The first snow came quietly.
Aiden only noticed when something cold and soft landed on the bridge of his nose. He blinked and looked up at the pale winter sky. Small white snowflakes drifted down slowly, turning the grey air into something soft and silent.
On his hip, Lior shifted slightly.
The toddler's small hands clutched tightly into the fabric of Aiden's shirt, little fingers gripping as if the cloth itself anchored him to the world. White hair threaded with thin strands of black fell over Lior's forehead, and his wolf ears flickered curiously as another snowflake landed on them.
Lior huffed softly.
"Mm."
Aiden smiled faintly.
"It's snowing…" he murmured.
His own wolf traits flickered out unconsciously—black ears appearing briefly before settling, his long tail swaying slowly behind him in a calm rhythm. Cold air always made his wolf more present.
He shifted Lior a little higher on his hip before glancing over his shoulder.
"Eirik, come! The clearing will soon be covered."
Behind him, footsteps approached through the frost-dusted grass.
Eirik moved with the quiet ease of someone used to the forest. His ash-blond hair was tied low at the nape of his neck, the pale strands catching the falling snowflakes. Calm grey eyes watched the scene ahead of him with gentle amusement.
At his side walked two much smaller figures.
Ryn held Eirik's hand tightly, his small fingers wrapped around two of Eirik's larger ones like a lifeline. The middle pup's black hair tipped with white brushed his cheeks as he walked, wolf ears twitching constantly as he studied the falling snow with intense curiosity.
On Eirik's other side trudged Kael.
Kael didn't hold hands.
He walked beside Eirik with the quiet seriousness that seemed strange in someone so small. His white hair and amber eyes were almost identical to Theron's, though his shorter legs forced him to take quick little steps to keep up.
Snowflakes clung to Kael's thick lashes.
"Aiden," Eirik called calmly, "slow down. The snow doesn't run away."
Aiden snorted.
"You clearly haven't met these three."
As if summoned by the accusation, Ryn tugged Eirik's hand urgently.
"Snow!" he announced.
It was one of his favorite words lately.
"Wolf," "snow," and the occasional proud little growl.
Eirik chuckled softly.
"Yes," he agreed patiently. "Snow."
Kael stopped walking.
He tilted his head upward, amber eyes narrowing as he watched the flakes drift down from the sky. One landed on his nose.
Kael blinked.
Then blinked again.
Then, with great seriousness, he reached up and tried to grab the air.
The snowflake melted instantly.
Kael frowned.
Aiden burst out laughing.
"Oh, that face," he said, shifting Lior slightly as he watched his oldest pup's growing confusion.
Lior, meanwhile, had discovered something else.
Snowflakes were landing in Aiden's hair.
Tiny hands reached up and began grabbing fistfuls of black strands as Lior tried to capture them.
"Hey," Aiden protested mildly.
Lior made a small happy sound and continued his work.
Behind them, Ryn suddenly gasped.
Another snowflake landed on his palm.
He stared at it.
Then looked up at Eirik with wide, glowing amber eyes.
"Cold."
"Yes," Eirik said, crouching down beside him. "Snow is cold."
Ryn immediately pressed the snowflake against Eirik's hand.
"Cold!"
"Yes," Eirik repeated patiently.
Aiden shook his head fondly.
The clearing ahead of them was already beginning to turn white. Thin layers of snow spread across the ground, softening the edges of stones and fallen branches.
By the time they reached the center, the entire place would likely be covered.
Perfect for pups.
"Come on," Aiden said, stepping forward again.
Kael followed immediately.
Ryn had to be gently encouraged by Eirik.
Lior simply rode along like a tiny king, ears twitching as the world slowly turned white around them.
For a moment, everything was quiet.
No tension.
No enemies.
Just falling snow and the soft crunch of grass beneath their feet.
Then Kael stopped again.
He lifted his face to the sky and opened his mouth.
A snowflake landed directly on his tongue.
Kael froze.
Then he looked deeply offended.
Aiden almost dropped Lior laughing.
"Oh gods, Kael—"
Kael wiped his tongue with the back of his sleeve, glaring at the sky like it had personally insulted him.
Eirik pressed his lips together, clearly trying not to laugh.
"Perhaps," he suggested diplomatically, "the snow surprised him."
Kael looked unconvinced.
Meanwhile, Ryn had discovered something far more interesting.
Footprints.
He stared down at the marks they were leaving behind in the thin snow layer. Tiny prints from his feet. Larger ones from Eirik.
He crouched down and poked one.
Then he placed his foot inside Aiden's footprint.
It disappeared.
Ryn looked deeply pleased.
"Wolf," he declared.
"Yes," Aiden said softly.
His tail swayed behind him.
The clearing slowly filled with white.
Lior finally loosened his grip on Aiden's shirt just long enough to reach out and catch a falling snowflake.
It melted instantly against his warm skin.
His little ears flicked in surprise.
Then he looked at Aiden.
"Mama."
Aiden's chest softened immediately.
"Yeah," he murmured, pressing a kiss into Lior's hair. "It's snow."
Behind them, Eirik watched quietly.
Ryn still holding his hand.
Kael walking at his other side.
Three small lives.
Three beating hearts tied to the Alpha King and his mate.
The snow continued to fall gently around them.
And somewhere deeper in the forest, unseen eyes watched the clearing slowly turn white.
The snow kept falling.
At first it had been only a few drifting flakes, but now the air was thick with them, the sky turning the clearing into a quiet white world.
Aiden stepped into the open space, boots crunching softly against the growing layer of snow. His tail swayed lazily behind him, Lior still balanced on his hip.
The pup had gone quiet.
Not asleep.
Just… watching.
Lior's bright eyes followed the snowflakes as they fell past his face, his wolf ears twitching every few seconds. One tiny hand was still tangled in Aiden's shirt, while the other stretched outward again and again, trying to catch the drifting white pieces.
Every time they vanished, his ears flicked in mild confusion.
Behind them, Ryn was much louder about the whole experience.
"Cold!" he announced again.
Eirik hummed patiently.
"Yes, snow is cold."
Ryn crouched down, scooped up a handful of the thin snow, and held it proudly.
For exactly two seconds.
Then the cold hit his skin.
"Ah!"
The snow dropped instantly.
Aiden laughed.
"Careful, genius."
Ryn stared at his wet fingers like they had betrayed him.
Then he wiped them on Eirik's pants.
Eirik sighed softly but didn't stop him.
Beside them, Kael was studying the ground again.
He had noticed something.
His small boots stepped carefully into the snow beside Aiden's large footprint. He tilted his head, comparing them, then slowly placed his foot inside it again.
It fit.
Barely.
Kael's ears flicked.
He tried again with Eirik's footprint.
Too big.
He frowned at the snow like it had personally failed him.
Aiden watched the serious little face and snorted softly.
"Kael, it's snow. Not a puzzle."
Kael ignored him.
Instead, he crouched down and pressed his hands into the snow.
Tiny handprints appeared.
His eyes lit up slightly.
Ryn saw it immediately.
"Oh!"
He rushed over, nearly tripping over his own feet.
"Hands!"
Suddenly both pups were kneeling in the snow, slapping their palms into it with great enthusiasm.
The clearing quickly filled with chaotic little prints.
Eirik crossed his arms loosely, watching them with quiet amusement.
"They're going to freeze their hands."
"They'll survive," Aiden replied.
Lior shifted slightly against him.
The smallest pup leaned forward again, determined not to miss whatever his brothers were doing. His little legs kicked impatiently.
"Down."
Aiden raised an eyebrow.
"You want down?"
Lior nodded very seriously.
Aiden hesitated for exactly one second.
Then he crouched and set him gently on the ground.
The moment Lior's feet touched the snow, he froze.
Completely.
His wolf ears flattened slightly as the cold touched his boots.
Aiden bit his lip, trying not to laugh.
"Well?"
Lior lifted one foot.
Then the other.
Then he slowly walked forward with the extreme caution of someone stepping into unknown territory.
Step.
Crunch.
Step.
Crunch.
His eyes widened.
Ryn spotted him immediately.
"Lior!"
He ran over and grabbed his brother's sleeve.
Lior almost fell over.
Kael grabbed the other side automatically, steadying him.
For a moment the three pups simply stood there in the falling snow.
Three tiny figures with wolf ears and glowing eyes.
Aiden felt something warm spread through his chest.
Behind him, Eirik spoke quietly.
"They trust you."
Aiden glanced at him.
Eirik nodded toward the pups.
"They feel safe."
Aiden snorted.
"They're toddlers. Of course they do."
But his tail betrayed him, swaying slowly.
In the center of the clearing, Ryn suddenly scooped up more snow.
"Ball!"
He shoved the loose pile into Kael's chest.
Kael blinked.
Then slowly looked down.
Snow slid off his coat.
His amber eyes narrowed.
Ryn grinned.
"Ball."
Kael didn't say anything.
Instead, he crouched down calmly… picked up his own handful of snow… and shoved it straight into Ryn's face.
Silence.
Then—
"AH!"
Ryn screamed like the world had ended.
Aiden burst out laughing.
Eirik rubbed his forehead.
"Already starting wars," he muttered.
Lior watched the whole thing with wide eyes.
Then he giggled.
A small, bright sound that made all three adults freeze for a moment.
Even Kael looked up.
Lior clapped his hands happily.
"Mama!"
Aiden crouched beside them, brushing snow from Ryn's hair while the middle pup complained dramatically.
"You survived," Aiden said dryly.
Ryn sniffed.
"Cold."
"Yes, we established that."
Kael stood nearby, looking deeply satisfied with himself.
Snowflakes had collected in his white hair, making him look almost identical to a tiny version of Theron.
Eirik noticed it too.
"Theron is going to be very proud of that one."
Aiden groaned.
"Don't encourage him."
The snow kept falling.
Thicker now.
The clearing was almost completely white.
And from the path behind them, another scent drifted through the air.
Warm.
Familiar.
Alpha.
Aiden's wolf ears twitched before he even turned around.
His tail lifted slightly.
The pups noticed next.
Kael's head snapped toward the trees.
Ryn froze mid-complaint.
Lior bounced excitedly in place.
Three little voices spoke almost at the same time.
"Dada."