Jason and Ylva managed to slip away from the chaos surrounding the palace, weaving through back alleys and side streets until the sounds of shouting and crashing debris faded into the distance. They didn’t leave the kingdom. Instead, they made their way back to the werewolf elder’s small hut on the outskirts of Eldrath, the same place they had visited earlier for Jason’s injuries.

The elder opened the door without a word, took one look at their disheveled state, and simply gestured them inside. "You two look like you’ve seen death itself. Sleep here tonight. No questions."

Jason collapsed onto the smaller cot in the corner, while Ylva took the larger one across the room. They had chosen to sleep separately out of habit, but Jason couldn’t settle. He lay on his back, staring at the wooden ceiling beams, unable to close his eyes for long.

He kept thinking about Thalion. How the hell had that elf reached him in his dreams? If they were connected, he didn’t know how deeply, and that uncertainty gnawed at him. The visions, the voice, the raw power he had felt... it all felt too personal, too dangerous. What if Thalion could see into his mind whenever he wanted? What if the connection went both ways?

Jason shifted restlessly, turning onto his side, then his back again. A soft sigh escaped him.

Ylva, lying on her own bed, noticed immediately. She kissed her teeth in irritation, pretending Jason was bothering her. "You’re making too much noise over there," she grumbled. "If you keep tossing like that, neither of us will sleep."

Jason didn’t reply. He just stared at the ceiling again.

Ylva let out another irritated huff, then stood up. She crossed the small room in three steps and dropped onto Jason’s cot without asking. Before he could say anything, she wrapped her strong arms around him from behind, pulling his back flush against her chest. Her tail curled around his leg possessively.

"Stop thinking so loudly," she muttered against the back of his neck. "You’re safe here. Just sleep."

Jason tensed for a second, then relaxed into her warmth. "I can’t stop thinking about that elf... Thalion. The way he got into my head. What if he can do it again? What if he’s watching us right now?"

Ylva had caught on with his earlier conversation with Thalion, Thalion had found a way to reach Jason even if Jason tried to play it off.

She could hear his heartbeat, this was a serious situation.

Ylva tightened her hold, her breath warm on his skin. "Then let him watch. You’re with me. Nothing is going to happen to you tonight. Now shut up and rest, Jason."

Jason let out a small, tired chuckle. "You’re surprisingly cuddly when you’re annoyed."

"Only because you won’t stop moving," Ylva replied, but there was no real bite in her voice. She nuzzled closer, her nose brushing his hair. "Sleep. I’ve got you."

The two of them eventually drifted off like that — Jason tucked securely in Ylva’s arms, her body heat and steady breathing finally lulling him into an uneasy sleep.

From the doorway, the old werewolf elder watched them silently. Her cloudy eyes widened slightly in surprise. She had seen many things in her long life, but this was new. Ylva — a proud werewolf — forming such an emotional, protective connection with someone who wasn’t even the same race? It was strange. Most creatures never understood werewolf traditions of mating and bonding. They saw werewolves as nothing more than beasts.

The elder leaned against the doorframe, a faint smile tugging at her wrinkled muzzle.

"So it is possible..." she whispered to herself. "They can find mates outside the pack after all." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

She turned away quietly, leaving the two of them to their rest, the soft sound of Ylva’s protective growl rumbling through the small hut as she held Jason closer in her sleep.

-

Jason woke to the soft glow of sunrise filtering through the small window of the elder’s hut. The commotion from the night before had calmed, though he could still hear the distant tramp of increased elf patrols moving through the streets of Eldrath. The city was on edge, but the immediate chaos had died down.

He turned his head and saw Ylva lying beside him on the narrow cot, her mouth slightly open, a thin line of drool trailing down her cheek onto the pillow. Despite everything that had happened, the sight brought a genuine smile to his face.

Before he could enjoy the moment, Ylva’s eyes snapped open. The second she saw him staring at her, her fist flew forward in a blur.

**THUD.**

Jason was sent flying across the small room, crashing into the opposite wall with a heavy smack. He slid down to the floor, stars exploding behind his eyes.

"Ylva... you really need to stop being so violent," he groaned, trying to act cool as he pushed himself up. Blood dripped steadily from his nose onto his shirt.

"Yup, that shit definitely broken..." he muttered under his breath, gingerly touching the bridge of his nose.

Ylva sat up on the bed, ears twitching with irritation. "Then stop staring at me while I sleep like some creep! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Jason winced, wiping blood from his upper lip. "I wasn’t staring. I just... woke up and you were there. You look cute when you drool, by the way."

"Call me cute again and I’ll break the other side of your face," Ylva growled, but there was no real heat behind it. She crossed her arms, tail flicking. "And you’re the one who kept moving all night. I had to hold you down so you wouldn’t wake the entire hut."

Jason chuckled weakly, still holding his nose. "Yeah, well... you’re getting stronger. I swear you hit harder than you did a few days ago. That punch felt like a truck."

Ylva raised an eyebrow. "Of course I’m getting stronger. I’m a werewolf. We grow fast when we’re... bonded." She paused, realizing what she had said, and quickly looked away. "Not that we’re bonded or anything. Shut up."

Before Jason could tease her further, a firm knock sounded at the front door of the hut.

The elder werewolf shuffled over and opened it. Ylva’s nose twitched instantly. Her ears shot straight up.

"That smell..." she muttered, standing up quickly. "It’s familiar. It’s him."

Jason got to his feet, still pinching his nose. "Who? The elder’s friend or—"

Ylva’s eyes narrowed. "Thalion. But... he’s injured. Badly."