A choice.
Gu Ning listened to the mechanical translation in her earpiece, mulling over the meaning behind Barto's words.
"Beast Alliance females... need to choose a male?" Gu Ning asked Barto, her words slow but clearly enunciated.
A flash of surprise crossed Barto's eyes as he heard her question.
His mind raced, and in an instant, a lot of things clicked into place. 'The Heavenly Beast Clan must have protected her too well,' he thought, 'or maybe she just recently went into her first heat.'
Beyond that, he had an even worse thought.
"You can choose." Barto's hand, still holding hers, tightened in a reassuring gesture. He spoke patiently and earnestly, "But you don't have to make this decision. Everything should be according to your will. No one can force you to do something you don't want to. If anyone dares, I won't let them get away with it."
"Not in any way," Barto added, his words carrying a hidden meaning.
