Baby System: I'm the Beast World's Only Hope!-Chapter 153: Episode : Visitors for the Mansion.

His violet eyes searched hers with desperation more than lust.

Roxy was very foreign to his gaze. Why did he look like he was hurting?

Roxy felt her breath hitch. She leaned in, compelled by the raw vulnerability in his gaze. As he shifted closer, the loose collar of his white inner tunic slipped a fraction of an inch to the side.

There, just above his collarbone, the moonlight caught something dark.

Something that looked like webs was crawling up his nape. Thick, black veins pulsed beneath his pale skin, looking like ink spilled under a layer of ice. The skin around it was grey and necrotic, a stark contrast to the ethereal beauty of his face.

"Ren," Roxy whispered, her eyes widening. She reached out instinctively. "Your neck... what is that?"

Ren froze.

His eyes darted down to where her gaze was fixed. The spell of the moment broke instantly, shattered by the ugly reality of his sickness.

"No!"

Ren recoiled as if she had burned him. He scrambled backward, nearly tripping over his arse. He clutched the collar of his tunic, pulling it tight around his throat, his face twisting into shame, panic, and some fear.

"Don’t look at it!" he hissed, his voice trembling. "Forget you saw it!"

"Ren, wait—" Roxy stood up, holding Tanith close.

But he was already gone. He fled the nursery as fast as he could, his bare feet silent on the floor.

I wanted to tell him that it was okay to have secrets.

At this point, how am I going to know what’s so special about him?

The door banged shut, echoing through the quiet wing of the manor.

In her arms, Tanith, startled by the noise and the sudden spike in tension, let out a high-pitched wail.

"Shh, shh, it’s okay, darling," Roxy cooed, rocking the baby frantically. "He didn’t mean it. He’s just... scared."

She sat back down, offering her breast to the crying infant. Tanith latched on, her sobs subsiding into hiccups, but Roxy couldn’t calm her own racing heart.

She stared at the closed door.

What could cause him to be that terrified?

The next morning arrived not with the harsh sun of the outdoors, but with the soft, diffused light filtering through the high-quality paper screens of the Master Suite.

Roxy was pulled from a restless sleep by a sensation of warmth and tickles. It started on her shoulder, then moved to her cheek, then her nose.

As if the other person was trying to explore her.

"Mmph," she groaned, trying to bury her face in the silk pillow.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," a deep voice rumbled against her ear.

"Too early," another voice purred near her neck.

Roxy opened one eye to find herself pinned under a pile of affection.

Kaelen was nuzzling her neck. Torian was leaning over her, peppering her face with quick, enthusiastic kisses. Zarek was sitting up against the headboard, reading something in a parchment, but his hand was resting possessively on her waist, his thumb rubbing warm circles into her skin.

"The sun is up," Torian announced, kissing her nose. "And we have guests."

"Guests?" Roxy mumbled, trying to push the massive Tiger King off her. "We just moved in. Can’t we just stay with each other?"

"The female wolves," Kaelen explained, pulling back to look at her. "Mara and some other females. They came to see the manor. And to bring gifts."

"More gifts?" Roxy sighed, sitting up. Her body felt surprisingly good. The System’s passive healing, combined with the warmth of the manor, was accelerating her recovery. The soreness from the birth was fading into a dull ache. "We don’t have anywhere to put them."

"This one is special," Torian grinned, holding up a garment. "They made it for you."

Roxy looked at it. It was a dress made of soft, tanned leather, but dyed and painted with intricate stripes. It was patterned like a tiger’s coat, but cut in a flattering, feminine style that would accommodate her postpartum body comfortably.

"A Tiger dress made by Wolves?" Roxy smiled, touching the fabric. "I am actually impressed.."

"It is cute," Torian corrected, his tail swishing behind him. "Put it on. I want to see you in it."

Thirty minutes later, Roxy emerged from the en-suite bath pond.

The water, heated by the geothermal vents, was infused with minerals that left her skin feeling sweet. She had washed her hair with a lavender soap the System had provided, and now, dressed in the tiger-stripe dress, she looked radiant.

She walked into the bedroom where her mates were waiting.

They were awestruck.

The dress hugged her curves in all the right places, emphasizing the softness of her hips and the swell of her chest. Her skin, usually pale, seemed to have a pearlescent sheen to it. Her hair tumbled in loose, damp waves down her back.

"By the Ancestors," Torian breathed, walking toward her as if in a trance. "You are... glowing."

He reached out, his large hands hovering over her waist.

"How?" Torian whispered, looking at her with wide, dilated pupils. "You just gave birth yesterday. You should be tired. You should be pale. But you look... ripe. Like a goddess of fertility."

The system has to blame for that... though I am not complaining.

Roxy chuckles, swatting his hand away playfully. "It’s the bath, Rian. Good water does wonders."

Torian didn’t listen. He leaned in, inhaling her scent, a low growl starting in his throat. "You smell incredible. Better than before. I want to—"

Zarek reached out and smacked the back of Torian’s head with the rolled-up scroll.

"Ouch!" Torian yelped, rubbing his head. "What was that for, Lizard?"

"Control yourself, cat," Zarek said dryly, swinging his legs off the bed. "She is still healing. The glow does not mean she is open to sex anytime soon. Keep your funny ideas inside your head."

Roxy chuckled.

Z loves me best!

Torian bristled, his ears flattening. "I know that! I am not an animal! I can admire my mate without... pouncing!"

"Your tail says otherwise," Kaelen pointed out, nodding at Torian’s tail, which was twitching frantically.

"Stop it, you three," Roxy shook her head, smiling affectionately at their bickering. But then, her smile faded slightly. She looked around the room.

"Kaelen," she asked.

"Yes, love?"

"Have you seen Ren?"

The room went quiet. The mention of the Fox dampened the mood instantly. Kaelen sighed. "I checked the West Wing this morning when I did my rounds. The door is locked."

"Did he come out for breakfast?" Roxy asked, frowning.

"No," Kaelen shook his head. "I knocked to tell him food was ready. He told me to go away. Said he wasn’t hungry."

Roxy bit her lip.

"He is sulking," Torian dismissed, adjusting his gold chains. "Let him rot in there. He is just jealous of our happiness."

"Torian," Roxy warned, her tone sharp.

"What? He is a drama queen, Roxy. Foxes are such fragile creatures!"

"He’s not sulking," Roxy murmured, mostly to herself. "He’s..."

She didn’t finish the sentence. She didn’t know what was wrong with him either, and the system hadn’t even prompted her to make babies with him, just told her that he was her next mate.

Just then, the door pushed open.

Syris walked in. He looked pristine in dark green robes, his hair tied back neatly. But in his arms, he held Tanith.

Tanith was sobbing. It wasn’t the loud wail of hunger, but a soft, heartbreaking whimpering. Her little face was scrunched up, tears leaking from her closed eyes.

"She will not settle," Syris said, his voice laced with distress. "I checked her diaper. I checked the temperature. I rocked her. She just... cries."

Roxy moved instantly. "Give her here."

She took the baby from Syris. Almost immediately, Tanith sensed her mother’s scent, and the whimpering quieted down to sniffles. She nuzzled against Roxy’s chest.

"She just missed me," Roxy cooed, adjusting the dress to feed her. "She’s a clingy one."

Syris let out a breath of relief, watching his daughter calm down. "I thought I had done something wrong."

"You are just getting worked up, Sy," Roxy smiled. "She just needed her mother."

Syris nodded, regaining his composure. "The guests are waiting. Mara and the other females are in the Tea Room. They seem fascinated by the shelter."

"Did you make cookies?" Roxy asked. Her eyes glinted in need. She would very much want some.

"I did," Syris nodded. "The oat and honey ones you taught me. And I brewed a tea that promotes healing."

"Perfect," Roxy said. "You’re the best host, Syris."

She stood up, holding Tanith securely. "Okay, let’s go see the wolves. Torian, fix your face. Kaelen, stop looming."

The men fell into formation around her as they walked out of the Master Suite into the grand hallway. The house was bright and airy, sunlight streaming through the skylights.

They walked toward the central courtyard where the Tea Room was located.

But as they passed the corridor that led to the West Wing, Roxy slowed down.

She looked down the long, shadowed hallway. At the very end, she could see the door to the Guest Room. It was shut tight.

She thought about the mark on his neck.

I could just check on him and be done with it.

What’s the worst that could happen?

"Roxy?" Zarek asked, stopping when he realized she wasn’t following. "The Tea Room is this way."

Roxy looked at Zarek, then at the hallway.

"Go ahead," Roxy said, shifting Tanith to her other arm. "Start the tea. I’ll be right there."

"Where are you going?" Torian asked, frowning. Roxy took a step toward the West Wing.

"I am going to just check on him and leave."

A/N: Are you guys also facing the issues of high coin price? How is it for you guys? Is it normal or has it doubled? On my part, it’s still normal, but some people have been complaining of the price hike for unlocking Chapters.