They lay side by side, curved into each other, their arms keeping the other close as their chests heave up and down. They'd been at this for hours. Every time they stood up to leave, they'd find themselves drawn back to their most basic, primal desires.

"Oh my god." Dylan breathes, his lips pressing against Orion's forehead.

"Yeah." Orion breathes, drawing his mate closer.

They're both silent for a moment, their eyes searching the others.

"What are we going to do now?" Dylan asks quietly, watching Orion mull it over.

To his relief, he sees no regret. Only thoughtfulness.

"I don't know." He murmurs.

"I..." Dylan begins, only continuing when Orion nods.

"I would never ask you to give up being Alpha." He says and Orion pushes himself up, gazing down at his mate.

"Nor I, you." He says.

He can tell that Dylan is desperate to make fun of how pompous he sounds, but he refrains. Orion smiles and Dylan rolls his eyes.

"But would you share the title?" Dylan asks seriously.

Orion stares at him.

"Share?" He asks and Dylan nods.

"Unification of the packs, led by two Alphas who are mated." Dylan says.

Orion's eyebrows lift, exhaling lightly.

It's a hell of an idea. It's never been done before, but he supposes there's no reason why it couldn't work, in theory.

"We would split the work, obviously, and presumably we'd maintain management over the land and people that we currently oversee. It would just be one pack instead. One territory." Dylan says slowly.

Orion's hand curls around his soulmates waist, his excitement already renewed and surging in his body as he smiles.

Dylan's always been the idea man, the charisma and god, how Orion loves him for it. His mind is suddenly buzzing with a to-do list a mile long.

"It sounds perfect." He says.

"Really?" Dylan says and Orion nods.

"We'll have to organise a meeting, and there'll be a lot of things to work out logistic wise, we'll have to rely on Sam and Kieran to-..."

Dylan cuts his soulmate off, pressing their lips together.

Orion laughs, pulling away.

"Dyl, there's a lot to do. We've got to..."

Dylan presses their lips together again, smiling when Orion doesn't resist, kissing back.

The younger man pulls away, leaving a trail of kisses down his mates neck, sucking against his mark and grinning at the whine that leaves Orion's mouth, his body pressing against Dylan's in need.

"You're going to be the death of me." Orion moans as Dylan's hands skilfully massage him.

"I don't know what you mean, Ry."

When they finally part ways, the ache in their chests returns with new found force.

They had stayed in each others arms for ages, neither wanting to leave as they tried to think of every possible way they could stay together. But they couldn't. Not yet.

Dylan makes it back to the pack house just after nightfall, not bothering to shift until he's safely upstairs and in his space. He takes the longest shower of his life, grimacing as he removes every trace of dirt from his body.

He laughs as he imagines Orion doing the same thing.

He's towelling himself off when Sam barrels into his room, his teeth bared as he crouches defensively. He stands up immediately when he spots his Alpha, a disconcerted look on his face.

"You smell weird." He signs immediately and Dylan's face drops.

"Uh..."

Sam's eyes bulge as he takes in the mark on his Alpha's neck.

"Holy shit! You're marked! You fucked him!" He signs, his hands moving frantically.

"Um...yeah." Dylan says, sheepish all of a sudden.

"I thought you were going to ask him to reject you?" Sam signs curiously.

"I did. He marked me instead." Dylan signs one handed, his other holding up his towel.

Sam rolls his eyes, his entire body part of the movement.

"Typical. The one time you don't want him to mark you, and he does." He signs and Dylan laughs.

"I know right." Dylan mutters, pulling on a pair of boxers.

Sam moves closer, signing so that Dylan can see.

"What happens now?" He asks, his face hopeful.

He doesn't dare to dream about his own future, but what about the packs?

"Now, you go and mark your mate." Dylan signs nonchalantly, smirking when Sam's eyes widen.

"What?"

"You saw." Dylan signs. He chuckles softly, shaking his head at his Beta.

"How did you..." Sam signs, his hands losing momentum.

"I'm not blind, Sam." Dylan signs back.

Sam hangs his head in shame, scratching the back of his neck.

Dylan lifts his head firmly, meeting his best friends eyes.

"I wish you had told me yourself. I'm so happy for you, and I want you to be happy too." Dylan signs, smiling at Sam.

Sam smiles weakly, shrugging his shoulders.

"I couldn't...I didn't want to..." He stumbles, trying to figure out what he wants to say and Dylan grins.

The loyalty of his best friend seemingly knows no bounds, and he questions every day what he's done to deserve it.

"I know." He says.

And Sam nods, because of course Dylan knows. He always knows.

And that's why Sam will follow him till the ends of the Earth.