Kyle's POV
Sometimes, I would go help Fiona. She was a fiery Beta—every time I showed up at her cabin, she'd greet me with a hug so fierce it nearly crushed my bones, followed by a string of kisses on my cheeks. At first, I wasn't used to it, but soon I realized it was her way of welcoming everyone who wasn't carried in on a stretcher. Even Seth—the Alpha of the pack—was no exception. Seth seemed used to it; after Fiona's enthusiastic greeting, he'd calmly talk pack business with her. But whenever he saw me, his face would light up with a rare, genuine smile.
That afternoon, Fiona had gone out, leaving Samantha and me alone to receive a few injured packmates.
To my surprise, Seth suddenly burst in, his usually stoic face tight with concern. He told us that Atwood—the rogue wolf who had been provoking us at the border—showed up again. Seth had driven him off but wasn't unscathed.
I circled around him, inspecting the wounds, relieved to find they were just shallow scratches.
Samantha smiled at us both before handing me the medicine jar and walking off to tend other tasks. I stared after her, confused why she left Seth's care to me.
So, I took it upon myself to clean and dress his wounds.
While I worked, I caught Seth's gaze fixed intently on me. Every time I met his eyes, he'd quickly look away, pretending to focus elsewhere.
I wasn't sure if he trusted me fully yet. After all, I was still an outsider to the pack, even if I had revealed the truth from day one. But close enough to smell him clearly, I caught a subtle, joyful scent from him—like his body was quietly pleased.
It left me baffled—if he didn't trust me, why would he feel this way?
When I finished and smiled, preparing to stand, Seth suddenly grabbed my wrist.
I looked at him, tilting my head silently to ask why.
He met my eyes, opened his mouth, but faltered. Finally, he softly said, "Thank you," then hesitated before releasing my hand.
Watching him leave, I touched my wrist where he had held me, an inexplicable warmth swirling inside my chest.
The forest night was colder than the day. Male wolves usually wore only fur skirts, bare-chested, while the females donned long robes made from cotton or fur.
What puzzled me most was that they had no blankets.
One day, I finally asked Seth about it. He chuckled and explained that the wolves would transform into their wolf forms to sleep and huddle together for warmth when it got cold.
That night, Seth brought me a fur hide, a little sheepishly asking me to use it for now. He promised next time he went to the city for supplies, he'd bring me a thick blanket. Holding the fur close, I felt deeply grateful.
At first, the weather wasn't too harsh, but nights had grown colder, biting deeper each day. Wrapped in a robe Samantha had given me and the fur hide, I still shivered.
After twenty minutes of stubbornly trying to stay warm, I gave up and headed to the door, clutching the fur tighter.
As I opened it, a familiar scent of pine drifted inside on the cold breeze. I shivered and looked up to see Seth standing there.
"Seth, what are you doing here? I…"
I hesitated before saying, "I was just coming to find you."
Seth smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck, his eyes darting away. "I… uh… just happened to be passing by."
I laughed quietly, deciding not to call out his obvious lie.
"What a coincidence. Actually, there's something I wanted to ask you."
He straightened immediately, eyes serious. "What is it? What do you need?"
I lowered my head, embarrassed. "I… I'm struggling with the cold at night. Could you… maybe lend me another fur hide?"
Seth's eyes went wide, and he brushed my cold cheek lightly with the back of his hand, guilt flickering in his gaze. "I'll get it right away."
He turned to leave but stopped after a few steps, looking back at me. After a brief hesitation, he said, "I have another way to keep you warmer than two furs. But I'm not sure if you'd be comfortable with it."
"What way?" I cocked my head, inviting him to explain.
He lowered his eyes, cheeks flushing. "I… can shift into my wolf form and stay with you. You can hold me when I'm a wolf…"
He smiled shyly, his eyes filled with hopeful anxiety.
I thought back to when he carried me home—his warm, furry body pressed close—and found it hard to refuse.
Biting my lip, I glanced at him and said, "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like that."
"Not trouble at all!" His grin blossomed brightly.
He strode forward, motioning me inside.
We stepped inside together, and he closed the door softly behind us. Seth began shedding the furs from his broad shoulders.
Though I'd seen him naked before, I instinctively turned my gaze away, feeling my cheeks flush with warmth.
His body was incredible—strong and lean. I'd always admired that kind of build, even in those secret videos I'd watched before.
In a fluid motion, he shifted, his form blurring until thick fur covered him completely. He shook himself lightly, then nudged his head gently against my chest.
Then he moved to the edge of the bed and turned back to look at me, his eyes full of quiet hope.
I climbed onto the bed, lying close to the wall.
With a soft leap, Seth jumped up beside me, curling his furry body against mine.
I draped the fur hide over us both, hesitating just a moment before wrapping my arms tightly around his warm, thick coat.
His heat seeped into me almost instantly, and a deep sigh of contentment escaped my lips.
He lifted his head, pressed the top of it against my chin, and asked softly, "Still cold?"
I shook my head with a smile, rubbing my cheek against his fur. "Not anymore. Now, I'm warm. Thank you, Seth."
I held him close, my entire body pressed against his. Even though he was in wolf form—my giant, furry pillow—I knew that if he were human right now, this moment would be dripping with intimacy.
Seth said nothing, just tilted his head, flicked out his tongue, and licked my chin gently before settling obediently in my arms.
I told myself this was just about warmth—that nothing else was stirring—but the scent of pine on him, the steady rhythm of his breath, lulled me into a calm I hadn't felt in ages.
Slowly, sleep pulled me under, safe in his embrace.