Chapter 282: MAMA SAID FUCK!

Chapter 282: Chapter 282: MAMA SAID FUCK!

Unfortunately, laughing made her chest ache.

She winced.

Kael immediately stopped smiling.

He crossed the space between them and caught her gently by the waist.

"Swanly?"

She waved one hand.

"I’m fine."

His eyes narrowed.

"You’re hurting."

"A little."

He lifted her before she could protest.

"KAEL!"

He carried her toward the shaded sitting area and settled her on a padded bench.

Then crouched before her.

His hands rested lightly against her knees.

"Did we wake you?"

Swanly stared.

Then slowly raised one eyebrow.

"No, sweetheart. I just happened to wake up because I missed the beautiful sound of our children screaming outside my bedroom."

Kael lowered his head.

His shoulders shook.

She gasped.

"ARE YOU LAUGHING?!"

"No."

"YOU ARE!"

He looked up.

Those golden eyes.

That stupidly beautiful face.

Swanly wanted to kiss him.

And strangle him.

Preferably in that order.

Kael caught her hand.

"My love."

"Don’t."

He kissed her knuckles.

Swanly’s expression wavered.

"Kael."

Another kiss.

This time against her wrist.

Then he leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

"I’m sorry."

Swanly stared.

He kissed the other cheek.

"The boys woke early."

"Mm."

"They wanted to play."

"Mm-hmm."

"I thought letting them use their energy outside would help you rest."

Swanly slowly narrowed her eyes.

"So you thought the best way to help me sleep was to turn our shelter into a panther playground?"

Kael paused.

Then smiled sheepishly.

"It sounded better in my head."

Swanly stared.

Then covered her face.

"Oh, ancestors."

Kael gently lowered her hands.

"Forgive me?"

She pouted.

"No."

He kissed her forehead.

"Now?"

"No."

He leaned closer.

His nose brushed hers.

"Swanly."

Her ears twitched.

"Yes?"

"I missed seeing you smile."

Her heart betrayed her immediately.

That bastard.

Kael kissed her softly.

His hand settled behind her back, supporting her as she leaned toward him.

For a moment, Swanly forgot about the vines.

The noise.

The headache.

Everything.

When he pulled back, she was blushing.

Kael smiled.

"Better?"

She glared weakly.

"You’re still in trouble."

"I know."

"And if you wake me like that again..."

"I won’t."

She grabbed his chin.

"I’m serious."

His golden eyes softened.

"So am I."

She sighed.

Then leaned forward and kissed him once more.

"Fine."

Kael’s smile widened.

Swanly pointed at him.

"But next time, take your children somewhere else!"

He nodded.

"Actually, that’s what I wanted to discuss."

She narrowed her eyes.

"What?"

"Training."

Swanly blinked.

Kael glanced toward the triplets, who were now arguing about which of them had been the fastest.

"They’re growing quickly. They need proper training."

Swanly looked at the boys.

Then back at him.

"They’re toddlers."

"Yes."

"They still argue over wooden spoons."

"I know."

"Miko tried to eat a pebble yesterday."

Kael sighed.

"He said it looked like dried meat."

"KAEL!"

"I stopped him!"

Swanly rubbed her forehead.

Her mate continued.

"I’m not talking about fighting. They need to learn how to follow a scent, recognize danger, use alarm signals, and get themselves to safety."

Swanly’s expression softened.

Oh.

That actually made sense.

Especially after what happened underground.

Kairo had tried to protect his brothers with an injured arm.

Nilo had kept the girls calm.

And Miko...

Well.

Miko had wanted to bite everything that threatened his family.

They needed better skills.

She nodded.

"Okay."

Kael smiled.

"Really?"

"Yes. Take them to the training ground."

His ears lifted.

"I’ll start today."

"Wonderful."

She leaned back against the cushion.

"Take them far enough away that I can’t hear them screaming."

Kael laughed.

Then a familiar voice came from behind them.

"If the boys are training, the girls should train too."

Swanly closed her eyes.

Oh, no.

Soren.

The white snake beastman stood near the entrance, his long white hair falling loosely over one shoulder.

His silver eyes moved toward the twins.

Eira looked up immediately.

"Papa."

Sira raised both hands.

"Up!"

Soren lifted her.

Then looked toward Kael.

"My daughters are growing quickly too."

Kael’s black ears twitched.

"The girls are younger."

"They can still learn."

"They can barely walk properly."

Soren raised one eyebrow.

"And yet Eira has already learned to recognize danger faster than Miko."

Swanly slowly opened one eye.

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

Kael’s tail stopped moving.

"What does that mean?"

Soren adjusted Sira against his chest.

"It means my daughters are observant."

Kael stood.

"My sons are observant."

Soren looked toward the triplets.

At that exact moment, Miko was attempting to balance a wooden bowl on his head.

It fell.

He screamed.

Kael closed his eyes.

Soren looked back.

"Very."

Swanly covered her mouth.

Kael’s jaw tightened.

"Fine."

Soren tilted his head.

"Fine?"

"Bring your daughters."

Soren smiled faintly.

"With pleasure."

Kael crossed his arms.

"We’ll see who learns faster."

Soren’s silver eyes narrowed.

"Indeed."

Swanly stared at them.

Two grown males.

Two powerful predators.

One had ruled Ironwood for years.

The other could tear an infected beast apart with his bare claws.

And now?

They were about to compete over toddlers.

Swanly slowly stood.

Both males immediately looked at her.

"Where are you going?" Soren asked.

"Back to bed."

Kael frowned.

"But..."

She raised one hand.

"No."

Soren blinked.

"Swanly..."

"No."

She pointed toward the children.

"Take them."

Then toward the training ground.

"Train them."

Then toward her bedroom.

"And leave me the fuck alone so I can sleep!"

Silence.

Kael stared.

Soren stared.

Miko shouted from the courtyard:

"MAMA SAID FUCK!"

Swanly closed her eyes.

Wonderful.

Just wonderful.

She turned.

Walked into the shelter.

And shut the door.

Behind her, Soren looked toward Kael.

Kael looked toward Soren.

Then both males looked at the children.

Soren lifted his chin.

"Shall we?"

Kael smiled.

"Try to keep up."

By midmorning, the supervised training ground was full of little beast children.

Kael had invited a few others from the recovering settlement so nobody felt left out.

Lumi, the little white rabbit girl, stood near the starting line holding Ena’s hand.

Her long ears bounced whenever she moved.

Kairo spotted her immediately.

"Lumi!"

She smiled shyly.

"Kairo!"

He hurried toward her.

Then remembered his injured arm and slowed.

"Are you okay?"

Lumi nodded.

"Are you?"

He lifted his bandaged arm.

"Almost."

She looked worried.

Kairo immediately straightened.

"It doesn’t hurt much."

It did.

A little.

But Lumi looked relieved, and that made him feel strangely proud.

Nearby, Brann had brought Vara, Renn, and Sela, the three young wolf cubs who had lost their mother.

They remained close to him at first.

The previous attack had frightened them badly, and although their relationship with Swanly’s family was complicated, Brann wanted the boys to learn the same survival skills as the other children.

Miko noticed them.

For once, he didn’t start an argument.

He simply pointed toward the marked training area.

"Everybody gets to play."

Kael looked at him.

"Train."

Miko nodded.

"Yes. Play-training."

Soren arrived carrying Sira while Eira held his hand.

His daughters looked around.

Sira smiled at the other children.

Eira examined the obstacles.

Then sat down.

Soren blinked.

"Eira?"

His daughter looked up.

"No."

Kael immediately laughed.

Soren’s silver eyes narrowed.

"She’s assessing the course."

Kael folded his arms.

"Of course she is."

The training began with a simple task.

Follow the marked trail.

Reach the safe platform.

Ring the wooden alarm bell.

Then wait for an adult.

Easy.

Or so Kael thought.

Kairo followed the trail carefully.

Nilo watched the colored markers.

Miko ran directly toward the bell.