I stirred awake, blinking as I let out a soft yawn. Everything around me was pitch black as I continued to rub my eyes. An odd sensation filled me as I tried to remember exactly where I was. Movement to my side made me shift in the blankets, my eyes adjusting before I could see exactly what had settled behind me. And then I remembered exactly where I was as I focussed on Finn's sleeping expression.

My heart beat faster in my chest as a wide smile spread across my face; he was so handsome even when asleep. His eyes were peacefully closed, his dark eyelashes long and his cheeks a light pink. His breath was soft, and one of his wings draped over my waist as I raised my head to glance around.

I was the closet to the wall, shielded from the shelving by Finn's body. We'd spent the night together curled up in the blankets, and it was enough to make my heart happy. An infectious smile rose onto my lips; even Raphael wouldn't be able to make me frown today.

"Finn?" I whispered softly, tracing my fingers along the side of his face. My touch made his nose wrinkle as his feathers twitched.

He let out a murmur under his breath, his hand reaching up to lace my fingers in his before holding them against his chest. I thought I would die of cuteness as I snuggled closer to his body, guiding the hand that clasped mine up to my lips.

"Finn, wake up..." I said quietly, placing sensual kisses along his knuckles. Finn shifted his weight, his lips giving a soft twitch before his eyes came open. Even in the dark, they still were a magnificent blue, like a midsummer sky that forecasted a clear day in high heat.

His eyes settled on me before he stretched his back, settling back into the blankets with a yawn. "Good morning, baby."

My heart did a somersault as I came in closer to him. Had I heard him correctly? "Did you just call me baby?"

With my words, his eyes flashed open as he now looked twice as awake than he had been before. I smiled down at him, finding his nervous expression even more endearing.

"Baby is perfect."

Finn let out a groan of relief. "You nearly gave me a heartattack with that tone of yours. I just aged two years."

I rested my head on his shoulder with a smile. "It was a very happy tone, and I'm currently snuggled up with you in the blankets. I think 'baby' is a small step in comparison."

He closed his eyes with a pleased smile before shifting on his side to face me. Those blue eyes glimmered as he looked at me, his fingers reaching up as he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. I felt my cheeks flush, only making him smile wider. His fingertips ran across my cheekbone. "Thank you for staying with me."

I bit my lip, "I'd never leave you like that, Finn. I like you far too much than to just run off."

"You could have. I turned into a wolf in a dark basement and you thought I was going to eat you." This made him chuckle, "and yet here you are asleep with me the next morning. I wouldn't have blamed you if last night you ran."

"You'll have to do worse to drive me away." I smiled, running my fingers down his forearm.

His eyes brightened with mischief. "Did you know that Cybele ran the first time she saw me?"

I couldn't help but choke back a laugh. "Really? She didn't!"

"Oh yes, she did. She ran for the hills when I changed in front of her, and then I had to chase her down which went as well as you can imagine. She too thought that I wanted a little snack." We both laughed, fingers intertwining together. "She had just survived being hunted by other wolves, so I'd give her a little grace."

My eyes flickered up to his with a giggle. "So, naturally, you had to give her just a little scare?"

He gave me a crooked smile. "Maybe a little."

"I'm braver than the General then. Do I get a medal, Commander?"

Finn only smiled wider, "no, but I'll give you something else." With that, he rolled on top of me as I squealed, the sensations of being pinned underneath his body so foreign and sweet. His lips claimed the side of my neck, teasing the skin mercilessly as whatever sleep still lingered in my body now fled entirely.

The feeling of his skin on mine made me shiver as I dug my fingernails into his back, making him groan softly into my ear as he sucked on the lobe. I let out a moan when his lips dropped lower, tickling my collarbones along the edge of my shirt as his fingers squeezed my hip.

I sucked in a breath, my hipbones grinding against his as the sheer pleasure of his touch on my body made me shudder. I felt the tingle of my meraki returning when I saw Finn's golden eyes as he played with the edge of my shirt.

With my nod, he slipped his hands underneath the fabric, his warm and calloused hands exploring my waist as they ran higher and higher. I thought I would explode as I drew in sharper breathes, panting already as his fingers nearly skimmed the edge of my bra.

There was a loud bang, making the both of us jump in surprise as Finn whipped around to the opening in the shelves. "Finn?" Raphael's voice echoed, the sound of his boots hitting the wooden stairs resounding through the basement.

"That son of a bitch..." Finn growled under his breath before glancing to me.

I tried to catch my breath, shaking my head. "He always knows when we want him here the least."

"Finn!" Raphael barked, making Finn snarl as he stood to his feet.

"Raphael!" Finn replied, a lethality in his tone so different from the sleeping man who had taken me under his wing moments ago. He stepped out from around the shelves, leaving me as I heard his footsteps against the cement. I scrambled to my feet after him, sliding through the shelving as well.

"Did you find Kate last night?" I heard Raphael's voice from down the hall. "I sent her your way."

"Thank you for honoring your promise to me." Finn growled. "I wanted to be the one to tell her on my own, but yes, thank you for throwing her at me in the middle of the thunderstorm. I was really prepared."

I turned around the shelves into the glow of the red lights, no longer flickering, as both men glanced to me. Raphael looked back to Finn with a smug look. "From the looks of you both, I think you should be thanking me."

"Oh, shut up!" I hissed, marching towards the two. "Thank you, Raphael, for sending me into the basement with absolutely no warning. I thought the Mimic had opened up in here under all these horrific red lights!"

"I wasn't the one running around like an idiot in the middle of a tornado!" Raphael bickered, "you were out skipping along completely oblivious..."

"Stop it." Finn snapped. "What's it like up top?"

"Fallen trees mostly. Secta is up there working his fairy dust, but we are needed out there to help organize clean up." Raphael glanced to me, "Cybele said she needed you for whatever purpose."

"Alright." I said as Raphael nodded, turning his back to walk up the stairs. I glanced to Finn, taking my hand in his. "We should do things like this more often."

He stepped closer to me, eyes dancing. "Things like what? Please be specific because there are a lot of things we need to do more of."

I giggled, leaning in closer. "I've never been to your apartment before. If you have blankets as soft as the ones down here, I might be tempted to stay just a little longer..."

Finn curled his wings around me to draw me closer. "I have plenty, and my door is always open..." He leaned his head down closer to me, but we were once again interrupted.

"Fates, get your asses up here!" Raphael shouted, "have either of you heard of morning breath? Downright disgusting!"

The tornado hadn't come close to any of the buildings luckily and it only left half the guardians with the job of picking up trash while others went to move trees off the trails. Cybele and I among several other guardians were in the courtyard, throwing twigs and other pieces of garbage in trash bags.

I couldn't stop reflecting on this morning with a smile that never left my cheeks. Finn and I had split apart to head back to our separate rooms to change clothes and clean up before heading out to help with the tornado aftermath, but he had been waiting for me outside my door. We might have gotten... a little delayed.

Kneeling down, I grabbed a cluster of tree limbs, dragging them across the cobble towards the large pile accumulating by the edge of the courtyard. Cybele threw in a stack before helping me swing my own into the mass, brushing her hands against her jeans.

She gave me one of her charming smiles as I grinned back at her, the both of us walking towards another area to pick up branches.

"How was the storm on your end last night?" She asked me, kneeling down to grab a few branches.

"Good." I answered, helping her lift one that was especially heavy. Together we boosted it off the cobble.

"Good?"

I nodded my head as we carried it towards the pile, taking in deep breathes before we swung our arms together to send it cascading over a few other branches. Brushing my hands together, I went to look for more debris to lift.

Cybele fluttered along behind me, the softest skip in her step. "Well, I'm glad it wasn't horrific for you. I was in a basement with other guardians and it got quite cramped! The thunder was quite frightening!"

I licked my lips, shifting a few branches over. "I didn't hear too much of it actually. My basement was pretty nice, and I think I went to sleep on some blankets."

"With Finn?"

At her words, I glanced up at Cybele, her eyes dancing with mischief as she gave me a glamorous smile. I looked around us, none in sight before leaning over to smack her arm. "Someone could have heard you!"

"But, I'm right, aren't I?"

"Maybe. And I understand why you couldn't give me more details. Of all the outcomes, him being a werewolf was not something I imagined. We definitely didn't have a bad time though." Actually, a really, really good time.

She wiggled her eyebrows playfully before taking a bushel of branches in her arms. "I'm very happy for the both of you. You two make each other better; I can see it."

Her words made a wider smile spread over my lips as we both carried our branches to the pile. Tossing them in, I licked my lips before turning on my heels, taking a glance into the forrest. I heard the crackling of the leaves and soft shouts in the distance, wondering how the process was going among them. I wondered how Finn was doing after all the thunder and lightning.

He's strong. He's perfectly alright.

I went to continue my work among the others, but I was stopped in my tracks by a tall figure who I knew quite well. Our eyes met as he stared down at me, stone faced. "Kate,"

"Secta?" I answered with raised eyebrows.

"We have business to attend to immediately."

"Business? What business?"

"I need you at the pearl. Karmen's on the other side and she needs to talk with you as soon as possible." He replied, "I'll show you how to work the system and I will be present for this discussion, which she has cleared already. It is related to your future as well as others in my camp, information she needs you to be aware of before the window has passed."

I swallowed, nodding my head. "Of course, Sir. I'm ready to leave when you are. Take me to see Karmen and we can get this sorted out as soon as possible."

"Excellent. Be prepared for all outcomes; the future can be very unfair."