Surviving Zombies Was Easier Than Raising Beast Cubs

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Sleeping With Her Male 2

CONTAINS 18+ CONTENT‼️

Swanly’s eyes snapped open.

For one second, she did not understand.

She froze.

Then, like an idiot, she reached back slightly to check what it was.

Her fingers brushed him.

Her fingertips met hot skin stretched tight over something thick and very hard. The realization hit her like a slap.

Oh.

Oh no.

She snatched her hand back like she’d touched fire, but it was already too late.

Kael’s hand shot out and caught her wrist in a firm, unyielding grip.

His breath broke against the back of her neck.

A low, rough sound tore from his throat — half growl, half curse.

”Fuck.”

The word vibrated through her entire body. His grip was tight enough that she felt the tremor running through his arm. He was rock-hard against her lower back now, no longer just a vague pressure but a very obvious, very insistent presence.

Swanly’s whole face caught fire. Her ears flattened against her hair in pure mortification.

Oh.

Oh.

That.

She tried to pull away at once, but Kael’s arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her firmly back against him. Her ass pressed flush against that hard length and she had to bite her lip to keep from making a sound.

Not rough enough to hurt.

Strong enough that she knew he could keep her there all night if he wanted.

His chest was burning hot against her back. One of his thighs slid between hers, caging her in. His mouth came close to her ear, breath hot and uneven.

His voice was deep, rough, and dripping with warning.

”When did you become this naughty, little mate?”

Swanly’s soul left her body, turned around, and slapped her twice.

In her mind she was screaming.

She had only wanted warmth. Maybe a little comfort. Maybe she had been curious about what it would feel like to be held by him. But this? This was dangerous.

This was her mate’s cock pressed hard against her ass while their three sleeping cubs were curled up barely two feet away.

”I didn’t mean to,” she whispered, voice tiny and mortified.

Kael’s nose brushed the sensitive spot just behind her ear. He inhaled deeply and went very still.

His grip on her waist tightened.

”Your scent changed,” he murmured, voice so low it was almost a growl. ”You’re wet.”

Swanly stopped breathing.

Heat flooded between her legs so fast she felt dizzy. She squeezed her thighs together on instinct and immediately regretted it when it only made her more aware of how slick she was getting.

Kael’s mouth hovered near her ear, and the heat of him made her toes curl into the fur.

”Do not move like that beside a beast male unless you know what you are asking for,” he said against her ear. His voice had dropped into that dangerous register that made her toes curl. ”I am trying very hard to remember the cubs are sleeping. Do not make it harder for me.”

His cock gave a slow, heavy throb against her ass as if to prove his point.

Swanly’s heart slammed so hard she was sure he could feel it.

That was the warning.

Simple.

Clear.

Deadly.

Swanly swallowed hard.

”I was cold.”

His voice was rough. ”You are not cold now.”

No.

She absolutely was not.

She was burning.

For a long moment, neither of them moved.

The only sounds were their breathing and the soft, even breaths of the three cubs. Swanly could feel every inch of him — the solid wall of his chest, the thick ridge of his cock trapped between them, the way his claws had pricked through the hide at her waist like he was fighting the urge to tear it off her.

She was trembling. Not from fear.

From how badly she suddenly wanted to rock back against him.

Kael’s tail had curled around her calf without him seeming to notice. The tip twitched against her skin.

Maybe her body was only reacting like this because of the mate bond? She did not know.

Kael’s breathing was harsh now. For one terrifying, thrilling second she thought he might flip her onto her back and take her mouth right there on the furs.

Instead he let out a low, frustrated rumble that vibrated through her whole body.

Then he released her wrist.

Swanly thought he might leave.

Instead, his body shifted behind her.

Black fur brushed against her back.

The space changed.

The warm male body became larger, heavier, and even warmer. Kael transformed into his black panther form, huge and dark, curling around her and the cubs like a living wall. His body blocked the cold air from the cave entrance. His thick fur pressed against Swanly’s back, hot and soft, and his long tail curled near the cubs.

Swanly lay stiff for several breaths, face still burning, thighs still pressed tightly together. Her heart was still beating like it wanted to escape.

Even in his massive panther form she could feel the heat of him soaking into her back. His thick fur was soft, but underneath it she knew exactly how hard and ready he still was.

A low, rumbling purr started in his chest — so quiet she almost missed it. It vibrated against her spine and did absolutely nothing to help the ache between her legs.

The smallest cub, still asleep, made a tiny sound and snuggled deeper against her chest with a tiny cute sigh.

The second cub’s paw twitched.

The eldest sighed and tucked his face into Kael’s fur.

Swanly slowly relaxed.

The panther was warm.

So warm.

Warmer than any blanket. Warmer than the dying fires she had huddled near in her old world. Warmer than safety had felt in a long time.

She did not know when her eyes closed.

Kael’s huge head lowered until his chin rested gently over the top of her head, one massive paw draped protectively over both her and the cubs. His tail curled around them all like a living blanket.

Kael did not sleep immediately.

He watched her.

In the dim blue light from the waterfall, Swanly looked softer than he had ever seen her. Her white fox ears rested low in her hair. Her pale tail curled near the cubs. Her face was tired, but no hatred twisted her mouth now. One hand held the smallest cub close even in sleep, as if her body had already learned to protect him.

She was beautiful.

Painfully beautiful.

Kael had known that from the first day he saw her.

He had loved her even when she hated him. He had loved her when she cried for the male he had taken her from. He had loved her when she looked at him as if he was the beast that ruined her life. He had loved her when she rejected his den, his food, his touch, his cubs, and his name.

That love had become a wound.

Now, after the poison, she had woken as someone strange.

Someone softer.

Someone fierce in a new way.

Someone who called his cubs her babies and scolded him for not eating.

Someone who touched his wounds and made fire with steady hands.

Someone who moved close to him in the dark.

Kael did not understand what had changed.

Maybe the poison had taken her memory.

Maybe it had taken her hatred.

Maybe the female sleeping against him was still his mate, but also someone he did not fully know.

He did not care yet.

That was the dangerous truth.

If the forest had returned her to him like this, he would take her like this.

If she no longer hated him, he would not question the gift too loudly in case the sky heard and took it back.

Kael lowered his head and rested his chin near her hair.

Outside, the prehistoric forest breathed under the night.

Inside the cave, behind the waterfall, his mate and cubs slept against him.

For the first time in many moons, Kael let his eyes close.

...

Before the birds even started making noise outside the cave, Swanly felt something wet touch her nose.

She did not open her eyes.

Her whole body was still warm from sleep. Her back was pressed against thick black fur, the three cubs were somewhere close to her stomach, and the waterfall outside the cave was still falling with that steady sound that made the whole place feel hidden from the world.

Then the wet thing touched her nose again.

Soft.

Small.

Very familiar.

Swanly slowly opened one eye.

The smallest cub was standing right in front of her face with his tiny paws on her chest. His round golden eyes were wide and happy, and his little pink tongue was already out again.

He licked the tip of her nose.

Swanly closed her eye.

”Why?”

The smallest cub’s tail wagged.

In his tiny mind, this was very simple.

Yesterday, Mama woke up when he licked her nose. Mama shouted, yes, but Mama still woke up. Then Mama hugged him later. Mama fed him warm food. Mama let him sleep close. So clearly, nose licking was the correct way to wake Mama.

Also, Mama’s nose was soft.

So he licked it again.

Swanly sighed so deeply that her soul nearly left through her mouth.

”I knew it was you.”

The smallest cub looked proud.

”Mama wake.”

”Yes, because you keep wetting my face.”

He gave her a happy little sound, as if that was praise.

Swanly reached up, grabbed him under his little front legs, and lifted him away from her face.

He dangled there, fat little paws hanging, tail wagging with no shame at all.

She placed him on the fur beside her.

”No licking my nose before sunrise.”

The smallest blinked at her.

Then he smiled in that tiny beast way, mouth open, ears round, eyes shining.

Swanly pressed her lips together.

No.

She would not be softened this early.

She was still mad.

A little.

Maybe.

Then she looked around.

Kael was not there.

The big black panther warmth behind her was gone. The space where he had slept was still warm, but he himself was nowhere in the cave. The fur had been moved around her and the cubs carefully, as if he had tucked them in before leaving.

Swanly’s sleepy eyes sharpened.

”Kael?”

No answer.

The waterfall kept falling at the cave entrance. Morning light came through the water in pale strips. The cave smelled like wet stone, leftover smoke, fruit peel, cooked rice, and beast fur.

The second cub was sleeping with his face buried in her white tail.

The smallest was now sitting with his paws on her knee, looking very pleased with himself.

The eldest was not beside them.

Swanly frowned.

”Where is your brother?”

The smallest blinked.

The second cub woke up slowly and lifted his head, one ear folded from sleep.

”Brother?”

Swanly sat up.

Her white fox ears twitched.

That was when she heard a small scrape above her.

She looked up.

Her heart stopped.

The eldest cub was high on a stone ledge inside the cave.

Very high.

Too high.

He stood there with his little chest puffed out, looking down at them like he had climbed a mountain and become the king of the world. His tiny black paws were planted on the edge, his tail raised behind him, and his face was so proud that Swanly almost screamed before she even opened her mouth.

Then she actually screamed.

”WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?”

The eldest cub jumped.

Before Swanly shouted, he had been fine. He could climb. He could come down. He had done this many times before. To him, the stone ledge was not danger. It was fun. It was high. It made him feel big.

But then Mama screamed.

Mama’s face turned white.

Mama’s ears stood straight up.

Mama looked terrified.

So the eldest cub immediately became terrified too.

His little claws scraped against the stone.

His proud chest collapsed.

”Mama?”

Swanly threw the fur aside and jumped up so fast her head spun.

”Do not move. Do not move. Stay there. Stay exactly there. Do you hear me?”

The eldest cub looked down.

That was his mistake.

The ground suddenly looked much farther than it had before.

His little legs shook.