Kyle's POV
When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in Fiona's little cottage.
The air was thick with the scent of dried herbs… and something else—warm pine, sharp enough to make my chest tighten with unease.
Blinking away the haze, I caught sight of Seth sitting at the edge of the bed, his head bowed, eyes heavy with guilt and worry.
"Hey… Kk, you're awake?" His voice was low, rough—like gravel laced with tenderness.
I tried to push myself up, though my voice trembled. "Seth… did I just pass out?"
He nodded, lowering his gaze. His scent shifted, tangled with regret. "I'm sorry, Kk… I scared you. I didn't know you were afraid of blood. I… I wasn't trying to—" He swallowed. "Chris told me humans don't… court the way we do. I don't know enough about your kind. I… I'm sorry."
Hearing him stumble over his words, I couldn't help but smile faintly. I reached out, brushing my fingers over the rough shadow along his jaw. "It's fine. I'm fine, Seth."
But then… his words replayed in my mind.
Court.
"Wait," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "Did you just say 'court'?"
His head jerked up, green eyes widening for a split second—caught. Then, just as quickly, he looked away. "Yeah… court. Chris said human courtship isn't as… primitive. She said you were like a caged songbird, never seeing anything bloody. I don't understand why your family would keep you—"
"That's just a metaphor," I cut in with a laugh. "It means my family sheltered me too much. They didn't let me see anything… violent. You know—things an Omega shouldn't see. No one actually put me in a cage."
Finally, he looked at me again. This time his gaze was softer, almost glowing. "You're free here, Kk. You can go anywhere, do anything. Not that dangerous place again, but if you want to walk in the forest away from the village, I'll take you. I could even shift and carry you north—the scenery there is beautiful."
His gentle words melted the last of my unease. Warmth spread through me, and I couldn't stop the small smile tugging at my lips.
But I wasn't about to let him dodge the question. "You still haven't told me—what exactly does 'court' mean for wolves?"
He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "When a wolf courts, he shows his strength. Whoever can take down the biggest stag in the shortest time… proves they're worthy. If the intended mate accepts, they drink the blood of that stag."
My brows lifted. "So… when you showed up at my door carrying that deer—"
His grin was sheepish, boyish despite the wildness in him. He nodded.
Joy flared hot in my chest, burning away the doubt I'd carried about whether he'd ever want a human Omega.
Still, I couldn't resist teasing him. "Too bad. I fainted just seeing it. There's no way I could drink its blood."
The way his mouth dipped into a pout told me he'd taken it as a rejection. That familiar ache in his scent tugged at me.
I sat up quickly, cupping his face in both hands. My thumbs brushed over the bristled warmth of his cheeks. "Hey… look at me."
His green eyes lifted, shadowed with sadness that hit me straight in the chest. Before I could stop myself, I leaned in and pressed my lips to his.
For a heartbeat, he froze. Then, slowly, he kissed me back. It was gentle, tentative, almost reverent—as if he were afraid I'd pull away.
When I broke the kiss, I caught the confusion and the fragile hope in his gaze. I pinched his cheeks lightly, drawing a furrow between his brows.
"I didn't reject you, you big dumb wolf."
He blinked, then a shy smile tugged at his lips.
The air between us shifted, his scent warming with the heady rush of an Alpha's happiness. I could almost see his inner wolf wagging its tail.
"I like you too, Seth," I murmured, running my fingers through the coarse bristles along his jaw. "I just… wasn't sure if you'd ever want a human Omega. I thought…" My voice trailed off.
He stared at me like I'd just spoken nonsense. "Kk… there's no way I could not want you. I've liked you for a while. I was just afraid you'd hate the idea of being with a wolf Alpha. Afraid I'd scare you off."
I smiled, my heart too full for words. "You're not selfish, Seth. You've saved me twice, given me a home, taken care of your people and even outsiders. You're… warm. You're the reason your pack is as kind as it is."
A blush bloomed under his beard, and he ducked his head with a muttered, "Wow, Kk… if you keep saying things like that, my Alpha's tail might stick straight up into the sky."
Before I could tease him, he slid off the chair and knelt between my legs. His arms wrapped around my waist, his chin resting against my chest as he looked up at me, eyes shining with hope. "So… does this mean you're saying yes?"
I pinched his nose playfully. "Not yet."
His mouth dropped into a pout, and I pictured—just for a second—what he'd look like if he still had wolf ears and a tail in human form. Both would be drooping right now.
I laughed softly and stroked his hair. "I can't answer you in the way your people do… but if you want, you could try courting me the human way."
His head snapped up, his grin breaking wide. "Tell me. I'll do it."
I smiled, leaning closer. "Then let me teach you about human courtship…"