The deep quiet of the midnight hour had settled over the palace. Inside the royal bedchamber, the only illumination came from the hearth, where low amber flames danced softly against the stone walls, casting long shadows across the room. Valex reclined against the plush cushions of the royal couch, completely at ease. A pair of silver-rimmed reading glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, catching the flicker of the firelight as his eyes moved deliberately across the yellowed pages of a thick tome. The tranquil rhythm of the room was broken only by the soft, crisp sound of paper as he turned a page, his mind focused entirely on the text.

Then, the heavy oak door clicked open, pivoting inward with a slow, smooth motion. Valex didn’t lift his eyes immediately, expecting a guard or a servant bringing his late-night tea. But as the soft rustle of delicate fabric brushed against the stone threshold, his hand froze on the page. He raised his head slowly, pushing his glasses up slightly to clear his vision. Odesse stepped into the warmth of the room. The firelight immediately caught the sheer, delicate fabric of her nightgown, silhouetting her against the darkness of the hallway behind her. She closed the door behind her, and Valex said, "My love, I was wondering where you went."

As she walked closer to him, he straightened up, lowered his book, and looked at her figure. "My love, the nightgown does not do justice to covering your body." His mouth opened wide as he glanced at the door. "Did you walk through the hall like this?" He looked back up at her face. She tucked her hands snugly under her armpits and tapped a steady rhythm against the floor. The scowl on her face was textbook, yet the slight tremble of her lower lip gave her away, making her look entirely too adorable to take seriously. He smiled and looked at her intently. "You look extremely cute trying to be angry."

Odesse groaned. "My king, I came in here to seduce you, but you ruined it." Valex smirked. "Oh really, my wife?" He dropped his book slowly and widened his legs, saying, "Come here," his voice commanding yet soft. Odesse walked towards him slowly, straddling his lap and shifting her weight until she was seated squarely on his thighs, facing him. His palms cupped the roundness of her hips.

He looked up at her with a smirk. "So tell me, my wife, why do you intend to seduce me?" Odesse pouted as she placed her hands on his shoulders. "On the day we first mated, it got interrupted, and it left a bad memory for me." Valex stared at her, his eyes glistening and his smile brightening. She looked at him and continued, "I asked Miss Faye to help me get ready, but you kept asking questions. I was really nervous." Valex still smiled, but brighter this time. Odesse furrowed her brows and said, "Why aren’t you saying anything?" He replies, "Nothing..." his grip tightening on her hips. "I am just busy admiring my beautiful wife."

Odesse’s face flushed red, and she looked down. Valex glanced at the door again and back at her. "But..." She interrupted, "No, I did not walk through the hall like this, my king. Miss Faye was with me, and she took my dressing gown with her." Valex observed her, noticing the tension in her body. "My love, do not force yourself into anything you are not ready for." Odesse looked up quickly. "Of course, I am ready, my king," she said, her voice slowing down. "I am just nervous, that is all."

He brought her forward, closer to him, burying his head in her bosom. "Your heart is still racing," he said, looking up at her. "But clearly, not as fast as mine." Odesse smiled as she blushed. Valex softened his gaze and raised his hands to touch her hair gently. Odesse looked down, feeling the heat creep up her chest. He raised her chin and said, "You do not need to doll up in order to seduce me; your whole existence is just enough." Odesse’s breath hitched as he brought her face closer, and their lips collided.

She closed her eyes and melted into the kiss. He opened his eyes, noticing that the tension had softened, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Odesse tightened her grip on his shoulders as her knees felt weak, the heat from their bodies radiating. Valex’s hands traced under her nightgown and onto her thighs, moving slowly and deliberately, holding her tightly as their breaths grew louder. The glasses hit the floor, and Odesse’s hands clutched his hair, their lips never breaking contact. He pushed Odesse against his chest, burying his face into her bosom. She could feel her soul twisting, and it felt good.

He lifted her up and walked towards the bed, their bodies tumbling onto the mattress. He looked at her in admiration, then bent down and buried his face in the crook of her neck, letting the rest of the world fade.

...

Hours later, the passionate cries of the night had faded away. The last echoes of Odesse’s moans melted into the morning chorus of birds outside the window. Sunlight sliced through the blinds, casting warm, zebra-like stripes across her bare shoulders.

Outside in the woods, the morning was quiet. Valex, in his wolf form, tracked a young roe deer through the damp brush. He stayed downwind, moving silently until he was close enough. With one quick, powerful spring, he took the animal down by the neck, killing it cleanly.

He shifted back into his human form among the trees, pulled on his trousers, and hoisted the dead deer over his shoulders for the walk back.

When he reached the palace gates, Kael was already waiting for him. Kael took one look at Valex—bare-chested and covered in sweat, with fresh bite marks and scratches visible across his neck—and raised an eyebrow.

"Where did you disappear to, my King?" Kael asked, stepping forward.

"A morning hunt," Valex replied, his voice low, as the gate opened for him and the guards bowed low. He swung the deer off his shoulders and handed it over to Kael. "Take this to the kitchen. Have the chefs prepare a rich broth and roast it for the Queen’s breakfast. Add her favorite sweets to the tray too."

Kael grabbed the animal but didn’t move immediately. "The High Chief sent a bird early this morning. He wants confirmation on the transition of your mother to the Moonlight Palace. The noble families are already pushing their names forward to take the throne."

Valex wiped a smudge of dirt from his chest, completely ignoring the female servants who had stopped in the courtyard to stare at his marked skin as they both walked into the palace. "Has the invitation letter been sent to my mother?"

Kael nodded. "Yes, your Highness, but there was traffic, and it got held up until this morning."

"Be sure to inform me when her reply is sent," Valex ordered.

"Understood," Kael replied, nodding. "I’ll see to the kitchens first."

Valex walked past him, and Kael stood there smiling. He thought "His Highness hasn’t hunted for a while, and she made it happened by igniting his spark again" He turned and headed toward the kitchen, while Valex made his way to the royal quarters.

He quietly pushed open the heavy oak door and walked over to the bed. Odesse was still curled up under the sheets, the morning sun illuminating her face.

He bent down, the cool air still clinging to his skin, and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.

Odesse let out a low groan, shifting under the blankets as her eyes slowly fluttered open.

She gently rubbed her eyes while yawning and turned to look at Valex, who was standing beside her shirtless, covered in sweat. He smiled at her and said, "Good morning, my love."

She tried to sit up straight, using her hands for support, but lost her balance and was about to fall back onto the bed when Valex caught her and held her securely. "Oh my, you are losing your balance, my love," he smirked. "What’s going on?"

Odesse replied, "Whose fault is that?" Valex helped her sit upright, propping some pillows behind her while his other hand assisted her to sit straight. He sat beside her, holding both sides of her cheeks. "Oh, my dear wife, I couldn’t help myself last night."

Odesse looked at him, raising an eyebrow. He continued "And anyway, you never told me to stop, did you?" he released his grip on her cheeks, and Odesse’s face flushed bright red. "My king, it’s still so early, and you’re already teasing me," she said.

Valex laughed, and Odesse, slowly touching his chest, asked, "Why are you so sweaty, my king?" He smiled and replied, "I went on a hunt. I caught you a deer for breakfast."

Odesse’s eyes opened wide in admiration. "You caught me a deer?" Valex nodded. "Yes, my wife needs strength after what I put her through last night. I sent it to the kitchen, and it will be brought to you in a little while."

Odesse smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks. Valex noticed and asked, "Why the tears, my love?" She looked at him intently and hugged him tightly. "I love you, my king." His ears turned red, and his neck burned as he replied with a smile, "I love you too, my love."

Odesse pulled back and traced her fingers softly over the bite mark on his chest. Looking up at him, she said, "I can’t believe I did all this. There are quite a lot." Valex smiled and said, "I love it; you marked your territory on me. I love whatever you do to me, my love."

Feeling embarrassed, she buried her face in his chest. Then, a thought flashed into her mind. She pulled back, looking at the door and then back at him. Valex asked, "What is it, my love?" She furrowed her brows and asked, "Did you walk around the palace shirtless, my king?"

Valex smiled mischievously. "Yes, I did." Odesse’s eyes widened in embarrassment as she exclaimed, "Why would you do that?"

He replied, "What is wrong with it?" Her voice lowered as she said, "It is embarrassing, my king." He asked, "Why is it embarrassing?" She looked down and replied, "Everyone saw the bite marks."

Valex burst out laughing, and Odesse looked at him. "My dear wife," he said, "it is good that everyone saw the bite marks." He shifted closer, putting his arm around her waist. His voice lowered as he said, "Because now everyone will know whom I belong to. You are the only one who has the right to leave a mark or scar on any part of me."

Odesse buried her face in her hands, blushing hard. She muffled her voice into her palms. "But it is still embarrassing, my king." Valex laughed, looking at her with soft, longing eyes.