Chapter 176: Three Minutes to Live

Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Three Minutes to Live

Miko froze.

Completely.

His tiny finger remained trapped between his newborn sister’s gums.

The baby stared up at him with huge silver eyes.

Miko stared down at her.

Nobody breathed.

Then the little girl released him.

A tiny red mark sat on the tip of his finger.

Miko slowly lifted it.

His golden eyes widened.

Kairo leaned closer.

Nilo leaned closer from the other side.

Swanly leaned forward so quickly Kael caught her shoulder.

"Careful."

"My baby just got bitten by my other baby!"

"That is why I said careful."

"That does not help!"

Miko looked at his finger.

Then very slowly turned his head.

Toward Soren.

Everyone followed.

Kairo looked at Soren.

Nilo looked at Soren.

Kael looked at Soren.

Swanly looked at Soren.

Even Tilla, still standing near the entrance, looked at Soren.

Soren stood there beneath all those accusing eyes.

His silver pupils narrowed.

"What?"

Swanly pointed at Miko.

"Snake."

Then at the newborn.

"Snake."

Then at him.

"Big snake."

Soren stared.

"So?"

"So do something!"

Miko’s lower lip trembled.

"Snake Papa..."

Soren looked down at him.

The cub was standing there with one tiny injured finger held against his chest, black ears flattened, golden eyes already getting watery.

Soren knew immediately.

The fangs were barely formed.

The venom glands had not properly developed.

At most, Miko had received the terrifying equivalent of being stabbed by two very tiny needles.

He was perfectly fine.

Soren’s mouth almost twitched.

Then something evil entered his eyes.

Swanly saw it.

Her own eyes narrowed.

"Soren."

Too late.

Soren crouched slightly.

His face became grave.

Very grave.

"Miko."

Miko swallowed.

"Yes?"

Soren looked at the bite.

Then into his eyes.

"You have perhaps three minutes."

Silence.

Miko’s mouth fell open.

Kairo gasped.

Nilo’s ears shot straight up.

"THREE?!"

Miko screamed.

He launched himself at Soren.

"Snake Papa!"

Soren barely had time to straighten before the smallest cub wrapped both arms around his leg.

"SAVE ME!"

Miko burst into tears.

"I DON’T WANT TO DIE!"

Soren’s shoulders shook once.

Swanly stared at him.

"You bastard."

Soren looked at her innocently.

Miko hugged his leg harder.

"I WILL BE GOOD!"

Kairo ran over.

"Do something!"

Nilo looked horrified.

"You are their papa! You should know!"

Miko sobbed.

"I won’t bite Kairo anymore!"

Kairo blinked.

"You still bite me?"

"NOT IMPORTANT!"

"I thought you stopped!"

"I AM DYING!"

Swanly slapped a hand over her face.

Kael was staring at Soren with such deep disgust that it bordered on admiration.

"You are bullying a child."

"He has spent months bullying me."

"He is four."

"He is very committed."

Miko looked up through tears.

"Snake Papa, please!"

Soren finally broke.

A quiet laugh escaped him.

Miko stopped crying.

Swanly’s eyes narrowed.

Kairo narrowed his.

Nilo narrowed his.

Four identical expressions.

Soren sighed.

"You are not dying."

Miko blinked.

"What?"

"Her fangs are not developed enough yet."

Silence.

"The venom has not properly formed."

Miko slowly released Soren’s leg.

His face changed.

Confusion.

Then realization.

Then betrayal.

"You lied."

Soren looked completely unashamed.

"Yes."

Miko’s mouth dropped open.

"You said three minutes!"

"I did."

"I cried!"

"I noticed."

Miko’s tiny fists clenched.

Swanly pointed at Soren.

"You are horrible."

Soren shrugged.

"Perhaps he will remember not to put his fingers into a snake’s mouth."

"She bit me!"

"You put your finger near her face."

"She is my sister!"

"And soon she will be venomous."

That stopped all three cubs.

Kairo immediately backed away from the babies by one tiny step.

Nilo followed.

Miko looked toward the newborn.

Then toward his finger.

Then took two steps.

Swanly burst out laughing.

"Oh, come on."

Miko pointed.

"She is dangerous."

The baby yawned.

A tiny pink tongue appeared.

Miko narrowed his eyes.

"She looks innocent."

Soren folded his arms.

"That is how snakes survive."

Swanly looked at him.

"That explains you."

Kael made a sound suspiciously close to a laugh.

Soren looked at him.

Kael immediately became serious.

Miko was still offended.

"You scared me."

Soren looked down.

"Yes."

Miko considered that.

Then pointed at him.

"I will remember."

Soren’s eyebrow rose.

Kael finally stepped forward and lifted Miko under the arms.

"Come here."

Miko went willingly.

Kael checked his finger.

Barely a mark.

He rubbed the cub’s back.

"You are fine."

Miko sniffed.

"I almost died."

"No, you didn’t."

"I felt death."

"You felt teeth."

"Same thing."

Kairo nodded solemnly.

"For a snake, maybe."

Nilo corrected him.

"We are panthers."

"Then not same thing."

Swanly laughed again.

The laughter made both newborn girls stir.

Tiny heads shifted inside their soft wraps.

One made a soft sound.

Not quite a cry.

More of a questioning squeak.

The other blinked.

Her silver eyes moved slowly from face to face.

Swanly’s smile softened.

She had noticed it already.

Beast children were different.

Even newborns seemed to sharpen frighteningly quickly.

Their attention followed voices sooner.

Their bodies responded to scent and warmth with astonishing awareness.

And the moment everyone had reacted to the bite, both girls had changed.

The one who bit Miko had stopped opening her mouth.

The second had gone still too.

Now both stared around with wide eyes.

As if they understood that something had happened.

Swanly looked down.

"Hey."

The first baby’s eyes shifted toward her voice.

Swanly’s heart immediately melted.

"You didn’t do anything wrong."

Tiny tail twitch.

"You’re just a little menace."

Another twitch.

Miko leaned out of Kael’s arms.

"She knows."

"She knows what?"

"She knows she bit me."

Kairo whispered:

"She looks guilty."

Nilo studied the baby.

"No. She looks sleepy."

Miko frowned.

"She should look guilty."

Swanly smiled.

"You were trying to lick people at her age."

"I don’t remember that."

"You still lick people."

"That is different."

"How?"

Miko thought.

"It is love."

Kael closed his eyes.

Swanly nearly died laughing.

The second newborn suddenly stretched.

One tiny hand escaped the hide.

Nilo’s entire face softened.

"She wants something."

"She probably wants warmth," Swanly said.

Nilo moved closer.

Carefully this time.

"Can I touch her?"

"Yes. Here."

Swanly guided his finger toward the baby’s little hand instead of her mouth.

The newborn’s fingers curled around him.

Nilo froze.

His golden eyes became enormous.

"Mama."

"I see."

"She is holding me."

"She is."

"She knows I am her brother."

Kairo immediately shoved his own hand forward.

"Me too."

"Slowly."

"I am slow."

"You just pushed me."

"I did not."

"You did."

Miko wriggled in Kael’s arms.

"I want one!"

Kael tightened his grip.

"No mouths."

"I know!"

"No fingers near mouths."

"I KNOW!"

Soren watched them.

His expression had softened without him noticing.

Three little black-haired boys surrounding two pale newborn girls.

Kairo already hovering like a tiny guard.

Nilo fascinated by every movement.

Miko trying desperately to participate while Kael physically prevented him from being bitten twice in one morning.

Swanly saw Soren watching.

Then noticed what he was carrying.

A folded bundle of pale hides rested beneath his arm.

She frowned.

"What is that?"