NOVPUB
Chapter 319: Chapter 319 For your baby safety
The atmosphere in the tree house shifted abruptly as Oceanus made his shocking declaration.
"...As repayment... I want to become her mate."
Silence fell like a heavy curtain. Everyone froze, staring at Oceanus in disbelief. Even Simon looked stunned, his wide eyes darting from Oceanus to Kyra, unsure of what to say.
"You... boss... you..." Simon stammered, completely caught off guard.
Kyra’s face mirrored the shock of everyone around her. She hadn’t seen this coming at all. Her thoughts raced as she tried to process his words, her mind unable to catch up with what had just been said.
"Are you crazy?" Lucas exploded, his voice cutting through the silence, shock evident in his tone. He stood up abruptly, unable to sit still in the face of such a claim. 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝑐𝘰𝑚
Damon, on the other hand, was deathly quiet. His muscles were visibly tensed, as if he was trying to hold back the storm of emotions building inside him. His silver eyes burned with a dangerous intensity as he glared at Oceanus, but he remained composed, barely.
Oceanus, however, seemed completely unfazed by the commotion he had caused. His expression remained lazy, as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell in front of everyone.
"Yes... I want my repayment. I want to become her mate. Is that a problem?" His tone was casual, almost careless, as he leaned back, eyes half-lidded with boredom. "I want to experience falling in love. Is that a problem?"
The casualness of his words only made the situation more unsettling. Lucas looked ready to pounce, and Damon’s restraint was hanging by a thread.
Kyra, still shocked, could only stare at Oceanus, trying to make sense of his sudden, audacious demand. The air was thick with tension, the weight of the situation pressing down on everyone.
"If you want to fall in love, you can have any female in our tribe," Kyra said, her voice steady, though her chest felt tight. "You’re going to be the healer for our tribe—I’m sure no one would reject you."
Yet, as the words left her mouth, she couldn’t shake the dull ache that settled in her chest. Her gaze met his, and she felt the weight of his gorgeous eyes bearing down on her. Why was she feeling this way? She hadn’t spent enough time with him to warrant such confusion, yet there was something strange about his presence.
Oceanus’s smile remained lazy, his lips curling in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. "I don’t like this offer, little star," he replied, his voice low and intimate, as if they were the only two people in the room. The playful way he called her little star twisted something deep inside her. "You should be happy... I’m a healer. I can take care of your baby."
Kyra’s heart skipped a beat as Oceanus’s words lingered in the air, his tone soft but laced with an almost dangerous seduction.
His eyes locked with hers, deep and knowing, as if he was pulling her into some unspoken connection. The seductive edge to his voice only deepened, making her pulse quicken.
Kyra’s breath caught in her throat. She felt a mix of emotions—discomfort, confusion, and an inexplicable draw toward him. She couldn’t understand why her body reacted this way to Oceanus.
Lucas growled lowly under his breath, his possessive nature rising to the surface as he took a step closer to Kyra, eyes burning into Oceanus. "Don’t even think about it, Oceanus," Lucas said, his voice sharp, but it was Damon’s dangerous, silent presence that made the air crackle with tension.
"You will not come near her," Damon finally spoke, his voice a low warning, silver eyes gleaming with restrained fury.
"I can!" Oceanus declared firmly, his gaze steady as it bore into them. "You promised me." His voice softened, but the intensity in his tone remained. "Kyra has danger hovering over her head. There are many eyes on her, and I can protect her..."
The room fell into a tense silence, Damon and Lucas both frozen. The gravity of his words was undeniable, and even they knew the threat looming over Kyra was real, something neither of them could face alone. The way Oceanus spoke, his calm aura, almost as if he was stating facts, made them falter.
Kyra bit her lip, uncertainty flickering in her hazel-blue eyes as Oceanus’s low, luring voice continued to fill the air. His next words struck her like a blow.
"For your baby’s safety..."
Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She hadn’t expected that. Everything in her world had changed since learning about the baby, and as much as she despised the way Oceanus used it against her, he wasn’t wrong. She could sense the dangerous forces swirling around her, the looming threats.
Slowly, almost instinctively, Kyra nodded. She couldn’t bring herself to meet Lucas or Damon’s eyes as she did.
Kyra’s voice trembled slightly as she spoke, her resolve clear despite the turmoil brewing inside. "We should leave quickly..." she said, her hands subconsciously resting on her stomach. "I don’t want to stay here for long. I want to give birth in my home, my safe place. Please, because after some months, I won’t be able to travel..." Her eyes darted between Damon and Lucas, seeking their approval and understanding.
Simon still stood frozen in disbelief, his wide eyes shifting between Oceanus, Lucas, and Damon. He couldn’t wrap his mind around what had just transpired. Had they truly accepted Oceanus—just like that?
Lucas was the first to break the silence, his jaw clenched but his tone soft as he addressed Kyra. "If that’s what you want, Ky-ky, we’ll leave soon. But..." His ocean-blue eyes flicked briefly toward Oceanus, a flicker of uncertainty in them before he returned his focus to Kyra. "Are you really okay with this?"
Damon, ever the silent one, tightened his hold around Kyra protectively. His silver eyes glimmered with a silent Strom, but for now, he kept his thoughts to himself, opting to follow Kyra’s lead. The tension between him and Oceanus was palpable, though.
Oceanus remained composed, his lazy smile in place as if this entire situation was unfolding exactly how he’d anticipated. He nodded lazily, his gaze never leaving Kyra. "I’ll be ready when you are, little star."
Simon, still stunned, finally found his voice. "I—I can’t believe you’re all okay with this. Just like that?"
Kyra didn’t answer immediately, her head pounding with all the weight of the decisions before her. She just wanted her child safe, and if that meant leaving sooner than expected, then so be it. She glanced at Oceanus again, the healer who had smoothly inserted himself into her life in ways she hadn’t foreseen. Despite her misgivings, for now, she needed him too.
"We’ll leave tomorrow," she said softly, feeling the heaviness in the air as everyone processed what was coming next.
