Gone.
His flames surged instinctively before he pulled them back under control.
"You carried life," he said, more statement than question. His gaze swept her body, noting the softness that remained, the subtle heaviness that had not yet fully left her frame. "I smelled it on you in the market."
Her lashes fluttered. She hugged herself tighter, shoulders curling inward.
"I… I don't anymore," she whispered.
No.
She didn't.
That told him everything.
Alo's jaw tightened as instinct clicked into place. In his world, timing mattered. Cycles mattered. A female who had given birth and stood alone afterward was not abandoned.
She was available.
Vulnerable.
In need of protection.
"You gave birth," he said quietly.
Her lips parted. She hesitated just long enough to confirm his assumption, then nodded faintly.
"I'm alone now," she said, voice trembling. "I don't know where I'm supposed to go."
Tears gathered in her eyes, clinging stubbornly to her lashes. Her lower lip trembled as she tried and failed to hold them back.
Alo felt something inside him snap cleanly into place.
Enough.
He crossed the remaining distance in one stride and pulled her into his arms.
Not rough.
Final.
She gasped softly as her body pressed against his chest, heat enveloping her instantly. For a heartbeat, her hands hovered uncertainly before clutching his shirt like she needed the anchor.
"Oh—!"
Alo lowered his head and inhaled deeply, deliberately.
Her scent filled him completely.
No eggs.
No claim.
Just her.
Empty of that previous purpose. Open. Ready for something new.
His fire flared in approval.
He bent his head and rubbed his brow firmly over the crown of her hair, slow and thorough, dragging his scent over her skin, her dress, her throat. Marking her without asking
Covering.
Claiming responsibility.
She whimpered.
A small, broken sound that went straight through him.
Her knees buckled for a split second before she sagged fully against his chest, breath stuttering as she pressed her face into him, overwhelmed and caught and utterly soft.
"Oh," she whispered, voice thin and shaky. "I—I didn't mean to be alone. I didn't mean to"
"Hush," Alo murmured, one large hand sliding to cradle the back of her head, fingers threading through her silky hair. "You are not in trouble."
Her breath hitched.
"I'm not?"
"No."
She shuddered, relief washing through her so visibly it tightened his chest. She clung to him now, fingers curling into his clothes like she was afraid he might disappear if she loosened her grip.
Lost.
Shy.
Trusting.
Exactly as she looked.
"You were seen with a dragon," Alo said calmly. "You gave birth. And now you stand unguarded in my territory."
He pulled back just enough to look at her face
Her eyes were glossy with tears. Her cheeks flushed. Her lips parted like she wanted to speak but didn't know how.
"That makes you my responsibility," he finished.
She swallowed hard.
"…Okay," she whispered.
The acceptance in that single word nearly undid him.
Alo slid one arm beneath her knees and lifted her effortlessly.
She yelped softly, instinctively wrapping one arm around his neck as he straightened, holding her bridal-style as if she had always belonged there.
Her eyes widened.
"W-where are we going?" she asked, breathless.
He looked down at her, flames dancing low along his arms, heat steady and reassuring.
"My tribe," he said.
Her fingers tightened at his shoulder. "…Is it far?"
"A week's walk," he replied.
Her eyes widened further. "A week?"
He adjusted his grip easily. "I will carry you."
Her breath caught again, something soft and unguarded blooming across her face. "Oh."
He began to walk.
The jungle parted for him without resistance, leaves hissing softly beneath his steps as heat marked his path. He did not hurry. There was no need.
She was already his charge.
She shifted slightly in his arms, curling closer, her head resting tentatively against his chest. Her breathing slowly evened out as his warmth soaked into her bones.
"I'm really glad you found me," she murmured after a moment.
Alo glanced down at her.
"I didn't," he said. "You returned."
She frowned faintly, already half-drowsy. "I did?"
"Yes."
He tightened his hold just a fraction.
"And this time," he added quietly, "I'm not letting you walk away alone."
She didn't argue.
The jungle watched them pass in silence.
And somewhere ahead, his tribe waited unaware that the world had shifted.
Alo's steps were steady.
Unhurried.
Each footfall pressed warmth into the earth as the jungle shifted aside for him, leaves hissing softly where fire kissed green. Luna stayed curled against his chest, one arm looped around his neck, her cheek resting cautiously against his shoulder like she wasn't quite sure she was allowed to be comfortable yet.
She was shaking less now.
That helped.
Inside her mind
THE ACADEMY AWARD GOES TO
Luna flinched.
Sprout, shut up.
There was a pause.
A long one.
…WAIT. WHAT.
She swallowed, keeping her face carefully blank as Alo adjusted his grip, carrying her as if she weighed nothing at all.
Did you just the system sputtered. Did you just call me.
"Yes," Luna thought calmly. Sprout.
I AM A HIGH-FUNCTIONAL COSMIC INTERFACE.
And I just had babies, she shot back. I get to name things.
The system went quiet.
Then—
…I DO NOT LIKE THIS NAME.
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling.
You'll live.
DEBATABLE.
Alo glanced down at her, brow furrowing slightly. "Are you well?"
She nodded quickly, tucking her face a little closer to him. "Yes. Just… tired."
He accepted that without question.
The system sniffed.
FOR THE RECORD, it said stiffly, I AM PLEASED.
You don't sound pleased.
I AM PLEASED THAT YOU SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A PRIMARY OBJECTIVE.
I AM DISPLEASED THAT YOU ARE MOCKING ME.
She softened a little. I'm sorry. Thank you. Really.
There was another pause.
Then, quieter
THE OFFSPRING ARE EXCEPTIONAL.
Her throat tightened.
I know.
The system brightened despite itself.
TWO FEMALES. ONE MALE. VERY GOOD WORK.
STATISTICAL OUTCOME: RARE.
She breathed out slowly, pressing her palm lightly against her own ribs, grounding herself in the moment.
Alo shifted again, adjusting her weight so she rested more comfortably. His heat was constant, not scorching, not overwhelming. Protective. Intentional.
The system hummed.
THIS ONE IS A GOOD BEAST.
She blinked.
He is, she agreed.
STRONG. TERRITORIAL. RESPONSIBLE.
HIGH MARKS FOR POST-BIRTH RESPONSE.
She almost laughed.
You're grading him?
YES.
And?
The system hesitated, clearly annoyed with itself.
…HE SCORES WELL.
Her lips curved into a soft smile.
Alo's thumb brushed absently against her arm, a grounding touch that made her feel suddenly very small and very safe. She relaxed another inch, trusting his hold without thinking about it.
You're still mad about the name, she teased gently.
I AM NOT MAD.
I AM… ADJUSTING.
She smiled wider this time.
You'll get over it, Sprout.
I WILL NOT
Alo cleared his throat softly.
She startled, realizing she'd gone a little too still, a little too dreamy.
"You can sleep," he said. "It's a long walk."
Her eyes fluttered.
"…Okay."
As her consciousness drifted, the system spoke one last time, softer than before.
YOU DID WELL, LUNA.
EVEN IF YOU ARE RUDE.
She smiled into Alo's shoulder.
And for the first time since everything had begun, she let herself rest.
Warmth pressed her from all directions, at once stifling and hypnotic. Luna's eyes opened to early light filtered through a latticework of thick palm and fibrous vine.
A lean-to, lashed together with weathered root and careful intention, loomed just above; its shadows sheltered her from the roasting sun, but not the heat radiating from Alo's body. He was all around her: chest pressed to her back, one arm heavy across her waist, and something hard and thoroughly undeniable nudging at her hip beneath the woven moss blanket.
She couldn't remember falling asleep, but now every muscle in her body ached with the memory of running, then being carried, and, finally, surrendering to sleep. She tried to shift, limbs leaden, but the wall of Alo's chest flexed, holding her in place. There was no room to turn. No room to even pretend she existed outside his claim.
"Awake?" His voice rumbled directly into her ear, a vibration so deep her bones felt it first. He nuzzled the crown of her head, his chin dragging gently against her scalp.
She made a soft, uncertain noise.
He loosened his grip the tiny amount required for her to inhale outside his embrace. "Shh. Still safe."
She could feel every part of him, the impossible bulk, the raw animal heat, and she didn't dare move her hips. Instead, she focused on the line of his arm around her, thick as a column and as immovable. He reached with his free hand and retrieved something from next to them. She heard the clink of rough bark against stone.
"Eat," he said, voice insistent but not unkind. Cradled in his palm was a bowl of wild clay, filled with dark stew.
She propped herself up on her elbow, blinking at the offering. "You made this?"
He grunted, but there was a pleased tilt to his mouth, something softening his features in the glow.
Luna accepted the bowl, both hands trembling. The stew was piquant and earthy, full of foraged greens and hunks of some tough, gamy meat. The flavor was unfamiliar, but she devoured it hungrily, barely pausing to breathe.