Chapter 220: Freedom!

Tera stepped into the Glimmer pack territory the following morning, still reeling from surprise at her mates’ words.

She had asked if they wanted to come alone, but they had mumbled something about her needing to spend some time with Calis, which had been a new thing.

Since when had they warmed up to him that much?

The damp, cool air of the wolf pack’s forest greeted Tera, along with the familiar sounds of the territory.

A few wolves noticed her and perked up, waving and trotting over with easy familiarity.

"Leader Tera!"

"Welcome back!"

Tera smiled and greeted them, her eyes sweeping the clearing for a specific head of shaggy dark hair.

He wasn’t there.

"Where is Calis?" she asked one of the younger wolves.

"The alpha took a group out to search for more animals this morning. They should return by nightfall."

’Yikes. That long?’

[(⊙_☉)]

[Host is still avoiding our discussion]

’I said later.’

[It’s been two days!]

Tera ignored the system. A part of her was disappointed she wasn’t seeing Calis soon enough, which immediately made her feel weird cause he would still be coming soon.

Plus, he wasn’t the sole reason she had just come here.

Tera quickly made her way to the nursing females.

"TERA!"

Faelynn was moving toward her with a speed that should not have been possible for a female who had recently given birth. Luth balanced on one hip and the newest addition to the pack cradled against her chest.

Tera blinked.

Faelynn should not be standing or even moving this much. And shouldn’t another male help her carry Luth?!

The other females followed close behind, and their faces lit up at the sight of Tera.

Tera waved her hand, walking up to them. "Why don’t you all sit down and—oh!"

Faelynn thrust the newborn at Tera with the casualness of a female handing off a basket of fruit.

’What the fuck?’

"He will not stop crying unless he is being held," Faelynn announced, looking exhausted but happy. "Take him."

Tera had forgotten just how strangely the wolves behaved.

Who just hands their newborn baby to someone like this?

Tera carefully accepted the tiny wolf cub, who was wrapped in soft fur and looking up at her with enormous grey eyes. He was already whimpering the moment Faelynn dragged him from her chest, but the moment Tera took him, his whimpering stopped.

Luth watched from Faelynn’s hip with the intense, narrowed eyes of a cub who was deciding whether this new sibling deserved to share her second favourite person.

"He likes you," Aia observed, leaning over to peek at the cub’s face while she breastfed her own.

’Why is she standing?!’

"Everyone likes her," Flora corrected with a nod.

"Yes. Yes. Even the animals like her," Toori added with a nod, also breastfeeding another cub.

As if on cue, the animals in the nearby pen looked up and wagged their tails.

For a moment, Tera wondered if she was dreaming.

And why were these females here like this, with their tits out and walking while breastfeeding when they should be resting?

"Uh..."

Tera smiled and gently took Faelynn’s arm to direct her back to the spot the females usually rested.

A few young cubs were lingering there, and their eyes brightened upon seeing Tera.

"You should all be resting," Tera nervously chuckled. "Here. Sit. Sit."

As if she were managing babies at daycare, Tera seated each female, nudging and pushing them down.

"Ah... you are stronger now."

"How did you get your strength?"

Aia grabbed Tera’s small bicep and nodded as if she was approving something. "Very firm."

’Eh...? What is happening here?’

Before Tera could address the funny vibes in the air, the newborn cub she was holding grabbed her breast and coincidentally happened to twist her nipple.

"AH!"

[( •?o•?)]

"Oh!" Flora gasped, reaching out to help Tera while she pried the cub’s grip off Tera’s poor breast.

Tera wanted to cry.

This reminded her of when she had recently given birth to Althea and Nadia.

There was a point when they had both tried to literally bite off her nipples.

What was wrong with these cubs?!

The wolf cub started whimpering, and Faelynn took him, shushing the cub and cradling him against her chest.

He relaxed.

’Why did he attack me?!’

"Sit down. Sit down!" Faelynn grinned up at Tera. "We have so much to talk about. Aia’s older cub started walking, and it immediately fell into the stream!"

"He is FINE," Aia said defensively. "He is a wolf! Wolves can swim!"

"He was screaming."

"He was surprised! There is a difference!"

Tera sat down, and Luth reached out to pat her arm with a sheepish smile. Tera stared at the females. They looked a little out of it to the extent that she was really worried.

"You all seem different," Tera said slowly, looking between them.

The females exchanged glances, and Faelynn’s lips spread into a grin so wide it transformed her entire face.

"Calis told the males." Faelynn leaned toward Tera. "No more mating until next year. Maybe even two."

The other females nodded excessively, practically glowing.

Flora whispered, "My body is mine again."

She said it so quietly that Tera almost missed it. But the words landed in her chest like a stone dropped into still water.

’Oh...’

Flora’s words made Tera sad, even though she felt relieved for them. The words strangely hit Tera. She looked around the circle with new eyes, and everything suddenly made sense.

They looked happy in an odd way, almost aloof from their present predicament. The way they walked around breastfeeding, including how Faelynn had handed off her newborn so casually, along with the giddiness Tera hadn’t been able to place.

For the first time in their adult lives, these females were not counting down to the next pregnancy.

The exhaustion was still there, but the dread underneath it was gone. They weren’t carrying the weight of knowing that the moment their bodies recovered, they would be expected to do it all over again. They were just tired mothers.

Not tired breeding vessels.

The difference was visible, and it broke Tera’s heart that this was a revelation to them rather than a basic right.

But Calis had really done this.

"Calis was very serious about it, too," Faelynn added, her crimson eyes softening at the mention of her brother. "Some of the males were not happy, but Calis shut them down."

"The elders especially," Flora muttered with a scowl.

"They can be unhappy all they want," Aia said firmly, adjusting her cub.

Tera smiled, then she gently took Faelynn’s newborn again. This time, she settled the cub carefully on her lap, well away from her chest so he wouldn’t try the same thing again.

Faelynn gave Tera a thankful smile.

The tiny wolf pup looked up at her with those enormous grey eyes, content for exactly three seconds before his small hand shot out and swiped at her breast.

Tera’s mouth fell open. ’WTF?!’

The females erupted into laughter.

Somewhere out in the forest, a wolf was hunting animals, unaware that the female he had been aching to see had just arrived.