Liam and Charlotte remained locked in their positions as they stared at each other for a moment.

However, that moment lasted only briefly.

The next instant, Smoke moved.

The shadow wolf dashed forward with terrifying speed and slammed directly into Charlotte before either of them could properly react. The impact ripped her off Liam completely as both beasts rolled violently across the forest floor once before Smoke twisted his body and hurled her away with monstrous force.

Charlotte was sent flying backward through the air straight toward a nearby tree trunk.

Yet before she could crash into it, her body twisted unnaturally midair.

Her limbs spread outward and in the next second she attached herself to the side of the tree effortlessly, all four limbs digging into the bark with sharp claws. Splinters scattered downward as the trunk groaned slightly beneath the force of her grip.

She lifted her head slowly and looked back toward Liam.

Below her, Smoke had already lowered himself into an aggressive stance once more, all four glowing eyes locked onto her figure while a deep growl rumbled from his chest.

"Ease up, Smoke," Liam called calmly as he rose from the ground. "She isn’t a threat."

He stepped closer and placed a hand along the shadow wolf’s side reassuringly.

It took a few seconds, but eventually Smoke eased back into a straighter stance and stopped growling.

Even then, his eyes never left Charlotte for even a moment.

Meanwhile, Charlotte climbed higher along the tree before casually stepping onto the branches overhead.

"You know, I’m actually glad I ran into you, bae," she said in her usual seductive tone while walking along the branches above them, most of her figure still hidden within the darkness. "But what’s with the oversized beast beside you?"

"He is a summon," Liam answered calmly.

"A summon, hm?" Charlotte repeated while continuing her slow walk above them. "Well... my bad for trying to kill it then. Honestly, I thought it was just another catch wandering around the forest."

Her tail swayed lazily behind her as she tilted her head slightly downward toward him.

"You know I’d never intentionally hurt something that belongs to you, bae."

Liam ignored the statement entirely.

Instead, his crimson eyes quietly studied Charlotte as she moved through the branches overhead.

Now that the sudden clash had ended and he could focus properly, he finally got a clearer look at her current state.

And immediately, he realized something had changed.

The transformation covering her body was far more advanced than what he remembered.

This wasn’t her usual partial transformation.

Nor was it her complete jaguar form.

Instead, it looked like something balanced unnaturally between the two.

Dark fur covered portions of her limbs, shoulders, waist, chest, and legs far more naturally than before. It no longer looked layered over human skin. It looked integrated. As though both forms had fused together rather than overlapping awkwardly.

Even her movements had changed.

Everything about the way she walked across the branches carried an unnatural fluidity that felt more predatory than human. Her steps were nearly silent. Liam could barely hear them even while enhancing his senses slightly with Myst.

The way she balanced herself overhead didn’t resemble human movement either.

It reminded him far more of her full jaguar transformation.

And perhaps the most noticeable difference...

Her eyes.

The golden glow within them was sharper now. Wilder, more instinctive, and dangerous.

That alone confirmed Liam’s suspicion almost immediately.

This was most likely another variation of her half transformation.

Unlike her previous version, where her human side remained dominant while only subtle beast traits surfaced, this form appeared to reverse the balance entirely.

Here, the jaguar side dominated.

Meaning Charlotte’s partial transformation likely existed in two separate states.

One where her human traits remained primary.

And another, the one standing above him now, where her beast side had overwhelming control while still preserving her intelligence and humanoid form.

’No wonder I couldn’t properly track her movements or recognize her scent immediately,’ Liam thought calmly. ’This form basically gives her all the advantages of a predator without the limitations of a full transformation.’

That realization alone made Liam understand something else without needing to ask her directly.

Charlotte wasn’t merely surviving within Nalim.

She was thriving.

This environment was almost perfect for Beast Magic users depending on the creature they resonated with. Dense forests. Endless cover. Natural hunting grounds. Darkness. Isolation.

But for someone like Charlotte specifically... 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

This realm was practically built for her.

While those thoughts moved through Liam’s mind, Charlotte continued casually walking along the thick branches overhead, her tail swaying slowly behind her.

Despite the teasing tone in her voice, Liam could tell she was still carefully observing both him and Smoke.

Especially Smoke.

"You know..." Charlotte suddenly muttered while crouching slightly atop one of the thicker branches above them. "For a second there, I genuinely thought I was about to get my throat slit."

Her glowing golden eyes shifted toward the dagger still resting in Liam’s hand.

"And honestly? You almost did it too."

Liam glanced briefly at the blade before dismissing it back into shadow.

"Well, you did attack first," he replied calmly.

Charlotte hummed softly.

"Fair enough."

Then her gaze narrowed slightly.

"But seriously though..." she continued while tilting her head. "You reacted way too fast."

She smirked faintly while staring down at him from above.

"I barely committed to the attack before you were already trying to kill me."

Liam didn’t answer immediately.

Because she wasn’t wrong.

The moment he believed Smoke was in danger, he had attacked with complete killing intent. There had been no hesitation at all.

And from what Liam already understood about predators...

They sensed killing intent.

Emotion and instinct.

Especially creatures tied heavily to beast instincts like Charlotte.

Which meant the moment Liam lunged at her with genuine intent to kill, her body likely reacted before conscious thought even kicked in.

"I must say," Liam finally spoke after a moment, "you look quite different from your usual self."

Charlotte’s lips curved upward immediately.

"Aww... look at my bae actually noticing things about me."

She suddenly dropped from the branches above.

Her body twisted gracefully through the air before she landed in a crouch several feet away from them. Then she slowly straightened and began approaching deliberately.

As she stepped closer and portions of her body became illuminated by the moonlight filtering through the canopy, her features became far clearer.

Dark fur covered sections of her forehead, neck, shoulders, and cheeks while the remaining exposed skin still carried her usual warm brown tone beneath it.

And another thing became immediately noticeable.

Her teeth.

Especially her canines.

They were visibly sharper now. Longer too.

Almost fully predatory.

"Like what you see?" Charlotte asked in a low velvety tone while slowly approaching. "This is just something I’ve been training since the war happened."

Her tail flicked once behind her.

"And honestly? It’s proving extremely effective out here."

But the moment she stepped slightly closer—

Smoke immediately shifted himself in front of Liam again and released another warning growl.

Charlotte stopped and rolled her eyes dramatically.

"You know, your oversized wolf is kinda rude. He’s ruining my fun."

Smoke growled louder.

"Smoke," Liam called calmly.

Reluctantly, the shadow wolf eased back once again.

Though his glowing eyes still never once left Charlotte.

"Do you not wear clothes in this form?" Liam asked plainly as though it were an entirely normal question.

Charlotte blinked once in surprise before quickly recovering.

Then the familiar seductive smirk returned immediately.

"Oh?" she purred. "Are you telling me you’ve been eyeing me from top to bottom wanting to see my goodies?"

"That’s not what I asked," Liam replied flatly.

"But that’s definitely what you were implying~" Charlotte said shamelessly. "My bae is a naughty one... and honestly? I love that."

For a moment, Liam and Smoke slowly side-glanced one another with nearly identical expressions.

The look alone practically communicated that Liam was giving Smoke permission to handle things however he wanted.

Though realistically speaking...

Smoke probably wouldn’t stand much of a chance against Charlotte.

Liam could only sigh internally.