Chapter 15....Babies?

Leon, the Tiger Clan's leader, stood his ground, his expression unwavering as he watched Ana beside Xavier. He knew his son loved her beyond reason, that if she left, Xander would never take another mate. He couldn't allow that.

So, he stepped forward once more, his voice cutting through the air. "Do you think she will only have one mate in the future? Do you really believe that as a single mate, you can protect her forever?"

Xavier's eyes darkened. A low, warning hiss rumbled from his throat, but Leon didn't flinch. In a flash, Xavier's tail coiled around him, tightening with lethal intent. "I don't share," Xavier snarled, his golden eyes flashing with raw fury. "She is mine. That's all you need to know."

Ana gasped, stepping closer. "Xavier, let him go," she pleaded, her voice gentle yet urgent. She placed a hand on his arm, but Xavier didn't move. His grip around Leon only tightened. The fire in his eyes wasn't just anger—it was something darker. He was past reasoning, past persuasion. The only thing left in him was the will to kill.

Leona, witnessing her mate's impending death, felt a rare terror grip her heart. She knew Xavier was beyond stopping with words alone. But she had to try.

"Xavier, do you really think you can protect Ana alone forever?" she demanded, stepping forward. Her voice trembled, not with fear, but with urgency. "What if next time, it isn't us who take her? What if it's a ruthless beast? A true feral?"

Xavier's tail faltered slightly.

Leona pressed on. "We treated her well, but they don't? What if they abuse her before you even get there? What if she is already broken by the time you find her? Will you be able to save her then?"

Ana stiffened beside him, and for the first time, doubt flickered in Xavier's mind.

Leona's voice softened, but it carried the weight of brutal reality. "What about when you go hunting? Will you take her with you? What if a predator attacks while you're gone? What if she's left alone and helpless because you refuse to let anyone else stand by her side?"

Xavier's grip loosened slightly, his tail quivering around Leon. Was he being reckless? Was his possessiveness blinding him to real danger?

Ana looked up at him, her eyes filled with something that made his heart ache—concern, not just for herself, but for him too.

Ana's breath hitched. The weight of Leona's words crushed down on her. A breeder. The thought alone sent shivers down her spine. From the start, she had feared this fate—being nothing more than a vessel for power-hungry males who cared nothing for the females they claimed. She would rather die.

But even through the fear curling in her stomach, she couldn't bring herself to hurt Xavier.

She turned to him, her voice soft but steady. "Xavier, I trust you. If you want to go back, we can go back. I would never hurt you just for my own happiness." She took a small step closer, her gaze searching his golden eyes. "Let's just go home. I know you don't like being surrounded by people. You hate crowds, noise… You prefer solitude. You're fed up with all of this. So let's go, far from here, far from everyone."

Xavier stilled. Her words melted into him like warmth against the cold. She was terrified, yet still willing to put herself at risk—for him. For his peace. For his happiness.

Something stirred inside him, deep and unfamiliar. A sharp, aching devotion. He hadn't thought it was possible, but at that moment, his respect and love for her only grew.

Slowly, he lowered himself, bringing his forehead to hers. His voice was a low rumble, teasing yet possessive. "Bella… I don't want to live like this. Smelly cats always surrounding me. I hate them breathing the same air as you." His lips curled into a smirk. "I don't want anyone near you. Ever."

A few beats of silence passed between them.

Then, he sighed, his amusement fading into something more serious. His golden gaze locked onto hers. "Even though you know it's not safe, you still agreed… just to make me happy." His fingers brushed against her cheek, lingering. "And I would do the same for you. Your safety is more important than my happiness."

His tail curled around her waist, firm yet careful. "We will stay here." His voice hardened. "And don't worry about other males." A slow, dangerous smirk played on his lips. "I will never let anyone come within five feet of you."

Leon, with the support of his mate, Liana, slowly stood up. His voice was steady, though there was an underlying tension. "Good, now that everything is settled, you can stay in the castle itself. In the room you stayed in before." He directed the offer to Ana.

But Xavier's response was immediate and absolute. "No." His tail flexed, a clear sign of his irritation. "We will stay inside the town, but not in the castle." His golden eyes gleamed with fierce determination. "I will build my own home for my mate. I will protect her, feed her, and keep her safe."

Then, as if to emphasize his claim, he turned to Ana and smirked. "And once her cycle stops, we will have a set of babies."

Ana's face instantly turned scarlet.

But amid the exchange, Liana looked troubled—guilty, even. Xavier caught the shift in her expression. His sharp eyes narrowed. "What are you hiding?"

Leon hesitated, but at Xavier's piercing gaze, he finally spoke, his voice laced with unease. "We… thought you had forced yourself on her. To erase those memories, we… we killed your babies."

Silence crashed over them like a thunderclap.

Xavier stood still. His expression unreadable. Babies? His mind reeled. That was impossible. He had never mated Ana. So how could they claim she was pregnant?

Slowly, his gaze shifted to Ana.

She met his eyes and, in the smallest movement, subtly shook her head. A silent message. Don't say anything.

Understanding , his lips curled into a knowing smirk. He turned back to Leon and Liana, his voice casual—almost too casual.

"It's fine." He rolled his shoulders. "We can always make more." His smirk deepened as he wrapped his tail around Ana possessively. "Since we're young, it's not a problem. Once her bleeding stops, I will mate with her." He exhaled slowly, his tone almost teasing. "Losing our babies only makes me want to claim her more. I'll make her forget all about it."

Ana turned impossibly red.

Leon and Liana, however, were stunned.

Leon's brow furrowed. Why wasn't Xavier reacting? Why wasn't he furious over the loss of his supposed children?

Liana's confusion ran even deeper. Why was Ana more emotional about severing the bond than about losing a child? And why was Xavier so… indifferent?

Though suspicion lingered in the air, neither of them dared to push the matter further. The agreement had been made. They would stay.

And for now, that was enough.