Chapter 168: Episode 167: Seeing the Chaos

Rue blinked her pink eyes open.

The large bedroom felt very quiet and warm. The heavy exhaustion from the long day finally melted out of her bones. She stretched her legs under the thick gray blankets, letting out a soft, happy sigh.

Her sore back felt much better after the long nap. She pushed the sheets aside and swung her bare feet onto the cool floor.

She walked out of the bedroom, tying the strings of her loose green dress. She headed down the dim hallway toward the living room. She expected to hear chaos. She expected loud arguments, toddlers running wild, or the sound of breaking wood. She left her daughter with four giant predators who knew nothing about babies.

She reached the archway and stopped dead in her tracks.

The living room was dead silent.

Knox lay flat on his back in the middle of the woven rug. The giant panther warlord snored softly, his massive chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm. Mochi was tucked right under his thick arm. The little leopard girl used his huge bicep as a fluffy pillow, sleeping just as soundly as he was.

Axel slumped against the far stone wall. The white wolf had his head tipped back, his mouth hanging open as he slept. His long legs were sprawled out across the floorboards.

Caius sat at the oak table. The Serpent rested his face right on top of his thick leather book, dead to the world. His long dark hair spilt over the yellow pages.

Drax leaned back against the front door. The Dragon King had his arms crossed over his chest, his dark eyes shut tight. He looked like a tired guard who fell asleep on duty.

In the centre of it all, little Seika slept peacefully inside her woven basket.

Rue leaned her shoulder against the wooden doorframe. A soft, genuine smile stretched across her face. She looked at the four terrifying warlords scattered across her living room. They should have been enemies.

But now, they were just a pile of exhausted fathers. They lay defeated on the floor, knocked out cold by a tiny, crying baby.

A warm, powerful feeling bloomed right in the centre of her chest. They gave up their foolish pride. They put down their sharp weapons. They became one single, loyal pack. It was all because of her. She brought them together. She built this wild, messy family from scratch.

A piece of dry wood popped in the hearth.

The sharp sound echoed in the quiet room. Drax’s dark eyes snapped open first. His fierce dragon instincts were instantly awakened. He scanned the dark corners for threats, but his gaze landed right on Rue standing in the archway. His sharp, dangerous face softened right away.

The sudden movement woke the others.

Knox let out a loud, grumbling groan. He rolled his broad shoulders, very careful not to crush the sleeping leopard cub next to him. Axel blinked his bright blue eyes, rubbing the back of his neck with a rough hand. Caius sat up slowly, peeling a stray piece of parchment paper off his pale cheek.

"You guys look terrible," Rue teased softly, walking into the room.

"Your daughter is a monster," Axel grumbled, pushing himself up from the stone floor. He cracked his knuckles, looking very tired. "She screamed for an hour straight. Knox had to march around the rug like a soldier just to make her sleep."

Rue laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. She walked over to the woven basket and peeked inside. Seika looked like a tiny, perfect angel. "She just likes to keep you on your toes."

The heavy, lazy atmosphere broke. The men didn’t complain about being tired anymore. They sprang into action. They woke up and got straight to work. They knew Rue needed food and a clean house to feel safe and calm.

Drax walked right over to the stone hearth. He grabbed a heavy iron poker and stirred the dying embers. He tossed three large oak logs onto the iron grate. He didn’t use a flint to start the fire. He just blew a tiny puff of hot smoke from his lips, catching the dry bark on fire instantly. The flames roared to life, warming the cold room.

Caius glided into the kitchen area. He washed his pale hands in the clay basin. He grabbed a sharp knife and started chopping fresh green vegetables and cured meat. He moved with cold, precise logic, organising the wooden bowls into neat little rows on the counter. He boiled fresh water for Rue’s favorite fruit tea, making sure the temperature was absolutely perfect before crushing the red berries.

Knox gently woke Mochi up. The little girl rubbed her blue eyes, looking around the room in a daze. Theron wandered out of the nursery a minute later, dragging his favorite stuffed rabbit behind him. The snake boy looked ready to play.

"Let’s go outside," Knox announced, clapping his massive hands together. "We need to burn off some energy before dinner."

Axel joined them. The two warlords corralled the toddlers out the heavy front doors and into the dirt courtyard, leaving Rue to enjoy the quiet house.

Rue walked over to the large glass window. She leaned her shoulder against the cool iron frame and watched them play in the late afternoon sun.

Knox shifted halfway into his beast form. Dark, thick fur sprouted along his strong jawline. He dropped to his hands and knees in the soft dirt, acting like a giant jungle gym. Theron shrieked with pure laughter, climbing onto the panther’s broad back. Mochi chased Axel in fast circles around the stone statues. The white wolf purposely slowed his running down, letting the tiny leopard cub tackle his leg. He fell into the grass with a dramatic, loud groan, pretending she defeated him in a fierce battle.

Rue’s heart felt so full it actually ached. She crossed her arms over her chest, smiling at the silly, beautiful scene. She didn’t have to lift a single finger. She didn’t have to worry about fetching firewood or hunting for dinner. She just got to sit back and watch her family thrive. It felt like a dream.

Caius walked up beside her. He handed her a steaming clay cup. The sweet smell of crushed red berries drifted up to her nose.

"Drink," Caius instructed smoothly. "You need the nutrients to keep your strength up."

"Thank you, Caius," Rue said. She took a slow sip. The tea was warm, sweet, and comforting.

A soft, demanding cry interrupted the peaceful moment.

Seika was awake.

Rue set her clay cup on the wooden window sill. She walked over to the woven basket and scooped the fussy baby up. Seika rooted against Rue’s chest right away, her tiny hands grabbing handfuls of the green dress.

"Okay, okay, I know you are hungry," Rue hummed, walking over to a padded wooden chair near the fire.

She sat down and made herself very comfortable. She shifted her dress and let Seika latch on. The baby panther quieted down instantly, drinking with eager, greedy gulps. Rue rested her head back against the chair, enjoying the quiet warmth of the fire.

The heavy front door swung open.

Axel walked back inside. The white wolf was covered in dry dirt and green grass stains. His messy white hair stuck up in all directions. He looked sweaty and out of breath from letting the toddlers tackle him for an hour. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, leaving a dark smear of mud across his sharp cheek.

He saw Rue sitting by the fire.

He didn’t walk to the kitchen to get a drink of water. He didn’t go to the washroom to clean his dirty face. He walked straight over to her.

Axel dropped down onto the floor right in front of her chair. He crossed his long, muscular legs. He rested his elbows on his knees, leaning his weight forward.

Rue thought he was just going to watch Seika eat. The men always found the tiny baby fascinating. They loved watching her tiny panther ears twitch when she drank her milk.

But Axel wasn’t looking at Seika’s face.

His bright blue eyes drifted down. He stared right at Rue’s stomach.

The green wool dress was bunched up around her waist to feed the baby. Her bare stomach was exposed to the warm air of the room. It wasn’t flat and tight like it used to be. It carried the soft, gentle curve of a mother who just gave birth a month ago. Small, faded stretch marks traced silver lines across her pale skin.

Axel stared at the soft curve with intense, burning focus. He didn’t blink. His broad chest heaved up and down with slow, heavy breaths. The playful, silly wolf from the yard was gone. He looked deadly serious. He looked like he was trying to solve a massive puzzle hidden right under her skin.

The stare felt very heavy.

Rue shifted in her seat. A hot flush crept up her neck. She felt a little self-conscious. She knew her body looked different now. She knew she was softer and rounder. She usually didn’t mind it, but having his striking blue eyes locked onto her bare stomach made her heart beat a frantic rhythm.

He didn’t look disgusted. He didn’t look bored. He looked absolutely obsessed.

The silence in the room stretched on for a long time. The only sound was the crackle of the fire and the soft noises Seika made as she ate.

Rue couldn’t take the heavy silence anymore. She pulled the edge of her dress down just a fraction of an inch, trying to break his intense focus. It didn’t work. His blue eyes just tracked the movement of the fabric.

She tilted her head, giving him a confused, nervous look.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Axie?"