Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Courted by Catastrophe I

I looked at Arjun, who was currently cookie-less (since Clover had half of Silas’s). He looked desperate.

"This isn’t about geography," I said softly. "This is about us."

The cubs quieted down.

"What is the most important rule of the ’Little Whiskers Daycare’?"

Arjun stood up and saluted. "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

"No."

Clover raised her hand timidly. "Um... Gentle Paws?"

"That’s a good one," I smiled. "But not the most important."

Silas held up his drawing again. It was a picture of the five of them holding hands.

"Friends?" Jasper guessed.

"Close," I said.

Then, Vali swallowed his cookie and burped. "I know. My dad told me."

He looked at me, his pink eyes suddenly serious. The chaotic energy vanished for a second.

"The rule is: Protect the Chef."

The room went quiet.

I froze. Protect the Chef? That wasn’t my rule. That was...

"Lord Jaeger told you that?" I asked, my voice quiet.

"Yeah," Vali nodded. "He said, ’Vali, you listen to Lady Primrose. You eat her food. And if anyone tries to hurt her... you bite them. Because she is the Pack’s Heart.’"

I felt my face heat up. The Pack’s Heart? Rurik said that?

Arjun nodded solemnly. "My dad said the same thing. He said, ’Protect the Supply Line at all costs. Without the Chef, the army starves.’"

"My brother said you are an Asset," Jasper added, pushing his glasses up. "Unique Assets must be secured and defended against hostile takeovers."

Silas just nodded, his violet eyes unblinking.

I looked at the children. My Hard Mode survival plan had turned into something else entirely. I wasn’t just a nanny to them. To their fathers, I was a strategic resource. A treasure. A Heart.

I walked over to Arjun and handed him the final cookie.

"Well," I said, my voice a little thick. "That’s... a very good rule. Class dismissed."

As they scrambled off to play—Arjun finally getting his sugar fix—I leaned against the counter.

Protect the Chef.

I had a feeling I was going to need that protection very, very soon. Because the Merman Event was still looming on the horizon... and King Caspian de Maris didn’t play by land rules.

The Imperial Hunting Grounds were lush, beautiful, and absolutely terrifying.

When Princess Leonora said "Picnic," I imagined a checkered blanket on a lawn. I did not imagine a sprawling, untamed forest filled with magical flora, supervised by armed guards, where lunch felt less like a meal and more like a tactical insertion.

We arrived in a caravan.

Princess Leonora stepped out of the Royal Carriage looking like a warrior-goddess in a casual silk hunting tunic that cost more than my kidney. She was scanning the area, her hazel eyes locking onto General Rajah Khanda instantly.

"General!" she called out, waving a delicate lace handkerchief. "Perhaps you could assist me with—"

"NOT NOW, YOUR HIGHNESS!" Rajah bellowed, ignoring her completely. He was wearing a tight, sleeveless black training tunic that left his massive arms completely bare, and rugged canvas breeches tucked into heavy boots, looking like he was ready to wrestle a bear. "I MUST SECURE THE PERIMETER FOR LADY PRIMROSE!"

Leonora’s ears drooped. I winced. Oh, honey. He’s not playing hard to get. He’s just dense.

The picnic site was across a shallow, babbling brook. It was maybe three inches deep. There were stepping stones. It was perfectly safe.

But to Arjun, it was the Grand Canyon.

"OBSTACLE DETECTED!" Arjun shrieked, pointing at the water. "Operation: Dry Socks initiated!"

He looked at his father. Then he looked at me. Then he winked (badly).

"Dad!" Arjun yelled. "Primrose has short legs! She will drown! You must extract her!"

"I will not drown in three inches of water, Arjun," I said, stepping toward the stones.

"NEGATIVE!" Rajah roared.

We survived the river. We set up the blankets (velvet, courtesy of the Crepusci estate). I was unpacking the sandwiches when I felt a shadow fall over me. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

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