Morning light spilled softly through the curtains, casting the room in a haze of pale gold. The air still held the faint scent of Lior's pheromones, threaded with warmth and spice, lingering like smoke after a fire. Kaein stirred against the sheets, body heavy, head buried in the pillow that smelled wholly of his Lunar. His skin felt branded by last night—the temporary mark at his throat tender, alive.
He shifted, finding Lior still curled beside him, lashes brushing his cheekbones, hair falling untamed across the pillow. Even in sleep, there was an aura of command around him, something untouchable, something that rooted Kaein's chest with need.
Kaein's fingers twitched, the Alpha instinct and something deeper making him want to nuzzle into that scent again. He swallowed, lips brushing the curve of Lior's shoulder. The smallest touch. The smallest whimper escaped his throat before he could stop it.
Lior stirred. One eye cracked open, and the lazy smile he gave made Kaein's lungs feel too small.
"You're needy already," Lior murmured, voice rough with sleep.
Kaein flushed, averting his gaze, but Lior tipped his chin up, forcing him to meet his eyes. "Say it."
"…Your scent," Kaein whispered. "I… need it."
The Lunar's smile deepened, somewhere between fondness and possession. He leaned in, pressing his lips just below the mark he'd given the night before, letting a slow wave of pheromones pour out. The effect was immediate—Kaein shuddered, every line of his body softening, breath catching as the tension in his chest melted.
Lior whispered against his skin. "Mine to calm. Mine to soothe."
And Kaein could only nod, clutching him tighter.
---
The day unfolded with the rhythm of a household. Breakfast was shared with Kaein's family; laughter came easily, their warmth wrapping Lior in a place he hadn't known he could belong. Kaein's sister teased them gently when she caught the way Kaein leaned into Lior's space without thought, or the way Lior absentmindedly adjusted Kaein's collar before they sat at the table.
Even neighbors noticed—eyes lingering a little too long on the pair when they passed by the garden. Whispers carried in soft tones: like lovers, they said. And Lior's heart stuttered every time, because for once, it didn't feel like a dangerous misstep but like a truth.
There were quiet moments: kneading dough together in the kitchen, hands brushing, flour dusting their clothes; afternoons in the garden, Kaein with dirt smudged across his cheek while Lior laughed and leaned down to wipe it with his thumb. Evening saw Kaein sorting through university notes at the desk, glasses slipping low, while Lior curled on the couch, reading one of the journals aloud until Kaein abandoned work altogether to listen.
It was ordinary, painfully ordinary. And yet to Lior, it was everything.
---
But when night fell, ordinary slipped away.
The air in the room thickened as soon as the door shut behind them. Lior caught Kaein's gaze—how the Alpha's pupils dilated, how his throat worked as though the mark burned again.
"Take it," Lior whispered, brushing his wrist along Kaein's jaw. "Breathe me in."
Kaein did, helpless against it, and his entire body trembled as pheromones wrapped around him. Raw. Overwhelming. He buried his face into Lior's neck, teeth grazing over the old mark without daring to press down.
"Lior…" His voice broke.
That plea was enough. Lior tilted his head, exposing skin, dominance threaded with gentleness. "Then I'll give you what you need."
The temporary mark deepened under Lior's bite, firm and primal, claiming in a way that sent Kaein gasping—half pain, half ecstasy. His hands fisted in the sheets, body arching to the command of it.
And through every kiss, every push and pull, there was no cruelty, only possession spoken in a language older than words. Lior guided him, soothed him with steady waves of pheromones until Kaein was undone, pliant and clinging, breathless with the certainty that this bond was becoming unshakable.
---
When it was over, Kaein lay sprawled against Lior's chest, still trembling, still breathing in the scent that anchored him. Lior stroked his hair, slow and steady, a smile tugging at his lips.
"You'll always crave me now," he said softly, almost amused. "Even the air won't be enough unless I give it."
Kaein didn't deny it. He couldn't.
Instead, he whispered the only truth he knew. "Then don't ever stop."
And Lior, pressing another kiss into his hair, promised silently that he wouldn't.