Chapter 161: I’m also your baby
Night came slowly.
Nobody slept early.
Torches burned along the walls.
Guards changed twice as often.
Inside Swanly’s shelter, however, the world became smaller.
Three cubs.
One tired mother.
One exhausted black panther.
And far too many blankets.
Kairo fought sleep first.
"I not tired."
His eyes were closed.
Kael stared at him.
"Of course."
Nilo was already curled beneath one hide.
Miko lay across Kael’s thigh upside down.
"Miko not sleep."
He yawned so hard his tiny fangs showed.
Kael lifted him.
Miko immediately wrapped around his neck.
"No fur."
"You need sleep."
"No."
"Miko."
"Papa warm."
Kael’s face softened.
He carried him toward the cub hollow.
Swanly watched.
Something inside her went warm.
Kael tucked Kairo first.
Then Nilo.
Then Miko.
Miko immediately sat up.
"Kiss."
Kael kissed his forehead.
"Again."
Another.
"Other side."
Kael stared.
Miko pointed.
Kael kissed the other cheek.
"Now nose."
"Miko."
"Nose lonely."
Swanly covered her mouth.
Kael sighed and kissed his nose.
Satisfied, Miko finally collapsed.
"Love Papa."
Kael’s entire expression melted.
"Love you too."
Eventually the three cubs were quiet.
Mostly.
Kael returned.
Swanly was sitting on the edge of their sleeping space.
Watching him.
He noticed.
"What?"
She smiled.
"Nothing."
His eyes narrowed.
That smile meant something.
Swanly stood.
Then walked toward him.
Slowly.
Her rounded stomach made the movement less graceful than she imagined.
Kael still watched like she was the only female alive.
That helped.
She stopped between his knees.
"Kael."
"Yes?"
"I have a complaint."
His brows lowered.
"What?"
"You tucked all your babies into bed."
He stared.
Swanly pointed at herself.
"What about me?"
Silence.
Kael blinked.
Swanly smiled sweetly.
"I’m also your baby."
His ears went red.
Instantly.
Swanly nearly laughed.
There he was.
The terrifying black panther who could tear infected apart with his claws.
Defeated by one sentence.
"Swanly."
"What?"
"You are not..."
He looked at her stomach.
Then her face.
"...a baby."
She climbed onto his lap.
Kael stopped breathing.
Her knees settled on either side of his hips.
His hands immediately caught her waist to steady her.
"Swanly."
"What?"
His face was getting hotter.
"What are you doing?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I told you."
Her voice softened.
"I’m also your baby."
Kael swallowed.
Her curves pressed warmly against him.
Pregnancy had softened her body even more.
Fuller breasts.
Rounded stomach between them.
Thick hips trapped beneath his hands.
Kael’s fingers flexed instinctively against her waist.
Swanly noticed.
Her smile became wicked.
"Tuck me in."
His golden eyes darkened.
"You are enjoying this."
"Very much."
"Swanly."
She kissed his cheek.
Kael froze.
Then his jaw.
Another kiss.
His hands tightened.
"Stop teasing."
"Who is teasing?"
She kissed the corner of his mouth.
Kael made a low sound.
That was when Swanly noticed Soren.
He stood near the entrance.
Silent.
Watching.
His expression was horrifying.
Not because of her.
Never her.
His disgust was aimed entirely at Kael.
As though Kael had personally committed a crime by sitting there while his own mate climbed onto him.
Swanly stared.
Soren stared back.
Then looked at Kael’s hands around her waist.
His face became even colder.
Kael noticed.
His golden eyes slid toward Soren.
Then something terrible happened.
Kael smiled.
Slowly.
Swanly felt it.
"Oh no."
Kael pulled her slightly closer.
Soren’s eye twitched.
Swanly whispered:
"Do not."
Kael kissed her.
Soft.
Slow.
Not obscene.
Somehow worse.
Because it was deliberate.
Soren’s tail struck the ground.
Kael kissed her again.
Swanly pulled back laughing.
"You are terrible."
Kael looked toward Soren.
"I do not know what you mean."
Soren looked like he wanted to remove his own eyes.
"You are disgusting."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"You are watching."
"I am unfortunately standing in the same shelter."
"Leave."
"I was considering it."
Swanly burst out laughing.
Soren turned.
He was actually leaving.
She called after him:
"Soren."
He stopped.
She smiled.
"Me too."
His head turned slightly.
Swanly shrugged.
"You can tuck me in too sometime."
Silence.
Soren’s antennae did not exist, but if they had, they would have exploded.
His silver eyes widened the smallest amount.
Kael’s smile vanished immediately.
Now Swanly laughed harder.
Fair.
Soren recovered first.
His mouth curved.
"I will remember that."
Kael glared.
"Forget it."
Soren walked away looking significantly less miserable than before.
Swanly looked at Kael.
"You started it."
"I regret everything."
A giggle came from behind the reed partition.
Swanly froze.
Another giggle.
Kael closed his eyes.
She turned.
Three tiny heads disappeared.
"I KNOW YOU ARE AWAKE!"
Silence.
Then Miko whispered loudly:
"Sleep!"
Kairo whispered:
"You not supposed talk!"
Nilo:
"Both quiet."
Swanly pointed toward the partition.
"Go to sleep!"
Three voices answered:
"Yes, Mama!"
Swanly waited.
Miko giggled again.
She threw a rolled hide toward the partition.
Tiny shrieks exploded.
Kael laughed against her shoulder.
For one warm moment, despite scouts and ancient creatures and sealed things beneath the earth, Swanly laughed too.
...
Much later, Selka sat alone behind the thick wooden bars of her cave.
The settlement had finally quieted.
One guard stood outside.
Another patrolled farther down the path.
Selka rested against the stone wall.
Her hand covered her stomach.
Then:
Scratch.
Her eyes opened.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Not from the entrance.
Behind her.
Selka slowly turned.
The rear wall.
The side closest to Ironwood’s outer layer.
A tiny piece of dirt fell from a crack.
Selka stood.
Her heartbeat quickened.
Someone was digging.
Very carefully.
From the other side.
She approached without making a sound.
Another tiny crack appeared.
Then a whisper came through the stone.
"Selka?"
Her eyes widened.
Someone outside Ironwood knew exactly where to find her.
...
Author’s note:
Hey guys, I was supposed to say this much earlier, but I got a little shy because there are more of you here now, and you’re still growing in number. Thank you so much for that.
I just wanted to let you know that I am a sickle cell patient. Sometimes, if I suddenly stop uploading or take a longer break than usual, it may not be because I want to. It could be because I’m dealing with a crisis or my health has gotten worse.
(Read more below)