Chapter 281: PAPA! I’M A MONSTER!

Chapter 281: Chapter 281: PAPA! I’M A MONSTER!

Something crashed.

Swanly’s ears twitched.

Then came a scream.

"AAAAAAAAH!"

Her eyes flew open.

She shot upright, one hand reaching beneath her pillow.

"WHO DIED?!"

Nobody answered.

Instead, a small black figure flew past the bedroom doorway.

"MIIIIKOOOO!"

Another little figure followed.

"YOU’RE GOING TO FALL!"

"I CAN FLY!"

"YOU CAN’T!"

"WATCH ME!"

Swanly sat completely still.

Her long silver-white hair fell across her face.

For several seconds, she stared at the doorway.

Then slowly closed her eyes.

Ancestors.

Please.

Just one peaceful morning.

Another crash came from outside.

Then laughter.

A lot of laughter.

Swanly’s eyelid twitched.

After everything Ironwood had suffered, she had finally managed to get a decent night’s sleep.

Nahla had ordered her to rest.

Her chest still ached occasionally, and the System was monitoring the strange biological signature inside her.

She needed peace.

Quiet.

Maybe a handsome mate bringing her breakfast.

Instead, somebody was apparently throwing panthers around outside her bedroom.

Swanly threw the blanket aside.

"Oh, these little..."

She got halfway out of bed.

Then stopped.

A deep male laugh reached her ears.

A laugh she knew extremely well.

Swanly froze.

Wait.

Another little scream.

Then that same low, attractive laugh.

Her expression changed.

"No."

She walked toward the doorway.

"No fucking way."

Outside, three black panther cubs were swinging from thick vines fastened between the reinforced wooden beams.

The vines were part of the children’s supervised climbing area. Kael had checked every knot himself, and soft hides covered the ground beneath them.

That was the only reasonable thing about the entire scene.

Because her grown-ass black panther mate was right there.

Playing with them.

Kael stood beneath the vines, shirtless, his broad shoulders flexing as he caught Nilo around the waist and lifted him onto a low platform.

His black hair was slightly messy.

His golden eyes shone with amusement.

And his long black tail moved lazily behind him.

"Again!" Miko shouted.

Kael looked up.

"You’ve already gone three times."

"FOUR!"

"Then four is enough."

"FIVE!"

Kael laughed.

Miko jumped.

Kael caught him with one arm, swung him around, and set him on another platform.

The little panther shrieked with laughter.

Kairo immediately leaped onto the nearest vine, his injured arm protected against his chest.

"Papa! Watch me!"

Kael looked up.

"Use your good arm. And no jumping from the high beam."

"I know!"

Nilo pointed toward Miko.

"He’s cheating!"

"AM NOT!"

"Papa helped you!"

"BECAUSE PAPA LOVES ME!"

Kael laughed again.

Swanly’s mouth fell open.

She was about to shout.

Really.

She was.

But then Kael reached up, caught a low-hanging vine, and pulled himself onto the wooden frame with one effortless movement.

His shoulders tightened.

Muscles moved beneath his golden-brown skin.

His black tail curled around a support as he balanced above the children.

The morning sunlight caught the lines of his back.

Swanly stopped breathing.

Oh.

Oh, my.

She slowly leaned against the doorframe.

Her irritation weakened.

Just a little.

Because what the actual fuck?

That was her mate.

Her beautiful, ridiculously attractive black panther.

The father of her triplets.

And he looked so unfairly handsome that Swanly temporarily forgot why she had gotten out of bed.

Look at those shoulders.

Kael dropped lightly onto the platform below.

Miko jumped onto his back.

"PAPA! I’M A MONSTER!"

Kael caught his legs and laughed.

"A very small monster."

"I’M BIG!"

"Of course."

He carried Miko across the training frame while Kairo and Nilo chased them.

Swanly watched his muscles move.

Then slowly bit her lip.

Maybe another baby wouldn’t be such a terrible idea.

Her gaze traveled over his broad back.

Just one.

A pause.

Maybe two.

She smiled to herself.

After all, that handsome bastard belonged to her.

She could admire him as much as she wanted.

Then Miko screamed directly outside her doorway.

"PAPA! THROW ME AGAIN!"

Swanly’s smile vanished.

Wait a fucking minute.

She looked at the sun.

Then at the children.

Then at Kael.

He was still playing.

While she was sleeping.

While she was supposed to be recovering.

And he was encouraging them!

Her eyes narrowed.

Slowly, Swanly reached toward a nearby basket.

Her fingers closed around a rolled-up cloth.

She weighed it in her palm.

Then aimed.

And threw.

WHOOSH!

Kael’s head turned.

His hand shot out.

He caught the cloth without even looking properly.

Then blinked.

He looked at the bundle.

Then toward the doorway.

Swanly stood there.

Smiling.

Beautifully.

Dangerously.

Kael froze.

His golden eyes widened slightly.

"...Swanly."

She tilted her head.

"Having fun?"

He looked at the children.

Then back at her.

Then at the cloth in his hand.

Slowly, he lowered it.

"Good morning, my love."

Swanly’s smile widened.

"Oh, good morning, handsome."

Kael’s ears flattened.

That tone.

He knew that tone.

Behind him, Miko was still swinging.

"PAPA! WATCH!"

Kael immediately turned.

"Boys, that’s enough."

Nobody listened.

Kairo had already climbed onto the lower platform.

Nilo was trying to stop Miko from swinging backward.

Miko was loudly explaining that he was an enormous flying panther.

Kael cleared his throat.

"Boys."

Nothing.

"Come down."

Miko shouted, "ONE MORE!"

Kael looked toward Swanly.

She had crossed her arms.

Her smile had disappeared.

He swallowed.

"Now."

Kairo finally noticed his father’s expression.

He looked toward the doorway.

His eyes widened.

"Mama?"

Nilo froze.

Miko turned.

Swanly lifted one hand.

"GOOD MORNING, MY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE MONSTERS!"

Silence.

Then Miko screamed.

"MAMA’S AWAKE!"

Kairo jumped down.

Nilo grabbed Miko.

Miko grabbed Kairo.

All three began running.

Laughing.

Screaming.

"MAMA’S MAD!"

"RUN!"

"PAPA, SAVE US!"

Swanly stared as her three sons scattered in different directions.

"GET BACK HERE!"

They laughed even harder.

Kael rubbed his face.

Swanly slowly pressed two fingers against her temples.

Her head was pounding.

"I mated an idiot."

Kael looked up.

"My love..."

"An extremely handsome idiot."

His mouth twitched.

"But still an idiot!"

A tiny hiss came from the nearby mat.

Swanly turned.

Eira and Sira were sitting together on a soft hide.

Both pale-haired snake girls had been watching the entire spectacle.

Sira’s tiny silver eyes followed her brothers.

Eira looked toward Kael.

Then toward Swanly.

Her expression was almost offended.

"Bad."

Swanly pointed at her.

"EXACTLY!"

Sira nodded seriously.

"Bad Papa."

Kael stared.

"Even you?"

Eira lifted one little hand toward the climbing frame.

"Fools."

Swanly froze.

Then burst out laughing.

Kael looked at his biological mate.

Then at his snake daughters.

He sighed.

"I see how it is."

Sira smiled proudly.

"Fools!"

"Don’t teach your sister that!" Kael said.

Swanly laughed harder.