My Beastly Fertility System Chapter 64: The Third Beast Mate?

"Don't spoil him too much. He's only cute around you. With everyone else—even me—he's insufferably arrogant."

Claire's smile was soft.

"That's fine, isn't it? Rufus and you—one hot, one cold. You balance each other out. The three of us will make this work."

"Just the three of us? That's enough?"

Zane was teasing.

"You're only one month along. By the time this litter arrives, Zane One and the others won't even be two months old. They'll be even more of a handful. We're going to be outnumbered."

Two beast mates were genuinely on the low end in Beast World.

Zane was already planning to find Claire two more mates once the cold season ended. If it weren't for the lack of beastfolk traveling during winter, he'd start looking right now.

Let the new mates handle the pups. He wanted to take care of Claire himself.

Thanks to the pups, Rufus had monopolized more nights with Claire than Zane had. He was keeping count.

Claire fell silent.

Honestly, a nanny would be nice right about now.

Sometimes, having too many children really was its own kind of headache.

Claire sighed. No kids—stressful. Kids—more stressful.

But it was manageable.

The pups were handfuls mostly at feeding time. The rest of the day, they were adorable.

Rufus returned with fresh hides and held them up against Claire, measuring.

His taste in food might have been better than his cooking, but his tailoring was excellent. He'd already made Claire several outfits.

"Rufus, let's try some new designs this time!"

Claire described every modern style she could think of—halter tops, vests, bandeau wraps, parkas with hoods, long dresses, short dresses, knee-length skirts, trousers, shorts, and cropped pants.

She also mentioned shoes. A pair of snow boots would mean females wouldn't have to be carried or piggybacked everywhere during winter.

Rufus took the new designs and happily went off to cut and sew.

The bone needles they'd traded from other clans finally had a purpose, along with a small spool of sinew thread spun from wild ox tendon.

Elodie had been visiting frequently, and each time she'd linger to play with the pups before reluctantly heading home.

She looked older. The lines on her face and hands had deepened.

"Claire, I'm getting old. The clan may have to depend on you before long. Everything I could teach you, you've learned. That much, at least, doesn't worry me."

She held Claire's hands as she spoke, gaze distant—as if the firelight was showing her somewhere far away.

Claire nodded.

"Don't worry, Ms. Palmer."

Looking at Elodie, Claire suspected the old healer might not survive the season. Better to let her spend it in peace.

Elodie came and went, visiting every other day.

Hazel had stopped by twice as well, each time bearing a small cut of beast meat, claiming it was to supplement the pups' diet.

Zane turned her away both times.

He'd heard the full story from Rufus—how Fiona had accused Claire of hoarding food.

He had every reason to suspect Hazel's motives.

Hazel didn't push. When Claire said the pups were sick and couldn't receive visitors, the chief left without argument.

Fiona, learning that the meat had been rejected, seethed even harder.

Bringing the meat had been Fiona's idea.

"That miserable Claire! Why is she so careful? I picked the most tender cuts—perfect for feeding pups."

Hazel sighed.

"I told you it wouldn't work. You never listen. Fiona, be patient. I'll think of a foolproof plan. I will get you your revenge."

"I want those pups dead now! If I can't have babies, she doesn't get to, either!"

Hazel sighed to herself. Her daughter had lost all reason.

Still.

It was only a litter of pups. They couldn't matter more than her precious Fiona—the child she'd doted on since birth.

Claire, blissfully unaware, was trying to teach the pups to talk.

"Come on, say it with Mommy. Mom-my!"

"Awoo!"

"Yiiip!"

The pups opened their mouths and howled in cheerful chaos.

Zane laughed.

"It's too early for speech. Beastfolk usually start talking around six months and shift into human form at one year."

Claire rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Oh! I didn't know!"

She couldn't wait for the day they called her Mommy.

Life in the cave was a lot livelier with a dozen pups underfoot.

Claire waited eagerly every day for their first word. But fate had other plans. A few days later, the clan received an uninvited guest.

Fiona had vanished for two days. When she reappeared, a strikingly exotic male beastfolk stood at her side. Three consecutive beast marks slashed across his face—and every beastfolk who saw them went rigid with shock.

"A Level 3 beastfolk! The strongest rank! I've never even heard of one, and now he's Fiona's mate?!"

The male stood six feet tall, lean and sinewy, with sleek black hair cascading to his waist. His eyes were narrow and predatory—darkly seductive—scanning the gathered beastfolk with a faint, unsettling smile.

It was like he was appraising a meal. His tongue slid across his lips.