∘∘∘∘

"You're already leaving?" Erika asked with a pout, which made me nod with a small chuckle.

"Yes, unfortunately we need to go now. But don't worry! We'll visit here again in the future, and maybe by then you might even probably see my cubs" I said with a small smile.

"Alright, take care on your way back home" she said as she hugged me. I hummed and smiled back at her before turning to my mates who had finished packing and were ready to leave.

"Take care of my troublesome cubs for me alright? You picked two of the most troublesome after all" she said, referring to Xavier and Keith.

"Mother!!"

"Hey! When did I become troublesome!"

Both Keith and Xavier said respectively. "The time you came back here and chased your brothers away for trying to court your female" Erika bluntly stated making Xavier huff.

"Hmph, I don't want stupid arrogant males to surround my precious and sweet mate. She is fine as she is, and I don't want those troublesome cubs to stress her with their arrogant behavior" Xavier grumbled as he pulled me closer to him and pouted at his mother.

"Stop acting like a cub, you're already a grown beastman" I snorted and shook my head with an amused smile plastered on my face.

"Shhh, let him continue acting like a troublesome cub little female" Keith chimed in, making me huff as I playfully narrowed my eyes at him when I turned my head to his direction.

"You don't scare me little female" he grumbled with a small scoff as he went over to me and gave my forehead a gentle flick.

"Stop doing that!" I huffed but he only chuckled as he snorted and flicked my forehead again.

"Stop!" I whined out making him chuckle more. "See? Told you. Troublesome cub" Erika chuckled making me huff and pout.

"Damn bird" I huffed out as Xavier chuckled and patted my head. "Now, now little mate. His just trying to rile you up" Xavier said as he continued to pet my head as I just huffed and pouted.

"We're done with the packing" Kenji informed us, making me nod as I look at Erika for one last time and smiled.

"I promise to visit again when I can, and I hope by then I will meet your new cub" I said to her and waved goodbye as Xavier helped me to get on Roscoe who was already in his beast form.

"Goodbye Sera, till we meet again" she said with a smile and watched as me and my mates left.

∘∘∘∘

Days had passed now, and we finally reached black wood city. "Finally home" I said with a smile as we entered the city, although my smile did falter slightly when I sensed the uneasy atmosphere around the whole city.

I glanced back at my mates, who also looked confused and guarded as their gaze swept around the roads of the city.

Taking note of this, Kenji called for one of the nearby fox beastman and questioned him.

"What happened here? Why are you all looking so uneasy" Kenji questioned. The fox beastman who he questioned look nervous and anxious as he responded.

"While you were away fox king, a large group of rootless beast and desperate males band together and attacked the city. They attacked at night so we were caught off guard and many died" he explained.

"Several males, cubs and even a few females were taken by them as captives" He added making Kenji raise a brow.

"Captives? So they want a trade?" Kenji asked with a small growl, making the fox nod. "Yes, they want a large portion of the city and several crystals in exchange for the captives" the fox beastman explained.

"When did this happen?" Kenji asked, sounding a bit irritated. "A few days before you arrive" the fox beastman said, making Kenji nod as he turned to me.

"Let's get you back to the castle for now, you need some rest after the long days of traveling" he said, before the fox beastman quickly chimed in again.

"There were some of the rootless beast who were captured and are now being held in your castle fox king, this was decided by the other kings" He explained, fidgeting in his spot once he heard the irritated growls and hiss coming from my mates.

"Do they expect us to let our female stay in a castle were several rootless beast are being held in?!" Marlo asked with an angry tone as his tail dangerously rise a bit.

"Now, now Marlo. Calm down, we don't want you to accidentally stab someone now do we?" I said, trying to calm him down before he can stab someone and probably kill them.

He just huffed but still listened to me. "How about we just go home and arrange things first? After all we're all tired" I said to Kenji who nodded in response and led the way back to the castle.

Once we reached the castle, the air was filled with thick tension as my other mates rushed towards us. But as they did, I can't see Rio and Archie nor my three panthern cubs.

"Where are my cubs?" I asked as I looked around, only seeing my two chicks being carried in a basket  by Denver who was shifting nervously.

All my mates who remained in the castle and didn't come with me looked at each other nervously before Tora spoke up.

"I'm sure you heard about the attack by now" Tora started before he paused and took a deep breath.

"The three cubs were unfortunately taken, Rio, Archie, Me and Kei tried to get them back but failed. Archie and Rio also got taken away along with them" Tora said as he looked down with his ears down and tail tuck ins between his legs, looking guilty and disappointed at himself.

I process the information he gave me and I let out an involuntary growl. "Those rootless beast did what?" I asked, trying to keep myself from getting angry. But it was hard, especially knowing that two of my mates and my first three cubs could potentially be in danger.

All my mates flinched slightly, feeling my anger and irritation through the mark and they all nervously shifted in their spots.

"I heard that there were a few rootless beast that captured and are now being held here" I said, taking a deep breath to calm myself down.

"Yes, they're kept in the basement. Guarded by several guards that the other kings assigned, and they are also currently discussing whenever to agree or not with the trade the rootless beast want" This time, it was Kali who answered.

"Bring me there will you" I said with a smile making them all look at me in surprise. "But! It's dangerous!" Kei argued, looking worried.

"I said bring me there, no arguing" I said, my tone hinting it was final and there was no room for arguing.

All of them could only sigh and Kenji led us all to the basement, where the rootless beast were being held at.

True to his words, several guards were indeed guarding a small group of beastman. Probably about 6 of them as they were locked inside a stone jail like room.

"The other kings tried to pressure them using their beast pressure but none of them would budge" Lucas explained making me glare at the small group of beastmen.

"Oh trust me, I can make them speak" I hissed out and marched towards the group.

∘∘∘

"Remind me again not to piss her off" Keith said to Xavier with a small gulp as he watched me, being fed with some honey drizzled meat by Tora.

"Trust me, after seeing her like that. I don't think any of us would want to see her angry or piss" Xavier answered back as he shifted nervously in his spot.

"Now that you know about the location, what will you do next?" I asked Kenji as I opened my mouth and Tora fed me another piece of meat.

"I will discuss this with the other kings and plan things out in order to rescue the females and cubs" He said, looking at me a bit worried.

"How's Rio and Archie? Anything happened to their marks?" He asked and I just shook my head. "Nothing, there marks are still present and didn't fade which means they're still alive thankfully" I sighed.

He nodded at that, before staying silent again until it was Florence spoke up. "I didn't expect you to have that kind of side to you, after all you seem so nice and sweet so with how you acted earlier shocked all of us" he said, remembering what I did earlier.

[ Mini flashback from earlier ]

"Listen here you little dirty beast, if you won't speak. I guarantee you that neither the guards or my mates will be able to stop be from lunging right at you" I sneered.

"If anything happens to my cubs, I will fucking personally rip off your eyeballs and shove them in your throat so you can see my claws rip your carcass open just to teach you a lesson not mess with a mother when it comes to her
cubs" I snarled out as Tora, Kei and Carlos held me back from literally lunging at the nearest beastman.

The others, including the guards, looked at me in shock. After all, they all knew me as someone who was sweet towards those who are friendly to me and gentle and affectionate towards my mates. So seeing me acting like this, angry and pissed off, really shocked them.

[ Mini flashback end... ]

"Oh that? Eh it's just a natural instinct by a mother. Especially when it involves her cubs" I shrugged.

"You do know not all females will do that right? Some might just shrugged it off after hearing that her cubs and mates got taken. After all, there are still plenty males out there and as for the cubs, well they can just give birth to more" Ian said with a small chuckle, trying to lift up the uneasy atmosphere even just by a tiny bit.

"I know, but come on. You know how I am, and I'll be damned if I just leave my cubs alone like that" I said making him nod.

"Your right" he said with a smile and just watched me as I continued to eat the meat that Tora fed me.

•••••

Hello there!! I just wanna say thanks for the people who dropped comments about the song recommendations, if you have more please don't hesitate to comment it down so I can try listening to it!