Chapter 95: Bear’s Beloved
Tera finally made it outside.
Ermin had gone out with a group to forage for fruits, and having longed for fresh air, Xavi had carried her outside. He eventually had to drop her due to her insistence that she could walk. She wanted to feel the solid ground beneath her feet.
The air was cool and clean, and the moment that gentle breeze touched her skin, Tera loved how good it felt.
It had been cool inside the shelter, especially during the rains that had been coming and going over the past weeks. But cool and fresh were different things, and she hadn’t realised how much she missed the open air until it was on her face again.
The rains were never heavy, but it had surprised her that the water never seeped into the flooring of her shelter at all.
It still surprised her that Xavi and Ermin had been that thorough despite building the shelter within a single day.
She felt a swell of warmth in her chest that had nothing to do with the evening air.
She leaned against Xavi, her body feeling heavier than usual with the growing weight of the twins. He glanced down at her.
"Do you want to go back inside?"
Tera shook her head.
They sat down just outside the shelter, and she sat in his lap, her back against Xavi’s chest.
Out of habit, she reached for the system and had it scan their surroundings.
[No corrupted signatures detected within range]
[Perimeter is clear]
Her body eased with relief. She had been doing this every single day since she regained consciousness. Sometimes twice. Sometimes three times a day.
[Host has scanned twice today]
[(◞‸◟)]
[Please take it easy]
Tera paused, not realising she had actually scanned a second time that day.
She smiled sadly.
’I will take it easy when I know we are safe.’
[This system understands Host’s concern]
[But Host should know that the likelihood of another corrupted beast appearing in this area is—]
’I don’t care about likelihood. Anything could happen.’
[...]
[(◞‸◟)]
[Understood]
Even though Tera did not have nightmares like the cubs had, she was plagued in her own way, by what had happened.
Her mind had already drifted to the shelters again. The silk-leaf walls that were good enough for weather but would crumble like paper if something with claws and teeth came charging through them. She needed to reinforce them, but materials...
’Hmmm, some kind of perimeter around the settlement would be nice.’
Tera was deep in that thought spiral when he scooped her belly out of nowhere and lifted it slightly, cradling and easing the weight off her.
Tera lightly laughed, her cheeks heating up.
Xavi had startled her when he had first done the sudden comfort made her realise he was taking some of the weight off her.
"Thank you..."
He grunted, but Tera could feel his smile without even looking.
[Xavi is always ready to help Host]
[Host is very precious to this beast male]
[Xavi’s Favourability: 97% → 100%]
[\(˚☐˚")/]
[HOST!]
[This is a huge milestone!]
Tera stared at the notification, just as stunned as the system was. But she hadn’t expected it to kick up this much of a fuss.
[This is the first time a mate has reached maximum favourability!]
[In the history of this system’s operation, this milestone has NEVER been reached this early!]
[(ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ✧]
Tera wanted to ask if this meant the system had been doing a terrible job with supposed other Hosts, but she was too caught up in the realisation that Xavi’s favourability had reached completion.
[Xavi has achieved: Absolute Devotion]
[There is not a single fraction of doubt, hesitation, or reservation remaining in this male]
[Title Unlocked: Bear’s Beloved]
[Mate Bond Strengthened!]
[Stat Bonus: Strength +5 from Bear’s Beloved Mate Bond]
Tera couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
But the warmth spreading through her chest said otherwise.
Was this saying Xavi truly loved her?
Tera couldn’t look at him.
She was suddenly very self-conscious. Her face was burning, and her ears felt hot. She stared down at his hands cradling her stomach and didn’t trust herself to speak.
’This is so embarrassing. Why am I acting like this?’
[Host is experiencing genuine emotional vulnerability]
[(◡‿◡✿)]
[It is very sweet]
Before she could even snap at the system, Xavi spoke up.
"What is wrong?"
"Nothing!" The word came out too fast and too high-pitched, and Tera wanted to physically crawl out of her own skin.
He must have felt her stiffen earlier because he was suddenly looking down at her.
"Your heart is beating very fast."
’OF COURSE IT IS!’
"I am fine. Just—the babies moved. That is all."
It was the worst lie she had ever told, and they both knew it.
Xavi’s thumbs resumed their slow circles on her belly, and Tera sat there, her heart hammering as her stomach and chest tingled with a nice feeling.
Xavi and Ermin were very precious to her too.
Her lips were still turned up in that stupid smile when Xavi kissed the top of her head.
She felt shy again.
Light rain started to fall, and she leaned further against Xavi, sinking into him.
"Are you cold?" he asked. "We should go back inside."
"No." She pressed closer. "I want to stay like this for a little while..."
And the light rain felt so nice.
Xavi’s smile widened, and he nuzzled his face in Tera’s hair, which lightly tickled her. She laughed.
Xavi felt very happy, and his mate had been having a faint, nice scent, likely because of the cubs.
He liked it.
Tera closed her eyes and smiled. His heartbeat was soothing, and despite the light rain, she felt she could fall asleep to this.
And she almost did until he had to take them back in as the rain grew slightly heavier.
That evening, Ermin joined them, and Tera slept comfortably between her two mates, feeling bubbly happy for the first time since she had woken up.
Little did she know that the following day was going to come with a very big surprise.