The door creaked softly as Aiden pushed it open with his shoulder.
"Careful—careful—don't run—" he started.
Too late.
Two small bodies tumbled past his legs like furry lightning.
"Aroo!" one of the pups barked happily.
"Hey!" Aiden groaned, stumbling forward before the door even closed behind him. "You two were supposed to stay with me."
The pups did not care about rules.
They had already spotted their target.
Across the room, Theron looked up from the table.
The moment the toddlers saw him, their tails started wagging so hard their whole bodies wiggled.
"Papa!"
"Papa!"
They sprinted toward him with the reckless speed only toddlers possessed.
Theron barely had time to stand before one pup crashed into his legs while the other grabbed his coat.
He looked down at them with the quiet, steady calm that never seemed to leave him.
"…You escaped again," he said.
"Not escaped," Aiden corrected from the doorway, brushing leaves out of his hair. "They staged a coordinated rebellion."
Theron raised an eyebrow.
The pups were already climbing him like a tree.
One tugged on his sleeve.
The other tried to pull his hair.
Theron sighed softly but lifted them both with ease, one on each arm.
"Troublemakers," he murmured.
The pups giggled.
Aiden watched them for a moment from the doorway.
His chest tightened.
Home.
Safe.
Alive.
Together.
He stepped closer, reaching out to adjust the little scarf around one pup's neck.
"You ran too far today," he muttered.
The pup only grinned.
Then small hands grabbed Aiden's shirt and pulled him closer.
"Papa too!"
Theron snorted quietly.
"You're outnumbered."
Aiden clicked his tongue.
"I refuse to lose to toddlers."
One of the pups immediately grabbed his face.
Aiden froze.
"…Traitor."
The pup squealed with laughter.
Theron watched the chaos for a moment before something softer appeared in his expression.
He leaned down slightly so the pups could lean between them.
Aiden rested his forehead briefly against Theron's shoulder.
Just for a second.
Quiet.
Warm.
Safe.
The pups wiggled between them like tiny fluffy bridges.
Theron spoke softly.
"…You're late."
Aiden smirked.
"Got distracted."
"By what?"
Aiden glanced down at the pups.
"They kept stopping to howl at birds."
The pups proudly demonstrated.
"Awoooo!"
Theron blinked.
Aiden laughed.
"See?"
Theron shook his head slowly.
"…They're definitely yours."
Aiden gasped dramatically.
"Excuse you."
One pup suddenly grabbed Theron's ear.
The other tried to chew Aiden's sleeve.
Silence hung for a moment.
Then Theron sighed.
"…We're doomed."
Aiden grinned.
"Yeah."
He wrapped an arm around Theron's waist.
"But at least we're doomed together."
The pups howled again.
Louder.
Theron closed his eyes briefly.
"…Why are they like this."
Aiden kissed his cheek.
"Because they're perfect."
By the time the den finally grew quiet, the snow outside had thickened.
Three small bodies were sprawled across the nest of blankets in the sleeping room. Kael had ended up sideways somehow, one arm thrown over Ryn's stomach like a guard even in sleep. Ryn had curled into him instinctively, face half buried in the fur lining. Lior was the only one properly tucked in—though only because Aiden had fixed his blanket three times already.
Aiden stood over them with his arms crossed.
"They're breathing weird."
Theron, leaning quietly against the doorway, didn't even look concerned.
"They're sleeping."
Aiden crouched down anyway, brushing a hand over Kael's hair. The pup shifted but didn't wake.
"That one's breathing slower than earlier."
"They ran through snow for an hour," Theron said calmly. "They're tired."
Aiden leaned closer.
Ryn made a soft whining noise and turned his face deeper into Kael's shoulder.
Aiden froze.
"Did you hear that?"
Theron finally pushed off the doorframe and walked over.
"Yes."
Aiden looked up sharply.
"You did?"
"It was a sleepy whine."
"That didn't sound sleepy."
Theron crouched beside him and gently adjusted the blanket around Lior's feet.
"They're fine."
Aiden stared at him.
"…You're very calm for someone whose children could clearly be dying."
Theron paused.
Then slowly turned his head.
"They are not dying."
Aiden exhaled sharply and rubbed his face.
"Okay, maybe not dying, but—"
Behind them, Kael suddenly snored.
Aiden froze again.
Theron raised an eyebrow.
"…That one definitely gets it from you."
Aiden glared.
"I do not snore."
Theron's silence was very loud.
Aiden looked back at the pups one last time before finally standing.
"…Fine. They're alive."
"Very alive," Theron agreed.
They stepped out of the sleeping room together, pulling the door mostly closed behind them.
The main room felt warmer. The fire had burned down to glowing embers, casting soft orange light across the stone walls.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
It was rare now.
Quiet.
No pups climbing them.
No questions.
No chaos.
Just the two of them.
Aiden leaned back against the table, stretching his sore shoulders.
"They're going to be monsters when they're older," he muttered.
Theron crossed the room slowly.
"They already are."
Aiden huffed.
"Ryn tried to eat snow today."
"That seems appropriate."
"Kael attacked him with it."
"That also seems appropriate."
"And Lior tried to climb a tree."
Theron stopped walking.
"…He what?"
"He didn't succeed," Aiden said quickly. "Mostly."
Theron stared at him.
"Mostly?"
Aiden pointed vaguely.
"He got halfway."
Theron closed his eyes for a moment.
Aiden grinned.
"Relax. I caught him."
"That's not the point."
"Oh, that's absolutely the point."
Theron reached him then, stopping close enough that Aiden had to tilt his head back slightly.
Even after everything, Theron still had that effect.
Too tall.
Too steady.
Too calm.
Aiden flicked one of Theron's long white strands of hair.
"You worry too much."
Theron's hand settled automatically at Aiden's waist.
"You encourage chaos."
"They're toddlers."
"They're our toddlers."
Aiden snorted.
"Exactly."
For a moment, they just looked at each other.
The fire crackled softly behind them.
Outside, the snow continued to fall.
Aiden's tail swayed lazily behind him, brushing against Theron's leg.
Theron's gaze dropped briefly to it.
"You're calmer tonight."
Aiden shrugged.
"Snow does that."
Theron hummed softly.
Then his hand moved, pulling Aiden a little closer.
Aiden didn't resist.
He rested his forehead lightly against Theron's collarbone.
"Don't get used to it," he muttered.
Theron's arms settled around him.
"I wasn't planning to."
Aiden tilted his head up slightly.
Their noses brushed.
There was no rush.
No tension.
Just warmth.
Theron kissed him gently.
Not the kind of kiss that burned.
The kind that lingered.
Familiar.
Certain.
Aiden exhaled slowly into it, his hands sliding up to grip Theron's shirt.
When they finally pulled apart, Aiden stayed close, resting against him again.
"You know," Aiden murmured, "we used to have entire evenings like this."
"Yes."
"No toddlers."
"Yes."
"No snow-eating idiots."
Theron's mouth twitched.
"Yes."
Aiden tilted his head.
"…Do you miss it?"
Theron didn't answer immediately.
His hand moved slowly up Aiden's back.
"No."
Aiden looked up at him.
Theron glanced toward the closed sleeping-room door.
"They're loud."
"Very."
"They destroy everything."
"Constantly."
"They will probably cause several political disasters when they're older."
Aiden laughed quietly.
"Without question."
Theron looked back down at him.
"But they're ours."
Aiden's tail curled slightly around Theron's leg.
"…Yeah."
Theron kissed his forehead this time.
And for a little while longer, the Alpha King and his stubborn mate simply stood there in the warm quiet of their den, while outside the snow covered the forest and inside three small wolves slept safely.
When Aiden move, he pull Theron down in an chair, straddle his thigh and look down at his alpha, smirking, "i think its time, i play, don't you?"
Theron laugh, one hand move to Aiden waist "oh, absolutely but you can't play loudly or you weak the little ones" before Adien could answer back, Adien lean up pulling Adien shirt out of the way, and planted his mouth on Aiden nipple.
He suck on Aiden chest, shifting between pulling and sucking.
Aiden head title back, arms flying to Theron shoulder, one gripping the long white hair the other gripping the shirt.
"Fucker, you could have warn me—hngh—" Aiden whisper.
Theron smile and biting the sensitive nipple, quickly coaxes the pain with his tongue.
"Where the fun in that, my fighter?" Theron move one hand down Aiden pants, under his underwear gentle stroking the harden shafts.
Aiden bit down on his under lip, moving an hand to his mouth trying to lower his sounds.