Snow still whispered against the windows when Talia woke the next morning. The storm had thickened overnight, turning the world into white silence. She blinked slowly, feeling the weight of warm blankets tucked around her. The room glowed dimly with dawn-soft gold light filtering through frosted glass.
For a moment, she forgot where she was.
Then the scent hit her:
Pine, smoke, the faintest hint of something wild and male.
Luka.
Her eyes widened.
She sat up quickly, scanning the room. The armchair he'd slept in last night still sat angled toward her bed, but Luka wasn't in it.
A folded blanket lay on the seat.
And another pillow, one that definitely hadn't been there before…was crushed inward, as if someone large had slept on it, turning through the night, watching her even in his rest.
Talia's stomach fluttered.
"He actually stayed…"
Her voice came out soft, stunned.
She swung her legs out of the bed and stood, wincing slightly from lingering tension in her muscles. As she stretched, she realized the room had been warmed…someone had come in and fed the fire downstairs early, letting heat drift up through the floorboards.
"Luka…?"
No answer.
She wrapped herself in a thick fur-lined robe she found folded neatly on the dresser, hesitating before slipping it on. It smelled faintly of him.
Of course it did.
Heart thumping, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
The lodge was quiet, but a warm kind of quiet. She could hear the faint clatter of something downstairs, a deep hum of someone moving around.
She followed the noise, descending the wooden staircase.
And then she stopped halfway down.
Her breath caught.
Because Luka
The dangerous Alpha, the wolf who frightened vampires by merely existing
Was standing in the living room, sleeves rolled up, hair messed from sleep…
Putting up Christmas lights.
Actual twinkly lights.
Pinkish-white, warm, soft, almost romantic.
Her jaw dropped.
"What… are you doing?" she whispered.
He turned slowly.
And smiled.
"There you are, little bunny."
Oh, that voice.
Her knees almost gave up.
"You're decorating?"
He shrugged one enormous shoulder, completely unfazed by how ridiculous and adorable he looked holding a tangled string of fairy lights in one hand.
"You said Christmas was ruined," Luka said simply. "So I'm fixing it."
Her heart did something embarrassing.
"You don't have to"
"I want to," he said, cutting her off gently.
Her breath lodged in her throat.
He walked toward her with a soft, confident stride, stepping onto the bottom stair. Suddenly he was eye-level with her, close enough to warm her cheeks with his breath.
"You slept well?" he murmured.
"Y-Yes," she breathed.
"Good." His eyes softened. "You needed it."
She looked him over.
His damp hair.
His rolled sleeves.
His bare feet on the wooden floor.
The warmth in his gold-flecked eyes.
"You look… domestic," she blurted.
He blinked.
Then laughed…deep, warm, real.
"If domestic means making the den comfortable for my bunny," he said, "then yes."
Her pulse stumbled.
"I'm not your bunny," she whispered.
His smile sharpened.
"Not yet."
Her breath caught.
Luka lifted a hand to her cheek, brushing a strand of hair back.
"You're cold," he murmured.
"I…I'm not."
He leaned closer, voice dropping.
"You are."
"I'm wearing a robe!"
"I know," he teased, eyes flicking down. "It's cute."
"Luka."
"Yes, little bunny?"
She covered her face.
"Stop calling me that."
He gently lowered her hands.
"Not happening."
He brushed another strand behind her ear, fingertips lingering.
"You look soft in the mornings," he whispered.
"Soft?"
"Like you just woke up from a dream."
"A bad one?"
"A sweet one."
Heat crawled up her neck.
"Why are you like this?"
"Like what?"
"This." She gestured to all of him. "You're… nice."
"Nice?" He chuckled. "Bunny, I kill vampires for a living."
"Well, yes," she muttered, "but then you hang Christmas lights."
He smirked.
"Multitalented."
She laughed quietly despite herself.
Luka watched her, expression shifting into something gentler.
"You're safe here," he said softly. "I want you to feel that."
She swallowed, nodding.
He stepped back, turning toward the fireplace.
"Come here."
"What…for?"
"I'm making you something."
She hesitated but followed him. The fire crackled warmly as he lifted a steaming mug from the wooden counter.
He handed it to her.
"What's this?"
"Wolf-brew Cocoa."
"That sounds illegal."
He chuckled.
"Just drink."
She took a cautious sip
And…melted.
"Oh my God," she whispered.
"Good?" Luka asked.
"It tastes like… hot chocolate mixed with clouds."
He preened.
"I'm excellent in the kitchen."
"That's not fair," she muttered. "You can't be dangerous, rich, AND good at cooking."
"Why-not?"
"Because you'll make other men look bad."
He leaned down slightly.
"That's intentional."
She nearly choked.
"Luka!"
He grinned, teeth flashing.
Then he went back to the lights, lifting the string and trying to untangle them.
He failed miserably.
Talia bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"You're struggling."
"I am not."
"You are."
He narrowed his eyes.
"This is a tactical knot."
"You tied it yourself."
"On purpose."
She giggled.
He froze.
Then slowly looked over his shoulder.
His eyes softened…melting into something she couldn't name.
"That sound," he murmured. "I like it."
She blushed furiously.
"You're weird."
He shrugged.
"Yes. But I'm yours."
She dropped the mug.
Or she would have
If Luka hadn't moved faster than her brain could register, catching it mid-air, steadying her wrists.
Her breath trembled.
"You can't say things like that," she whispered.
His thumbs stroked her pulse.
"I can."
"No, you"
"Talia," he murmured gently, "I'm trying to make things easy for you. So I'm saying this slowly."
She gulped.
"You're mine to protect."
Her knees wobbled.
"And if I had my way," he added softly, "you'd be mine in more ways than one."
She backed up a half-step
Heart racing too fast.
"L-Luka…"
He didn't chase her.
He just smiled
A quiet, confident, patient smile.
"I won't touch you unless you ask," he promised. "But I'll flirt until you melt."
"That's" she squeaked "not better!"
"Isn't it?"
He held her gaze.
It felt like being pinned.
Then he turned back to the lights again.
Calm.
Quiet.
Steady.
Soft.
The opposite of the terrifying Alpha who had taken down vampires in the snow.
Talia watched him, warm cocoa in hand, feeling a pull she didn't want to admit.
"Luka?" she asked quietly.
"Yes, little bunny?"
"Why are you doing all this?"
He didn't look up.
But his voice softened to a slow, warm rumble.
"Because you're scared."
A pause.
"And because I like the way you look when you're safe."
Her chest tightened.
"And because "he…. added, glancing back with a smirk
"I want you to spend Christmas with me."
Her heart did a full somersault.
"And," he said, lifting the lights triumphantly, "because I like spoiling my bunny."
She nearly dropped the mug again.
"Luka!"
He winked.
And then
He reached out, taking her by the hand softly, pulling her closer to the half-decorated tree.
"Come," he murmured. "Help me make this place worthy of you."
Her breath stilled.
He placed a sparkling pink ornament into her palm
The color matching the bunny ears from their role-play.
"You kept these?" she whispered.
"I keep everything that belongs to you," Luka said softly. "Even memories."
Heat surged across her cheeks.
"Decorate with me," he murmured. "We'll make it look like a Christmas you can smile about."
She didn't resist.
Standing beside him, placing ornaments together, brushing hands by accident, hearing his soft humming rumble in his chest…
For the first time since the attack…
Since the truth…
Since the fear…
She felt warm.
She felt safe.
She felt like she belonged in this den.
And Luka
Watching her every time she reached for a branch
Looked at her like she was Christmas itself.