After being unable to sleep and continually getting frustrated with my over-active brain, I hopped out of bed and headed down to the kitchen. I pulled out my favourite hot chocolate mix, along with the carton of lactose-free milk from the fridge. I was in the middle of measuring out the liquid when I felt a warmth along my back as a pair of arms wrapped around my waist.

I gestured to the half-asleep Yoongi, asking silently if he wanted a hot chocolate and giggling softly as he nodded into my neck.

"Can't sleep, Kitty?" I asked, pouring the milk into the small saucepan, stirring in the chocolate powder and turning the heat on.

"Too cold without you." I could hear the pout in his voice, so I turned in his arms and brought a hand up to scratch his ears. The loud purrs flowing freely from his chest vibrated through my body. "Why couldn't you sleep, Baby?"

My hand stilled for a second, which caused Yoongi to look at me. "I've been thinking about your rut," I whispered, nervous at his possible reaction. I wasn't having any second thoughts, nor had I changed my mind about helping him through it.

"What about it, Kitten?" he coaxed gently. I was thankful Yoongi hadn't jumped to conclusions and instead waited for me to explain.

Looking into Yoongi's golden eyes, I spoke the words that had been heavy on my mind and heart this evening. "I don't want you to be in pain like JK was when Jin hadn't been marked by him. It would absolutely crush me to know that I could have done something to help ease what you'll be going through." I took a deep breath, placing a hand each onto his toned chest and also his squishy cheek, as if feeling Yoongi's skin could help ground me. "I want to do the marking ritual with you," I breathed out quickly. "That is if you want to do it with me, I mean."

The smile that blossomed on Yoongi's face was nearly as sweet as the chocolate drink I was making. It was radiant, ecstatic, joyful. "Of course I want to mate with you, Baby," he whispered, his lips brushing mine. "It's all I've wanted since I found you. I just didn't want to rush you into being tied like this to me for life if you didn't want it."

Happy tears began welling and sliding down my cheeks. It still boggled my mind that I had someone as gorgeous – as incredible – as this man was who actually wanted me. I knew in my heart I was a good person, though I never thought of myself as beautiful, attractive or desirable. But Yoongi looked at me like I was all those things and more. In his eyes, I saw everything I had ever wanted – a man who loved me unconditionally for who I was, not for what I did or what I had to offer him.

At that moment, even though it had only been about 13 days since we'd met, I knew I'd never felt this way towards another person in my life.

"I love you Yoongi, and I would never feel like I was tied to you against my will. I choose you despite us being destined for each other, and I will continue to choose you until my final breath."

"I. Love. You," he murmured between kisses, like a continual chant.

I pulled away, noticing that the milk was now hot. As I poured our hot chocolates into mugs, Yoongi couldn't wipe the smile off his face. "You've made me so incredibly happy; you know that?"

I could feel my cheeks burning, not used to hearing compliments like this. We took our hot drinks and snuggled onto the couch together. After a little while, Yoongi declared that he wouldn't mark me tonight, partly due to it being so late, and also because he wanted to make it special and romantic.

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

I got home from work the following evening and found our home transformed into a romantic hideaway. On the dining table sat flickering candles, the soft light illuminating a table set for two. Yoongi sauntered in, a beautiful bouquet of pink and white roses in his hand.

"I know your favourite flowers are dahlias, but they're unfortunately not in season," he said, handing me the pretty flowers. "So instead, I got you these to represent your sweetness and femininity that I love so much, along with my loyalty and eternal love that I give to you."

I was beyond touched. Not once had I ever received flowers, nor had I had anyone pledge their heart to me like Yoongi just did.

"Kitten, are those happy tears?" he asked, worry slightly tainting his tone. When I nodded enthusiastically and wrapped my free hand around his neck, Yoongi exhaled a sigh of relief. "I was scared this was all too much. That I was too much."

I matched my volume to his, whispering against my mate's lips, "you're never too much. You, Yoongi Min are my perfect mate who I'd never change for the world."

After indulging in a few kisses, whilst I got comfortable at the table, Yoongi quickly put the flowers in some water. "Thank you for all of this," I said when he returned with two plates in hand, sitting in the chair adjacent to me. "It's so romantic and special."

Yoongi smiled his adorable gummy grin, declaring that I deserved to be romanced because, as his mate, I was the most important person in his world. As we ate our delicious grilled salmon and asparagus that Yoongi had perfectly cooked, we engaged in a comfortable conversation. I was so lucky to have a mate who not only loved cooking but was a good eater too.

Once I'd finished eating, I was excited, but also nervous. A million thoughts were running through my mind.

Will it hurt when he bit me?

Would me being officially marked and mated make any of the residents at Sanctuary uncomfortable smelling Yoongi on me?

Could this trigger Yoongi's rut to start early?

"Hey, Kitten," Yoongi's deep melodic voice pulled me from my thoughts. "What's got you thinking so hard?"

I relayed my worries, and a soft look came over his features. "Baby, it'll probably hurt for a few seconds when I bite you, but then you'll only feel pleasure since it'll be right on the cusp of our orgasms when I mark you."

I blushed. Even though I was no longer a virgin, talking about sex at times was still foreign to me.

"And as for the hybrids in your shelter, some may not like you smelling like me, but I daresay that the majority will accept and trust you quicker since they know you have a hybrid mate. It's like you're one of us in a way."

I noticed he didn't say anything about his rut so I decided that if he wasn't concerned with the ritual setting him off, I'd put my faith in him too.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ ⋆͛♡⋆͛ ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

Yoongi had been so attentive and romantic towards me the whole evening. After the incredible dinner he'd made, my mate led me upstairs, where the room was beautifully lit up by fairy lights. He'd strung them elegantly so it looked like the stars had moved just for us.

"Oh Honey," I breathed out, turning slowly to admire all of his hard work. "This is so beautiful."

"You deserve the world, Kitten," he softly spoke, coming to stand behind me as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I loved being held like this, feeling Yoongi's warmth and deep purrs radiating through my back. "Until I met you, my life was just darkness and empty cloudy days. But now, you've filled it with light, happiness and love. Every day with you is bright and wonderful."

I turned in my mate's arms, my arms draping over his strong shoulders. I let my fingers play with his soft black hair at the nape of his neck, smiling as his eyes closed in content. "I love you, my handsome kitty. You're everything I've ever wanted and everything I'll need in my life."

Yoongi pulled my head to his, crashing our lips onto one another's. The kiss wasn't anything soft and gentle; it was fiercely passionate and hunger driven. He swallowed my moans as his textured tongue slid into my mouth, chuckling softly as he felt my shivers. I loved the way his tongue felt against mine, the natural bristles massaging and caressing perfectly. Yoongi's purrs told me everything I needed to know, along with his large erection poking my stomach.

"I need to feel you wrapped around me," he groaned, moving us towards the bed. "Do you still want me to mate and mark you? Because we can wait if you're not ready."

The soft way Yoongi was looking at me – filled with nothing but love, devotion, and care – obliterated the last miniscule doubts I had. I wanted this, wanted him to claim me as his and so I told him exactly that.

He undressed me as if I was the most delicate, fragile gift he'd ever been given. His kisses were slow, loving, and incredibly sensual. He laid me down on our soft bed and hurriedly undressed himself before coming to hover over me. I loved feeling the warmth and heaviness of his body, especially when his chest rumbled with purrs; they were like my own large, heated vibrators that stimulated every part of my body.

Yoongi moved to kneel between my knees, his hands on my thighs as he guided my legs open. I thought I would feel self-conscious about a man looking at my vagina the way he was, but instead I simply felt powerful. The cat was looking at me like I was a bowl of the finest cream he could ever consume. I felt myself grow wetter as I watched him licking his lips. It seemed like he was in a trance as he gazed upon my opening folds.

"Tell me what you want, Baby," he finally tore his attention away and back to my face. "Tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it."

"Make me cum, then make me yours," I replied breathlessly, my chest heaving despite him not even touching me yet.

"That I can do," he whispered before he leaned down and licked a long stripe through my folds. My cry was one of pure satisfaction and need. His tongue was like magic, pulling sounds from my lips and nectar from my sex.

"Yoongi," I moaned out, reaching down and holding onto his hair. The moment my fingers grazed his fluffy ears, loud purrs vibrated me to the point that I was screaming in orgasm. I'd never cum so fast like this, I mean it hadn't even been a full two minutes!

The man between my legs showed no sign of stopping as he licked my release. I began whimpering from overstimulation, but instead of pulling away to give me a break, he slid two fingers inside me. Moans freely flowed out of my lips as he began pumping his digits, fucking me steadily with his fingers.

"Fucking hell, Yoongi!" I cried out with one particularly powerful stroke that grazed my g-spot perfectly. "God, right there. Just like that."

"You're so fucking beautiful, Baby," he groaned. I looked down and instantly felt myself grow wetter as I saw his face glistening with my juices all over the lower half. He looked like sex personified.

"Kitty, I need you," I groaned, both in pleasure and need. I loved what his fingers were doing to me, but I needed more. I needed him.

"I'm right here, Baby. You've got me however you want." I could hear the lust and love in his voice, as well as the desire for more.

"Yoongi, I need you inside me. Now, please Kitty?"

"I must admit, it's really hot listening to you beg like that, and one day I'd love to hear you begging even more. But today is not about that, it's about us." I nearly cried in joy as he nestled himself in between my legs, the feeling of his throbbing cock teasing my entrance had my breath caught in my throat.

And then at long last, Yoongi's cock nudged and then sunk into my pussy. His strokes were slow, calculated but incredibly passionate. As he thrusted deeply into me, we gazed into each other's eyes. I felt so connected with Yoongi, especially when his hand moved to grab mine and together we lost ourselves in each other and the love we were making.

My body was soaring, my peak inching closer with each delectable thrust. If my mate's tongue technology was on point, his dick game was next level.

"You ready, Kitten?" he asked in between deep huffing breaths. I loved how I was affecting him just as much as he did for me.

I nodded, whispering sultrily in his ear, "I'm yours, Honey. Let the world know too."

With an animalism growl, his thrusts sped up. I saw his canines elongate and just as we both began to hurtle over the cliff, Yoongi embedded his teeth into my skin. An initial pain had me crying out, but seconds later all I felt was the most intense pleasure – one that radiated throughout my entire body and soul. The scent of strawberries filled my nose and as I kissed my mate, I could taste them on my tongue too.

Yoongi lapped at my skin, cleaning up any blood and sealing his mark. I shivered and my skin erupted in goosebumps. The spot where he decided to place his mark was the most sensitive area of my neck. It was where he always sucked hickeys, claiming my scent was strongest there.

"You look so beautiful wearing my mark," he whispered, slipping out of me, and moving us so we could cuddle together. Yoongi pulled me closer, his tail wrapping around my thigh and the last things I heard were his purrs and a quiet "sleep well, my perfect mate" as he scented me to sleep.