Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband-Chapter 58: The Spy, The Bunny, and The First Kiss

The daycare was silent, except for the frantic muttering of a very panicked bunny.

Luna was pacing back and forth in the lobby. She had a backpack thrown over her shoulder. In one hand, she held a large soup ladle (as a weapon). In the other, she held a map of the city sewers.

"Okay, Luna," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling. "You are a predator. Well, technically you are prey, but you are aggressive prey. You have kicked Rurik in the shin once. You can fight a Hyena."

She shoved a bag of carrots into her backpack.

"I will find them. I will track them down. And if they hurt one hair on Clover’s head, I will... I will make them eat gluten! I will—"

Click.

The front door unlocked.

Luna spun around, raising the ladle high, ready to scream. "DIE, MONSTERS!"

The door swung open.

Standing there, dripping wet and covered in mud, was the strangest parade she had ever seen.

General Rajah walked in first, carrying a snoring Arjun over his shoulder. Lord Rurik followed, looking exhausted, with Vali leaning against his leg. Duke Lucien and Silas drifted in like shadows. Archduke Cassian held the door for Jasper.

And behind them all... Jax.

Jax looked terrible. His shirt was torn, his shoulder was bandaged, and his eyes were hollow. But on his back, piggyback style, was a small fox boy wearing a cap.

And walking beside him, holding onto his pant leg...

"Clover!" Luna dropped the ladle. Clatter.

"Luna!" Clover squealed.

The little bunny let go of Jax and ran. Luna dropped to her knees, opening her arms wide. They collided in a flurry of white fur and tears.

"I was so scared!" Luna sobbed, squeezing her little sister tight. "I thought they took you away forever! I was just about to come find you with a spoon!"

"I’m okay!" Clover sniffled, burying her face in Luna’s neck. "The bad man put me in a sack, but then the Tiger went ROAR and the ceiling fell down and Jax caught me!"

Luna pulled back, wiping Clover’s face with her sleeve. She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a small object.

It was the Safety Rock. It was cracked down the middle from where the Vulture had stepped on it, but Luna had carefully glued it back together while she was waiting.

"I found it in the alley," Luna whispered, pressing it into Clover’s hand. "It’s a little broken. But it’s still strong."

Clover hugged the rock, beaming. "It has a scar now! Like a warrior rock!"

Luna laughed through her tears, kissing Clover’s forehead.

Then, she looked up.

She saw Jax standing near the door. He wasn’t looking at her. He was looking at the floor, shame radiating off him in waves. And on his back was a child who looked exactly like him.

"Jax?" Luna asked softly. "Who is that?"

Jax flinched. He looked at Finn, then at Luna. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Archduke Cassian cleared his throat. He adjusted his monocle, looking at the scene with a rare expression of sympathy.

"It has been a long night," Cassian announced. "The heirs need baths. And I believe the Fox has a report to file with the acting manager."

He looked at Jax, then Luna.

"We will take the cubs home," General Rajah grunted, shifting Arjun’s weight. "You two... resolve this."

The Warlords nodded and ushered the muddy cubs out the door. Jasper paused to wave at Finn. Vali gave Jax a nod of respect.

Then, the heavy door clicked shut.

The daycare was quiet again. Just Luna, Jax, Clover, and Finn.

Jax gently set Finn down on a beanbag chair. Clover waddled over to sit next to the new boy, showing him her glued rock. The two kids began whispering immediately.

Jax turned to Luna. He looked like he was waiting for an execution.

"His name is Finn," Jax said, his voice rough. "He’s my little brother."

Luna stood up, brushing off her knees. "Your brother?"

"He was... he was a hostage," Jax confessed. He couldn’t meet her eyes. "There’s a man... the Boss. I’ve never met him. But he took Finn months ago. He told me that if I didn’t destroy this place... if I didn’t burn Little Whiskers to the ground... he would kill Finn."

Luna gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

"That’s why I came here," Jax continued, the words spilling out fast now, painful and raw. "I wasn’t here to help. I was a spy, Luna. I was casing the joint. I was waiting for the right moment to light a match."

He clenched his fists.

"But I couldn’t do it. I looked at you... and the kids... and I couldn’t do it. I hesitated. And because I hesitated, they took Clover to punish me."

He finally looked up at her. His green eyes were shimmering with unshed tears.

"I put your sister in danger. I put everyone in danger. I’m a liar, and I’m a traitor."

He took a step back toward the door.

"I understand if you hate me," Jax whispered. "I understand if you never want to see me again. I just... I wanted you to know the truth."

He turned to leave, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Jax."

He stopped.

Luna didn’t shout. She didn’t scream. She walked across the room.

"You had a choice," Luna said softly. "Between your brother and strangers. You chose your family. Anyone would have done that."

Jax shook his head. "But I—"

"But in the end," Luna interrupted, standing right behind him, "You chose us. You didn’t burn the bakery. You went into a burning tower to save my sister."

Jax turned around. "Luna, I—"

Luna grabbed the collar of his ruined shirt, pulled him down, and kissed him.

It wasn’t a perfect movie kiss. Their noses bumped, and Jax smelled like wet dog and smoke. But it was warm, and desperate, and real.

Jax froze for a second, his eyes going wide. Then, a low sound rumbled in his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her slightly off the ground to kiss her back.

For a moment, the rain, the Boss, and the danger didn’t exist. There was just the Fox and the Bunny.

"EWWWWWW!"

"GROSS!"

Jax and Luna broke apart instantly, faces burning bright red.

On the beanbag chair, Finn had his cap pulled down over his eyes, sticking out his tongue. "Bleh! Germs! Cooties!"

Clover was covering her eyes with her long ears, peeking through a crack. "Why are they eating each other’s faces? Is he hungry?"

"No, you dummy," Finn groaned. "It’s romance. It’s disgusting."

Jax looked at his brother. He looked at Luna, who was blushing so hard her ears were pink.

A laugh bubbled up in his chest. A real, genuine laugh.

"I hate you," Jax whispered to Luna, a playful grin finally returning to his face.

"I would never hate you," Luna whispered back, fixing his collar. "You could have betrayed us, Jax. But you didn’t. You’re one of the good guys now."

She poked him in the chest.

"But you are taking a shower. You smell like a wet carpet."

Jax chuckled, leaning his forehead against hers. "Yes, Ma’am."

Outside, the storm finally broke, leaving the city clean and quiet. The Little Whiskers Daycare was still standing. The Pack was safe. And the Spy had finally come in from the cold.