Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband novel Chapter 194

Chapter 194: The First Meeting of the Warlord PTA

The carriage ride back to the estate was entirely too loud.

Usually, when you cram four Warlords, a Sovereign, and a handful of hyperactive beast-cubs into a single enclosed space, the tension is palpable enough to cut with a knife. Today, however, the tension had been replaced by the overwhelming smell of wet dog, singed fur, and whatever chemical monstrosity Cassian had accidentally created.

I sat squished between Caspian and Rurik. Caspian was radiating a pleasant, cool dampness, his arm casually draped over the back of the seat behind my shoulders. On my other side, Rurik was practically vibrating with leftover adrenaline.

"PTA," Rurik muttered to himself, staring out the carriage window with a manic glint in his golden eyes. "Parent. Teacher. Association. A pack built entirely for the survival and dominance of the pups. It’s brilliant. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?"

"Because you thought education meant throwing a kid into the woods with a pointy stick and seeing if they came back," Cassian drawled from the opposite bench.

The Serpent Warlord was meticulously trying to wipe a stubborn spot of purple foam from his usually pristine silk robes. Next to him, little Jasper was writing furiously in his notebook, probably calculating the exact financial ruin his father’s science experiment had caused the academy.

"That is traditional Northern schooling!" Rurik barked, his ears twitching indignantly. "It builds character! But this... this PTA. This is organized warfare. We can control the curriculum. We can demand better meat in the cafeteria!"

"The cafeteria serves excellent food, Rurik. I designed the menu," I reminded him, rubbing my temples. A headache was starting to bloom right behind my eyes.

"Then we will demand more of it!" Rurik amended smoothly, entirely unfazed.

I leaned my head back against the plush velvet seat and let out a long, exhausted breath. Nine silver fox tails curled instinctively around my legs, seeking comfort. I loved these men. I loved these kids. But sweet mother of the stars, they were going to put me in an early grave.

When we finally pulled up to the grand estate we all shared—a sprawling, chaotic mansion that had somehow become neutral ground for the most dangerous men in the Empire—the kids practically exploded out of the carriage doors.

"I’m gonna go practice my howling!" Vali announced, grabbing a stick from the driveway and sprinting toward the gardens.

"I will go practice my spatial geometry," Jasper said, adjusting his glasses and marching toward the library.

Orion just gave a happy little squeak, grabbed his tactical backpack, and waddled after Vali.

Silence descended on the carriage for exactly three seconds.

"Alright," Rurik clapped his massive hands together, the sound like a thunderclap. "Living room. Ten minutes. The first official meeting of the Unity Academy Warlord Parent Teacher Association will commence."

"I am not attending that," Cassian said flatly, stepping out of the carriage. "I have a bath to draw. I smell like cheap detergent and failure."

"Attendance is mandatory for all fathers in the pack!" Rurik yelled after him.

"I am a Serpent, you flea-bitten rug! I do not have a pack!" Cassian snapped back, though he didn’t actually walk away. He just stood by the grand mahogany doors, his arms crossed over his ruined chest, looking thoroughly irritated but not entirely opposed to the idea.

I sighed and looked up at Caspian. He gave me a lazy, devastatingly handsome smile that made my heart do a familiar little flip. Even covered in a fine layer of classroom dust, the man was gorgeous.

"Should we stop him?" Caspian asked, nodding toward Rurik, who was currently trying to rip a sturdy branch off an oak tree, presumably to use as a gavel.

"Can we?" I asked tiredly.

"No," a deep, velvety voice murmured from the shadows beneath the carriage.

I jumped slightly as Lucien materialized from the darkness. The Panther Warlord brushed invisible lint from his impeccable dark suit. He looked completely unbothered, as usual, despite having spent the last hour hanging upside down in a school classroom.

"He has found a new obsession," Lucien noted quietly, his violet eyes tracking Rurik’s movements. "It is best to let him tire himself out. Like a pup with a new chew toy."

"Fine," I conceded, gathering my skirts. "But I’m making tea. If I have to sit through a PTA meeting run by a man who thinks bathing with pinecones is acceptable, I need caffeine."

Ten minutes later, the grand living room looked less like a cozy family space and more like a war room.

Rurik had dragged the massive, heavy oak dining table into the center of the plush rugs. He sat at the head of it, wearing a serious expression that did not match the smudge of flour still streaked across his nose. He had actually found a clipboard. I didn’t even know we owned a clipboard.

Cassian sat as far away from him as possible, a fresh cup of jasmine tea in his hands, looking like he was debating the legalities of poisoning the Wolf. Caspian lounged on a velvet sofa nearby, his long legs stretched out, looking thoroughly amused. Lucien was nowhere to be seen, but the shadows in the far corner of the ceiling looked suspiciously dense, so I knew he was listening.

"Meeting called to order," Rurik boomed, slamming his heavy fist against the wood. "First order of business: The sandbox in the courtyard."

"What about it?" I asked, taking a sip of my chamomile tea. I had opted for calming herbs instead of caffeine. I needed to lower my blood pressure.

"It is entirely inadequate," Rurik declared, tapping his clipboard with a terrifyingly large pen. "Vali attempted to dig a proper defensive trench yesterday, and he hit the bottom in less than three feet. How are the pups supposed to learn siege tactics if they can’t even dig a proper moat?"

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