Apocalyptic World: Surviving with my husband and my cute little babies

Ethan froze in fear when he learned the truth—her time ability came at the cost of her own life force.

Without hesitation, he dismissed the idea of using it.

"Don't ever think about activating that skill," he said firmly. "If it puts your life at risk, then it's not worth it."

Elena felt his intense concern and quickly nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I'll listen to you. So stop giving me that look," she said gently, reaching out to ruffle his messy hair.

"Besides, my time ability hasn't even awakened yet."

She sighed softly, realizing she had frightened him more than she intended.

Wanting to ease his worry, she offered a few gentle reassurances—even though, deep down, she knew her promise was only a white lie.

This kind of skill wasn't something she could easily set aside.

It was far too powerful, capable of tipping an entire situation in their favor.

Still, she reminded herself she would only use it when things were truly beyond saving—when there was absolutely no other choice left.

"Good," Ethan replied, relaxing slightly.

"Make sure no one else knows about it. It's better if only the two of us are aware. That kind of ability… it would be dangerous if the wrong people found out."

"Hmmm," Elena murmured in agreement. She had already come to the same conclusion.

Her space ability was enough to show the world what she was capable of. And her time ability—that would remain hidden, her last and most powerful trump card.

Soon after, the two sat down at the dining table to observe the situation while eating a late lunch.

Everything else could wait—her stomach certainly couldn't. Elena had been feeling hungrier than usual lately.

It must be the baby asking for food, too.

She dug into the dishes without holding back, spooning bite after bite, as if making up for all the days she had barely managed to eat due to pregnancy nausea.

"Wife, slow down," Ethan said with concern, watching her gulp down food. "You'll choke at this rate."

"I just missed the taste of kimchi," she said between bites, a bit embarrassed but still chewing eagerly.

Then, as if a thought struck her, she added, "By the way, isn't Little Mia's fourth birthday coming up next week? Has Aunt Liza planned anything?"

Ethan paused briefly. His Aunt Liza had mentioned keeping the celebration simple because of the ongoing disaster.

But Elena clearly hoped for something a little more special.

He understood why—she had confided in him once, quietly, about the little girl's fate in her past life.

Little Mia had died from a severe lung disease, long before she ever had the chance to grow up.

She never even made it to adolescence. It was a quiet, painful memory that lingered in Elena's heart.

So now, in this lifetime, she wanted to give the child something different—something warm and joyful.

A birthday to remember. A moment of happiness to make up for the sorrow that had once filled her short life.

"Aunt said she just wants something small celebration," he replied carefully.

"Given everything going on, she thinks it's more practical. But if we talk to her, maybe she'll change her mind."

Elena blinked and then slowly set her spoon down. "No... Aunt Liza is right. I've been inconsiderate."

Her voice softened. "As long as Mia is happy, and her parents are still here, that's already enough."

Ethan reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. But she smiled, brushing off her earlier suggestion.

Then he smiled, trying to lift the mood. "Well, we could still celebrate something else. It'll be your sixth month of pregnancy soon. We haven't even thanked everyone for taking care of you. Let's have dual celebration along with Little Mia's birthday. What do you think?"

Elena chuckled softly. "Alright."

After lunch, Elena took a brief rest at Ethan's gentle urging.

When she woke, it was already late afternoon, yet the sun still burned fiercely in the sky, casting a strange, uneasy heat through the air.

She got up slowly and began looking for her husband.

The moment she saw him resting on the sofa with his eyes closed, she stayed quiet, choosing to wait instead of disturbing him.

Ethan wasn't sleeping— he was using his [Telepathy] giving instructions to Lieutenant Fern, their newest member.

The officer had accepted their terms and officially joined their group.

He was the only one among his team who had been marked, and the rest of his men would remain under his care and leadership.

Lieutenant Fern was currently helping Jetro's group, and since he and Jetro had known each other before, working together came easily.

Ethan had also asked about the conditions on the other side, wanting to make sure everything remained stable despite the growing heat crisis.

He had taken full responsibility for overseeing the operations and had given clear instructions to everyone: any reports or issues must go through him directly.

No one was to disturb his wife—especially not while she was carrying their child.

When Ethan finally opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Elena watching him with quiet focus.

'My wife is really getting bold... seducing me again with that stare,' he thought with amusement.

Without missing a beat, he reached out, gently pulled her close, and kissed her with eagerness—like a wolf savoring its mate.

"Wife, why are you so beautiful?" he whispered, his eyes gleaming with affection.

"Stop it..." she muttered, cheeks turning rosy like a blooming flower. "In broad daylight, really? What if the kids see us?"

Quickly, she glanced at the children playing nearby, just to make sure none of them had witnessed their sudden show of affection.

"They're playing too far away," he said, then stole another kiss on her cheek, this time more discreetly.

'Should I eat my wife later? But her belly's so big now... what if I hurt her?' he wondered with a quiet sigh, staring at her with a helpless expression.

Elena blinked in confusion. What was that look for? Had she done something wrong?

If she only knew what kind of thoughts her husband was having, she would've surely scolded this sneaky wolf.

"Still, you shouldn't be reckless," she said, trying to sound stern.

"The kids might run off and tell Grandpa and the others. That would be so embarrassing."

"I understand," he said with a sheepish smile, giving her a loud, playful smooch while holding her close.

Moments like this—simple and warm—were what he wished would last forever.

But reality crept in again, bringing his thoughts back to the present.

"Wife," he said with a sigh, "the temperature's rising again. I'm afraid by tomorrow, the ice might melt completely."