Adrian stared at Grey, completely taken aback. After everything the goblins had done to him, after they had tortured him and eaten him alive, Grey was… protecting her? He knew Grey obviously wasn't aware of his past with her but still. Adrian couldn't help but feel a bit stunned by her actions. The pieces of this strange, supernatural puzzle were becoming more confusing by the second, and he had no idea how they were supposed to fit together.

"Grey," Adrian sighed before conveying his meaning through gestures. "I don't know what sort of relationship you might have with her. But right now I need you to move. They're a few things I need to ask her."

Grey turned her head slightly, her pale eyes meeting his. She then began to gesture in turn, her hands moving in the air with a confusing yet earnest intensity.

Adrian had to calm down to really understand what she was trying to say.

She pointed at the goblin girl, then tapped her own chest and gave a thumbs-up, he was momentarily surprised since that was a gesture he'd shown her only a few times yet she had actually managed to grasp it's meaning.

She then pointed towards the tunnel entrance and mimed searching, then pointed at Adrian. Her meaning was clear enough for Adrian to understand now.

" You're saying she helped you find me?" Adrian asked back to be sure.

She nodded, Adrian's eyebrows shot up, finding it hard to believe. The goblin had helped her?

' But why would she have her come to my aid? Isn't she trying to kill me?' Adrian was confused, glancing at the Goblin who simply smiled while remaining silent. Her sadistic smile irked him but he didn't do anything about it since he sensed no malice from her.

' The little witch is trying to mess with me...' Adrian's eyes twitched at the thought but luckily he managed to hold himself back again when he saw Grey trying to convey something else to him.

Her expression suddenly darkened mid communication and she glared over at the Gorgon, who was watching the exchange with a bored, superior look while idly examining her newly bandaged tail.

" Oh? Did I do something wrong?" She revealed a teasing smile that annoyed Grey even more.

Grey pointed a sharp finger at the Gorgon, then made a slashing motion across her own throat, her eyes turning cold for a moment.

She then pointed at Adrian and hugged herself, a look of deep concern on her face.

Adrian took a moment to realise that she was trying to tell him that she warned her about her and that it was good she came in time before she managed to hurt him.

"Hurt me?" Adrian repeated, surprised. He looked from Grey's worried face to the Gorgon's smug one. The misunderstanding was obvious.

" This is hilarious." The Gorgon chose that moment to interrupt. She let out a low, mocking laugh, She uncoiled slightly, slithering a bit closer, her serpentine blue eyes glinting with amusement.

"The little puppy misunderstands," the Gorgon whispered while trying to mask a giggle. She gestured with her chin towards the spot on the floor where she had pinned Adrian. "I was not hurting your precious human." A slow, teasing smile spread across her lips. "He was the one who asked for it. He requested that the two of us… mate."

" I believe I did nothing wrong but comply with his wish." She covered her lips with her finger's, eyes curving upwards. " Perhaps you simply couldn't stand the sight of him choosing a better partner, which is why you didn't hesitate to play the protector back then."

Grey froze, she wasn't able to speak, yes. But she still understood a few things the Gorgon had said. Her hands, which had been poised to gesture again, dropped to her sides. She turned her whole body to face Adrian, her eyes wide and trembling, searching his face for the truth.

She didn't turn enraged but looked completely hurt and betrayed as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Is… true?" she whispered, the words barely audible, there seemed to be a rare trace of pain in her voice.

Adrian froze when he heard her speak for the first time but he felt his face grow hot when he suddenly processed what the Gorgon had said.

"What? No! Grey, that's not what happened at all!" He shot an exasperated look at the Gorgon. "Stop lying. You were… you were being aggressive, and I was trying to calm you down. That's all! Stop trying to get her upset!" Adrian said in one breath before turning to glance at Grey.

Inwardly, Adrian didn't understand why it was a problem if he found someone else but seeing Grey's reaction, he realised something he never thought was actually possible.

' She actually likes me... I mean, she likes like me...'

' But we've only been together for less than two day's.'

' I know mom asked me to get a wife but am I really ready for this?'

' Wait. I shouldn't be thinking about this right now, I need to make sure Grey's ok first.'

He sighed in relief when he saw the relief wash over Grey's features, but it was mixed with a fresh wave of anger the next moment which was directed at the Gorgon.

Fortunately for him, so only glared at the later and didn't do anything else. Adrian let out of a breath of relief to calm his nerves.

He needed to get this back on track. He turned his focus back to the half-eared goblin, who was watching the drama unfold with a faint, unreadable smile.

"You." Adrian said, his voice firm. "We're back to you. Why are you here? Really? You helped Grey find me, fine. But why? What do you want from me?"

The goblin girl looked at him, her head tilted. She didn't have words like the Gorgon, but her gestures were sharp and precise. She pointed a clawed finger at her own chest, then pointed directly at him. She then made a biting motion towards her own arm, followed by a sweeping, possessive gesture that encompassed him. She finished by tapping her chest again and pointed at him, a definitive, final statement.

" Huh?" Adrian blinked in suprise, he didn't understand a thing she said.

" I think the little squirt is trying to say that she bit you first. And since she tasted your flesh first. It means she's claimed you. so you're hers now or as she keeps dreaming." The Gorgon spoke as if she could read his thoughts. The more she heard, the more amused she became.

" Well aren't you charming for a human. Gaining the attention of three supernatural women? Are you sure you're not looking for death dear?" She leaned next to him and whispered into his ear, Adrian shivered as her chill breath brushed against his lobe.

A cold knot tightened in Adrian's stomach when he saw Grey and the goblins eyes now fixed on him as well as if affirming her words. Realising that she wasn't joking, Adrian didn't know what to say.

To think that in his short span of time after being transmigrated. He would end up being fought over like a piece of meat, a prize to be owned. The Gorgon believed her bandage gave her a claim. The goblin believed her bite gave her one. And Grey… Grey just seemed to believe he was hers to protect.

" Oh? What's this?" The Gorgon slithered around Adrian with a coy smile on her face. " Is that regret I smell? You aren't thinking of changing your mind now, are you dear?" She smiled at him, revealing her fang filled mouth.

Adrian gulped before glancing at Grey as if seeking aid but his hopes crashed when she quickly averted his gaze.

' Y-You, Traitor!!!'

" Of course not, Why would I do such a thing." He stuttered suddenly felling a bitter taste in his mouth. This was his fault. His strange, new ability to come back to life had turned him into a target, an object of fascination for these supernatural beings. He had walked into this cave looking to do a good deed yet who would've expected him to end up stirring up a hornet's nest instead.

Adrian had expected Grey to help him out of this situation but who would've expected her to turn a blind eye. It seemed like the wolf was more open to sharing him with the two than to not have him at all.

" Since that's the case, why don't you take responsibility by giving the rest of us names as well." She giggled, finding Adrian amusing, the sight of him acting like a nervous cornered rabbit was quite addicting.

' Names?'

He looked at the three of them, the furious wolf-girl, the smug serpent-girl, and the possessive goblin-girl. Adrian realised that giving them would make things easier.

He had given Grey a name due to her striking hair colour. He glanced at the Gorgon and goblin, taking his time to ponder what names would suit them best.

" How about Snow and Emma." Adrian suddenly said out of the blue. The Gorgon and Goblin blinked in suprise not expecting him to actually come up with ones on the spot.

" Snow?" The Gorgon questioned, curious as to why he'd pick such a thing. The goblin was also curious towards the name she'd been given and Grey who watched from the sidelines had her interest piqued as well.

" Well I thought of it when I saw your scales, they reminded me of freshly fallen snow because of how beautiful they are and like snowflakes, I think each and every one of them are unique in a way yet together, they compliment your beauty all together." Adrian's reply left them all stunned. Grey and the goblin where only mildly surprised because they understand few words from what he'd said but the Gorgon was completely silent, as if taken by suprise.

" You were actually able to come up with something so wonderful...just for me." A warm blush emerged on her face, her heart fluttering uncontrollably.

" Huh?" Adrian glanced down at the goblin who was pulling his sleeve. He was surprised since he had only taken his eyes off her for a short moment yet in that time span, she had managed to reach him without him noticing.

He saw an eager look in her eyes, which meant that she wanted to know the reason behind her name.

Adrian smiled and lifted her chin slightly before leaning in towards her face. " Well I decided to call you Emma because I could never forget your emerald coloured eyes. Emma is short for emerald." The goblins expression turned happy even though she didn't understand most of what he'd said.

Adrian felt a bit awkward since he couldn't quite convey his intentions towards her name, in a way it was a sort of warning, since emeralds were precious gems one would always keep by their sides, he was actually implying that he would always keep an eye on her no matter what.

******

Some time later, in a different part of the forest, far from the hidden cave, the three girls stood in an uneasy truce. Grey had shifted back into her powerful wolf form, though she was back to her, large-wolf size. She stood as a barrier between the forest path and the other two. Adrian had instructed her to carefully watch over the others to make sure they didn't try to do anything troublesome.

Snow was peering impatiently through the trees towards the distant, smoking chimneys of the village. It looked like Adrian was eager to commence with his plan as soon as possible, which was why he had them waiting close to the village, though not close enough for them to be spotted.

"Where did he go?" Snow hissed, her forked tongue flicking out, she looked a bit distressed and angst. "He said he'd be back soon but it's been too long... Just what is he doing in there... without me~" Her serpentine blue eyes narrowed as she stared at the village.

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