Baby System: My Mates Can Read my Mind?

"Oh my god!" Rue squeals.

She leaned forward on the woven rug, her pink eyes wide. The little grey cub was gone.

A tiny little girl sat on the rug.

She was small and round. She had pale skin that glowed in the morning sun. Messy silver hair curled around her chubby face in thick waves. Two soft gray leopard ears poked right out of the bright curls.

A long, fuzzy grey tail flicked around her bare legs.

She blinked her bright blue eyes. She looked down at her own hands. She wiggled her fingers. She let out a tiny, confused sneeze.

Rue cannot handle the cuteness.

Her heart skipped a fast beat. A giant wave of pure joy washed over her chest. She forgot all about the strict rules. She forgot she was a fragile, pregnant rabbit. Her lower back ached with a sharp, warning sting. Her swollen belly pressed uncomfortably against her thighs. She ignored it all.

"Look at her," Rue gasped. "She is so beautiful."

She leaned forward and reached her arms out.

"Careful, Rue," Knox warned instantly. The Southern panther took a step closer, his golden eyes scanning the room. "She just shifted. She might still have feral instincts. Let me check her first."

"Oh, hush," Rue waved him off.

She didn’t care about feral instincts. She saw a sweet baby sitting on the cold floor. She scooped the girl up.

The little girl let out a soft purr. It sounded exactly like her leopard purr, just a bit softer. She wrapped her chubby arms around Rue’s neck and buried her face in Rue’s collar. She felt warm and soft.

Rue let out a breathless laugh. She rocked back on her heels. The extra weight pulled hard on her aching spine, but she just held the girl tighter.

You are the cutest thing I have ever seen.

Caius heard her thought. The Serpent Alpha let out a soft sigh. He stood up from the floor. He knew better than to argue with his mate when she fell in love with something cute. He reached down and grabbed a gray blanket from the circular bed. He draped it over the little girl’s bare shoulders.

"She has your hair," Axel pointed out. The white wolf walked over and knelt beside them. He reached out and touched one of Mochi’s soft gray ears. The little ear twitched under his cold fingers. "Her hair matches yours exactly. Silver."

Rue looked down. It was true. The little girl’s curls were bright silver, just like Rue’s own hair.

"She absorbed your pheromones," Drax said quietly from the doorway. The Dragon King watched them with dark, intense eyes. "She bonded with you first. Her body mimicked your physical traits to show her loyalty. That is a rare trait for a feral beast."

Rue felt a fresh wave of tears hit her eyes. She sniffled. The pregnancy hormones made her cry over every little thing. She rubbed her cheek against Mochi’s soft head.

"I love you too, Mochi," Rue whispered.

The little girl purred louder. She liked her new name. She wiggled in Rue’s arms, trying to find a comfortable spot against the large baby bump. Rue winced slightly as a tiny elbow dug into her ribs.

Knox saw the wince.

"Give her to me," Knox ordered gently. He held out his large hands. "Your back is hurting. You are carrying too much weight for a rabbit."

"I am fine," Rue lied stubbornly.

"You are grimacing," Caius stated flatly. "Give the child to Knox."

Rue pouted. She didn’t want to let the cute baby go. She held Mochi just a minute longer, savoring the warm, fuzzy feeling in her chest. She was so giddy. She finally handed the little girl over to the giant panther. Knox held Mochi against his broad chest. He looked like a giant mountain holding a tiny cloud.

Mochi blinked up at the scary warlord. She wasn’t afraid. She reached a chubby hand up and grabbed a handful of Knox’s dark hair. She pulled hard.

"Ow," Knox grunted. He didn’t pull away. He just let her pull his hair. He patted her small back awkwardly.

Down on the rug, someone was very unhappy.

Theron peeked out from behind Rue’s knee. He glared at the new girl. His bright golden eyes narrowed into thin slits.

He realised he was no longer the centre of attention.

His mother just spent the last ten minutes staring at the cat. She called the cat beautiful. She picked the cat up. She ignored him.

Theron looked furious that he lost his mother’s attention.

"Mama..." he called out softly.

"Oh, someone is jealous," Axel laughed loudly. The white wolf poked Theron’s side. "You have competition now, little snake. You are not the only baby in the house anymore."

Theron snapped his tiny jaws at Axel’s finger. Axel pulled back just in time, chuckling.

"He is furious," Caius observed. The snake alpha actually looked proud of his son’s aggressive attitude. "He expects to be the only child you hold. It is a good territorial instinct."

Rue reached down. She patted Theron’s head.

"Don’t be mad, sweet boy," Rue coaxed softly. "Mama still loves you. You are my first baby."

Theron wasn’t buying it. He crossed his arms over his chest. He turned his head away and puffed out his cheeks. He refused to look at her. He sulked like a true prince.

A sudden, sharp pain shot through Rue’s lower back. She gasped and grabbed her round belly. The panther cub kicked her hard from the inside.

"You need to get off the floor," Drax said. He walked across the room in three long strides. He didn’t ask this time. He bent down and scooped Rue up into his arms.

"I can walk," Rue protested weakly.

"You can rest," Drax corrected her.

He carried her to the circular bed and set her down gently on the soft sheets. He arranged the grey pillows behind her back. The stone walls of the new house kept the room chilly, but Drax’s broad chest radiated a comforting warmth. He stood beside the bed, watching her face to make sure the pain passed.

"Thank you," Rue sighed. She leaned back into the pillows. She felt drained, but her heart was still racing with pure happiness.

Knox walked over to the bed with Mochi. He set the little girl down near Rue’s feet. Mochi crawled up the blankets. She moved with a strange, clumsy grace. She was used to walking on four paws, not two hands and two knees. She tumbled sideways, her gray tail flopping on the mattress.

Rue laughed brightly. The sound filled the quiet room.

Theron tried to climb up the side of the tall bed to chase the cat away. His short legs couldn’t reach the top of the mattress. He slipped and fell on his bottom.

Caius walked over. The Serpent Alpha picked his son up with one hand. He set Theron on the bed right next to Rue’s pillow, far away from Mochi.

"Guard her from there," Caius instructed his son.

Theron nodded seriously. He wrapped his chubby arms around Rue’s neck and glared at the little girl at the end of the bed.

[Bond progression detected. Familial ties strengthened.]

Mochi ignored the angry boy. She crawled closer to Rue’s round belly. She tilted her head, listening to the tiny panther cub moving inside. She patted the bump with one soft hand.

Rue smiled down at her. "You are going to be a big sister soon."

Mochi crawled up higher. She stopped right over Rue’s chest. She looked down at Rue’s face. Her bright blue eyes were full of wonder. She studied Rue’s pink eyes and her long silver rabbit ears.

The little girl grabbed Rue’s nose and babbled. "Mama."