Trapped in Beast World: My Husbands Are All Animals! Novel

---- Chapter 97 The Meaning of Home This time, Calder genuinely felt remorseful. There wasn't a wandering thought in his mind-mostly because Halden was present, and he didn't dare make a move. After the beating he took last night, he felt like he'd been wrung dry. He secretly hoped Ardenia would pity him. He wanted her to notice the bruises covering his body. He knew his approach had been completely wrong. He shouldn't have acted that way and was genuinely afraid that Ardenia might push for dissolution with him right now. Tobias blinked with sharp, calculating eyes.

He intended to glance at Ardenia but was forced to meet Halden's gaze instead, causing him to quickly look away. As expected, with that annoying leopard around, Calder couldn't get away with acting pitiful. Even he had been completely wrecked, so Tobias' little ---- tricks of playing dumb and striking back later were useless. Niall admitted his mistake as well. "Sorry," he said. Ardenia's eyes flicked toward Vesper, realizing that he had fallen right into Niall's trap yesterday. She cleared her throat and spoke evenly, "I've said everything I needed to. We're family.

Families stand together against outsiders, not fight among themselves and make a joke of it in front of the world. Think about that." Her words quietly aligned them on the same side, forcing them to take a hard look at themselves. Getting along was the obvious choice, and it would make Ardenia happy as well. Calder's lips were pale as he watched Ardenia walk away. Uncontrollably, tears slid down his cheeks again. Niall scowled. "Enough. She's gone. Cry all you want, but we're not going to feel sorry for you. We're family. What's done is done, he said. ---- Tobias added, "Yeah. I'm not upset.

Your plan didn't work anyway." Vesper asked, "Can you walk?" The merfolk had suffered the worst last night. Halden had thrown him around mercilessly and beaten him brutally. Tobias and Niall had carried Calder back afterward. Now, none of them were arguing. Calder sat quietly in the grass nest, dabbing at his tears. Tobias, irritated by the crying, moved to stand in the doorway. Niall seemed unfazed. He lounged lazily to the side, his body still aching from Halden's beating. Halden had nearly taken the fox out of him.

It didn't matter; since Halden had done it to vent for Ardenia, he chose to let it slide. After a pause, Calder sniffled and glanced at Niall, whispering, "Do you think... she'll actually dump me?" ---- Niall smirked. "Wouldn't that be perfect? You wanted out before, remember?" That finally broke him. Calder began crying even harder. Tobias' irritation spiked. "Can you not say that in front of him? You're just making him bawl," he snapped, shooting Niall a glare. Niall spread his hands, shifted into his beast form, curled up, and began grooming himself.

He knew Ardenia wasn't truly angry; she simply wanted them to understand the meaning of home. Home... Niall chuckled softly. He was part of this home, too. Besides Calder, Tobias was shaken as well. He had never seen Ardenia this angry before. He needed a plan to ease her. After thinking it through, he decided to visit the city. There were plenty of things there he could trade for, maybe even something to lift her spirits. He had been planning to get her a gift anyway. ---- "Niall, I'm heading out for a few days. If Ardenia asks, tell her for me," he said.

With that, the big snake flickered and vanished. Niall lazily lifted his foxy eyes and responded, then ignored Calder's sobbing and went to sleep first. "Halden, thank you,' Ardenia said, tilting her chin upward. Her eyes sparkled, like stars shining just for him. Halden's gaze tightened, and his thin lips pressed into a firm line. Feeling someone behind him, he forced down the tremor in his chest and drew Ardenia into his arms. She smelled incredible. Even if he couldn't do more, holding her was enough. "Are you mad at me? I hurt Calder," she asked softly. He knew she cared for Calder.

He should have been gentler, but since Calder had started it ---- yesterday, he had no choice. Going easy would have meant Ardenia suffering later. "No. Actually, I'm thankful. Halden, having you here is really good," she said. "Ardenia..." Halden kissed her, wanting to express that having her was good too-no, having her was the best. Even after awakening her ability, she could have chosen so much more. Yet, she still gave them a second chance. That made him treasure her all the more. Ardenia nestled into his embrace, her cheeks turning red again before she realized it.

Halden kissed her long and slow, then pulled back slightly, eyes full of longing. He wanted her to indulge him. Ardenia blinked, her small hand roaming over him restlessly, clearly aware of exactly what he desired. ---- Honestly, now that she was used to it, she kind of enjoyed it too. "My pocket space leveled up. Do you want to check it out with me?" she asked. "Yeah," he replied. Halden's eyes lit up. Ever since she had given him the elephant outfit yesterday, he had been eager for this moment.

No one but him knew how he survived the entire afternoon, his mind consumed with the memory of being cradled in her hands. That sensation was burned into him. There was no way to forget it.