“That’s not suspicious at all.” The capybara’s voice was flat. “You know, most stalkers at least try to be subtle.”

Legoshi’s ears flattened. “I’m not stalking him. He’s my... It’s complicated.”

The capybara shrugged, clearly not believing him but also not caring enough to argue. “Whatever floats your boat. Just don’t get me involved in anything dangerous.”

The comment made Legoshi’s fur bristle. That was exactly what he was worried about.

As Louis’ car turned off the main highway and onto a narrow dirt road, Legoshi felt his stomach tighten. This wasn’t the way to anywhere civilized.

“Pull over here,” he told the driver, pointing to a cluster of bushes about half a mile from where Louis had parked.

The capybara raised an eyebrow. “You want me to leave you in the middle of nowhere?”

“I’ll be fine,” Legoshi promised. If things turned out as he expected, then he would be driving home with Louis. If not, then… he’d have to get home some other way.

The driver sighed. “Fine. Suit yourself.”

Legoshi nodded gratefully and slipped out of the taxi, crouching low as he made his way toward the factory. The place looked like something out of a horror movie. Broken windows and crumbling concrete.

Keeping to the shadows, he spotted movement near the main entrance. Louis was talking to a hyena with a scar across his muzzle.

Legoshi crept closer, his sensitive ears picking up the conversation.

“Sure this is smart?” the hyena asked.

“It’s the only way,” Louis replied, his tone making it clear he wasn’t in the mood for debate. “You get me in, help me do what I need to do, and you get paid. Simple.”

The hyena nodded reluctantly. “If they catch us lying...”

“Then don’t get caught,” Louis cut him off. “Remember the plan?”

They spent the next few minutes going over details that made Legoshi’s blood run cold. The plan involved the hyena—Jakob—pretending to bring Louis in as a sacrifice to this cult that believed death by predation brought transcendence. Smart, yet reckless. Any wrong move could result in Louis’ death.

As Louis and Jakob finished their planning session, Legoshi noticed at least a dozen cult members patrolling with watchful intensity.

For a moment, Legoshi considered revealing himself. Louis would be furious, but at least he’d have reliable backup. The thought died almost as quickly as it had formed. If this cult was as dangerous as it seemed, surprise might be their only advantage. Better to stay hidden and step in only if things went sideways.

Which, given Louis’ track record for risky behavior, they almost certainly would.

He watched as Jakob grabbed Louis roughly by the arm. Louis put on a convincing show of struggling against his hold.

“Let me go!” Louis shouted, his voice carrying across the empty lot. “I don’t agree with any of this!”

A performance worthy of the drama club, Legoshi thought, even as a part of him cringed at how real the fear in Louis’ voice sounded.

The commotion drew the attention of a fox and a badger, who came running over.

“What’s going on here?” the fox demanded.

Jakob grinned, showing all his teeth. “Found this one snooping around the perimeter. Thought the Lady might appreciate a special offering.”

The badger eyed Louis with interest. “Isn‘t that...?”

“Louis, from the Horns Conglomerate,” Jakob confirmed. “The supposed instigator of the Predation Positive Movement.”

The fox’s eyes widened. “No way. She’s gonna lose her mind.”

They escorted them into the factory, and Legoshi followed at a safe distance, thankful for the rummage piles that served as convenient hiding places from the other members who approached out of curiosity about this ‘prisoner’. The inside of the factory was even creepier than the outside. Flickering candles were the only light source, and makeshift altars were made out of rusted machinery and crates. The air smelled like incense and decay.

At the far end of the room was a throne made of scrap metal and animal bones. A rabbit sat there. She was small, much smaller than Haru. Vibrant red fur colored her fur, and her eyes burned with fanatical intensity. Around her neck hung a necklace of what looked like carnivore teeth.

This had to be the cult’s leader.

Jakob shoved Louis forward, and he stumbled, catching himself at the last second.

“Lady Clover,” Jakob said with a bow. “I bring you a gift.”

Clover’s eyes lit up as she recognized Louis. “Well, well. If it isn’t the great reformer himself.” She stood, moving gracefully. “The herbivore who preaches equality and thinks he can change the world through ‘the power of love.’”

“I never said that,” Louis said, and Legoshi could tell that he was genuinely annoyed about her comment.

Clover cackled, yet somehow her face remained beautifully measured. “Maybe not directly, but you do love your wolf, do you not?”

Louis scoffed. “So what?”

She gave a devilish grin. “Well, you think your love is fulfilling as is. I’m sure you love the sensation of falling down his throat piece by piece? Makes you feel as if you are merging into one, doesn’t it?”

Louis did not give her the satisfaction of answering.

“Why do you deny the ultimate union of flesh and spirit? What say do you have in the decisions of others?”

“You’re insane. Death is the end. I’m interested in the future. No one should willingly give up their life just to give someone else a meal.”

Clover cackled again. “A meal always comes from death. Why does consenting to it change anything?”

Louis glared. “Because you are manipulating others into making that decision.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Am I?”

“What about you?” She gave Jakob a look.

“Jakob, my lady.”

She nodded. “Jakob. You have brought me a glorious offering. How would you feel if I allowed you to devour him?”

Something changed in Jakob’s posture.

He faced Jakob. “You’d be committing murder.” He turned back to Clover. “You aren’t transcending anything. All you’re doing is killing people.”

Clover sighed. “Such a limited perspective. But what else can be expected from someone who’s never experienced the ecstasy of true predation?” She turned to Jakob, smiling with all of her flat, herbivorous teeth. “I want you to eat him. Right now.”

The room went silent. Even the cult members seemed surprised by the sudden change of plans.

Jakob hesitated for just a moment before his eyes clouded over. “Yes, Lady,” he said, voice reverent. “It would be my honor.”

And then he lunged at Louis, jaws open wide.

Legoshi was already moving, but he wasn’t fast enough. Jakob’s teeth closed on empty air as Louis sidestepped with practiced ease, reaching into his jacket to pull out a gun.

The sound of the shot echoed through the factory, followed by Jakob’s surprised yelp as he collapsed, clutching his leg.

“As I suspected,” Clover said, her earlier amusement vanished. “Not a prisoner at all, but an assassin.” She turned to her followers. “Kill him.”

What happened next was a blur. Louis fired again, taking down one cultist, then another, but there were too many of them. They swarmed forward like a living tide, and even with his gun, Louis was surrounded.

Legoshi didn’t think. He just acted, launching himself from the shadows with a roar that made even the most fanatical cultists pause.

“Legoshi!” Louis shouted, equal parts relief and fury in his voice. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Saving your life,” Legoshi growled, positioning himself between Louis and the nearest attacker.

“You followed me?” Louis’ voice rose. “I had this handled!”

“Yeah, you’re doing a great job so far,” Legoshi shot back, ducking under the boar’s swing and delivering a counter that sent the animal flying. “Very handled.”

They fought side by side, Louis with precise movements and Legoshi with raw power. Their movements were attuned like a choreographed dance, covering each other’s blind spots.

They disabled. A broken arm here, a dislocated shoulder there. Restraining their attacks left both of them sweating and breathing hard, but killing a single opponent would only serve to prove Clover’s point about death being an inevitability.

One by one, the cultists fell until only Clover and her right-hand lion remained.

“This ends now,” Louis said, raising his gun to point directly at Clover’s head. His hand was steady, eyes cold. “You’re going to pay for the lives you’ve destroyed with your madness.”

Legoshi placed a hand on his arm. “You can’t.”

“She deserves it,” Louis insisted, keeping the gun steady.

“It’s not about what she deserves,” Legoshi argued. “If you kill her in cold blood, how are you any better than she is?”

“Sometimes justice requires—"

“Justice requires a trial,” Legoshi cut him off. “Evidence. A sentence from a real court, not vigilante revenge.” He met Louis’ eyes, willing him to understand. “Having her publicly sentenced will do more to stop this cult than killing her will. It’ll show her followers that the system works, that there are consequences.”

Something in Louis’ expression softened, just a fraction. “Since when did you get so politically savvy?”

Legoshi gave a small smile. “Believe it or not, I listen when you and Yafya talk about reformation plans.”

Louis’ attention wavered for a moment, and in that moment, Clover caught her lion’s eye and gave a tiny nod. Before either of them could react, the lion lunged at the rabbit.

His teeth sank into her throat with a wet, tearing sound.

Blood sprayed across the concrete floor, bright and shocking against the gray. Clover’s eyes widened as she crumpled to her knees. Her mouth worked, trying to form words as her life poured out between the lion’s jaws.

“Death... is...” she managed, each word costing her more blood. “The only... answer...”

Then she was gone, her body going limp as the lion continued his gruesome feast, tearing into her with single-minded intensity.

Legoshi stood frozen, unable to look away from the horror before him. His stomach seized, and he had to fight back the urge to puke as self-revolution at being born a carnivore rose in his throat.

“Legoshi.” Louis‘ voice broke through his daze, a hand on his arm pulling him back. “We need to go. Now.”

The lion looked up, blood dripping from his muzzle as he grinned at them. “You can run,” he called, his voice strangely euphoric. “But you can’t hide from the truth. She‘s a martyr now. Her death will inspire thousands.” He laughed, the sound hysterical. “We never die! We transcend!”

They ran, bursting through the factory doors and sprinting across the empty lot to where Louis‘ car waited.

As they slid into the car. Louis drove the car onto the gravel road so fast that the car jerked. “This is your fault,” he spat. “If you hadn’t stopped me, I would have put a bullet in her head and been done with it. Now she’s a martyr, just like that psycho said.”

“No,” Legoshi said quietly. “They would have used her as a martyr either way, and you would have had to live with adding to the death toll.”

“You don’t get to make that call for me,” Louis snapped. “I’ve killed before, Legoshi. You don’t get to decide what I can live with.”

“I wasn’t deciding for you,” Legoshi replied. “I was reminding you of who you are. Someone who believes in justice, not revenge. Someone who—“

Legoshi’s phone rang, cutting off his words. The caller ID showed Haru’s name.

“Answer it,” Louis said, his voice tight. “Before she worries.”

Legoshi swiped to accept the call, putting it on speaker. “Haru? Hey.”

“Louis said he had to work,” Haru’s voice came through, concern evident even through the tinny speakers. “But why haven‘t you come home yet? Dinner’s already cold. I thought we could watch that movie tonight.”

Legoshi glanced at Louis, who kept his eyes firmly on the road. “I, uh, went to see Louis. At work.”

“At work?” Haru repeated, skepticism dripping from the words.

“It’s... complicated,” Legoshi said, wincing at how weak it sounded. “I’ll explain when I get home, okay?”

There was a pause on the line. “You’re didn’t get into trouble, did you?” Haru asked, her voice smaller.

“We’re fine,” Legoshi said, reaching over to squeeze Louis’ hand. “Just... working through some stuff. We’ll be home soon, I promise.”

After a few more assurances and a quick “I love you,” Legoshi ended the call, dropping the phone into his lap with a sigh.

“She knows something’s up,” he said.

“Then we’ll tell her the truth,” Louis replied, his anger cooled somewhat. “Or a version of it, anyway.”

They drove in silence for a while, the city lights finally replacing the horrors of the dark factory.

“What now?” Legoshi asked eventually.

Louis’ jaw tightened. “I’ll file a report. When the police investigate, they’ll find...”

“Hopefully enough to shut it down,” Legoshi finished for him. “And the ones who got away will scatter. They won’t have any organization without Clover.”

“Maybe,” Louis said, but he didn’t sound convinced.

He grabbed his laptop and opened the Predation Positive Forum. Louis started with the most active threads. Two hours in, he finally found a post which appeared to be linked to the cult. It was a thread titled “The Art of Giving,” which had been posted three weeks ago.

We are all connected by the sacred circle of life and death. The mind forgets, but the flesh remembers. To truly give yourself is to transcend. Connecting through the act of consumption, breaking down the barriers of life itself, brings the highest form of enlightenment. To consume is to honor the sanctity of this connection. Through this union, we may all flourish in that which lies beyond.

Louis hated how this flowery, dangerous bullshit twisted his own opinion against him. Consumption could bring transcendence. Through life! Through becoming closer in the rest of your life together! Not whatever this suicidal drivel was spouting.

He scrolled through the replies, finding more of the same poetic language, more talk of transcendence and enlightenment. And at the center of it all, a user named SacrimentalClover.

He clicked on the username. The account was three months old. She had posted hundreds of times, always with the same cryptic, spiritual tone. She referred to herself as “special” in seventeen different posts. As “chosen” in nine. As “the voice of the sacred cycle” in four.

More disturbing were the comments in response to the news of the ‘Final Feast’. While most users expressed shock and horror, Clover had written: The first petal has fallen. The cycle continues.

Louis’ stomach turned as he read. This wasn’t just some edgy troll looking for attention. This had to be the user behind the cult.

He scrolled further, looking for any personal information. There was nothing obvious, not even any hint in her profile picture (which was an unhelpful image of a trampled clover field). However, there was a pattern to her posting times: between 11 PM and 2 AM, and between 1 PM and 3 PM.

That was something, at least. A window when she might be active.

Louis sat back, rubbing his eyes.

“You’re not going to get away with this,” he muttered.

Louis scrolled through his contacts until he found the entry he was looking for.

The line rang three times before a voice answered, high and cautious. “Yeah?”

“It’s Louis.”

A pause. Then, “Holy shit. I thought you—“

“Reformed,” Louis cut in. “Or trying to be.” He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. “I need your help.”

Another pause, longer this time. Louis could practically hear the way the otter considered the pros and cons.

“I’m out of that life,” Chrone finally said. “I’ve got a legitimate tech job now. Benefits and everything.”

“I’m not asking you to hack a bank,” Louis replied. “Just one user on a forum. IP address, location, whatever you can find.”

“That’s still—“

“I’ll pay you triple your old rate,” Louis interrupted. “Half now, half when you deliver.”

“Which forum?”

“Predation Positive.”

Chrone hissed through his teeth. “That’s a hornet’s nest. Officials must be surveying everything as we speak.”

“That’s why I’m calling you and not some amateur. I need this done now.”

“What’s the username?”

“SacrimentalClover.”

A keyboard clacked on the other end of the line. “Give me a minute.”

Louis waited, listening to the rapid-fire typing and the occasional muttered curse.

“It took effort, but I’m in,” Chrome finally said. “She’s using a rotating proxy and VPN, but her email was leaked in a data breach last year."

“Which means?”

“Which means I could backtrace her IP using her email provider.” Typing. “Got it. IP address traces back to... huh. That’s weird. It’s coming from an abandoned textile factory about twenty miles outside the city. About a mile of empty fields in every direction.”

Louis felt a chill run down his spine. An abandoned factory. It was the perfect place to operate an illegal cult unnoticed. The news had said the ‘Final Feast’ had happened in a remote location as well. What if they had buildings all around the outskirts of the city?

“Can you get me an exact address?”

“Yeah, hang on.” More typing. “Sending it to your phone now. Along with a map of the area and the best route to get there.”

“Thanks,” Louis said, already mentally formulating an attack plan. “The money’s in your account.”

“Wait!” Chrone’s voice sharpened. “Whatever you’re planning to do with this info... be careful, okay? The animals on that forum, they’re not playing games. They’re the real deal.”

“I know. That’s why I called you.”

Louis hung up before Chrone could caution him further. Dropping the phone onto the table, he turned back to his laptop.

He couldn’t risk going alone. Confronting a group of fanatics who had already killed dozens of animals by himself would be suicide. He needed backup who could handle themself in a fight and wouldn’t hesitate if things got messy.

Legoshi would be the obvious choice. But involving him meant putting him in danger. His actions had caused enough harm already. He wasn’t about to add Legoshi to the list of casualties. Besides, Legoshi would be too soft. Too merciful. Too...Legoshi.

Louis sighed, running a hand through the fur between his antlers. If only he could use the Shishigumi. They’d be enough carnivore power to storm the building and leave enough fear in their wake to ensure no one ever tried this shit again. But the Shishigumi were still in jail, serving life sentences for their various crimes. If he put enough arm grease into it, he might be able to get them out, but that would take time, something he did not have at the moment.

Which left him with exactly one option: hiring outside help. Someone who knew how to handle themself, wouldn’t ask questions, and wouldn’t hold back if things went south.

Louis started searching, scanning shady job listings. Legitimate services would pose too many questions and would muddle the affair with a moral code. Finally, a listing caught his eye. “Strength for Hire. Discretion Guaranteed. Available ASAP.”

The only contact information was an email address. Louis composed a brief message: “Need immediate protection for a dangerous meeting. Cash payment. Today.” He included his phone number and sent it off, then sat back to wait.

Three minutes later, his phone buzzed with a response: “Name the time and place. Half payment upfront. Hyena. Experienced.”

Louis smiled grimly. A hyena. Perfect. Strong, vicious when necessary, and known for their loyalty to whoever was paying them. He replied with the meeting address, a location a mile away from the factory.

The reply came almost instantly. “See you there.”

Louis closed his laptop and stood, stretching his back. It wasn’t a perfect plan, but it would have to do. SacrimentalClover had killed too many animals already. Louis wasn’t about to give her the chance to kill any more.

He changed into a solid black outfit that would blend in with the darkness. The hoodie was Legoshi’s, so the hood was large enough to cover Louis’ antlers. He grabbed the gun he kept beneath a loose floorboard in the laundry room. Haru had given him an earful when she found its original hiding place at the back of the closet. He checked the chamber before tucking it into the oversized hoodie’s single front pocket.

Next, he penned a note explaining that he had to attend an all-night event for the Horns Conglomerate.

His phone buzzed with a text. “Money received. On my way. ETA 30 minutes.”

Louis checked the time. Legoshi would be home any minute. He needed to go now if he wanted to avoid explanations.

Legoshi stepped out of the elevator, relieved to finally be home after his double shift. He had wanted to keep an eye on Louis, but his boss had roped him into covering for someone with the promise of a hefty bonus. It had been too good to turn down. He was looking forward to collapsing on the couch with Louis and Haru, maybe ordering takeout.

However, as soon as he spotted Louis in the hallway, dressed in Legoshi’s hoodie—oversized on the deer—he knew something was wrong.

Louis froze when he saw him.

"Going somewhere?" Legosi asked in a forced casual tone.

Louis didn’t miss a beat. "An all-night event. The board’s been on my ass about the new SynthMeat rollout."

Legoshi frowned. This had to be an excuse. Louis would have mentioned this meeting earlier if it were real. Besides, he would never be going to work in that hoodie. "I thought you called in sick.”

Louis’ face didn’t waver. "Event’s too important to miss."

Legoshi’s gaze lingered on the way his fingers drummed against his thigh.

“You sure you’re okay?”

Louis moved past him, pressing the elevator call button. "Never better." The elevator doors opened, and Louis stepped in, turning to face Legoshi. "Don’t wait up."

Legoshi entered the elevator. "I’ll walk you down."

Louis’ tail flicked in irritation, but he didn’t argue.

They rode the elevator in silence. When they stepped out, Legoshi didn’t follow him toward the exit. Instead, he leaned against the wall, watching as Louis strode toward the waiting car.

"Don’t you usually walk?" Legoshi called after him.

Louis paused, glancing back. "It’s safer at night. Besides, company’s paying. Might as well."

He just slid into the backseat and shut the door. The car pulled away from the curb.

Legoshi waited until it was out of sight, then flagged down a taxi. "Follow that black sedan," he told the driver. "And keep your distance."

The taxi lurched forward.

It was wrong to follow him like this. Louis would be furious if he found out Legoshi was tracking him, believing he couldn’t take care of himself.

She sighed, the air leaving in a prolonged huff through her nose. Pushing up on her elbow, she turned her body to face him. He was still fully clothed, but she reached for his crotch anyway. He was soft beneath her hands (as usual), but she could still feel the weight of him.

“A—zuki,” he stammered, an adorable yet ill-fitting blush coloring his cheeks.

She smiled but forced it into a smirk. “Let me take care of you, too.”

His hands tried to gently push her away, but she stayed put, expertly working at his fly.

“You know this won’t work.”

Ignoring him, she forced the trousers down, revealing his flaccid dick. It was an oddly elegant shape, even like this. The shaft tapered halfway down, narrowing toward the tip like the fine point of a pencil. If only he could use it.

She leaned down, breathing a steady stream of warm air onto the tip. It twitched.

Louis’ hand clamped onto her shoulder. “What are you doing?”

“Testing something.” She held his dick up with her hands and wrapped her lips around him. More twitching, but no hardening. But that was to be expected.

She sank lower, bringing all of him into her mouth. When she felt the soft, fine tip brush the back of her throat, she bit down. Not hard exactly, but enough for him to feel it.

Louis’ entire body jolted. The hand on her shoulder tightened, and she could hear the way his breathing changed.

He definitely liked that.

She pulled up, scraping her teeth as she went. His cock pulsed as blood finally circulated. Grinning, she repeated the cycle on a loop until he was full and hard in her mouth.

“See?” she murmured, pulling back with a smirk. “That wasn’t so hard.”

He was panting, leaning back on one elbow while his other hand covered his mouth.

She repositioned herself, straddling one of his thighs, and reached between her legs to guide him. The head of his cock nudged against her entrance. Yet the moment his body registered what was happening, his erection wilted. Just like that. Louis watched it happen. His own body, betraying him with such consistency it was almost impressive. He might have laughed if it wasn’t such a nuisance.

Azuki sighed, moving back.

Louis ran a hand through the fur between his antlers. “There was no way that was going to work.”

Azuki rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, because you love carnivores so much. My body must disgust you.”

Louis frowned. “It doesn’t disgust me.” She just didn’t possess the same…assets his body now craved.

She gave him a small smile at that. “I can still take care of you.”

“With the blowjob?” He shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t know if scraping over my dick that much is the best idea.”

Azuki laughed, crouching to retrieve something from a chest beneath the bed. “No, I meant this.” When she stood up, her hands held up a dildo that put the one they had just been using’s girth and length to shame.

Louis’ eyes widened. “Why do you have that?”

“For you, obviously.”

His eyes narrowed. “Why would you think I want that?”

She huffed a laugh. “Oh, you think I don’t know who it is you really want in this bedroom with you?”

“That doesn’t matter.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Doesn’t it?”

She crawled back onto the bed, pushing in close to his face. “It isn’t just teeth and claws you want, Louis.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You also want to be taken. To be used.”

She could hear the way his breath stuttered at the words.

She played with the dildo mere inches from his face. “I can do that with this. Use, even abuse you.”

His gaze flicked from the dildo to her face, then back again. “That won’t get you pregnant.”

“No, it won’t.” She traced the tip along his jaw, her voice coming out as a purr. “But maybe I’m generous enough to do it anyway.”

His eyes lingered on the dildo, taking in the size, the shape, the presence of it.

“We both know you want it. Just like you want him.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

She cupped his face. “It’s okay to want him, Louis.”

For a moment, his mask slipped. “No, it’s not.”

She pressed her forehead to his, making sure her face was all he saw. “Yes, it is.”

His mask snapped back into place. “I’m married to you.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t have him.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “Actually…what if we utilized it?”

Louis’ breath hitched. “What are you talking about?”

She lifted the dildo, feeling the weight in her hands. “Maybe this isn’t enough to get you going. But he is.”

His tail flicked. “What exactly are you proposing?”

Her grin was sharp. “Oh. Just that he fuck you while you fuck me.”

Louis’ breath caught. He imagined it. Legoshi behind him. Large hands on his waist. Larger cock—no. “Legoshi would never agree to that.”

“We don’t know unless we ask.”

Legoshi was hesitant when he entered Louis and Azuki’s home. It was unusual enough for Louis to invite him over, but unheard of for Azuki to be the one to invite him. The female deer was also the first to greet him, which was even stranger.

“Legoshi. It’s so nice to see you.” She leaned in for an unexpected hug.

Legoshi awkwardly wrapped his arms around her. “Nice to, uh, see you too.”

Louis was standing back, watching them with guarded eyes. Despite himself, Legoshi’s tail started wagging when he locked eyes with him.

“Legoshi,” Louis greeted without showing any indication of what he was feeling.

Part of Legoshi wanted to bridge the distance between them and pull him into a hug (it wouldn’t be weird since Azuki just hugged him, right?), but he stayed where he was, trying to still his stubborn tail.

A short, awkward silence fell. Azuki was clearly eying his over-communicative tail. Legoshi shifted his body weight. Something was obviously going on here.

“You wanted to see me?”

Louis cleared his throat, his usual composure fraying at the edges. "Yes. There’s something we need to discuss."

Azuki sauntered over to the bar and poured herself a drink that looked like a fruit cocktail. “Would you like anything?” she asked.

Legoshi rubbed his arm. “Uh…orange juice?”

Azuki gave a short laugh but poured the drink without comment. She walked over to give it to him, obviously in no hurry to address the reasoning for the meeting. Finally, after taking a seat beside Louis on the loveseat, she spoke. “Louis is having trouble fulfilling his marital duties.”

Despite the casual tone, her words made Legoshi spit out the juice. Why would she tell him that? “R-really?” he asked nervously.

“Really,” Azuki replied, still looking far too casual for this conversation. “Louis can’t get hard for me. But he won’t have that problem with you.”

Legoshi’s ears shot up. What? Why him? Because he was a carnivore? But then, why wouldn’t Louis go to Juno, the female wolf he knew?

His gaze flicked to Louis, who avoided his eyes as his tail flicked in agitation. Legoshi’s heart pounded.

Unless he was gay…

But that didn’t make sense. Louis had been intimate with Haru, so he had to have gotten hard with her.

Legoshi’s mouth opened and closed before he could finally speak. “I don’t understand. Why are you telling me this?”

Azuki grinned radiantly at him. “Because I would like you to fuck my husband.”

He sucked in a breath. “W—why me?” he asked, feeling his cheeks flushing. “If you need a carnivore, then Juno—"

Louis’s tail lashed, his voice sharp. "Juno has feelings for me. It would be cruel to do that to her."

Legoshi’s ears twitched. His mind whirled. Does that mean Louis actually…?

Azuki’s smirk deepened. "So? Will you help us out?"

Legoshi’s breath hitched. "I don’t understand. How would that even—"

Azuki’s laugh. "Oh, Legoshi. You’re adorable." She gestured between Louis and herself. "You fuck him to keep him hard while he fucks me.”

Legoshi’s entire body froze. His mind blanked for a moment before the implication hit him in full force. His face burned, his tail curling in embarrassment. "W-what? With both of you?"

Louis groaned, covering his face with a paw. "Must you sound so shocked?"

“B—but that’s—”

Louis groaned. “You may live in a fantasy world where everything is about loving monogamous sex, but the real world doesn’t work that way.”

Legoshi’s ears dropped. “I know that, but…”

Azuki leaned forward, placing a hand on his arm. “Don’t worry. You don’t need to do anything with me. This is all about Louis.” She grinned wickedly. "This isn’t a bad deal. We need an heir, and you get to fuck my gorgeous husband. I’m sure you’ve imagined fucking him. Isn’t it worth putting up with me to make it a reality?”

Legoshi’s heart pounded so loudly he was sure they could hear it. Of course, he had thought about it. It was impossible not to after having eaten his foot. And now the opportunity was right in front of him. But was this smart? Louis was married! This wouldn’t go anywhere. Except, there was something raw in Louis’ expression that made him question.

Legoshi swallowed hard, voice coming out as barely above a whisper. "Louis…Can I talk with you alone?”

Azuki’s smirk didn’t falter, but she stood gracefully. “Fine. But don’t take too long.” She sauntered out, leaving the door slightly ajar, as if she didn’t trust them not to bolt.

The moment she was gone, Louis exhaled sharply, running a hand through the fur between his antlers. “Well, what did you want to say?” he asked in a rough voice.

“Why me?”

His ears twitched. “Because I can’t get hard for herbivores anymore.”

That didn’t answer his question. “Okay. But why me?”

Louis huffed. “My lions are behind bars. There isn’t anyone else I’d trust with this.”

Trust. But Legoshi wanted more. “Not even Juno?”

Louis’ sigh was heavy. “As I said, that would be unfair to her.”

“Would it have to be? Azuki doesn’t seem to care about fidelity.”

Louis set dark eyes on him. “I don’t want her.”

Legoshi’s pulse spiked. He wanted him. The realization sent a jolt up his spine, settling low in his gut. His tail twitched, his body reacting before his mind could catch up.

He took a step forward. Then caught himself. “What if this was unfair to me, too?”

Louis leaned against the wall, tilting his head back. His throat was exposed, and Legoshi found himself glued to the sight. “How so?”

“What if I liked you too?”

Louis’ breath hitched. “Do you?”

Legoshi needed to hear it from him. “Do you?”

They locked eyes in an unblinking stalemate. The air between them was electric, charged with years of sexual tension. Louis’ chest rose and fell rapidly, his tail lashing once, twice. Legoshi could see the conflict in his gaze.

Legoshi stepped forward, caging him in against the wall with his large frame. He rested the top of his head flat against the wall, voice softer this time. “It’s okay.”

Louis’ breath was shaky. “What is? Saying it or not?”

Legoshi chuckled, the sound low and rough. Perhaps that put Louis more at ease, because his hands came up to fist at Legoshi’s shirt at his chest, the heat seeping through the fabric. Legoshi was hyperaware of how close they were, how short the distance between their lips. How easily he could sink his teeth in—

"You don’t have to say it. I already know."

Louis’ ears flicked. "Know what?"

Legoshi’s lips curled, just slightly. "That you want me."

Louis didn’t deny it. Instead, his grip tightened, his voice a rasp. "And if I do?"

Legoshi’s tail lashed, his body pressing closer, trapping Louis against the wall. "Then stop pretending this is just about an heir."

"It is just about an heir," he replied sharply.

Legoshi moved his head down so his nose nudged his shoulder. He could smell the heady scent of him. "Please stop lying.”

The air between them was thick, charged with something neither of them could deny any longer.

Louis’ voice was a quiet challenge. "What do I get out of it?"

Legoshi’s teeth grazed Louis’s jaw, just enough to make him shiver. "I’ll fuck you like you want."

The thread between them snapped. Legoshi could feel the way Louis was hardening from the words. His lips curled into a slow, knowing smirk. He ran the tips of his claws over the line of his dick through his pants. Louis sucked in a tight breath. Legoshi stared him squarely in the eyes. “Admit you want it.”

“Fine. As if it matters.”

Legoshi stroked his face. “Of course it does.”

“Because you will always be a sap. At least you won’t have to be a virgin for much longer.”

Legoshi chuckled again. “I’m proud of my sap title.”

Louis snorted a laugh, genuine mirth breaking through his resistance. But then, his expression sobered. “You’re sure you’re alright with this?”

Legoshi exhaled. “If you’ll have me. Just…” His tail curled. “Don’t abandon me…”

Louis sighed, the tension in his shoulders visibly relaxing. He reached up to cradle his face. “I won’t.” It sounded as if the words were cracked open.

Legoshi didn’t hesitate any longer. He surged forward, and Louis met him halfway. Their lips crashed together, desperate and hungry. Louis’ mouth was warm. Louis’ fingers tangled in the fur at the nape of Legoshi’s neck, pulling him closer, and Legoshi growled into the kiss.

When they broke apart, both of them were breathing hard. Louis’ lips were reddened. Legoshi’s tail whipped against his legs in frantic, uncontrolled, happy arcs.

“I think,” Louis said, his voice unsteady, “we should go upstairs.”

Legoshi nodded. He clutched Louis’ hand on the way, not ready to fully break contact yet.

As soon as Azuki shut the bedroom door, they could feel the anticipation heavy in the air. stripped, seemingly empowered under Legoshi’s watchful gaze. The deer was lean, toned, beautiful. He stood there unapologetic in his nakedness, already half-hard. He shot Legoshi a glare, his voice clipped. "Well? Undress."

Legoshi glanced at Azuki, who was watching them both with open amusement. His ears flattened. "Could you turn around?"

Azuki’s laugh was soft, knowing. "You do know I’ll see you naked regardless."

Legoshi’s face burned, his tail curling in embarrassment. "I know. But it’s… embarrassing."

Azuki’s smirk deepened as she turned her back to them, though her voice carried over her shoulder. "Louis, your taste in men is adorable.

Louis scoffed without any heat.

Legoshi fumbled with his buttons, clumsy with nerves. He could feel Louis’ impatient eyes on him. When he was bare, he stood there, unsure, his body thrumming with anticipation.

Louis didn’t wait. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and grabbed Legoshi’s wrist, pulling him closer until their bodies collided. Chest to chest. Groin to groin. The contact sent a spark through them both, and Legoshi let out a low, involuntary growl.

Louis’s voice was a dark purr. "You said you’d fuck me."

Legoshi’s breath hitched. His free hand hovered over Louis’s hip, hesitant. "I’m getting to it." His voice was rough, his body trembling with the effort of holding back.

Louis’ grip tightened. "Get on with it."

Something in Legoshi snapped. With a low growl, he pushed Louis onto the bed. The mattress dipped under their combined weight. Legoshi crawled over him, his larger frame caging Louis beneath him, and the heat between them was almost unbearable. Louis’ skin was warm under his palms, his fur soft against his.

Louis’s lips curled into a smirk, his fingers brushing over the curve of Legoshi’s parted mouth. "Now that’s more like it."

The weight of Louis’s body beneath him sent a jolt of desire through Legoshi’s veins. His claws flexed against the mattress. With a growl, he leaned down, his teeth grazing Louis’ throat just enough to make him gasp.

“Fuck.” His fingers tangled in the fur at the nape of his neck, pulling him closer. “Do you know how to do this?”

Legoshi gulped. “I stick it in your…butt, right?”

Louis gave an exasperated sigh. “Of course, you don’t. You can’t just stick it right in.”

Legoshi lifted his head. “Oh…”

Azuki circled the bed, her hand trailing over Louis’ arm. “I can do it, if you want.”

There was a momentary appreciation on Louis’ face, but he eventually shook his head.

“I want it to be him. Besides, it will help to get me hard.”

Azuki barked a laugh. “Of course, it will. If you don’t get scratched up in the process.”

Legoshi flexed his hand, watching as his long claws curled.

Louis rolled his eyes. “It will be fine. We’ll just use a bunch of lube.”

She handed over a sizable bottle. Louis met Legoshi’s eyes.  

“Pour this over your fingers, then stick one in at a time to loosen me up.”

Azuki settled on the side of the bed to watch in comfort. “Not that he probably needs much preparation after last night.”

Legoshi sucked in a breath. What did they do last night?

What followed was awkward, comedic fumbling. Legoshi’s first finger went in too fast. Louis hissed. The wolf apologized six times before trying again. The second attempt was better. Slower, gentler. Louis’ breath caught, hips shifting.

“Good. Add another. Curl them. There’s a—there.”

Legoshi found the spot by accident. Louis’ body jerked, his cock hardening further.

“Flip him over,” Azuki said.

The rearranged. Louis’ cock hung between Azuki’s thighs. Legoshi was behind him, his own length heavy with desire. The exact positioning was awkward at first, but they fit together with some maneuvering.

Legoshi’s hands settled on Louis’ hips. He didn’t move.

“Legoshi,” Azuki said. She was looking up at Louis with an amused expression. “He’s not hard enough. Give him a few strokes.”

Legoshi wrapped his hand around Louis’ cock. The deer shuddered, hips pushing forward into the grip.

Azuki guided Louis into her entrance. “Now.”

Louis pressed in. Both of them gasped. Azuki’s back arched. Louis’ arms trembled.

Then Louis craned his neck, looking back at Legoshi over his shoulder, eyes dark and desperate. “Fuck me. Now.”

Legoshi lined himself up, pushing in. The slow stretch made Louis gasp and clench around him. Legoshi froze.

“Don’t stop,” Louis groaned. “Move.”

So he did. One thrust, then another, finding a rhythm that made Louis moan. He gripped his hips, mindful to keep his claws careful against his skin.

Louis rocked between them. Each movement pushed Louis back against Legoshi or back into Azuki. The doe was breathing hard, her hips rolling up to meet Louis’ thrusts. Her hands pulled him down by the shoulders.

It was imperfect. Legoshi’s rhythm faltered, then steadied, then found something deeper that made Louis cry out. With each thrust, Legoshi became emboldened by Louis' reactions. Caught as he was between them, Louis was drowning in the pleasure. Azuki’s legs wrapped around him, pulling him down. Legoshi’s claws were sharp against his skin, his thrusts driving into him with increasing confidence.

Azuki came first. Her body tightened around Louis, her back arching off the bed, a sound tearing from her throat that was pure filth. Louis followed moments later, his release spilling deep within her. His body clenched around Legoshi’s cock, tearing the wolf’s orgasm from him. The wolf growled deep in his chest as his body spasmed enough to shake the bed frame.

They collapsed in a tangle of limbs and heavy breathing. Legoshi pulled out carefully. Louis rolled onto his side, then onto his back, one arm thrown over his eyes.

Azuki’s chest rose and fell rapidly. “Definitely the best orgasm you’ve given me,”

Louis snorted. “I’d be surprised if it wasn’t.”

Legoshi fiddled with his fingers. “W—was it yours too?”

Louis turned to meet his troubled eyes. “Are you even asking? That was insane. I don’t think I’ve orgasmed that hard in my life.”

Legoshi smiled, not even bothering to school his tail, which thumped erratically against the mattress. “I did too.”

Louis cackled. “Obviously.” He reached over, gripping the muscles of his arm. “But there’re plenty more where that came from.”

“As fun as it is to watch you two flirt, I’m going to have you two take this somewhere else. Keep at it if you want, but you aren’t doing it here. I’d leave, but I have to make sure all the cum stays in. Helps the chances.”

Louis rolled his eyes. The gesture was performative, though. He wanted it to take as much as she did.

Azuki smiled. She shooed them with both hands. “Go on. Go fuck and have fun, or whatever. Just stop acting like I’m so disgusting.”

Louis pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “You aren’t disgusting.”

“Just not your sexy wolf, I suppose.”

Legoshi’s tail, which had stilled, now shook uncontrollably, thumping against the bedside table. “Your sexy wolf?”

Louis smacked his arm. “Don’t let it go to your head.” But he was smiling. They all were.

Standing, Louis offered Legoshi a hand. The wolf took it.

“Your room?” Louis asked, tone casual but eyes full of something deeper.

Legoshi’s brow scrunched. “I don’t have a room here.”

“What if you did?”

Legoshi looked back at Azuki. She just smiled and nodded.

Legoshi’s grin was wide as he pulled Louis into his arms. “Thank you!”

Louis petted his head. “Well, come on. It might take a while to pick it out.”

“Any you want to spare is good for me.”

“Really? Because we’ll have to christen it. Unless…you want to test them all out to make your decision.”

Legoshi’s laugh vibrated through Louis’ chest. “You don’t have to bribe me to have sex with you again.”

“It’s working, though, isn’t it?”

Legoshi kissed him, stealing away his words along with whatever was driving that line of thinking. As soon as he pulled back, he scooped Louis up into his arms, who made an impulsive sound of protest.

“What’s the big idea?”

“You want me to fuck you again? The hallway’s good enough for me, but the lady asked us to vacate the room, so we’re vacating.”

Azuki giggled. “That’s right. Get out of here, disgusting lovebirds.”

Blood dripped down from his maw, his paws, over his own heart racing in his chest and causing a ringing in his ears, the grey wolf could hear a painfully familiar voice.

"Legoshi..."

'he shouldn't have to see this' was the wolfs first thought, the scene too gory, too bloody, utterly unfitting for the eyes of an herbivore like Louis.

But legoshi knows all too well that Louis has seen and gone through much worse. That thought makes his clawed hands ball up into fists, if he were anyone else he'd have pierced his own skin by now.

Yet when he turns around, finally taking a proper look at his dear friend, legoshi relaxes again. Shoulders falling, finally releaved of their tension, jaw unclenching, and an invisible weight falling off of him. The weight of fear. Fear for Louis. Fear of something happening to him again. Fear of someone damaging what's his.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, legoshi steps out of the pool of blood slowly forming at his feet, the body completely lost from his mind once he set his sight on the herbivore.

Louis didn't move, he stood still like a statue until legoshi was close to him. So close, he had to look up to see his face.

The deer wouldn't strain his neck for long though. Once close enough, legoshi fell to his knees with a heavy thud, hands coming up to rest on Louis pant leg while his head stayed bowed, forehead pressed against the deers thigh. If you'd feel like interpreting it, it would look like a position for prayer.

"Louis... I'm so glad you're okay." His hands tightened their grip on the fabric, yet his expression was one of relief.

The deer just stared down at the carnivore, his face externally cold, seemingly uncaring at the act of affection from the wolf, some would say it was laced with disdain or disgust at the wolf smearing blood on his spotless clothing. Yet it was none of that. Under the hardened exterior, a warmth started to spread.

Louis lifted his hand, hesitating for merely a second before placing it between the wolfs ears, petting the soft, blood splattered fur.

Neither of them said anything. Neither had to. For that moment they weren't in the streets of the black market, surrounded by unmoving bodies and the smell of rott and blood.

For that moment it was just them, in a space nobody but they could enter.

For a moment, they basked in their relief.

But every moment has to end.

The blaring of sirens in the distance pulled them out of their personal heaven, getting louder and closer by the minute.

"We have to go." Said the deer, only now seizing his gentle strokes through legoshis fur.