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You’ve been running for God knows how long. The sound of the wind rings in your ears as you race through the forest, path only illuminated by the moonlight. You can’t shake off the fear— a sense of impending doom that keeps you moving. If you stop, they’ll take your wolf, and maybe you too. But through the dense fog and trees, you can’t find him. It’s dark, and the woods— a No-Hunt Zone you’ve never encountered before— seem endless. As you continue, you spot a fork leading to a cliff. Is that him? You can make out the silhouette of a large wolf eerily similar to your that of your lover. You run faster, feeling your heartbeat, moving until…
BANG.
You wake up with a jolt, eyes flying open as you lay on your side, tense from your nightmare. You can still feel the adrenaline. Your joints feel locked from the sprint your dream self had made through the forest, and your heartbeat has deviated from its steady rhythm. As you try to calm yourself, the next thing you notice is the large arm splayed across your torso, belonging to no other than Valko, your lover and, according to his biology and yours, your fated mate.
Okay, he’s still here. Safe.
You turn as much as you can without disturbing him. He snores softly, until he grunts and furrows his eyebrows. With the bond, you can only hope that his sleep wasn’t disturbed because of your dream. It’s still dark out, and you can vaguely make out the numbers on the clock.
02:26 AM.
It’s still the early morning. On the bright side, it means that there’s still time for you to sleep in. But despite keeping your eyes shut and even mentally counting sheep, sleep doesn’t come. With a huff, you get up quietly, only stopping after you see Valko lift his arm to your pillow. It’s endearing, how he always seems to chase your touch, even in his sleep.
You make your way to the kitchen and open the fridge to bring out a carton of Awoo Milk, because what better way to comfort yourself than with a sweet treat, right? After fishing around for the ice tray and a glass, you pour your drink. However, the silence as you take your first sip is interrupted by a smooth, handsome voice calling out to you.
“Midnight cravings, huh, pup?”
“That’s one way of saying it.”
You give him a sheepish smile. His burgundy hair is tousled and messy, wolf ears sticking out and fluffy tail nearly touching the floor. His chiseled face, worn by sleep, is only illuminated by the single light you keep on in your kitchen. His pajamas hang over him loosely, making him look less like the vigilante and Eoncore Chairman you met and more like… a tall, comfy wolf. Who also happens to be your mate, apparently. It’s still all too new to you. A relationship, this fated bond that you and Valko shared — a natural, yet seemingly imposed connection out of your control and a mutual care for the other neither of you expected.
At the very least, you’re grateful that Valko’s letting you take it at your own pace.
It’s just that you weren’t so sure how to act in front of him right now.
“It’s not like you to wake up in the middle of the night. You usually sleep like a dog… er… a wolf, for that matter.”
He makes his way to your side as you pour another glass of his favorite drink and hand it to him.
“It’s not that bad. Just woke up is all.”
Maybe they’re just tired, he thinks, but he can’t help but notice the way you avoid his eyes right when you speak. There’s something tense in the way you move, and lean against the kitchen island to watch the view from the window in front of you both. But most of all, he can feel the small tug on his heart— a strange pull telling him to go and comfort his mate. So, he does it in the way he knows best.
“Oh—oomph! Valko?”
You laugh as brings his hands to your sides and tickles you lightly, the glass he was drinking from left on the counter. His hair lands on your neckline as he leans down and embraces you from behind and pulls you into a tight hug. It’s silly, the way he’s trying to cheer you up, but he stays close, nosing the space between your neck and collar. Despite your surprise, you don’t resist, taking in his scent of pine and rain. When he can feel the tension start to dissipate, he gently kisses your neck. You jolt (has he memorized all your sensitive spots already?), and he lets out a fond laugh.
With a sigh, you finally ask the question on your mind.
“You knew, didn’t you?”
He nuzzles his big head against your neck one last time before he lets go and gets back to sipping on his drink.
“Look, I know it might be weird for you but…”
“The bond.” You speak quietly.
“Yeah. I don’t know what happened to you, exactly, but even in my sleep I had this feeling that something was off. I couldn’t tell if something had happened to you, I just knew you were upset.”
“You didn’t wake up immediately, though. The bond doesn’t work that way?”
“It’s not like I’ll feel everything you feel, little wolf, or at least to the same… intensity.”
He chooses his words carefully, trying to explain in a way that wouldn’t startle you.
“If you’re really happy and you’re right beside me, especially if we’re… touching each other… then I’ll know that you’re feeling great, and I’ll feel good about it too. But if you’re sad and far away, or if I’m asleep, it’ll be a bit harder for our bond to pick up on it. But I’ll know something’s up, eventually, and I might have to resort to jumping on your balcony again to check if you’re alright,” he shrugs, a small smirk on his face.
“Didn’t we agree on using the front door, ‘Ko? You’re still part human, you know.” You flick his forehead, laughing as he feigns pain and rubs the spot exaggeratedly.
“I had a feeling you might’ve been able to smell my emotions off me too, anyways.”
“Oh, that too. Especially when you’re aro—”
“Hey!”
He gets cut off with a retort and a hand to his mouth, and continues with a muffled voice.
“You know what happened the last time you did that, right?”
“Fine, don’t remind me. Go drink your milk. The ice is melting. ”
Just as you’re about to pull your hand away, he quickly takes it and slightly leans down so he can guide it towards his head, right between his wolf ears. You pat him, letting your fingers drag over his soft, choppy hair.
“You don’t need to tell me what’s wrong if you really don’t want to. The bond, scenting stuff might be too much for you—”
“Valko, it really isn't”
“But I just wanted to know that I’m still here for you regardless. You can tell me anything, yeah?”
You stop stroking his hair to properly look at him. His golden eyes are full of sincerity, and you can feel it too — he’s not lying, and he’s definitely not saying these things just because of some preordained connection.
“Could we just… cuddle? I think I just want you near me.”
“Lucky that we want the same thing, huh? Let’s go back to bed?”
After the two of you have finished your milk, you both head back to the bedroom, where Valko drapes himself over you, like a weighted blanket. You pull your (actual) blanket over him and automatically, your hand immediately returns to stroking his hair. Suddenly, you feel another fluffy sensation near your calf. You still can’t believe he’s as comfortable as he is with you now, to show his wolf features involuntarily.
His hair is so, so soft — more like that of a premium stuffed toy than an apex predator, and you feel yourself finally calm down— now approaching the edge of falling asleep.
“Valko, I dreamed that you left.” Your voice, although quiet, matter-of-fact, betrays your vulnerability.
“Mhm, that so?” He mumbles into your chest, only adjusting his head slightly so you can keep touching his hair.
“I was running… in a dark forest. Where I first saw you, I think. I didn’t know why I was running, I just knew I had to catch up to you before something bad happened. Then when I finally saw your wolf form, I heard a gunshot. Then they— whoever wants us gone— shot me too. Then I woke up.”
Your hands keep moving through his hair, lightly tracing his wolf ears.
“It’s stupid, it’s not like I haven’t had dreams of running away from something before, I just got worried because you were in it. That’s all.”
He lifts his head, all sharp angles and golden eyes, to look at you properly.
“I wouldn’t leave you for the world, pup.”
“You can’t say that ‘Ko. You might jinx it, then something, I don’t know, might happen.”
“No,” he speaks your name more gently, trying to reassure you.
“I don’t joke about things like this. I told you, even if anything tries to hunt us down, I’ll stay, and if we’re apart, I’ll come back to you. Always.” He takes your face in one hand, thumb rubbing over your cheekbone.
“Even without the bond?”
“Wolf’s honor.”
The two of you smile and chuckle as he pokes your cheek, and later adjusts his position upward so he can get closer to your scent before he falls asleep, as he usually does.
“Good night, little wolf. I’ll always be with you.”