Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband novel Chapter 118

Chapter 118: The Ice Road

Two days later on the northern highway.

The transition wasn’t gradual. It was violent.

One moment, the Marquis Carriage was rolling through the pine forests of the Midlands, where the snow was a polite dusting on the trees. The next, they crossed the invisible border of the Whispering Mountains, and the world turned white.

The wind didn’t blow here; it screamed. It tore across the tundra, carrying ice crystals that hit the carriage windows like gravel.

Inside, the magical heating crystal mounted on the ceiling flickered.

Zzzzt.

"That’s the third time," Lord Rurik grumbled, tapping the crystal with a claw. "The ambient mana is too thin. The cold is eating the magic."

Primrose pulled her fur collar tighter. She could see her breath in the air. "I didn’t think it would be this cold. It feels... heavy."

"It is the Wolf’s Breath," Rurik explained, looking out at the blinding white landscape. "The North is not just cold because of the weather. It is cold because the Ancestral Shrine absorbs all the heat to power the Barrier. We Wolves are used to it."

"USED TO IT?" Vali yelled.

The little wolf cub was practically vibrating. He was pressed against the window, his nose creating a foggy circle on the glass.

"LOOK AT ALL THE SNOW!" Vali howled. "Dad! Dad! Can we stop? I want to eat it! I want to dig a hole!"

"Sit down, pup," Rurik sighed, though he smirked. "You will get plenty of snow soon. We are almost at the Hold."

But not everyone was enjoying the climate shift.

"Status report," Caspian murmured, looking down at his lap.

Orion didn’t answer immediately. The little Prince was curled into a tight ball, wrapped in three wool blankets. His face was pale, his lips slightly blue. His usually bright teal eyes were half-closed and hazy.

"I feel... slow," Orion mumbled, his teeth chattering slightly. "My fingers... I can’t feel them. I just want to sleep."

"He’s freezing," Primrose realized, alarmed. She reached out and touched Orion’s cheek. It felt like marble.

"Jioaren are cold-blooded," Caspian explained, his expression tight with worry. "We regulate our temperature through the water. In the air... especially air this cold... his body is shutting down to preserve energy."

"Come here," Caspian commanded.

He didn’t wait. He pulled Primrose onto the bench next to him, then lifted the bundled-up Orion and placed him squarely between them.

"Pack huddle," Caspian ordered.

He unbuttoned his heavy winter coat and wrapped the sides around both Primrose and Orion, creating a cocoon of body heat. Primrose immediately wrapped her arms around the boy, rubbing his back vigorously.

"Vali!" Rurik barked. "Duty calls."

"On it!" Vali chirped.

The wolf cub jumped off his seat. He scrambled onto the floor and flopped his furry, heat-radiating body right across Caspian and Primrose’s feet.

"Wolf heater deployed!" Vali announced, resting his chin on Caspian’s boot.

Within minutes, the combined warmth began to work. Color returned to Orion’s cheeks. He blinked, looking up at Primrose with sleepy, grateful eyes.

"You’re really warm, Prim," Orion whispered, snuggling deeper into her coat. "Warm like... fresh toast."

Primrose laughed softly, kissing the top of his head. "I’m glad I can be your toaster, Orion. Foxes run hot, you know."

Caspian rested his chin on top of Primrose’s head, his arms tightening around them both.

"I should have left him in the Capital," Caspian murmured, guilt lacing his voice. "He isn’t built for this land."

"He wanted to be with his father," Primrose whispered back, leaning into his warmth. "And he’s safe. We have a Wolf Lord and a Fox Toaster. He’ll be fine."

Caspian pressed a kiss to her temple. "I will burn this whole frozen wasteland down before I let either of you freeze."

It was a romantic sentiment, but Primrose felt the magical heat flare in his chest. He meant it literally.

She pressed her hand against his heart. It didn’t feel like skin; it felt like a furnace contained in glass. She realized then that Caspian wasn’t immune to the cold either. He was simply suppressing it. He was actively burning his own immense mana reserves to generate artificial heat, keeping his body temperature high to protect his family. If he ran out of mana, he would freeze just as fast as Orion.

On the opposite bench, Lord Rurik watched them.

He saw the way Caspian held her—possessive, protective, absolute. He saw the way Primrose leaned into him, trusting him completely. The air around them practically vibrated with a connection that went deeper than just shared parenting or duty.

Rurik felt a sharp, cold pang in his chest that had nothing to do with the weather. He had always admired the Nanny. Her fire, her soup, the way she handled his wild son when no one else could. Part of him had hoped... maybe, one day...

He looked away, staring out at the white blur of the tundra so they wouldn’t see the resignation in his eyes.

I guess I don’t have a chance with Primrose, Rurik thought, a bitter smile touching his lips. They are already a pack of their own. I missed my shot before I even took it.

Suddenly, the carriage lurched.

SCREECH.

The horses screamed—a sound of pure terror. The carriage skidded sideways, slamming Primrose into Caspian’s chest. The magical wheels locked up, sliding across the surface of the road before grinding to a halt.

"Stay here," Rurik ordered. His voice had dropped an octave. The ’Fun Dad’ was gone; the Warlord was back.

Rurik kicked the door open and jumped out into the blizzard.

Caspian didn’t stay put. "Watch the cubs."

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