Baby System: I'm the Beast World's Only Hope!-Chapter 156: Episode : Tell Zarek a Story.

"Dance?" Iris repeated, bouncing on her toes. Her little wolf ears twitched with anticipation.

Ren looked down at the toddler. He was thrown off guard by her enthusiasm to watch him dance.

Did the child see him while he was dancing, while in her mother’s stomach?

Even Roxy was shocked.

His eyes crinkled in warmth, and he smiled.

"A request from a lady," Ren murmured, snapping his fan shut with a flourish, "cannot be denied."

He stepped into the center of the courtyard, and everyone was quiet in anticipation.

Roxy’s mates were indifferent, though Torian was the most grumpy.

"But a dance requires music," Ren noted, looking around the silent garden. "And since the Tiger King only knows how to roar, I suppose I must improvise."

He raised a hand. A gentle breeze swept through the courtyard. It caught the bamboo wind chimes hanging from the eaves, creating a cascading melody of wooden notes.

It rustled the leaves of the ornamental trees, creating a rhythmic percussion. It rippled the surface of the koi pond, adding the soft splash of water to the mix.

It was a symphony of nature, conducted by a flick of his wrist.

Ren began to move.

It wasn’t the stomping war dance of the Wolves or the aggressive posturing of the Tigers. He spun, his robes flaring out like the petals of a blooming flower. He moved with a grace that defied gravity, his steps silent on the stone pavers.

Roxy nodded her head at him.

He reminds me of a male stripper.

[Every male looks perverted to you.]

That’s because I am a pervert.

Roxy continued to bite into the cookies on the table, while Tanith was playing with her gold necklace.

Iris squealed with delight. She tried to mimic him, spinning in clumsy circles, her little wolf tail wagging furiously to keep her balance.

Roxy watched from the table. Her foot started tapping. The rhythm Ren had woven from the wind was infectious. It pulled at her, calling to the part of her that remembered festivals and freedom.

"Here," Roxy whispered, handing the baby to Syris. "Hold the glitter bomb. Mama wants to dance too!"

"Roxy?" Syris blinked, taking the baby. "You are still healing."

"I’m healing, not dead," Roxy grinned.

She stood up. She walked into the sunlight, the tiger-striped dress hugging her curves. The silver anklet Ren had given her months ago jingled, a sharp, clear bell sound that cut through the wind music.

Ren turned as she approached. A genuine smile touched his lips. He extended a hand.

Roxy took it.

She didn’t know the formal court dances of the Foxes, but she knew rhythm. She let the wind guide her. She spun under Ren’s arm, her hair whipping around her face. She laughed, a sound of pure, unadulterated joy that echoed off the manor walls.

From the sidelines, the four Kings watched.

For Torian, time seemed to fold in on itself. He was back at the stream, hidden in the bushes months ago, watching a strange, hairless female bathe and dance in the water.

She was beautiful then, Torian thought, his blue eyes softening as he watched her twirl. He sat still, his chin resting on his hand. He didn’t join her. He was the only one without a blood-link to this new generation.

Kaelen had the triplets spinning around her; Syris had the sparkling baby in his arms. Torian just watched.

She is the sun, he mused, a pang of longing tightening his throat. I am content to bask in her warmth, even if I have not yet given her a star.

Kaelen leaned against a pillar, his arms crossed. A loving look in his eyes.

Syris, holding Tanith, could not help but smile, "Your mummy is so beautiful, isn’t she?"

Tanith giggled, kicking her small legs.

And Zarek. The Dragon King sat like a statue, his golden eyes tracking every sway of her hips. Mine, his dragon roared internally. My treasure. But he didn’t move to stop her. She shines brightest when she is not clutched tight.

It was then that Zarek realized he might have fallen in love with her all over again.

"Me too! Me too!" Axel shouted, diving into the fray.

The spell of the duet broke as the children invaded the dance floor. Axel and Onyx, pure chaos in wolf-pup form, grabbed Ren’s legs. Iris, the little wolf with the violet eyes, tried to climb Roxy. Drax stood on the edge, tapping his foot, trying to look cool, until Roxy grabbed his hand and pulled him in.

"Come on, Drax!" Roxy laughed. "Dragons can dance too!"

Mara and the younger wolf females, who had been watching with wide eyes, couldn’t resist.

"Come on!" Roxy beckoned them. "Follow me! It’s easy! Step, step, spin!"

Soon, the courtyard was a chaotic, joyous mess of spinning skirts, laughing children, and flushed faces. Roxy taught them simple folk dances she remembered from Earth. They formed a circle, holding hands, Wolves, Hybrids, a Human, and a Fox King, spinning until they were dizzy.

***

The wind music faded as Ren finally lowered his hand, looking pale but satisfied. The guests were exhausted but beaming.

"Luna," Mara panted, clutching her chest. "I have not moved like that since I was a pup. My old bones will hate me tomorrow, but my heart is full."

"You did great, Mara," Roxy beamed, wiping sweat from her forehead.

She turned to the pile of goods near the gate. While the others were dancing, she had quietly accessed the System inventory.

"Wait!" Roxy called out as the females prepared to leave. "Don’t go empty-handed."

She and Kaelen brought out baskets.

"For the mothers back at the den," Roxy said, handing a basket to Sera. "There are jars of honey, dried fruits, and soft linens for the new pups. And..." She winked. "...some of those cookies Syris made. Hide them from the males."

"Luna," a young wolf female gasped, looking at the high-quality meat in her basket. "This is too much. You have already fed us."

"We have plenty," Roxy insisted. "Take it. A pack is only as strong as its mothers. Feed those babies well."

The females left with tears in their eyes, clutching the baskets like treasure. The heavy gates boomed shut.

Silence returned to the courtyard, but it was a comfortable silence now. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"I am... spent," Roxy exhaled, her shoulders slumping. The adrenaline crashed, leaving her legs feeling like lead.

"To the nest," Zarek commanded.

He didn’t pick her up this time; she was too sweaty and sticky. Instead, he guided her toward the Master Suite.

An hour later, the children were asleep in the nursery. Ren had retreated to the West Wing. Syris and Torian were cleaning up the courtyard.

Roxy lay on her stomach on the massive Emperor bed, wearing only a silk sheet draped over her lower half. The room was dim, lit only by the glowing embers of the fireplace.

"Mmmph," she groaned into the pillow as Zarek’s large, hot hands worked the tension out of her lower back.

"You overexerted yourself," Zarek chastised gently, his thumbs digging into a knot near her spine. "You are still recovering, Roxy. Dancing like a wild thing... You have no preservation instinct."

"It was fun," Roxy mumbled, melting under his touch. "And the girls needed it. Did you see Iris? She was so happy."

Zarek grunted. He moved his hands lower, massaging her glutes with a firmness that made Roxy’s breath hitch.

"You feel good," Zarek rumbled, his voice dropping an octave. "Soft. Warm."

Roxy turned her head, looking at him over her shoulder. The firelight danced on his golden skin and the hard planes of his face. He looked primal and hungry.

A mischievous spark lit up in her eyes.

"You know," Roxy purred, shifting her hips slightly under his hands. "I didn’t finish my dance."

Zarek’s hands went still. "What?"

"I danced for the kids. I danced for the guests," Roxy whispered, rolling over onto her back. The sheet slipped, revealing the creamy skin of her stomach and the curve of her legs. "But I didn’t dance for you."

She walked her fingers up his chest.

"How about I dance for you, Zarek? In the hot spring? Just us? The steam... the water... my hips..."

Zarek swallowed hard. Adam’s apple bobbed. His pupils dilated instantly into vertical dragon slits.

"Roxy," he warned, his voice straining.

"I can do a slow dance," she teased, biting her lip. "Very slow."

Zarek squeezed his eyes shut. He groaned, a sound of pure torture. He pulled her hands away from his chest and pinned them gently to the mattress.

"No," Zarek choked out.

"No?" Roxy pouted. "You don’t want to see me dance?"

"I want it more than my own breath," Zarek growled, leaning down until his nose brushed hers. "But if you dance for me in that water... naked... slippery..."

He shuddered, his skin heating up until it was almost uncomfortable to touch.

"I will not be able to restrain myself, Roxy."

He pulled back, sitting on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair, looking like a man fighting a war against his own libido.

Roxy blinked. She sat up, pulling the sheet around her chest. She scooted over to him and wrapped her arms around his back, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Okay, big guy," she soothed, kissing his neck. "No dancing."

Zarek let out a shaky breath, leaning back into her embrace. "You are a cruel woman."

She hopped off the bed and grabbed her robe, tying it tight. She walked around to stand in front of him, hands on her hips.

"How about I tell you a story then?" Roxy smirked. "And don’t worry, this one has plenty of monsters. You’ll love it."