Lachlan stared at Evangeline, then suddenly stepped forward and, without a word, pulled her from Thorne’s arms, holding her carefully.

"Hey, you—" Thorne’s dark green eyes narrowed, and he seethed with anger.

"Eva," Lachlan called out in a low voice, his ethereal tone filled with a tremor, as if in disbelief.

Evangeline sighed softly, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face against him. She inhaled his cold, icy scent. Her foxy eyes tilted up slightly, full of charm, but her voice was very soft. "I’m back. It’s real, not a dream."

Thorne glanced at the two of them and huffed. "Were you this happy when you saw me just now, Eva?"

With her arms still around Lachlan’s neck, Evangeline tilted her head to look at Thorne. "I just got back, and you’re already getting jealous?"

"Getting what? What ’jealous’?" A flicker of confusion crossed Thorne’s eyes. ’He had a feeling that wasn’t a compliment.’

Just as Evangeline was about to speak, she felt a movement in the small pouch at her waist. The Snow Ferret inside, feeling squished, struggled to poke its head out.

This time, Thorne’s sharp eyes caught the flash of white. His body tensed instantly, and he frowned. "What is that?"

As he spoke, the Snow Ferret shot up onto Evangeline’s shoulder like a bolt of lightning. Its jet-black eyes stared at Thorne and Lachlan. While it wasn’t a scrutinizing gaze, it was also devoid of emotion, completely unlike a normal Wild Beast.

Lachlan’s eyes sharpened as he, too, looked at the white shadow that had suddenly leaped onto Evangeline’s shoulder.

"A little pet." Evangeline seemed unconcerned, reaching out to scratch the Snow Ferret’s fluffy chin.

Hearing the word "pet," the Snow Ferret’s pitch-black eyes turned to Evangeline, its gaze flat.

"Pet?" Thorne’s brow furrowed. Although he didn’t understand the word, he roughly grasped her meaning. She wanted to raise this Wild Beast. Some females in the larger tribes also liked to keep fluffy Wild Beasts.

Unwilling to say more about the dangerous little creature, Evangeline straightened up in Lachlan’s arms. "Where are Caden Albright and the others?"

At the mention of this, Lachlan looked up at Thorne. Their eyes met, and both of their expressions turned somewhat grave.

Noticing their strange expressions, Evangeline’s brows knitted together, and her voice grew a few degrees colder. "Did something happen?"

Thorne stood with his arms crossed, his waistline taut. His dark green eyes shifted to Julian in the distance, a dark light flickering within them.

He said flatly, "The Goldeagle Clan was attacked. The Vulture Clan learned that Julian has been away for a long time, leaving the Goldeagle Tribe with no one in charge, so they plan to annex it. Drake got word, and despite his memory loss, he is still one of their clan. As soon as he heard, he insisted on rushing back."

"But with his Star Pattern shattered, going back alone is just suicide."

"Caden Albright and Loras went with Drake to help the Goldeagle Tribe. They left a few days ago, and we haven’t heard from them since."

As Thorne finished speaking, his thin lips pressed into a firm line, a layer of cold solemnity settling between his handsome brows.

This was also why he had been patrolling the outskirts of Blackwater Swamp. For the past few days, he, Lachlan, and Danton had been taking turns patrolling their territory, worried that with their forces divided, they might attract prying eyes with ill intent.

They had cubs here; they had to be careful.

Beastman hearing was naturally sharp. Hearing Thorne’s words, Julian’s molten-gold pupils contracted abruptly.

He strode forward, his golden ponytail slicing a sharp arc behind him. In a few large steps, he was before them. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he said in a deep voice, "Evangeline, my tribe is in trouble. I have to go back. Once this is all settled, I will return."

Julian’s body shifted, his golden Feather Wings just beginning to unfurl when a slender hand caught his arm.

"I’ll take you." With a flick of her fingertips, a Teleportation Scroll appeared in Evangeline’s hand, emitting spatial fluctuations.

Thorne’s gaze deepened abruptly. "Eva, this has nothing to do with you!"

Lachlan also frowned, ripples disturbing the clarity of his gray-brown eyes. "You just got back, and besides..."

He lowered his gaze to Evangeline’s very pregnant belly, placing a long-fingered hand gently upon it. He whispered, "The baby is due soon. Danton hasn’t been able to eat or sleep these past few days. You should at least tell him."

Evangeline glanced up at the small bamboo house by the stream and shook her head. "When I get back."

She flicked the scroll in her hand, and a brilliant golden light enveloped her and Julian. Rask’s eyes went wide. Sensing the cold stares from Thorne and Lachlan, he quickly shouted, "Hey! Wait for me—wait for me—"

But before Rask could rush over, Thorne grabbed him.

He watched as Evangeline and Julian vanished, a slight curve to his lips. His dark green eyes landed on the space between Rask’s brows, sweeping over the Eight-star pattern on his forehead. His heart sank, but his tone was calm. "Start talking. What happened while Eva was gone? How did you meet her? And Julian—why is he following Eva?"

Rask’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He stared warily at Thorne but said nothing.

Thorne’s gaze roamed over Rask’s handsome face before he suddenly let out a cold laugh and released him.

"Relax. No matter how much we might dislike you, as long as Eva has accepted you, we won’t say much."

He took a step back, the tips of his pale hair swaying slightly. "It’s just that she’s been gone for so long. We need to know where she brought you back from. We’ll all be living together from now on, so we have to know your background."

Rask gave Thorne a surprised look. ’This Snake Beastman, who radiates such hostility, is surprisingly reasonable?’

Lachlan silently approached, his gray-brown eyes sweeping coolly over the Eight-Star Pattern on Rask’s forehead. "Let’s talk inside."

Rask dug a finger in his ear, speechless. "No, wait. Aren’t you worried about your female? You’re just letting her leave with Julian like that? Winged Beastmen are tough opponents, and the Vulture Clan is one of the best. You’re really that confident?"

Thorne shot him a cold glare. ’He wanted to go with her, but someone had to guard Blackwater Swamp.’

Lachlan’s clean, jade-like face was expressionless, his voice as clear and ethereal as ever. "Caden Albright has already broken through to the Nine-star Extreme Realm, and Loras is at the same level. If the two of them together can’t protect Eva, they wouldn’t have the face to come back."

Rask’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He swallowed hard. "N-Nine-star Extreme Realm?"

He stumbled back a step, his legs trembling, his face a mask of shock and defeat. ’No wonder. No wonder the female looked down on him. She already has two Beast Husbands at the Nine-star Extreme Realm!’

Thorne glanced sideways at Lachlan. He saw the tall, slender figure standing as still as a snow pine, his cold expression revealing nothing.

He tugged at the corner of his lip. ’This Beastman clearly hasn’t formed a Contract with Eva yet. If Lachlan claimed he wasn’t intentionally trying to intimidate him and put pressure on him with those words, Thorne wouldn’t believe it for a second!’

’When did this leopard get as sly as a fox?’

"Let’s go." Thorne grabbed Rask’s trembling arm and dragged him into the bamboo house.

Lachlan watched quietly for a moment before heading toward the stream. He still had to tell Danton about this.

Merfolk cubs had to be born in seawater. By his calculations, it would be any day now. Danton had been on edge for a long time.