B+Bs: To Stand In A Beast's World

128. Time Skip

"Hey, Tot, where's Bei'he?" I asked my grown eagle chick. "Weren't you playing together with First, Second, and Third?"

Tot chirped and screeched before leading me down to the cove. I couldn't follow him down as I'm not immune to physics, unlike my mates. Even if I get my third mark—which I'm pretty sure will be soon—I don't have the confidence to take the 10-story drop in front of me.

"Are you coming down, Grace?" Mitchell yelled from below. "Go ahead and jump. I'll catch you."

How about, no? I was absolutely not going to jump, but an excitable tiger cub ran into the back of my knees.

I fell ungracefully into the arms of my waiting mate below. If only I hadn't left my heart up on the cliff top, it might have beat for my handsome mate.

"You were just thinking about how handsome I was just now, weren't you?" Mitchell grinned smugly as his smooth and unmarked face practically shined in the sunlight.

"You're dreaming," I rolled my eyes.

"As long as I don't have to wake up."

I choked. Damn, Mitchell was picking up some smooth lines.

"You thought I was handsome again, didn't you."

"I didn't. You're awfully full of yourself today, aren't you." I pinched his nose but his expression didn't change.

"How can I not be? Do you see this face? And my strength is hardly rivaled." Mitchell's voice pitched as his airways were blocked out. It made his words sound extra ridiculous.

"Curtis and Winston can rival you. Muir won't be far behind."

Mitchell sulked. "Can't you let me have it for once?"

"For once?" I scoffed. "Hun, you've had it your way so many times, I've lost count."

Mitchell basked at the term of endearment that only rarely slipped out of Grace's mouth. "I don't remember. Could you mind me?"

I pushed his face away as he leaned in. "I'm looking for the kids."

Mitchell pouted and accepted that he wasn't getting any. "Right this way, my queen. Our screeching children await." Mitchell shot a warning look up at the cub that nocked Grace off the cliff. Someone was going to get a second education soon if Winston didn't beat him to it.

I couldn't roll my eyes anymore without losing them and chuckled instead. Tot circled from above and led us to the sea.

Mitchell wasn't wrong. Hope, Serenity, and Bei'he were alternating between yelling and screeching as Sieg tossed them into the water. They came back for more every time. I could practically feel Sieg's resignation as the female-tossing minion from here.

"Mom. Come do it too!" Hope, now eight years old, shouted.

"Come! Come!" Egged on Bai'he.

There was more activity going on in the cove. In fact, it was jam-packed with people. Some were playing frisbee, others were playing what looked to be rugby with no ruleset. Some were practicing making music using sticks and primitive drums. It was lively, to say the least.

This village, which was once lacking in playmates for my children, now had many. No child ever had the chance to get bored again, especially since both my and Qingqing's kids had pranksters in their ranks.

"Moooooum! Are you gonna play?" Serenity yelled.

"Okay, okay. I'm coming." I ditched my sandals and pulled off my over-shirt. Mitchell openly appreciated what he saw and I did not shy away from such a look. Now, the looks on the other beasts; well, I'd gotten used to them, but Mitchell had not.