Chapter 120: Episode 119: We are going for the hunt.
Drax walked into the room with Rue in his arms, sleeping soundly.
He met Caius, who stood quietly near the large bed. The Serpent Alpha kept his golden eyes fixed on the girl, his expression unreadable in the dim light.
"Are you really okay with this arrangement, my king?" Caius asked in a low whisper.
Drax looked down at her rosy face. He adjusted his hold, keeping her head securely against his shoulder. He did not care about pride or titles right now. He spent too many lonely years in the cold mountains. "For her, I’m okay with anything."
He set her down gently on the soft furs. Caius pulled the thick winter blankets up to her chin. The two men stood side by side in the dark. They shared a quiet, unspoken understanding. They both wanted to keep her safe.
Drax stepped back and studied the room. It was small. The wooden walls felt close together, but it held a warmth he never experienced in his own giant stone halls. He walked toward the living room to find a place to rest on the woven rugs. He felt a strange peace settle in his chest.
He spent years searching for a ghost in the dark, but holding the real girl felt so much better. Her breathing was steady, rising and falling in a gentle rhythm.
The next morning brought a very different kind of energy to the cabin.
Birds chirped outside the wooden windows. Bright sunlight streamed through the glass, warming the floorboards. Drax sat at the dining table, quietly nursing a cup of hot water and crushed mint leaves. He liked the quiet hours before the house truly woke up.
Soon, the silence broke. Rue shuffled out of the back room. She wore her simple white cotton dress. She sat near the kitchen table across from the Dragon King. She held a wooden cup of warm water, trying to coax her unsettled stomach into cooperating.
Her new pregnancy made her dizzy. Every single smell in the room felt magnified to a dizzying degree. She smelled the damp earth outside, the burning wood in the hearth, and the sharp mint in Drax’s cup. She just wanted to sit still and wait for the nausea to pass.
The front door swung open with a loud creak.
Axel walked inside. The white wolf puffed his chest out with pride. His icy blue eyes shined with excitement. He held up a thick rope tied around three dead birds. He caught them using smart traps he set up in the woods before sunrise.
He used a complex system of vines and sticks to secure the catch without damaging the meat. He wanted to show his pregnant mate that he was a great provider. He wanted her to feel proud of his hunting skills. He figured three birds would make a perfect stew.
The smell hit Rue instantly.
The sharp, raw scent of fresh blood and wild feathers punched her right in the nose. Her rabbit biology revolted. Her human pregnancy hormones amplified the sheer panic.
She dropped her wooden cup on the table. The water spilled over the edges, pooling on the wood and dripping onto the floor. She slapped both hands over her mouth and bolted for the kitchen counter.
Rue leaned over the iron sink and promptly threw up.
Her shoulders shook violently. She coughed, trying to catch her breath while her stomach twisted into tight knots. The morning sickness was brutal on its own.
Adding the pungent smell of dead birds to the mix was just too much for her fragile system to handle. She gripped the cold iron edges of the sink until her knuckles turned pale.
Axel froze in his tracks. His proud smile vanished. He lowered the rope, looking at the birds and then at his mate. He didn’t understand what he did wrong. Wolves loved fresh meat. Pregnant wolves needed extra protein to build strong cubs. He thought he brought her a perfect breakfast.
Knox leaned against the wall near the fireplace. The dark panther let out a booming laugh. He slapped his knee, thoroughly enjoying the Northern wolf’s confusion.
"You really messed that up, dog," Knox chuckled. "She doesn’t eat meat. She’s a rabbit. She eats berries."
"I just wanted to feed her," Axel grumbled. He walked over to the back window and tossed the birds out into the yard. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling foolish. "I thought all predators needed meat for the babies."
"She isn’t a predator," Knox pointed out, still grinning from ear to ear. "She’s prey. You have to learn how this works if you want to stay here."
Axel flushed, totally forgetting that.
Drax watched the exchange from the table, a faint smirk playing on his lips. He found his brother’s lack of knowledge amusing, but he didn’t intervene.
Caius stepped past them both. The Serpent Alpha ignored their loud bickering. He picked up a clean cloth from the counter and ran it under the cool water from the pitcher. He stood beside Rue and gently pressed the wet fabric against the back of her neck. His cold touch felt amazing on her burning skin.
"Just breathe, sweetie," Caius murmured.
Rue took a shaky breath. She wiped her mouth with the edge of the cloth and turned around to face the room. She leaned against the sink for support. Her face was pale, but the intense nausea finally started to fade.
She looked at Axel’s worried expression and Knox’s smug grin.
She let out a soft chuckle.
I guess this is proof that we’re really different species.
Caius smirked, tracing a thumb along her jawline. Knox nodded in agreement from his spot by the fire. Drax took a slow sip of his mint water. The wolf finally realised he had a lot to learn about his delicate mate. She couldn’t eat his usual catches. She needed a vastly different diet.
"I’ll go back out," Axel announced. He dusted off his hands. "I’ll find sweet fruits. I saw a patch of wild berries near the eastern border of the swamp yesterday. I’ll get the best ones for you."
Before Axel could turn around and leave, a small noise caught his attention.
Theron crawled out from under the dining table. The toddler wasn’t in his shiny silver snake form today. He was in his human form. He had messy silver hair that matched his mother’s perfectly.
His bright golden eyes blinked sleepily as he took in the busy room. He wore a tiny set of grey clothes that Tanith brought him. He reached up and pulled himself to a standing position using the leg of a chair.
Theron walked clumsily across the woven rugs. His chubby legs wobbled with every step. He didn’t have great balance yet, but he was very determined to reach his destination. He marched straight over to the tall white wolf.
He stopped in front of Axel’s thick leather boots. He tilted his head all the way back to look up at the giant man.
"Three!" Theron babbled happily.
Axel looked down and smiled. His icy blue eyes softened at the sight of the little boy. He liked the snake toddler. "That’s right, kid. I’m number three."
Theron turned his small head. He looked across the kitchen at Rue. He raised a chubby finger and pointed directly at Axel’s leg.
"Mama, Three!" Theron announced proudly.
Rue rested her hands on her growing stomach. She felt a warm glow spread through her chest. She gave the little boy a sweet smile.
"Yes, my little one," Rue said softly. "He’s your new daddy."
Axel’s breath hitched. He stared at Rue, his chest swelling with sudden pride. Hearing her claim him like that, accepting him into her pack in front of the others, meant everything.
Theron giggled brightly. The toddler reached his arms up into the air, opening and closing his small fists.
"Up!" Theron demanded.
Rue pushed away from the counter. She walked over to the middle of the room. She bent her knees and reached down to scoop the toddler into her arms. She ignored the warning twinge in her lower back.
Theron was growing fast. His hybrid bones were very dense. He weighed a lot more than a normal human child.
She lifted him up and settled him on her hip. A quiet groan slipped past her lips as the strain hit her spine.
Axel noticed immediately. He didn’t let her carry the weight for another second. He asked Theron to come into his arms, reaching out with broad hands. Theron eagerly leaned forward, leaving Rue’s hip. Axel tucked the boy securely against his broad chest.
Axel grinned, heading for the front door. "We’re going to hunt for fruits!"