Baby System: I'm the Beast World's Only Hope!-Chapter 94: Episode : Bad Kitty!

The guest room was quiet, save for the sound of ragged breathing and the occasional crackle of cooling dragon fire.

Roxy lay tangled in the shredded remains of the furs, her head resting on Kaelen’s chest while Zarek massaged her aching legs. She was completely boneless, her body humming with a mix of exhaustion and the deep, marrow-settling satisfaction of being claimed.

"You are bruising," Zarek murmured, tracing a purple mark on her thigh with his thumb. His golden eyes were dark with guilt. "We were... rough."

"You were desperate," Roxy corrected sleepily, nuzzling into Kaelen’s neck. "There’s a difference. Besides, I think I gave as good as I got."

Kaelen chuckled, a low rumble that vibrated through her ribs. He kissed the top of her head, his large hand smoothing her damp hair.

Roxy frowned, a sudden thought piercing her post-coital haze. She tried to sit up, wincing slightly.

"The kids," she whispered. "Torian put them in the East Wing. With nurses."

"Relax," Kaelen soothed, gently pushing her back down. "They are not alone."

"But Syris is notnthere," Roxy argued. "And Torian’s guards are everywhere."

"I know," Kaelen’s eyes flashed with a cold, predatory intelligence. "That is why I did not come alone. A Wolf King never leaves his pups unguarded, Roxy. Even when he is losing his mind."

***

The East Wing Nursery was silent and dimly lit by glowing moss lamps. It was a beautiful room, filled with plush toys and soft rugs, but the air was stale.

In the corner, a large travel crate sat open. Inside, Syris was a motionless lump under a pile of thermal blankets, deep in his biological hibernation. He wouldn’t wake up for anything less than an earthquake.

In the cribs, the triplets—Iris, Onyx, and Axel—were sleeping soundly.

But they weren’t the only ones in the room.

The heavy oak door creaked open. It wasn’t a guard.

It was Nala.

The female Tiger crept into the room, her silk robes rustling softly against the stone. She was beautiful, with sharp features and stripes that adorned her skin like tattoos, but her face was twisted into a mask of pure, venomous hatred.

She had watched Torian lead the human woman away. She had watched her King debase himself for a weak, hairless ape. And now, she was looking at the spawn of that union.

"Mongrels," Nala hissed, stepping closer to the cribs. "Filthy, mixed-blood abominations."

She approached the nearest crib. Iris.

The baby girl was sleeping on her back, her tiny fist curled near her cheek. She smelled of wolf and human—a scent that made Nala’s nose wrinkle in disgust.

"He wants to make your mother an Empress," Nala whispered, drawing a slender, curved dagger from her sleeve. The blade glinted in the dim light. "But a Queen needs no heirs from another male. I will scrub the stain away."

She raised the dagger.

"Hey!"

Nala froze.

She looked down. Standing between her and the crib was a toddler.

Drax.

The little Dragon boy was wearing his dinosaur pajamas. He stood with his feet planted apart, his small hands balled into fists. Sparks were popping from his nose.

"Go away, bad kitty!" Drax shouted, his voice high and squeaky but undeniably brave. "No touching Iris!"

Nala blinked, then let out a low, cruel laugh.

"A lizard hatchling," she sneered. "You think you can stop me? You are barely a snack."

"I am a guard!" Drax insisted, puffing out his chest. He tried to summon a fireball, but all that came out was a puff of black smoke. He coughed but didn’t back down. He swung his little fist at her leg.

It bounced off her shin harmlessly.

Nala rolled her eyes. "Pathetic."

She raised her hand to backhand him—a blow that, given her Tiger strength, would likely break the toddler’s neck.

"Goodbye, pest," she snarled.

Her hand swung down.

But before it could connect with him, a shadow detached itself from the ceiling beams.

It moved faster than Nala could track. One moment, there was empty air. The next, a hand—large, scarred, and covered in coarse fur—clamped around Nala’s throat.

The sound of air being violently cut off filled the room.

Nala dropped the dagger. Her eyes bulged as she was lifted off her feet, dangling helplessly in the grip of a monster.

Standing behind her was a Wolf.

But this wasn’t Kaelen. He was leaner, darker, with fur the color of charcoal and eyes like polished flint. He wore simple leather armor and no shirt. He was silent, lethal, and utterly terrifying.

It was Rix. One of Kaelen’s men. The bachelor male Kaelen had been tasked with the one job that mattered more than the Rut: Watch the Pups.

"You touch the Alpha’s blood," Rix whispered, his voice sounding like dry leaves skittering over stone. "You lose the hand. Or the head."

Nala clawed at his wrist, gasping, her legs kicking uselessly. She tried to summon the guards, but Rix squeezed harder, crushing her larynx just enough to silence her scream.

"Bad kitty!" Drax cheered, jumping up and down. "Get her, Rix! Throw her!"

Rix looked at the toddler and offered a rare, grim smile.

"As you command, little Prince."

Rix didn’t kill her. That would start a war inside the room. Instead, he turned, dragging the struggling Tiger female toward the large, open window that overlooked the palace gardens.

"This is the third floor," Rix noted casually, measuring the distance. "Cats always land on their feet, yes? Let us test this theory."

He didn’t hesitate. He swung her like a ragdoll and hurled her out into the night.

"AAAAHHHH—"

A muted crash echoed from the bushes below, followed by a groan of pain.

Rix leaned out the window, sniffing the air.

"She lives," Rix grunted, sounding disappointed. "Broken leg. Maybe two ribs. She will not climb back up tonight."

He turned back to the room.

Drax was vibrating with excitement. He ran over and hugged Rix’s leg, burying his face in the wolf’s fur.

"You did it!!" Drax yelled.

Rix knelt down, patting the boy’s head with a surprisingly gentle hand. "You held the line, Drax. You stood before the enemy. That makes you a warrior."

"I am a warrior!" Drax agreed, punching the air.

"Your father knew," Rix murmured, looking at the sleeping triplets. "Kaelen knew the Tiger King would be distracted by the Mother, and his females would be jealous. He told me to wait in the rafters."

He checked Iris, tucking the blanket tighter around her.

"Your parents are smart, little one. They know that in a palace of gold, the sharpest knives are hidden in the nursery."

Rix stood up, moving back into the shadows near the window, his eyes fixed on the darkness outside.

"Go back to sleep, Dragon," Rix commanded softly. "The Shadow is awake. Nothing else gets in tonight."

Drax yawned, the adrenaline fading. He crawled into the pile of blankets next to the hibernating Syris.

"Goodnight, Rix," Drax mumbled. "Goodnight, bad kitty."

Rix watched them until the toddler’s breathing evened out. He cracked his knuckles, the sound sharp in the quiet room.

He hoped more Tigers would come. He was bored, and the fall was a long way down.