My Beastly Fertility System Chapter 139: Fondue and Feelings

The instant she heard that, Claire slid off his back. She shooed him inside, then disappeared into the kitchen.

The beastlings in her belly had apparently placed an order—fondue.

As the pregnancy progressed, her appetite had grown fierce. The thought of fondue set her mouth watering so hard she could hardly stand it.

Thankfully, the storage-space farm produced an abundance of vegetables, her meat supply was varied and plentiful, and the system rewards from her last pregnancy included several types of fondue seasoning.

Claire grabbed a handful of tender pea shoots, a bunch of spinach, half a head of baby cabbage, garland chrysanthemum—essential—plus freshly harvested mushrooms. She sliced potatoes into even rounds and set them soaking, then lined up corn, sliced lotus root, and lettuce.

The meat was all fresh, courtesy of Marcus's hunting. Beast World's wildlife was staggeringly diverse and staggeringly abundant. Meat was the one thing nobody lacked.

The only tragedy was the absence of tripe, duck intestine, and other offal. Beastfolk didn't know how to process innards and simply buried them. When Claire had found out, she'd nearly wept. She'd scolded Marcus for the waste.

Once everything was prepped, Claire simmered a pot of broth in a heavy stone pot, fried the fondue base until fragrant, and stirred it in.

Marcus's job was the fire. He sat on a small stone stool, feeding wood into the flames. It was the one kitchen task he could manage, and he threw himself into it with religious devotion every time Claire cooked.

When it was ready, the two of them sat across from each other in the courtyard, eating with abandon.

Claire watched Marcus handle his fork with remarkable dexterity. Hard to believe this was the same person who'd been at war with the utensil just days ago.

Marcus was a fast learner. He accepted new things easily—maybe because he was blind, maybe because he trusted Claire completely. Whenever she pulled out some anachronistic item from the storage space, he just went with it.

Which saved her the trouble of inventing excuses.

After a spicy, numbing, glorious meal, Claire leaned back and rubbed her belly, content.

Marcus was still shoveling food in, drenched in sweat, unable to stop.

"This is incredible! I wish Bertie could try this. He'd finally know what real food tastes like!"

He was talking with his mouth full, cheeks puffed out like a little frog.

"Slow down. Nobody's fighting you for it. It's all yours."

Claire watched him with a full heart.

No matter what she made, Marcus ate every last bite. The validation was immensely satisfying.

The boy had a bottomless appetite. Claire sometimes wondered if his stomach was a portal to another dimension.

It's good, though. His human form was a little too thin. He had the muscle definition, but it vanished under clothing, making him look frail.

Paired with that baby-faced, puppy-dog look, nobody would ever connect him to the massive panda.

Compared to his human form, she much preferred the panda.

Let the boy eat.

Build some mass. More muscle, more safety.

Claire imagined a chunkier Marcus and couldn't help grinning.

Moments like this—quiet, warm, content. If only the whole family were here.

Zane and Rufus had been with her this long, and she'd never made them fondue.

Zane would appreciate it quietly. But Rufus was the real foodie.

She'd won Rufus's heart with a few grilled fish. The bonding feast had been a full spread she'd prepared with Zane—and it was the food that had sealed the deal, making Rufus her second mate.

Rufus had literally been lured onto her ship by his stomach.

If they were all here—plus a whole litter of beastlings—the noise alone would be deafening.

Claire shook off the melancholy. Even if a full reunion wasn't possible yet, she shouldn't wallow. She needed to stay focused and work toward it.

"Marcus. If someday I had to leave Grimstone, would you come with me?"

Marcus looked up from his food, dark eyes wide with surprise.

"Leave Grimstone? Where would we go?"

He'd never left Grimstone. The farthest he'd ventured was the nearby outskirts. The idea of leaving had never once crossed his mind.

He'd grown up here, after all.

Claire was nervous. She didn't know what his answer would be. But she owed him the truth.

"I have two other mates, and a whole litter of beastlings. Once winter ends, I need to find them."

"Oh." A shadow passed over Marcus's face.

Claire's heart sank. She was bracing for him to refuse when his expression broke into a smile.