Chapter 141: Episode 140: Post Birth
Rue’s routine became: wake up, breastfeed, go back to sleep.
It felt like living in a blurry loop. The tiny baby girl had a fierce appetite. She woke up every two hours, demanding milk with loud, sharp cries that echoed off the walls.
Rue would pry her tired pink eyes open, feed her daughter until the little one fell into a milk-drunk sleep, and then pass right out against the soft grey pillows.
Her body desperately needed the rest. The birth drained her fragile frame. The magical white blanket Caius placed over her legs worked wonders. It kept her warm and chased the lingering pregnancy fever out of her system.
But lying flat on her back for days on end made her joints ache in a brand new way. She wanted to stretch her legs. She wanted to walk across the room and simply look out the glass window.
Whenever she even tried leaving the bed, she would get pushed back by Knox or Caius who urged her to sleep back.
Just yesterday, Rue pushed the blankets down. She swung her bare feet over the side of the mattress. She didn’t even stand up yet.
Knox appeared instantly. The giant panther dropped the wooden toy he was carving. He rushed across the room in three long strides. He scooped her up in his thick arms before her toes could even brush the cold stone floor.
"What do you think you’re doing?" Knox scolded gently. He tucked her right back into the centre of the mattress. He pulled the thick sheets all the way up to her chin. "You need to rest, little one. You’re still healing."
"I just wanted to look outside," Rue complained. She puffed her cheeks out, feeling annoyed. "My legs are getting stiff. I feel like a lazy rock."
"You aren’t lazy, you’re recovering," Knox promised, kissing her forehead. "I’ll open the window wide so you can see the trees. Just stay put."
Later that same afternoon, Caius caught her trying to sneak a short walk to the washbasin. The Serpent Alpha didn’t shout. He just glided into her path. He picked her up with his freezing pale hands and carried her directly back to the pillows. He brought a wet cloth to the bed and washed her face himself, ignoring her grumpy sighs.
"Your bones are still soft, sweetie," Caius murmured, pressing a cold kiss to her cheek. "Don’t push yourself."
They treated her like a porcelain doll. It was very sweet, but she felt trapped. She wasn’t sick. She just had a baby. She needed to move her own body.
Then, the perfect opportunity finally arrived.
She woke up when they were not around.
The bedroom was bathed in warm, golden afternoon sunlight. The house felt unusually quiet. The new baby slept soundly in the small wooden crib Knox built by the wall. The little girl’s fuzzy panther ears twitched in her sleep, but she didn’t make a sound.
Rue listened closely to the hallway. She didn’t hear Knox’s booming laugh. She didn’t hear Axel’s boots pacing the floorboards. She didn’t hear the toddlers babbling.
They must be out in the yard, Rue thought.
She sat up slowly. Her lower back gave a soft pop. She pushed the heating blanket aside. She took a deep breath, expecting a warlord to jump out of the shadows and force her back under the covers.
Nobody came.
She smiled brightly. She swung her legs over the side of the circular bed. Her bare feet touched the cool stone floor. A wonderful shiver ran straight up her spine. She stood up. Her knees wobbled just a bit, but she found her balance quickly. She felt so much lighter now that the baby was born.
She quickly left the room to have a drink of water.
She walked down the long, empty hallway. The stone walls looked nice from a standing position. She wore a simple white cotton dress that brushed against her ankles. She took her time, enjoying the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other. It felt so good to just move on her own terms.
She reached the main living hall. The large dining table was empty. The hearth fire was just a pile of warm ashes. She walked straight into the kitchen area. A fresh clay pitcher sat on the wooden counter.
She picked up a wooden cup. She poured herself some cool water and drank it down in three big gulps.
The water tasted amazing. It tasted like pure victory.
She set the cup down. She raised both of her arms high above her head and stretched. She leaned her upper body back, letting out a loud, happy groan as her stiff spine stretched out. She rolled her shoulders. She twisted her waist from side to side.
I feel like a real person again, Rue cheered in her mind.
"You shouldn’t be out of bed."
Rue gasped. She spun around so fast she almost tripped over her own bare feet.
Drax stood right in the archway of the kitchen.
He leaned his tall frame casually against the wooden doorframe. He wore his usual dark clothes, looking sharp and highly dangerous. His long arms were crossed over his broad chest. His dark eyes watched her every single move. He didn’t look angry, but his intense stare made her heart jump straight into her throat.
Rue started crashing out.
"I was just stretching," Rue blurted out quickly. She took a step back until her hips hit the wooden counter. Her hands fluttered nervously in front of her. "I swear I was going right back. Don’t tell Knox. He’ll panic and build a cage around the bed. I just needed to stretch my legs. I feel fine, Drax. I really do. My back barely hurts today."
She talked way too fast. Her words tumbled over each other in a messy rush. She felt like a naughty child caught stealing sweet berries right before dinner. She expected the Dragon King to scoop her up and carry her back to the bedroom just like the others did.
But Drax didn’t move fast. He didn’t scold her. He didn’t mind watching her panic.
He uncrossed his arms and pushed off the doorframe. He walked toward her with slow, deliberate steps. The faint smell of rich smoke and old parchment filled the space between them. He stopped right in front of her, trapping her gently against the counter.
He reached out. He didn’t grab her waist to carry her away. He just brushed a silver curl behind her long rabbit ear. His pale fingers felt cool and soothing against her flushed cheek.
"You talk too much when you’re nervous," Drax said. His voice was a low, smooth rumble.
Rue swallowed hard. She looked up into his dark eyes. The intense obsession she always saw in his gaze was there, but it was wrapped in a deep, gentle warmth.
"I’m not nervous," Rue lied, her voice squeaking just a bit.
"Your heart is beating very fast," Drax pointed out smoothly. He let his fingers trail down her jawline. "I can hear it from across the room."
Of course you can, Rue thought, mentally cursing his sharp dragon senses.
"I’m just stretching," Rue repeated softly. "The bed is too soft. It makes my bones feel mushy."
Drax looked down at her bare feet on the stone floor. He looked at the empty wooden cup sitting on the counter. He understood her frustration. He knew what it felt like to be trapped in one place for too long. He spent years locked away in a dark mountain cave. He knew the desperate need to just stand up and move freely.
He didn’t want to make her feel trapped in her own home. He wanted her to feel safe, not imprisoned.
He stepped even closer, closing the small gap between them. He rested one hand on the wooden counter right beside her hip. He reached out with his other hand and gently tucked another stray curl away from her face.
"You can walk around if you want to," Drax told her quietly. "You don’t have to sneak out like a thief in your own house."
Rue blinked in surprise. "Really? Because Caius acts like I’ll shatter into dust if I stand up for more than ten seconds."
"Caius is a snake," Drax replied. "He overthinks everything. Knox is a loud brute who lets his panic control him. They just want you safe. But they forget you have your own mind."
Rue felt a warm flutter in her chest. Drax always made her feel seen. He didn’t just treat her like a fragile incubator for their children. He treated her like a person who had wants and needs.
"Thank you," Rue whispered.
Drax tilted her chin up slightly so she had to meet his dark gaze. The faint smirk on his lips faded into something much more serious.
"But," Drax added, his voice dropping to a rough, possessive whisper. "You are still healing. You are still weak. If you fall, you could hurt yourself."
He leaned his face down until his lips were just an inch away from her ear. The heat radiating from his broad chest wrapped around her, making her breath hitch.
"Tell me when you are leaving the bed, Rue," Drax murmured against her skin. "So I can take care of you."
A bright blush spread fast across Rue’s pale cheeks. Her pink eyes darted away from his intense stare. She felt incredibly shy all of a sudden. The kitchen felt way too small for the both of them.
She looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers together.
Rue felt shy, and she was like, "I just wanted to get water..."