usenovelonline Chapter 459: Side Story 14: The Sovereign Daycare Disaster 4
Chapter 459: Side Story 14: The Sovereign Daycare Disaster 4
"My wardrobe is a tragedy of domestic warfare!" Thalor protested, though his hold on a sleep-blinking Sora remained fiercely protective as he stood up from the table.
Noah rested his heavy chin right on top of my head, his dark wolf ears finally relaxing, giving a contented twitch against my hair.
"I think Kaelen’s jaw strength has officially earned him a spot in the forge rotations when he turns five. Harok won’t even need a hammer."
"He’s not touching the forge until he’s ten, Noah!" I laughed, leaning back into his solid, comforting chest while balancing the two hyperactive one-year-olds on my hips.
Kaelen was currently trying to grab my braided hair with a wide, toothy grin, his fluffy black tail wagging so fast it was a complete blur, while Sora methodically traced the collar of my linen tunic with her sharp little tiger claws, letting out a soft, satisfied purr.
"If anyone is going to the forge, it’s the purple-haired leeches," Fenric grumbled, though a massive, uncontainable smirk broke across his face as he walked over.
He casually reached out, his thick, calloused thumb wiping a stray flower petal off my cheek before trailing down to the burning mating mark on my collarbone.
"I think we all agree that they’ve got too much energy. Tomorrow, I’m taking them to the mountain borders to run until their lungs burn. No exceptions."
"They will just use the high altitude to launch larger slush projectiles, Daddy Fenric," Lyra noted flawlessly from the side, calmly closing her heavy trade ledger with a crisp, final snap.
She stood up, smoothing her small tunic with a level of dignity that entirely eclipsed her five years.
"It is a predictable pattern of behavior. It would be a more efficient use of resources to make them scrub the aqueduct tiles."
"Listen to the General, Fenric," I tittered, shaking my head as the room filled with the familiar, chaotic warmth that I had desperately missed over the last forty-eight hours.
Nadir had finally scrambled out of Damar’s lap, his little silver-furred tail swishing happily as he waddled over to yank on the hem of my dress.
"Mummy! Mummy! Did you bring the shiny white clay from the north? Lyra said we can make little tiger cups!"
"I brought a whole basket of it, little star," I smiled softly, kneeling down just enough to let him plant a sticky, sweet-scented kiss right on my cheek.
I looked at them. Truly looked at them. I was away for only forty-eight hours or less, and I missed them so much. I stared at the stars a few times, closed my eyes, and once again realized how lucky I was.
"I love you guys," I said softly, the words slipping out of my chest before I could even filter them, my voice thick with a sudden, fierce wave of emotion.
The entire room went completely, utterly still.
The playful bickering between Fenric and Thalor instantly ceased. Noah’s arms tightened around my waist in a sudden, breathless squeeze, and Damar’s emerald eyes flared with an intense, predatory heat that made the hair on my arms stand up.
Thalor’s eyes narrowed, his chest rising as his heart gave a visible, violent thud beneath his damp silks.
To these fierce, feral alpha males, a direct declaration of love from their mate wasn’t just a sweet remark in passing—it was a spiritual anchor.
It was the ultimate prize they had endured a house full of chaotic toddlers to secure.
"Ari..." Fenric growled, his voice dropping into a dark, rough register that traveled straight down my spine. He stepped closer, his massive frame completely eclipsing the firelight, his ruby eyes locked onto my lips with an unyielding hunger. "You can’t just say things like that after leaving us alone for two days. It’s dangerous."
"Extremely dangerous," Damar purred, sliding up to my left side with that fluid, terrifyingly elegant grace, his cool fingers instantly wrapping around my bare forearm with a possessive, lingering pressure. "My cold blood has reached an optimal temperature, my Queen. The logistics of a standard night’s sleep are officially cancelled."
"Taruna," Noah rumbled, his deep wolf voice carrying a thick, commanding vibration that made the heated stone floor hum beneath our bare feet.
He didn’t take his eyes off me as he gently whistled toward the kitchen corridor. "Take the children to the side wing for the night. All of them. And please secure the gates."
"Right away, Chief Noah!" Taruna’s voice chimed back, sounding thoroughly amused and completely relieved to escape the immediate blast radius of the Kings’ sudden feral energy.
"Wait, but the spring cleaning—!" Lyra began to argue logically, but Phina and Raiden had already grabbed her arms, dragging her toward the door.
Within exactly two minutes, the doors clicked shut, the chaotic patter of little hybrid feet faded down the stone corridor, and the vast hearth room fell into a heavy, suffocatingly thick silence.
I was left standing in the center of the fur rugs, my breath catching as my four husbands slowly closed the distance, completely surrounding me like a pack of predators tracking their absolute favorite prey.
The heat radiating off their bodies was intense enough to melt the frost on the glass panes outside.
"Well," I whispered, a sharp, defiant smirk returning to my lips as my own primal instinct flared, my heart racing in absolute, thrilling anticipation. "I did say I was all in."
I knew what they were going to do to me, and I welcomed it.
Noah laughed, a dark, possessive sound against my neck as his lips found the sensitive skin beneath my ear, while Fenric’s large hands slid firmly down my hips, lifting me effortlessly into the plush mountain of bear pelts.
"We’re going to have a long night, Little tiger," Noah growled into my ear. "There’s no going back now."
Yeah, there’s no going back, and I don’t plan to go back. So, let’s have some fun and live our happiest lives.