Baby System: My Mates Can Read my Mind?

Chapter 81: Episode 081: Axel’s Determination.

[New Mate Acquired]

The message snapped Rue right out of her trance. She gasped loudly. Her heart as she quickly pushed her hands against Axel’s thick winter coat. She shoved herself backward with all her might.

Her boots found solid footing in the packed snow this time, keeping her from falling again.

She was honestly very glad the system woke her up. She had been completely lost in his strange hair. She had been staring right into his calm, piercing eyes like a total fool.

You have gotta be kidding me, Rue yelled in her own mind.

She wrapped her arms securely around Theron. She held the baby tightly against her chest, making sure he was perfectly safe from the freezing wind.

Is it just because he is so attractive? Rue asked the system mentally. She felt a hot flush of pure embarrassment burn her pale cheeks. Did my brain just glitch because he looks like a handsome snow god? Is that why you triggered a new mate alert right now?

[Or perhaps it was already set in stone since?]

Rue blinked. She frowned. She did not understand what that meant at all. Set in stone since when? She just got to the North two minutes ago.

[Target Profile: Alpha Axel. Ruler of the Northern Wolf Kingdom. Intelligence level: Maximum.]

Rue felt entirely overwhelmed.

Aren’t we moving a bit too fast? Rue argued back mentally. She felt a huge wave of panic settling heavy in her stomach. I haven’t even given birth for Knox yet! I am holding Caius’s baby right now. I cannot handle another one!

[So are you going to do it? Are you going to give birth for Knox?]

Rue was completely tongue-tied. Her mouth opened, but she had absolutely no words to give.

Was she even given a choice?

’But you enjoyed sex with him, so you might as well have his child.’

I mean, he was strong...

Axel stood still in the snowy courtyard. His arms were empty now, but he could still feel the soft, incredible warmth of her waist against his large hands. He watched her carefully.

He did not miss a single detail. He noticed how her breathing picked up. He saw the pretty pink blush spreading across her pale, cold cheeks.

His sharp eyes scanned every single inch of her. He looked at her sily straight silver hair blowing in the harsh winter wind. He looked at her big, nervous pink eyes. He looked down at the thick white blankets holding the tiny baby.

Theron babbled softly, completely safe in his mother’s arms.

Then his eyes stopped right at her collarbone.

When she slipped on the ice, her heavy fur cloak shifted. The fabric of her dark dress pulled down just a little bit. Axel clearly saw the fresh, raised bite mark resting on her soft shoulder.

It was a panther’s mark. It was very fresh and permanent.

Axel took a slow, deep breath. The freezing mountain wind carried her scent right to his nose. Amid the smell of sweet milk and soft rabbit, he caught the scent of something else. He smelled the unmistakable scent of snake scales clinging tightly to her clothes.

He put the pieces together instantly. His brilliant mind worked faster than anyone else in the entire kingdom.

She had two incredibly powerful mates. She belonged to two of the most dangerous predators in the entire Beastworld.

Axel did not care.

For the very first time in his entire life, he felt a pull inside his chest. He looked at this soft, innocent little rabbit standing in the snow. She looked so fragile, like a strong wind could blow her entirely away. Yet she had two giant, violent beasts completely wrapped around her little fingers. They clearly worshipped her enough to let her travel all the way up here.

He wanted to get to know her. He wanted to figure out how she managed to tame them.

He wanted her.

The sudden desire hit him like an avalanche. It was fast and completely undeniable. But Axel did not act like a wild animal. He kept his cool, calm aura perfectly in place. He was entirely unbothered by her strong attachments. A smart wolf did not care if a prize was guarded. A smart wolf just figured out a clever way to take it for himself.

He just stared at her. His icy eyes locked directly onto hers, refusing to look away.

Rue felt completely flustered by his intense, quiet staring. The way he looked at her made her skin feel entirely too warm in the freezing weather. It felt like he was reading every single thought inside her head. He looked entirely too calm.

She realised he was looking right at her neck.

Rue quickly lifted her free hand. She grabbed the neckline of her dress and pulled the fabric up very high. She pulled her thick fur cloak tight, covering the panther bite from his sight. Her hands shook just a tiny bit as she clutched the fur.

"Thank you," Rue stammered softly. Her voice sounded very small in the massive courtyard. "For catching me."

She immediately stepped backwards and hid behind Gianna’s back. She used the grumpy snake princess like a small human shield to block his intense stare.

Gianna stood there in the snow, completely confused. She looked up at her older brother. She saw the intense, hungry way Axel was staring at Rue, hiding behind her back. Gianna knew her brother better than anyone in the world. He never looked at girls. He always ignored the pretty wolf women who tried to catch his attention in the pack. He only cared about books and maps.

Gianna’s jaw dropped.

"Brother," Gianna said loudly. Her voice broke the silence in the courtyard. "Don’t tell me you also want Sister Rue?"

The entire crowd of giant wolves gasped out loud. Axel did not deny it. He did not look embarrassed at all.

He let out a low, rich chuckle. The sound was incredibly smooth and confident.

"What if I do, little one?" Axel asked calmly.

Gianna was tongue-tied. She stared at her brother like he had just grown a second head right in front of her. She slowly turned around and looked over her shoulder at Rue.

Rue was completely panicking. She strongly shook her head back and forth. Her pink eyes were huge. She silently begged Gianna to tell him to stop joking.

But nobody in the courtyard thought it was a joke.

Everyone around them was in shock. The murmurs started immediately. The elders whispered wildly to each other, their gray heads shaking in disbelief. Their cold, serious Alpha had just claimed he wanted a rabbit girl who already belonged to two other Kings.

It had been a long time since they heard about polygamy. And now it was happening to their king.

Axel ignored the pack elders. He did not care about their shocked whispers. He was the King of the North. He made his own rules.

He turned his head slightly and looked at his personal guards standing near the black ice stairs.

"Take her wagon to the upper wing," Axel commanded smoothly. His voice carried absolute, unquestionable authority. "Place Rue and her baby in the royal guest chambers. Make sure the fires are fully lit and the room is perfectly warm before she goes inside."

The royal guest chambers were located directly next to his own bedroom. It was the most secure, private area in the entire palace.

The guards nodded quickly and ran to follow his orders without a single word of protest.

Gianna stepped closer to her brother. She crossed her arms tightly over her leather tunic. She looked up at him with a deep, highly confused frown.

"Em, brother," Gianna whispered. She tried to talk some sense into his head. "Don’t you think you are moving too fast? You just met her two minutes ago. You do not even know her favourite food."

Axel leaned down. He brought his handsome face right next to Gianna’s ear.

"Do you think she is not worth your brother?" Axel asked quietly.

Gianna opened her mouth, but she was completely tongue-tied again. She had absolutely no argument for that question. Rue was amazing. Rue was sweet, brave, and raised a beautiful baby.

Rue even made the terrifying Queen Tanith smile. Of course she was worth it. Gianna just closed her mouth, let out a heavy sigh, and kicked the snow.

Rue peeked out from behind Gianna’s shoulder. She felt entirely trapped by his calm confidence. She looked across the bright snow and locked eyes with Iris.

Rue silently mouthed a single, desperate word to the Wolf Princess.

HELP.

Iris looked at Rue. She looked at her twin brother’s calm, determined face. Iris offered a small, completely helpless smile. She just shrugged her shoulders in the thick winter coat.

"When Axel is set on something," Iris said softly, "he never backs out until he has acquired it."