Both heads snap to the doorway.
There he is—pregnant, fierce, and more determined than either of them thought him capable of—standing in the shattered doorway of the bedroom.
"Let him go. *Now,*" he says, hands shaking at his sides.
The Alpha scoffs, grip unwavering around Jake's throat.
"And what are you gonna do about it?"
"This,"
Felix says—cold and sharp— as he *smashes* the heavy fire extinguisher into the Alpha's skull.
A brutal, echoing *crack* splits the air.
The Alpha roars in pain— and Jake rams his head forward into his face, breaking free at last.
They collapse apart, gasping—
Felix dropping to his knees beside Jake instantly, hands trembling as he cups his face.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Say something—"
"I'm fine," Jake whispers, breathless. "I'm fine, I'm fine... just a bit... winded."
He pushes himself sitting, holding Felix's trembling hands.
"Are *you* okay? You're here, you were supposed to—"
Felix smiles—eyes glistening.
"Shh," he whispers. "I'm fine. We're fine. You kept your promise. You're alive."
Tears well in Jake's injured eyes, relief coursing through him as he pulls Felix into a desperate embrace.
"I told you I wouldn't die," he rasps against the top of Felix's head. "*Never*. I promised."
Felix burrows into his arms, voice wobbly with tears.
"You almost did," he croaks.
Jake shudders.
"But I didn't," he whispers. "I'm here. I'm right here."
The Alpha groans behind them, trying to push himself up—bloodied and dazed.
Jake turns slowly, eyes blazing again—but this time, Felix holds him back.
"No," Felix says softly. "Don't kill him."
Jake stares at him in disbelief.
"He tried to—"
Felix places a gentle hand on his chest.
"I know what he tried to do. But if you become a killer for us… it'll break you."
He looks down at his stomach—the tiny life still growing within—
then back at the wounded man struggling on the floor.
"...Let the authorities handle it," he whispers. "**We're better than this.**"
The words cut deep into every fiber of Jake's being—but he nods once.
"For you," he whispers. "For *us.*"
He grips Felix tight, pressing a desperate kiss to his forehead—
then turns and grabs the Alpha, pulling him toward the front door.
Outside, a police cruiser is just pulling up to investigate the disturbance.
"Someone will take care of him now," Jake says into Felix's ear, hands holding him close. "We're safe."
Felix sags against him, face buried in Jake's neck.
"I love you," he whispers.
Jake smiles weakly—hands cupping his face, brushing his tear-stained cheeks.
"I love you too," he says, heart still racing—but full. "God, I love you so much."
Felix smiles, a small, soft smile, leaning into Jake's hands.
"Can we go home now?"
Jake laughs breathlessly, pressing a kiss to his hair.
"Yeah," he says. "Yeah, love. Let's go
They walk away from the wreckage—Jake's arm around Felix, the other rubbing gentle circles over his swollen stomach.
Sunlight spills through the broken windows of their penthouse as they reach home, illuminating shards of broken furniture scattered across a once tidy floor.
Felix stares at the mess in silence for a moment—then sighs, leaning harder against Jake.
"This is gonna take forever to clean up," he groans.
Jake chuckles, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
"Worth it," he whispers. "Every minute."
"We'll clean it up later," Felix murmurs, hand resting over his pregnant stomach. "I'm exhausted."
Jake smiles gently, rubbing his back.
"I bet," he says. "Come on, love. Let's get you to bed."
Arm in arm, they walk slowly into the bedroom—shattered and messy, but mostly intact—and collapse together on the bed.
Felix curls instantly against him, burying his face in Jake's chest.
"Don't let me go," he pleads, voice rough. "Not for a second."
"Never," Jake whispers, wrapping both arms around him like armor.
He presses soft kisses into Felix's hair, heartbeat slow and steady beneath his ear—calming, grounding.
"I've got you," he murmurs. "Always. No matter what comes... I've got you."
Outside, the city breathes again.
The sun climbs higher, warming the broken glass, melting the shadow's trace away— but inside?
Felix drifts off in Jake's arms, safe, loved...
and for now—
**at peace.**
"I love you," Felix whispers again, falling asleep.
Jake smiles—lips still pressed to his hair.
"I love you too," he says.
He tightens their embrace, protecting Felix in his arms.
"And I swear—"
He kisses the top of his head.
"I'll never let anything happen to either of you."
Felix falls asleep in minutes, and the sun climbs lower in the sky…
but Jake stays awake, guarding them, like a hero—like a father.
The world turns quietly outside their bedroom window—city sounds rising up from the streets, people living the ordinary parts of life.
But in here?
It's *just* them.
Jake watches Felix sleep, fingers caressing his hair, feeling every gentle breath in his arms.
"You're so beautiful," he whispers, voice soft in the silence. "You're both so incredibly beautiful."
Felix murmurs in his sleep, shifting to get even closer to Jake.
Jake smiles, nuzzling a kiss to his forehead.
As time ticks into quiet hours, Jake continues whispering to him—a gentle murmur of love against the darkness.
Every whispered, tender word seems to only make Felix shift closer in his arms, as if trying to hear even his quietest words.
"You're such a beautiful mess," Jake whispers, stroking his hair back. "You're my beautiful, amazing, chaotic, incredible mess of a mate."
Felix stirs again, eyes fluttering at the sound of his voice…
then relax again as he nuzzles his face into Jake's chest.
It's all so strangely intimate—just him holding Felix in his arms, speaking in hushed whispers into the night.
At one point, he realizes that Felix has grown still—but he doesn't stop.
Instead, he just keeps talking.
"You know," Jake whispers, tracing a pattern along Felix's spine. "I don't think I ever realized how much I love you until now."
Felix stirs once more, as if hearing his whisper after all.
He lets out a soft, contented hum, hands grasping Jake's shirt.
Jake smiles, heart melting at the small movement…
then keeps talking.
"I think I've loved you since the first moment I met you, actually," he whispers. "You were so fierce and beautiful and *stubborn,* like all those things at once. And I just wanted to hold you, like this..."
He tightens his arms around Felix, kissing his hair.
"Like a little flame—bright, and dangerous, and *beautiful*—and I needed to get as close as I could without getting burned."
"And yet," Jake whispers, voice thick with emotion, "you never burned me. You gave me everything—your trust, your heart, this little life growing inside you... and somehow, you chose *me.*"
He pauses, breathing in the scent of Felix's hair—warm vanilla and home.
"You could've had anyone… but you picked *us.*"
Felix lets out a tiny sigh in his sleep—lips twitching into a small smile—as if hearing every word after all.
Jake watches him in awe, then whispers one final promise to the quiet room— soft enough that only the stars might hear:
"...I'll spend forever making sure you never regret it."
"And I'll love you every day," Jake continues, voice barely above a breath. "Even on the hard days. Especially on the hard days."
Felix shifts in his arms, one hand sliding slowly across Jake's chest—closer, always closer.
Jake holds him tighter.
Outside, the moon rises higher, its sliver glow painting their quiet room with peace...
For now, they're safe.
They're together.
And somewhere deep inside Felix—a tiny heartbeat pulses, steady and strong—
answering back:
*Yes.*
*We are.*
For a long time, Jake just holds him, savoring the quiet comfort of just *being* with him.
He watches the moon rise beyond their window, feeling Felix's steady breaths through his shirt.
A strange feeling swells in his chest, warm and heavy, and it takes him a moment to realize it's hope—raw, aching hope:
For their future, together.
Finally, he turns his face into Felix's hair, and lets out an exhausted sigh:
"We're really doing this, aren't we?"
Felix stirs in response, shifting closer—like he's trying to find some way to burrow even deeper into Jake's arms.
His eyes remain closed, but a small smile lifts the corners of his mouth—an unconscious, contented expression that makes Jake want to hold him closer, never let him go.
"We're having a baby," Jake whispers against his hair—more to himself than anything else. A declaration, and a quiet promise all at once.
Felix burrows his face into Jake's neck.
"Yeah," he breathes, voice rough with sleep. "We are."
"Scary, huh?" Jake whispers, tracing small circles on Felix's back.
Felix hums—sleepy and slow.
"Terrifying," he admits. Then a pause... and a tiny smirk. "...but worth it."
Jake smiles into his hair.
"Yeah," he murmurs, kissing his temple. "*So* worth it."
Outside, the city breathes beneath the moonlight— and inside?
Two hearts beat as one, with a third waiting patiently in the dark soft,
steady, perfectly unafraid.