After Giving Birth, All My Beast Ex-Husbands Suddenly Want Me Back-Chapter 19: Fate really was that strange

Mino was so frightened his soul nearly left his body. He flung the basket aside and lunged forward, catching Nina just in time. As they fell, he instinctively adjusted his position, shielding her belly.

Nina crashed straight into Mino’s arms.

Her cherry-blossom–pink lips brushed past the corner of his warm mouth and swept across his handsome cheek, tracing an intimate, ambiguous arc.

Both of them froze.

Nina’s small face flushed crimson as she stared, stunned, at the breathtakingly handsome face so close to her own, her mind completely blank.

Mino’s chest jolted as his heartbeat sped up violently. Heat rushed to his cheeks, turning them red like a fully ripened apple, and that warmth spread rapidly through his entire body.

The place where her lips had brushed him tingled and went numb, stirring an uncontrollable yearning.

He stared at those soft pink lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing as his own lips moved closer, against his will...

"Mino!"

Just as their lips were about to touch again, a voice called out from the distance.

Nina snapped back to her senses at once. She turned her face slightly aside and braced herself, trying to push up.

Mino shot a glance toward the source of the voice, a flash of cold light passing through his eyes.

He wrapped an arm around Nina’s waist and back, rolled them over gently, then supported her as he helped her sit up slowly.

"Are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?" His voice was soft, light as a feather.

"I’m fine," Nina shook her head. She moved her right ankle and felt a sharp stab of pain. "Ugh... I think I twisted my right ankle."

"Let me see."

Mino gently took hold of her ankle and removed her leather sandal. He saw a faint swelling on her fair, delicate ankle.

He massaged it lightly with his fingertips, his eyes full of concern. "Does it hurt a lot? I’ll carry you to the shaman right away."

As he spoke, he moved to lift her.

Nina pressed down on his arm. "No need. I have medicine at home—just applying some will be enough."

For an injury this small, using abilities would fix it easily, but Nina wasn’t ready to reveal that yet.

Mino didn’t stop. "Then I’ll carry you back."

Nina tilted her chin toward the basket. "The fish."

Mino chuckled softly. "You’re still thinking about the fish at a time like this."

Nina pouted slightly. "We worked so hard to catch them!"

Mino picked up the basket and slung it over one shoulder.

Then he stepped in front of Nina and effortlessly swept her up in a princess carry, walking steadily toward home.

It was the first time Nina had ever been held like this. She lightly wrapped her arms around his neck, her face burning as she didn’t dare look at him.

His broad, solid chest made her feel unexpectedly safe and secure. Suddenly, she thought that choosing this gentle, beautiful male as a mate didn’t sound like a bad idea at all.

Especially since she truly adored his beast form.

She bit her lip softly and slowly rested her head against his strong shoulder.

Sensing Nina’s closeness, Mino’s heartbeat grew even more frantic, the corners of his lips lifting uncontrollably.

Holding that soft body in his arms, certain feelings inside him became unmistakably clear.

He realized that he truly liked the little female he was holding.

Just now... he had really wanted to bully her a little.

Though they had only known each other for a short time, his feelings had grown like wild grass over the past few days—spreading unchecked, already filling his heart.

She was beautiful and adorable, gentle and kind. She could cook delicious food and knew so many things he didn’t. Every small movement of hers made his heart flutter.

He wanted to marry her. He wanted to become her beast husband.

But there was still that damned engagement.

Even though he would never marry Princess Nina, the Spirit Cat clan had always honored its promises. As long as the engagement remained, he could not marry another female.

Yes—Mino was none other than Nina’s runaway fiancé from Spirit Cat City.

Sometimes, fate really was that strange.

From the very beginning, Mino had strongly resisted that political marriage and had never planned to marry at all. He hadn’t even bothered to ask the other party’s name. And Nina, to outsiders, had always been addressed only as Princess Nina—no one used her personal name.

If he had asked just one more question back then, he wouldn’t have taken so many detours... nor lost the position of first beast husband.

When he finally learned the truth, his regret was overwhelming.

Mino lowered his gaze. In his blue eyes, there was nothing but Nina’s reflection, and a trace of melancholy rose in his heart.

No—he had to find a way to cancel the engagement as soon as possible.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t even be qualified to pursue Nina.

His gaze hardened with resolve. Tightening his hold on her slightly, he quickly returned to the stone house.

When Limus chased after them, he found that Mino was already gone.

Scratching his head, Limus stared at the footprints on the grass.

Why did Mino leave without waiting for him?

And who was that person beneath him just now? It seemed like a female... but it had been too far away to see clearly.

His sister had still been on the mountain earlier, so it definitely wasn’t her.

Should he tell his sister about this? After all, she liked Mino so much.

Looking at the direction the footprints led, Limus hesitated for a moment—then ran off in the opposite direction.

Mino gently laid Nina down on the bed. "Nina, where’s the medicine? I’ll apply it for you."

"Wait a second." Nina reached into the animal-hide blanket at the head of the bed, rummaged around, and—using it as cover—took out a bottle of wound medicine. "This one. Apply it, rub it in evenly, and warm it up a bit."

Mino took the medicine and did as she instructed, massaging it in gently.

Feeling the warmth and care in his hands, a soft warmth rose in Nina’s heart.

After what had just happened, the atmosphere felt a little awkward to her, so she tried to break the silence.

"Mino."

"Nina."

They spoke at the same time. Their eyes met, and they couldn’t help but smile at each other.

"You go first," Nina said.

"Nina, there’s something I want to tell you."

On the way back, Mino had been debating whether he should tell Nina about his past. Now that he was certain of his feelings, he didn’t want to hide anything from her. In the end, he decided to be honest.

"Go on," Nina said, a little curious.

"Actually, I..." Mino paused slightly. "I came here to escape a marriage."

"Escape a marriage?"

Nina suddenly remembered that she, too, had a fiancé who had run away from their engagement.

"Yes," Mino continued. "My family arranged a political marriage for me, but I didn’t want it, so I ran away."

"A political marriage?"

Why was it a political marriage again?

"Yes." Mino carefully watched Nina’s expression. Seeing no disgust in her eyes, he felt a little more at ease and went on explaining. "But it was arranged a long time ago, when I was still young. It wasn’t my choice. I only found out after I grew up."

Nina blinked, her expression turning a little strange.

It was arranged when he was young, too?

It couldn’t be... that much of a coincidence, right?

"Mino, which cat clan are you from?" she asked.

"The Spirit Cat Clan," Mino answered honestly.

...This is bad. It’s almost certainly him.

"You’re not... the young lord of Spirit Cat City, are you?"

She still clung to a sliver of hope.

"Nina is really smart—you guessed it right away." Mino smiled. "I am the young lord of Spirit Cat City."

Nina rubbed her forehead.

Well then. Recognition achieved. The man in front of her was indeed the fiancé who had run away from their engagement.

Did this count as him walking straight into a trap? Running and running, only to end up right in front of his own fiancée.

Should she tell him that she was the very fiancée he had been so desperate to escape from?

If she did, would he disappear immediately—run as far away as possible?

But honestly... this cat-shaped babysitter had been incredibly handy, and she was already quite reluctant to part with him.

Sigh.

What kind of twisted fate was this?

Nina was thoroughly torn.