Chapter 253: You’re My Mate Too

Tera’s heart sank. "Calis."

"I understand that they—"

"Calis. Look at me."

He turned his head, stunned by Tera’s sudden firm tone.

"I didn’t come here to your territory to mostly spend time with Xavi and Ermin. I have had plenty of time with them. The work aside, I came here because I wanted more time with you."

He blinked.

"Don’t say things like that. If I didn’t want to spend any time with you, I wouldn’t have agreed to you being my mate. I’ve had months to bond with them." She shifted to face him more fully, adjusting Nadia against her chest. "I haven’t had that with you yet. And I want it. So please, don’t second-guess my care for you. I am here, aren’t I?"

Calis had gone still, and his heart hurt with guilt at making Tera feel that way. But at the same time, his body quivered as he had just been told something he’d been quietly desperate to hear but had never allowed himself to expect.

[Calis Favourability: 91% → 98%]

[(⊙_⊙)]

[HOST!]

[He’s almost at 100%!]

Tera didn’t look at the screen.

The male in front of her was more important than the numbers.

She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Calis’s cheek, then she settled back against his chest, tucking herself into the curve of his body where his arm met his ribs. Calis’ pulse kicked up when Tera leaned against him, and he wrapped his arm around her.

His chin rested on top of her head.

His tail resumed its contented thumping as warmth spread through his whole body.

"I’m sorry for saying that," he whispered.

Tera smiled gently. "It is alright."

She then lifted Nadia slightly, turning the cub to face him.

"Nadia. Meet daddy number three."

Calis’s heart slammed so hard against his ribs that Tera felt it through her entire body.

His arm around her tightened, and his eyes dropped to the small bear cub being presented to him like a formal introduction.

Nadia stared at Calis.

Calis stared at Nadia.

His expression was raw and unguarded, and he realised he hadn’t gotten to know her cubs properly.

Nadia reached out one small, chubby paw.

And snatched his nose.

Calis and Tera flinched.

Nadia’s grip was iron. Her fingers clamped down on the bridge of his nose with the ferocity of a cub who had found a new toy and had zero intention of releasing it.

Calis had sat straight up, trying to loosen her grip.

"Nadia!" Tera gasped, turning around to help Calis.

- ※ - ※ - ※ -

Tera looked down.

Nadia had finally released Calis’s nose—though not without leaving small red marks on it—and she had fallen asleep against Tera’s chest, one fist curled around a strand of Tera’s hair, the other resting against her own cheek.

She scratched her cheek and squeezed her eyes briefly in pain.

Tera’s chest tightened.

There was a small tuft of air growing out of her cheek.

Cubs usually started shifting once they were past the age of one, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience. For some cubs, it was even painful, and while Xavi had told her not to worry, Tera couldn’t help but worry.

She carefully patted Nadia’s back and kissed her forehead.

Calis stared at the sleeping cub.

He felt really happy when Tera had introduced him as a father, though he didn’t have his own cubs yet.

He sadly realised he hadn’t properly gotten to know her cubs yet. It was only fair they became familiar with him since he was now one of Tera’s mates.

His hand hovered over Nadia’s small back, hesitating. Then, slowly, his fingers settled against the space between her tiny shoulder blades. He could feel the faint, rapid rhythm of her heartbeat through his palm.

She was big but so small at the same time.

And very cute... and fat.

His thumb moved on its own, tracing a slow circle against her back.

Nadia’s ear twitched, and Calis froze—but she only sighed and buried her face against Tera’s chest.

Tera watched him with a smile. She had been surprised at first to see Calis reach out to her cub like this, but it was cute watching him act like this.

His fingers hadn’t moved from Nadia’s back.

If Nadia was awake, she wouldn’t mind handing the cub to Calis for him to carry her.

A gentle thought settled in her chest that she hadn’t expected to arrive so soon.

After every major construction task, both this one and the reconstruction she will carry out in her territory, she wouldn’t mind carrying Calis’ cub.

She tilted her head against Calis’s shoulder.

"You know," she said softly. "After I finish the shelters here and the ones I promised the clan back home... I should be relaxed enough to have another cub."

Calis went completely still.

Even his tail, which had been lazily swaying, stopped mid-swing.

Then his arm tightened around Tera so suddenly and so fiercely that her breath hitched.

"Really?" He couldn’t hide the happiness in his voice. He rubbed his nose against Tera’s head, excited.

Tera could literally feel the vibration off his chest, and she laughed.

Nadia shifted, and they both went still.

The cub squirmed, her brow furrowing. One small hand twitched, and her nose scrunched as if she was considering waking up and choosing violence.

Calis held his breath, afraid of her pouncing on him again.

Tera pressed her lips together to keep from laughing.

Nadia relaxed and returned to sleep.

Calis let out a sigh of relief, and Tera laughed quietly. "You’re so scared of her."

His ears shot up. "She tried to remove my nose."

Tera grinned against his chest, and Calis’s arm around her tightened again, gently this time.

She was happy. On second thought, maybe she wouldn’t need multiple males. She could only divide her attention between so many.*

Almost immediately, Tera had a sudden thought.

’Hold on a minute!’

[Yes, Host?]

[(′?`)?]

Tera tried not to roll her eyes at the system’s cute expression.

’My heat cycle. When exactly is my next one?’

[Oh!]

’On second thought too. Xavi hasn’t had one either since the first time we met, and I have never seen Ermin in heat either.’

Plus, it had been over a year since her last heat phase.

[Host, having a bonded mate significantly reduces the frequency of heat cycles]

[The biological imperative behind a heat cycle is to drive beasts toward mating]

[Once a mate bond is established and a readily available mate exists, the body’s urgency diminishes considerably]

Tera paused. That kind of made sense.

However...

’OMG! So having a mate is an utter kill for a shiftless female?! Hold on, but I was mated to Ermin when I had my heat cycle. Heck, I was mated to both of them.’

[(???)]

[Heat cycles are a little more frequent for shiftless females, especially when mated]

[However, for female beasts, the cycle does not fully restart until after the nursing period has ended]

[And Host only recently stopped nursing her cubs]

[So Host’s cycle has essentially been reset from that point]

[It will come in a few months]

Tera slightly shifted. ’Whoa! Whoa! I am not ready for cubs yet!’

It would come when she was literally in the midst of her construction work?! Not on her watch!

Calis was confused, noticing the sudden shift in Tera’s demeanour. "Tera?"

[( ’’?°ヮ°? )]

[Host is very agitated]

[Host, please wait]

[This system can help you locate herbs to miss the next heat phase]

[While this system can help Host enter a heat phase at will, it can’t prevent a coming one]

’Well, tell me that earlier, will you?!’

[( ?•ω•? )]

Tera sagged against Calis. "Sorry, I thought I had forgotten something."

Calis looked worried. "What is it?"

He didn’t look like he would let this go, so Tera gave a quick excuse. Her eyes landed on Nadia, and it came easily.

Tera cradled the back of her head. "I thought I had forgotten her in my territory, but she’s here."

[(???)]

[Such a magnificent lie, Host]

Tera shot it a quick glare.

[(? ? ?)]

’You’ll quickly help me with those herbs later.’

’So, just so we’re on the same page, you’re basically saying I can control when I want to have my heat... outside the usual heat phases?’

[Yes!]

[If Host wishes to conceive sooner, this system can induce a heat cycle at Host’s request]

’Well, that’s nice actually.’

Tera felt a bit of relief that she could at least control this.

Tera enjoyed a few more hours with Calis.

Back in the Dow clan territory, the beasts left behind received a very unexpected visitor.

Note:

The harem isn’t complete, so it hasn’t stopped, but I don’t want to repeat the same dynamics with each male. They’re all different people with different lives and would have different dynamics with Tera, which makes up their distinct personalities. So the males after this would be the ones actively courting Tera instead, who is, of course, a very busy female.