Mated to the Beast of the Wasteland (Gillian and Merrick) novel Chapter 261

Chapter 261 The Luckiest Thing

Chapter 261 The Luckiest Thing

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Gillian brushed her thumb over the shadows under Merrick’s eyes. She knew exactly how keyed up the 9th Legion got when they finally had a visible enemy.

“If we actually solve the taint source, how much debt are you still carrying around?” she asked.

“There’s plenty left,” Merrick said. “But if the danger’s gone, we’ve got a real shot at making money.” He laced his fingers through hers, brushed her cheek, then pulled her closer. He looked completely at ease.

“Once this is all over, you can finally start that farming empire of yours.” He rested his chin on her shoulder and ran a hand over her belly.

Gillian swatted it away. “Of course I’m starting it. You’re drowning in debt. You don’t pay it off, and you think our kids are gonna do it?”

Out here on the Outer Planet, kids didn’t just inherit their parents’ assets. They inherited the debts too, and she wasn’t about to let Elias and Asher come into the world buried under trillions of credits.

“Gillian, I swear I’ll clear every last cent.” Merrick threw his hands up. “Before, I didn’t have a choice. I’m telling you right now, before these two are born, all of it’s gone.”

Gillian pulled up her wrist terminal and showed him the photos Mabel had sent. “Look. The vegetables we planted are already sprouting. Another couple of months, and we’ll have something to harvest.”

Merrick looked at the images of base housing, and something warm and sweet hit him square in the chest. That was his home. This life right here was what he’d been fighting for.

Merrick said, “Gillian, finding you was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.”

The sudden sap caught Gillian off guard, and her face went hot.

Her wrist terminal buzzed with a message from Freya, and she dropped her eyes fast, grateful for the distraction. She opened StarChat and saw Freya had sent coordinates.

“Freya and Elara are closing in on the Naiad River,” she said.

“The Griffin Warship’s fast,” Merrick said. “Hope they bring back good news.”

He’d only sent them to scout the river. Nothing more.

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13:07 Tue, Jul 14

Chapter 261 The Luckiest Thing

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Gillian nodded. “Yeah, the warship can cover ground fast. Speed’s everything in a fight. The second we lock onto their nest, we flood the whole river and bury it.”

She wanted every last one of those things wiped out, and she wanted it now.

***

Inside the Griffin Warship’s main cockpit, Elara checked her gear for the last time. Everything was set. She glanced over at Tristan, tucked into the corner, silent and still.

“Tristan, you sure you’re coming down with me? You’re fully recovered?” she asked.

Tristan had his legs crossed, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The sky was fading into evening, streaks of color bleeding across the far edge. The sun was about to drop. It looked almost exactly like that morning on the Naiad River when he and Gillian had stood on the observation deck and watched the sunrise together.

Elara figured he wasn’t going to answer, and then his voice came through, low and clear.

“Yeah. Protecting you is what I’m here for.”

The Five-Colored Cicada’s blood was still working through him, and he hadn’t stopped pushing his levels. He was one breath away from level 8, and if he couldn’t beat Merrick now, that didn’t mean he never would.

“Fine. Then make sure you actually protect me,” Elara said.

Freya kept one eye on the Blue Phoenix data and the other on the three people in the cockpit.

Elara was cool and unreadable. Sylas was staring at something with a faint smile tugging at his mouth. Tristan sat weighed down by something heavy, popping beast crystals one after another like candy.

A normal beastman pushing themselves like that would’ve blown their meridians or coughed blood by now. He was chewing through them like snacks.

It was terrifying, and Freya would’ve killed to be able to do the same. If she could level up that fast, she wouldn’t be stuck up here in the aircraft playing mascot.

The little blue phoenix nuzzled her cheek, as if it knew what she was thinking.

Night swallowed the last light. The three of them signaled Freya and dropped off the warship.

Elara’s Cryolotus Wrist Terminal flared open and pulled the other two under its wings.

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