After Giving Birth, All My Beast Ex-Husbands Suddenly Want Me Back-Chapter 134: Raising cubs is really hard

"Tonight they’ll sleep with us," Kith said, lifting Yinny and Didi into his arms. "Each of us should take a few. One male alone won’t be able to manage them all. Since Finch isn’t here, I’ll look after Didi for him."

The cubs were nowhere near as obedient with them as they were with Nina.

Still, they had to start getting used to sleeping without her. Once Nina had mates, the cubs couldn’t keep sleeping beside her every night.

What the cubs didn’t yet realize was that once these unreliable fathers fully secured their positions, they would be the ones competing with the cubs for Nina’s attention—refusing to let them sleep beside their mother anymore.

Aviel picked up Linny and Momo, one in each hand. "I’ll take these two. The other cubs seem to like you more anyway, so you handle them."

Sal gathered the remaining egg-cubs into his arms. "Fine. I’ll take these ones."

If he couldn’t hold Nina, at least holding the cubs might ease the ache a little.

But the cubs were already uneasy after hearing that their mother wouldn’t return tonight. Soon they began fussing and protesting.

Why wasn’t their mother coming back tonight?

Waaah... they wanted Mom...

In Kith’s arms, Yinny and Didi twisted and wriggled furiously.

We don’t want these smelly males—we want our soft, sweet-smelling mom!

Linny and Momo squirmed just as fiercely in Aviel’s grip, trying to shake themselves free.

We want Mom, not you!

Even the egg-cubs in Sal’s arms were restless, wriggling and wobbling as they tried to find their mother.

The males exchanged helpless looks. They wanted Nina back, too.

All of this was the fault of that blasted phoenix.

With no other choice, they carried the protesting cubs back to their respective rooms.

Kith set Yinny and Didi on the bed.

"Behave and go to sleep," he said firmly. "No tantrums. Your mother will be back tomorrow. Tonight you’ll sleep with me."

The two cubs flopped onto the bed with drooping little faces, rolling around restlessly and refusing to settle down.

Kith watched them for quite a while. They kept rolling. If anything, they seemed to be getting more energetic.

"When exactly are you two planning to stop rolling?" Kith said helplessly. "Are you going to sleep or not?"

He didn’t dare use force—what if the cubs complained to Nina tomorrow? Right now, he couldn’t afford to make even the smallest mistake.

But he also couldn’t just let them stay up all night. If Nina found out they hadn’t slept properly, she would definitely be upset.

Didi whimpered, "Waaah... I want Mom... I want Mom..."

Yinny lifted his little head and said seriously, "Mom always tells us a story before bed. We can’t sleep without a story."

In truth, what they wanted most was their mother’s warm, fragrant embrace.

"Fine. I’ll tell you a story."

Kith frowned and thought for a long time before awkwardly piecing together a clumsy, rambling tale.

Yinny and Didi showed absolutely no interest in the story.

But Kith’s storytelling was so painfully dull that the two cubs eventually fell asleep out of sheer boredom.

When Kith finally saw their breathing grow slow and steady, he let out a quiet sigh of relief. Lying down beside them, he closed his eyes and gradually drifted off to sleep as well.

Things were far less peaceful on Aviel’s side.

Linny darted back and forth across the room like a tiny whirlwind.

I want Mom! I’m going to find Mom! I’m not sleeping with you!

Meanwhile, Momo had flown up to a corner of the ceiling, her little body curled up as if on the verge of tears.

I want Mom... I only want Mom...

Waaah... Mom, where are you? Momo misses you...

The dragon males were thrown into chaos.

Some ran around trying to catch Linny. Others stood beneath the ceiling, coaxing Momo down. A few blocked the doorway, preventing Linny from escaping.

"Stop right there, you little brat!" Aviel barked.

He was already exhausted from chasing the energetic cub around the room.

Linny darted to another corner.

No! I’m going to find Mom!

Aviel gritted his teeth. "Fine. Don’t blame me for what happens next."

This little brat had clearly gotten too bold.

He expanded his domain.

Instantly, Linny’s movements slowed to a crawl.

Aviel grabbed the cub in one swift motion and dropped him onto the bed.

"Lie down and sleep properly," he growled. "Or I’ll really start hitting."

Nearby, Pado was trying to soothe Momo. "Little Master Momo, come down, alright? Lady Nina will be back soon. If you sleep now, when you wake up you’ll see her."

Momo shook her tiny head.

You’re lying. I already woke up once, and Mom wasn’t back.

"We’re not lying," Pado said patiently. "You just didn’t sleep long enough."

Momo looked at him carefully.

Really? Uncle Pado isn’t lying to Momo?

Pado had always been kind to her, and she liked him quite a lot.

"Really. Now come down and sleep, alright?"

After thinking for a moment, Momo fluttered down obediently and curled up on the bed.

When I wake up, Mom will be back.

Aviel frowned at Linny, who was still restless even on the bed.

"You’d better sleep too."

Linny glared at him.

I want a story.

Momo turned her head to look at Aviel as well.

Aviel frowned deeper. "Pado, you tell them a story."

He was absolutely terrible at that sort of thing.

So Pado resigned himself to the task and began telling the two cubs some little stories.

His storytelling was far more entertaining than Kith’s. Linny and Momo became more and more excited as they listened, constantly demanding another story.

Pado and the other dragon males racked their brains to come up with more.

Eventually, however, they ran completely out of ideas.

Under the silent threat of Aviel’s raised fist, Linny and Momo finally settled down and drifted off to sleep.

Once the two cubs were asleep, the dragon males couldn’t help sighing.

Lady Nina was truly incredible.

She managed so many cubs every day by herself, while they were already utterly exhausted just caring for two.

Raising cubs is really hard.

Aviel let out a long breath.

Finally asleep.

Why is getting them to sleep so difficult? Nina must have worked incredibly hard before.

A trace of guilt rose in his heart.

From now on, he would treat Nina even better.

Aviel shifted into his beast form—a golden dragon of moderate size—and coiled around Linny and Momo protectively, curling them safely within his body as he fell asleep beside them.

Things were much calmer on Sal’s side.

At first, the egg-cubs rolled around restlessly, refusing to sleep. Without Nina’s embrace, they felt deeply uneasy.

Then Sal remembered the little tune Nina used to hum to them before bedtime.

He gathered the egg-cubs gently in his arms.

"Alright, little ones, time to sleep. If your mother finds out you didn’t sleep, she’ll worry. How about Uncle Sal sings you a song?"

He began humming the same lullaby Nina often sang.

His voice was low and pleasant, carrying a unique warmth of its own.

When the egg-cubs heard the familiar melody, they stopped rolling around and slowly nestled closer to him.

After humming for quite some time, the egg-cubs finally grew completely still.

"Are you asleep?" Sal asked softly.

They didn’t move for a long time.

Only then did Sal confirm that they had all fallen asleep.

He sighed quietly.

Finally asleep... My throat’s about to go hoarse.

Maybe he didn’t sing as beautifully as Nina—but it shouldn’t have sounded that bad, right?

Those little troublemakers had listened for ages before finally falling asleep.

Sal carefully placed them back into their nest and lay beside them, watching over them until he slowly drifted off as well.

Meanwhile, near the outskirts of the Half-Mountain Tribe, Mino and Ming were wandering nearby, lingering in the shadows.