POLAR BEAR ARC CHAPTER 38

                                    

                                          

Day and night began to alternate, and spring had officially started. The once desolate land, previously ignored by polar bears, was now bustling with activity.
Bears were moving back and forth across the snowfields below, although that's an exaggeration—most of them were either courting or on their way up the mountain. Cases like Otis and Alexander, who had already secured a spot on a mountaintop, were still relatively rare.
Under the shadowy shelter of a windbreak formed by rocks, a massive male polar bear enveloped a white figure with his sturdy frame.
That figure was another polar bear, younger and plumper, with snow-white, fluffy fur—though it wasn't exactly accurate to call him a cub anymore.
In terms of age and size, Alexander had outgrown the nickname "little bear." At two and a half years old, he was at the age where he could leave his mother and live independently, just as Otis had done at that age. Back then, Otis was already self-sufficient.
Physically, Alexander had grown impressively large for his age, outstripping even some three-year-old male polar bears.
Yet, Otis, who had been caring for him, seemed unconcerned with these facts. He never treated their relationship according to the typical mother-cub dynamic.
Whether Alexander was two and a half or three and a half years old, it seemed that Otis never gave it much thought. Perhaps, in Otis's eyes, even if Alexander were ten, he would still be his "little bear"—one who needed feeding, cuddling, and constant companionship.
As time passed, a faint light gradually began to rise on the horizon, bringing a touch of brightness to a land that had been shrouded in darkness for months.
Of course, the sky didn't brighten all at once—it might take a bit more patience. And as they waited, snow began to fall again, darkening the sky once more.
Qiao Qixi yawned as he woke up, listening to the howling wind and snow outside. He immediately felt that the spot they had chosen was perfect—no wind or snow could get in. With Otis as his warm shelter, he didn't feel cold at all.
He turned his head to look at Otis, who had been resting with his eyes closed. The moment Otis sensed his gaze, he opened his eyes and looked back at him. Their eyes met—one pair was sleepy and irresistibly cute, while the other was deep and focused, with hidden currents beneath the calm surface.
It seemed as if something was deeply concealed there.
Qiao Qixi blinked his round eyes in amazement. He nuzzled Otis's face and thought to himself, if he hadn't known Otis, he might never have realized that polar bears could have such a mysterious side.
There was nothing clumsy or naive about Otis.
As the little bear rubbed against Otis's chin, Otis's gaze immediately heated up, and he looked very pleased.
Otis had many ways of expressing his happiness—usually through actions, but sometimes with a brief sound, like today.
Comparing Otis's current sound with the one he made when driving off intruders or courting rivals, Qiao Qixi couldn't help but smile knowingly.
But as he smiled, his smile faded.
He hadn't forgotten the purpose of their climb—Otis wanted to mate with him because he loved him.
Though Qiao Qixi had come to terms with the fact that Otis's feelings for him were romantic and sexual, and he didn't plan to reject this astonishing love, it wasn't because he was particularly accepting or felt obligated.