She’d learned not to envision a future that stretched beyond the sunrise, learned to anchor her expectations to the next safe zone, the next safe hour. But here, in this manor that smelled of old wood and fresh soap and the sweetness of her cub’s laughter, she felt hope uncurling inside her like a new shoot splitting the earth.

She stepped deeper into the room, knelt carefully to Luna’s level, and helped her tuck the fortress walls into place. Frost watched, wide-eyed and solemn, as if uncertain whether he belonged in this sanctuary, and Felicity reached for him without thinking. The boy melted into her arms, as if he’d been waiting his whole life for the permission to do so. She held both children close and promised herself, voicelessly, fiercely, that this room would never be taken from them.

The garden outside the window was wild and overgrown, but beautiful in its way, tangled morning glory and sunflowers fighting for space among the long grass. She imagined what this place would look like with time and care: Luna planting beans along the fence, Frost chasing butterflies, even herself tending to the broken beds, coaxing life back into the dark soil. The possibility of future seasons, of spring and autumn and the slow unfurling of years, made her head spin.

She stayed there until the sun left the sky entirely and was replaced by the gentle glow of lamps Victor had set up in the hallway. Obviously, her husbands were never far, and exile was just watching her with the cubs from the hallway, Ivan was stalking the premises, Voss was in the kitchen making food, and Victor was checking with Snow and Leaf team if their place was okay or not.

The warmth of the house pressed in on her from all sides, not stifling, but close and comforting, like the arms of the pack. When Luna and Frost began to droop with exhaustion, she tucked them into their little beds, hers now, truly and lingered a moment longer to watch their steady, even breaths in the hush that followed.

A shadow moved across the doorway. Exile slipped into the room, silent as a serpent, his green eyes fixed on Felicity as she bent over the sleeping cubs. He approached her with that liquid grace that always made her heart flutter, sliding an arm around her waist from behind.

"You are beautiful," he whispered against her forehead, pressing his lips there with reverent tenderness. "So glad you’re safe."

Felicity melted into his embrace, turning to bury her face against the warm skin of his neck. She inhaled his scent, wild and musky with an undercurrent of something sweet that was uniquely his. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Tomorrow would be the last night of their monthly rotation, her time alone with each of her men before they returned to the communal sleeping arrangement that had become their family’s sanctuary.

"Are you ready for tonight, my mate?" Exile’s voice rumbled against her chest, vibrating through her bones.

Felicity swallowed hard, looking up into those intense emerald eyes that never left her face. He tracked every breath she took, every flutter of her eyelashes, as if memorising her existence. The obsession in his gaze should have frightened her, but instead, it wrapped around her like a warm blanket, a promise of devotion so complete it bordered on worship.

Mine, take, claim. The primal urges that drove Exile were barely contained. She could see the struggle in the tension of his jaw, the way his fingers flexed against her hip. But he was learning they all were, that sharing didn’t diminish what they had.

Exile watched Felicity with the cubs, his chest tight with an emotion too vast to name. She was so warm, so perfect, her small hands gentle as she tucked the blankets around Luna’s shoulders. The softness of her voice as she hummed a lullaby made his beast stir with possessive satisfaction.

Mine, protect, keep.

He catalogued every detail: the way her blonde hair caught the lamplight, how her lips curved when she smiled at Frost’s sleepy response, the slight swell of her belly where their children grew. His heart thundered so violently, he feared she might hear it across the room.

Voss appeared at the end of the hallway, his shadow falling across the threshold. Exile acknowledged him with a slight nod. The Leopard was struggling; they all were in different ways, but tonight belonged to Exile and Felicity alone.

Tomorrow, they would return to the massive bed the others had constructed, four king-sized mattresses pushed together to accommodate their pack. But tonight, he would have her to himself, would worship her body and soul without competition or interruption.

His hands trembled slightly at the thought. The knowledge that she carried his offspring, their offspring. Made him want to scream his triumph to the heavens. Instead, he approached her silently, drawing her into his arms with infinite care.

"Exile!" Felicity gasped as he lifted her, his strength making her weightlessness feel natural. His tongue traced a hot path along her neck, drawing a shiver from her cunt.

"Mmm, my mate," he growled against her skin. "You taste so good."

"What do you have planned for me?" she asked, her voice breathier than she intended.

Exile only chuckled, the sound vibrating through her body as he carried her up the stairs. The moment they crossed the threshold into their bedroom, something in him seemed to snap. He laid her on the bed with unexpected gentleness before his mouth crashed against hers.

"Haah- Exile...yes, like that," she moaned as his tongue swept against hers, dancing and claiming in equal measure.

His kisses travelled down her neck, each touch of his lips sending electric pulses through her body. Her back arched involuntarily, seeking more contact, more pressure, more of him.

"Such a beautiful mate," he murmured, pulling back to gaze at her with those burning eyes.

When his mouth closed around her breast, Felicity cried out, her hips rising from the bed. He positioned himself between her thighs, spreading her legs, one draped over his right shoulder, the other stretched to the side in an N shape. The thick length of his thicker cock pressed against her pussy, and she gasped at the sensation as he slowly pushed inside.

"YES! YESSS! That’s so that’s so- good FUCK! " The words dissolved into incoherent sounds of pleasure as he slowly inched in.