Baby System: I'm the Beast World's Only Hope!-Chapter 328: Episode 326: Whenever the Queen Demands It
The heavy, suffocating chill of the invisible shadow faded the moment the massive iron-wood wagon rolled out of the bustling market valley and back beneath the dense, protective canopy of the forests.
Roxy forced her trembling hands to uncurl from the wooden railing. She took a deep, grounding breath of the crisp autumn air, desperately shoving the terrifying presence to the back of her mind.
She could not let her panic bleed into the pack’s aura. She had to remain sane.
To completely banish the lingering dread, Roxy shifted her weight on the cushions, pulled a sleeping Tyara a little closer to her chest, and began to sing.
It was a simple, upbeat melody, a rhythmic, clapping campfire song from her original world that she had taught the children weeks ago. Her clear, melodic voice drifted out over the rumbling of the wooden wheels.
Iris’s fluffy black ears perked straight up. The sweet little wolf pup immediately recognized the tune. She clapped her tiny hands together on the downbeat, her bright, high-pitched voice joining her mother’s.
Axel and Onyx, who had been busy glaring suspiciously at the retreating merchant caravans, immediately spun around. The competitive twins couldn’t let their sister out-sing them.
They began slapping their hands against their knees in perfect, surprisingly coordinated rhythm, shouting the chorus with absolute, joyous, feral energy.
Even Tanith, sitting bundled in her silks, let out happy, rhythmic little hisses that matched the beat perfectly.
Flanking the transport wagon, the terrifying wall of Alpha warlords visibly softened.
They did not join in the singing; the fierce, proud Kings of the Beastworld would rather swallow their own swords than sing a nursery rhyme out loud on a public road, but they absolutely reveled in being witnesses to it.
They marched alongside the rolling wheels, their intense, lethal auras entirely replaced by a warm, protective dome of absolute domestic bliss, perfectly content to listen to the sweet, chaotic harmony of their Queen and her cubs.
Dena, however, had no such Alpha pride holding her back. The young wolf-shifter scurried alongside the wagon, her tail wagging furiously as she joined in the chorus, clapping her hands and spinning in little circles, having her own little burst of carefree fun. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
By the time the fortified gates of the Iron-Wood Manor finally closed securely behind them, the sun had fully set, painting the sky in deep, bruising shades of twilight.
The adrenaline of the market trip finally crashed, leaving the entire pack covered in a layer of travel dust and a deep, yawning exhaustion.
"To the hot springs," Kaelen commanded smoothly, taking charge of unloading the massive, overflowing crates of free silks and winter vegetables with his comrades. "Wash the market off before you track it into the dens."
The natural heated springs located just behind the Manor were a sprawling, steaming paradise of smooth river stones and mineral-rich, crystal-clear water.
Bioluminescent moss clung to the rocks, casting a soft, ethereal blue-and-green glow through the thick, curling clouds of steam.
Roxy waded into the warm, shallow end of the largest pool, still wearing a simple, breathable shift dress that clung to her curves. The scalding heat of the water was an absolute blessing on her tired muscles.
Her first priority, as always, was the babies.
She carefully supported Tyara in the crook of one arm, using a soft cloth to gently clean the stubborn dust from the squirming tiger cub’s fluffy white ears.
Tyara let out a grumpy, exhausted little huff, batting at the water with her tiny fists. Zale, on the other hand, was entirely in his element.
The little abyssal prince sat in the shallows right beside Roxy’s hip, happily splashing his webbed hands against the surface, his eyes glowing brightly in the steam.
"Here, Queen Roxy," Dena murmured, wading carefully into the shallows with a stack of warm, dry towels.
Roxy expertly handed the clean, rapidly blinking infants over to the helper. Dena wrapped them securely.
"I’ll take them upstairs and settle them into their cribs," Dena promised softly, turning toward the stone pathway leading back to the Manor.
With the babies situated, Roxy turned her attention to the rest of her chaotic brood.
Axel, Onyx, and Iris were practically nodding off where they stood in the waist-deep water. The warm temperature of the springs had completely drained their remaining kinetic energy.
Tanith was already fast asleep, coiled securely on a heated rock near the edge of the pool.
"Alright, cubs, out of the water," Dena called back, expertly wrangling the drowsy triplets and scooping the sleeping snake-shifter into her free arm. "Time for bed."
The children didn’t even argue. They trudged out of the springs, dragging their feet and rubbing their eyes as Dena led them away into the Manor.
Even Drax, the usually stoic and fiercely vigilant teenager, let out a massive, jaw-cracking yawn that completely shattered his cold facade. He rubbed the back of his neck.
He gave his mother a tired, respectful nod and lumbered off toward the eastern wing, leaving the massive, steaming outdoor springs incredibly, beautifully quiet.
Roxy was finally alone with her mates.
She waded deeper into the pool until the scalding water reached her collarbones. She leaned back against a smooth, sloping boulder, tilting her head up toward the star-filled sky. She let out a long, heavy, and profoundly exhausted breath, the sound echoing softly over the gentle bubbling of the water.
"Damn," Roxy groaned, her eyes fluttering shut. "It’s not easy being a mother."
The water rippled.
Zarek swam smoothly through the dense steam, his massive, heavily scarred chest breaking the surface. The towering Dragon Alpha closed the distance between them in seconds. He stopped right in front of her, his towering frame completely eclipsing the starlight.
Zarek reached out. His large fingers found her chin, gently but firmly tipping her head down, forcing her beautiful green eyes to meet his blazing golden ones.
"But you are a great mother," Zarek murmured, his deep, gravelly voice rumbling with absolute, unbreakable conviction.
He didn’t give her a chance to respond. He leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep, bruising, intensely possessive kiss that tasted of heat and smoke. It completely stole the remaining breath from her lungs.
When Zarek finally broke the kiss, stepping slightly to the side to give her air, the water shifted violently again.
Torian reached out, his rough hand cupping her cheek as he turned her head sideways to face him. His dark eyes were burning with a completely unfiltered, feral adoration.
"And you are the best mate," Torian swore, his voice a low purr.
He claimed her mouth in a blistering, fiery kiss, his teeth gently scraping against her lower lip in a sharp reminder of his feral lineage.
Beneath the surface of the steaming water, large, strong hands suddenly wrapped around her ankles.
Kaelen surfaced right beside Torian. He slowly, agonizingly traced his hands up her calves, sliding his slick, calloused palms over her knees and resting them securely, possessively high on her thighs.
"We are all proud to have you," Kaelen added, his rumbling voice thick with reverence. He leaned forward, pressing a hot, open-mouthed kiss to the sensitive skin just below her jawline.
From the shadows of the curling steam, Syris, Ren, and Caspian closed the circle.
Six massive, lethal, obscenely attractive warlords completely crowded her against the stone.
AH... this is the life!
Syris glided up behind her, his pale, elegant hands sweeping her wet, dark curls off her neck before his cold lips pressed a shivering, agonizingly slow kiss against her nape.
Ren appeared at her right side, his clever, dexterous fingers tracing the delicate line of her collarbone beneath the water, his vibrant green eyes hooded with dark, undeniable lust as he whispered sweet, filthy praises against her temple.
Caspian stood before her beside Zarek, his silver-blue eyes burning with mortal, desperate heat. He didn’t have his abyssal magic, but his touch was incredibly grounding. He took her hand underwater, pressing her palm against his racing human heart while he kissed the damp skin of her shoulder.
They sensually touched her, everywhere and all at once. The air grew impossibly thick, suffocatingly hot, heavily laced with the intoxicating, unified Alpha musk of rising, predatory arousal.
They whispered sweet nothings, praising her strength, her beauty, and her resilience, their hands exploring the curves of her body with slow worship meant to drive her absolutely insane.
Roxy’s breath hitched. Her heart hammered against her ribs. The lingering exhaustion was completely incinerated by the sudden, volcanic flare of her own desire.
She looked around the circle of heavily breathing, intensely focused men, her eyes darkening into a deep, stormy emerald.
"Want to have sex?" Roxy asked.
Torian let out a dark, feral groan. Kaelen’s grip on her thighs tightened. Ren and Syris both shuddered, their auras violently spiking, while Caspian’s mortal breath hitched audibly.
He had never claimed her with other men visible; he was curious now that he was comfortable with them.
Zarek simply let out a low, dangerous, incredibly arrogant chuckle.
The Dragon King leaned in, his searing gaze dropping to her mouth. He brushed his lips deliberately, agonizingly slowly, against the very corner of her lips.
"Whenever the Queen demands it."
