother Lachlan is the best male on the Beastman Continent. You have to treat him well from now on. Don’t hurt him or make him sad ever again."

As she spoke, a tear finally escaped and slid down her cheek.

Evangeline raised a hand and patted Galen’s shoulder with a sigh. "It’s alright. We’re in the same boat. He doesn’t want to be with me, either."

Galen bit her lip and couldn’t help glaring at her. "And that’s because you were always causing trouble before!"

Evangeline gave a soft laugh. Her rose-colored lips curved slightly, a breathtakingly beautiful sight.

Galen stared, mesmerized. Evangeline’s beauty was of a bewitching sort—so striking it was almost sharp, exuding an aggressive allure. Her every gesture was filled with a charm rarely seen among the females of the Beastman Continent.

She let out a soft sigh. "Evangeline, you’re so beautiful. If you just treat the males well, they’ll treat you well in return. You’re a Witch now, a representative of The Beast God. You can’t cause trouble anymore."

Evangeline swept her long hair back and gave her a playful wink. "Alright, I’ll listen to you, then."

Galen couldn’t help but blush. She turned to go, but then remembered something. "That incident with the Snow Dragon was really strange," she said to Evangeline. "Brother Lachlan has been out investigating it. You should ask him for the details when he gets back. The tribe is getting better, so I have a lot to do. I have to go."

As she spoke, Galen pressed the food into Evangeline’s hands and said softly, "Even though Brother Lachlan is busy, he’s still thinking of you. This is all from his own rations. He asked me to bring it to you."

Evangeline’s brow furrowed sharply. "He’s investigating? If he knows it was deliberate, he could easily become a target. In his current state, if someone discovers him..."

She didn’t finish the sentence, but a dark premonition bloomed in her heart.

Galen bit her lip, her face pale. "Brother Lachlan said it has to be investigated as soon as possible. He..."

Evangeline asked calmly, "When was the last time you saw him?"

Galen thought for a moment before stammering, "I just saw him last night..."

Hearing that, Evangeline’s anxiety eased slightly.

’If she just saw him last night, it means he hasn’t been targeted during his recent movements.’

She looked up at Galen and pressed, "Did he say anything else?"

Galen pursed her lips and lowered her voice. "Brother Lachlan said he found tracks from the Yak Clan on Frostcrest Peak."

"The Yak Clan?" Evangeline frowned. "Does the Frost-plain Tribe have some old grudge with them?"

Galen shook her head and quickly waved her hands dismissively. "How could that be? Our two tribes live very far from each other."

Evangeline’s fingertips gently brushed over the Snow Leopard Contract Pattern coiled around her waist. The dark mark seemed to grow warm beneath her touch.

Her expression grew serious. She nodded. "I’ll go find him. I’ll leave after this avalanche business is settled."

Galen’s pupils contracted, and she wrung her hands. "You’re leaving?!"

Evangeline had already turned and was walking out of the tribe. ’Of course I’m leaving. Am I supposed to just waste all my time on one stubborn man?’

’I still have Danton’s Mermaid Tail Scale, after all. I left in such a hurry that I barely said a word. I wonder how he’s doing now?’