Jason stood in the alley, his back against the cold stone wall, his chest heaving. Mae was already adjusting her top, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction. The sword between her breasts had been knocked askew during their sexual encounter, and she straightened it with a casual flick of her wrist.

Jason’s head was still spinning.

He had no idea he would see her here—this cow woman from the market, the one with the seductive smile and even the sexual offers. But he was glad he did.

Because his balls were empty.

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to catch his breath. His body felt loose, relaxed, the tension of the past few days draining out of him like water from a cracked jug. The encounter had been quick, fierce, and surprisingly athletic. Mae knew what she wanted and wasn’t shy about taking it.

Jason had no idea why everyone in this world was so fucking horny. Tauriel, Ylva, Mira with her naked doorway and now Mae. It seemed like every creature he met wanted to climb him like a tree.

But he didn’t care.

He was enjoying the benefits that came with it.

Still, there was more to life than this. Jason knew that. Strength, survival, protecting the people who mattered. Those were the things that would keep him alive in the long run. The sex was just... a bonus.

But the thing that shocked him the most—the thing that made his chest feel warm in a way that had nothing to do with Mae’s body—was Ylva.

She had watched.

She had caught them—her eyes appearing at the mouth of the alley, her ears flat, her tail frozen—and she had done nothing. Just watched despite her claws being extended, her jaw tight, but she hadn’t attacked. She hadn’t screamed. She hadn’t stormed off.

She had listened.

Mae had explained. The milk. The healing properties. The condition. And Ylva had accepted.

She cared more about him than her jealousy.

Jason smiled to himself—a small, genuine smile that crept across his face before he could stop it.

"She actually cares..." Jason thought to himself.

"... Like, really cares..." Jason was glad that she was putting his safety above her impulsive feelings.

"Hey."

A hand smacked the back of his head.

"Ow!" Jason winced, rubbing his skull. He turned to see Ylva standing beside him, her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed.

"What’s so funny?" she demanded. "You’re standing there smiling like an idiot."

Jason forced his face neutral. "Nothing. Just... thinking."

"About what?" Ylva questioned right away.

"About how much I appreciate you." Jason said with a cheeky smile.

Ylva’s ears twitched. Her tail flicked once. "Don’t get soft on me."

"Wouldn’t dream of it." Jason responded right away.

She stared at him for a long moment, her eyes searching his face for the lie beneath the words. But Jason knew better than to let her know what was really going on in his head. He couldn’t tell her that her acceptance meant something to him because Ylva saw him more than just a possession. But most importantly, she wasn’t like her mother.

So he brushed it off, just like he always did.

Mae finished adjusting her clothes and stepped between them, her tail swishing. "So," she said, looking at Ylva. "We’re good?"

Ylva’s jaw tightened. "We’re good."

"Excellent." Mae beamed. "I’ve always wanted to travel with your kind. And a..." She looked at Jason, her brow furrowing. "Whatever you are."

"Let’s go with ’lucky,’" Jason said.

Mae laughed. Ylva did not.

-

They returned to the rundown boarding house on the eastern edge of the district. The stairs creaked under their feet, and the hallway smelled of mold and old cabbage. Jason pushed open the door to their room.

Thalion was still sitting on the edge of the bed, his silver hair disheveled, his pale eyes fixed on the floor. He hadn’t moved. The sack of meat that Ylva had brought was still untouched on the blanket.

When the door opened, Thalion’s head snapped up.

His eyes widened.

He saw Jason. He saw Ylva.

And then he saw Mae.

The cow woman stood in the doorway, her large frame filling the gap, the sword between her breasts gleaming in the dim light. Her eyes swept the room, taking in the narrow bed, the rickety chair, the grimy window.

Then her gaze landed on Thalion.

"An elf," Mae breathed. "An actual elf."

Thalion blinked. "You’re..."

"Guilty." Mae stepped into the room, her hooves clicking against the wooden floor. "I’ve never seen one of you up close. The ears are real?"

Thalion touched his pointed ear self-consciously. "Yes."

"Fascinating." Mae circled him like a merchant inspecting livestock. "And you’re male. I thought all the males were..."

She stopped herself, glancing at Jason.

Jason cleared his throat. "Thalion, this is Mae. She’s going to be joining us."

Thalion’s pale eyes flickered to Jason. "Joining us? For what purpose?"

"She can heal," Jason said, keeping his voice casual. "Every party needs a healer. Especially if we’re going into a dungeon."

Thalion’s gaze shifted to Mae. His expression was unreadable—neither hostile nor welcoming. Just... assessing.

"Heal how?" Thalion asked.

Mae smiled, revealing teeth that were surprisingly sharp for a herbivore. "Trade secret."

"She has healing properties," Ylva said from the doorway, her arms still crossed. "We tested it."

Thalion’s brow furrowed. "Tested it how?"

No one answered because they were partly embarrassed.

Thalion looked at Jason, then at Ylva, then back at Mae. Something clicked behind his pale eyes—some understanding that made his lips press into a thin line.

"I see," he said quietly. "Well. Welcome, I suppose."

Mae beamed. "Thank you! I promise I won’t be a burden. I can cook, I can clean, I can carry supplies, and I can..." She paused, her eyes flicking to Jason. "...provide other services as needed."

Ylva’s tail flicked again, but she said nothing.

Jason quickly changed the subject. "Mae, this is Thalion. He’s... complicated. Don’t touch him without warning. He has a tendency to blow up things that surprise him."

Mae’s eyes widened. "Blow up?"

"Literally. Heads, hands." Jason nodded toward the elf. "He’s working on it."

Thalion looked away, his pale cheeks flushing with shame—or something else. It was hard to tell.

Mae took a step back from the elf, suddenly less curious. "I’ll keep my hooves to myself, then."

"Good plan."

-

Ylva watched Mae from the corner of the room, her eyes never leaving the cow woman’s form. Her claws were retracted, her posture relaxed, but there was a tension in her shoulders that Jason recognized.

She didn’t trust Mae.

Not really.

Ylva had accepted the condition—that Mae could continue doing with Jason what she was doing—but that didn’t mean she liked it. She was watching closely, studying every movement, every glance, every breath.

Her motives were unknown.

But Ylva was confident in her ability to kill Mae should she step out of line.

Jason saw it in the way Ylva’s fingers twitched. In the way her nostrils flared every time Mae got too close to him. In the way her tail stayed absolutely still—a predator’s stillness, the calm before the strike.

"She’s ready," Jason thought. "If Mae tries anything, Ylva will tear her throat out before she can blink."

The thought should have disturbed him.

Instead, it made him feel safe.

Thalion, meanwhile, had retreated to the far corner of the bed, his knees drawn to his chest, his silver hair hiding his face. He was muttering to himself—soft, rapid words that Jason couldn’t quite catch.

Mae noticed. "Is he... okay?"

"He’s processing," Jason said. "Give him space."

Mae nodded slowly. She turned to Ylva. "So. What’s the plan? You mentioned a dungeon crawl?"

Ylva’s ears swiveled toward her. "Soon. We meet with Kaelen’s guild and head to the Stonefang dungeon."

"Sounds delightful." Mae’s voice was dry. "And what do I do while you’re all fighting?"

"You stay in the back," Ylva said. "You heal anyone who gets hurt. You don’t draw attention. You don’t use that sword unless someone’s about to die."

Mae touched the hilt between her breasts. "I can handle myself."

"Can you?" Ylva stepped closer, her eyes boring into Mae’s brown ones. "Because if you can’t, you’re a liability. And I don’t keep liabilities alive."

Mae held her gaze. Her tail stopped swishing. For a moment, the two of them just stared at each other—wolf and cow, predator and prey—but there was no fear in Mae’s eyes. Only calm.

"I’ve survived this long," Mae said quietly. "I’ll survive a few monstrts."

Ylva stared at her for another long moment. Then she turned away.

"Fine," she said. "But if you get someone killed, I’ll kill you. Slowly."

Mae smiled. "Fair."

Jason let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Two women in a room, both of whom had a claim on his body, and neither of them was trying to murder the other.

This was either a miracle or a disaster waiting to happen.

He decided not to think about it.

Instead, he walked to the window and looked out at the darkening sky. Stars were beginning to appear, scattered across the purple canvas like scattered diamonds.

Jason was mentally ready for the crawl but they needed milk, which meant he needed to get her aroused so he could milk her properly just like a cow however it was something she could do herself.

"Jason," Mae said from behind him.

He turned.

She was holding out a small flask—glass, with a dark liquid inside. "Drink this. It’ll help you recover faster. You took a lot out of me, and I took a lot out of you."

Jason took the flask. "What is it?"

"Milk." Mae winked. "Fresh."

Ylva growled—low and warning.

Jason uncorked the flask and drank. The liquid was warm, sweet, and strangely thick. It coated his throat as it went down, and almost immediately, he felt the aches in his body begin to fade. The bruise on his cheek throbbed less. The cut on his foot stopped stinging.

He looked at the flask, then at Mae.

"This is... incredible."

Mae shrugged. "That’s why you keep me around."

Thalion lifted his head from his knees. His pale eyes were fixed on the flask in Jason’s hand.

"Healing milk," the elf murmured. "I’ve read about such things. Rare. Very rare."

Mae’s smile faltered for just a moment. "Let’s not make it weird, okay?"

Thalion didn’t respond. He just watched.

Jason finished the flask and set it on the windowsill. His body felt stronger already, his mind clearer.

"Alright," he said, clapping his hands together. "Everyone get some rest. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day."

Ylva moved to her spot on the floor—the same spot she had claimed as hers. She lay down with her back to the wall, her eyes still watching.

Mae looked around the room. "Where should I...?"

"Floor," Ylva said. "Far corner. Away from Jason."

Mae raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. She moved to the far corner of the room, near the window, and sat down with her back against the wall. Her sword was still between her breasts, the hilt glowing faintly in the darkness.

Jason lay down on the floor near Ylva—close enough to feel her warmth, far enough to avoid her claws.

Thalion remained on the bed, his knees still drawn to his chest, his silver hair still hiding his face.