Baby System: My Mates Can Read my Mind?

Landing a dragon was a lot bumpier than taking off.

Drax hit the stone courtyard with a heavy thud. The impact shook the ground beneath them. He lowered his massive black wing, creating a long ramp down to the grass.

Rue took a deep breath. She slid down the rough scales, her legs shaking just a bit. She finally reached the bottom. Her bare feet touched the solid earth. She let out a huge sigh of relief. Flying was beautiful, but standing on the ground felt much better.

The moment her feet hit the grass, thick black smoke swallowed the giant dragon. The sharp smell of burning wood filled the air.

Drax shifted back to his human form. The smoke cleared in a second. He stood in front of her, wearing his usual dark clothes. His dark hair was messy from the wind. He stepped closer and took her small hand in his. His rough fingers wrapped around hers, offering a warm, steady anchor.

"I promise you, you will like this place," Drax said. His deep voice sounded calm and reassuring.

Rue nodded. She squeezed his hand. She felt a little nervous. She just gave birth to Seika a month ago. Her body still felt soft and tired. She wore a simple wool dress. She didn’t feel like a queen visiting a grand castle. She just felt like a regular girl from New York about to meet her boyfriend’s rich, scary family.

They walked across the stone courtyard together.

Ironwood Manor loomed ahead of them. It was grand and imposing. The dark stone walls stretched high into the sky. Thick green vines crawled up the sides of the tall towers. The windows were narrow and arched, looking like dark eyes watching the forest. It didn’t look bright and sunny like their new house. It looked old. It held centuries of history in its very foundation.

Drax pushed the heavy front doors open. The thick wood groaned in protest.

They stepped inside.

The main hall took Rue’s breath away. The ceiling vaulted high above their heads, held up by massive ironwood beams. Long, faded banners hung from the stone walls. A giant hearth sat at the far end of the room, big enough to roast an entire cow. The air smelled like old dust, dry parchment, and a faint hint of sea salt.

Rue felt very small. Her bare feet made no sound on the smooth stone floor, but Drax’s heavy leather boots echoed loudly into the quiet space.

"It is very quiet," Rue whispered. She stayed close to his side.

"They heard us land," Drax promised. "They will be here in a second."

He was right.

A heavy wooden door at the far end of the hall swung open. Footsteps echoed across the stone. Suddenly, two men walked into the main hall.

Rue swallowed a nervous lump in her throat. She gripped Drax’s hand tighter. She knew she had to face them eventually, but her heart still raced.

Drax stopped walking. He pulled her gently to his side, shielding her slightly with his broad shoulder.

"Rue," Drax said, his voice carrying clearly across the large room. "These are my brothers."

The two men stopped a few feet away. They looked very different from each other.

"This is Zale," Drax pointed to the man on the right. "He is the King of the Deep."

Rue blinked. Zale was a merman. She expected him to have a giant fish tail and flop around on the floor. Instead, he stood on two strong legs. He wore loose dark pants and a thin white shirt. He didn’t look like a scaly fish at all. He was gorgeous. He had bright, sea-green eyes and messy hair the color of wet sand. His skin held a faint, pearlescent glow, catching the dim light of the hall.

Zale didn’t look scary or intimidating. He looked absolutely thrilled.

The merman was very enthusiastic to meet her. He didn’t wait for a formal bow. He practically bounced across the stone floor. He stopped right in front of her, a massive, bright smile stretching across his face.

"Oh, wow," Zale breathed out. His voice was melodic and bright, sounding like rushing water. "You are just as pretty as Tanith said. It is so nice to finally meet you, Rue."

He reached out and gently grabbed her free hand. He didn’t kiss her knuckles like a formal lord. He just shook her hand with a warm, happy energy. His skin felt cool, like a fresh ocean breeze.

"It is nice to meet you too, Zale," Rue smiled back. Her nerves melted away just a little bit. She liked him already. He had a bubbly, open vibe that made her feel instantly welcome.

Zale let go of her hand. He stepped back, still grinning from ear to ear. "I have so much to show you later. I have a gallery of paintings, and the pond out back is perfect right now."

Drax cleared his throat, a soft warning rumble. He wanted to finish the introductions.

Zale zipped his lips, though his eyes still danced with excitement. He stepped to the side.

Drax pointed to the second man standing further back.

"And this is Onyx," Drax introduced smoothly. "He is Axel and Iris’s triplet brother."

Rue turned her head. She looked at Onyx.

Her breath hitched.

Onyx looked so much like Axel it was startling. He had the same messy white hair. He had the same sharp, handsome jawline. He had the same broad, muscular shoulders built for endless violence. But the energy was very different. Axel usually wore a cocky, arrogant smirk. Axel was loud and playful.

Onyx looked wild.

He wore dark leather armor that looked worn and scratched from hundreds of fights. He didn’t have Axel’s bright blue eyes. Onyx’s eyes were a piercing, icy silver. They looked sharp enough to cut glass. He stood perfectly still, his hands resting loose at his sides, but his whole body looked coiled tight like a dangerous spring.

Rue expected him to smile. The system told her Onyx was the energetic, active triplet. She expected him to bound forward and make a loud joke, just like his brother always did.

But when Rue looks at Onyx, he doesn’t smile.

The white wolf just stares at her. His icy silver eyes lock onto her face. His jaw clenches so hard a muscle twitches in his cheek. He doesn’t step forward to greet her. He doesn’t say a single word. He just stands there, looking at her like she is a puzzle he hates trying to solve.

Rue frowns. The cold reception stings a bit. She shifts her weight on her bare feet, suddenly feeling very self-conscious in her simple wool dress. She wonders if she did something wrong. Maybe he hates rabbits. Maybe he is mad she took Drax away from the manor.

She opens her mouth, wanting to break the awkward silence. She wants to say hello and smooth things over.

But before a single sound leaves her lips, the air right in front of her face shimmers.

A sudden, sharp ringing noise echoes directly inside her head. It sounds like a tiny bell.

Ding!

Rue freezes. Her stomach drops right down to the cold stone floor. She knows that sound. She hates that sound. She hasn’t heard it since the night Seika was born. She hoped the strange magical voice was gone for good. She just wanted to live a normal life with the family she already had.

A bright blue screen pops into existence. It hovers right in the empty space between her and the silver-eyed wolf. Drax and Zale can’t see it. Onyx can’t see it. Only Rue can see the glowing digital letters burning in the dim hall.

The system chimes in Rue’s head, flashing a bright blue information panel.

[Alert: New Target Detected.]

[Name: Onyx.]

[Species: Northern Wolf / Royal Bloodline.]

[Status: Fated Mate Recognized.]

[Mission: Secure the bond to strengthen the target’s bloodline.]

Rue stares at the floating blue letters. Her heart pounds a frantic, messy rhythm against her ribs. She reads the words three times, hoping her tired eyes are just playing a cruel trick on her.

They are not playing a trick.

The system wants her to claim another warlord. It wants her to bond with the angry, silent wolf standing ten feet away from her. She just had a baby. She already has four massive, demanding men waiting for her back at the new house. She doesn’t have the energy for this. She doesn’t want to play this wild, magical game anymore. She just wants a quiet date with the dragon holding her hand.

She reads the final line on the screen.

"You gotta be kidding me."

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