Baby System: I'm the Beast World's Only Hope!-Chapter 317: Episode 315: War is about to happen!
The warm, golden light of the late afternoon poured through the arched windows of the master bedroom, casting a peaceful, amber glow over the massive fur-covered bed.
For the third time in what felt like as many hours, Roxy was comfortably propped up against a mountain of plush, silk-lined pillows. Her robe was pulled casually aside, completely exposing her breast to the tiny, fiercely demanding creature currently secured in her arms.
Tyara was eating again.
The three-day-old White Tiger cub possessed a metabolism that was frankly terrifying. She didn’t nurse with the gentle, sleepy cadence of a standard human infant; she drank with the ravenous, single-minded focus of an apex predator.
Her tiny hands were balled into incredibly tight, surprisingly strong fists, gripping the delicate silk of Roxy’s robe as if she were anchoring herself to the earth.
"She has an absolutely feral appetite, Queen Roxy," Dena observed softly.
The young wolf-shifter was moving quietly around the room, gathering up the empty wooden bowls and adjusting the thick woven rugs. She paused near the foot of the bed, a fond, highly amused smile spreading across her face as she watched the newborn cub.
"I tried offering her the specialized nutrient-milk from the apothecary when she woke up an hour ago, just to give you a moment of rest," Dena teased gently, picking up an empty silver flask. "But she took one sniff, wrinkled her tiny nose, and nearly slapped the flask out of my hand. Ever since she tasted her mother’s milk, nothing else seems to be able to calm her hunger down."
Roxy let out a bright, melodic chuckle, the sound vibrating in her chest.
"Is that so?" Roxy murmured, looking down at the beautiful, fluffy-eared infant cradled in her arm.
As if she knew they were talking about her, Tyara paused her aggressive feeding for a fraction of a second. She didn’t unlatch, but she tilted her head back just enough to open her blue eyes.
The tiny cub stared directly up at Roxy’s face, her gaze incredibly intense and deeply focused, watching her mother with a possessive, unwavering adoration while she ate.
Roxy’s heart swelled until it physically ached. She reached down, her thumb gently brushing over the incredibly soft, pale silver stripes on Tyara’s white ears.
"That’s my girl," Roxy whispered proudly, a fierce wave of maternal devotion washing over her. She looked back up at her helper. "What about the rest of the pack, Dena? Is Syris done with Tanith yet?"
She didn’t feel comfortable that Tanith sleeps for almost the whole day without eating properly.
"He should be finishing up soon, Queen Roxy," Dena replied, setting the flask on her wooden tray. "The Snake King is very thorough when it comes to preparing for the cold season. He wanted to make sure she was perfectly insulated before her hibernation cycles began."
Roxy let out a soft, wistful sigh, carefully adjusting her posture to alleviate a slight ache in her lower back. "I miss her already. With the birth happening so fast, and then sleeping for three days straight, I haven’t even had the chance to hold my little green bean. I doubt Tanith has even had the chance to properly see Tyara yet."
Only that one time.
Dena’s smile widened, her wolf ears perking up happily.
"Oh, but she has," Dena corrected, stepping closer to the edge of the mattress. "While you were unconscious, Queen Roxy, the Kings were absolutely frantic. But little Tanith was so brave. She shifted into her human toddler form and waddled right into this room when Alpha Kaelen left the door cracked."
Roxy’s eyes widened in surprise. "She did?"
"She was so curious," Dena nodded, her voice dropping to a sweet, hushed tone. "She climbed right up onto the edge of the mattress. Tyara was sleeping in the nest of pillows beside your head. Tanith just sat there for nearly an hour, her big green eyes wide, watching her new sister breathe. She even reached out and gently patted Tyara’s little fluffy ears. She completely loved her. She kept whispering ’baby, baby’ until Alpha Syris came to scoop her up."
Roxy beamed in absolute, unadulterated joy. A brilliant, radiant smile completely transformed her exhausted features.
The knowledge that her daughter had instantly accepted and loved the fierce little tiger cub brought a profound sense of peace to her soul. Her family was weaving itself together perfectly.
A gentle, highly respectful rapping sounded against the door.
"I will get it," Dena murmured, quickly crossing the floorboards.
She pulled the heavy iron handle, swinging the door inward.
Lyra of the Dragon Peaks stepped gracefully into the room. Right beside her was Mara, the high-ranking female of the Wolf Pack, her eyes warm and entirely devoid of the sharp, political tension they had just navigated downstairs in the parlor.
"Roxy," Lyra greeted softly. "We hope we are not intruding on your rest."
"Not at all, please come in," Roxy invited warmly, shifting her weight to sit up a little straighter. "I am so glad you both came."
The two women immediately abandoned all bounds of formal, diplomatic society. The moment they spotted the tiny, feeding infant in Roxy’s arms, they melted entirely.
They crossed the room with hurried, eager steps, immediately cozying up to the side of the massive bed.
"Oh, by the Gods," Mara breathed, her wolf instincts completely enchanted by the tiny royal cub. She knelt beside the mattress, resting her chin on her folded arms so she was at eye level with the baby. "She is absolutely magnificent, Roxy."
Lyra leaned over, her brow softening into an expression of pure adoration. "A female tiger cub. It is a blessing upon the entire continent. She has your beautiful features, but the sheer, undeniable density of her father’s feral nature."
As if sensing the new auras in the room, Tyara finally had her fill. The tiny cub released her iron-clad grip on Roxy’s robe, her jaw going slack as she unlatched with a soft, milky sigh.
Roxy quickly pulled the violet silk over her breast, tying the sash securely before carefully shifting Tyara to rest high against her shoulder. She began to rhythmically pat the cub’s back.
Tyara blinked her eyes open, staring sleepily at the two strange women hovering over her. Lyra reached out a single, elegant finger, gently tracing the curve of the baby’s chubby cheek.
Tyara let out a tiny, breathy hiccup. The corners of her milk-stained lips twitched upward, flashing Lyra and Mara a brilliant, fleeting, reflexive smile before her heavy eyelids fluttered shut again.
"Oh!" Mara gasped, clutching a hand to her chest, her heart completely stolen. "Did you see that? She smiled at us!"
"She is a heartbreaker already," Lyra chuckled, her eyes shining with absolute delight.
As the woman cooed over the sleeping infant, the door to the en-suite bathroom opened.
Torian emerged, completely ignoring the visiting dignitaries. The massive White Tiger Alpha walked directly to the bedside table, carrying a silver platter laden with freshly sliced, vibrant yellow pineapple.
He bypassed Mara and Lyra entirely, sitting heavily on the edge of the mattress right beside Roxy.
Without a word, Torian picked up a perfectly cut, dripping piece of sweet fruit. He held it gently to Roxy’s lips, his dark eyes burning with an intense, single-minded devotion to replenish her strength. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
Roxy smiled, leaning forward to take the sweet, juicy fruit from his calloused fingers. "Thank you, Rian."
Ren stepped forward, holding a chilled silver goblet filled with crystal-clear spring water. He offered it to Roxy smoothly, his vibrant green eyes completely focused on ensuring her absolute comfort.
Mara stood up slowly from her kneeling position. The female wolf-shifter crossed her arms over her chest, watching the terrifying, legendary warlords of the Beastworld completely reduce themselves to doting, subservient caretakers for the Queen of the Iron-Wood.
It was a beautiful, peaceful, incredibly domestic bubble of absolute devotion.
But Mara knew exactly what they had just left behind in the grand parlor.
The wolf shifted her weight, her golden eyes darting from Torian’s fiercely protective posture to Ren’s calculating gaze. The nursery’s peaceful tranquility was a stark, jarring contrast to the explosive, feral tension brewing on the ground floor.
Mara let out a long, heavy breath, shattering the quiet domestic bliss.
"You all look very comfortable up here," Mara noted, her tone dropping into a serious, highly cautious octave. She looked directly at Roxy. "But I highly suggest you finish your fruit, my Queen."
Torian’s hand stalled mid-air. Ren’s vibrant green eyes narrowed sharply.
"Why?" Roxy asked, her brow furrowing in confusion as she paused her chewing.
Mara cast a grim look toward the heavy oak door, listening to the faint, terrifyingly deep rumbles echoing up through the floorboards from the first floor.
"Because," Mara stated, her voice tight with impending dread, "War is about to go on downstairs."
