Thorne shot him a cold glare, his lips curling into a sneer. "You already have Bunny, and you still haven’t given up!"

’A female’s cubs usually take after their father’s form. If Eva actually gives birth to a Red Fox, wouldn’t that be exactly what this fox wants?’

The corners of Caden Albright’s eyes lifted, and his thin lips curled into a bewitching smile. His voice was velvety and intimate. "As long as they’re cubs born from Eva, I could never have too many. I’d treasure every single one of them."

The corner of Thorne’s mouth twitched violently. His knuckles made a loud CRACK as he clenched his hands, his fists itching for a fight.

Evangeline leaned languidly in the rattan chair Nix had made by hand. With a playful look and a light tap of her slender fingers, she took the wild fruit Lachlan offered between her lips. The pulp was refreshingly sweet and the juice rich.

She let out a soft laugh. "I’m heading out tomorrow. I think I’ll take Nix this time. He’s been cooped up in Blackwater Swamp for so long, and his trip coincides with the Tribal Trading Assembly. It’ll be a good chance for him to see a bit of the world."

Thorne’s brows furrowed tightly. He stepped forward and said, "Then I’m going with you! I can protect you!"

Before he could finish, a syrupy, cold laugh seeped in from outside. Nix’s pale fingertips pushed the bamboo door open. His purple eyes swept over Thorne, his voice bone-chillingly cold. "Protect her? You?"

Nix’s purple hair swayed, brushing against Thorne’s shoulder like mist. His purple eyes swept over him, and the Nine-star pattern on his forehead glowed brilliantly as a subtle, dark fragrance filled the air.

That casual glance was as still and deadly as a swamp.

Thorne’s knuckles cracked sharply, his dark green pupils narrowing into slits.

A flicker of light crossed Caden Albright’s amber eyes as he withdrew the hand that was gently stroking Bunny’s soft hair.

He stepped forward slowly and sat down with grace. When he looked at Evangeline, his gaze softened, and his voice was velvety and intimate. "We may not need many people for this trip, but it’s a long journey. You’re carrying a cub now; you can’t afford to get tired."

He paused, his long fingers tapping lightly on the table. "Why not have Lachlan go with you? He’s more meticulous. He can look after you on the road, and he can also transform into his beast form to carry you."

At these words, Thorne’s brow twitched. He shot Caden Albright a cold glare, a flicker of resentment in his eyes.

’Some "cooperation" this is. One minute he’s talking about us teaming up against these newcomers, and the next he’s handing over a chance to get close to our female master on a silver platter. He calls this cooperation?’

Lachlan, for his part, was slightly taken aback. His long lashes trembled, but his grey-brown eyes remained as cool and distant as ever.

Evangeline’s eyes narrowed slightly. After a moment of contemplation, she nodded. "Alright."

The corners of her eyes lifted in a smile as she looked at Lachlan. Her tone was sultry and languid, yet tinged with indulgence. "My Lachlan can’t stand to see injustice. Taking you along this time will be the perfect chance for you to let off some steam."

As she spoke, her fingers twirled a lock of Lachlan’s flaxen hair. Once dry and dull, the strands now shimmered like honey in the light. After her recent care, his hair was as smooth as silk.

As her fingers roamed through his hair, the jade ornament braided within it chimed melodiously.

’One must always pamper one’s own Beast Husbands.’

Lachlan tilted his head up to gaze at her. Seeing the adoration in her eyes, his thin lips curved into a pure, radiant smile. The usual cool distance in his expression melted away, replaced by a smile that was both innocent and captivating.

"Alright. I’ll listen to you, Eva." His voice was clear and ethereal, the last syllable lilting upward with a hint of pleasure.

Thorne’s fists clenched violently. He spun around abruptly, the pale tips of his hair slicing a sharp arc through the air.

He stormed out of the bamboo house without a backward glance, his retreating figure radiating fury.

Evangeline propped her chin on her hand, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. ’Who would have thought that the Snake Husband, once so full of venom, would now throw a tantrum over something so trivial?’

Caden Albright’s eyes flickered. "Thorne is young and hot-headed. Don’t worry, Eva. I’ll go check on him."

A smile bloomed in Evangeline’s eyes. "He’s much cuter now than he used to be."

Upon hearing this, the corners of Caden Albright’s eyes lifted, his amber gaze filled with a gentle, smiling warmth.

He rose and left the room, his silver hair swaying gently behind him.

Caden Albright strolled at an unhurried pace to Thorne’s bamboo house, arriving just in time to see the door slammed violently shut.

He raised an eyebrow and pushed the door open. It gave a soft CREAK as it swung inward.

Thorne froze. He instantly reined in his fury, replacing it with a wounded expression. But when he turned, he was met with the sight of Caden Albright’s half-smiling amber eyes. Thorne’s face immediately fell. He snatched a water jug and took a long swig.

Cold water trickled down his tense jawline before he SLAMMED the jug back onto the bamboo table.

Caden Albright sauntered forward, tracing a finger through the water on the table. "Are you really that angry?" he asked, his tone playful.

Had he not mentioned it, Thorne might have simmered down. But at his words, Thorne’s dark green eyes blazed with fury, and the faint outline of snake scales appeared on his neck. "Is *this* what you call ’teaming up’?"

He followed up with a sneer. "A Fallen Beastman, playing the philanthropist."

Caden Albright wasn’t the least bit angry. On the contrary, he let out a soft chuckle, his silver hair trembling slightly with the movement.

His crimson lips curved, but his tone held a dangerous edge. "Philanthropist?"

Thorne’s eyes narrowed, their depths as dark as an abyss. "What do you mean by that?"

Caden Albright sneered. "This Tribal Trading Assembly is a trap. Someone set it up to lure me, a Fallen Beastman, right into their hands. Eva is unwilling to let me risk it, so she feels she must go herself."

"Nix may be eccentric, but he’s the only one among us who has reached the Nine-star Extreme Realm."

"With him there to help, Eva will be much safer. Besides... Eva is pregnant. That cub could be any of ours, but it could never be his."

"This... is a way for Eva to placate him, I suppose."

Thorne’s brows shot up in anger. "Then why the hell can’t I go? You trust Lachlan that much?!"

He gritted his teeth, a furious aura surging around him. "Caden Albright, don’t you forget! He’s the reason Eva had to personally dissolve their bond, fell into that mudslide, and almost died!"

Caden Albright raised his eyes, his gaze turning ice-cold as it met Thorne’s. "How could I forget?"

A cold laugh escaped his lips. He said in a low voice, "But you should also know that he is Eva’s Beast Husband now. If you insist on making things hard for him, you’ll only be putting Eva in an awkward position!"

The violent aura around Thorne suddenly solidified, the savage fury on his face freezing in place.

Caden Albright’s cold amber eyes swept over Thorne. "This journey is perilous. Your temper is too explosive; you’d only make things worse. Besides, can your beast form even carry someone? Do you want to make Eva suffer more hardships?"

Thorne was speechless. His Adam’s apple bobbed convulsively as all the violent energy churning in his chest was forcefully swallowed back down.

He closed his eyes, then opened them again. His voice was hoarse. "So, Drake was really captured?"

Caden Albright’s expression was grim, his eyes frosty. "Saskia united the tribes of Norfell specifically to come after me. Out of fear for what a Fallen Beastman is, they’re capable of anything."

"But you know Eva. She won’t just stand by and watch something happen to Drake."

Thorne’s eyes flickered as he grew pensive. "So when you suggested Lachlan go with her, was it really just so he could take care of Eva?"

Caden Albright glanced up, his expression nonchalant. "That’s only a very small part of the reason."

Thorne’s brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

Caden Albright’s knuckles tapped lightly on the bamboo table, his gaze deepening. "Nix is certainly powerful, but he has the highly unstable Loras lying dormant within him. What if something happens and none of us are there?"

As he said this, the tapping on the table abruptly stopped. His voice grew heavier. "Lachlan is meticulous and exceptionally sharp. He’s the one least likely to be swayed by external illusions..."

A dark shadow flashed in Caden Albright’s eyes.

Clearly, that old scheme of The Everwake’s was still a thorn in his side.