Chapter 149: Episode 148: Do you like it?

"This place is actually so big."

Rue tipped her head back. She stared up at the high wooden beams crossing the stone ceiling. The echo of her own voice bounced off the smooth walls. It felt like an actual castle.

Even in her past life back in New York, she could never imagine living in a place like this. A tiny studio apartment with a leaky sink used to be her reality. Now, she stood in the center of a mountain fortress built just for her.

Knox walked past her, carrying the sleeping baby. He handled Seika with careful, slow steps. "I am going to put her in the new crib," the panther whispered loud enough for Rue to hear. "She slept through the whole walk."

Rue smiled and gave him a quick nod. Theron and Mochi rushed by a second later. The toddlers chased each other into the massive living area. Their happy squeals filled the open space. Caius followed them, holding his neat woven basket, ready to organize the kitchen shelves.

Rue just wanted to look around. She walked forward, letting her bare feet sink into the thick rugs scattered across the floor. The rugs were woven from soft wool. They felt like warm clouds under her skin. They covered the hard stone, chasing away the mountain chill.

She walked over to the massive glass windows. The heavy iron frames held clear glass that let the bright morning sun spill right into the room. She pressed her hand against the warm pane. She could see the dark green pine forest stretching out for miles. She could see the distant snowy peaks. She felt safe inside these thick walls.

Drax stepped up right beside her. The Dragon King didn’t say a word. He just stood there, letting her take it all in. He watched her eyes trace the wooden beams and the large stone hearth.

"Do you like it?" Drax asked, his deep voice rumbling low in his chest.

"I love it," Rue breathed out. She turned to face him. "It feels like a real home."

Drax held his hand out. His rough, callused palm waited for her. "Come with me. I want to show you something else."

Rue slipped her small hand into his. His fingers curled around hers, warm and solid. He led her away from the bright, noisy main hall. Axel and Knox were already arguing over where to place the heavy dining table. Their loud voices faded as Drax pulled her down a quiet, narrow hallway.

He stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. It looked different from the others. It didn’t have any decorative carvings. It just looked thick and sturdy.

Drax pushed the door open. He stepped aside, letting her look inside.

Rue peeked into the room. It was much smaller than the others. It didn’t have any windows at all. The walls were lined with soft, padded leather and thick furs. The floor was just a sea of plush pillows and heavy blankets. A single, dull glowing crystal sat on a small wooden shelf, casting a dim, soothing light.

The room was dead silent. The thick walls blocked out the wind outside. They blocked out Axel and Knox arguing down the hall. They blocked out the toddlers laughing. It was a perfect, quiet bubble.

"What is this?" Rue asked, stepping inside. The silence felt heavy but comforting.

"It is your room," Drax answered. He leaned against the doorframe, watching her reaction closely. "Just for you. Nobody else is allowed in here unless you ask them."

Rue turned around, her pink eyes wide. "Why did you build this?"

Drax crossed his arms over his broad chest. "You have sensitive rabbit hearing. You have a fragile nervous system. Our pack is loud. The babies are loud. The wolves and panthers fight over stupid things all day. I know it gets to be too much for you sometimes. I see you rubbing your temples when Knox starts yelling. I see you shrinking down when the noise gets too sharp."

He paused, his dark eyes softening. "You need a place to hide. A place where you don’t have to be a mother or a mate or a peacemaker. A place where you can just breathe in the dark."

The true weight of his words hit Rue right in the chest. Her breath hitched. He noticed every single detail about her. He saw the tiny moments when she felt overwhelmed and wanted to disappear. He didn’t judge her for being weak. He didn’t tell her to toughen up. He just built a soundproof room to keep her safe from the noise.

A hot wave of emotion rushed up her throat. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Her vision went blurry. She brought her hands up to cover her mouth, letting out a thick, watery sniffle.

Drax straightened up fast. He pushed off the doorframe and took a quick step inside.

"Hey," Drax warned, his voice turning rough but sweet. "Don’t cry. Stop that right now."

Rue let out a wet laugh. "I can’t help it. This is so nice."

"I mean it, Rue," Drax said, pointing a stern finger at her. "Do not cry. If you cry, I will make a big deal out of it. I will panic. I will probably burn the house down trying to figure out how to make you stop. Just say thank you and keep your tears in your eyes."

His blunt threat worked. Rue swallowed the lump in her throat. She blinked hard, forcing the happy tears back down. She wiped her damp eyelashes with the back of her hand.

"Thank you," she whispered, offering a bright, watery smile.

She looked around the padded room again. The soft furs on the floor looked so inviting. A sudden, playful urge grabbed her. She felt too full of happy energy to just stand there in her human body. The heavy emotions needed a release.

A soft flash of silver light filled the dim room.

Rue shrank down. Her clothes vanished. She hit the soft pillows as a fluffy, bright white rabbit.

Her long ears flopped against her back. Her little pink nose twitched fast. She felt the soft fur beneath her paws. It was the perfect digging material.

Drax just stood by the door, watching her. He crossed his arms again, a slow smirk spreading across his sharp face.

Rue zoomed.

She kicked her strong back legs and launched herself across the room. She bounced off a large gray pillow. She spun in a fast circle, her little white tail wiggling. She dug her front paws into a thick blanket, tossing the fabric up in the air. She ran laps around the small space. The soundproof walls made her thumping feet sound like soft, muffled drumbeats.

She felt so light. The heavy aches from the birth were gone in this form. She was just a fast, happy bunny exploring her new burrow.

She did a high jump, twisting her body in the air before landing perfectly on a pile of cushions. She froze. She flattened her body against the fur, pretending to hide.

Drax didn’t move. He just watched her silly game.

Rue hopped slowly toward him. She moved with cautious little steps. She stopped right at the tips of his dark leather boots. She stretched her neck up and sniffed the tough leather. She wiggled her nose, taking in his scent.

He smelled like smoke and old magic. But there was something else. A sharp, crisp scent underneath.

She looked up at him, tilting her furry head. She let out a soft, confused grunt. Why did he smell like the cold wind? Why did he smell like the open sky? He was a dragon who lived in a mountain, but right now, he smelled like he just fell through the clouds.

Drax uncrossed his arms. He crouched down on the floor, bringing himself closer to her level.

He reached out with his large, callused hands. He scooped her up gently. His fingers wrapped around her soft white fur. He lifted her up to his chest.

Drax pulls her close and she poofs back to her human form.

The silver light flashed again. Rue sat sideways on his lap, her arms instinctively wrapping around his thick neck. She was back in her wool dress, breathing hard from her rabbit zoomies. She looked right into his dark, intense eyes.

"You have a lot of energy today," Drax murmured. He kept one arm firmly around her waist, supporting her easily.

"I feel good," Rue smiled, resting her forehead against his chin. "This room is perfect. Everything is perfect. I am just so happy."

Drax smoothed a messy silver curl away from her flushed cheek. The smirk faded from his lips, replaced by a fierce, wild hunger. He liked seeing her happy. He wanted to give her the whole world on a silver platter.

"We need to celebrate," Drax whispered. His voice was a low, rough rumble that vibrated right against her chest. "Let me take you flying."