THEY SLEPT TOGETHER, tangled in each other’s limbs and the second-best furs and by the time morning started filtering in through the door c***k, the space smelled as much of them as the bed across the room. Nothing had really changed. Except that the warm body in his arms was human-shaped and the sun filtering in through the door he’d taken to leaving ajar for his leopard-shaped mate now shone bright on Aalyan’s resting face, as if encouraging him to see the world anew.
He ran a finger down Aalyan’s eyebrow, thick but beautifully shaped, his brown skin shimmering in the light, and his mate opened his eyes as if recalled from his dreams by Ghian’s regard.
“Good morning,” he offered, soft, wondrously. He’d missed Aalyan’s face more than he could say.
“G’morning,” his omega mumbled, swallo
