Chapter 130 Zephyr is Absolutely Starving
The afternoon sun threw long, warm shadows across the bedroom floor as Leela finally stirred, fighting her way up through the thick, heavy layers of exhausted sleep. She rolled over, instinctively bracing herself for the familiar, chaotic chatter of her twins. But the room was draped in a strange, thick silence. She blinked the sleep from her heavy eyes, her gaze sweeping the space. The twins' bed was empty—no Caspian babbling, no Briar giggling—and Fennigan’s reassuring, solid presence was missing from his side of the mattress.
With a soft groan, Leela stretched, her joints popping and her muscles protesting the movement. She swung her legs over the edge of the mattress, her toes meeting the cool floorboards. She knew Magda’s strict, maternal orders had been to stay completely bedbound, but an intense, ravenous hollow had opened up in her stomach. Her elemental core might be depleted, but her body was absolutely screaming for fuel. She smoothed down the soft, clean cotton of pajamas—the ones she had slipped into after Magda’s thorough examination had confirmed that little Zephyr had weathered the magical storm unscathed.
Taking a shaky breath, Leela rested her hands on her stomach. The memory of the confrontation still crackled at the edges of her mind like static electricity. Destroying Vane had required a massive, terrifying drain of her magic, a raw pulling of energy that had left her feeling hollowed out and fragile to her bones. Taking him down had been necessary to save them all, but the sheer vacuum of power it took had nearly broken her.
And now came the hard part. As the adrenaline of Vane's defeat faded, the haunting memories of the flashes remained—the sudden, jarring visions that had blasted through her mind during the climax of the battle, projecting outward for everyone to witness. She could still vividly picture the unknown faces of those other men and women. Finding them, understanding who they were and how they fit into the shattered puzzle of their world, was a looming, monumental task.
Just as the heavy weight of that new responsibility began to press down on her chest, a sudden, delicate sensation rippled low in her belly. It was soft and fleeting, yet entirely undeniable—the gentle, unmistakable flutter of butterfly wings. Zephyr. Leela let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, a soft, genuine smile breaking through the lingering shadows in her eyes. The visions, the strangers, the chaotic aftermath of Vane—all of that could wait. She would shoulder the weight of the world later, once her own foundation was solid again. Right now, her only mission was finding her mate, hugging her twins, and tracking down the absolute biggest meal in the house.Leela padded quietly down the hallway, her bare feet silent on the floorboards. She bypassed their small, private family kitchen, knowing her ravenous, magic-depleted hunger required the endless bounty of the main pack house kitchen. But as she neared the archway, a sound stopped her in her tracks—a bright, echoing squeal of pure, unadulterated innocence ringing out from the great room.
She stepped into the entryway, leaning against the doorframe, and let the sight wash over her. Fennigan was sprawled out flat on his back on the thick area rug, completely at the mercy of his children. Caspian and Briar were treating their massive, terrifying father like a personal mountain-climbing wall. Every time their little hands and knees managed to scale his chest, Fennigan would let out a low, rumbling play-growl or gently snap his teeth in a mock bite. In response, the twins would dissolve into breathless shrieks of absolute delight, blowing wet, sloppy raspberries against his cheeks and arms.
Watching them, a fierce, burning warmth bloomed in Leela's chest, momentarily chasing away the lingering ache of her exhaustion. They were so vibrant, so perfectly happy and healthy. The dark memories of the battle hardened into a pure, unbreakable resolve. She would die—she would tear the world apart with her bare hands—before she ever let another monster like Vane rise to power and threaten this peace. This... this beautiful, chaotic noise right here, was worth every ounce of pain she had endured. It was worth absolutely everything.
Suddenly, Caspian's bright eyes caught the movement in the doorway. He froze, his little face lighting up like a sunburst. "Momomomom!" he babbled enthusiastically.
Immediately, Briar followed her brother's gaze. The twins clumsily dropped off their father's chest, plunking their padded bottoms onto the floor as they beamed up at her with identical, heart-stopping, chubby-cheeked smiles.
But what truly melted the last of Leela's exhaustion was the sight of Fennigan. Her fierce, fiercely protective mate was still pinned to the rug, one heavily muscled arm dramatically thrown over his face as he peeked out at her, pretending to yell, "Help! Save me from these tiny beasts!" in a theatrical, breathless whisper.
"Is my big, scary Alpha being attacked by the stinky pies?" Leela teased from the doorway.
Just the sound of her voice brought bright, happy peals of laughter from both twins. They abandoned their father's chest, scrambling over his sides to beam at her. She walked further into the room, her bare feet sinking into the plush rug, and sank down onto the floor beside her family.
The moment she settled, Fennigan shifted his massive frame, resting his head heavily and affectionately against her knee. The playful facade dropped from his expression, replaced by the soft, searching gaze he reserved only for her.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice a low, rumbling murmur meant just for her ears.
Leela smiled softly. Her fingers automatically found the dark strands of hair that lay slightly damp across his forehead, gently brushing them back. "I'm okay. For now."
Fennigan hummed a low note of relief, shifting lower until he could press his ear gently against the soft curve of her stomach. "And Zephyr?"
"Zephyr," she laughed, the sound bright and genuine, "is absolutely starving."
Fennigan glanced up, a familiar, teasing glint returning to his amber eyes. "You sure Momma's not the hungry one?"
"Well, that too," she admitted, her stomach giving a traitorous, audible rumble in agreement.
"You wait right here. I'll go get you something," Fennigan said, bracing a large hand on the floor to push himself up. "You slept through breakfast and lunch both, beautiful."
Before he could pull away entirely, Leela caught his arm. "How's Ginny?" she asked, the concern for her friend creeping back into her voice.
Fennigan paused, letting out a rich, warm chuckle. "She's doing good. But she's already going crazy, and she's only been on mandatory bed rest for what... five hours? Jax is going to have a hell of a time managing her for the next few months." He leaned in, pressing a tender, lingering kiss to Leela's temple. "Now, stay put with these two monsters. I'll be right back with half the kitchen."