While they were preparing Huo's medicine earlier, Lia had already told Xue that they had overheard his conversation with Ziqian. And despite barely being able to move, Huo stopped them from entering so he could continue listening.
As both the high priest and their mother, Lia had asked about Xue's plans for the future and offered him some advice. He had also confessed how guilty he felt for making the decision that led to their current situation.
Xue was normally taciturn, but this time, he truly didn't know what to say to his mother because, deep in his heart, he was grateful for Lia's decision.
If his mother had not made that decision, he would never have gotten the chance to know Ziqian or fallen in love with him.
At this point, he could no longer imagine his life without Ziqian.
Xue understood what Huo must have been thinking at that moment because, if he had been in Huo's place, he knew he would have done the same.
What worried Xue now was how Huo would react once he woke up.
Would he attack him again?
Or would he finally accept everything?
Xue didn't know, but no matter how Huo reacted, he would never let Ziqian get caught between them and suffer again.
If he had to beg Huo to end their constant fighting, then he would.
Xue was willing to do anything for Ziqian.
But the moment Huo opened his eyes, he said something Xue had never expected to hear.
"Let's get married."
"The three of us."
Xue couldn't believe that these words would come from Huo first.
He was momentarily stunned, but he quickly regained his composure, unlike Ziqian, who was still staring at Huo in disbelief.
Xue stepped forward and stood beside Ziqian.
He looked at his younger brother and then simply gave a small nod. "I have no objection." His voice was calm and steady, without the slightest hint of hesitation.
Huo simply returned Xue's response with a faint smile.
It wasn't that he had forgotten the years he had spent competing with Xue. The envy, the insecurities, and the feeling that he had always been abandoned, always been the second choice, still lingered in his heart. Those emotions couldn't simply vanish overnight.
But for Ziqian's sake, he was willing to compromise.
Huo's gaze returned to Ziqian.
His fingers weakly tightened around the sub-beast's hand.
"Ziqian…" he called softly.
Ziqian didn't answer. He simply continued staring at Huo.
Huo's heart slowly sank.
Maybe Ziqian had already made his choice.
After everything that had happened, and in his current condition, Huo couldn't help but feel that all he would do now was become a burden.
"...Am I too late?" Huo asked, his voice trembling with uncertainty.
He wasn't asking Ziqian to choose anymore.
He was only asking if there was still a place for him by Ziqian's side.
Ziqian opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
He didn't know whether it was because he was so exhausted that his mind could no longer keep up or because Huo's words had completely caught him off guard.
But one thing was certain.
He had never felt this happy before.
His vision blurred, and before he realized it, warm tears were already rolling down his cheeks.
The twins panicked.
"Ziqian!?"
Xue hurriedly reached over and gently wiped away the sub-beast's tears. Huo instinctively tried to sit up and reach for Ziqian, but a pained groan escaped his lips when he suddenly felt intense pain all over his body, forcing him back onto the bed.
"You're such an idiot," Ziqian said, leaning closer to Huo, his voice trembling, but the smile on his face was brighter than ever.
Huo blinked. "Then..."
Ziqian gently flicked Huo's forehead. "You were never late," he softly chuckled through his tears.
Huo closed his eyes for a brief moment, and when he opened them again, they were slightly red, but the uncertainty in those golden eyes had already disappeared.
"...Thank you."
"What for?" Ziqian asked with a soft laugh.
"I should be the one thanking the two of you." He looked at Huo before turning to Xue. "Huo… Xue… thank you for accepting me."
The tent fell silent once more. This time, the silence was no longer heavy but warm and comforting.
Beside them, Lia quietly smiled before looking away, pretending to busy himself with the herbs on the table.
Even the four guardians had gone unusually quiet.
Actually Ero wanted to tease Ziqian, but the other three fluff balls immediately surrounded him, refusing to let him ruin the moment.
There were so many things Ziqian wanted to talk about as his mind wandered to the future the three of them would build together.
Their tent was now in shambles, so they would have to build a new one, this time large enough for the three of them. Huo's soul was still injured, and they needed to decide what he could and couldn't do until he fully recovered.
The twins also had to learn how to share the same home in peace because Ziqian would no longer tolerate them hurting each other.
These were only the most important topics now, and there were countless other things on Ziqian's mind.
But Huo's body had already reached its limit. Before they could start discussing anything, he slowly drifted back to sleep.
Seeing him resting peacefully, Ziqian finally let himself relax. His heart felt lighter as he lay down on the bed beside Huo, and it wasn't long before exhaustion pulled him as well.
Those conversations could wait until tomorrow.
While Xue waited until Bei returned to make sure his mother wasn't alone before finally lying down beside Ziqian to rest. He was careful not to wake the sub-beast up.
But as soon as Xue settled into the bed, the sleeping sub-beast unconsciously shifted closer, and with a soft mumble, Ziqian nestled against Xue's chest.
Xue's always expressionless face softened.
This wasn't the first time Ziqian had done this. Ever since they had started sleeping together, the sub-beast had developed the habit of seeking Xue out in his sleep. Ziqian admitted that he liked Xue's naturally cool body temperature.
Xue didn't mind because he also got used to sleeping with Ziqian in his arms.
At first, Xue had been stiff and unsure of what to do. He had never been intimate, let alone share a bed with anyone before, but now it had become the most natural thing in the world.
Xue adjusted the fur blanket to cover Ziqian before gently wrapping an arm around the sub-beast's waist.
"Sleep well," he whispered as he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Ziqian's head.
Lia and Bei, who had witnessed everything from the side, exchanged surprised glances. They hadn't realized the two had already become so comfortable with each other, but no one said a word.
A warm smile spread across Lia's face as Bei quietly took his hand. Without disturbing the peaceful scene before them, the couple returned to their own bed to rest.
~
The next morning, even before the sun completely rose, the whole Winged Tiger Tribe was already bustling with activity.
Smoke curled from several hearths as the females started preparing packed foods for the hunters and gatherers who would soon head into the forest. Nearby, several cubs chased one another as their laughter filled the air, making the surroundings more lively.
And at the center of the tribe, small groups had gathered. Each of them was heatedly discussing the events that almost awakened everyone the night before.
"I thought Huo was going to kill the young patriarch last night," a middle-aged beast said while stroking his braided beard.
"I knew the young patriarch was strong, but I never imagined he could fight Huo after he went berserk," a burly young man said, reenacting the fierce battle he had witnessed last night. His voice was filled with admiration for Xue.
The group laughed at his clumsy movements.
~
Not far away, several elders were sitting on a large trunk of a tree while weaving baskets.
"In all my years, I've never seen anyone returning from a berserk state like that," Elder Sen said.
Elder Kue nodded in agreement. "The Patriarch said Huo only needs time to recover. It is a miracle that I never thought I would witness."
Elder Yue smiled warmly. "We truly are blessed. The Beast God has sent His Messenger to our tribe."
~
Near the tribe's larder, several females and a few sub-beasts sat beside large baskets filled with vegetables. They busily sorted and cleaned the ingredients for the feast later.
Days earlier, Ziqian had already decided on the dishes they would prepare for today's feast.
"I wonder if today's feast will still continue," Tin said. She couldn't help worrying that there would be no delicious food to eat.
"Me too. Ziqian looked completely exhausted yesterday."
"The High Priest told us to start preparing the ingredients," Tei said as she checked one of the baskets. "It means that the feast is still happening, so stop chatting and get back to work."
The others exchanged glances before lowering their voices. They continue chatting about the events last night.
"I still can't believe that pheromones can be used without a bond," whispered a sub-beast with a mole under his lips.
Tei sighed.
Earlier that morning, Tei had visited Ziqian with Qiu and Yan. They had been worried about him ever since the previous night's incident. They hadn't been able to see him since he was still resting, but the high priest reassured them that Ziqian was fine and that the feast would continue as planned.
So, Tei could only focus on the task she had been assigned while waiting for her friend to show up.
Throughout the tribe, no matter which group one approached, the conversation always revolved around the same three people.
Xue.
Huo.
Ziqian.