Baby System: My Mates Can Read my Mind?

"Oh my it’s so cold!"

Rue broke the surface of the water with a loud gasp. She pushed her wet silver hair out of her eyes.

The mountain breeze hit the wet skin on her shoulders, sending a sharp, sudden shiver straight down her spine. The very top layer of the pond held a brisk chill from the wind, but as she sank lower, the thick, soothing heat from the underground spring wrapped around her tired legs.

She paddled her arms to stay afloat. She didn’t have much practice in the water lately. The very last time she went swimming, she was diving into a murky, terrifying swamp to save Caius from drowning. That dark water tasted like mud and fear. This water was different. It felt like liquid silk. It tasted clean, like fresh rain and crushed mint.

Zale popped up a few feet away. The merman pushed his wet, sandy-blonde hair back. He let out a loud, ringing laugh at her dramatic gasp.

Rue smiled. She didn’t think about it. She just scooped up a handful of water and threw it right at his face. The splash caught him right on the cheek.

Zale blinked, wiping the water from his eye. A massive, playful grin spread across his face.

"Oh, you want a fight?" Zale asked, his bright voice bouncing over the pond. "You picked a fight with a fish in his own house!"

He flicked his massive blue tail. A huge wave of warm water crashed over Rue’s head. She sputtered, wiping her face, but she couldn’t stop the bright sound bubbling up from her chest. She splashed Zale, laughing genuinely for the first time all day. The heavy dread from the art gallery washed away, leaving just a simple, pure joy.

Zale loved hearing her laugh. He wanted to make her smile more. He dove under the clear turquoise water.

Rue watched him move below the surface. He was a master in this element. Zale shows off his underwater speed, darting back and forth like a bright blue dart. He did fast, spinning flips, his translucent fin cutting through the water with effortless grace. He swam in tight circles around her, creating a gentle current that spun her around, making her smile.

Rue tipped her head back. She let her feet rise off the bottom. She just floated. The heavy ache in her lower back vanished. The stiff soreness in her joints melted away into the warm spring. Her soft rabbit body carried so much tension over the last month. Just holding Seika for hours made her shoulders stiff. Now, she felt weightless. She felt like a feather resting on a soft breeze.

The thin white cotton dress clung tight to her skin, but it didn’t weigh her down. It moved with her, soft and easy.

She looked toward the grassy bank. Drax watched from the bank, his dark eyes tracking her every move. The Dragon King had his hands tucked into his pockets. He didn’t look worried. He looked relaxed. He liked seeing her play. He liked knowing she felt safe in his old home.

But Drax wasn’t the only one watching.

Rue felt a heavy, burning stare pressing into the side of her neck. It felt like a physical touch.

She let her legs drop down, treading water again. She turned her head just a fraction. She peeked through her wet silver bangs.

Onyx still stood near the edge of the dark ironwood trees. The white wolf hadn’t left. He didn’t go inside to read or rest. He just stayed there, rooted to the grass.

Rue is having a lot of fun, but she couldn’t avoid the sense of Onyx watching her. Every time she laughed, she felt his gaze snap right to her face. Every time she splashed Zale, she felt a thick wave of tension roll off the wolf on the bank.

She wants to know what is going on in his head. She wants to know if he hates her. She wants to know if the mate bond makes his chest ache the same way Knox said it hurt him. Does he want to join them? Does he want her to get out and leave?

She doesn’t want to be that obvious. She knows Drax is watching. She knows Zale is trying to entertain her. She can’t just stare at the grumpy wolf.

So she plays a quiet game. She smiles at Zale, but she keeps Onyx in the corner of her vision.

Zale popped back up to the surface. He held his closed fist out toward her.

"Look what I found," Zale said, dropping a smooth, round stone into her wet palm.

Rue looked down. The stone was pale gray, but it held a faint, warm glow in the center. It looked like a tiny, captured star.

"It’s beautiful," Rue whispered. She ran her thumb over the smooth surface. "Thank you, Zale."

"There are hundreds of them at the bottom," Zale beamed. "They light up the pond at night. It looks like you are swimming in the sky."

Rue smiled at the thought. She tucked the smooth stone into the small pocket of the cotton dress. She kicked her legs, swimming a little closer to the bank where the water was shallower. Her toes brushed the smooth rocks at the bottom. She stood up, letting the water hit her right at the waist.

The wet cotton dress stuck tight to her new curves. Having two babies changed her shape. She was softer now. Her hips flared out a bit more. Her chest was fuller from feeding Seika. She felt a little shy about her new body, but the warm water made her feel bold. She wrung the extra water out of her long silver hair, letting it fall down her back in a thick, wet rope.

On the bank, the mood shifted.

Onyx finally stepped out of the shadows. He couldn’t stay away. The pull of the bond acted like an invisible rope, dragging him closer to the water. His boots made soft, crushing sounds on the damp grass.

He walked right up to the edge of the pond.

Onyx stands next to Drax, his jaw clenched tight as he watches his mate play in the water with his brother. The two brothers looked very different. Drax was dark and relaxed. Onyx was pale and rigid.

The white wolf kept his arms crossed tight over his leather armor. The muscles in his neck strained against his skin. It felt like torture. He smelled her sweet scent mixing with the fresh mountain water. He heard her bright, genuine laugh ringing out over the pond. He saw the way the wet white fabric clung to her soft, round hips. His inner wolf clawed at his ribs, demanding he jump into the water and pull her close. He wanted to wrap his arms around her waist. He wanted to bury his face in her wet neck and claim her as his own.

But she didn’t belong to him. She wore Drax’s scent. She lived in Drax’s house. She birthed cubs for the other warlords.

Onyx gritted his teeth. He stared at her pink eyes, feeling a fierce, burning jealousy eating a hole right through his stomach. Why did she have to be so soft? Why did she have to look so perfect standing there in the sunlight? He wanted to hate her for making him feel this weak.

Drax knew.

The Dragon King didn’t need to look at his brother to know what was happening. He felt the wild, erratic energy rolling off the wolf. He heard the harsh, uneven breaths coming from Onyx’s chest. Drax lived a very long time. He understood the fierce, undeniable grip of a fated mate bond. He knew Onyx was fighting a losing battle against his own biology.

Drax didn’t feel angry. He didn’t feel jealous. He already had her heart. He knew Rue loved him. He just felt a quiet, calm certainty.

Drax kept his dark eyes fixed on Rue. He watched her smile at Zale. He watched the sunlight catch the water droplets on her pale skin. He let a slow, proud smirk touch his lips.

He tilted his head just slightly toward the tense wolf standing beside him.

Drax asks with a smile, "Isn’t she pretty?"

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