The first ray of sunlight crept through the curtains and brushed across Ralf's face.
He stirred, instinctively reaching across the bed.
Cold sheets.
His eyes open slowly. Caison's side of the mattress was empty, the pillow already cool. For a moment, a flicker of unease tightened in his chest - until memory returned like warmth thought through frozen veins.
Candlelight.
Soft laughter.
A quiet confession in the dark.
_I love you._
A smile tugged at his lips despite himself. He rolled onto his side and pulled Caison's pillow closer, inhaling faint traces of blood. The Alpha of the Black Winter pack, reduced to grinning like a teenager.
He didn't mind.
For once, there had been no politics. No threats. No blood.
Just them.
Ralf forced himself up and dressed, following the s
