Beast King's Crippled Mate-Chapter 281: When summer comes...

Swan couldn’t hide her smile at all. She was so relieved that she wanted to hug the miracle doctor.

However, she still had one more question to ask regarding her status with Gale. The pregnancy and everything was meant to be an answer to one simple question.

"Does that mean Gale and I are fated mates?"

...

The smile on the miracle doctor’s face slowly diminished, and he was silenced immediately.

Looking at his reaction, the smile on Swan’s face also diminished, as fear began creeping into her heart. There was no point in being pregnant if this child she was bearing wouldn’t be loved by his father as well.

"Is that... a no?" Swan asked. "But you said that pregnancy will be the sign of a fated mate between us since Gale cannot impregnate women who aren’t his fated one." freёnovelkiss.com

"It is all based on my own theory, Your Majesty," Matoa replied. "Gale has been suffering from his curse for decades. I was just a middle-aged wolf when he came to me all battered and in his dying breath after fighting against countless Alphas and betas from other packs. I did everything I could to delay his death, but to make him fully healed, I brought him to the Sacred Selene Lake. The Goddess granted his wish and fully healed him from all his wounds. She made him the strongest creature to ever exist, basically becoming an immortal."

"Of course, those blessings come with a cost. Gale was so full of rage and bitterness at that time, that he couldn’t hear the goddess at all on the brink of his death. So he agreed to whatever the curse dictated him," Matoa continued. "And that curse made him unable to find his fated mate at all."

"It has been decades. The reason why I said that pregnancy would clarify his fated mate’s status was to motivate him to continue searching for his destined one..."

Swan felt weak all over.

If her pregnancy meant nothing, then what was the other way to determine who Gale’s fated one was?

"Don’t be so sad, Your Majesty. My theory could be true too, since he doesn’t seem to have an interest in any other women before you," Matoa tried to comfort her. "There are two other ways to determine your status. First, it is to look directly into his ruby-like eyes, which is too risky, that’s why I don’t recommend this. The second is to bring you to the Sacred Selene Lake. The Moon Goddess will come and determine whether you’re truly his fated one or not."

"T-then, why didn’t he bring me there before?"

"I suppose, he didn’t think that you were his fated mate at first, but as time went on, he realized you might be the one. However, it is not possible to bring you to the Sacred Selene Lake except during summer. It is very cold, with many dangerous monsters lurking around. Even if you are under Gale’s protection, the road to get there will be very tough for you."

"Summer is the perfect time because the temperature is at least warmer for a human to enter the area," Matoa added. "You should rejoice over your pregnancy, Your Majesty. You’re pregnant with the Beast King’s offspring. You’re the only one who has this privilege."

A thin smile finally returned to Swan’s face once more.

She still had a chance to be Gale’s fated mate in the end. She might sound desperate, but she wanted to be Gale’s only one too.

"He told me that he will bring me to the Sacred Selene Lake in the late spring or summer before," Swan said.

"Then, he already knows what to do. All you need to do is wait. Oh, and tell him about this good news," Matoa encouraged.

The old doctor propped himself using his cane, before standing with his back drooped, "I had a long trip to the castle. Gale was so impatient that he sent all of his scouts and new beta to find me, then forcefully dragged me here. I need rest."

"S-sorry, I will tell the maids to prepare a guest room for you, doctor..."

Matoa smiled and said, "Just call me Matoa. You’re Gale’s wife, and he is my friend."

Swan nodded again.

"Then, please excuse me, Queen Swan."

Swan watched as Matoa headed to the door, and before he left, she called him, "Wait!"

"Yes?"

Matoa turned his head, waiting for Swan’s question.

Swan hesitated for a moment before she gathered her courage and uttered, "T-thank you for helping my husband all this time. I-I know that you don’t have to do it, and he can be a bit handful and stubborn at times. B-but I really appreciate it!"

Matoa had a big smile as he chuckled and shrugged, "Well, he is a handful one. He can be very demanding and stubborn, but he knows how to pay me back. He protects my tribe, which is full of healers and doctors. We have no fighters and often get attacked. Our forest was pillaged before he came and fiercely defended our pack. He still has many beastmen soldiers guarding my tribe these days. I’d say it is a good trade between us."

Matoa had been holding this one sentence in his heart the whole time, but as he saw the frail Queen Swan, he knew he had to say it as she didn’t seem to be someone who could take devastating news easily.

"Queen Swan..."

"Y-yes?"

"If... if a twist of fate forces Gale to mate with another woman. You are more than welcome to take refuge in my tribe. There are a lot of female beastmen and humans who took shelter there and worked as healers," Matoa offered. "Of course, this is just a what-if scenario."

Swan smiled and nodded again, "Thank you for the offer, doctor. But I’ve told myself one thing before and will adhere to that strict rule."

"If he is not my fated mate, then I shall disappear into foam in the sea. He is my whole life, and to see him with another woman... I might as well leave this world..."