Chapter 756: Chapter 757: Because I am not giving birth with all of you staring at me like this is a hunting lesson
The touch was light, but Cyrus stopped at once. His eyes moved from Osiris to her hand, then slowly to her face. Isabella looked at him with a serious expression, and although she did not say anything immediately, her meaning was clear enough.
Behave.
Cyrus inhaled slowly through his nose.
His fingers, which had been tightening against the fur beside her, loosened little by little.
Osiris saw that he had been saved for the moment, so his courage returned in the smallest and most foolish way. He cleared his throat and said quickly, "If I promise to behave from now on, I think I should be spared. Kian was the one who repeated it loudly, and Luca was the one who told Shelia and Ophelia."
Luca immediately turned to him with an offended face. "Do not drag me into this. I only answered because they asked."
"You still answered, did you not" Osiris said.
"You looked guilty while walking past them," Luca replied at once. "Anybody with eyes would ask."
Osiris opened his mouth, but no answer came out because that was actually true.
Kian did not have the patience for this. His blue eyes moved from Osiris to Luca with a look that made both of them close their mouths at once. The room was warm because of the fire, but the look on Kian’s face made it feel colder for one breath.
Cyrus finally spoke. "Where are the women?"
Kian frowned slightly. "What women?"
Cyrus looked at him for a moment before he answered, and Isabella could tell that he was still forcing himself to be calm. "Isabella asked for women who have helped with birth before. Elderly women would be best. Experienced women who know what is normal and what is dangerous."
Kian turned to Isabella. "You asked for women?"
Isabella stared at him as if he had asked her the strangest question in the world. "Yes. I asked for women."
Kian’s brows drew together. "We can help you."
For a moment, Isabella only looked at him.
She knew this was normal in this world. She knew beastmen males took care of their females without thinking of shame the way people in her old world would. To them, birth was danger and family and duty. If a female was in pain, her males stayed near her, held her, wiped her sweat, helped her breathe, and did whatever had to be done without feeling strange.
But Isabella was still Isabella.
Cyrus was different because he was her mate and the father of the babies. He had seen every part of her already, and she trusted him enough that even her shyness had become much smaller with him. But the thought of Kian, Zyran, Osiris, Luca, Asael, and whoever else standing there while she gave birth made her soul almost leave her body before the babies did.
So she looked straight at Kian and said, "No."
Kian looked more confused. "Why?"
Isabella’s lips parted, then closed again because she did not even know where to begin.
Zyran, who had been standing near the side of the room with his arms folded, looked like he was enjoying her reaction a little too much. His red eyes moved from Isabella’s face to Kian’s serious expression, and for once, even he seemed smart enough to avoid saying the first shameless thing that entered his head.
Isabella pointed at the men around the room. "Because I am not giving birth with all of you staring at me like this is a hunting lesson."
Osiris blinked. "Who would stare?"
Isabella turned to him very slowly. "You."
Osiris looked wronged. "I would only look if something came out."
Cyrus’s eyes changed instantly.
His pupils narrowed in that snake-like way, and the warmth in the room seemed to press down on everyone at once. Osiris froze. Luca also froze, even though the danger was not aimed at him. Ophelia took half a step back without realizing it, and Shelia quickly held her arm.
Isabella threw her head back against the furs and covered her mouth because if she laughed too hard, her stomach would hurt again.
Cyrus looked at her at once. "Do not laugh too much."
"I am trying," Isabella said, but her eyes were already shining. "But he makes it very hard."
Osiris looked between them. "What did I say wrong this time?"
Zyran answered without moving. "Everything after you opened your mouth."
Osiris glared at him. "You are not helping."
"I know."
Cyrus looked like he might still say something dangerous, so Isabella tugged his wrist again. "I am fine. Stop scaring everyone."
"I am not scaring everyone," Cyrus said.
Ophelia immediately looked away like a child who had been caught.
Shelia’s mouth twitched, but she did not laugh because she could see that Cyrus was truly worried. His anger was only fear wearing teeth. The closer Isabella came to birth, the more every person near her seemed like a possible danger to him. Even Shelia understood that, so she only held Ophelia’s hand and stayed where she was.
Kian finally seemed to understand enough.
He might not fully understand Isabella’s embarrassment, but he understood that she needed something to feel safer. And right now, her safety mattered more than his confusion. So he nodded once and turned toward Asael.
"Come with me."
Asael straightened immediately. "Yes, my king."
Kian stepped toward the door, then paused when he noticed Luca was still standing there with the clear face of a person who wanted to stay and hear more.
"Luca," Kian said.
Luca’s shoulders stiffened. "Yes?"
"You are coming too. Call two experienced women and tell them to come quickly."
Luca blinked. "Me?"
Kian only looked at him.
That was enough.
Luca’s face fell a little, and his mouth formed a small pout before he quickly hid it. "Fine. I am going."
"Quickly," Kian said.
"I said I am going," Luca muttered, then immediately moved when Kian’s eyes sharpened.
The three of them left the room, and the heavy feeling at the doorway finally eased. It was still not quiet because Shelia and Ophelia were still there, and Osiris was still trying to look innocent while Cyrus clearly remembered his failed task.
