Motherfucker

My massive black wolf cock slid out of its sheath, bobbing heavily in the dim light of the room. The scent of musk and dominance filled the air as I stared down at my mother.

"Suck it," I commanded, my voice low and dangerous.

Maria's eyes went wide, her gaze fixed on my throbbing cock. She licked her lips nervously, her body trembling with a mix of hesitation and something else... something darker.

"Alice, I... you're my little girl, I can't..." she stammered, but even as she spoke, I could see her nostrils flaring, sniffing my cock.

"I said suck it, Mom," I growled, taking a step closer. My cock bobbed inches from her face, precum already beading at the tip.

Maria whimpered, her resolve crumbling. The idea seemed to excite her, She leaned forward slowly, her lips parting.

"That's it," I purred, watching her submit. "Good girl."

Maria pressed a soft, loving kiss to the tip of my cock, her tongue flicking out to taste my pre. She moaned softly, her eyes fluttering closed as she savored the taste.

But I wasn't in the mood for tenderness.

With a growl, I grabbed the back of her head, my claws tangling in her hair. "I told you to suck it, not kiss it," I snarled, yanking her forward.

Maria gasped as my cock **** its way past her lips, stretching her jaw wide. I didn't give her time to adjust, my hips snapping forward as I started fucking her face with brutal, ruthless strokes.

"Fuck yeah," I hissed, my claws tightening in her hair. "Take your daughter's cock, you dirty slut, this should fucking teach you not to touch my fucking pack."

Maria gagged and choked around my girth, her hands coming up to grip my thighs. But she didn't try to push me away, her throat working to accommodate my length.

I fucked into her mouth with abandon, the wet squelching sounds mixing with her muffled moans. My balls slapped against her chin with every thrust, the sound obscene and filthy.

"You like that, don't you?" I snarled, yanking her head back so I could see her face. "Like sucking your daughter's fat cock?"

Maria's eyes were watery, her makeup smeared, drool and precum coating her chin. But she nodded frantically, her tongue lapping at my shaft even as I held her in place.

"Dirty fucking slut," I growled, shoving her back down on my cock. "I'm going to fuck your throat until you **** on my cum."

I resumed my brutal pace, fucking into her mouth with single-minded intensity. Maria took it, her throat spasming around my cock, her moans vibrating through my length.

Kai watched from the bed, his eyes wide, his own cock hard and leaking. Jen stood in the doorway behind me, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts.

But I didn't care about them right now. All that mattered was the feel of my mom's throat around my cock, the power I held over her.

"Fuck, I'm close," I snarled, my hips stuttering. "Gonna cum down your throat, Mom. Gonna make you swallow every fucking drop."

Maria whimpered around my cock, her hands gripping my thighs tighter. I could feel her submission, her acceptance of her place beneath me.

And then, with a roar, I came, my cock erupting deep in her throat. Thick ropes of cum spurted directly into her stomach, filling her with my jizz.

Maria swallowed frantically, her throat working to take my load. But there was too much, cum spilling from the corners of her lips, dripping down her chin and onto her chest.

I held her there as I came knot locked in, fucking shallowly into her mouth until my nuts felt empty. Only then did I release her, my softening cock slipping from between her lips.

Maria collapsed back, gasping for air, cum coating her face and chest. She looked up at me with dazed, submissive eyes.

"Good girl," I purred, my claws stroking through her hair. "Such a good little cocksleeve."

Maria whimpered, her body trembling with aftershocks. She had submitted to me completely, and we both knew it.

I pushed Maria onto her back, looming over her with a predatory grin. My cock was already hard again, bobbing between my legs.

"Pull your panties aside," I commanded, my voice brooking no argument.

Maria whimpered, her hands trembling as she obeyed, exposing her dripping cunt to my hungry gaze. I could smell her arousal, thick and heady in the air.

I glanced over at Kai, still frozen on the bed. "You," I snarled, my eyes narrowing. "Jerk that pathetic little cock while you watch me breed her."

Kai whimpered, his hand wrapping around his micro cock, stroking it frantically as he watched us.

I turned my attention back to Maria, positioning my cock at her clit. "This is what you wanted, isn't it Mom?" I growled, rubbing my tip up and down against her slick pussy lips. "Wanted your daughter to fuck you like a bitch in heat?"

Maria moaned, her hips rocking up, seeking more of my touch. "Yes," she whimpered, her voice thick with need. "Please, Alice, honey fuck me,..."

I didn't need to be told twice.

With a snarl, I slammed my cock into her cunt, burying myself from tip to knot in a single, brutal thrust. Maria screamed, her back arching off the bed as I stretched her wide open.

I didn't give her time to adjust, my hips snapping forward as I started fucking her with savage intensity. My knot punched in and out of her cunt with each thrust, the obscene squelching sounds filling the room.

"Fuck yeah," I hissed, my claws digging into her hips. "Take your daughter's cock, you dirty fucking slut."

Maria wailed beneath me, her cunt clenching around my shaft as I pounded into her. Each thrust sent shockwaves through her body, her tits bouncing wildly with the **** of my fucking.

"You like that, Mom?" I snarled, slamming into her harder. "Like being bred by your own daughter?"

Maria could only moan in response, her eyes rolling back in her head as I fucked her senseless. My knot stretched her cunt wide with each thrust, the sensation making her scream.

I could feel her cervix giving way beneath my ****, my cock punching into her womb with every brutal stroke. The thought of breeding my own mother, of filling her with my seed, drove me wild.

"Gonna pump you so full of cum," I growled, my pace becoming erratic. "Gonna breed this slutty cunt until you're swollen with my pups."

Maria screamed, her body convulsing as she came around my cock. Her cunt clamped down on me, milking my shaft as her orgasm tore through her.

But I didn't stop, fucking her through her climax, driving her higher and higher. My knot started to swell inside her, locking us together as I prepared to unload.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cum," I snarled, my hips stuttering. "Gonna fill you up, Mom. Gonna breed you like the bitch you are."

With a roar, I came, my cock erupting deep inside her womb. Thick ropes of cum flooded her cunt, painting her insides white with my seed.

Maria wailed, her body shaking as I filled her with my jizz. My knot locked us together, ensuring that every drop of my seed stayed deep inside her.

I collapsed on top of her, my cock still twitching inside her fucked-out cunt. Maria whimpered beneath me, her eyes glazed and unfocused, her mind completely broken by my brutal breeding.

"Good girl," I purred, my claws stroking through her sweat-soaked hair. "Such a good little broodmare for your little girl."

Maria could only moan softly in response, her body limp and pliant beneath me. She had submitted to me completely, body and soul.

I looked over at Kai, still jerking his pathetic little cock, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and arousal. And behind him, Jen stood in the doorway, her chest heaving, her eyes dark with need.

My cock stirred inside Maria's cunt, already hardening again. The night was far from over.

"Now," I growled, my eyes flicking between them. "Who wants to go next?"

Kai grinned excitedly from where he knelt on the bed, his small, flaccid cock jerking frantically in his hand as he watched Alice fuck. The scent of desire and submission filled the room, and Kai couldn't help but feel a sense of pride mixed in with his arousal.

Jen, still standing in the doorway, watched with a mixture of lust and fear. She licked her lips unconsciously, her own body responding to the primal scene playing out before her.

As Alice pounded into Maria's cunt, Kai felt the pressure building inside him.

"I'm gonna cum," he gasped, his hips bucking as he fucked his hand.

With a growl, Alice pulled her huge cock from Maria's cunt, stringing precum across her thighs. Maria groaned in disappointment, looking up at her daughter with pleading eyes, **** for more.

Alice grinned down at her, then turned to face Kai. "Show me how much you want it," she purred, her claws tracing along Kai's jaw.

Kai didn't need to be told twice. He climaxed violently, his small body shuddering as he shot thick ropes of cum across the room. Jen watched with wide eyes as his cum splattered against the wall, painting it with his jizz.

When Kai finally came down from his high, Alice pushed him down onto the bed, her huge black cock still dripping with her mother's juices. Jen watched as Alice shoved her cock into Kai's mouth, his small tongue dancing around the head of her shaft.

"Suck it, Kai," Alice growled, her hips grinding against his face. "Tell me how much you love my cock."

Kai moaned around her cock, his eyes rolled back in his head. "I love it, Alice," he gasped, his voice small and breathy. "I love your cock." he gasped. "Your cock is perfect."

Alice groaned, the vibrations rumbling through her body and straight into Kai's skull. She pulled her cock out of his mouth, only to jam it back in without warning. Kai chocked, gagging as he took her cock deeper into his throat.

"That's it, Kai," Alice praised. "You were made to take my cock, aren't you?"

Kai nodded frantically, his eyes wide with lust. "Yes, Alice," he croaked, practically crying from pleasure. "I'm your’s, and I'll do anything for your big, beautiful cock."

Alice beamed, her claws extending slightly as she felt a rush of power course through her. She began to thrust slowly, savoring the feeling of her cock buried deep inside Kai's throat.

As she picked up speed, Kai clawed at the bed, his nails digging into the sheets as he struggled to breathe around her shaft. Alice pulled out suddenly,

"Tell me what's better, my mom's strap on or my cock," she demanded, her voice low and threatening.

"your cock ,your cock , your cock! more than anything," Kai gasped, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Please, Alice, Please fuck my face."

Alice started laughing, only to shove it back in with enough **** to make Kai's entire body jerk back. Alice moved into a rapid pace, her hips slapping against Kai's cheeks as she changed the angle of her thrusts. Over and over, she thrust into his face, the sound of skin slapping against skin echoing through the room.

Kai's body shook, his eyes rolling back in his head as he reached his climax. He came hard, his hot seed spurting out of his mouth and onto his chest.

With one final thrust, Alice came, her hot sticky jizz flooding Kai's throat and shooting straight down his esophagus.

Kai's body shook, his eyes rolling back in his head as he reached his climax. He came hard, cock untouched, Alice's hot jizz spurting out of his mouth and onto his chest. Alice collapsed onto him, her weight pressing him into the bed. For a moment, they lay there, catching their breath.

Alice pulled her cock out of Kai's mouth, letting it flop onto his chest. Kai looked up at her, his eyes glassy with lust and love. "Thank you, Alice," he whispered.

[SYSTEM ALERT PACK STATUS UPDATE]

Significant Hierarchical Event Detected

Alpha Authority Exerted: Confirmed

Dominance Threshold: Surpassed

Pack Bond Reinforcement: Irreversible

(Dice: “Welp. That escalated from ‘family drama’ to ‘mythological incident’ real fast.”)

[NEW BETA REGISTRATION **** ALIGNMENT]

Subject Identified:

Maria

Species: Human (Baseline)

Affiliation: Velvet Bottle (Owner / Bartender)

Status Change:

→ BETA PACK-BOUND

Consent State: Implicit / Dominance-Override Valid

Autonomy Reduction: Moderate

Loyalty Vector: Hard-Locked to Alpha (Alice)

(Dice: “Congratulations! You accidentally speedran the ‘Mom Becomes Minion’ route. That’s… a sentence I hate that I just typed.”)

[EVOLUTION SEQUENCE INITIATED]

Chimeran Conversion Early Stage

Catalyst:

Prolonged Exposure to Alpha Parasitic-Draconith Mana

Pack Bond Saturation

Sustained Hierarchical Submission Event

Result:

Human physiology no longer stable under current mana density.

Evolution Path Assigned (Provisional):

Chimeran Support / Domestic / Bonded Subtype

Initial Manifestations (Pending):

Heightened mana sensitivity

Emotional attunement to Alpha state

Minor physiological alterations (fur/scales/eyes cosmetic variance likely)

(Dice: “She’s not getting claws or breath weapons. Relax. Probably. No promises.”)

[PACK STRUCTURE UPDATE]

Alpha: Alice

Primary Betas:

Jennifer “Jen” Combat / Enforcement

Kai (Ignition) Utility / Caster / Emotional Anchor

Maria Medic / Support / ???

Hierarchy Stability: TEMPORARILY UNSTABLE

Cause: Rapid Pack Expansion + Unresolved Second-in-Command Designation

(Dice: “You wanted a pack. You got a pack. You did NOT get an instruction manual.”)

[WARNING BEHAVIORAL DRIFT]

Alpha Instinct Amplification: ONGOING

Impulse Filtering: DEGRADED

Crude Thought Frequency: ↑↑

(Dice: “You’re not ‘becoming evil.’ You’re becoming honest with zero inside voice. Huge difference.”)

“Look at you. Breaking family trees, class balance, and probably a few gods’ expectations. I knew you’d be fun.”)

Maria didn’t scream.

That surprised me.

She gasped, yes sharp, breathless but there was no panic. No resistance. Just a startled sound as her body reacted to something it had already accepted.

Mana rolled off me in slow, oppressive waves, and she was standing too close to escape it.

Her knees buckled.

I caught her by the arm before she hit the floor.

“Easy,” I said, not unkindly, but not gentle either. “Stand.”

She did.

Immediately.

Her eyes were glassy, pupils blown wide, breath shallow as her body began to… change.

Fur pushed through her hairline first soft, dense, black-and-white tufts forming rounded ears that twitched at every sound. Panda-like. Expressive. Embarrassingly cute.

“Oh gods,” she whispered, mortified, hands flying up as if she could hide them. “Alice, I this isn’t”

Her words cut off as something else moved.

A tail unfurled at her lower back, sleek and long, patterned in cheetah spots, lashing once before curling tight against her leg like it didn’t know what to do with itself.

She swayed.

I steadied her with one hand at her waist.

She froze.

Then very slowly relaxed into my grip.

Her head dipped.

Not ****.

Instinctive.

Submission, written cleanly into her posture the same way it was with Kai but where he leaned into it eagerly, Maria flushed deep red with shame.

“I I can’t look at you,” she muttered. “This is humiliating.”

“Lift your head,” I said.

She did.

Immediately.

Her eyes met mine, wide and compliant, breath hitching as the bond settled into place.

Beta.

Mine.

Jen made a sharp, angry sound behind me.

I felt her move before I saw it pacing, claws clicking, tail snapping with raw emotion she didn’t bother hiding.

“This is bullshit,” she spat. “You don’t even care anymore.”

I turned my head slightly. “Jen ”

“No.” Her voice cracked. “You don’t get to do that tone and then pretend you’re listening.”

She stormed toward the door, metal limbs striking sparks off the floor.

I took one step after her.

Maria whimpered and grabbed my waist.

hard.

demanding.

anchoring.

“Alice,” she said quietly, voice trembling. “Please don’t leave me alone like this.”

I stopped.

Jen didn’t look back.

The door slammed.

Silence rushed in to fill the space she left behind.

I looked down at Maria.

She was shaking ears flattened, tail tucked tight, trying to make herself smaller while still clinging to me like I was gravity.

I exhaled slowly.

(Shit.)

(This is getting complicated.)

I rested a hand on her shoulder.

“Stay here,” I said. “Breathe. You’re not broken.”

She nodded, swallowing hard. “Yes… Alpha.”

The word still hit wrong.

But I didn’t correct her.

My instincts hummed, satisfied in a way I didn’t fully understand yet.

And somewhere down the stairs, Jen was already gone furious, hurt, and very much not okay with what I’d just allowed to happen.

(I’m going to have to deal with that.)

(But not yet.)

Right now, I had a new beta in my arms.

Maria's moans filled the room as she hugged Alice's leg, her fingers digging into her skin in an attempt to get closer to Alice's exposed nuts. Her eyes rolled back in her head, lost in the intensity of the scent that was driving her wild.

Alice smirked, taking a step back to watch her mother's desperation. The sight of Maria reduced to a mindless slut, all but drooling over her nuts, filled her with an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.

"That's it, mom," she purred. "Worship me."

Maria's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she inhaled deeply, trying to get as much of Alice's musky scent into her lungs as possible. Her fingers dug into Alice's leg, clawing at the fabric of her pants as she moaned incoherently.

"Alice," she breathed, her voice thick with arousal. "Your scent is driving me crazy."

With that, she let go of Alice's leg and sank to her knees, positioning her face just inches from Alice's crotch. Her lips parted, revealing a tongue that flicked out nervously as she waited for permission.

Alice watched her mother's desire with a predatory grin. She knew that Maria was beyond repair now. "Suck them," she commanded, spreading her legs slightly to give her mother better access.

Maria's eyes rolled up into her head, and she leaned forward, engulfing Alice's massive balls in her mouth. Her tongue swirled around them, lapping up every last drop of ball sweat as she sucked them deeper into her throat.

alice lost track of how long they spent like that, it had to have been at least an hour judging by the puddle of pussy juice under her mom.

With a groan of pleasure, Alice reached down, grabbing a fistful of her mother's hair and pulling her off of her balls. "That's enough, mom," she said, her voice rough with lust.

Maria whimpered, her eyes begging for more as she looked up at her daughter. A trail of saliva connected her lips to Alice's balls, leaving a sticky string behind.

Alice smirked and stroked herself, watching as her mother still didn't stop masturbating furiously, her fingers going in and out of her soaking wet cunt. She loved the sight of her mother reduced to nothing but a mindless slut, consumed by her own desire.

With a growl, Alice planted a firm foot on the bed beside her mother's head, spreading her legs wide. She hovered over her mother, her cock dripping with her mother's juices as she teased her with every slow spread of her cunt.

"Fuck me, Alice," Maria moaned, her voice low and husky. "I need your cock inside me."

Alice grinned with a swift thrust, she impaled herself on her mother's tongue, moaning as she felt her mother's warmth envelop her.

Maria's tongue danced around the head of Alice's cock, desperately trying to get more of her into her mouth. She could taste her own juices mixed with her daughter's as she sucked greedily.

Satisfied with the void she had created, Alice began to fuck her mother's face, her hips bucking wildly as she ground against Maria's mouth. Her claws dug into the sheets on either side of her, and her thighs shook with the **** of her climax.

Maria's tongue flicked out to catch every last drop of her daughter's cum, her eyes rolling back into her head as she tasted the mix of musk and sweetness. She continued to suck eagerly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she came closer and closer to collapse from pleasure overload.

Finally, Alice pulled away, leaving a trail of cum on her mother's chin and cheeks. She watched as Maria's eyes fluttered open, and Alice kissed her forehead. "That, my bitch," she purred, "is what it means to be truly mine."

Alice grinned, laughing as she watched her mother and Kai panting heavily on the bed. The sight of them, exhausted and used up, only turned her on further. She rose to her feet, letting her tentacles unfurl from her back as they slithered across the floor.

"Time for some more fun," she purred, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

With a flex of her tentacles, she grabbed hold of Kai and Maria, pulling them close together. Their bodies touched, and she smiled at the sight. "Look at you two," she said, running her claws lightly down Maria's side. "You're so beautiful when you're all used up."

Maria whimpered as she felt one of Alice's tentacles press against her pussy, seeking entry. She moaned as it slipped inside her, the wetness coating its surface making it slick as it penetrated her cunt.

Kai, meanwhile, found himself being fucked by two of Alice's tentacles at once. They plunged into his tender ass hole, stretching him beyond his limits as they filled him up entirely. He gasped for air, his eyes bulging as he was **** to take more and more of Alice's cock.

Alice watched them both with a satisfied smile, her hips grinding against them as she fucked them from behind. Her cock, both human and tentacle, slipped in and out of their mouths and holes, leaving a stringy mess behind.

The room was filled with the sounds of flesh smacking against flesh, moans of pleasure and pain intertwining in an erotic cacophony. Alice's tentacles pumped in and out of their bodies, filling every last crevice with her thick, slimy cum.

As they were brought closer to the brink of orgasm, Alice pulled away, leaving them gasping and panting on the bed. She watched as they tried to catch their breath, her eyes burning with hunger.

"How about one more round?" she purred.

Before they could answer, Alice was upon them once again, her tentacles wrapping around them like living vines. They struggled against the grip, but it was useless. They were hers, and she would take them however she pleased.

Alice's tentacles were relentless in their **** on Kai and Maria. They fucked every single one of their holes, never giving them a moment's rest. Alice herself switched up the action, her hands switching between Kai's tight little asshole and her mother's stretched-out pussy, while her huge wolf cock continued to fill their mouths with its thick cum.

As the session wore on, Kai found himself completely overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through his body. He'd never felt so filled, so used, and so loved all at the same time. He moaned around Alice's cock, even as he begged her to stop, knowing that he never wanted this incredible feeling to end.

Meanwhile, Maria was pushed to her limits. She'd thought herself experienced in the realms of pleasure and pain, but Alice took her to places she'd never been. Every time she thought she couldn't take anymore, another tentacle would slip inside her, pushing her even further.

And still, Alice showed no signs of exhaustion. If anything, she seemed to be getting more energized by the screams and moans of her helpless victims. It was clear that this was a power trip for her, and she was thoroughly enjoying every second of it.

Hours passed, and yet the orgy continued unabated. Kai and Maria were reduced to quivering masses of need, their legs shaking with exhaustion as they were held open by the merciless grip of Alice's tentacles. As they approached the brink of blackout, they could only pray that Alice would allow them some form of rest.

I woke to the smell of food.

Not ration bars.

Not leftovers.

Real food. Hot. Heavy. Rich enough that my stomach clenched instantly.

For half a second I didn’t move.

(Listen.)

(Count.)

(Where’s my pack.)

The apartment above the Velvet Bottle was quiet except for the low clatter of pans and the hum of the ancient stove. Morning light filtered in through the crooked window, dust motes floating lazily like nothing in the world had gone wrong.

I sat up.

My body felt… charged. Not sore. Not tired. Just hungry in a way that felt primal, like my bones were asking to be fed.

I followed the smell into the kitchen.

Maria was already there.

Hair tied back. only wearing a Apron.

Cooking.

She turned the moment I entered, posture straightening, eyes bright and attentive like she’d been waiting for me to wake.

“Good morning, Alice,” she said quickly. “I made breakfast. I wasn’t sure how much you’d need so I… made more.”

The table was covered.

Eggs. Meat. Fried vegetables. Bread stacked high. Something stewing that smelled like it had been simmering for hours and of course a ton of sausage.

Enough food for a large family.

Or a small siege.

I stared.

“This is… a lot,” I said.

Maria flushed, ears twitching. “I didn’t want you to be hungry.”

Something in my chest tightened.

(That’s new.)

(That shouldn’t feel right.)

(It does.)

I sat.

The chair creaked under my weight.

I started eating.

I tore into it like a ravenous Beast. Plate after plate vanished. I felt heat spreading through my limbs, strength coiling tighter with every bite.

Maria watched, equal parts embarrassed and proud.

“You’re… not slowing down,” she said softly.

“I’m starving,” I replied, already reaching for more.

I checked myself automatically, half-expecting to feel heavy, bloated.

Nothing.

If anything, I felt lighter. Sharper.

(My metabolism must be insane now.)

(Parasitic dragon bodies don’t waste calories.)

The door to the bedroom creaked.

Kai emerged like a ghost.

Hair a mess. Shirt half-buttoned. Eyes half-open. He shuffled forward, dragging his feet like he’d been dismantled and poorly reassembled.

He collapsed sideways into a chair with a tiny groan.

“…Morning,” he croaked.

I glanced at him. “You look wrecked.”

He huffed weakly. “You say that like it wasn’t your fault.”

Maria’s ears went bright red.

I smirked faintly, then pushed a plate toward him. “Eat.”

He did. Immediately. No argument.

For a few quiet moments, the room was just chewing and the clink of utensils.

Then Kai blinked, frowning slightly.

“…Jen didn’t come back, did she?”

The words hit me like a guillotine.

I froze.

Mid-bite.

“What,” I said flatly.

Kai’s ears folded back. “I I thought she was just… cooling off. But she wasn’t in the room when I woke up.”

The room felt smaller.

Too small.

(My chest hurts.)

(No.)

(No, no, no )

I stood so fast the chair scraped violently across the floor.

“She left?” My voice was too sharp. Too loud. “She didn’t say anything.”

Maria flinched.

Kai pushed himself up hurriedly. “Alice maybe she just needed space ”

Space.

The word scraped against something raw in my head.

(Space is how packs fracture.)

(Space is how you lose what’s yours.)

A cold, ugly knot formed behind my eyes.

Possession.

Fear.

Rage.

It all blurred together.

“She’s mine,” I said before I could stop myself.

The silence after was thick.

Maria looked stricken.

Kai looked scared.

I realized my hands were clenched so tightly my claws had sunk all the way through the wood of the table.

I **** myself to breathe.

(In.)

(Out.)

(Don’t break the house.)

“I ” I swallowed hard. “I didn’t mean ”

But part of me did.

The Alpha voice in my head was pacing, snarling, demanding action.

(She left without permission.)

(She’s ****.)

(Someone could take her.)

The thought made something dark and violent bloom in my gut.

I pressed my palms flat against the counter, grounding myself in the solidness of it.

“I need to find her,” I said, more quietly now. “Now.”

Kai nodded too fast. “I’ll help. I swear.”

Maria stepped closer, hesitant. “Alice… please don’t hurt anyone.”

I looked at her.

Really looked.

Her eyes were worried. For Jen. For me.

I exhaled, slow and controlled.

“I love her,” I said. “I’m just… not used to feeling this much.”

That was true.

And terrifying.

Because part of me didn’t want to let go of it.

I turned toward the door.

“Get dressed,” I ordered. “Both of you.”

They moved immediately.

And as I grabbed my cloak, heart pounding with fear and something far more dangerous beneath it, one thought kept looping in my head

(If someone touched her.)

(If someone took her.)

(I don’t know what I’d do.)

And that scared me almost as much as the idea of losing her.

Maria didn’t hesitate.

She crossed the kitchen in three quick steps and wrapped her arms around me, pressing her forehead against my chest the way she used to when I came home scraped and furious as a kid.

“Hey,” she murmured. “Hey. Breathe.”

I stiffened at first.

(My body says submit.)

(My mind says protect.)

(My instincts say hold.)

For half a second my hands hovered uselessly in the air.

Then I crushed her against me.

Too tight.

Not painful, but absolute. My arms locked around her like I was afraid the world might rip her away if I loosened my grip even a little. Maria made a small sound of surprise, then relaxed into it, rubbing slow circles between my shoulder blades.

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “She’s not gone forever.”

Kai edged closer, clearly unsure if he was allowed.

I felt him before I saw him, the familiar warmth at my side, the quiet pull of pack-presence.

“Can I ?” he asked.

I didn’t answer.

So he hugged me anyway.

Careful. Gentle. Arms around my waist, cheek pressed against my side. His tail curled around my leg like an anchor.

That helped.

A little.

The pressure in my chest eased just enough that I could breathe again.

And then it didn’t.

Something cracked.

Not outward.

Inward.

My breath hitched, sharp and ugly, and suddenly my eyes burned. I sucked in air like I was drowning, claws flexing uselessly as wet heat spilled down my cheeks.

“I don’t ” I choked. “I don’t know why this hurts.”

Maria stiffened slightly. “Alice ”

“I can’t stop thinking about her,” I whispered. “Where she is. Who she’s with. What if someone looks at her. What if someone touches her ”

My voice broke.

And then I started laughing.

Not because it was funny.

Because something in my head had slipped its leash.

The sound came out sharp and breathless, too loud for the kitchen. It echoed off the walls, climbing higher until even I didn’t recognize it.

“Hah gods listen to me,” I laughed, clutching at Maria’s shirt. “I sound insane. I am insane. I want to lock her up. I want to tear the city apart until I find her. Isn’t that fucked up?”

Kai froze.

Maria went very still.

The laughter turned wet, shaking, edged with sobs I couldn’t seem to control.

“I don’t know how to feel this and not break something,” I said, voice wobbling. “My head won’t slow down. It just keeps saying mine mine mine and I don’t know how to turn it off.”

That scared them.

I could feel it in the way Kai’s grip tightened, in the way Maria’s breath caught.

“Okay,” Maria said carefully, steady even though her hands were trembling now. “Okay. That’s… a lot.”

I laughed again, softer this time, almost hysterical. “Yeah. No shit.”

She pulled back just enough to look up at me, really look.

“You’re not thinking straight,” she said gently. “And that doesn’t make you bad. It means you need help.”

Help.

The word grated.

Alpha instincts snarled at it.

(I don’t need help.)

(I need control.)

Maria pressed on anyway.

“If you’re that worried,” she said, voice firm now, mother and bartender and survivor all at once, “then you don’t have to do this alone.”

She hesitated.

Then said it.

“You could call your father.”

The laughter died instantly.

Silence slammed down hard.

Kai’s ears flicked up. “The Guildmaster?”

I stared at the floor.

(My father.)

(The man who never gives anything for free.)

(The one person who could find her anywhere.)

My jaw clenched.

“I don’t want to owe him,” I said.

Maria squeezed my hands. “This isn’t about pride, Alice. This is about your girlfriend being missing and you spiraling so hard you’re scaring us.”

Kai nodded, swallowing. “I I’m a little scared,” he admitted quietly. “Not of you. Just… of how much this is hurting you.”

That hurt worse than anything else.

I dragged a hand down my face, claws trembling.

“…I just want her back,” I muttered.