miu 🪼

After a while, though, he realized he wasn’t the only one who could use a little peace and quiet. You had long since finished your slice of chocolate cake, leaving the paper plate with its scattering of crumbs on the chair beside you where Valko had been sitting before another wave of children stole him away. Now you sat beneath the shade of the covered back patio, absentmindedly scrolling through your phone while warm sunlight spilled across the backyard beyond you. Laughter echoed through the air, birds chirped from the trees overhead, and the sweet smell of birthday cake mixed with barbecue and freshly cut grass on the lazy afternoon breeze. Just as someone announced it was time for the piñata, every child erupted into excited squeals before stampeding across the lawn toward the brightly colored prize hanging from one of the trees.

The moment he saw his opportunity, Valko peeled away from the tiny mob and headed straight for you.

“Hey,” he greeted with an easy smile, lifting a hand in a small wave as he walked over. He picked up the forgotten plate of cake from his chair before settling down beside you with an audible sigh of relief, “how ya doing? Bored yet?”

A quiet laugh escaped you. Before you could answer, his large hand reached beneath your chair, wrapped around one of its legs, and effortlessly dragged you closer until the legs scraped softly over the deck and bumped into his with a gentle little clink. Apparently satisfied with the closer distance, he slipped an arm around your shoulders and tucked you comfortably against his side. His broad hand lazily stroked your shoulder in slow, affectionate passes while he looked down at you through relaxed, half-lidded eyes, wearing the kind of soft smile that always seemed reserved just for you.

“I’m fine,” you assured him with a small nod, your hand coming to rest on his broad thigh over the worn denim of his jeans. You gave it a gentle squeeze before teasing, “go have fun. You look pretty happy when you’re terrorizing a bunch of eight-year-olds.”

He let out a hearty laugh, the sound warm and unrestrained as he subconsciously pulled you a little closer beneath the comfortable weight of his arm. Stretching one long leg out in front of him, he settled farther back into his chair, looking out over the backyard where a dozen children tore across the grass in every direction. Their laughter carried through the warm afternoon air beneath the cheerful chaos of shrieks, bouncing balls, and adults talking over one another beneath the covered patio and gazebo of tables.

“Not my fault one of those little rascals stole and hid my keys,” he said with an amused shake of his head, watching them with the fond exasperation only family could inspire, “they had it comin’.”

You couldn’t help smiling as you watched him. It was rare to see Valko this relaxed. There was no tailored suit, no lab coat no assassin’s cloak, no meetings, no responsibilities beyond surviving the relentless affection of his younger relatives. His green flannel sleeves had been rolled neatly to his elbows hours ago after the first game of tag, the top buttons of his shirt left undone against the Spring warmth, and despite spending the afternoon being climbed on like an oversized jungle gym, he still looked perfectly content. This was a side of him few people outside his family probably ever saw, and it suited him surprisingly well.

The peaceful moment lasted only a few seconds before you felt his attention shift beside you. It was subtle enough that most people probably wouldn’t have noticed, but you had begun learning the little tells that came with loving a werewolf. His gaze snapped away from the yard in front of him toward something farther off before yours even had a chance to follow, his posture becoming just a touch more alert as one of the children’s voices caught his attention.

“Hey! Fenris,” he called, his voice carrying easily over the backyard without sounding harsh. Your eyes followed his line of sight until you spotted the little boy clutching a bright red ball. He froze mid-step the instant he realized Valko had seen him, “give Luna the ball back. It’s her turn.”

The little boy immediately threw his head back with a dramatic groan, “but! Cous, she—”

“—No I didn’t!” The little girl shouted over him before he could finish, “cous, he—”

“—Fenris,” Valko interrupted, his tone remaining calm but firm enough to end the argument before it had the chance to escalate, “ball. Now. C’mon.”

The little boy sighed as though he’d been dealt the greatest injustice of his young life before begrudgingly holding the ball out. The moment the little girl grabbed it, she smacked it free from his hands, stuck her tongue out at him with a triumphant grin, and sprinted across the yard in a fit of giggles. He let out an indignant yell and immediately tore off after her, disappearing back into the pack of children while several adults hardly noticed the exchange. You felt Valko shift beside you, already preparing to stand and referee whatever inevitably happened next, but before he could lift himself from the chair, you rested your hand over his broad thigh and gave it an affectionate squeeze to keep him where he was.

“They have parents,” you reminded him gently, leaning just a little closer until your shoulder rested comfortably against his.

“Yeah, but you know my booze-loving uncle,” he huffed, allowing himself to sink back against the chair instead as he folded his broad arms across his chest. His eyes never quite left the children, though there was more fondness than frustration behind them, “he gets two drinks in him and then just disappears. And then he wonders why his youngest are little hellhounds off leashes.”

Despite not being one of the elders of his clan, Valko was still its leader. The distinction mattered. The elders held authority over tradition, counsel, and the customs that had guided the werewolf clans for generations, but when people needed someone to follow, someone to trust, someone to carry the weight of everyone else’s worries, they instinctively turned to him. Responsibility seemed to settle onto his shoulders as naturally as breathing. He was always the first to notice when someone needed help, the first to step between conflict before it could grow, and the first person everyone sought out without even thinking about it. Strength had earned him leadership, but the quiet way he cared for everyone around him was what made them willing to follow.

Ironically, the very people who usually insisted on rank and tradition seemed to vanish the moment a backyard full of children needed supervising. The older generation had long since settled into comfortable conversations elsewhere, enjoying the afternoon while the parents of the youngest children relaxed just a little more than they normally would. It wasn’t intentional neglect so much as quiet confidence. They all knew Valko was there.

And if Valko was there…The kids were safe. He was the only one among his cousins and siblings who didn’t have children of his own yet, which somehow made him the designated babysitter every single family gathering. The little ones absolutely adored him. They clung to his legs, begged him for piggyback rides, demanded another game of tag the second the last one ended, and somehow convinced the six-foot-two chairman of EonCore Tech to chase them around the yard pretending to be a monster every single time. They laughed harder with him than they did with anyone else, and watching him throw himself so wholeheartedly into their games made it painfully obvious why he was everyone’s favorite cousin.

But you had also begun noticing something everyone else seemed to miss. The little moments. The tired sighs he thought no one heard. The way he rolled his shoulders when the children weren’t looking. The quiet glances he’d steal toward you whenever he needed a breather before another tiny voice inevitably called his name again. He loved them. God, he loved those kids. But sometimes loving everyone meant forgetting to take care of himself. Sometimes he was the one who needed someone looking out for him.

“Why don’t we get away from it all for a bit?” You suggested softly, reaching over to take the paper plate from his hands after he scooped up the last bite of chocolate cake you’d left for him, “you said I could nap in one of the guest rooms if I got overstimulated, right? What if we both take a nap together?”

He chewed thoughtfully, though it was obvious he was mulling over far more than the last bite of cake. For just a moment, you thought you had him. Then that familiar, responsible expression settled across his handsome face.

“Nah,” he said, shaking his head as he swallowed, “the kids are gonna be running around looking for me the moment I disappear. There’s no rest for the wicked.”

You sighed dramatically, rolling your eyes with affectionate exasperation.

“God forbid you get away for an hour or two,” you teased, “come on.”

Before he could even begin forming another excuse, you stood, walked the few steps to the nearby trash can, and tossed the empty plate away. By the time you returned, he was only just opening his mouth to protest. He never got the chance. You slipped your fingers around his wrist and gave him a firm tug.

“C’mon.”

Without the slightest resistance, he rose obediently from the chair, letting you pull his considerably larger frame to his feet. The corners of his mouth had already started curling upward into a helpless smile. For all his stubbornness, he was remarkably easy to lead whenever you took charge with just enough confidence.

“Alright,” you said, lacing your fingers through his hand as you guided him toward the house, “here we go…”

You slipped out of your shoes by the door, the action reminding him to do the same. The instant you stepped inside, the atmosphere changed. The muffled shrieks of children softened behind the walls, replaced by quiet conversation, the low hum of music drifting through the open living room, and the occasional burst of laughter from relatives gathered around the kitchen island with drinks in hand. Sunlight spilled through the tall windows, warming the polished hardwood floors while the cool air-conditioning wrapped around your skin like a welcome sigh of relief after the sunny brightness outside.

You glanced back over your shoulder at him with a grin, “lead the way, puppy.”

He let out a warm, hearty laugh, the sound rumbling effortlessly from his chest as he rolled his eyes with exaggerated resignation, his dimples deepening beneath the grin that never seemed to stay off his face whenever you teased him, “whatever ya say, little master.”

A soft giggle slipped out before you could stop it, and you happily relinquished the lead, allowing him to guide you instead as he started toward the grand staircase. You had only managed two steps behind him before his arm suddenly slipped around your waist. The movement happened so effortlessly that your feet barely had time to register leaving the floor before a surprised little yelp escaped you. His other arm scooped beneath your knees with practiced ease, and in one fluid motion you found yourself swept up against the broad warmth of his chest, securely cradled in his strong arms as though you weighed next to nothing. The subtle scent of his cologne mixed with fresh air and sunshine enveloped you immediately, and your breath caught when you instinctively looked up to find him already smiling down at you.

God…That smile. The corners of his eyes crinkled ever so slightly around those brilliant golden irises, his sculpted cheeks pushing upward into those impossible dimples that never failed to make your stomach betray you. Heat bloomed through your chest and fluttered lower before you could stop it, and you let out the quietest little whine of embarrassment as your cheeks warmed. You very nearly buried your face against his chest, suddenly aware that the two of you were still walking straight through the middle of his family’s house while several relatives lingered nearby with drinks in hand, chatting between themselves.

“Do you have to do that in public??” You whisper shouted, lifting your hand just enough to flick him lightly against the prominent convex of his brow bone.

“Ow!” He scrunched his face dramatically, shaking off your tiny assault as though you’d inflicted a grievous wound before immediately looking back down at you with that same hopelessly pleased grin, “hey, I’m just guarding my emergency rations.”

A laugh escaped you as you rolled your eyes, unable to help yourself while you gently prodded a finger against the firm muscle of his chest, “wow, the big bad wolf’s so territorial.”

“Y’know what? I am, actually—” he answered without the slightest trace of shame, proudly nodding as though that were simply an undeniable fact.

The declaration lasted all of two seconds before one of his feet clipped the edge of the next stair. You felt the sudden hitch in his stride beneath you as his body lurched forward. He recovered almost instantly, catching himself before either of you came anywhere close to falling, but the stumble had already happened. His arms reflexively tightened around you with surprising force, drawing you securely against his chest until there wasn’t even the slightest gap between your bodies. His protective instincts overtook his pride without hesitation, making absolutely certain you hadn’t shifted an inch in his grip before he even thought about his own embarrassment.

“Shit, my bad,” his confident grin vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by immediate concern while his eyes searched your face, “you okay, hun?”

You bit the insides of your cheeks so hard they almost hurt, desperately trying to contain the laughter threatening to spill out. He’d gone from confidently carrying you through the house like some impossibly suave hunk to tripping over his own feet in the span of a heartbeat, and somehow that only made him infinitely more charming.

“Yes, my darling prince,” you answered, your voice thick with barely restrained amusement as your smile stretched wider and wider. You reached up to affectionately pat his chest, unable to hide the fondness sparkling in your eyes while he looked so adorably flustered trying to pretend nothing had happened, “you’re as suave as you are—…Endearing, Valko.”

Before he had the chance to sink too deeply into his own embarrassment, you reached up with an amused smile and gently scratched beneath his chin. The reaction was immediate. His entire expression softened before your eyes, every ounce of flustered dignity melting right off his face as though your fingertips had flipped some hidden switch inside him. His eyes relaxed into warm little crescents, and without even realizing he was doing it, he leaned into your hand, happily following the touch while he continued carrying you up the staircase. The movement was so instinctive, so shamelessly natural, that it made your heart swell. You couldn’t help giggling as you caught the faint blush blooming over the tips of his ears, the soft pink spreading despite all his attempts to stay composed.

“Who’s a good boy?” You whispered through another teasing laugh, your voice dripping with exaggerated baby talk as though you were praising an enormous, overgrown puppy instead of the imposing leader of an entire werewolf clan.

“Shhh,” he whispered back, unsuccessfully biting down on a laugh of his own as the corners of his mouth twitched upward. His pace noticeably quickened, long legs carrying the two of you farther down the hallway before anyone downstairs could overhear your merciless teasing, “quiet…”

“Oh?” You grinned, thoroughly delighted by how easily he’d taken the bait, “who’s a good booooy?!”

This time you didn’t stop at his chin. Both of your hands dove eagerly at the warmth of neck, your fingers happily scratching beneath his jaw before working higher along the strong column of his throat. The delighted little noises he tried so desperately to swallow only encouraged you further as you affectionately scruffed him, watching his composure unravel by the second. He looked like he was fighting for his life not to laugh, his shoulders beginning to tense beneath his flannel while his smile stretched wider and wider despite every hopeless attempt to hide it.

Then you saw it. The unmistakable twitch at the base of his lower back. A heartbeat later, a muffled thump echoed down the hallway. His tail. It smacked enthusiastically against the corridor wall once…Then again. Then faster. You barely had time to laugh before a pair of soft auburn wolf ears sprang up from the cover of his hair, betraying him completely. They perked straight toward you, twitching with every affectionate scratch you gave him while his tail wagged so enthusiastically behind him that it continued bumping against the wall in an utterly futile attempt to contain itself.

Completely busted, Valko hurriedly set you back onto your feet, though it was obvious he wasn’t escaping anything. The moment your bare heels touched the hardwood floor, you took one playful step toward him. He instinctively took one back. Another. You followed. He retreated again until his broad back gently met the hallway wall with nowhere left to go.

“Say it,” you demanded between mischievous giggles, closing the last bit of distance until he was comfortably boxed in by your much smaller frame.

He looked down at you with the most wonderfully resigned expression, already knowing he’d lost. A helpless sigh escaped him as he surrendered completely, allowing the weight of his head to fall into your waiting hands. Your fingers slipped effortlessly into his soft auburn hair before finding those sensitive wolf ears again, scratching gently behind them in slow, practiced circles. His eyelids fluttered almost immediately, and he obediently bent lower to make it easier for you to reach, practically melting beneath your touch until he looked less like the feared leader of a powerful clan and more like the world’s happiest oversized puppy.

“Fine, fine,” he murmured, the words accompanied by another hopeless little laugh as he leaned shamelessly into every affectionate scratch, “I’m a good boy…”

You giggled with quiet satisfaction, thoroughly pleased with yourself as you rewarded his reluctant confession by rising onto your toes and planting a loud, affectionate smooch against his chiseled cheek. His skin was still pleasantly warm beneath your lips, the faint flush lingering there as he let out another helpless little laugh before straightening to his full height once more. Towering over you again, he slipped his large hand around yours without a word, his fingers naturally lacing through yours as though they had done it a thousand times before, and gently guided you farther down the empty hallway.

The farther you walked from the staircase, the quieter the house became. The cheerful sounds of the birthday party softened into a distant blend of muffled laughter, children’s excited voices, and music drifting faintly upward from downstairs, creating a comforting backdrop rather than the overwhelming commotion it had been outside. When you reached the final door at the end of the hall, Valko turned the handle and eased it open just enough to peek inside. Ever vigilant, his golden eyes swept across the room for a brief second before he seemed satisfied. He stepped aside, gently ushering you in ahead of him before quietly closing the door behind the two of you. The soft click of the lock echoed through the room, and with it came an immediate sense of privacy.

The guest room was understated by Ao family standards, though “simple” still meant something far grander than most people would consider ordinary. The room was spacious and modern, decorated in warm neutral tones that made it feel inviting rather than extravagant. A large, plush bed dominated the center of the room, dressed in crisp linens that practically begged someone to collapse into them. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across one wall, their sheer curtains billowing gently in the AC’s trajectory while filtered bands of afternoon sunlight painted soft golden stripes across the floor. It was peaceful. Bright. Comfortable. It was exactly what both of you needed.

The moment the door had clicked shut behind him, Valko let out a long, exhausted sigh that sounded as though he’d been holding it in all afternoon. Without a shred of ceremony, he shuffled a few steps forward before allowing gravity to claim him entirely, pitching face-first onto the enormous bed with all the grace of a tree being felled, “timberrr!”

Thump. His entire body bounced once against the plush mattress before settling there, sprawled dramatically across the blankets. You couldn’t help snorting. The sound of his theatrical collapse was immediately followed by a muffled groan of relief from somewhere beneath the pillows, making you laugh as you wandered over to the bedside. Resting one hand against the back of his broad thigh to steady yourself, you drew your other hand back before delivering a firm, playful smack squarely against the rounded muscle of his jeans-clad ass. The clap echoed pleasantly through the quiet room. He let out another muffled laugh into the comforter, his shoulders shaking beneath his flannel shirt.

“Outdoor clothes,” you reminded him with an amused shake of your head, your voice warm with affection rather than scolding. Your hand lingered long enough to give his undeniably firm, ridiculously squeezable ass a thoroughly self-indulgent squeeze, earning yourself the silent satisfaction of feeling the solid muscle beneath the faded denim, “damn, baby cakes…No pun intended…”

His tail reacted before he did. The large, fluffy appendage gave an indignant little twitch before lazily swishing across the bed with enough enthusiasm that the thick fur nearly smacked you straight in the face. You burst into another laugh, batting the oversized tail away with the back of your hand.

“Oh, right,” he remembered, a sheepish little laugh escaping him as he pushed himself back upright.

Valko rolled his shoulders before stretching his arms high over his head, a satisfying series of cracks traveling down the length of his spine as he arched backward with a relieved groan. The afternoon of chasing children had clearly done a number on him. He lingered there for another moment before his hands found the buttons of his forest-green flannel, casually working them open one by one. The fabric slipped from his broad shoulders before landing in an unceremonious heap on the floor, quickly followed by the fitted tank top beneath it. Warm sunlight spilled across the sculpted lines of his sun-kissed torso as he reached for his belt, the quiet clink of the buckle filling the peaceful room while you stepped out of your denim shorts, letting them puddle around your ankles.

You shrugged out of the oversized jacket he’d draped around your shoulders earlier that afternoon to shield you from the light breeze outside, smiling to yourself at the lingering warmth and faint woodsy scent that still clung to it before laying it neatly across the nearby chair. Across from you, Valko stepped out of his jeans, absently nudging them aside with one foot as though the simple act of getting comfortable already had him relaxing.

The moment you pulled your shirt over your head, you barely had time to set it aside before you felt his hands suddenly settle around your waist. A surprised gasp escaped you. Before you could even ask what he was doing, his powerful arms effortlessly lifted you off your feet, stretching you high toward the ceiling as though you weighed almost nothing at all. The sudden rush of movement sent a burst of exhilaration through you, and your hands instinctively shot out to grab hold of his sturdy forearms for balance while laughter bubbled up from somewhere deep in your chest. He looked entirely too pleased with himself. Those brilliant golden eyes sparkled with mischief as he looked up at you, his fanged grin growing impossibly wider the moment he realized you’d surrendered completely to being tossed around like his favorite chew toy.

“Get over here,” he chuckled.

With effortless precision born from having done this countless times before, he tossed you toward the center of the enormous bed. You landed exactly the way you liked. The plush mattress swallowed your weight before springing you gently upward again, sending you bouncing once, then rolling across the crisp sheets in a fit of delighted laughter as the soft bedding wrapped around you.

You had barely managed to roll onto your back before the mattress dipped dramatically. There he was. With absolutely no dignity whatsoever, Valko launched himself after you, pouncing onto the bed with all the unrestrained enthusiasm of an oversized puppy who’d finally found his favorite person after being apart for far too long. His weight sent the mattress bouncing beneath both of you, and your laughter blended together until it echoed warmly through the quiet guest room.

Then, thunk. His prominent brow bone collided squarely with your forehead. The impact wasn’t hard enough to hurt either of you badly, but it was more than enough to make both of you recoil at the exact same moment.

“Ow!” You complained in perfect unison, laughter immediately dissolving into identical grimaces as your hands flew to your foreheads. The ridiculous timing of it only made the whole thing funnier, and even through the brief sting, you could already feel another fit of laughter threatening to bubble right back out.

Just as the two of you were recovering from the self-inflicted collision, a chorus of tiny footsteps came thundering down the hallway outside. The rapid patter against the hardwood grew louder by the second, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of excited little voices bouncing off the walls.

“Cous?? Helloooo??”

“Uncle?? Are you in heeeeere??”

Both of you froze. Your laughter died in your throat so quickly it almost caught there, and before you could even think to react, Valko’s large, warm hand gently settled over your mouth. His eyes met yours for only a brief moment, silently asking you to stay still. You nodded ever so slightly beneath his palm as the room fell completely quiet around you. Outside the bedroom door, the tiny footsteps stopped. His family was made up of werewolves. Even the children possessed senses that put your own completely to shame. You held your breath without meaning to, listening as the little voices lowered into conspiring whispers just outside the door.

“Can you smell him?”

“Yeah,” another little voice answered with complete confidence, “he’s in here!”

Valko closed his eyes for the briefest second before letting out the quietest sigh through his nose. His free hand came up to pinch the bridge of his crooked dorsal hump with the kind of long-suffering resignation that suggested this was far from the first time he’d been tracked down by a determined pack of children. When he opened his eyes again, he looked back at you and silently mouthed the words, “my niece…”

You had to bite the inside of your cheek to keep from laughing. A tiny fist knocked enthusiastically against the door.

“Uncle!! Can you come play?” His niece called through the wood with all the earnest determination only a child could possess, “you said you’d give me another piggy back ride!”

The corners of Valko’s mouth twitched despite himself. You felt the amused breath escape behind his hand before he reluctantly peeled it away from your lips, raising his voice just enough for it to carry through the closed door.

“Uncle’s busy!” He called back, warmth and apology woven together in his voice, “I’ll give ya piggy back rides later…”

A thoughtful little silence followed.

Then another tiny voice spoke up.

“Well—…What about Auntie Y/n??”

Your heart melted. The nickname was still so new that hearing it caught you completely off guard. The children had only started calling you that today, gradually adopting it one after another as the afternoon wore on and they became more comfortable with you. Every time one of them had said it, it had sent a little flutter through your chest, and somehow hearing it now, through the bedroom door, made it feel even sweeter. Before you had the chance to answer, Valko was already smiling to himself.

“Auntie Y/n and I are really tired,” he replied, effortlessly coming to your rescue before you could even open your mouth, “we’re gonna take a quick nap. Why don’t you kids go play in the pool already? It’s nice and sunny!”

A collective chorus of disappointed groans rose from the other side of the bedroom door, followed by a reluctant scattering of tiny voices mumbling half-hearted agreements. You listened as the little pack slowly gave up their search, their footsteps shuffling down the hallway before gradually breaking into a run. A second later, the sound of them thundered down the staircase in a stampede of laughter and excited chatter, already arguing about whatever game had captured their attention next. Children really did move on that quickly. One moment they were determined to hunt Valko down, and the next they’d completely forgotten the last ten seconds ever happened.

You found yourself watching the pair of auburn wolf ears still perched atop his head as they remained angled attentively toward the door, twitching ever so slightly while he listened to the retreating footsteps. They rotated with remarkable precision, tracking the children all the way down the hall, down the stairs, and finally back outside into the backyard. Only when the last traces of their voices disappeared into the distant chorus of the birthday party did his ears visibly relax, the tension leaving them as they settled naturally again. He let out a long, quiet sigh of relief, and you couldn’t help smiling to yourself as the weight seemed to melt from his wide shoulders all at once.

“Told ya I can’t get a break,” he said with a lazy, tired smile, amusement softening every word as his fingers absentmindedly slipped into your hair.

He brushed a few loose strands back from your face with the gentlest touch, his thumb lingering briefly against your temple before his hand settled comfortably along the side of your head. His eyes rested on you with that familiar warmth that always seemed to quiet the rest of the world, “see, this is why I’m always passing up all these family reunions and I just show up to the important ones. It’s not because of you. It’s ’cause I hate all the small talk with the adults and eventually I start getting a headache from all the kids screaming and running around.”

You believed him. There had been a time, early on in your relationship, when you’d quietly convinced yourself he kept you away from his family because he was ashamed, or not taking you seriously. It had seemed like the obvious conclusion. A werewolf clan wasn’t exactly the place you’d ever imagined belonging, and you’d spent longer than you’d ever admit wondering whether bringing you around would somehow embarrass him or complicate his standing within the Ao family.

Over time, though, you’d come to understand how wrong you’d been. It had never been about shame. It had never been about hiding you. If anything stood between the two of you and the approval of certain members of his family, it wasn’t shame; it was tradition. Old expectations. Old rules. Generations of customs that insisted things should be done a certain way simply because they’d always been done that way.

And Valko…Valko simply didn’t care. He respected his elders, but he refused to let them dictate the course of his own life. He’d made that abundantly clear from the very beginning. Whatever opinions they held, whatever expectations they carried, none of them had ever outweighed what he wanted. And what he wanted was you. Not because biology had declared you his genetically chosen mate. Not because instinct demanded it. Not because fate had handed you to him. He wanted you because somewhere along the way he’d fallen hopelessly, unapologetically in love with the woman lying beneath him. Every teasing laugh, every stubborn argument, every quiet conversation, every moment you’d shared had become another reason for him to choose you again and again with complete certainty.

Bringing you here today hadn’t been an obligation. It had been a statement.nHe hadn’t invited you to a quiet dinner where only a handful of relatives would see you. He’d brought you straight into the middle of a children’s birthday party, surrounded by nearly the entire family, and held your hand through every room, every introduction, and every curious glance without the slightest hesitation. He’d carried you through the house in broad daylight, wrapped his arm around your waist whenever he pleased, and looked at you with the same unguarded affection whether anyone was watching or not. He wasn’t trying to provoke anyone. He simply refused to pretend you were anything less than the woman he loved.

Even if a few of his grandparents had barely acknowledged him throughout the afternoon. Even if some relatives had kept their distance. Even if the older generation still struggled to reconcile centuries of tradition with the path he’d chosen. None of it changed the way he looked at you. You wore the ring he’d given you; a piece anyone connected to the Ao clan or EonCore Tech would recognize immediately, and his familiar scent always lingered softly on your clothes, your skin, your hair from the countless little embraces and kisses he’d steal. Every quiet gesture spoke for itself.

You had never wanted to come between him and his family. You’d spent months hoping you wouldn’t become a source of tension, never wanting to be the reason old wounds or disagreements surfaced. But Valko had never once wavered. He had made his choice long ago.

“I know, honey,” you murmured, and this time you meant it with complete sincerity.

A soft smile warmed your face as you looked up at him, feeling the rough pad of his thumb drift gently across your lower lip with a tenderness that made your chest ache. There was something so effortlessly affectionate about the way he touched you, as though every little caress was second nature, every brush of his fingers another quiet reminder that he was happiest whenever the two of you were close.

You reached up and cupped the warm strength of his neck between your palms, your fingers disappearing into the soft auburn hair at his nape as you gently pulled him down to you. He met you halfway. Your lips found his, and the kiss immediately deepened. It wasn’t hurried or desperate. It was slow, warm, and full of everything neither of you needed to say aloud. You could feel the quiet gratitude in the way he kissed you, the lingering appreciation for stealing this little pocket of peace away from the noise downstairs. His lips lingered against yours before he reluctantly drew back just enough to look you over, his golden eyes tracing your face with unmistakable fondness.

With another contented sigh, he carefully lowered himself over you, instinctively supporting most of his weight on his forearms so he wouldn’t crush you beneath his much larger frame. You immediately disagreed. Your arms tightened around him, fingers curling into the powerful muscles of his back as you tugged him closer, silently asking for more of him than he intended to give.

Valko let out a quiet, amused breath through his nose before finally surrendering, relaxing the rest of his considerable weight into you until his broad chest settled fully against yours. The plush mattress welcomed the both of you as his six-foot-two frame comfortably flattened you beneath him, pressing a soft breath from your lungs in the most satisfying way imaginable. You adored moments like this. The sheer size of him surrounding you, the solid warmth of his body blanketing yours, and the comforting heaviness of his embrace made you feel impossibly small beneath him in a way that sent a quiet flutter through your chest. He was built like a wall of warm muscle, and you shamelessly loved every ounce of it.

Apparently, so did he. His face disappeared into the crook of your neck as though he couldn’t get close enough, his nose nudging gently against your skin before he began nuzzling you with slow, contented affection. You felt each deep inhale ghost warmly across your throat as he breathed you in again and again, almost greedily, covering you with his familiar woodsy scent while surrounding himself with yours until they mingled together so completely that they became impossible to separate. A weak little giggle escaped you as you tilted your head to give him easier access, smiling at the way he seemed intent on filling his lungs with nothing but you.

Your own hands wandered lazily across the broad landscape of his naked back, savoring the shifting strength beneath warm skin as your fingertips traced familiar paths over powerful shoulders before drifting lower. Eventually, they found the faint ridges of healing scratches you’d left behind the night before, and your touch instinctively softened as you followed each tiny mark with absentminded affection. The memory of how they’d gotten there lingered pleasantly in the back of your mind, drawing another quiet smile to your lips as your palms continued exploring every broad inch of the man comfortably draped over you.

Somewhere in the middle of simply holding each other, you became aware of another subtle change. A growing firmness rested lightly against the inside of your thigh through the snug fabric of his briefs, almost tentative at first before becoming a little more noticeable each time he sighed contentedly against your neck. It wasn’t hurried, nor was it demanding. It felt like the quiet, instinctive response of a man who loved being close to you, whose body had always been as honest as his heart. The warmth of your embrace, the lingering kisses, your wandering hands, the comfort of finally escaping the noise downstairs, and the simple intimacy of lying tangled together were more than enough to stir him, and you couldn’t help smiling to yourself as you felt his cock slowly growing harder against your leg.

It never seemed to take very much. Sometimes all Valko needed was the chance to hold you, breathe you in, and melt into your arms before his body quietly betrayed just how deeply every little touch, every shared breath, and every ounce of closeness affected him.

“Let’s get inside,” he said then, pushing himself up off you with an easy smile.

You both reached for the blankets together, peeling them back before slipping beneath the cool, silky sheets. The fabric glided pleasantly against your warm skin, a welcome contrast to the lingering Spring warmth outside, though neither of you bothered pulling the comforter any higher than your legs. There was hardly any point when Valko radiated enough warmth to rival the afternoon sun itself. He had always been your own personal furnace, and before you’d even fully settled into the mattress, you already knew exactly how the two of you would end up.

You rolled comfortably onto your side, smiling to yourself as he instinctively followed. Just like always, he gathered you into him from behind. His broad, bare chest molded against your back as he gently pulled you closer until there wasn’t the slightest bit of space left between your bodies. The sheer size of him seemed to swallow you whole in the safest way imaginable, his six-foot-two frame naturally enveloping yours until it felt less like being held and more like disappearing into the warmth of a living, breathing blanket. One heavy arm settled snugly around your waist, drawing you flush against him with lazy possessiveness, while his other slipped beneath your neck before curling over your shoulder. His large hand came to rest against your bare upper arm, and his fingertips began tracing slow, absentminded circles over your skin so delicately that a pleasant trail of goosebumps bloomed in their wake.

You sighed softly, completely giving in to him. When he lazily nudged one long leg between yours, you welcomed it without a second thought, letting yourself sink farther back against the familiar shape of his body until you fit together as naturally as two puzzle pieces. The steady rise and fall of his breathing warmed the back of your neck, his heartbeat thumped gently against your spine, and the faint scent of sunshine, fresh air, and his woodsy cologne wrapped comfortably around you. The two of you let out quiet sighs at almost the exact same moment, your bodies relaxing together as every lingering ounce of tension melted away beneath the comforting tangle of blankets, limbs, and familiar affection.

“This is the fucking life,” he murmured happily behind you, his deep voice rumbling sleepily through his chest and vibrating pleasantly against your back, “the sun’s shining…Birds are chirping…Pups are playing outside screaming their little heads off…”

A quiet laugh escaped you as you melted farther into his embrace, instinctively snuggling closer until there wasn’t the slightest space left between your bodies. You arched ever so slightly, pressing your back more firmly against the broad warmth of his chest, and the contented little squeeze that immediately answered from his arms told you he’d been hoping you’d do exactly that. His embrace tightened around your waist with sleepy affection, holding you as though the simple act of keeping you close was as necessary as breathing.

It was impossible not to notice the growing firmness resting against the curve of your ass through the thin layers of your underwear and his briefs. It nestled there naturally, warm and unmistakable, not demanding anything of you so much as quietly betraying how profoundly he responded to nothing more than lying tangled together like this. It made you smile. Valko had always been hopelessly honest with his body, and somehow that vulnerability only made moments like these feel all the more intimate.

Everything around you seemed to settle into a peaceful rhythm. You felt him breathe you in again. His nose buried itself against the side of your neck, drawing another long, slow inhale that lingered until it filled his lungs completely, and the arm around your waist tightened almost unconsciously. His large hand wandered over your bare skin with slow, absentminded affection, kneading your hip and side as though he wished he could somehow mold you even closer to him. It was never enough. No matter how close you already were, he always seemed to crave another inch, another touch, another breath of you, and there was something undeniably endearing about how unapologetically clingy he became whenever the two of you were finally alone.

Truthfully…You couldn’t get enough of him either. The slow rhythm of his breathing against the back of your neck sent pleasant shivers dancing beneath your skin, every warm exhale making the fine hairs along your arms stand on end. His steady heartbeat pulsed comfortably against your back while the comforting heat of his much larger body wrapped around you like another blanket, coaxing you into melting even farther into his embrace. Without even thinking about it, you arched your spine just enough to nestle yourself more snugly against him, pushing the soft curve of your ass back into the warmth of his groin.

The quiet little movement earned an immediate response. He let out the faintest contented breath against your neck as his hips instinctively followed yours, smothering himself flush against you until there wasn’t the slightest space left between your bodies, “God, c’mere…”

You almost shuddered at the syrupy mutter by your ear. The growing firmness beneath the thin fabric of his briefs settled naturally against you, warm and unmistakable, while his large hand slipped lower to your hip, kneading the bare skin there with slow, possessive affection before giving you a lingering squeeze that drew you even closer. He seemed almost desperate to erase the last traces of distance between you, holding you as though no amount of closeness would ever truly satisfy him, and the quiet need in that simple gesture sent another wave of warmth unfurling low inside you.

The quiet intimacy lingered for another heartbeat before you felt him shift. He rose just enough behind you for his face to find your ear, and a ticklish giggle escaped you as the gentle scrape of his fangs caught your earlobe in the lightest teasing nip. The playful bite was immediately soothed by the softness of his lips, which barely brushed beneath your ear before trailing feather-light along the curve of your jaw. Every lingering kiss sent another pleasant shiver racing down your spine, and warmth slowly unfurled low in your stomach as you relaxed beneath the quiet affection of his touch.

He lingered there for a moment, breathing you in once more before speaking in that warm, shameless voice of his, so close that the words ghosted across your skin, “babe…Can I put it in you?”

You let out an exaggerated little gasp, twisting just enough within the warmth of his embrace to glance back over your shoulder. Your eyes met his heavy-lidded golden gaze, watching it slowly travel over your face with that familiar mixture of tender affection and shameless need that always made your stomach flutter. He looked thoroughly intoxicated by you already, and the quiet yearning softening his features somehow made the enormous werewolf behind you seem impossibly sweet despite the unmistakable heat simmering beneath the surface.

“At your family’s house?” You chided softly, “Valko…”

“Please?” He pleaded, his voice dropping into that warm, hopeful murmur that always surfaced whenever he wanted something from you badly enough to stop pretending he had any dignity. His fingertips were already wandering lazily over the curve of your hip, stroking slow circles into your bare skin before slipping lower to trace the elastic band of your panties with featherlight affection that made your skin pebble beneath his touch, “it’s ot like either of us are gonna make a ruckus, I just wanna be inside you…”

God. He could be so unbelievably, endearingly pathetic. The quiet honesty in his voice melted whatever teasing resistance you’d been pretending to have left. Smiling to yourself, you reached down between your thighs and hooked your thumbs beneath the waistband of your panties, slowly easing them down over your hips. Valko barely let you do any of the work before his large hands eagerly joined yours, helping guide the fabric over the swell of your ass with unmistakable impatience, though every touch somehow remained impossibly gentle. The thin material slipped down to your thighs, bunching there while his eyes lingered shamelessly on the newly exposed curve of your body, drinking you in with the kind of appreciation that always made heat bloom through your chest.

His turn came just as quickly. He hooked his own briefs down his hips, impatiently shoving them past his thighs before stubbornly kicking the tangled fabric somewhere toward the foot of the bed without bothering to look where they landed. The quiet huff of determination it took to free himself made you smile to yourself, because even now, when all he wanted was to hold you, Valko still somehow managed to be adorably clumsy.

His hand returned to you immediately. It settled warmly against the small of your back before gliding lower, encouraging rather than forcing as you instinctively arched away from his chest. You gave him exactly what he was silently asking for, lifting your hips just enough for your lower back to curve while he kept your ass aligned with him. The position tilted your pelvis backward, leaving your pussy presented beautifully behind you, and the stretch through your body felt surprisingly good as his broad palm lingered there, proudly admiring the view you’d given him.

A quiet breath escaped your lips. You were already soaked. You could feel it yourself before he ever touched you. Behind you, his cock had grown fully hard from nothing more than holding you, breathing you in, and feeling your body melt against his, and the moment he finally guided himself closer, you felt the warm, heavy head of his cock drag slowly through the slickness gathered between your folds. He didn’t rush it. He simply traced himself along your wet pussy from behind with agonizing patience, coating himself in you with one slow, deliberate glide that made your breath catch in your throat. The intimate drag of him against your slick heat sent a delicious shiver rolling through your spine, and you couldn’t help arching a little farther into him, silently inviting more as he breathed out a quiet, satisfied sigh against the back of your neck.

“You’re wet,” he whispered with delight, carefully aligning himself behind you.

“Mm…” You answered lazily, your voice soft with contentment as you reached back and cupped one side of your ass, gently pulling yourself open to give the monstrosity you knew his cock was the room it always demanded.

It was a familiar ritual by now. No matter how many times the two of you had made love, the sheer size of him still required patience, your body instinctively preparing itself to welcome something so much larger than you. You felt the warm, velvety head of his cock nudge teasingly between your slick folds, gathering another slow coating of your arousal before he eased himself forward. The pressure built gradually, deliciously, until the thick crown finally breached your tight entrance, stretching you open around him with an intimate fullness that drew matching gasps from both of you. Your eyes fluttered shut as your walls instinctively hugged him, slowly yielding inch by inch while your body greedily welcomed him deeper, the delicious ache blooming through your hips and lower belly in a way that made your toes curl beneath the sheets.

Instinct took over before you even thought about it. Your hand reached back to grip his powerful forearm where it rested behind you, your fingers squeezing hard enough to feel the firm muscle shift beneath your palm as you quietly braced yourself for the seemingly endless stretch of him. He entered you with painstaking patience, letting your body accommodate every thick inch instead of rushing, his breathing growing slower and heavier against the back of your neck while your pussy fluttered and tightened around him, drawing him farther inside with every shallow breath you took.

The steady pressure only continued until, at last, his chiseled hips settled flush against the soft curve of your ass, burying themselves there with a slow, indulgent smother that left you feeling impossibly full. His free hand immediately sought your hip, gripping it with just enough firmness to ground himself against the overwhelming relief of finally being where he’d wanted to be, and a warm sigh escaped him into your hair before he leaned down to press a lingering kiss against the crown of your head. The tender little gesture sent a trail of goosebumps dancing down your spine, the contrast between his immense size and his quiet affection making your heart swell just as much as your body.

For a long moment, neither of you moved. You simply felt him. You felt the slow, steady pulse of his cock buried so deeply inside you that every faint throb reverberated through your sensitive walls, and your own body answered with involuntary little squeezes that seemed to make him melt all over again. The room had fallen wonderfully still around the two of you. The sounds outside drifted through the room like distant echoes while the two of you remained tucked safely beneath the cool sheets, hidden away in your own quiet world.

Valko gathered you even closer without a word. His hips gave a few absentminded little nudges, not real thrusts so much as sleepy, instinctive attempts to smother himself impossibly deeper, as though his body simply refused to accept that there could still be even the slightest space between you. Every tiny movement coaxed another delicious wave of fullness through you, making you unconsciously press your ass back into him while he held you tighter, his broad chest rising and falling comfortably against your back.

Eventually, the restlessness melted completely out of him. A happy little hum rumbled deep within his chest as his large hands began wandering once more, mapping your body with slow, affectionate reverence. His palms drifted over your waist, your stomach, your hips, your arms, memorizing every familiar curve as though he still hadn’t quite convinced himself you were real. No matter how many times he touched you, it never seemed enough. He loved you with his hands just as much as with his words, constantly seeking reassurance through closeness, through warmth, through simple contact.

A long, contented sigh escaped him. He draped himself lazily over you again, his heavy body settling comfortably around yours until you were wrapped once more beneath the comforting weight of his embrace. The tension gradually drained from his muscles as the peaceful afternoon worked its quiet spell over him, and after several slow, sleepy breaths, you felt the firm pulse of him nestled inside you begin to soften ever so slightly, his body relaxing completely now that he’d found exactly where he’d wanted to be all along.

“Thank you…” He whispered, his voice warm with sleepy contentment as he nuzzled into the crown of your head and pressed another lingering kiss into your hair. His arms tightened around you almost imperceptibly while he breathed you in with another quiet sigh, “man, I’ll take this over piggyback rides any day.”

A soft, drowsy laugh escaped you, the sound muffled against the pillow as you settled more comfortably into the comforting weight of his embrace. His body still surrounded yours completely, warm and heavy in the most reassuring way imaginable, his chest rising and falling slowly against your back while the steady rhythm of his breathing threatened to lull you toward sleep.

“I mean,” you murmured with amused innocence, “I think most men would prefer pussy over kids steering them around by the hair. Right, Uncle Valko?”

The laugh that burst out of him rumbled deliciously through his chest, vibrating straight through your back where you remained tucked safely against him. His whole body seemed to shake with quiet amusement, and you couldn’t help smiling as the sound wrapped around you just as comfortably as his arms did.

“That’s a good point,” he admitted between chuckles, giving your waist another absentminded squeeze as though he couldn’t help himself, “hopefully by now they’re all bugging their parents.”

He let out a contented sigh before burying his face against your hair again.

“I’m on permanent do-not-disturb,” he murmured warmly.

“And what if they come up here again?” You asked, turning just enough in his embrace to glance back at him over your shoulder.

His expression softened immediately when your eyes met. One of his hands slipped from your waist to your face, his broad palm cradling your cheek while his fingers lovingly swept a few loose strands of hair behind your ear. His fingertips lingered there, gently combing through your hair before slowly raking across your scalp in a way that sent pleasant little shivers dancing down your neck. He smiled at you with that impossibly fond look that always made it seem as though there wasn’t another person in the world worth looking at.

“I’ll call their parents and explain that I’m busy with a certain some—”

Your elbow found his ribs before he could finish.

“Ow!” He yelped, immediately grabbing your forearm with exaggerated offense while a laugh threatened to betray him all over again, “kidding, babe. Damn. Relax.”

You couldn’t stop the satisfied smile spreading across your face, “good.”

Turning back toward the pillow, you nestled comfortably against him once more, deliberately tugging his arm tighter around yourself until there wasn’t an inch of distance left between your bodies. You pulled his hand beneath your cheek, using his warm palm as an absurdly comfortable pillow while your fingers curled around his wrist in an affectionate hug. He didn’t protest in the slightest. If anything, he looked entirely pleased to have become part of your bed.

“I’ll fucking kill you if you do,” you mock threatened.

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what you always say, Hunter Girl,” he teased, a lazy smile spreading across his face as he playfully pinched your cheek between his fingers. Before you could retaliate, he leaned over you to nuzzle affectionately against the side of your face, pressing a lingering kiss to the cheek closest to him before rubbing his nose lightly against your skin, “you can’t get rid of me even if you tried. We’re bound together forever, destined to fight to the death to protect our kin.”

A quiet, weary sigh slipped from your lips, though it carried more thought than exasperation as you stared toward the sunlight spilling softly through the sheer curtains, “…You really think it’ll always be that way, with werewolves and humans?”

You felt him grow a little quieter behind you. His smile didn’t disappear, but it softened into something gentler, something touched by the weight of reality as he let out a slow breath against your hair.

“…I think we’re making a big step together towards a brighter, more peaceful future,” his voice dropped just enough that you could hear the conviction beneath it, warm and steady against your ear, “a great example that not everyone’s bad. Not everyone’s an enemy or prey.”

He paused for a moment, his thumb absentmindedly stroking the back of your hand where your fingers remained wrapped around his wrist.

“But…I’d be lying if I told you it’s enough to change centuries worth of bloodbaths overnight. That’s gonna take years and years, if it even happens…” He sighed quietly, the sound carrying a sadness that wasn’t hopeless so much as accepting, “…And if it does, we won’t be around to see that kind of future. We’ll be long dead.”

The words settled heavily inside your chest. Not crushing. Just… Bittersweet.

The peaceful warmth of the room suddenly felt a little more fragile as your thoughts drifted farther ahead than they usually allowed themselves to go. You pictured decades slipping by, generations living lives neither of you would ever witness, and for a moment it became painfully clear just how small a single lifetime really was. The realization made your fingers tighten instinctively around his forearm, holding him a little more firmly as though you could somehow anchor both of you to the present.

He noticed immediately. Of course he did. Without saying another word, Valko shifted even closer until more of his considerable weight settled comfortably over you. His broad chest molded more completely against your back while his arms tightened around your waist in a slow, protective squeeze, surrounding you until you were completely enveloped in his warmth. He buried his face beside yours, brushing his nose affectionately along your cheek before pressing another lingering kiss there, his lips warm and impossibly gentle.

“It’s okay, don’t overthink it,” he murmured softly, his deep voice vibrating through his chest where it rested against your back.

He hugged you tighter, every ounce of his affection poured into the quiet strength of his embrace as though he wished he could physically shield you from worries that hadn’t even happened yet.

“Look at it this way. Whether everyone around us likes it or not, we’ll go down in history,” a faint smile returned to his voice, “we’ll carve a path that hopefully future generations can follow. Even though we won’t be around to see it, maybe our kids will. Or maybe their kids will.”

“…Yeah,” you whispered.

Your eyes drifted toward the sunlight stretching across the floor as your thoughts wandered somewhere beyond the quiet guest room, beyond the birthday party still carrying on outside, and beyond the comfortable peace the two of you had stolen for yourselves that afternoon. You found yourself imagining a future neither of you could fully predict, one filled with difficult choices, impossible expectations, and countless battles that had nothing to do with claws or weapons. Loving each other had never been the hard part. It was everything surrounding that love that would test you, and deep down you knew the resistance you’d faced so far had barely scratched the surface. This was only the beginning.

Valko let out a quiet, bittersweet laugh behind you, the sound rumbling softly through his chest where it rested against your back. His arms remained comfortably wrapped around your waist, holding you close as though he couldn’t imagine spending a single second any farther away from you than this.

“Hey…” He whispered, his voice carrying that familiar mixture of warmth and melancholy, “fate’s a bitch, ain’t it?”

A quiet laugh puffed out through your nose as your fingers instinctively curled around the large hand resting beneath your cheek. His palm had long since become your pillow, warm and solid against the cool silk of the pillowcase, and you gave it an absentminded squeeze as you smiled to yourself.

“It really is,” you sighed softly, “why did it have to be you?”

He simply shrugged, though you felt the movement ripple through the broad wall of muscle pressed against your back.

“Who knows?” He answered easily, “maybe we’re meant to be the people who make a meaningful change. Maybe that’s why both of us evolved from the same primordial soup under the same circumstances. ‘Cause we’re meant to be together.”

He paused for only a heartbeat before a quiet chuckle escaped him.

“Hell…I feel lucky, honestly,” he admit, “not every werewolf finds his or her mate in life. Some never do. Most never do.”

Your brows drew together. You turned just enough within his embrace to look back at him, your head resting comfortably against his broad chest as surprise flickered across your face, “wait, really?”

“Well, yeah,” he replied, blinking at you as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, “I mean…What are the chances? With how many living beings inhabit the planet?”

He let out a quiet breath through his nose, shaking his head with a small, disbelieving smile.

“It’s damn near impossible to find your mate. Your true mate. Not just someone that smells good to you, but the person who smells like your missing half,” his thumb slowly stroked across the back of your hand while he spoke, absentmindedly tracing the same comforting path over and over, “so a lot of us settle. Just like humans do. We have a lot in common when it comes to partnership…But that’s one thing that sets us apart.”

His smile grew softer.

“I knew it was you the moment I smelled you for the first time,” the corners of his mouth twitched upward with amusement, “I mean, granted, you decked me in the fucking face and it was hate at first sight…”

A hearty laugh burst out of you before you could stop it, the memory replaying so vividly in your mind that you could practically feel the sting in your knuckles all over again. Back then, Valko hadn’t been the warm, affectionate man wrapped around you beneath cool sheets on a peaceful Spring afternoon. He’d been the enemy. The infuriating, arrogant werewolf standing directly in your way. You’d wanted absolutely nothing to do with him, and judging by the black eye you’d happily given him that day, your feelings had been made abundantly clear.

Life had a twisted sense of humor. Out of everyone in the world…It had paired the two of you together. Valko watched you laugh for another moment, his expression growing impossibly tender as though seeing you smile like that was reward enough for every hardship the two of you had endured to reach this point. He reached up with his free hand and gave your cheek another gentle pinch, his fingertips lingering there affectionately before cupping your face.

“But…” His voice grew quieter, steadier, every word carrying the weight of complete certainty as he searched your eyes, “I love you. Not just ’cause of biology.”

His thumb brushed slowly across your cheek, and the small smile he wore was so genuine it almost made your chest ache.

“I really do love you, Y/n,” he enforced.

You smiled back up at him, warmth blooming through your chest at the quiet sincerity in his eyes, unable to stop your own smile from growing a little softer in return, “I love you too, Val…Even with how punchable of a face you have.”

A hearty, genuine laugh burst out of him, rich and unrestrained, the sound vibrating pleasantly through the broad chest pressed against your back. His large hand rose to cradle your face, gently scooping your cheek into his warm palm before he leaned in to steal another kiss. His lips lingered against yours for a moment before brushing your nose with his own in an affectionate little nuzzle. You smiled against his mouth, your heart feeling impossibly full.

It was true. You loved him more deeply than you ever thought yourself capable of loving another person. Somewhere between becoming allies, becoming friends, and eventually becoming lovers, Valko had woven himself so thoroughly into the fabric of your life that you could no longer picture where yours ended and his began. You craved his company before anyone else’s. You laughed until your stomach hurt because of him. You trusted him with every vulnerable piece of yourself, and somewhere along the way, he’d begun trusting you just as completely with every vulnerable piece of himself.

Together, you’d become something steady, something unshakable despite every obstacle that had tried to tear you apart. He was your safe place after every difficult day, your greatest comfort, your loudest laugh, your strongest shoulder, your fiercest protector, and somehow also the man who needed you just as much as you needed him. You genuinely couldn’t imagine walking through the rest of your life without him so deeply intertwined with your own.

The quiet guest room seemed to breathe around the two of you as you settled back into the peaceful tangle of limbs beneath the cool silk sheets. The world beyond the room continued moving without you, but inside these four walls, time itself seemed content to slow. Neither of you spoke again for a while. You simply existed together. His fingertips continued their slow, absentminded journey across your hip, tracing gentle circles that buzzed pleasantly beneath your skin until you hovered somewhere between wakefulness and sleep.

Every lazy caress coaxed another contented sigh from your chest, your body relaxing more completely into the familiar weight surrounding you. At some point, your bra disappeared beneath the blankets with quiet, sleepy cooperation, neither of you even remembering who had reached for the clasp first, and not long afterward you lazily nudged your panties down the rest of your legs with absentminded little kicks until they vanished beneath the cool sheets alongside his discarded briefs.

Still…Neither of you actually fell asleep. You drifted. Half dreaming. Half awake. Wrapped so comfortably around one another that every slow breath, every heartbeat, and every tiny movement blurred together into a comforting haze. Valko’s hand never stopped wandering. It continued exploring you with the same quiet affection it always had, molding naturally to the curve of your hip before gliding over your waist, your stomach, your thigh, your arm, never lingering long enough to feel intentional and yet never quite settling anywhere else either. It was simply the way he loved you. He loved with touch. With closeness. With quiet reassurance that you were there, safe beneath his hands, and every slow pass of his broad palm seemed to say everything words no longer needed to.

Eventually, your own hand found his. Without opening your eyes, you gently curled your fingers around his larger hand and guided it higher, settling his warm palm over the soft fullness of your bosom while you remained curled comfortably on your side against him. The position naturally pressed your breasts together beneath his broad hand, and the contrast between his calloused skin and your softer warmth sent a pleasant shiver through you. His fingers flexed almost instinctively as they rested there, the rough pads grazing lightly across your sensitive nipples while his palm molded comfortably to your body. The gentle contact lingered, unhurried and familiar, and before long you found yourself becoming increasingly aware of every subtle stroke, every tiny shift of his hand, and every quiet sensation blooming beneath his touch until the simple intimacy of being held like this began stirring something warm and restless deep inside you once again.

Apparently…It was doing something to Valko as well. You felt it before you saw any other sign of it. The comfortable fullness of him nestled inside you gradually changed, the soft warmth slowly firming as his cock began to swell again within the welcoming confines of your body. A quiet, satisfied sigh escaped your lips as you felt him throb, each slow pulse spreading deliciously through your sensitive walls while he steadily hardened, growing more solid with every passing heartbeat. At nearly the same moment, his thumb lazily swept across your nipple in one slow, indulgent stroke, the rough pad of his fingertip grazing the sensitive peak just enough to coax a pleasant shiver from the base of your spine.

Oh…Your stomach fluttered. Was this really heading where you thought it was? It was. God…It absolutely was. Without either of you speaking a single word, his broad hand slowly drifted away from your breasts, lingering over the soft curve of your body as it traced a leisurely path down your stomach. His palm molded comfortably against your waist before continuing lower until it reached your thigh. His touch remained unhurried, almost absentminded in its tenderness, yet there was unmistakable purpose beneath every movement. Gently, he guided your upper leg a little higher over his own, subtly adjusting the way your bodies fit together until your hips naturally opened beneath the warmth of his embrace. The new angle exposed you more fully to him, and his fingertips began the slow climb back up the inside of your thigh.

Every inch of skin they crossed seemed to wake beneath his touch. His fingers wandered higher with infuriating patience, featherlight against your warm flesh until they finally brushed your slick clit. The contact was so gentle it almost wasn’t there. Almost. A slow, buzzing warmth unfurled through your lower belly, making your breath catch as a delicious current rippled upward through your body. You instinctively tightened around him, your walls fluttering in response to the sensation, and the involuntary squeeze drew a warm sigh from Valko as he answered with a slow, appreciative press of his hips. He settled himself just a fraction deeper, the quiet movement accompanied by another contented breath that spilled warmly into your hair.

Nothing needed to be said. You understood each other far too well for words. You simply lifted your leg a little higher against him, silently giving his large hand more room to move. He accepted the invitation immediately. His fingertips began tracing slow, practiced circles over your clit, every deliberate stroke measured with the kind of familiarity that only came from loving you as intimately as he did. The rhythm was gentle, patient, almost reverent, while his hips answered in kind. He began moving inside you with the same quiet devotion, drawing himself back only enough to ease forward again in slow, affectionate strokes that let you feel every thick inch gliding through your welcoming warmth. The steady fullness of him filled you so completely that each unhurried movement seemed to melt straight through your body, drawing another soft sound from somewhere deep in your throat as pleasure gradually pooled lower and lower inside you.

Your hand reached back instinctively until your fingers found the sharp contour of his hip, holding onto him while he continued moving with sleepy, contented rhythm. Behind you, his other arm tightened protectively around your upper body, his broad hand spreading across your shoulder as though he couldn’t bear the thought of letting even an inch separate the two of you. His chest remained comfortably molded against your back, every slow thrust carrying the steady warmth of his body with it while his lips occasionally brushed your hair in absentminded kisses.

It wasn’t hurried. It wasn’t desperate. It wasn’t driven by overwhelming urgency. It was slow. Tender. Deeply affectionate. Yet somehow that only made every sensation feel more consuming. His fingers never lost their patient rhythm, circling exactly the way he knew your body liked best after loving you enough times to understand every little reaction before it happened. Every practiced stroke over your sensitive clit blended seamlessly with the languid roll of his hips, each gentle movement feeding into the next until your body responded almost on instinct. Warmth spread through you in slow waves, your breathing growing softer and less steady as pleasure steadily gathered beneath the surface. Your eyes drifted closed, your head relaxing back against his shoulder while the familiar heat coiled lower in your stomach far faster than you expected, tightening with every affectionate touch and every unhurried stroke until it hummed through you with quiet, irresistible intensity.

But Valko was unraveling behind you. Every slow roll of his hips drew another deep, shaky breath from his chest, the sound vibrating warmly along your back before dissolving into the quietest moan. He sounded utterly blissed out, lost somewhere between the lazy rhythm of his cock filling you and the comforting intimacy of simply holding you this close. There wasn’t an ounce of urgency in the way he moved. Every slow, deliberate thrust buried itself into you with indulgent patience, his hips rocking forward until they nestled flush against the soft curve of your ass before easing back only enough to begin the journey all over again. His cock glided through your slick pussy with an intimate fullness that seemed to melt the tension from every muscle in his body, and judging by the contented sounds spilling from his lips, he wasn’t thinking about anything in the world except how impossibly good you felt wrapped around him.

His fingertips, however, told a different story. While his hips remained slow and languid, his fingers had gradually found a quicker rhythm over your clit, each practiced little circle coaxing another pulse of heat through your body until your thighs trembled ever so slightly. He knew exactly what he was doing. He knew exactly how your body responded, exactly how to build you higher without ever rushing you there, and the quiet confidence born from loving you so many times only made every touch feel infinitely more intimate.

His breathing grew heavier. Quicker. Needier. The sound alone sent a pleasant shiver racing beneath your skin, every warm inhale brushing the back of your neck before spilling into another unsteady sigh. His entire body seemed to radiate quiet want, surrounding you completely until it felt impossible to tell where your own warmth ended and his began. He tucked himself even closer behind you, his broad chest molding more firmly against your back while his arm instinctively tightened around your upper body, drawing you impossibly deeper into the shelter of his embrace. Then his lips found your ear.

“Oh, fuck…” He breathed, his voice rough with barely restrained pleasure, each word ghosting hotly across your skin, “oh my God…”

His next slow thrust drew another helpless sound from somewhere deep in his chest before he whispered your name with such naked reverence it made your heart skip.

“Y/n…” He breathed hotly, “Y/n, your pussy…”

Your entire body tightened around him. The low, lewd rasp of his voice poured straight into your ear like warm, rich honey, thick with want and so utterly sincere that it stole the breath from your lungs. He had absolutely no right saying your name like that. No right making it sound so treasured, so adored, so devastatingly erotic that every syllable seemed to settle beneath your skin and bloom there. It wasn’t just the words themselves. It was the way he said them, every ounce of need woven openly into his voice without embarrassment or restraint, as though speaking your name while buried inside you was the most honest thing he’d ever done. A pleasant wave of goosebumps rippled across your arms. Your pussy fluttered helplessly around him again.

“Shit,” he groaned, the word slipping out on another shaky breath as his broad hand spread firmly across your stomach, holding you securely against him while his other hand quickened over your clit.

The slow, affectionate rhythm of his hips never faltered, each deep stroke filling you completely before easing away only to sink home again with the same indulgent fullness.

“Baby…” His voice cracked ever so slightly beneath the weight of his own longing, “let me knot you…”

Another slow thrust, another desperate breath against your ear.

“Oh, let me knot you…” His voice lowered with need.

Heat surged violently into your cheeks at his plea, blooming all the way down your neck as the image alone sent another pulse of desire curling low in your stomach. You could already feel the first signs of it happening inside you. His hips pressed more firmly against the curve of your ass from behind, the slow, loving rhythm taking on a deeper, more instinctive urgency as though every part of him was quietly surrendering to something older than thought. His large hand tightened over you without becoming rough, anchoring securely across your stomach, keeping you exactly where he wanted you while the other fingered you. It wasn’t force. It was need. Pure, aching, animal need that poured through every deliberate roll of his hips as he continued rutting into your slick, welcoming pussy with slow, passionate devotion.

You could feel every powerful muscle working beneath his skin. Every flex of his abdomen. Every subtle shift of his hips. Every inch of his body moved yours along with it as he rocked into you, his thick cock gliding so deeply through your pussy that each unhurried thrust seemed to melt another layer of tension from your body. His fingertips never lost their practiced rhythm over your clit, circling with infuriating precision until the mounting pleasure became almost unbearable. The steady, delicious friction coaxed the first involuntary flutter from your tight walls, your pussy squeezing him so suddenly and so completely that a broken groan escaped his throat behind you.

“You’re so close…”

The sound alone sent another rush of heat through you. You felt him throb harder inside you. Then you felt something else. The unmistakable swell gathering at the base of his cock began to press more insistently past your entrance, gradually growing thicker with every slow, deep stroke. It made his rhythm change almost without him realizing it. He stopped drawing himself as far back, each thrust becoming shorter, deeper, more possessive than the last as though his body had already decided it wasn’t letting you go anywhere. Every roll of his hips buried him until he met that delicious resistance, his cock settling into a depth that made your breath catch as the growing knot teased insistently at your body. The sensation alone sent your thoughts spinning, your stomach burning hotter and hotter with every passing second while his thumb continued rubbing slow circles over your swollen clit with unwavering devotion.

You were trembling now. Your thighs quivered. Tiny, helpless twitches rippled through your body as pleasure steadily tightened lower and lower inside you, your breathing dissolving into soft, broken whispers while his strong arms held you securely through every shudder. You could barely keep still. Every affectionate thrust, every slow grind of his hips, every practiced stroke of his fingers coaxed another helpless squeeze from your pussy around his cock until you weren’t sure whether you were clinging to him or simply falling apart in his arms. Your nails dug into his forearms without thinking, holding onto the solid strength beneath your fingertips as though he were the only thing keeping you grounded while the tightening coil inside your belly wound itself impossibly tighter.

“Do it,” you urged, your voice escaping in nothing more than a breathless whisper, every word trembling with anticipation as you surrendered completely to the overwhelming warmth building inside you., “w-want you to knot me like last night…”

Your lifted thigh finally gave out beneath the mounting intensity, dropping back down as your legs instinctively squeezed together around his wrist. The movement trapped his hand exactly where you needed it most, and before you were even consciously aware of what you were doing, your hips began helplessly rocking against his palm. You shamelessly humped the steady pressure of his hand, chasing every practiced circle of his fingertips over your swollen clit while he answered with growing desperation of his own. His touch became just a little quicker, just a little firmer, every stroke perfectly familiar after loving you enough times to know precisely what your body begged for when you were this close. At last, heaven graced you.

The tightening coil inside your stomach snapped. Pleasure exploded through you in a blinding wave of white-hot ecstasy that stole every coherent thought from your mind. Your entire body seized in his embrace as your pussy clamped down around his thick cock, fluttering violently while your back arched into the broad wall of his chest. A helpless cry tried to tear its way out of you, but Valko’s free hand rose immediately to cover your mouth, his warm palm gently muffling every broken sound as you trembled uncontrollably against him.

“Cumming,” you cried breathlessly into his hand, your voice dissolving into desperate little whimpers as each pulse of pleasure rolled through you harder than the last, “I’m cumming, Val…I’m cumming, I’m cumming…”

“C-cum on it,” he practically growled, his voice rough, tight, and trembling with overwhelming bliss as he shuddered once, then again, his entire body quaking against yours, “fuck yeah…Cum on it, baby…Just like that…I’m—…Oh God, I’m about—…”

Your climax squeezed him relentlessly. Every helpless flutter of your tight walls milked another broken groan from somewhere deep in his chest, and then you felt him finally let go. Warmth surged deep inside you in slow, powerful pulses, each release painting your insides with familiar heat that spread through your body in delicious waves. You had grown to love that feeling almost as much as you loved the man giving it to you, and you sighed helplessly into his palm as every pulse seemed to melt another piece of you beneath the quiet intensity of the moment.

He was shaking. You felt it everywhere. His thighs trembled against yours. His chest quivered against your back. Even the arm wrapped protectively around your waist tightened instinctively as though he needed something solid to anchor himself while wave after wave overtook him. His hips settled completely flush against the soft curve of your ass, refusing to leave even the slightest space between your bodies while he held you as close as physically possible, his cock seeking its deepest home inside you as his body slowly surrendered to its own overwhelming relief.

Then you felt it. The knot finished swelling. The thick base of him gradually expanded until it settled securely inside you, stretching you with slow, insistent fullness that left him comfortably lodged where he belonged. There was nowhere else for either of you to go now, and neither of you seemed remotely interested in trying. His hips gave one final, lazy press before relaxing completely, and a long, slow breath poured from his lips as every powerful muscle in his body finally loosened beneath the comforting haze of exhaustion.

Valko became deliciously heavy against you. His heartbeat hammered steadily through his chest into your damp back, strong enough that you could feel every beat while his warm skin glistened faintly with the sheen of sweat gathered from the slow, affectionate intensity you’d shared together. His breathing gradually evened out into long, contented sighs as he remained wrapped securely around you, making no effort whatsoever to move away. Instead, he simply nuzzled into your hair once more and pressed the softest kiss to the crown of your head, lingering there as though he couldn’t resist one more quiet expression of affection.

His fingers, still slightly shaky from everything you’d just shared, resumed their slow, absentminded caresses over your stomach and arm, tracing gentle paths across your skin while a blissfully content hum rumbled from deep within his chest. You could hear the smile in it before you ever saw it, and somehow that quiet, happy sound was every bit as intimate as the embrace that still held you so completely in his arms.

You stayed like that for a long while, neither of you feeling the slightest urge to move. The room had fallen beautifully quiet again, save for the slow rhythm of your breathing gradually finding each other until your inhales and exhales seemed to rise and fall in perfect unison. His embrace never loosened. If anything, the enormous werewolf only seemed to melt more completely around you, holding you with the same instinctive tenderness he’d shown from the moment you’d slipped beneath the blankets together. His hand continued its lazy, absentminded journey over your stomach, your waist, and your arm, every slow caress so familiar and reassuring that it felt less like touching and more like quietly reminding himself you were still there.

His face rested against your hair, and every now and then he would press another feather-light kiss to the crown of your head, the gesture so absentminded it felt entirely instinctive. A contented little hum still rumbled in his chest from time to time, vibrating softly through your back as though happiness itself had settled somewhere deep inside him.

Your eyelids gradually grew heavier. The steady beat of his heart against your back, the comforting warmth of his body surrounding yours, and the slow, affectionate rhythm of his wandering fingertips gently pulled you toward sleep one soothing moment at a time. Nestled securely in his arms, you let yourself drift, your breathing evening out as the last lingering thoughts quietly dissolved beneath the simple comfort of being exactly where you belonged.

you can apply this to your thoughts too. your thoughts are no less your cr self’s than your senses are. if you start getting doubts mid attempt or can’t let go of the thought or feeling that you’re not in your dr, remind yourself that you are not your feelings or thoughts or doubts. you are simply observing them. of course your cr self will think that they’re still in their cr, they are. just ignore them and shift your attention elsewhere. your focus and awareness are what dictate what you experience, if you relinquish your focus from your cr and direct it to your dr instead, that’s where you’ll “be”.

obviously there’s no one set way to shift, so if you want you can stop reading here and apply this information to your shifting journey in whatever way suits you. if you’re interested in my method though, here’s the compilation of all this info into practical steps you can actually take to shift.

get comfortable somewhere you won’t be disturbed. close your eyes and focus on what you can see. the light behind your eyelids, shapes, colours, whatever. but instead of automatically interpreting these sensations as belonging to your cr, allow them to become sensory input from your dr. light? that’s coming from the lamp by the xyz in your dr bedroom. or maybe your in a field if that’s a fitting setting for your dr, and it’s the sun shining down on you. shapes? that’s because you’ve been lying down with your eyes closed for a while now, you’re tired after your classes or job or whatever you do in your dr. even if it’s nothing at all, let it be your drs nothing. just feel it. do this for about a minute.

then move onto your body. whether it’s sinking, lightness, tingling, focus on it. and do the exact same as you did for the previous step, interpret it as input coming from your dr. don’t worry if you can still feel your body lying in your bed, because your surroundings aren’t going to change—at least not physically. again, those sensations belong to your cr self, and they don’t prevent awareness from directing itself elsewhere. the goal here is to shift your focus away from them and onto something else, so hyperfocusing on your cr and worrying about your surroundings is counterintuitive. just gently guide your attention back to your dr, really try feel your dr surroundings and what your dr body is currently feeling. if you can’t fully avert your focus away from your cr, that’s fine, at the very least just try receive/tap into the input coming from your dr alongside your cr.

finally focus on what you can hear. if you’ve already managed to make a connection with your dr through your sight and physical senses just build up on what you’ve already got. feel grass tickling your skin? deepen the connection there by focusing on the sound now too, the wind blowing through it. see light behind your eyes? focus on the hum of the lights.

repeat these exercises over and over, deepening the connection with each cycle. if you don’t manage to get anything the first cycle just keep going until you do. it might take some practice. like i mentioned before, after spending so much time here and being in constant attunement with your cr self, the sense that your cr is the default starts to take root and it can be difficult to shake the feeling that you’re just indefinitely “here”. it’s normal for it to take some time to learn how to question this feeling and push past it. since you've never (technically?) been aware of anything outside of this reality, learning how to do so can be a bit like learning how to use a muscle you've never used before.

this method operates on the idea that reality is something that is tuned into through focus & narrowed awareness and not something metaphysically travelled across, so for the most success with it, i’d recommend starting to make a conscious effort to see your dr less like a place and more like a wavelength or channel, a perspective already existing beyond your current focus. shifting to your dr then becomes an effort to notice and receive input from this channel/wavelength, input that already exists out there and that simply needs to be acknowledged. you’re just picking up on what’s already there, feeling something that a version of you already feels.