Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband

Chapter 218: Pancakes, Panthers, and Proper Courting

When you spend your entire life running, your body forgets how to rest.

Juni woke up with a sharp gasp, her golden eyes snapping open as she sat up. For a split second, she expected to see the damp, glowing moss of the smuggler’s cave. She expected to hear the shouts of mercenaries and the heavy thud of iron nets.

Instead, she saw sunlight pouring through floor-to-ceiling glass windows. She felt the ridiculous, cloud-like softness of silk sheets under her hands. And her knee, which had been throbbing with agony yesterday, felt completely fine.

She blinked, the memories of yesterday rushing back in a dizzying wave. The poachers. The shadows. The terrifying, beautiful man with the violet eyes.

Pip. Juni threw the covers off, her silver-tipped wings fluttering nervously behind her. She didn’t bother changing out of the oversized, incredibly soft sleep-shirt Primrose had lent her. She just pushed her messy golden hair out of her face and hurried out of the guest suite.

She didn’t have to search hard to find her son. She just had to follow the noise.

"More! More! Honk!"

Juni paused in the doorway of the massive kitchen.

Primrose was standing at the stove, her nine silver fox tails swaying happily as she expertly flipped a row of fluffy pancakes. Sitting at the kitchen island, securely strapped into a custom-built, highly engineered wooden highchair, was Pip.

The toddler was no longer wearing his yellow frog coat. He was in a pair of soft, clean cotton pajamas, and his face was entirely covered in sticky maple syrup. He was happily smashing a strawberry into the table with a chubby fist.

"Good morning," Primrose smiled, not even turning around. "I saved you a seat. And don’t worry, the highchair is practically indestructible. Orion built it, and Cassian cast a cushioning ward on the seat."

Juni slowly walked into the kitchen, her shoulders dropping in pure relief. She walked over to Pip, pressing a kiss to his sticky, syrup-covered cheek. He giggled, offering her his mashed strawberry.

"Thank you, sweetie," Juni murmured, taking the seat next to him. She looked at Primrose. "How did you know I was standing there?"

"Fox ears," Primrose tapped one of the silver, furry ears sitting atop her head. She plated a massive stack of pancakes, topped them with fresh berries, and set them down in front of Juni. "Plus, this house is never quiet. If you aren’t making noise, it means you’re sneaking. Eat up. You need the calories to rebuild your magic."

Juni picked up her fork. She looked at the beautiful, warm kitchen. She looked at the Sovereign of the Empire, who was casually wiping syrup off a toddler’s chin with a damp cloth.

"I don’t understand," Juni admitted quietly, her golden eyes searching Primrose’s face. "You’re the Sovereign. Your husbands are Warlords. You have guards, armies, and an entire Empire. Why are you cooking breakfast? Why aren’t there servants in here?"

Primrose leaned against the counter, pouring two cups of coffee and sliding one over to Juni.

"Because this is our home, not a fortress," Primrose said softly. "When I first met them, they were terrifying. Rurik roared at everything, Cassian tried to sanitize the forest, and Caspian was drowning in his own isolation. They were raising these fierce, traumatized little cubs, and none of them knew how to just... be a family."

Primrose took a sip of her coffee, her eyes crinkling with a fond smile. "Cooking is how I show them they’re safe. It’s how I bring them to the table. If I hired a dozen servants, it would just be another palace. I want the cubs to know they can run into the kitchen and ask their mom for a snack."

Juni stared at her. The sheer, overwhelming warmth of this woman was staggering. "You really love them. All of them."

"I do," Primrose laughed. "Even when they drive me absolutely crazy. Which they do. Frequently. Speaking of which..."

BANG!

The kitchen doors swung open so hard they practically hit the wall.

"THE SILVER-WING IS AWAKE!" Rurik bellowed, marching into the room. The Wolf Warlord was already covered in dirt and sweat from a morning sparring session. "Did you sleep well, warrior? Are your feathers fully rested? We must arm wrestle later to test your grip strength!"

"Rurik, please, it is not even eight in the morning," Cassian sighed, gliding in right behind him. The Serpent Warlord looked immaculate, holding a small silver tray. He completely ignored Rurik and walked straight to Juni. "Good morning, Juni. I have brought a mild herbal tincture to flush any remaining lactic acid from your wing muscles. Drink it in exactly three sips."

"Uh. Thank you," Juni said, taking the small vial. She was completely overwhelmed by the sheer size and presence of these men.

"Good morning, my Sovereign," Caspian murmured smoothly, stepping into the kitchen and wrapping his arms around Primrose’s waist from behind. He pressed a kiss to her cheek before offering Juni a charming smile. "I see you survived your first night in the Warlord estate."

"I did," Juni smiled back, though she nervously glanced toward the doorway.

Primrose caught the look instantly. "He’s on the patio," she whispered, leaning over the counter. "He’s been pacing out there for twenty minutes, trying to figure out how to walk in naturally."

Juni felt a sudden, ridiculous flutter in her stomach.

Right on cue, the shadows in the corner of the kitchen seemed to deepen. Lucien stepped out of the darkness.

The Panther Assassin was dressed in a sleek, dark grey suit today. He looked devastatingly handsome, dangerous, and completely out of place in a bright, sunny kitchen filled with pancakes.

He didn’t look at Rurik. He didn’t look at Cassian. His violet eyes locked instantly onto Juni.

Juni’s breath hitched. She remembered the way he had looked yesterday, standing over the fallen poachers like a god of death. But looking at him now, he just looked incredibly tense, holding a steaming teacup in his gloved hands.

Lucien walked over to the island. He stopped right beside her chair. He set the delicate porcelain teacup down next to her plate of pancakes.

"Good morning," Lucien said. His voice was a low, rough rumble that sent a shiver straight down her spine.

"Good morning, Lucien," Juni replied softly, looking down at the tea. It smelled incredible—like sweet honey, citrus, and something bright and floral. "What is this?"

Lucien stood perfectly straight, his hands clasped behind his back like a soldier giving a report.

"It is a Sun-Blossom infusion," Lucien stated, his expression deadly serious. "I scaled the eastern cliffs at dawn to harvest the petals before the dew evaporated. The high altitude ensures maximum magical potency. It will significantly accelerate the healing of your torn ligaments and fortify your immune system against coastal pathogens."

The entire kitchen went dead silent.

Rurik’s jaw dropped. Cassian slowly pushed his glasses up his nose, his slitted eyes wide. Primrose bit her lip so hard she nearly bled, trying desperately not to laugh.

Lucien, the most terrifying killer in the known world, had literally climbed a mountain at the crack of dawn to pick a flower for a girl, and he had delivered it like a tactical medical briefing.

Juni stared at the tea. She looked up at Lucien, who was currently glaring at the wall, the tips of his ears burning a violent shade of red.

He was awkward. He was terrifyingly intense. And he was absolutely, completely adorable.

"You climbed the eastern cliffs," Juni repeated slowly, a massive, genuine smile breaking across her face. "For me?"

Lucien shifted his weight, refusing to meet her eyes. "Your knee was compromised. It was a logical precaution."

"Papa!" Pip suddenly cheered, slamming his sticky hands on the highchair tray.

The tension broke instantly. Lucien let out a soft sigh, his shoulders dropping as he looked down at the toddler. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pristine, white silk handkerchief. Without a second thought, the Lord of Shadows began carefully wiping the sticky maple syrup off Pip’s chubby cheeks.

"You are a mess, little bird," Lucien murmured fondly.

Juni watched him. She watched his large, calloused, deadly hands move with such unbelievable gentleness over her son’s face. She looked at the steaming cup of rare, hand-picked tea sitting next to her plate.

She had spent her life guarding her flock, fighting off threats, and never relying on anyone but herself. But sitting here, in this loud, chaotic kitchen, surrounded by terrifying Warlords who brought her healing salves and climbed mountains for her tea, she felt something completely new.

She felt safe.

"Thank you, Lucien," Juni said softly, wrapping her hands around the warm teacup. "It’s perfect."

Lucien finally looked at her. His violet eyes softened, holding her gaze with that heavy, overwhelming devotion that made her heart race.

"You are welcome, Juni," he whispered.

"Alright, that’s enough romance before coffee!" Rurik boomed, completely ruining the quiet moment. The Wolf Warlord slapped the counter. "Little Rose, where is the meat? I require bacon! The cubs are about to wake up, and we need fuel!"

Right on cue, the sound of five pairs of feet thundered down the stairs.

"I call the big pancake!" Vali howled, sprinting into the kitchen with Orion right on his heels.

Juni took a sip of her Sun-Blossom tea, watching the absolute madness unfold as the beast-cubs swarmed the kitchen. Rurik was roaring, Cassian was lecturing Jasper on chewing his food, and Caspian was smoothly stealing a piece of bacon right off Rurik’s plate.

Lucien didn’t move away. He stayed right by her chair, a silent, protective shadow in the middle of the chaos.

Juni leaned back, taking another bite of the best pancakes she had ever had. Yeah. She could definitely get used to this.