<h4>Chapter 301: Unexpected</h4>


    <strong>Easter~</strong>


    The moment my paw touched Jacob’s outstretched hand, the world lit up.


    No—I lit up.


    A current surged through me like lightning captured in ss. My entire body shivered as blue-white sparks burst from my fur, cascading down my limbs in flickers of glowing light. I gasped—if a wolf could gasp—as my bones shifted, my muscles recoiled, and my fur pulled back like a vanishing tide.


    Pain came with it, sharp and wild—but it was short. A sh, a flicker, and then...


    Warm skin.


    My human body dropped to its knees, breath hitching as I clutched the soft grass beneath me. I looked down. Pale hands. Curly brown hair tumbling around my face. My voice trembled out of me like a breath of wind. "I... I’m back."


    The cool air kissed my bare skin, and my heart thudded so hard it echoed in my ears. I looked up at Jacob, the man who’d offered me his hand. His warm brown eyes had widened in shock—real shock, like I’d just done something he didn’t expect in the slightest.


    His smile was gone.


    His mouth parted slightly, his brows drawn together like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.


    I blinked. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? Are you okay?"


    Jacob seemed frozen for a second too long.


    Then, as if someone flipped a switch inside him, he blinked and shook his head, his features smoothing into that soft,posed expression again.


    "I’m fine," he said quickly, his voice warm but a little too even. "Don’t worry about me."


    I tilted my head, frowning. "You sure?"


    He gave a crooked half-smile and reached to brush some hair from my face. "Positive."


    I wasn’t convinced, but I let it go. My heart was somewhere else now—my baby.


    I turned sharply and ran to Tiger, who stood holding the newborn like a golden statue carved from the forest itself. The sunlight caught in his golden-brown hair and green eyes, making him look more like a myth than a man. His expression softened the second I approached.


    "Please," I whispered, breathless, holding out my arms. "I want to hold her."


    Without a word, Tiger smiled and bent forward, carefully cing my baby girl in my arms.


    She was tiny. Warm. Her soft breath tickled my skin, her little hands curling and uncurling like she was still trying to figure out what this world was. Her eyes opened briefly—deep, endless pools of brown like melted chocte—and in that moment, everything else faded.


    Kiki whispered inside me, her voice awestruck.<strong><i> "She’s so beautiful..."</i></strong>


    I nodded slowly, tears rushing to my eyes. <i>"She’s perfect."</i>


    <strong><i>"Call Rose," </i></strong>Kiki murmured again.


    "Rose," I said aloud, ncing behind me. "Come look at your baby sister."


    Bubble gently crouched to let her down from his shoulders. Rose gave him a quick kiss on the cheek—making Bubbleugh—and then dashed toward me on tiny legs.


    "Mama!" she squealed. "Is that her?"


    I knelt quickly, cradling the newborn and letting Rose peer into the nket. "Yes, baby. Say hi."


    Rose’s eyes sparkled as she reached out to touch her sister’s cheek. "She’s even cuter than I imagined!"


    Iughed softly, brushing my cheek against Rose’s wild hair. "You’re going to be the best big sister ever."


    Around us, I could feel the warmth. The watching. Jacob, Natalie, Tiger, Bubble, Eagle, and Fox all stood nearby. Not intruding. Just... watching. Like this moment was sacred.


    Jacob’s eyes were unreadable again, but a quiet smile curved his lips.


    Then, with the barest motion, Jacob snapped his fingers.


    And the world changed.


    Gone was the forest.


    No wind. No leaves. No sky.


    Suddenly, we were standing in a luxurious, open living room. High ceilings, polished floors, marble and crystal and deep, elegant tones. I gasped, spinning on my heels to take it all in. A firece crackled at one end, and the furniture looked like it had been picked out of a catalogbeled "Only for the Rich and the Magically Gifted."


    "I..." I couldn’t find the words. "What just happened?"


    "Magic," Bubble said cheerfully, twirling in ce. "Isn’t it fabulous? Wee home, sweetie!"


    "Home?" I echoed, still turning.


    Up until today, I didn’t even believe in magic. I thought it was something Rose made up. Tales from a child’s vivid imagination. She’d talk about Jacob and his family—how they could control the wind, water, fire, and trees—but I thought she was just... well, being Rose.


    Clearly, I was wrong.


    Natalie stepped forward, brushing her coat with a flick of her fingers, like she was wiping away the moment. "I hate to break up this little reunion," she said, her voice soft but steady, "but I’ve got things to take care of. Zane needs me."


    There was something in her tone—warm, urgent, almost reverent—that made me pause. I gave a slow nod, suddenly aware of just how much she had set aside to be here. The way she’d talked about Zane earlier... he clearly meant a lot to her. What threw me was her calling him her mate. Was it a title? A nickname? Something deeper? I didn’t dare ask. Whatever it meant, it wasn’t something she tossed around lightly.


    Fox stretched his arms with azy grin and reached over to ruffle Rose’s hair, earning a yful swat. "Well, I guess that’s my cue too. I’ve got a mountain of paperwork waiting back in my realm. If I don’t clear it, my people are gonna riot. Apparently, being a god doesn’t exempt you from office duties."


    Natalieughed, the sound light and genuine, her eyes lighting up with amusement. "Honestly? I’d nag you too. You’re their god, Fox. You’re supposed to take care of them."


    "I am trying!" he groaned dramatically, throwing his hands up. "But they act like I’ve got eight arms and nothing else to do. It’s like, ’Fox, bless our crops,’ ’Fox, the rivers are acting weird,’ ’Fox, my neighbor’s goat keeps stealing myundry.’ I’m not a miracle vending machine!"


    That earned another burst ofughter from Natalie, and even I couldn’t help but smile although I didn’t understand a lot.


    Bubble pouted dramatically. "And I have a kitchen gig calling my name. I need to rearrange the pantry. Someone alphabetized the spices by the second letter—heathens."


    Tiger, ever silent, simply looked at me with his calm, green eyes and gave a small nod. "I’ll stay."


    "Thank you," I whispered.


    Eagle crossed his arms, his silver eyes sharp and unreadable as they locked onto me. "I’ll be back," he said, voice clipped but calm. "There’s something I need to handle. After that, I’ll return... to help."


    The way he said <i>help</i> made my stomach do a slow, nervous flip.


    I narrowed my eyes and nced around the room. "Okay... why does everyone keep saying that? Like Jacob and I are going to need some kind of serious backup?"


    At first, I’d brushed it off when Tiger said it. I thought maybe he meant baby stuff. Or maybe dealing with Rose. Or settling into this new phase of... whatever this is.


    But then Jacob turned to Eagle, and their eyes met.


    And just like that, everything shifted.


    It was quiet. Too quiet. The kind of silence that buzzes with meaning. The kind that feels like a conversation is happening in in sight, without a single word being said.


    Eagle’s jaw clenched. Jacob’s expression wentpletely still—like someone had flipped a switch and shut everything down inside him.


    My breath caught.


    No. I wasn’t making it up.


    They were hiding something. From me.


    Kiki whimpered in my mind, soft and low, like a thread of fear unraveling inside her.


    I tightened my grip on the baby instinctively. <i>"Kiki?"</i> I whispered, my voice tight. <i>"What is it? What’s wrong?"</i>


    Her voice trembled inside me, small and scared<strong><i>. "I... I don’t know. Something’s happening. I can feel it. It’s like... like something inside me is shifting."</i></strong>


    My heart skipped. I looked back at Jacob—only to find him already watching me again.


    His gaze wasn’t cold. It was quiet. Almost gentle. But behind his eyes was something deeper... regret?


    No not regret but—guilt.


    Like he knew something.


    Like he wanted to tell me, but something—or someone—was holding him back.


    I shook my head, my voice barely steady. "No. No, you’re all acting strange. Cagey. It feels like everyone’s bracing for something awful and just hoping I won’t notice."


    Jacob took a slow step forward, like approaching a spooked animal. "It’s not awful," he said, softly. "Just... unexpected."


    "Unexpected?" I echoed, my voice rising. "What’s unexpected?"


    Before the words were fully out of my mouth, Natalie vanished. Just—gone—like she didn’t want any part of this conversation. Fox followed a secondter. Bubble disappeared without a sound. Even Eagle was suddenly nowhere to be seen.


    The only ones left were Jacob... and Tiger.


    Tiger looked at me, his usual steady presence even more grounded than usual. He walked over, his hand resting gently on my shoulder. "You should sit," he said, quiet but firm.


    That didn’t feel like a suggestion.


    My chest tightened. Still holding my baby close, I lowered myself onto the couch, feeling Rose climb into myp and curl beside me. Her little arms wrapped around mine like she could sense the tension too.


    Jacob knelt in front of me, close enough that I could see the flicker of hesitation in his eyes. He didn’t look like the ancient being I’d witnessed a few minutes ago—he looked like someone who was lost in his own choices.


    "I didn’t know you’d change back like that," he whispered.


    I stared at him. "What do you mean <i>change back like that?"</i>


    He hesitated.


    And my entire body went cold.