My Beastly Fertility System Chapter 31: A Home in the Making

"No way! I'm a Level 2 beastfolk, and you want me to guard your place? Not happening! If anyone's a guard dog, it's you—the white wolf!"

Zane didn't get mad. He just answered calmly, "I have to stay close and protect Claire at night. She's pregnant."

Rufus felt like that stupid white wolf was showing off.

His chest puffed up, and he lifted his chin higher, clearly annoyed.

Claire reached out and rubbed Rufus's spiky hair. It felt a little rough, but her fingers could slip in and scratch his scalp.

The moment she started, Rufus narrowed his eyes in pure comfort.

Well, it was obvious who enjoyed head pats the most.

Claire kept rubbing his head as she coaxed him. "I saved you yesterday, remember? You should repay me. Don't worry, you only need to help us guard the place for a few days."

Before winter came, Rufus had to return to his clan anyway. Claire never planned to keep him here for long.

She wasn't sure how far away the eagle clan was. But no matter the distance, with a gyrfalcon's speed, he should get back quickly.

Rufus even let out a soft, satisfied rumble.

That scalp scratch felt way too good.

He stopped thinking.

"Fine. I'll guard it."

Zane gave Claire a thumbs-up. She really knew how to handle things. With Rufus watching the place, their food stash would be safe.

The three beastfolk then cut the bison meat into strips with their claws and hung them on tree branches to dry.

To keep Rufus happy, Claire promised to handle all his meals during this time.

Only then did Rufus agree, though a little awkwardly.

He had said yes too quickly while being petted. Now that he thought about it, it felt embarrassing.

Still, her cooking was really good. He couldn't resist it.

Guarding the cave didn't mean staying inside all the time.

Beastfolk—especially males—had a keen sense of smell. As long as Rufus stayed nearby, he could rush over the moment any beast or intruder appeared.

Thinking about it, Rufus felt like he got the better deal.

That night, Zane lay beside Claire.

He pressed his ear gently against her stomach and listened for a long time, hoping to hear something from his babies.

Claire laughed softly.

"It's too early. You won't hear anything yet."

Strictly speaking, she had just gotten pregnant last night. It was probably just a tiny cluster of cells. Even if beastfolk developed faster, it wouldn't be that fast.

Zane took her hand and pressed it to his lips.

"Thank you, Claire. I'll protect you and our babies."

His ears twitched slightly. Claire couldn't resist. She reached up and played with them. The soft fur felt amazing.

She smiled cunningly.

After a few days of good care, Claire's skin looked much healthier. The pale, sickly tone was gone. She still wasn't as fair as Zane, but at least she no longer looked dull.

Zane's daily hunting had paid off.

"I'm going to have babies! That's wonderful. Don't worry. I won't let them grow up alone and wandering outside like I did."

Claire rested against his chest, listening to him murmur. She grew curious about his past.

The moonlight was calm and bright. Memories slowly surfaced in Zane's mind.

As far as he could remember, he had always lived alone in a hollow tree deep in the forest.

Back then, he couldn't even take human form.

At first, he survived by digging up worms and insects. Later, as he grew stronger, he managed to catch small animals like rabbits and field mice.

But most of the time, he went hungry.

That hunger forced him to learn how to hunt. Even as a child, he became very skilled.

He finally gained the ability to shift into human form at eight years old.

During a hunting trip, Hazel noticed his striking appearance and brought him back.

Everything after that, Claire already knew.

It was hard to imagine how a small, fluffy wolf had survived alone in a forest full of predators.

Claire tightened her grip on his hand, her heart aching for him.

"You have us now. You won't be alone anymore."

Zane pulled her into a tight embrace.

Bonding with Claire had been the best decision he ever made.

Even though they don't have much, as long as they worked together, it was still better than being alone.

Zane looked around their simple cave.

They had been bonded for a few days now. He had been busy hunting every day, trying to help Claire recover and gain some weight. Zane hadn't had any time to make the cave bigger.

Now that their babies were coming, this space wouldn't be enough.

"Claire, starting tomorrow, I'll hunt in the morning. In the afternoon, I'll stay and make the cave bigger. What do you think?"

Claire nodded right away.

"Okay. What kind of cave do you want? Or should we just move to a bigger cave near the central area?"