My Beastly Fertility System Chapter 61: The Boy Who Cried Wolf

"I don't smell anything either."

"Even if there was a scent of cooked meat, it could've been any beastfolk hunting out here. How does that prove it was Claire?"

Rufus went cold. His sharp eyes flicked toward Fiona, and when he spoke, his voice was flat as ice.

"In the cold season, only rogue beastfolk would eat in the open. For all we know, they might still be nearby."

The words hit like a thunderclap. All the beastfolk in the cave went pale and scrambled for the exit.

"Mrs. Miller, we need to get back to the clan! It's too dangerous out here!"

"Seriously—if you're not leaving, we are! Fiona, next time, have actual proof before you drag us out!"

No matter how Hazel and Fiona shouted, not a single one slowed down. They bolted straight back to the settlement.

Rogue beastfolk were nightmare fuel.

They were savage, bloodthirsty, and terrifyingly strong. The weak ones had long since been eaten by their own kind.

Legend had it that rogue beastfolk even ate other beastfolk.

Fiona stamped her foot in fury.

"Fiona, the next time you want to frame me, at least come up with a better excuse. Oh, and have you ever heard the story of the boy who cried wolf? Lie enough times, and eventually nobody believes a word you say."

Claire smiled sweetly from Rufus's arms.

With that, Rufus spread his wings and took off.

"Mom, you have to believe me! I wasn't lying!"

Fiona's voice was desperate.

Hazel sighed to herself. Claire had completely outplayed her daughter.

Still, Claire had just humiliated Fiona right in front of her, the clan chief, without a shred of respect.

It was as if having a litter of pups made her untouchable.

She was the chief. She would always have the final say over Claire.

Hazel scanned the surroundings warily, then grabbed Fiona's arm and hurried away.

"Fiona, let's go. We'll deal with the rest once we're home."

Shortly after they left, in the thicket behind them, an enormous cobra raised its head. Its forked tongue flickered through the air, tasting, testing—then it turned and slithered away.

Back at the settlement, the beastfolk who had gotten there ahead of her spotted Claire and shifted awkwardly.

"Claire, don't hold it against us. Food's so scarce this season—we had no choice but to listen to Fiona."

Claire didn't take the excuse seriously. She gave him a perfunctory reply.

"It's fine."

Then, she patted the gyrfalcon, and Rufus took off in a whirlwind of dust that stung everyone's eyes.

Hazel and Fiona arrived gasping for breath. The second they entered the clan, they ordered the main gate shut at once.

This gate was new. It was built on the healer's orders, modeled after the stone door at Claire's cave.

"Quick! Shut it!"

Hazel was still panting.

Fiona collapsed on the spot, completely spent.

One of the beastfolk stepped forward.

"Mrs. Miller, was something chasing you?"

Hazel shook her head.

"I only had a suspicion. I didn't actually see anything. Don't worry, the gate is strong. Nothing's getting through easily."

The truth was, the panic had fed on itself. Fear had sent them running faster and faster.

In the end, they'd scared themselves half to death.

That's what Hazel told herself, anyway.

The beastfolk dispersed, retreating to their caves to warm up.

Fiona lingered, reluctant to go back to her own cave.

"Mom, can I stay in your cave for a while? My beast mates all ignore me now, and Gavin won't stop following me around like a leech!"

Once upon a time, would her mates have dared treat her this way?

This was all Claire's fault. Every humiliation Fiona had suffered had eroded her mates' respect, piece by piece.

Hazel looked conflicted.

"Fiona, you're an adult now. I'm your mother, yes, but I'm also mother to your siblings. If you moved in, they wouldn't be happy."

Fiona froze. Even Mom had changed.

She turned and walked away in disbelief.

Hazel sighed quietly, already thinking about which of her other children she should start grooming instead.

Claire returned to her warm cave. The pups were playing on Zane's beast form—the massive silver wolf lying on the ground.

Fortunately, the cave was spacious enough to just barely accommodate his full size.

Zane was lying on his belly while the little ones slid down his back, squealing and yipping with delight.

"Zane, we're back! Did you pick names for the pups?"

Claire came closer, and the pups scrambled toward her on wobbly legs—stumbling, tumbling, rolling.

"Oh, my little darlings! Did you miss Mommy? Come here, let me hold you. Mommy wants kisses."

Claire felt her heart melt. She scooped them up one by one.

The pups licked her face with tiny pink tongues. Claire fought the ticklish urge and let them have their fun.

Zane shifted into human form. He set the prepared food on the stone table while calling out, "Zane One, Zane Two, Crimson, Zane Four, Iris, Zane Six, Zane Seven, Lily, Zane Nine, Scarlet, Zane Eleven, Zane Twelve. Line up!"

What happened next was unbelievable.

The pups slid off Claire one by one and arranged themselves in a row. It was messy at first—a bit of jostling and shuffling—but within moments, they'd settled into a perfect line.