Villainess is being pampered by her beast husbands-Chapter 314 --

There were beasts—wild, unpredictable, and always on the move. Sleeping out in the open would be like inviting danger. Kaya knew that too well. The silence of the desert wasn’t peaceful; it was the kind that warned you to stay alert.

Veer had once told her that when a place looks too open, it usually means something stronger lives nearby. A beast—or maybe even a whole group—powerful enough to keep others away. Kaya looked around again, a faint frown forming on her face.

"This could be beast territory," she muttered under her breath.

The wind brushed her hair, warm and dry. She stood there quietly, thinking. Somehow, she had to figure out how to spend the night in this place—without getting herself or the others killed.

After thinking for a while, Kaya finally decided to use the same simple trick every soldier used when traveling through deserts—dig a pit.

They couldn’t just sleep out in the open, but there was nothing around to build a proper shelter either. No trees, no rocks, nothing to use. And wasting time searching for materials wasn’t an option. The moonlight still shone bright, and for now, their vision was clear. It was the best time to work.

Sparrow, however, was dead tired. He’d already curled up and fallen asleep again. Kaya glanced at him, a faint twitch forming on her lips. "Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath. "That chatterbox sleeps through everything."

She turned away, deciding to let it go. When Veer and the other started digging, Kaya couldn’t help but notice how competitive they suddenly became. What should have taken ten minutes was done in barely two. By the time she had pulled a few things out of her bag, they were already standing beside a freshly dug pit, breathing steadily.

Kaya blinked, then stared down at it. The "small pit" she’d asked for looked more like a swimming pool. She rubbed her forehead and sighed helplessly. "I said small, not bury-an-army," she mumbled, though she didn’t bother arguing further.

She spread a hide over the sand and laid a few short blankets and cloths on top to make a base. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do for the night.

"Light a fire," she said finally, her voice calm but tired. "And cook fast—if not, then don’t bother. Just eat whatever dry food we’ve got and rest. We’ll need strength for tomorrow."

At last, after some back and forth, they all agreed not to cook. The risk was too high—lighting a fire in the middle of the desert was like sending out an invitation to every unwanted guest around.

So, they decided to sleep on empty stomachs.

Yes, empty—because most of their food was already gone. The dried jerky, the few roots, and the bits of hard bread they had left were finished days ago. There wasn’t much to chew on anymore, not even for comfort.

The silence of the desert grew heavier as the night deepened. The moonlight stretched over the sand, soft and pale, wrapping everything in a strange calm. Kaya lay down, pulling her cloak closer around her shoulders. Hunger pressed lightly in her stomach, but she didn’t complain. It wasn’t worth it.

Kaya didn’t take off her shoes, and she told Koty and the others not to remove theirs either. "Keep them on," she said firmly. Then she made them wrap themselves completely in hides and whatever extra clothes they had.

"Take a few sips of water," she added, her tone calm but firm. "Don’t gulp it down, and don’t drink too much."

She soaked a small towel and placed it near her mouth, within easy reach. In the desert, the biggest enemies weren’t always beasts—they were the sand and dehydration. Even though the temperature had started to drop, Kaya knew it wouldn’t stay that way forever. The desert could turn cruel again in a heartbeat.

The sand was everywhere—clinging to her clothes, her hair, even sneaking into her sleeves. "Damn this sand," she muttered under her breath, brushing at it half-heartedly. Maybe it was because she was too tired, but sleep came to her faster than she expected.

Even as her body relaxed, her mind stayed half-alert, the way it always did. Still, she felt safer than usual. On her left was Veer, and on her right was cutie. With the two of them there, she wasn’t too worried.

If anything happens, she thought sleepily, a faint smile tugging at her lips, those two will be the first ones to die anyway.

And with that oddly comforting thought, Kaya drifted off into sleep.

Suddenly, Kaya’s eyes snapped open. Midnight had settled over the desert, heavy and quiet. Veer and cutie stirred at the same moment, their eyes meeting hers. In the dim moonlight, there was a flicker of fear—but also something else, something like... care, closeness, the silent bond that had formed between them.

Veer moved without hesitation, stretching one of his large, brown wings to cover them. In the darkness, the color was hard to see, but the motion was reassuring. From above, the land looked calm, ordinary even—but they all knew better.

Kaya had already prepared for this. Before sleep, she had quietly instructed Veer, telling him to be ready for any trouble. He had listened carefully, and now, as she had predicted, the first low growls started drifting across the sand.

The sounds were subtle at first, almost like whispers in the wind—but they were real, sharp, and close. Kaya’s hand tightened around her cloak. Veer’s wings shifted slightly, shielding them more firmly. Cutie pressed closer, alert.

The desert was silent again for a moment, but the growls came back—louder this time, circling them.

Kaya’s mind raced. Predators. Definitely predators. And they’re not far.

She exhaled slowly, keeping her voice low. "Stay calm," she whispered. "Don’t make a sound. Let’s see what they want."

The trio huddled together under Veer’s wings, the moonlight casting pale shadows over the sand, while the low, hungry growls edged closer.