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‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐒 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐁𝐄𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌, but Elowen has always been fond of winter storms. There's a solace in knowing that she's safe from nature's blizzarding wrath under the warmth of hand-stitched quilts and a thick black feathered wing. Against the frost-tinted windows, the firelight from the hearth heats up the air until she's undeniably cosy. She could fall asleep like that in a matter of seconds, forever.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎If it weren't for the crying of their little one.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎The wind rattles against the windows, howling through sparse cracks. Usually, the sound of the wind is dull enough so he doesn't awaken from his sleep, but tonight, the baby yowls are more than just a need for a feed.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Morrow kisses her mate's mark. "I'll get this one."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎He stretches as he slips out of the bed, his dark wings fluttering as he quickly shucks into a pair of comfy trousers. He saunters across the room in lazy steps until he reaches their little pup. Elowen watches his silhouette in the fireglow, falling in love with how tiny their four month old is in his father's arms. White little wings flutter as their baby nestles up against Morrow's bare chest.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Their little Rudy.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎He's a fighter, born earlier than they'd anticipated. He'd always been slightly smaller than a typical were pup, but Morrow and Elowen had never been so in love. He had a little bit of both of them. Elowen's white wings and pointed ears. Morrow's meadowed eyes and dark hair and tanned complexion.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Morrow begins to hum a lullaby, each note a half growl with the power to soothe him back to sleep. Even Elowen grows drowsy listening to her mate's sound.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Until there's a knock on the door.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎With little Rudy still tucked in his arms, Morrow peaks it open.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"Daddy?" a little voice cries. "I think there's a monster outside the window."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Their daughter, their firstborn, the heir of Tabrien.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Their beloved little Lily.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎It took awhile for Elowen to be ready for children following the months after Rhimme's disappearance. It simply never felt right. She feared that Rhimme would linger in every corner, that darkness would somehow come and take away her light like he did her wings. While it didn't take long for Morrow to ask again about pups, she knew both of them needed time to figure out their lives. Morrow's past is so muddied, almost murkier than her own.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎One gaze at Lily, and Elowen would never regret holding out on him again. Their Lily is, by no doubt, Morrow's child. She dons his thick charcoal hair and tanned complexion, his tight lips and glowing doe eyes. Most of all, she carries his cursed wings, wings that wrung a grin straight from Morrow the moment he saw those black downy feathers. From Elowen, she got little pointed ears, ears so tiny that the alpha himself had to admit it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen. As she grew older and her teeth came in, Morrow caught the jagged fangs jutting from her gums, the first sign of were's blood.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Elowen lifts her head from the pillow. Behind Morrow's silhouette, she sees that Lily is not alone. Two years after Lily, Elowen gave birth to their first son, Eligan. Although Morrow's genes came out strong, Elowen loved to admire the little pieces of her in him. From the first time he opened his eyes, she noticed they were a moonlit silver, and his nearly black hair at birth lightens into a soft deep maroon the older he grows. Unlike his elder sister, his wings are white.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Morrow reaches down and scratches behind Lily's ear, causing a happy little growl to come from her.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"Don't worry, sweet pea," he whispers. "I can scare it away."

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎The pitter-patter of little steps disappears down the corridor as Morrow closes the door just in the slightest. Morrow had doubts about how good of a father he'd be, for he'd never known what being a father truly was. Arion and Cordea gave him some advice, but it never dawned on him until he held Lily for the first time. He's always been there for her: through the tears and tantrums, through the giggles and glee. She even caught him wearing a frilly tutu for her once as she served him some imaginary tea.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Elowen melts into the pillow with a large beaming smile. She never in her dreams expected to be happily mated and married, bound to the most handsome man in the kingdom. Before she met her children, her world was so shrouded in darkness, her light only coming forth from those around her. Now, she has everything she could ever ask for and more.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎The ratting wind eases her to sleep, and she awakens to an empty bed. She's not sure how much time has passed, but it's still night, and Morrow is still gone with little Rudy.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"Morrow?" she calls.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Her bond flutters, and the low timbre of a growl runs through her. There's a gentle tug on her tether, one that has her slipping out from beneath the warm quilts and out into the corridor.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Lily and Eligan share a room just down from their own. The door is open just a crack, the orange light flickering from the hearth. Even from outside the room, the low volume of Morrow's growls echo through her, her eyes falling heavy.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎The hinges hardly squeak as she pushes open the door, and she finds the most perfect image in the world.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Morrow sits on a chair, his nose nestled into Eligan's dark maroon hair. In his herculean arms, he holds little Rudy against his heartbeat, the pup fast asleep against his father's bare skin, no longer whimpering from the arctic wind. In Morrow's other arm, he embraces a sleepy Eligan. The middle pup sucks his thumb in his sleep against one of Morrow's shoulders, swaddled in his own white wings. On the floor between Morrow's legs, Lily sleeps with her cheeks smooshed against Morrow's calf, her nails clinging into her father's trousers, her black wings blanketed around her.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Elowen presses a kiss to Morrow's temple, causing the were-wyng to lift his head. Their eyes meet, his a meadow green and hers a silver. It took them so long, but for once, fate has been kind to them, blessing them with more than what they could ever ask.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Morrow meets her lips for a kiss, sinking into her affection before pulling away with a heavy exhale. She knows his question before he can even ask, and even then, he already can read her answer.

‎‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎He smiles against her lips. "Let's make another little sparrow."

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𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊