Reborn As A Beast Queen with Too Many Husbands to Pet novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22 Jealousy

“Yeah… right. I’m recovering here.”

Annelise took Evan’s wrist again and checked his pulse.

Good. All the clotted blood had cleared.

“Give it two more days. I’ll reconnect your leg then.”

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She said it casually, grabbed Rokky by the arm, and headed out to talk about cutting wood from the forest so they could start rebuilding the house.

Inside, Evan clenched a handful of his tunic.

He watched her through the window, and the moment Annelise glanced back, he jerked his head away like he’d been caught.

He didn’t know why, but ever since she told him she wasn’t the original matriarch, everything felt different.

“She actually stood up to the chief… for me.”

His heart, once solid as stone, now felt like a mess of loose threads.

Of course, Annelise noticed the peacock sneaking looks at her.

She cleared her throat and called out, “Rokky, little fox–come with me. We’re going up the mountain for wood. If we work fast, we can start repairing the house by tomorrow or the day after.”

Adrian squeezed his way forward. “I–I’m coming too.”

Hudson blinked at him. “Bunny, you don’t have claws. How are you going to chop wood?”

“I can pick wild greens, can’t I? And I still owe that nasty female five baskets of them. I might as well collect them now.”

Annelise wagged a finger at him. “Not five. With how much you’ve eaten these past two days, it’s ten now. You ate five yourself, so you owe double.”

Adrian froze. “W–Wait. I ate five baskets… by myself?”

Hudson nodded. “I counted.”

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Chapter 22 Jealousy

Adrian spun and glared at him. “Shut it. Nobody asked you to talk!”

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Annelise quickly pulled the fox behind her. “You’re not my male. Why are you yelling at my

mate?”

Adrian’s jaw dropped. He had nothing to say.

Wasn’t that usually his line?

He stomped his foot. “Fine! I’m going. I don’t care if it’s ten baskets–today I’ll pick at least three or four!”

Annelise shrugged. “I never said you couldn’t come. I was just correcting your math.”

Adrian perked up. “Good! Then wait for me—I’m getting the baskets! Don’t leave without me!”

He bolted into the backyard.

As soon as he was gone, Annelise turned around, smiling to herself.

Hudson asked, “Ms. Crawford, do you want to keep him around? Want me to talk to him?”

Rokky chimed in, “Ms. Crawford, I’ll do anything you need from me.”

Ah, these two fluffy sweethearts.

One big gentle giant, one little adorable fox.

Too precious.

But Annelise knew not every shifter was as soft–hearted as they were.

She said, “You two, don’t spoil him so much. With Adrian’s personality, he’s lucky he ended up with us. If he crossed paths with a stronger tribe, or with the chief’s daughter Clara, he’d have been skinned alive.”

Both males stiffened.

“So later, let him learn something. You two focus on chopping wood, hunting–whatever you’re doing. If he asks for help, don’t help him. Not even a little.”

She leaned in conspiratorially. “And when I’m around, brag about yourselves. Show off. As much as you can.”

Hudson nodded hard. “Got it!”

Chapter 22 Jealousy

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Rokky looked troubled. “I… brag about myself? Show off? I don’t have any strengths, Ms. Crawford. I don’t know what I’m good at.”

Hudson bumped him with an elbow. “Who says you don’t have strengths? You’re amazing. Just releasing your beast aura scares off half the wild chickens, ducks, and even boars. That counts, right, Ms. Crawford?”

Annelise shot Hudson a thumbs–up. “He is right.”

Then Adrian returned–two baskets on his back, two hanging from his arms.

Good grief. Four baskets.

“All right, let’s go.”

Annelise tapped one of the baskets. “That many–can you even carry them?”

“No problem. I can fill four baskets today. Tomorrow I’ll fill another four. I’ll pay you back in three days.”

“Great. Let’s head out.”

She shot Hudson and Rokky a look behind his back, meaning to say they shouldn’t help him.

In the mountains, Rokky walked ahead, and no beast dared challenge him.

The smarter ones simply dropped dead on the roadside from fear.

Annelise picked up the carcasses as they went.

She couldn’t help praising him. “Rokky, you’re incredible. We won’t have to worry about meat this whole winter. When we get back, I’ll trade this extra meat for warm fur coats for all of you.”

Adrian walked behind her, biting his lip until it almost bled.

Hudson spotted a good–sized tree. He shifted his hand into a claw and brought it down with one clean swing.

A whole tree collapsed.

“Ms. Crawford, how about this one? Perfect for the house, right?”

“Mm. Cut some smaller ones too–I need them for the frame.”

“Yes.”

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Chapter 22 Jealousy

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Once Hudson stopped being scared of the forest, he came alive–darting through tall grass, red ears popping up here, fluffy tail flashing there.

At one point, he caught a live wild chicken, flashed his foxy eyes at Annelise, and waved proudly, showing off his prize.