I woke slowly, warmth spreading through every limb, my body still deliciously heavy from last night's wild storm. Turning my head, my heart stilled at the sight of Atlas sleeping soundly beside me.
His skin was dotted with the bright, loving marks I'd left on him, and I could see the edge of the claiming bite just above his collarbone, dark and undeniable against his pale skin.
He was breathtaking.
Carefully, I propped myself up on one elbow, gazing down at him. Atlas's skin was marked just as mine was—bites and darkening bruises scattered across his neck and collarbones, his chest and stomach, the sharp ridges of his hip bones and the sensitive skin along his inner thighs.
Each one a reminder of our fierce night together. I traced one near his collarbone with my thumb, watching the slight shiver it drew from him even in sleep.
But the one that made my pulse quicken, the one that filled me with fierce pride, was my mark. Right at the junction of his neck and shoulder, clearly visible against his pale skin—a claiming bite, proof that he was mine in every way. Forever.
Something stirred deep within me as I stared at it. The possessiveness, the pride, and above all, the tenderness I felt toward him in this moment was overwhelming.
How had I been so fortunate to earn such a blessing from the Moon Goddess herself? Atlas was perfect, far beyond what I had ever imagined or deserved.
He stirred gently beside me, eyelids fluttering before slowly opening. Sleepy pale eyes met mine, and a soft smile tugged at his lips.
"Feeling alright?" Unable to hold back my teasing, I grinned. "You were quite active last night. More than I expected."
Atlas's eyes widened, his cheeks flushing a vivid shade of red. "Draven!"
"Atlas!" I mimicked playfully, tracing one of the love bites on his shoulder with my fingertips. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen that side of you before. Bold and dominating. You had me pinned like a wolf twice my size."
"Oh, please," he muttered, his face turning a deeper shade of crimson.
I chuckled, amused by the immediate embarrassment. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, hiding from my gaze. My chest tightened at the contrast: the same man who'd growled mine against my throat hours ago was now burrowing into me like a shy pup.
"What happened to the fierce wolf who demanded I give him everything I had?" I teased, brushing my lips softly over his shoulder. "Don't tell me you're embarrassed now."
"Stop," he whispered with a playful groan, voice muffled against my skin.
I smiled wider, kissing along his neck, feeling his pulse quicken beneath my lips.
"It was extraordinary. And very memorable."
He peeked up at me, eyes narrowed in playful suspicion. "What exactly do you mean by 'memorable'?"
"Do you recall begging me to mark you? And not just to mark you, Atlas, but to—" I whispered slowly, enjoying the way he shivered beneath my touch.
His eyes snapped fully open, panic and embarrassment flooding his expression. "Draven—!"
"Do you remember how you begged me?" I continued, voice a low murmur against his ear. "How you whispered that you wanted us to build a family together? That you wanted to raise pups with me—to fill this den with the sound of little ones who'd carry our bond forward?"
Atlas jerked back sharply, his face flaming scarlet as he stared at me.
"I— I said what?" His eyes were wide, hands coming up to cover his face, clearly mortified.
"You heard me," I said, pressing a soft kiss to the tip of his nose. "You were quite insistent, actually."
He stared at me through his fingers, eyes huge with embarrassment. "Did you… Did you really—did I really say that?"
I paused for dramatic effect, letting the tension stretch, watching him squirm beneath my gaze. The muscles in his jaw worked as he waited, torn between wanting to know and wanting to disappear into the mattress entirely.
Then, unable to resist any longer, I gave him a slow, wicked smile.
"You did," I admitted, pulling him back gently into my arms. "And for the record—how could I possibly refuse my mate anything he desires?"
He groaned again, hiding his flushed face against my chest. "Draven…"
"You really don't remember?" I asked softly, brushing my lips over his. "You said you wanted a family, Atlas. You and me. And I'm entirely on board. Nothing would make me happier than building that with you."
He blinked, processing my words slowly, his expression softening from embarrassment to something tender and cautiously hopeful. A hesitant smile spread across his lips, his pale eyes sparkling with affection.
"You really want that? With me?"
"Absolutely," I answered without hesitation. "I want everything with you. Our life, our pack, our family. All of it."
A shy smile slowly spread across his face, though he tried to maintain a stern expression. He poked my chest with one finger, tilting his head in mock intimidation.
"You better be careful what you wish for," he warned softly, his smile turning mischievous. "If that's the case, you'll probably be waking up to a pup's screams in the middle of the night by the end of the year."
I threw my head back, laughing openly, my heart swelling at the warmth in his voice. Pulling him even tighter against my chest, I grinned.
"Is that supposed to intimidate me, Atlas? Because it sounds an awful lot like encouragement."
He laughed softly, his expression finally relaxing into open happiness. "Maybe it's both."
We stayed like that for a long while: his head on my chest, my fingers tracing lazy patterns along his spine. The morning light climbed higher through the window, gilding his silver hair, and I thought that I could spend every sunrise exactly like this and never tire of it.
Not in a hundred years. Not in a thousand.
Then Atlas went still against me.
It was subtle, but I felt it. His breathing hitched, and the hand resting on my chest curled slightly, fingers pressing into my skin. His brow furrowed, eyes going distant in a way I recognized. He was listening to Hyde.
"Atlas?" I murmured.
He blinked, the haze clearing. "It's nothing." He shook his head slightly, pressing closer. "Hyde just… stirred. Like something caught his attention for a second. A feeling. It's gone now."
But Sirius shifted in the back of my mind too—a low, restless pulse, like hackles rising at a sound too faint to name. There and gone in the span of a heartbeat.
I studied Atlas's face, searching for any trace of worry, but he was already smiling again—soft, sleepy, content—and I told myself it was nothing.
A stray wind. A distant patrol. The world beyond these walls could wait.
I pulled him closer, pressing my lips to the crown of his head, breathing him in: woodsmoke, frost, the lingering musk of our night together.
Whatever it was, it could wait. This morning belonged to us.