Al awoke slowly. It was gradual, but his mind felt sharp. The world around him was strangely vivid. He knew immediately that Addy was close, even before he opened his eyes. He could smell her, feel her in the air around him. 

At first, he thought it was his own heartbeat he was hearing. Then he realized that it was hers. "Addy," he attempted, but his throat was hoarse. He reached up and touched his neck, wincing and slowly opening his eyes. His whole body hurt like he'd been hit by a train or fallen from a tall building. His skin felt raw and his head ached. 

"Hey, Al," she whispered. Sunlight poured in through the windows, landing gently on the bed like the universe was reminding them that they were alive. They were safe. The world wasn't all darkness and screams. They were in Addy's room, but somehow the space seemed so entirely different from what it had been the night before. 

Al's head was resting on Addy's chest. She was slowly, gently letting her fingers glide through his loose curls. It made a strange sensation spread through Al's body, somehow both calming his heart but making it beat quicker. "You scared me," she said. "I thought you weren't going to wake up." 

Al closed his eyes again. He circled his arm around Addy's waist and held her tightly. Addy kissed the top of his head. It helped assuage the fear that pulsed through Al. He'd made it through everything alive. He didn't remember transforming back. He must have been unconscious for that long. But...it had been hell on earth. The fact hung over him that, one day, he'd have to do it again. Worse, he'd have to do it again soon if he wanted to kiss Addy. Which he did. Badly. 

A half-sob escaped Al. He tried to stifle his emotions, but Addy didn't make it easy. Her voice softened. "Oh, Al." 

For some reason, hearing her say those two words, knowing that she felt for him, made him break. He sobbed, hiding his face from Addy, clinging to her. She shushed him, stroking his hair and trying to comfort him. But for some reason, her tenderness hurt. She'd been through the same thing he had. Why was he not stronger? Why was she so much braver than he was? 

He felt ashamed. He couldn't look at her. "You weren't waking up," Addy said. Al shivered. "I called for help," she said. "Lion told me that you...that you had it worse." 

Al's sobs faded away, but his tears still escaped him. "Your..." Addy's voice broke. Al raised his head and met her eyes. He forgot himself when he heard her in pain. She was crying, those beautiful dark eyes red and puffy from her grief. She looked down at him and her lips quivered. "Your body doesn't shift properly. You were never a full wolf. You...got stuck." 

Al couldn't breathe. "You were in so much pain. You passed out," Addy said. She was fully crying now. She took a short, shuddering breath. "I couldn't do anything. I wanted to make it stop, but I couldn't do anything. I'm not even-" 

Al reached up and gently pressed his fingertips to her lips. They were so soft underneath his skin. She stopped talking immediately and took his wrist with one hand. Al winced again as he forced his body upright. He was breathing hard by the time he was upright. But it was worth it because now he could look down at Addy and meet her eyes properly. 

She seemed so scared. He didn't want her to be. Al was terrified, yes. If he couldn't shift properly, his life would be hell. Every transformation would be as painful, worse than it is for most lycanthrope. But Addy's tears were a panacea. 

Al slid his thumb across her lips, soft like a flower petal. He felt his adoration for her heavy in his chest. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were swollen, and she was shaking. But she was still so beautiful it hurt, so beautiful he could look at her and feel brave. 

"It's ok," Al said. He moved his hand to the back of her neck and gently guided her body closer to his, pulling her against him. He closed his eyes and enjoyed her warmth. A spark buzzed between them, reminding them that they were meant to be together and that they could do anything as long as they were close. "It's ok, Addy." 

Addy closed her arms around Al. She held him tightly, so relieved that he'd woken up that it was all she could think about. When she'd seen him in that painful in-between, it had hurt more than her own transformation. Al was so beautiful. But only hours before, his angelic blonde hair had been replaced by partial baldness and coarse tawny fur. His slender yet strong body had been cracked apart and never repaired, skewed at grotesque angles so that Al was no longer Al. 

She'd gotten her body back and watched helplessly as Al's suffering continued beyond hers. She could do nothing but watch, attempt to comfort him through his agony. Addy had almost lost her mind with pain, but Al's experience had been worse. The thought made her sick. 

But now, Al was here. He was ok. He was telling her that it was ok. Al's body was still warm with fever. She could feel his heat surround her as he pulled her closer. She felt completely normal now, but he was probably still in pain. 

Well, not normal, necessarily. Al wasn't wearing a shirt still, and it was making her pulse pound and her face flush. But she didn't want to let go of him. She wasn't going to let that happen. 

Al sighed. "My Queen," he whispered against her ear. 

Her heart soared. "You haven't called me that for a long time." 

He started to lean away from her, but she clung to him tighter. She liked the feeling of their chests pressed against each other, her heart beating right beside his. Her lips lingered by his warm skin. His puff of laughter stirred her hair. "I call you that every day in my mind." 

She looked up at him. He was smiling softly, and it made Addy want to start crying all over again. He was so handsome and he didn't even know it. "I want to hear it more often." 

His smile grew slightly. He reached up and guided a stray lock from her face. "That can be managed." 

She reached up as well to smooth his lingering tears away. "I'm so sorry, Al." 

"I know," he said. His expression darkened. "Me, too. But bad things happen, Addy. You don't know how strong you are until they do." 

"Bad things..." Addy said. She hated thinking about it when Al was in front of her, gorgeous and half-naked. But she couldn't help it. "Dad heard about it. Lion told me that he wanted to talk to us." 

Al's expression changed. He looked worried. "I guess we have no choice, then." 

Addy nodded, taking Al's hand in her own. She entwined her fingers with his. That mysterious feeling welled up inside of her. Invisible strings pulled them closer, and Addy leaned her head against Al's shoulder. "Why did we change, Al?" 

He sighed, playing with her fingers. Delight fluttered its wings in her heart, stirring to life and chiming like birdsong. It made her feel alive. "I didn't think about it...after we found out we were mates," he replied. "I knew that sometimes mates don't change on the first contact. I mean, that would've been when I first met you, when you were a baby." 

It made sense. They were too young for something like that. Normally, you don't realize who your mate is or you don't meet until you're at least a teenager. But they'd already known each other for their whole lives. So it had to happen eventually. "It's like...whatever it is between us, it wasn't ready yet. We've spent forever together, but only now did our bodies realize that we were ready. That...I guess that our hearts were ready."

Addy looked into Al's blue eyes. Her mouth felt dry. "Are you?" 

"Am I what?" he asked. 

"Are you ready? This is...I know that I rush you into things and pressure you to be less boring, but this is serious." 

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "If I wasn't ready," Al said, looking up at her from behind his golden lashes, "I wouldn't have changed, would I?" 

Addy grinned. "I guess you're right. But I mean, I've been ready since forever. You're late to the party." 

Al chuckled. "Well, sorry. Jeez." She laughed and tackled him, pushing him down on the bed. "Ow, ouch Addy." 

"Oh shit." She eased off of him, suddenly afraid to touch him. "Does it hurt badly?" 

"Yeah," he said, but as soon as he admitted it he reached up and pulled her back down beside him. "But it's worth it...my Queen."