Usually, the Alpha would just smile, shrug off tribal gossip, and let things slide with his cheerful attitude. But this time, he was so protective and so furious that it genuinely terrified her.

​"That’s right, Brenda," Mina added, stepping up right to her brother’s side. Her expression hardened, mimicking Ren’s angry scowl as she looked at her friend. "You said I’m just saying all that to defend her because she saved me but then so what? You don’t know how terrifying it was to be locked up in an unfamiliar place, not knowing what my fate would be or when I would see my brother again,"

Her scowl turned bitter as she thought of the nights where she was hungry, starving and wondering if she would die the next day. She could only hope and wish for a savior and then Hana arrived.

"Hana went completely out of her way to save females that had absolutely nothing to do with her or her den. She isn’t as selfish as your petty mind thinks. She’s extraordinary. And even if she is selfish, it doesn’t matter to me because I owe my life to her." She pressed her hand to her chest, her gaze firm. "If you’re going to stand here and say such vile things about her, then... we can’t be friends any longer."

​Mina crossed her arms, her chin lifting with a fierce, loyal finality that completely severed the bond between them.

​Seeing both siblings look at her with such absolute disdain and anger, Brenda’s pride broke entirely. A sob escaped her throat, and she turned around, tearing up violently as she ran away into the safety of the village huts.

​Ren let out a long, heavy breath, his black-striped tail slowing down as he looked down at his sister.

Mina reached out, resting a supportive hand on his arm.

"It’s fine, brother." She said, "Whatever you choose to do, I’ll support you all the way."

Ren didn’t say a word, but he dropped his hand on his sister’s head to pat her and then turned away as his mind drifted back to the lingering, warm pressure of Hana’s lips.

He had been furious just now but his heart was still pounding with the excitement of being Hana’s mate.

He knew what he had to do by this evening, but first... he hoped Hana was actually listening to her mates.

​By the time Hana pulled aside the heavy leather curtain of the guest hut, a massive wooden platter of carved, roasted mountain deer had been delivered, filling the entire cabin with a rich, savory aroma.

​She walked over to the thick pile of white winter pelts and sat down carefully, letting out a quiet breath as she leaned her back against the timber wall.

Her mood swing was still hovering, a frustrating and irritated ache at the back of her mind, but the icy venom that had choked the room earlier had mostly dissolved.

​The curtain rustled again. Caspian strode in first, his massive frame radiating an immense wall of protective heat that instantly pushed back the mountain draft.

His jaw was still locked in that stubborn, angry pout, and his golden eyes actively avoided looking at her, but he didn’t roar. He didn’t smash the floor either.

Instead, he dropped heavily onto one knee by the fireplace, picked up the wooden platter of meat, and set it down precisely within her reach.

​Raiden slid in right behind him, his nine pink tails swaying in a quiet, subdued fan as he sat cross-legged on her other side, entirely discarding his usual playful banter.

Kulu remained by the far wall, his amber eyes fixed on her with a quiet, attentive intensity.

​Hana looked at the three of them, then looked down at the steaming meat. She reached out, took a tender piece, and took a bite, letting the high-protein fuel steady her internal turmoil.

She already had the broth but a pregnant woman could never be too full.

​The words of that talkative, soft-hearted cat were still bouncing around in her head. If they acted the same way you acted, would you be calm? It was a completely illogical way to run a household, but their expressions right now were hard to ignore.

They looked miserable.

​"I’m eating," Hana announced flatly, her voice cutting through the thick silence. She chewed slowly, swallowing before she fixed her dark eyes directly on Caspian’s rigid profile. "The leopard said your feelings matter. He said if you brought a female home without my input, I’d break your heads. Which is accurate. I would."

​Caspian’s ears twitched. His head slowly turned, his molten gold eyes meeting hers with a flicker of startled, heavy hesitation.

​"So," Hana continued, her face returning to its unreadable, deadpan mask as she rested her hand over her belly. "I am listening. If you have something to say regarding the household expansion, say it now before I let the cat hold me. I will hear your side."

​Raiden let out a soft, stunned breath, while Caspian’s chest expanded with a massive, grounding sigh.

The rigid, explosive tension in the dragon’s shoulders finally cracked under her unexpected compliance. He still looked thoroughly insulted about the cat, but the murderous edge in his scent vanished entirely, replaced by a deep, possessive relief.

​They actually had a say. Even if she wasn’t going to change her mind, she was listening.

​"The cat is right about one thing," Caspian finally grumbled, his voice deep and rough as he stared down at his own large, clawed hands. "If I brought another female into our home without your word, you would have every right to take my head, and her head. It’s a matter of respect. You are our mate, Hana. You carry my blood right now. Seeing another male look at you like you’re a prize he just won... it makes me want to burn him and leave not even his bone to view."

​"It’s not just about the staring, Hana," Raiden added quietly, leaning his shoulder slightly against hers, his green eyes unusually soft. "To us, you are our light. We went from fighting each other to seeing eye to eye—sometimes—just to be by your side. Adding someone new—especially an over-rowdy leopard who doesn’t know when to keep his distance—changes everything. It feels like we’re being pushed aside and someone else wants to steal our light."

​Kulu stepped away from the wall and sat at the edge of the fur pile. His amber eyes looked directly into hers. "We know you have your reasons, Hana. We know you see things and make choices that we don’t fully understand yet. But we are your protectors just as we are your mates. We just want to know that our place by your side is secure."

​Hana chewed her food in silence, listening to each of them without interrupting. For the first time, she didn’t view their complaints as annoying chatter or a waste of time.

Seeing them like this—her proud, apex Alphas completely lowering their guards just to tell her they were worried about losing her—made something shift in her chest.

​She swallowed the last bite of meat, wiped her hands on a cloth, and let out a slow, quiet sigh. Her hand rested gently on the heavy curve of her belly.

​"You aren’t being pushed aside," Hana said, her voice softer than usual, though it still carried her natural, steady authority. "And no one is stealing your light. There’s three of you, so I don’t think four will make much difference to the crowd I already have."

Just as they say two is a company and three is a crowd, four was very much the same as having three.

"Caspian," she called, turning to look at the pouting dragon. "You’re the father of this child, and my first mate. You have too much importance to be cast aside. Kulu, your wings are our defense and your obsession with being useful makes it hard to discard you because there’s just so much you can do with your wings and strength, and Raiden, although you’ve never used your illusions before, you have great culinary silks and—although annoying—a mouth that doesn’t know when to shut up, but I still appreciate it. I appreciate that you speak your mind and try to make me comfortable no matter what mood I’m in." She let out a quiet huff. Never in her life had she spoken so much that didn’t have to do with commands or angry rants.

She was just... speaking her mind.

It was true she didn’t appreciate them as much as she needed to because they were doing their best already.

For a woman as difficult as she was, she knew how difficult her personality was, and yet they were holding up well despite their own pride. They probably deserved a medal at this point.

She let out a chuckle, one that had nothing to do with a grand scheme and everything to do with the peace she just came to understand was buried in her heart.

"A fourth mate doesn’t change what you are to me." She whispered and looked between the three of them, her dark eyes completely serious. ​"And don’t go saying I’m looking for a fourth mate because I’m dissatisfied with you. You three are already a load of work, but just as Kulu said... I have a plan. And I need him in our lives for that to be achieved."