Page 11

Ersa

L ife in the Quin household wasn’t so bad—not really. If anything, it was… comfortable. Benjn was slowly getting better, his tiny frame filling out bit by bit, and the job itself wasn’t difficult. The house was peaceful, the routine easy. If not for the occasional pang of loneliness that crept in during the quiet moments, Ersa might have even called it perfect.

And then there was Master Quin.

He was kind, respectful, and fair, but there were some things about the alpha that irritated Ersa to no end. Master Quin kept his distance, maintaining a politeness so careful it felt like a wall. Every night, Master Quin would come to the nursery and sit on the settee, cradling Benjn in his arms while Ersa sat on the bed. They’d watch the cub struggle through another feeding, their soft, murmured conversations filling the dim room. They talked about safe, mundane things—the weather, Benjn’s progress—and with each passing night, that wall between them grew thicker.

One evening, the tension got the better of Ersa.

“What do you do?” Ersa asked, tired of the small talk. He wanted something real—anything that might chip away at the distance Master Quin was so determined to maintain. He didn’t know why he cared. Why he needed just a little bit of Master Quin’s attention. He just did, and it hurt when he didn’t get it.

Ersa bit the inside of his mouth, feeling twisted inside.

“I make waste bots,” Master Quin replied simply.

Ersa blinked, his gaze drifting to the compact sanitation unit humming softly beside the crib as it dissolved Benjn’s soiled LinoPads at a molecular level, breaking down waste into harmless vapor and recyclable fibers. “You made that?” he asked, incredulous.

“Yes,” Master Quin said, rising carefully to settle a sleeping Benjn down. He pressed a gentle kiss to the cub’s forehead before turning back to face Ersa.

“You’re kidding,” Ersa said, eyes narrowing.

“I’m not. Come, let me show you.”

Curiosity tugged him forward, and he followed Master Quin down the hall to his office. The room was neat, but the desk was a mess of parts and tools and strange devices Ersa didn’t recognize. Master Quin moved toward a sleek machine and activated it with a brush of his fingers, and suddenly, the room was filled with soft blue light. A holo image bloomed in the air, spinning slowly, intricate and beautiful—a complex design that shifted and shimmered.

Ersa gasped, stepping closer without thinking. “You did that?” he asked, wonder threading through his voice.

“Yes,” Master Quin murmured. He reached into the projection, pulling pieces apart and rearranging them with practiced ease.

Ersa moved closer, his fascination drawing him in, and before he realized it, his shoulder brushed against Master Quin’s. The touch was electric. His mind went blank, and the glowing image faded to nothing but background noise. All he could feel was the alpha’s warmth, his scent wrapping around him, his skin tingling where they touched.

He hadn’t been able to breathe right since.

Now, as Ersa sat in the backyard, staring at the empty space, he tried to push those feelings aside. Maybe he should start a garden—something to keep his hands and mind occupied. He’d been thinking about it for days. There wasn’t much to do once Benjn went down for his naps, and when the false pregnancy symptoms finally kicked in—if they ever did—he might not have the energy.

Four days. Four days since his hormone-induced heat, and still nothing. No symptoms. No changes. The waiting was agony, stretching the tension between him and Master Quin so tight it was bound to snap.

He glanced down at the cub sleeping soundly on the blanket beside him, his tiny face peaceful. Ersa’s heart ached, loneliness wrapping around him so tight he couldn’t breathe.

He should definitely start that garden, Ersa thought, pushing to his feet and pacing the perimeter of the yard. His mind hummed with ideas—rows of bright, fragrant herbs, bursts of colorful flowers, maybe even a little vegetable patch. The thought filled him with a quiet excitement, a sense of purpose that eased some of the restlessness twisting inside him.

Later that evening, he mentioned his idea to Vina, and her enthusiasm only fueled his determination. The next day, she pointed him toward the tool shed, and soon Ersa was lost in the rhythm of his new project, alternating between tending the yard and caring for Benjn. The day passed in a blur of dirt-streaked hands and soft giggles, and when evening fell, Ersa cleaned up, feeling a rare sense of accomplishment.

At dinner, his satisfaction dimmed a little as his eyes drifted to the empty chair at the head of the table.

“Is he not having dinner with us tonight?” Ersa asked, trying to keep his voice light.

“No. He has a guest,” Vina replied, her tone carefully neutral. She didn’t elaborate, and Ersa didn’t press, but her words settled uneasily in his chest.

After finishing his meal, he scooped up Benjn and started toward the stairs. But halfway up, a soft noise drew his attention. Pausing, Ersa glanced down just in time to see Hicks escorting someone to the front door—an omega.

Ersa’s breath caught. His grip on Benjn tightened as his eyes followed the stranger’s retreating figure. He hadn’t even heard them arrive.

Was that Master Quin’s guest?

The question twisted through his mind, sour and sharp, as he stood frozen on the stairs, his heart pounding far too fast.

“It’s none of my business,” Ersa mumbled under his breath, but the words felt hollow, as if saying them could somehow chase away the tight, uneasy feeling curling inside him. The sight of the omega lingered in his mind, stirring emotions he didn’t want to acknowledge—jealousy, insecurity, longing. It was strange and ridiculous that he felt anything at all. Master Quin was nothing to him.

He was just his employer.

Those nights together didn’t mean anything.

It shouldn’t mean anything.

Ersa rocked Benjn gently against his chest, the cub’s warm weight a welcome distraction. To his relief, he drifted off without fuss. Carefully, he laid Benjn in the crib, brushing a gentle hand over his tiny head before retreating to his own bed.

He curled onto his side, forcing his eyes shut, willing his mind to quiet. But sleep remained elusive. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about the omega walking out that door. Or the fact that Master Quin still hadn’t come to the nursery.

Where was he? Ersa asked himself as he turned onto his side, then his back, then his stomach, but no position eased the restless feeling coiling inside him. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to sleep, but the empty space beside him was too much of a distraction.

Fuck, why?

He’d been alone for three long years. He’d learned how to live without any comfort, without any alpha’s touch. But now… now, the emptiness felt heavier than it ever had before. A lump rose in his throat, and before he could stop it, a single tear slipped down his cheek. He wiped it away impatiently, frustration bubbling up alongside the ache in his chest.

Why was he feeling like this? Why now?

The questions circled in his mind with no answers, leaving him restless and hollow. Knowing sleep wouldn’t come, Ersa threw back the covers and climbed out of bed. The cool floor beneath his bare feet sent a little shiver through him as he padded down the hall and into the dimly lit cooking station.

He moved on instinct, opening the cupboard and pulling out a plate. His hands found the remaining starberry crumble squares, and he set one onto the plate. The sweet-tart scent wafted up, but even the comforting aroma did little to ease the tension knotting his stomach.

On impulse, he picked up the plate and headed back upstairs.

The house was silent, shadows stretching long and soft along the walls. Ersa walked slowly down the hall, his pulse quickening with every step. When he reached the door to Master Quin’s office, he stopped. The warm, muted light spilling from beneath the door made his stomach flutter with nerves. His fingers tightened around the plate, and he swallowed hard, suddenly unsure of himself. The courage that had brought him this far began to slip away, leaving him frozen and uncertain.

What was he even doing here?

I’m so lonely , Ersa answered himself. He raised his fist to knock, but before his knuckles could brush the metal, the door slid open. Ersa found himself face-to-face with Hicks, the older alpha’s expression tense and impatient.

Ersa blinked, confusion knitting his brow. “Where is—?”

“You should go to bed,” Hicks interrupted sharply, stepping into the hallway. He moved quickly, his stride brisk. “He’s not here right now.”

But something in Hicks’s demeanor set Ersa on edge. Without thinking, he rushed after him, his heart pounding. “Did something happen?” he demanded, grabbing Hicks’s arm to stop him. “Tell me. If something’s happened to my alpha, you can’t just keep me in the dark. I need to know.”

Hicks grimaced, his impatience barely restrained. “Nothing bad happened. He’s in heat,” he said in a low voice, his eyes flicking around the empty hallway as if afraid of being overheard. “And I need to find him another service omega, or he’s going to have my head.”

Ersa froze, the words hitting him like a physical blow. “He’s in heat?” he echoed, his voice barely above a whisper. So, the omega he’d seen earlier was a service omega.

Why did he leave?

“That’s what I said,” Hicks said. “Now, please—I have to go before he comes looking for his service omega.” Without another word, Hicks pulled away and hurried off.

But Ersa didn’t move. He stood there, his heart thundering against his ribs, his mind spinning. He shouldn’t follow. He knew that. It wasn’t his place.

And yet his feet carried him forward, silent and determined, following Hicks’s path. When the other alpha finally slipped into a room—the guest room, the very one where Master Quin had helped Ersa through his heat—Ersa waited, his breath held tight in his chest.

Minutes passed, long and unbearable, before Hicks finally emerged again and disappeared down the hall without noticing Ersa’s presence.

The hallway was deathly quiet, and the weight of what Ersa was about to do settled heavily on his shoulders. But his body moved of its own accord. Step by step, he approached the door, his hand shaky as he pressed it over the access panel. He took a deep breath as the door slid open.

Master Quin’s scent hit him first, warm, rich, and intoxicating. It wrapped around him, dizzying and dangerous, setting every nerve ending on fire. And then his eyes found Master Quin.

The alpha was sprawled across the bed, his long, fiery hair tousled against the pillows, his chest rising and falling in shallow, ragged breaths. His skin glistened with sweat, his face flushed with heat, as his hips rocked, fucking into the handheld fantasy hole pleasuring bot. Its round, plump cheeks shimmered with a glossy sheen of the lubricant he’d used to ease his way in. The quiet of the room was broken only by the slow, wet sounds of his thrusts, each movement measured and snappy, the moist squelch filling the air.

Ersa stood frozen in the doorway, his throat dry and his heart pounding so hard it hurt. He knew he should leave. He should turn around and walk away.

But he couldn’t take his eyes off Master Quin. As if drawn by some unseen force, Master Quin turned, slowly, deliberately, and fixed him with fierce and molten eyes, searing through the space between them with an intensity that made the air feel heavier.

“Ersa? What are you doing here?” Master Quin’s rumbled.

“I…” Ersa trailed off. For a fleeting moment, his courage wavered, but he forced his feet to move, crossing the room with determination. As he approached the bed, his fingers trembled slightly, but he didn’t stop. One by one, his clothes fell away, the cool air brushing over his skin, making his pulse thunder louder in his ears. The room felt charged, thick with tension, and when a soft, startled gasp broke the silence, he knew Master Quin was watching him.

“Ersa?” The alpha’s voice was rough, strained—a mix of shock and something else that sent a shiver down Ersa’s spine.

“What?” he asked, his voice steady despite the storm inside him.

“What are you doing here?” Master Quin’s words were tight, as though forced through gritted teeth.

Ersa met his gaze and sat on the bed. Curiosity guiding his every movement, he reached out and ran his fingers between the fantasy hole’s plump cheeks, coming to where Master Quin’s cock stretched the silicone hole. “Hicks said you needed a service omega. I want to help you,” Ersa said softly as his finger slid over Master Quin’s cock, sliding along the heated skin, gauging the give and resistance of the pleasuring bot. Every slow press and gentle sweep told him exactly how much room there wasn’t; the silicone hole was stretched to full capacity. He knew the alpha was thick when he had felt him inside him, but seeing it sent a sharp, electric tingle racing through his body. The sensation coiled low in his belly, a mix of anticipation and wonder, making his hole pulse hungrily.

“Do I look like this when you fuck me?” he asked innocently as he slowly pulled the pleasuring bot off Master Quin’s cock. A thin, glistening string of lubricant stretched between the thick cock and the gaping hole of the pleasuring bot before it finally snapped, leaving a faint sheen behind.

“Fuck.” Master Quin visibly clenched his jaw as his hips rocked uncontrollably. “Are you here to torture me?”

“No. I told you. I’m here to help you with your heat.”

“You shouldn’t,” Master Quin whispered, his hands fisting the sheets as though trying to resist the pull between them. “You’re Benjn’s nanny. We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Why not?” Ersa challenged. “You did the same for me. What’s different now?”

Master Quin’s eyes darkened, turning fierce. “If you’re here to help, suck my cock.”

Even as he laid down the challenge, Ersa could see the strain of anticipation etched into his face. His powerful thighs quivered, tension rippling through them, while his fingers curled tight around the sheets, knuckles whitening with the effort to stay in control.

Bending down, Ersa snatched up his discarded shirt and wiped away the glistening trail of lubricant before he sank gracefully to his knees on the cool floor. With a quiet, wordless gesture, he motioned for Master Quin to sit at the edge of the bed and let his legs fall to the floor. The anticipation thrummed between them, electric and heavy. As Ersa slid between his thighs, desire roared through him like a wildfire, scorching and consuming, so fierce it made his hands tremble as they reached out and grasped the thick cock. He opened his mouth and softly sucked on the smooth head. His tongue swirled slowly, savoring the rich, intoxicating flavor that burst across his taste buds. Every stroke was deliberate, drawing out the experience as the heady taste coated his mouth, making him crave more. He moaned, opening his mouth wider to suck him deeper into his mouth.

“Fuck,” Master Quin groaned, pulling him up to his feet.

“What? I thought you wanted…”

“I would rather have your ass,” he growled as he dragged Ersa down onto the bed with a strength that should have been frightening, but instead, it stole his breath away. The bite of his claws along Ersa’s skin sent shivering, electric sensations down his spine, making his body arch instinctively toward the heat of the alpha. Ersa slid his thighs wide as Master Quin’s cock nudged his hole. “And the fantasy hole looks and feels nothing like you. You look amazing with my cock stretching you wide, and you feel so good. I can’t get enough,” he rumbled as he slowly sank his cock deeper into Ersa’s hole. Once he was all the way in, he lifted to his elbows and stared down at him. “I’m going to fuck you hard and for as long as I want.” As if to demonstrate, he pulled out and slammed back in again, causing the bed to rock.

“Oh shit… ahh… uhh… fuck,” Ersa groaned, pleasure flooding his veins.

“Are you sure you want to be here?”

“I’m sure,” Ersa cried, wrapping his thighs around him.

The moment Master Quin began to move, everything unraveled. Ersa clung to him, his fingers digging into sweat-slicked skin as the world blurred around them. The alpha was relentless, fierce and untamed, driving him to the edge again and again. Ersa lost track of how many times he came, how many times Master Quin withdrew only to shift him effortlessly, arranging his pliant body into whatever position suited his desire.

A broken whimper spilled from his lips, muffled by the pillow, as another orgasm surged through him, a tidal wave so powerful it left him trembling and weak. The room spun, his vision dimming at the edges, the pleasure so overwhelming it knocked him out.

When Ersa finally came to, the room was dark, the air heavy with the intoxicating scent of sweat and sex. His body ached in the most delicious way.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

“Ersa, are you awake?” Master Quin’s voice rumbled in his ear.

Ersa cast a glance over his shoulder, his eyes locking onto Master Quin’s glowing ones. Entranced, he reached out and ran his fingers over the alpha’s brow, the motion slow and thoughtful as if he was trying to unravel the mystery.

“Are you okay?” His voice was soft, but the concern in it was unmistakable, dimming the fierce glow in his eyes. His gaze roamed over Ersa, searching for any sign of discomfort.

Ersa’s lips curved into a gentle smile, his body still humming with satisfaction. “I’m more than fine,” he murmured. A soft flush painted his skin, and the lingering ache was a sweet reminder of everything they’d shared. “Did you know your eyes glow in the dark?” he asked, not wanting to focus on what he’d done.

“Yes. I’m an aggressive alpha,” Master Quin simply said, as if that was explanation enough.

“I haven’t spent much time around aggressive alphas before,” Ersa said, his voice soft and curious. His eyes flicked up, drawn to the faint, mesmerizing glow still burning in Master Quin’s gaze. “Do… do they all have eyes like that?”

“I’m not sure about others, but my brothers and I can see in the dark. We got it from our dad. And he got it from his dad. We’re from a long line of aggressive alphas,” he drawled, his voice low and unhurried as he nuzzled the back of Ersa’s neck.

“You do?” Ersa moaned, a shiver cascading down his spine.

“Yes,” Master Quin murmured, pushing Ersa to his stomach. Arousal and anticipation caused his skin to tingle as Master Quin smoothed his hands down his back to his ass and pulled his cheeks apart.

Oh shit. He could feel the fucking cool air caressing his hole. Heat warmed his cheeks at the thought that Master Quin could see slick gushing from his hole.

“We can trace our lineage back a hundred years,” he continued as he lay on top of him. “Isn’t that incredible?”

“Haah… nmn… ahhh,” Ersa mumbled incoherently as the blunt, thick head of Master Quin’s cock pressed against his hole. He was sore, but he wasn’t going to stop him. Ersa mewed into the mattress, the fucking burn making him feel dizzy. He’d had Master Quin’s cock inside him more times than he could count now, but each time, it felt like he was being fucking stretched to his limit. And he loved it. It felt so good he was losing his mind.

“My great granddad was the alpha king,” he said, sinking his cock deeper. His mouth latched onto the side of Ersa’s neck. Ersa felt the suction deep in his hole.

“Fuck… fuck… fuck…” he cried, clutching the sheets for dear life as the bed started to rock, and his entire focused on the thick cock thrusting in and out of his hole in wild, hard strokes. Master Quin snarled against his neck, causing the skin around Ersa’s faded mating mark to tingle.

Fuck, he was coming. Ersa twisted the sheets, his body writhing as his orgasm hit. When come shot out of his cock in a never-ending stream, Ersa’s mouth dropped open on a silent scream as his body shook uncontrollably from the mind-bending pleasure.

“Did that feel good?”

“Mmmm… so good,” Ersa sighed, blissed-out.

“Good,” Master Quin purred as he dug his claws into Ersa’s hips to hold him still for his thick, pulsing knot. When it slid into place, stretching his hole so good, Ersa tilted his ass up to take more of it. As if he knew what he needed, Master Quin slammed into him, going deeper and stretching him wider.

Ersa clawed the bed as every thrust pushed him over the edge again. How many times was he going to come? “Aaah… aggressive alphas are insatiable.”

Master Quin laughed, rocking his hips as if to prove his point. When his come filled his hole, it felt like a soothing balm. Ersa squeezed his ass, begging for more.

“Oh fuck,” Master Quin moaned. As he held him close and kissed the side of his neck, Ersa’s stomach fluttered. His heart pounded hard in his chest, and he felt it all over again—the need to cling to the alpha and never let go. Master Quin’s knot pulsed deep in his ass, setting off mini explosions of pleasure.

So good , Ersa thought, sinking into the mattress as the pleasure led him into peaceful sleep. Before he could drift away, Master Quin shifted to his side, disturbing his peace. Ersa let out a moan of protest.

Master Quin’s laughter sent vibrations down his spine. “Am I not too heavy for you?”

Sleep muddling his brain, Ersa said the first thing that came to his mind. “You are, but I don’t mind.”

“You don’t?”

Oh shit. What did he just say?

“No, I meant…” Ersa tried to think of something to say, but his brain came up blank. Ersa sighed, too tired to care. “Ugh, I can’t think right now with your knot still inside me. Let’s sleep. Aren’t you tired?”

“I am,” Master Quin said around a yawn. The quiet stretched between them, soft and comfortable, until Ersa felt the pull of sleep tugging at him. He was just about to drift off when Master Quin’s voice broke the stillness again. Ersa opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of the alpha’s voice made him hesitate. It was low, rough with uncertainty. “Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?” He paused. “During my heat, I… I lose control. I become rough and too demanding.”

“I told you I’m fine. You didn’t hurt me. I loved it,” Ersa said shyly. “I never thought I’d crave that kind of wildness, but I did. I loved your ferocity—how your claws left their mark on my skin, how your teeth claimed me. The way you moved inside me…” He shivered, his body remembering every touch, every thrust. “It felt so good. More than good.”

“It did?” Master Quin’s voice dipped lower, his satisfaction unmistakable. Ersa wished he could see him.

“Yes,” Ersa whispered, his heart pounding, already aching for more.

Master Quin chuckled as he rolled his hips to grind into Ersa’s ass, sending shock waves throughout his body. “I want to fuck you with my knot. Can I?”

Oh fuck… he was an insatiable beast.

“Hmmh… okay.”

“Lift up,” Master Quin directed as he shoved a pillow under him so Ersa’s hips were tilted at an angle. Then he started to roll his hips in slow, languid movements that hit Ersa’s sweet spot so good he felt like he was coming out of his skin. The pressure, the stretch… was insane. Wet sounds filled the silence as Ersa’s hole gushed like a leaking faucet.

“Ahhh… uhh…” Ersa shoved a fist into his mouth as his body started to convulse, wound so tight he felt like it was ready to snap. His eyes squeezed shut, and his fingers dug into the mattress as Master Quin turned him inside out.

“Make me come… make me come…please… please,” he begged, too far gone to care. Master Quin reached for Ersa’s aching cock and stroked, and that was all it took to push him over the edge. Tears filled his eyes as he came hard.

“Ahh… fuck,” Master Quin hissed, his body convulsing above him. When he filled him with his come, Ersa mewed, squeezing his ass to prolong the pleasure. “I love it when you squeeze around my knot like that. It feels so good. Does it feel good for you too?”

“Mmm,” Ersa moaned, too tired to open his eyes, let alone speak.

“Okay, I’ll let you sleep,” Master Quin chuckled as he threw the covers over them and wrapped his arms around him. Ersa drifted away to the feel of the alpha’s soft lips on his neck.

***

The next four days were a blur of heat and wild desire. Their bodies were tangled in sheets damp with sweat, come, and their combined scents, limbs entwined as they pushed each other to the edge again and again.

Ersa lost track of time, his senses overwhelmed by the alpha—his taste, his scent, the feel of his skin against his own.

“Oh fuck… oh fuck… ahh… ahhh,” Ersa moaned into the wall as Master Quin fucked him into oblivion. Ersa arched his back and widened his thighs to take the pistoning cock deeper. His mouth hung open as pleasure like no other flooded his veins and his orgasm burned a path down his spine. “Right there… right there… ahh… ahh… fuck,” Ersa whimpered as come shot out of his cock to hit the wall.

“Knot me,” Ersa cried. “I want to feel your knot, please… please.”

Master Quin growled as he fucked him in fast, uncoordinated thrusts, and then he went still. Ersa held his breath as the thick knot of muscles slid into his hole, stretching him so good he felt like he was going to pass out from the pleasure.

“Breathe, Ersa,” Master Quin said.

“Haa…” Ersa moaned, dragging air into his lungs.

“Are you okay?”

He was more than okay, Ersa thought as he rested his chin on his folded arms against the wall. “Mmmm, I’m fine.”

“Good,” Master Quin said as he rolled his hips, fucking Ersa with his knot. And it was pure ecstasy—a bliss so overwhelming Ersa felt like he was being swept away. But Master Quin wrapped his strong arms around him, anchoring him.

A while later, when they’d come down from their high and sweat cooled off their skin, Master Quin’s cock slipped out of his ass, a gush of come and his juices trailing down his thighs.

And all too soon, it was over.

The air between them hung heavy, thick with unspoken words and lingering heat. Ersa moved awkwardly toward the crumpled pile of clothes he’d abandoned on the floor four days ago. His fingers trembled slightly as he pulled them on, the rustle of fabric loud in the quiet room. Every so often, his gaze flicked toward Master Quin, searching, but the alpha remained silent, his expression carefully guarded. The distance between them felt vast, a chasm neither seemed willing to cross.

When no words came, Ersa turned and slipped out of the room, his heart an uneasy drumbeat in his chest. In the sanctuary of his old room, he washed away the evidence of their time together, the warm water doing little to soothe the ache twisting inside him.

Dinner was no better. The table that once held easy conversations and quiet laughter was now steeped in awkward silence. Every glance that passed between them was brief and weighted, every word spoken was just enough to fill the silence. And so, Ersa retreated—as he always did—into his role, caring for Benjn, letting the routine keep him grounded when everything else felt uncertain.

“I didn’t realize Vina rescheduled your appointment with Dr. Alora for tomorrow,” Master Quin said as they walked toward the nursery, his voice soft and careful, as if afraid to stir whatever lay between them. Benjn slept peacefully in Ersa’s arms, his tiny face relaxed in sleep. “Will you be okay to go by yourself after…” His words trailed off, the unfinished thought hanging between them. “I wish I didn’t have another appointment so I could go with you.”

“I’ll be fine,” Ersa said, his voice steady despite the swirl of emotions inside him. As he laid Benjn down in the crib, the cub sighed contentedly, and for a moment, Ersa focused on that gentle sound. When he straightened, his eyes met the alpha’s, and there, behind the guarded expression, he saw it—worry.

“Are you worried?” Ersa asked softly.

“A little,” he admitted, the tension in his posture giving him away.

“I’m sure everything will be fine,” Ersa said with quiet conviction. It had to be.

“Hicks will go with you,” Master Quin said, his tone firm and final.

“I can hire a shuttle,” Ersa offered, trying to keep his voice light, casual, though his heart was already pounding.

“No.” The word was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. Master Quin’s eyes darkened, his voice dropping into a low, almost primal growl. “I don’t want you in a shuttle with some strange alpha.”

The possessive edge in his voice sent a shiver through Ersa, his breath catching. He stared at the alpha, his mind spinning with questions he didn’t dare ask. What did he mean by that? Why did it sound like a warning… and a claim?

“Good night,” Master Quin said, his voice tight and hurried as he turned and practically fled out of the nursery.

Ersa watched him go. The ache in his chest tightened, the words hovering on his lips— Come back —but he swallowed them down. What would he even say if he called him back? What did he even want?

He sighed, dragging his feet toward his own bed, his mind a storm of questions. He’d told his family—and himself—that he never wanted to be bonded again. The pain of loss had been too much, the fear of being left behind still raw.

But now… now, he wasn’t so sure. When Master Quin walked away, it felt like something precious was slipping through his fingers—and the thought of never holding it again made his heart clench.