The house was quiet, the faint hum of the city outside barely reaching the thick walls of Kaein's home. Inside, the aftermath of the proposal lingered in every glance, every touch, every breath they shared. Kaein's body hummed with the subtle vibration of his Alpha heat, a signal that the rut had begun, its presence demanding attention even as he tried to focus on normal evening routines. Lior sat beside him, close enough that their shoulders brushed, a soft reminder of dominance, protection, and intimacy all wrapped into one.
"I can feel it coming," Kaein whispered, voice low, almost shaky. He pressed a hand to his abdomen, then onto his chest, feeling the stirrings of his instinct. "Lior… I—I don't know if I can control it tonight."
Lior's fingers found Kaein's wrist, squeezing gently but firmly. The faint scent of wisteria from Kaein mixed with the deep, rich gardenia of Lior, creating a charged, grounding air around them. "You don't have to," Lior murmured, lips brushing Kaein's temple. "Just… let me be with you. Let me take care of you. That's what I'm here for, my beloved."
Kaein's breath hitched as the first wave of heat washed over him. The scent he carried thickened, a signal only Lior could truly sense, but Lior didn't falter. Instead, he leaned closer, pressing a hand to Kaein's back and sliding it down to rest over his hip. "You're mine tonight," he whispered, voice low, intoxicating. "Every inch of you. Feel it, Kaein… feel that I'm here, and you're safe."
The Alpha in Kaein flared instinctively, pride and desire entwined with the need of his rut. But the reassurance in Lior's presence, the subtle dominance that came not from force but from being Lunar, tempered the overwhelming wave. Kaein's hands trembled as they touched Lior, tracing his shoulders, his neck, memorizing every curve, every line. "I can't… I—God, Lior…"
"You can," Lior coaxed, lowering his lips to Kaein's neck, sucking softly, a teasing yet possessive claim. The pheromones he released were subtle, controlled, enough to soothe, to ground, to pull Kaein into the sensation without drowning him in raw lust. "Breathe for me, Kaein. In… and out. You're safe. I've got you."
Kaein closed his eyes, leaning into the warmth, the scent, the sound of Lior's heartbeat, and the way his hands held him steady. "Yours… always yours," he murmured, a shiver running through him as another wave of rut surged. His instincts screamed for release, for marking, for the primal connection that defined their kind—but here, with Lior, it was different. Tender. Controlled. Loving.
They moved to the bed together, careful, languid, each touch deliberate. Lior guided Kaein down, letting his fingers trace the curve of Kaein's jaw, lips brushing in fleeting kisses—forehead, nose, lips—never rushed, each gesture a reaffirmation of possession and consent. "I want to feel you completely, my Alpha," Lior murmured, voice husky but gentle. "But tonight… tonight, we take it slow. We savor it."
Kaein moaned softly, pressing his hands into Lior's chest, feeling the pull of the pheromonal exchange, the scent of gardenia thickening as Lior's rare Lunar dominance subtly bled into the air, balancing Kaein's Alpha heat. He could feel himself responding, melting, surrendering to Lior in a way that went beyond biology—heart, mind, and body entwined. "You… you make it… easy… to let go," he breathed.
"Because you're mine," Lior whispered, letting his hands roam over Kaein's form, gentle, teasing, occasionally firm. Every touch sent shivers through Kaein, not just from arousal but from the deep reassurance that this wasn't just lust—it was bonding, it was care, it was eternal, even if temporary marking tonight was all that would occur.
Their lips met again, slow, heated, the taste of each other lingering, blending with the pheromonal scent of wisteria and gardenia. Kaein pressed himself against Lior, feeling the rare Lunar strength in his lover, the grounding dominance that did not overpower but guided. He let out a deep groan, body arching instinctively, rut raging but tempered by trust. "Lior… please… don't stop…"
Lior responded with soft chuckles, brushing lips against Kaein's shoulder, ear, whispering sweet possessive phrases. "I won't. Never, my beloved. You're mine… and I'll make sure you're safe, sated, and cared for. Always."
The night stretched around them, a mixture of sighs, moans, and whispered reassurances. Kaein's Alpha surges came in waves, each moderated by Lior's presence, each softened by the careful pheromonal balance he maintained. Lior, for his part, let the Alpha heat wash over him, subtly releasing just enough scent to comfort and claim, never overwhelming. "Feel me, Kaein," he murmured. "Let me in… every part of you."
By the early hours, they were entwined, bodies sticky with sweat, hearts beating in tandem, breaths ragged yet calm in the aftermath. Kaein's rut would continue for days, but Lior was prepared. Family members, hearing the occasional cough or movement from the other room, brought meals, water, and soft blankets without ever intruding. Their quiet care framed the intimacy, giving a sense of domesticity, grounding the primal heat in love and nurture.
Kaein's hands found Lior's hair, fingers threading through it as he leaned into his touch. "I… never imagined… anyone could soothe me like this," he whispered. "Even during rut… even when I feel like I'm… burning."
Lior pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, then down the bridge of his nose. "That's my job, my Alpha. To claim, to protect, to soothe. You belong to me—but more importantly… you trust me. That's the strongest bond there is."
For the next three days, the house became their haven. Kaein's heat flared and ebbed, each wave met by Lior's firm, soothing presence. Baths were drawn, soft washes given, cool cloths placed to ease sweat and restlessness. Meals were brought quietly, whispered encouragements in between sips of water and bites of rice. Even during the fiercest peaks of rut, their hands were entwined, lips pressed together for comfort, murmured affirmations of possession, love, and desire echoing in the warm rooms.
"You're mine, Kaein," Lior whispered one evening, brushing hair from the damp forehead of his lover. "Even when the world ends, even when heat overwhelms, even when… anything. You're mine."
Kaein shivered, the familiar ache of need mixed with comfort pressing into him. "And you're mine, Lior… always. My Lunar, my anchor… my beloved."
The balance of dominance and submission, Alpha and Lunar, fused into a dance of care and craving. Lior sometimes pressed Kaein to his chest, other times kissed him softly, teasing, grounding. Kaein moaned, hissed, whispered his love, begged for touches, accepted the gentle claims. The pheromones mingled freely, filling the air with a heady blend of reassurance, passion, and devotion.
By the third day, Kaein's rut began to fade, leaving behind a tired, sated Alpha wrapped in the strong arms of his Lunar. They lay together, pressed close, breathing in each other's scent, hearts finally slowing in tandem. The family moved quietly around them, bringing food, refilling water, tucking blankets, all in a harmony that allowed intimacy to exist without shame, without intrusion.
Kaein looked at Lior, hair damp and tousled, face flushed and serene. "I… couldn't have made it through without you," he whispered. "Every moment, you… you carried me."
Lior brushed a hand across his cheek, thumb resting over lips. "And I always will, my Alpha. You're mine, and I'll always be here. Rut, permanent marking, cycles, children… whatever comes. Always here."
The sun rose the next morning, painting soft golden light across the room. Kaein and Lior lay entwined, exhausted but peaceful, bodies still close, pheromones lingering faintly as a reminder of nights shared, care given, and the unspoken promises of permanence hovering just beyond the present.
Even as the day moved forward, the warmth remained. Their love, their bond, and the shared scent of wisteria and gardenia—Alpha and Lunar—marked their lives more deeply than any official ritual ever could.