Felicity felt the steady rhythm of Exile’s serpentine body beneath her as he carried her down the desolate road, his scales cool against her skin. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the broken asphalt, turning the ruined city into a landscape of fractured light and darkness. Her fox ears twitched at the sound of her husband’s footsteps behind them, a constant reminder of their protective presence.

"You’re quiet today, little fox," Exile murmured, his voice a silky whisper that seemed to slither into her ear. He stroked her blonde hair with careful fingers, his touch surprisingly gentle for such a fearsome creature. "Is something troubling you?"

She leaned into his touch, her tail curling around his scaled torso for balance. The chocolate he’d been feeding her had left a sweet taste on her tongue. His hand moved to her belly, tracing small circles that made her shiver.

Felicity watched Victor walking ahead, his silver hair catching the light, wings slightly spread as if ready to take flight at the first sign of danger. The sight of him, so powerful and vigilant, crystallised the thought that had been forming in her mind since their encounter with Richard.

"Victor." Her voice came out quieter than she intended, but steady. She waited until she had his full attention. "We need to do something about Richard."

He turned immediately, his red eyes sharpening with focus. Behind him, Voss and Dimitri exchanged glances, their expressions hardening.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" Victor asked, his voice controlled but with an undercurrent of something darker.

Exile continued his attention, his fingers working through a tangle in her hair. "Let me help with this one, little fox," he whispered, offering her another piece of chocolate. "The man’s been a thorn in your side for too long."

Felicity accepted the sweet, letting it melt on her tongue before she spoke again. "I don’t want more blood on our hands than necessary. But he’s dangerous. Not just to us, but to the cubs."

Victor nodded, his jaw tight. He gestured for Voss and Dimitri to join him, and the three men stepped away, forming a tight circle. Felicity watched as they bent their heads together, their voices too low for her to hear.

"Don’t worry yourself," Exile murmured, sensing her tension. "Your men will find a solution that satisfies both justice and your gentle heart."

She leaned back against him, feeling the strange comfort of his cool scales. "I just don’t want to be the cause of more violence."

Meanwhile, Victor kept his voice low as he addressed his brothers-in-arms. "We can’t simply kill him. Felicity would never forgive herself."

Voss nodded, his calculating eyes scanning the horizon. "She’s right, though. He’s a threat, and the way he looked at her." He cut himself off, a rare flash of emotion crossing his usually controlled features.

Dimitri’s hands clenched into fists. "He deserves to suffer for what he said."

Victor ran a hand through his silver hair, considering. "We need to ensure he can’t be near any of the cubs or any cubs."

"I think," Voss said, lowering his voice further, "we need to make an example of him. Not just for our family, but for anyone else who might get ideas."

Felicity couldn’t hear their words, but she could see the tension in Victor’s shoulders, the way Dimitri’s muscles bulged as he clenched his fists. Exile’s coils tightened protectively around her.

"Your men are quite formidable when they’re plotting," he whispered, his breath cool against her ear. "They would tear apart worlds for you, little fox."

She shivered at his touch, not from fear but from the strange comfort of his presence. "I know," she murmured back. "That’s what worries me."

Victor turned back toward them, his expression carefully neutral. "We’ve decided what to do about Richard. Don’t concern yourself with the details."

"But..." she started to protest.

"You trust us?" Victor asked, his red eyes holding hers.

Felicity hesitated, then nodded. She had no choice but to trust them; they were her family now, they were her everything.

"Then let us handle this," he said firmly.

Exile’s hand moved to her chin, tilting her face toward his. "Your compassion is beautiful, but sometimes the world requires a harder touch."

Dimitri stepped away from the group, his expression dark with purpose. He let out a low whistle, and soon Thane emerged from the sky, gliding down.

Without a word, the two men moved toward the back of their travelling party, where Richard walked, slightly apart from the others. Richard looked up, surprise crossing his features as they approached him.

Felicity watched as Dimitri said something to Richard, too low for her to hear. Richard shook his head, but Dimitri grabbed his arm firmly. The next moment, they were pulling him off the road and into the overgrown bushes.

"Victor," Felicity began, concern rising in her voice.

"Shh," Exile whispered, his hand stroking her hair. "They’re taking care of what needs to be done, for all of us." Exile stroked her stomach, then gave her a kiss on the cheek.

From the bushes came sounds that made Felicity’s ears flatten against her head, the sickening thud of fists connecting with flesh, followed by Richard’s muffled cries. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"You think you can just take her?" Dimitri’s voice carried through the foliage. "Our Felicity?"

"What kind of man are you?" Thane growled. "Thinking you deserve her?"

Felicity closed her eyes, trying to block out the sounds of violence. Exile’s coils shifted, creating a barrier between her and what was happening.

"I’ve been watching her for weeks," Richard’s voice came, strained and pained. "She should be with someone who appreciates her properly. Not surrounded by cubs that aren’t even her blood."

The sound of another punch landing made Felicity flinch.

"Those cubs are her family now," Dimitri snarled. "And so are we."

"Taking in strays like that," Richard spat, "it’s disgusting. A woman like her should focus on her own bloodline."