JIN POV:

The sound of a rippled growl snaps the sound of warm chatter, wings flaring at the aggressive sound, eyes darting to the doorway, an instinctive motion to jerk towards it, a sudden snap as the conversation disintegrates into silence and motion bursts. The sound comes from the other apartment door, steps hastening, heart in my throat at the volatile sound... stumbling to a still, hand darting out to steady the cluster of packmates behind me from surging forward at the confrontational scene.

"...what happened?" Joon murmurs behind me, scent spiking with sharp alarm, curses low and hissed as he rears his head back, hand futilely trying to cover the waves of scent that've already filled the space. The scent of sticky sweet berry-anise, the sight of Tae's body stiff with possessiveness, hands hoisting (Y/N) to him, fangs snapping at Jimin whose hand is immediately snatched back, body taking those few steps back, his own scent spiralling with a thick intensity that clashes against the other predator.

There's a sharp low hiss of realisation before Hobi's ducking past me, ears stiff and posture soft, hand careful and slow as it reaches out to draw Jimin to the side, nudging him back even as the fox strains against his arm, growls low in his throat, ears pinning back and tail swishing. Words full of want.

"But she's in pre. And Tae's going into rut."

And even as he says the words I can smell Yoongi's scent sharpening, a soft curse before he ducks his head away, tugging Joon back, the predators' bodies locking up and muscles coiling. Every limb tensing and springing to pounce at the one soft scent in the space. Anise trickling sweeter even as hands cling to Tae, tug him closer, doe eyes slightly dazed as her gaze briefly snaps over to us.

But even so I don't think she truly sees us, the towering cage of Tae's body gripping her fiercer against him, tail curling and swaying with a dangerous predatory intent, stumbling steps as he moves towards her room door.

Rut. And heat.

But (Y/N) was finished with her heats for the year.

And Tae... I don't think Tae had ever had a rut. I don't think he's ever been in one himself.

And despite the sharp curl of arousal lacing caramel and citrus, there's worry in Hobi's eyes, a nervous tautness in his limbs even as he tugs Jimin back, drawing him closer, guiding his head towards his scent gland instead so he can breathe in nutty caramel rather than saccharine arousal and pheromones clouded with pre.

"How on earth did they both get into pre?" is the first question that's asked once I've drawn Kookie back, hand smoothening down his spine and even with a blunter nose than the others, the spiking pheromones makes my head pulse, throb with the constant swarm of pheromones battering at each other. Instincts turning primal, triggered by the honeyed anise.

Yoongi's voice is strangled as he asks the question, lips thinning to a tight grimness as he passes the pills to Hobi, nudging him to down a suppressant pill to stop themselves into falling into triggered ruts.

Especially because felines aren't known for sharing.

I know that all too well.

So when Hobi takes the mild daily suppressant without the barest protest, it's with a grimace of knowing that the worst thing to do right now is get triggered by Tae's pheromones, to be aching and restlessly thrashing for the same thing as his younger mate and not being able to get to (Y/N)... particularly because she's unmated to the majority of the pack and because Tae's going through his first rut. It'll be rough on the entire pack.

"Joon-ah... Jiminie, don't you need suppressants?" I murmur, eyes carefully flickering to Kookie... thankful that he hadn't been there at the time and thrown headfirst into a rut he wasn't prepared for.

But even so his nose can catch the faint trails of scent still clinging to the others and me, his restlessness making his limbs brim with a cagey energy, eyes scanning the room, foot tapping against the carpet, antsy and nervous.

Jimin growls at the thought, eyes flashing but the sound turns into a keening whine at the bite Joon gives at his throat, fangs snapping at skin, the gesture meant to be authoritative and grounding but with the accumulation of scents mounting in the living room, it turns harsher, a softer murmur of words as he cradles Jimin closer, nuzzling against the bite stark at his throat, nosing possessively along the curve of his neck.

"Take the pills Jimin-ah... the entire pack can't be thrown into rut. It'll be nothing short of violent."

His fingers curl into Joon's shirt, tugging him closer, tail sagging and ears folding.

But the wildness in his eyes is still there and his scent continues to roll off him in heavy waves of sharp mint, strong enough that alongside everyone else's scents, breathing it in makes my lungs prickle with a dull ache.

"In the car... he was going to take her in the car." Voice rough with arousal, cracking under the weight of how much his body aches to surge forward to the two of them. He looks dazed at the prospect and the impact his words have is unmistakeable, a burning roar of heat that gleams in their gazes, Kookie's breath hitching as his hand curls around my waist, tightening to a near-bruising grip. My gaze drifts to him, peering at the struggle and conflict warring in his eyes.

"...fuck."

The sharp curse slips past my lips unbidden, almost dizzy with the thought. Just because my biology doesn't immediately surrender to the scent, to the heady pure carnal want... doesn't mean it doesn't simmer and crackle under my skin regardless. Just because I don't become mindless with it, doesn't mean I don't go mad with the thought, with the aching wish that I was mating and taking care of my fawn.

But if there's one thing I understand. One thing that resonates entirely with me... is that Tae doesn't want to share this experience with anyone. This is his turn, his time alone with his fawn and his biology and feelings are in sync.

My head swims with the thoughts of what-ifs, hand dragging against the side of my face, wings flapping restlessly, unsure what to do.

"Let them be." Yoongi finally rasps out, voice a low husky growl, words rumbling past his lips, fangs worrying his bottom lip, absently gnawing at it, tail curling behind him, his hands burrowed into his pockets, but even so I can see that they're curled into fists.

"Just... let them be. Let his pre-rut settle, let (Y/N)'s pre-heat settle before going over onto the other end." Words slow and measured, a flickering ember of heat making the dark depths of his eyes gleam, body restless and eyes flickering to the doorway.

"I'm going to take a tablet." Kookie mutters after a short while, his steps hurried as he rushes to the kitchen, weaving past the cluster of predators and scents both, slipping away from me with a small smile, slightly strained at the corners.

For a brief moment I'm torn between whether it's a good thing I don't need a tablet to prevent a rut, or whether I'll go insane because it'll keep bubbling up and reaching newer and higher peaks and yet because my biology doesn't demand the outlet immediately, I'll lose my senses and control of them because of it.

"No predator will be able to go to the other end of the apartment until the rut's over. Tae didn't seem to react well to Jimin-ah and... first ruts are always rough." Hobi's voice is low, a dangerous rasp to it that makes my body ache with phantom memories of countless ruts shared with my caracal.

"I'll go later. Tomorrow... I'll let them settle and nest." Words soft, wings fluttering with curiosity and desire as I watch Kookie slip back into the living room, the haze in his eyes cleared up significantly, tugging ruefully at a flopped ear, lips twitching at the near synchrony of everyone's gazes sliding to him.

Quietly appraising and predatory, Joon's hand darting out to snag him around the wrist, drawing him with a curved grin between him and Jiminie. The two in this instant are such a contradiction. There's more ease and a hidden wolf waiting and biding his time in the languid, slightly slumped posture of Joon's body crowding closer to nose along Kookie's flopped ears. Jimin is tightly coiled limbs and tension, eyes flashing before he brackets Kook from the front, hands winding possessively, body leaning forward to sandwich him against our wolf.

"Will you help hyung bun?" voice low and crooning, a dangerous sharpness to the soft lilt, lips pressing in plea to his jaw, trailing to his ear, teeth nipping at his lobe before veering low. Nosing along skin, soft murmurs and heavy sensuous promises mumbled into his throat, palms sprawled over the low of his back.

I don't know how Jimin had the patience to hold back until now. How he hasn't pinned a mate to the nearest surface to take.

I don't know how deep Tae is in his rut already, how quickly the two spiralled and how it all started.

I can feel my gut clench at the sight, a tension in my spine where my wings pan out from, a deep want rooted in me to crowd against a mate, to let my wings unfurl to their full span and curve around to cocoon the two of us.

Eyes dragging over how ruined the three look with rough scenting and hands slipping to drag over the bun trapped between the two. There's a familiar headiness in Kookie's eyes but without the weight of rut crowding him, consuming it, the arousal and desire overwhelms the clear cognizance of his gaze.

And that in itself is intoxicating, breathing wavering at the sight, a soft growled sound bubbling past Yoongi's lips, head tilting back as he sinks down into the couch, hand curved like a claw against the arm of the upholstery.

"This week... it won't be easy." Voice hoarse and low.

His eyes rake slowly with a feverish intensity, pupils dilating as he tilts his head away, swallowing heavily as his own scent seeps sharper and thicker.

There's a faint scuffling sound that has my eyes snapping to the sight of a shirt being dragged upwards, baring the sight of taut muscles and honeyed skin, the clench of abdominals and the muffled groan of Joon's lips pressed against Jungkook's, full lips pressing to his bared chest, fingers tightening around his impossibly small waist.

"Bed. Don't fuck him over the back of the sofa." Hobi groans out, looking moments away from surging forward to pounce for himself, whether that's towards the cluster of limbs of the three of them, whether it's towards the sprawled panther, who despite his clenched eyes and deceivingly loose sprawl is a predator reaching breaking point.

The rut won't just be hard and testing on Tae and (Y/N), won't just be exhausting for just the two... but the entire pack.

Kookie breaks away from the kiss, cheeks flushed and dazed, their scents overwhelming despite the mild suppressants keeping their own ruts at bay.

A faint curl of a loose grin at kiss-reddened lips, slowly disentangling himself, refusing to surrender to the low growls that rumble at his moving away.

But even so they stumble after him when he takes slow provoking steps away, cotton tail twitching with coiled anticipation, a wry grin tugging at my lips at how easily he has the wolf and fox fumbling to get closer, flopped ears twitching at the rumbled warnings.

Taking it to the bedroom.

Luring them to him, a prey in full control of the two predators he has lost in their bubbling desire and impatience for him.

And there's still awareness and coherency in both Joon and Jungkook's gazes. Clear and less lost like the wild haze that clouds Jimin's eyes. And I realise it's for him. The two of them, predator and prey mates, will coax him to a more settled less... intense edge. That he needs the outlet of pouncing on Jungkook to soothe the itch of not being able to join Tae and (Y/N), particularly when he was the one trapped in the space of the car, unable to lunge for them.

And how he's gone and held himself off long enough to take a suppressor, to stifle the creeping edges of rut threatening to consume him... he has patience greater than anyone's credited him for and restraint greater than I could know.

And when the sounds of lilting breathless laughter turns into a loud yelp, as the sound of growls and whines and low crooning pleas turns fainter, the damning telling sound of the door slamming shut, the soundproof structure of the apartment muffling them slightly.

And then Hobi's phone rings.

"Hi doc... (Y/N)'s busy, she can't get to her phone right now." Words slow and patient.

Ears twirling as he listens attentively, expression morphing into a sharp seriousness.

The scent of sticky sweet caramel and sharp citrus dwindles away, Yoongi's gaze sharpening as his eyes turn to Hobi, my eyes catching the stiffness that makes his features sharpen. Straightening upright.

"...what's that meant to mean?" voice pitched with alarm and faint tendrils of anger.

Posture stiff as he yanks angrily at his hair.

I can feel my spine stiffen, my back where my wings pan out from tensing and coiling in particular, a nervous thrumming restlessness as I watch Yoongi's ears flicker and stiffen, straightening up and looking at him with a particularly severe sharpness in his eyes.

"You can't just mix up medications... what medication did my mate take then?" voice sharp with anger and worry.

My wings flap, restless at the sight of anger making Hobi's eyes flash dangerously, the quiet pressure of a hand drawing mine closer, tugging me towards the couch, head resting against my side. The scent of citrus sharp with worry.

"She's falling into a full-blown heat because you gave her the wrong meds. She was meant to be getting her vitamin supplements, so what did you give her?" voice close to snapping.

So the heat wasn't natural. It was triggered by wrong meds.

Worry and fear simmers in my veins, fingers gripping my wrist tightly and even without turning I can sense how Yoongi's eyes are trained onto the phone in Hobi's hand, ears stiff as he tries to catch the faint tinny voice filtering through the speaker.

How did medically triggered heats work?

And what did that mean for Tae whose biology was thrown into deep, hot water by the medications.

Face struck with thunder and unforgiving, voice sharp and cutting as it deepens, laced with a growl that rumbles in the back of his throat, a warning and threat both.

His eyes flutter, clenching tight, the sharpness to his jaw pronounced as he grits his teeth, swallowing heavy, the bob of his throat strangled.

The sharp intensity his scent takes, particularly because it's sweet, makes my nose recoil, a bitter burnt tinge slowly overwhelming it. Creeping into the warm sugariness.

Voice cold and cutting.

"I'll take the proper measure of filing the complaint when I come in next. If she'd taken medications that weren't for her hybrid species, weren't designed for her body... if she'd been harmed because of your mix-up..." voice hoarse and lips grim. Thinned and twisted with displeasure, a myriad of thoughts and emotions that flitter through his gaze, fingers curling tight against the phone ever after it disconnects, the veins on the back of his hand and forearm pronounced.

As if his tendons and muscles strain from whatever he's heard, whatever he's trying to process.

Words a rough rasp.

"Scent enhancers. Scent enhancers with meds designed to help push along heat-like symptoms."

Scent enhancers.

The words strike both as alarming and with ringing familiarity.

Scent enhancers.

I'd used scent enhancers before. And even without the added medication of triggering heat, they were intense.

I share a glance with Hobi, watch the tension in his shoulders, stiff and unyielding, an anger thrumming under his skin.

"Which triggered Tae's rut." Yoongi's voice is quiet and contained, eyes weary and alert both and his hand tightens in mine, squeezing.

"It's not harmful is it? The meds... because she's finished her natural cycles of heat for the year?" I ask.

"They shouldn't be. The pharmacy's doctor said that it'll trigger another heat, maybe longer but there shouldn't be any long-term effects. But Tae... in a rut and with her scent stronger than anything we've known..." words trailing off uncertainly.

There's nothing to be done but to monitor the situation as best as we can.

And stay far from it as much as we can.

However impossible it seems.

"I hope it all works out. Today was a close call in throwing the entire pack into rut."

The scent of citrus remains sharp, with both concern and the lingering remnants of triggered instincts making his own pheromones spike in automatic response.

And there's a haunted heaviness, an achy restlessness I can read in his posture, in the narrowing slant of his eyes, head curving against me, absently rubbing his cheek against my arm.

Scenting me.

And Hobi's voice is heavy with knowledge and experience.

"Tae's in for a hell of a rut."

And when his eyes hold mine the fire in them crackles, faint embers of past phantoms flaring to full force once more.

Gaze just as snared in memories as the ones that stream into my mind. Fresh and vivid. And all entangled with molten caramel.

---------------

"Been baking again hyung? You smell yummy." I grin, peering at his sprawled form on the couch, watching as he peeks from his blanket burrito at me, rumpled hair and ears emerging first, twirling as he spots me, an eagerness brightening his features.

"You know you could say that to me without chasing my baked goods and I'd still let you into my bed." I laugh, heading towards the kitchen counters, setting down the box, wings flapping when I catch the sound of fumbling steps and a soft curse before hurrying steps. And the large nest-size blanket he'd been entangled up in is draped over my shoulders and wrapped around me, with the addition of his weight settling against my back, wings fluttering and swatting at his sides before curving forward instead. Letting his arms snake around my waist, head peering over my shoulder, drowsy rubs of his cheek against mine, against my shoulder as he scents, hand trying to reach for the box.

A soft yelp when my hand swats his, peering back at him with amusement.

"No pretty please?"

The smatter of eager kisses pressed to my jaw and throat are ticklish and light, quick pecks as he nuzzles against me, crowding me against the counter, fingers tugging at the hem of my shirt, nails dragging against my torso.

"Please please let me eat hyung."

I tilt my face to his, lips curving.

"Say that again."

"Please let me taste hyung!"

Leaning against the counter, letting his weight sprawl heavier as I arch my neck, feel his attention briefly flit, drawn in by the presented curve of my throat, scent blooming sweet enough that it entangles with the scent of freshly baked chocolate tarts.

"Well what's ever stopping you kit? How can I deny when you plead so politely to eat me up?" words a low lilt, the startled huff of laughter before his hand drags down my torso, inching barely shy of the button.

Fangs nipping at my ear lobe.

"Sneaky."

"You asked. All so pretty too." I croon.

Wings flapping as his fingers drag lower, toying with the button, the movement slow and calculative.

"I did didn't I? Going to let me have a taste then hyung?" fingers slow as he pops the button open, thumbing at the waistband of boxers before his hand drifts lower, drawing with it the zipper, achingly slow and measured.

Every word unrushed, eyes sharpening with interest and the curve of his mouth dangerous.

Grin deepening when my hips buck forward into the slow drag of his touch, his hand slipping past the open jeans to palm me slowly, hand dragging over fabric.

"If you want... but then again... you weren't pouncing for me were you?"

Voice lilting and playful, hands moving to disentangle his from around me when he growls low in his throat before whining, pressing closer to me, the drag of his hand turning slightly impatient. As if desperate to coax me to him, hips slowly rocking into his touch, wings flapping at the press of his body, lean muscle and corded strength winding around me, pressed firmly to me.

"No no it was all for you." he protests, laughter puffing against my throat, the drag of his lips making me squirm.

"Liar. You wanted me as your fuckbuddy for the free food and my better apartment didn't you?" I accuse, his fangs nipping in retribution, scent pooling sweeter, fingers inching slowly to my waistband.

"Noooo... I didn't choose you for just the sex and free food-they're both bonuses though." Laughing as he nips at my skin, free hand tugging at my shirt, impatient and unrushed both somehow.

"Why me then?"

"Have you seen yourself hyung? I'd be insane to want anyone else." Voice low with praise, heavy with want.

My wings flutter at the praise, preening satisfaction and heat pooling in my gut, head tilting to brush my lips against his cheekbone, his head turning so his lips can surge forward. Groaning against my grin, fangs dragging across my bottom lip and nipping sharp.

"Want to taste you hyung. No-one else could make me feel mad with need like you do."

"Mad? Because you love bickering so much?"

His next nip is sharper, the curve of a grin pressed against my throat.

"That and because no-one turns me on like you do. No-one makes me beg and ache like you do. No-one is as tormenting and satisfying as you."

My hand curves back to rest against the side of his thigh, inching back to drag down the curve of his backside, fingers curling against the loose material of his sweatpants.

"Sounds like infatuation." I tease.

"Sounds like obsession. You'll be the reason I go insane. The reason I lose my senses." Words rough against skin, fingers slipping past the waistband of boxers, scorching hot where they skim down to curl around me, hand dragging painfully slow against me, feeling arousal make me stiffen under his touch, wings flaring out, the brush of lips trailing down my nape, wings flapping restlessly at his familiar touch, slowly beginning to unravel me in the way the two of us always do, so readily, so easily falling apart for one another.

The blanket around us slips away, falling to the ground and the press of his body against mine, the pretence of sleep and food forgotten as he curves closer, fangs dragging against my skin.

"If you were any other hybrid, another prey then this..." the sharp bite at my nape sparks heat, hips rocking forward even as a low groan slips past my lips, back arching against him, head turning to let my lips and teeth drag against his own jaw, his head tilting to bare his throat in invite. A low rumbled growl at the nip he gets back in retribution.

"Would've made you submit so prettily."

My voice is breathless as I look at him, slowly turning in the circle of his arms, the low of my back pressing against the counter, his hand continuing to coax me to an aching stiffness, jeans and boxers dragged low around my thighs.

Eyes burning as I hold his.

"And is that what you want from me? Want your swan to submit?"

His grin is rakish and hungry.

"That's exactly why I love how you make me earn every instant. If I want you to submit you won't make it easy. And only you... only you could I imagine... I never chased you because you would give me what I want. I want you because you never make it easy."

I grin at him, tugging him closer, fingers curled around his nape, pressure tight enough of an imitation, a scruff-like motion that has him whining low, lips messy as he pants against my mouth, drawn closer and closer, in turn swallowing the breathy groans that slip past my lips to him.

"Sweetheart I never give up anything to my partners. I don't submit to a predator until I want. And that's what gets you going isn't it... you like surrendering to me kit. Hyung makes you feel good doesn't he?" hand dragging against his back, slipping lower to palm and squeeze over his sweatpants, fisting into the fabric and tugging him closer, the drag of his hand and fabric against me making me hiss, making him groan and buck forward restlessly.

"Hyung always makes me feel good. I love this, love-" groaning against my throat, fangs working at skin.

For an instant my back arches, wings fluttering, body suspended and taut at the words that could've been said, what might've been said but is swallowed up by desire and lust, by single-minded arousal that makes everything else fall apart.

But will you ever want me? The thought however is lost to the sound of him groaning in pleasure for me, dragging my own out until nothing but fire remains burning through our veins.

And nothing but our bodies stumbling against each other, fumbling for more with a carnal familiarity remains.

Lost to each other.

Rather to each other's lust.

-------------------

I dither at the pharmacy counter, fingers toying with the box of medication, eyeing it with a faint curiosity and trepidation, wondering... hesitating whether this is the right choice. Whether this is a good or bad decision.

"Student ID please." The woman at the counter asks, carefully taking it to verify, applying the discount as she scans the scent enhancers, packaging them up for me.

"Do you want me to go through with how to use these?"

A faint pause before I nod, wings flapping behind me, a flushed heat climbing my ears as she gives a small encouraging smile.

"I take it because your own scent is more neutral you want to make it come out stronger."

A nod.

"Because you're a swan, you have a much lighter bone density and mass... it means the enhancers will work more strongly and stay longer. They'll take time to wear off once you use them."

My lips curve up.

"So how long before do I need to apply them?"

Her smile turns warmer, curved with understanding.

"With your specific genetics, I'd say half an hour is a stretch before they start working in full affect."

So an hour would drive Hob-ah mad.

"But... that being said... you don't want to be outside with scent-enhancers on particularly. They tend to give the scent intensity of heat and rut."

My skin prickles with her words, anticipation making my gut clench. Nodding as my head dips with thanks, carefully taking the package once the transaction is processed.

"Half an hour for full force." She repeats as I move to turn away.

I dip my head, wings fluttering as I leave the pharmacy, tucking the small bag away, fingers curling around my phone, toying with it briefly before I draw it out. Opening the chat with Hobi.

Dinner after dance practice?

It's only as I'm on the way back to my apartment that my phone buzzes, a spam of emojis that almost hide the capitalised answer between them, lips curving into an eager smile as I let myself in.

Door clicking shut behind me, wings restlessly flapping, feathers shifting and twitching, an itching thrumming nervous excitement pooling under my skin, padding further into the apartment slowly.

Dinner then scent-enhancers.

The package lies on the kitchen counter, waiting and reminding me to apply them, time ticking steadily closer and closer towards Hobi's practice ending.

And it's exactly an hour before he's meant to reach the apartment that I reach for the packet, drawing the pills out, an innocuous white that sits on my palm before I swallow it down with water.

Hand reaching to twist the knob higher to turn the flame higher.

One hour.

I wonder how my scent will change for Hobi. I wonder whether it'll affect him at all.

--------------------

He's late when the door finally opens, the sounds of keys jingling before sliding into the lock.

He's later than I expected and I briefly worry that my scent will be too much, that even though to my nose I smell no different than I always have... I briefly feel a flicker of tense nervousness that the scent enhancers will be too much for Hobi.

"....hyung I'm homeeeee. I thought we were going to order out. I heard of this great-"

His voice is distant enough that I know he's still at the end of the hallway by the door, can hear the sound of his shoes and bag being discarded with a thunk.

I also hear the sharp vicious curse that ripples past his lips before there's hastening steps, the sweeping sugariness of nutty caramel laced over with the salty tang of sweat, hair damp and skin glistening and eyes dark.

There's a sharpness to his jaw, the muscle ticking as he stares at me, eyes flashing dangerously. A primal sharp danger in them.

"Jin why do you smell like-why..."

Words strangled and hoarse.

My feathers flutter, wings arching at the weighted desire drowning out coherency in his eyes, small rippling growls growing in volume, fingers tugging at his shirt, knuckles whitened with pressure.

His scent is saturated with arousal. A heavy potency to it that it burns my lungs as I breathe in his scent, the short distance between us a daring challenge that I don't think he has the patience to play and toy with today.

Lunging forward, hands bruising at my waist and yanking me towards him, fangs immediately finding their home at my throat, nose brushing against the arch of my neck, hissing when he presses against me and I can feel how aroused he is, stiff against my thigh, rutting angrily. Words rough rasps against my skin.

My stand behind the couch becomes a futile distance, the pressure of his fingernails tight against my sides, tugging impatiently at my clothes, teeth sinking in harshly.

A soft hiss against his jaw as my fingers sink into his hair, tugging him closer, dizzy with how strong his scent becomes, molten caramel thick and heavy on my tongue.

"Hobi... Hoseok wait-"

His hands tug me forward, grip bruising and unrelenting, eyes dark and blown wide.

There's a fading lucidity in his eyes and wild roaring want in them instead.

"What did you do Jin? Why do you smell like that?"

"I just-"

The words stick in my throat, breath catching at the possessive, unhinged look in his eyes, hands twisting me to press my front against the couch, fingers uncoordinated and fumbling for the buttons at the back of my shirt.

Whatever amusement, whatever joke or fun I was going to have has quickly spiralled into an unbearable brand of heat against my back, his limbs scorching where they touch me, where he melds himself to me, the tang of salt and feverish lips, the brush of his hair damp with exertion and tongue hot where it flicks against the first of many bites he begins to leave against my shoulders.

"Did you go out like this?" he demands, voice tight and trembling with the intensity of trying to hold back the growl that slips into his tone.

My stomach clenches tightly at the pressure of his hands, hands fumbling to aid him in shucking off clothes impatiently, dizzy with lust and disoriented, unsure why it's all fallen apart and descended into primal madness as he cages me against the back of the couch, hand pushing at my back until I'm curved over it.

I don't realise he's repeated the question until he's dragging it out against my skin once more, every word punctuated with the sharp roll of his hips against the curve of my back.

"Were you outside like this Jin?"

"No... no I..."

Groaning at the drag of his hand between my wings, his nails raking with a feverish heat, leaving scalding lines behind.

"You don't even-I'm not sharing you. I hate the that if you stepped out, anyone could smell you. Without my claim."

There's a feral possessiveness laced into his words, blinded by lust and instinct, by arousal and pure want that in that instant he can't hear reason, a tension in the stiffness of his limbs, corded muscle and lean length that pins me.

There's no give-and-take, just a single-minded headiness for release and pleasure, filthy and messy. There's no finesse, no grace, hands tugging at clothes and a stream of growls and half-snarled demands, hands hot against my hips, arousal stiff, fingers digging into my thighs as he drops down, fangs nipping at flesh.

Rut.

The realisation slams into me with the same feverish heat of his mouth against me, groans muffled against my thighs.

He's in rut.

"Hoseok-ah..."

"A little... a little warning. Jin you-what the hell did you do?"

Groaning low against me.

The huff of breath escapes low and strangled, hands steadying myself against the couch, body curved over and wings flared.

"Wanted to surprise you...."

His teeth sinks in sharp.

"You surprised me all right."

"...I just wanted to try... Hoseok." His name slips past my lips a low groan, head bowing forward at the rough slickness of his tongue and fingers.

"...scent... wanted you to chase my scent."

"You're going to kill me Jin."

"Not if your rut kills me first."

­-------------------

"Why are you worrying Hob-ah?" I ask quietly, voice hushed as he turns in the circle of my arms. The panther stretched out across the threshold of the open door is a silent attentive guard. Tail curling lazily and even at my low words eyes blink open to peer at the two of us. Attentive and watchful.

Guarding my newly made nest is the next outlet he can invest all the silent dithering into, the lingering remnants of rut still clinging as a reminder to our clothes, with how quickly everything had changed and abruptly descended into a new chaos that we were still grappling with.

The scent of strawberries and anise lingers as a phantom memory burned across the inside of my lungs, not able to dispel it even hours after in the nested space of the felines' bedroom. The scent of berries is fainter than the saccharine thickness that'd slammed into skin.

And Hobi curls closer, dark eyes peering at me with concern.

"They'll be okay right?"

My lips brush against his cheekbone.

"Without a doubt. They're in safe hands Hob-ah. Bodies in sync, instincts ready." I soothe, hand brushing down his side, long divested of clothes bar from boxers, limbs loosely entangled, the brush of wind ghosting along skin eliciting a small shiver, pressing closer against my chest.

His hand brushes against my back.

"Tae's never rutted. Especially because we've been a triad for so long..."

For as long as our paths diverged.

"And none of you have never?" I ask hesitantly.

I can sense Yoongi's eyes focus more sharply on the two of us, head rising off folded paws, a soft rumbling sound that's half-amused.

"We're wild enough without ruts. But because felines don't get triggered until their mates do... we've had ruts before... before our triad. But Tae hasn't."

He's in uncharted waters entirely. Yet. Yet rather than flounder and drown with the new uncertainty, I have a feeling he'll take to the waters thrivingly.

He'll know, his instincts will know.

"For someone studying hybrids you can get a bit lost can't you?" I tease gently, watching his eyes flash, fingers pinching at my side.

"What's that mean?"

"It means... when these things happen. Biology and instinct will take over. Tae's not one to shy from himself. So... he'll do what he's always wanted. Mate our fawn." Words soft and quiet even if the faint crackle of heat simmers between our gazes as he holds eye contact, unwavering and intense.

There's a soft huff of breath, a warm rumble that's undoubtedly amused, dark eyes peering at the two of us.

"Scent enhancers... accidental or intentional... we're... I'm living proof you make it out alive. Sore but alive." I laugh, turning onto my back, wings flared and settled against the mattress.

Hobi follows, rolling over so he's tucked against me, fingers teasingly skimming my torso, a slow drag against skin, wing fluttering where he's not reclined. The other remains splayed, comforted by the familiar weight of his body sprawled beside mine.

"Scent enhancers... that was one of the most intense ruts of my life."

My lips curve up at the memory.

Even now it's vivid in my mind, memories branded into my brain, never able... never meant to forget them.

"And. You're alive. With a whole pack to spend your ruts with... want me to get some too?" I tease, laughing when he pokes against my side, fangs nipping at the curve of my shoulder.

Caramel scent warm and heavy on my tongue.

"No. Not yet-not until I've recovered from the last time." He retorts, fumbling with the words, eyes flashing with danger and warning, body moving to hover over me when the quiet padding of paws makes our heads turn, the amused slant to panther eyes as Yoongi stretches his front paws and leaps easily onto the large bed, hovering over the two of us.

An exasperated puff of breath as he bonks his head against Hobi's cheek first before ducking to do the same to me, the soft fur of his cheek rubbing and tickling skin, rumbling purrs that remind me of low laughter, tail curling as the panther crowds the two of us.

"Don't worry Yoongi-ah, when I use them intentionally... if I ever do... I'll make sure you all know. And never forget it."

There's a sharp tinge to his citrus, eyes dark and watchful and pinning me where I lie, head ducking to let his fangs ghost along my shoulder, a slow rake of teeth that leaves a stinging heat.

Tail curling as my hand reaches to brush against flickering ears, smiling when he dips his head closer to the touch.

"Pretty panther maybe I'll let you go first. Maybe you'll be the first feline I mate." Words hushed and quiet.

Hobi protests beside me, a low threatened growl rumbling in the back of his throat.

Yoongi's head rearing to stare at him, a smug preening satisfaction read in the long supple lines of muscled limbs, towering predator staring with a fangy grin at the caracal.

"I had you first."

"Guess you'll have to learn then kit~ never been good with sharing have you?"

The cagey panther over us lingers, hovering as a paw reaches to drag down my front, a soft press against skin, the loom of my predator mate curving close, the knowledge that with his paw, the presence of claws hovered, resting against my sternum.

And yet there's not a single inkling of fear or threat, there's nothing but curved wicked lust in Yoongi's eyes as he shifts, body bare as he hovers over the two of us, long strands of dark hair falling forward, the same feline gaze and clear, pale skin where fur had been. The same curious sway to his tail as he appraises the two of us.

"You're right about that hyung. Hobi's selfish when it comes to pleasure. Whether that's giving or taking it, isn't it kit?" eyes dark and flaring with the same mischievous fire that bubbles under my skin.

He stretches out across the sheets, grin proud and unrepentant.

"What other way to be then selfish when it comes to my mates?"

"Smooth talker."

The response is full of laughter and playfulness.

"Wooing should be."

----------------------

There's no scent that clings to Kook as he emerges from the bathroom, half a beat behind me and there's discontent and low whining rumbles as Joon and Jimin's focus turns from the living room, peeking as we hover at the threshold. Not willing to cross and let their scents once again transfer across.

It attests to how much (Y/N) and Tae's sudden mating cycles have sparked worry in him that he's willingly scrubbed the scent of both predators from his skin, hiding their claims and marks under oversized clothes that smell of soft cotton.

His own scent is subdued too and the suppressant still stifles his instincts from flaring and bubbling up to the surface, scent scrubbers ridding him of the others and his own scent signature.

Entirely void of them as he leans closer to snuffle curiously at my skin, checking for my scent.

"Vanilla's gone. Barely there."

Caramel and citrus washed off meticulously too, a single-minded determination as I'd scrubbed and lathered it all off, anxiousness and fretting concern for the two driving me.

And none of the others could go. The situation too volatile and precarious for any predator to intrude on the other side of the apartment or even veer towards the door parting the two.

My wings flap with uncertainty, a faint trepidation that curls through me, briefly warring with the greater undeniable need to make sure the two are okay. But Tae and (Y/N)'s instincts are theirs, and lost in heat and rut. And mine brim with restlessness, the need to tend rearing its head, a voice that just won't be quietened as I lead the way down the hallway, hand reaching for the handle first.

Kookie's silence comes with cagey limbs and overflowing energy that can be felt even if he hovers behind me, peering past my shoulder, hand resting against the low of my back. Gently steering me forward.

"Even if hyung won't want us there, we can make sure the kitchen is all stocked up for them. Some salves and meds too." Kookie nudges, steps noiseless and quiet as he follows the barely audible rustle of my wings, pressing against my back when a loud growl ripples through the air. A violent, vicious sound full of threat and warning and danger, wings itching with the ache to flare wide and protect Kookie, even as the two of us immediately still. Postures soft and unthreatening, determined to not trigger the antsy cagey tiger that stares back at us.

Eyes sharp and wild, hands pushing (Y/N) immediately behind him, out of sight, out of reach. His body becoming a barrier barring us from her, his ears stiff and tail curling but he doesn't hear Kookie murmuring his name, voice the softest I've ever heard it.

Fangs bared as he stares at the distance stretched out, far too close for him.

It's startling to see the wild unhinged primal want in his eyes, to see how he doesn't truly recognise her, too lost in the haze of his own mind, too lost and deep into instinct to realise that we're pack.

At this moment we're nothing but a threat to him having his fawn to himself without the presence of a single person, a single scent tainting and clouding that for him.

My eyes briefly flicker to (Y/N), the pinched concern smoothening out briefly because I can see that as she peers past Tae, she's okay, both of them are.

They're both okay but this rut, this experience is something Tae refuses to share the same space with, wanting to covet and cherish his mate alone and undisturbed.

And he'll defend it to every end.

I realise immediately that until the rut is over, until Tae has his mated fawns encased in his arms and the cycles progress to their end, this apartment, this space is his territory. And the wild primal need to defend it, guard it, bar it from us burns uncontrollably through him.

"Mine. She's mine."

Right now, there's only a tiger and his mate. And the threats to that haze of breeding cycles, of ensuring she's his and his alone. Lips twisted into a snarl, eyes narrowed slits that stare us down, growling when we don't immediately vanish, the threat with us dispelling into thin air.

"Hyung."

The term is soft and docile, unwaveringly gentle and quiet but it still doesn't leech Tae's stiff frame from its cagey looming height, posture defensive for his fawn and yet tightly coiled and ready to pounce if we were to cross the threshold from this apartment to the next.

Daring us with dark, dark eyes to take that one step forward. And make every restraint snap.

"Kookie- it's going to be a bad rut." Words slow and careful, trying to coax her tiger to calm futilely, his tail curling sharp, a rumbling loud growl as he tries to steer her back out of our eyelines once more.

"We just wanted to stock up for you. Keep the fridge stocked. The rooms too." My own voice is slow, trying to coax the crackling tension to diffuse slightly, wings tucked against my back, posture soft and hopefully broadcasting to Tae that we're not here as competition. That neither of us intend to intrude or take his fawn from him.

But when instincts rear their head, roaring and snarling and threatened then no amount of coaxing and calming will work. And the safest, best option for Tae and (Y/N) is for us to draw back, doe eyes blinking with a slighted dazedness that only heightens with the rapidly spiralling tiger whose biology accelerates past pre-rut.

"We'll be fine. Tiger's going to look after me." Hand brushing against the stiff unyielding bracket of his arm, the touch gentle and grounding, growl softer, eyes pinning the two of us where we stand, watching as I take the first step. The peace offering. Drawing away and slowly drawing Kookie back alongside me, (Y/N)'s posture curving closer to Tae's.

For every small step we take back, he mirrors it, trying to herd (Y/N) further and further away, trying to double the distance between us by quietly. But silence doesn't mean the threat that the situation has brought has been diffused and melts away, a tiger on full alert as he watches us, his scent strong waves that batter at us, an added demanding claim, a stamp of the territory as utterly and wholly his.

Kookie flinches at the sudden rapid surge of footsteps, his ears flickering and twitching at the sound, tugging me closer but the sound never veers past, rings out with the slam of the door, with the gesture cementing just how much our presences, even as non-predators were threatening and sending him into a stiff alertness.

The rippling growls are still heard past the shut door.

And the sounds make my wings flap and restlessly twitch, the ache of having to keep them folded back and force them to remain utterly still and unresponsive to the snarling tiger... this. This drives in just how much Tae held back outside of rut. That he shared outside of rut, possessive and sweet-tempered both. Sharing his mates but also still always aching to covet them.

This drives in just how much he needs this rut to assert his place as a mate, his presence and his time alone with (Y/N).

And the knowing grimness of the others' gazes as we return are all too aware.

Tae's rut has started to a very rough start.

And it's only going to spiral further from here.

(Y/N) POV:

A low groan ripples against my skin, mouthing at the indent of teeth and fangs against my gland, my body shuddering through the pleasured waves that shock my body, jolting it with electric pulses of heady desire. Scent spiralling into honeyed arousal and lust, blinding and blanketing every other sense, able to taste the heaviness of our pheromones entangled together.

His fangs don't leave my throat, thighs falling open, his hands tugging them open wider, growl muffled against the crook of my neck, the pressure of his teeth clamping down on skin makes my head arch, tilting back to invite him further, aching for him to bury himself deep into skin, hands tugging at his shoulders.

There's no slowness, no finesse, nothing but unbridled need coursing through the two of us, movements harried and impatient, hungering for a tighter press of heated flesh against flesh, limbs melded together, his teeth loosening their claiming hold at my throat, a dizzying rushing high of scents and hormones sending the blistering heat higher.

He stills, body trembling over mine, when he bottoms out, hips flush to mine, arms taut as he looks at me, his gaze fixed on me from the moment he'd pushed himself in, eyes drinking in the sight of my body arching for him, lips trembling with plea as his name spills past them, mouth going lax as he trembles. There's no slowness as he draws out, no unrushed indulgence. Hips drawing back to slam back deeper, a feverish cant of his hips, setting a fast, rough pace that leaves me feeling disoriented and dizzy with how full every thrust leaves me, breath roughly jolted from my lungs, nails digging in deep into his shoulders, leaving half-moon indents behind in the taut breadth of them.

There's hunger in his eyes, unwavering from my own, from dragging down my body, a low guttural sound spilling past slick lips as he looks down, hips rocking forward feverishly, pupils dilated and blown wide when he next holds my gaze. Arousal pooling in dark eyes, obsidian with lust and haze, a single-minded need to breed and fill, tongue flicking against his bottom lip, tasting the scent of our scents stained with pleasure, saturated with arousal.

My head tilts back, lips parting in silent askance, for the pressure of the scorch of his mouth melding to mine, desperate to taste the feverish pulse of his scent against my tongue. Groaning against the bruising kiss, fingers dragging from his shoulders to his hair, raking across his nape before tugging sharp at curls, swallowing the hissed growl, his grip on my hips bruising and tight, snaking down to tug my thighs open wider, hands pinning them open, keeping them splayed wide, fingers digging into flesh, hips bucking forward in rough, deep rolls of his length burying deeper and deeper. My back arching off the sheets, a broken keening sound muffled against the drag of his tongue slick against mine, deep strokes as I lay claim to his mouth with the same burning heated want his hips rock himself deep, deep, deeper.

There's an itching need brimming up under my skin, pushing for more, hips rocking to meet each thrust for thrust, a primal satisfaction at tasting and swallowing down the pleasured carnal sounds torn from the depths of his chest, body leaning closer and closer, further into me. Desperate to bury himself further and deeper, chest flush with mine, lips hot where they trail from my lips down my jaw, teeth and fangs merciless as they suck the first of many bruising bitten claiming marks into skin, leaving heat fanning further into my veins. Arousal and heat suffused with my limbs, hands dragging down his front, nails raking down the tautness of his chest to the way his stomach clenches, a snarling growl rippling out when my fingers skim to where the two of us are joined, hand snatching my fingers away to replace them, rough swipes of his fingers that yank me to that edge of unravelling release that much quicker.

There's no beginning or end to where our bodies fuse together, desperately chasing the scalding inferno of each other's skin, lips feverishly hot against his jaw, dragging lower, open-mouthed kisses and pants pressed to the sharp rut-temperature of his body.

There's no thought save for Tae, for how dizzying the pleasure he gives is, lost in every sensation his body gives mine, teeth dragging down against his gland, desperate to claim and leave marks of my own, the shudder of his body, the sharper snap of his hips abruptly bucking forward when my mouth closes around the sensitive skin.

Teeth biting down on the gland, the bow of his back as he hunches over me, arms trembling with the strain of holding himself upright and not buckling into me, hips rutting deep grinding circles, growls low and rumbling, making the small distance between our entirely flush bodies, the small slither of space where his hands fist into the sheets, curling into them tight enough it looks as if the fabric will tear under his touch. Drawing back to only bury himself rougher, to leave a claim that I'll feel days after this is all done.

Lost in the intoxicating drag of his body against mine, body pinned to the sheets where he continues to roll his hips forward, sweat beading at his temples, curls clinging to skin, mouth parted in ragged pants as I continue to work my tongue over his gland, admiring the deep reddening mark, fingers brushing against it, his entire body reacting at the touch, scent staining the air with a sticky-sweet heaviness that makes every inhale heavy, burning as it goes down my lungs.

"Want to be deeper." He groans, a frustration making his fangs snap at his lips, dark black eyes burning with a blinding need to breed me, to fill me up as much as he can, to leave me aching and sore and craving him when he'll draw away.

My legs tremble with the force of the thrusts, stomach tight with a bubbling pleasure that spirals to a peak whose high keeps mounting and growing further and further, a tightness in my gut, lips messy against his skin, panted breaths and groans muffled against his shoulder, hands shaking as I try push myself upright, chest flush with his, legs curving to wind around his waist, locking together.

His hands drag against the back of my thighs, angling my hips up, a guttural, broken sound that trembles with need at the deeper thrusts, hips rocking back to his, every muscle in my body feeling tightly strung, burning heat that makes my pulse quicken, caught in my throat at how his growls punctuate the snap of his hips driving him further and further, fingers gripping me tight with the promise of leaving bruised fingerprints behind.

"Been waiting forever..." he grits out, the clamp of his jaw tight.

There's almost anger in the admission, in the way his touch bruises, a fierce claim to compensate for the months of holding back.

My lips tilt in askance of a kiss. Messy and uncoordinated lips against my own, both of us steadily unravelling to the pleasure that drags us further and further away from any coherent thought. Mind lost and transfixed on how he makes me feel, using my body for his pleasure and in turn returning the sensation more than ten-fold.

Soft, overwhelmed sounds torn out my throat, lost and entangled with the rougher groans and heavy breathing, hands feverishly dragging over the curves of my body, desperate to feel every inch of me, leaving in turn his scent branded across me, gaze just as hazed and blinded with need, scents saturated with arousal.

Body feeling floaty and detached and mind hazed over with biology, with the pure primal want to be bred by my tiger.

"...so well. Breeding me so well tiger." The words are slurred and heavy, mind struggling to coherently string together words, the praise slipping past slack lips, but it makes his scent thicken with pride and arousal. Primal satisfaction bleeds into his eyes, darkens his gaze, a predator and mate keeping me pinned under him, rumbles low and from the depth of his chest, his pulse wild and erratic under my touch. Nails dragging over pebbled nipples, the barest friction, the repetitive tug-twist eliciting sharp warning hisses, makes the feverish cant of his body stutter and tremble, his shoulders broad and taut and his body looming over mine. A cage that traps me under his limbs, thighs clenching tight around him, skin prickling with heat.

The first snap of pleasure happens suddenly, body growing taut, back arching as I scrabble for purchase at the sheets, at his own clenching hands, at the thickness of his forearms, cry broken, spine curving and throat bared. Pleasured waves crashing against skin, a rising crescendo of pressure and tightly coiled limbs, the pressure snapping and bringing with it a dizzying rush of endorphins flooding my body, dragging me down in their depths, body trembling as I cling to Tae, tug him closer, soft muffled whimpers against his collarbones as he continues to rut slowly, dragging out the pleasure from one mounting peak to another, his scent sweetening with my release. Pleased and satisfied as dark eyes hold mine captive, pupils blown wide, mouth parted and tongue darting out against his swollen bottom lip to taste the way the air thickens, my pheromones calling for him. Drawing him closer.

The skin of my body feels stretched taut over limbs, still cagey and trapped within the confines of bones and flesh, the heat only quietens, and with it draws me back to Tae curved over me, to let the flickering warm embers of heat that pulse dully roar back into growing flames. The steady flicker of heat flaring into its inferno once more with the continuous roll of his hips. With the way his pheromones and rut show no sign of quietening and settling for even mere minutes, breath stuttering in my lungs and throat, overwhelmed with the constant battering waves of his scent that drag me back down into a flaring burning heat that melds us together until nothing, but breeding exists.

There's no carefulness or finesse. It's brutal and sharp and the blurring haze of time doesn't make me feel every single instant any less, or lets me forget the way my breath shakes and trembles, body overwrought with pleasure. Biology makes his rut burn unendingly hot, veins alight with the singular aim, words entirely lost to us, fingers curling tight at the dip of my waist, hands dragging upwards. Palming roughly at my breasts, head dipping to take one stiff bud between his teeth, then the other.

The sharp nip of his teeth and the heated slickness of his tongue brushing over the sting, lathing over it, tongue and lips taking it deeper, sucking hard, a curved smirk against skin. The shape of his lips pressed to my bud, to my curves feels predatory, relishing in letting his touch, his tongue drag over skin, pinpricks of heat when he draws away and turns his attention to the other. The same roughly intense ministrations that leave my nipples sore and aching, the barest brush of the pad of his thumbs eliciting sharp jolts of pleasure, pulse racketing up as his fangs continue their trail upwards.

Slowly raking over my collarbones, lips brushing against the hollow of my throat where he can feel my pulse thump wildly against skin, can feel the bob of my throat as I swallow, trying to draw in air into wavering lungs that ache. My hand brushes against my torso, dragging down to my abdomen, lower to where whether it's wild heated fantasy or fiery truth and every rock of his hips lets me feel how deeply he is.

"...so full." Words slurred past lips that slacken at the press of teeth at my throat, against my pulse point.

Wild, uncontrolled attraction and lust and desire sends my heartbeat thudding loud and betrayingly. Instincts surrendering willingly to the predator who sinks into me to carve his claim from the inside out.

There's a loud rippling growl that makes my body still. Throat arched and bared to the full intensity of the tiger over me, his skin gleaming with exertion, with the constant rutting snap of his hips quickening as he slowly reaches closer and closer to the tipping point. Thrusts turning sharper and rougher, tugging out a litany of moans and cries of his name, hand curling tight around his forearm.

The buck of his hips drive him deep, erratic and messier rolls as he holds himself above me on trembling arms, eyes glazed over with unadulterated need, ragged staccato pants.

"Keep you full. Going to keep you full." Words a low dragged out vow against my limbs, lips brushing upwards towards my jaw, fingers turning my head for him, keeping my face angled for his so that when release washes over him, he can see me and all I can see is him.

The way his ears flicker, dark curls pressing to skin where they graze against his temples and cheek, the way every muscle in his body seems to clench and tighten before unravelling, shorter rutting circles of his hips as his release spills, determined to draw out every last instant of it, thumb brushing circles onto my nub, sharp electric pleasurable jolts that has my legs tightening around him, anchoring him to me. Keeping him deeply buried in me as he continues to spill into me, head ducking down to press a kiss against my lips, sharp pants of breaths and low groan swallowed by my tongue and lips. Fingers skimming up his arm to curl at his shoulder, welcoming his weight down against me as he slumps down. He continues to rock his hips deeper and deeper, my name a guttural murmur from his lips, lungs swamped with his scent, hand moving to cup his cheek, brushing the curls against his jaw back, skimming over his jaw before brushing against the corner of his mouth, a flicker of heat when his fangs scrape against skin, tongue hot and curling against skin.

His hand snakes down between us, brushing against where he's still sheathed deep, fingers sparking a hypersensitivity he relishes in, coaxing me towards that final edge of pleasure once more, thighs clenching tight as I lock him against me, hips bucking up, eyes stinging with the overwhelming sensitivity of pleasure that brings with it sharp jolts that wrack my frame, thighs trembling where he smoothens his hands over them, a haze of lust and desire clouding his eyes even as he slumps downwards, allows his arms to buckle and for the sprawl of my body to welcome his pinning me against the sheets.

Nose burrowing against my gland, a sharp nip to my right gland eliciting a trembling exhale, his hands keeping my legs locked around him even as I go boneless, dizzy with pleasure, vision blurring with how intensely another high washes over me.

He breathes in my scent, buries his nose against the crook of my neck where there's no hiding just how much my pheromones are broadcasting how well and thoroughly he's bred me. Satiating the restless heat for now as it slowly calms down, settles as a dull warmth in the low of my gut.

My breaths tremble out with every inhale and exhale, head turning to rest my cheek against dark damp curls, sluggishly scenting, hair tickling skin, eyes drifting to see the slow satiated curl and twist of his tail, body pinning mine, still rocking his hips in shallow thrusts, hand dragging down my front to settle on the low of my stomach, the faintest pressure as he continues to ride out the final pulses of his release. Sheathed deep and staying there as his lips continue to work at my throat.

It's a bit easier to breathe now, easier now that the first cycle quietens, the burning need abating temporarily. It's easier to breathe even as my lungs tremble, limbs pinned to the bed, unable to move, our bodies still entangled together.

The drag of his lips against skin are slower, still accompanied with the brush of his tongue as he slowly sucks mark into my throat.

His hand flexes against my stomach, sprawling wide and settling there, fingers dipping lower.

"Smell bred." Words lowly murmured against skin.

My head tilts back, watching as his eyes drift to me, pupils slowly constricting in the slightest.

But there's still tiger in the growl-laced words, in the heaviness of his words dragged to an even lower timbre, a rough difference from the deep baritone of his voice.

This is a tiger speaking. Still lost in biology and instinct.

"Already?" voice slightly breathless, lips quirked up at the corners.

In answer, his hips snap forward harshly, puncturing a broken keen from my lips, smile fading.

"Don't worry. If you're not I've nothing else to do... than fill you up until it takes. Until all everyone will be able to smell is how well I bred you, how you're mine."

"And besides... bred or not. That's all I want to do. That's all I intend on doing." Head dipping lower, curls brushing against my skin, his hand flattening over my stomach.

"So... going to be a good girl for me cub? Going to take me well?"

Hips rocking forward in a short thrust, punctuating his words with a bitten back growl, it slips through regardless.

"Depends... will you give it to me good? Will you hold me down and make me take yous?"

The curl of his lips, fangs flashing and the pulse of scent that bursts out, challenged and sticky sweet and heavy.

But there's amusement and a wicked sharpness in his eyes.

A promise lingering in the heaviness of our scents still clinging to the air.

And with every shallow thrust, I can feel him harden once more, quickly reaching full stiffness. Can taste the moment his scent burns strong. Leaving a stinging scorching trail as it goes down.

There's a distinct spike in his scent, a sharpness that makes my skin prickle. Head swimming with the flux of pheromones that seep off every inch of him.

And I realise, through faint coherency, and spiralling arousal and heat.

That Tae's rut cycle never settled. That his scent had softened as he'd scented but it'd never satiated him, hands manoeuvring boneless limbs, arms clutching at him with a diminished strength, legs still trembling as he gives a sharp, rough experimental thrust.

Delighting in the groan that spills past my lips.

Fangs bared and eyes wicked and sharp with primal delight.

"Even if I have to hold you down to breed you. Even if you lose your voice begging. Even after you're bred. Whatever it takes."

There's a growing rumble in his chest, a wild snarling growl that seeps heavily into his words, makes them drip with molten intent, eyes glittering and dangerous.

The lean length of muscles and sinew hover over me, caging me between them.

And his fingers cruelly toy where he's sheathed, his rut spiralling back to its full intensity with the way my body jolts and trembles around him, breathing shaky.

Thumb brushing against my bottom lip and tugging it down, watching as my mouth parts at the gesture.

"You begged for a breeding so pretty. Who would I be to deny you of it?"

My stomach clenches at his words, tightening at the slowly drawled words, the quickening pulse of my heartbeat and the arch of my back at the first deep thrust.

Darkening eyes and a sharp hiss, praise dragged out with the low rasping timbre of his voice sends heat to skim across my skin.

Dizzy with how easily, with how quickly my biology tries to accelerate into another cycle, barely having settled from the last.

And with Tae it's easy, he wants the same engulfing fire to drown and burn me in it and so he takes it, heat flaring to full force once more with the roughness his rut triggers.

"My mate. My mate won't deny me anything." Assuredness in shaking words.

And his grin is both sharp and in agreement.

Head curving forward over mine.

Teeth nipping at flickering ears, a soft rumbled growl that I know later will be torn from the depths of his chest and lungs.

Catching the small whimper at the touch, sensitivity sparking over every crevice of skin.

"Never. I'll never deny you anything. I won't be cruel to deny you me."

Not the spiralling cycles of his rut. Not the first cycle that has only really truly begun now.

Not him.

He'll give me everything.

And never leave me in doubt of ever forgetting every single instant of it.

And when his rut soars a new spiking high, my biology speeds in haste to meet it.

And with it, lose myself to him. And to the fire burning in our veins.

-------------------

The little control I have over my limbs disappears, body swamped with heat. Mind and body both disconnected and yet trapped, drowning in the sensations that flood my senses. Leaving me disoriented and swallowed whole by them.

Every breath shudders out of me, forced out my constricting lungs, heat licking at skin, body aching for more, fingers curling tight into the sheets.

My legs feel like jelly, wobbly and uncoordinated, trembling as I try to keep myself upright, hips rocking back to meet the feverish, sharp snap of Tae's hips driving himself deeper and deeper, groans rippling in the air and reverberating against skin when his tongue and teeth chase to colour another mark against skin, the bite on my shoulder throbbing and pulsing with electric desire, his lips dragging slowly against it, scent syrupy with pleasure and satisfaction but the same disorienting haze of more, more, more driving the franticness in our movements.

Senses flooded with the ripe sweetness of his scent, overlaid with the sharp more primal musky edge. The predator thoroughly intent on breeding me growls against my shoulder, lost in the pleasure that swamps me, back bowing as my head falls forward, arms and thighs trembling with the effort to hold myself up.

The sound of his moan, deep and low and guttural, makes my spine stiffen before going automatically loose, limbs turning pliant, arms buckling at the rough thrust. The pleasure rising higher and higher, crashing waves spiralling into a dizzying new high. One peak doesn't get to ebb before Tae's scent, his touch, his hands tugging my hips back as I arch, making me meet the constant drag of his body rocking into mine even as my body trembles with pleasure. Release crashing into me, broken sobs and half-pleas slipping past my lips, Not sure what I'm asking for, not sure what makes his scent burst thicker and heavier but his body crowds impossibly closer to mine, chest against my back, caging me under him even as I feel my arms buckle. Body pressed against sheets, his hands bruising and tight at my hips, a different vulnerability perceived, a different position assumed as my body sags against sheets. The fabric cool against scorching limbs, breaths shaky, trying to will air into my lungs when his body follows the slump of my body. Weight pressing against me, keeping me pinned against the sheets, every thrust jolting me against them, fingers scrabbling for purchase, knuckles aching with how tightly I fist the ruined sheets underneath me, unable to move and draw myself up, legs trembling at the frantic, untamed broken restraint he continues to breed me with.

Hand snaking round my front to worm against skin, to press against my stomach, fingers digging into softness, growls bubbling louder, teeth and fangs snapping at my ear, at my throat, hips pushing up when his fingers snake lower.

Drifting to the apex of my thighs, hitching my legs up higher, back arching at the approving sound he makes in the back of his throat, low and heady.

"Presenting for me so well cub." Praise uttered with a low heavy cadence, timbre lower and raspier.

I turn my head against the pillow, tilting my head up to bare the column of my throat, a low rumble reverberating against skin, the looming presence of my mate, my predator, crowding me against the same sheets drenched with the intoxicating scent of his desire and arousal just as much as mine. Breathing in his scent and feeling my head swim with it, lost in its thrall, fingers pressing to bruises and marks and the blooming sting of teeth at my shoulder as he sinks his fangs when my arms tremble. Pushing myself upright, hips flush against his, stilling and straining under the weight of his body pressed to mine, caging me as the peak of his cycle hits him, erratic sharp bucks of his hips as he grinds deep circles into me. Spilling another peak release.

The strength his scent, his pheromones take when he reaches that peak, when he slumps against me, the sudden pressure has my body sinking laxly against the sheets, his body sprawling over mine. His scent broadcasts the weight of his rut, the way it thickens with breeding pheromones, ears flickering and stiffly perked. Hearing every softer shudder, the rasps of his exhales as he continues to rock his hips. Trying to be deeper, closer.

The press of skin slick with exertion against my own, his heartbeat a thudding wild thrum against my back, soaking into skin to entangle with my own erratic pulse.

And when he stills, body entirely flush to mine, the weight remains. Keeping the two of us locked in place and with his body covering mine, whether to satiate that subconscious need to hide a bred mate, to hide and covet and keep me close or whether the small pleased noises as he noses along the bites with a gentler slowness. Tending to them with slow lingering kisses and soft grooming licks, brushing over the stinging sharpness of where the pain-pleasure of his bites had left the arousal spiralling higher.

The softer noises are muffled against skin, only for me to hear, the rumbling cadence of his growls softening to soothing rumbles and deep, deep chuffs I feel soaking into skin, coaxing every limb to relax and go pliant, breathing sharp and every inhale prickling with the edge of his scent that suffocates and fills me from the inside out. Snares me in the entirety of him.

Hand brushing against my hip, knuckles rubbing along the curve of my thighs, unconsciously kneading at the same places he'd gripped and left handprints behind.

There's no words spoken as my body trembles under his, still wracked with sharp jolts of electric pleasure, no words said as his breathing sharp and rasped against skin eventually slows and calms. His heartbeat taking slower to reach a lulling pace. No possibility of moving, the slightest experimental shift of my hips tugs a stuttered, broken keen from my throat, his hips pushing forward to still the movement, words dragged against the curve of my shoulder. Curls grazing fever-damp skin, body squirming.

"For someone who begged and presented so prettily to be bred, you move about an awful lot." He lilts, lips curved into a slowly spreading grin.

Hips pushing forward, hands clamping down to still the movement of my body twisting, head tilting to peer at him, the glazed look in his eyes abating slowly. Pupils still dark and largely dilated. But bit by bit, bit by bit the rut fever settles under his skin. Quenched for now.

Satiated. That's how he looks, cheeks flushed with the feverish heat and lips slick and swollen, pinpricks where his fangs have dug too hard into the soft giving flesh.

"For the biggest predator of the pack you're having difficulty in keeping a prey pinned into place."

His eyes flash. Darkening as they narrow into slits. Dangerous and provoked.

He draws his hips back, the displeased sound of being without his body pressing closer, without him still sheathed inside me morphing into a sharp cry. Fingers clutching at the sheets when he only draws back to snap his hips punishingly. Thighs trembling with strain.

"Maybe I enjoy seeing you try. Knowing you can't really escape a tiger." Words crooned lowly.

My breath catches at the possessive sprawl of his hands dragging up my sides, arm worming underneath to band across the front of my chest, the weighted pin somehow more with how his limbs entangle with mine, banding me closer to him.

I tilt my mouth to his in askance of a kiss, a soft sigh when he leans closer, head curved to mine, tongue brushing against the faint taste of iron at his bottom lip before brushing my tongue past the easily slackening parting of his mouth. Tasting the way his scent clings to every single inch and fibre of him, tasting his satiated arousal in the way his mouth melds to mine. Surrendering control of the kiss in a way he hasn't surrendered the dominating need to bend me over and take.

There's a softer groan muffled against my mouth, tongue brushing slowly against mine, the kiss slow and messy and hazy, lucidness slowly settling, swallowing the quieter, softer moan as his intent on curling closer has his hips pinning me to the bed. Hips rutting forward in slow, circling grinds, lips quirking against my mouth.

"Who said I really wanted to? Maybe a tiger just needs to know he has to work in getting his fawn to present. To submit." I murmur when I draw my lips away, nose nudging against his, trying to draw myself upright when he makes a discontent sound.

"Stay still." The bite of the predatory command laced into his words has me complying.

There's a satisfied smile curving deep across his face, a looseness to his body that elicits a similar pliancy in my limbs.

"Good girl."

-------------------

There's only the sound of heavy breathing, ragged and shaky, as a quiet settles. Broken and interspersed with quieter whimpers and moans as his hips continue to rut slowly, refusing to slip away, refusing to back down from his words he intends on fulfilling every instant.

"Going to keep you plugged full." Words a low rasp as his hand brushes against the low of my stomach, pressing down with a harsh, sudden pressure that makes my hips jerk back to his, achingly sore and swollen, stomach feeling taut, stretched tight over where he's still buried in me, and countless releases remain inside. Locked together because of his insistence rather than his biology.

A floaty haze sweeping over me as I rock back slowly, clenching and keening at how disoriented and full I feel. Dizzy with how his cycle showed no sign of stopping.

Hips snapping into me over and over, growls muffled against skin and limbs blooming with the signs of his claims scattered over every curve, his fingers trailing upwards to press against a newer bite, against the curve of my breast. Relishing in the small hiss of breath, the unconscious arch of my body, incidentally, pushing my hips back until we're entirely flush again and his other hand has clamped down on my hip. Keeping me in place as he rocks forward slowly, groan shuddering at my shoulder, tongue flicking against the bite there, over where fangs and teeth have left their indent, the touch sparking a growing throb of pain-pleasure.

"There's a-" I begin, hand sluggishly pointing backwards in indication towards the bedside drawers, but he simply takes my hand between his, fingers entangling and drawing them to rest over my side, words low and confident, drawling the disdain against my skin.

"I don't need a toy or a knot to keep you full cub. I don't need an excuse to remain inside you."

His hips rock deeper at that, punctuating his words, emphasising them with a grin that curves against skin.

"Jimin-"

Wrong.

The next snap of his hips tugs a broken sound past my lips, thighs trembling with overstimulation, trembling even as he smoothens a large palm down the front of one, letting it rest there.

A reminder.

"Unless you want my rut to spike again, don't mention another name (Y/N)... either I've not done a good enough job if you can still mention someone else whilst I'm breeding you. Or... you want me to remind you whose keeping you full, maybe you're not satiated. Am I not taking care of you right?"

My breath hitches, shaking my head at the dark glittering sharpness in his eyes, the peek of fangs only inches away from my throat, from where one of two mating bites lie.

His lips hover over it, a reminder of how his rut had started fangs first into my throat, clamping down on the mating bite Jimin had left behind.

And when his teeth scrape across it, tongue flicking over the permanent claim left behind, it doesn't bring to mind the fox who'd left it there. It makes me all the more aware of the tiger, sharper, longer fangs pricking against skin, heady promise that when he does sink his fangs in, it'll be something else entirely.

Instead, his lips are slow and unrushed, breathing in my scent, nosing along skin, tongue flicking against my gland. The brush of curls and skin against my throat leave behind trails of his scent, adding to the claims that are already skin-deep. Leaving a claim where the strong will carry the strongest.

And slowly...slowly lucidity trickles back in.

Coherency as the haze begins to settle, the first brutal round of Tae's rut quietening momentarily. Truly sinking in and letting him curve behind me, tucked against my back, messily scent-marking, open-mouthed kisses interspersed with lazy brushes of his cheek against the curve of my throat, my shoulder, fingers reflexively curling before his hand settles splayed over the my abdomen.

A, temporarily, satiated tiger whose scent blooms sweet even as it begins to lighten, steadily winding down from its thrumming heavy intensity.

"You're quite the possessive tiger." I say, turning to arch my throat further in invite, he curls closer immediately at the proffered expanse of skin, mouthing over already darkening bites and bruises, claims that'll deepen more and more with time, flaring dull pulses of heat and pleasure where he lathes them with attention once more.

His eyes flash before a slowly curving grin stretches across his lips.

"You don't know the half off it." Words hoarse.

My hand slips to brush against curls, drawing his head closer to mine, lips unrushed against his as he crowds against me for a kiss, half curving over me, a small discontent sound muffled against my mouth when it makes him draw back a bit.

Hand reaching back to blindly pet at his hip, brushing over the slight jut of bone, skimming up and down, half-entangled and curled towards each other.

A keening whine against his tongue and parted lips when he slowly draws back, settling to hover over me rather than remaining tucked against my back.

His eyes drift down to the mess between my thighs, a feral gleam in his eyes flashing as he reaches fingers down to brush against my core, briefly dipping two fingers in, smile twitching at the startled sound muffled in the back of my throat, thighs reflexively closing before he draws his hand away.

"Don't worry cub... I'll keep you full for longer next cycle." Head dipping to press a lingering, bruising kiss against my lips, settling his legs on either side of me, hands rubbing up and down my side, breaths still uneven as we slowly but surely come down from countless highs. Breaths shuddered against skin, feeling an inexplicable safety and protection in the caged loom of his body curved over mine, dark eyes softer now as he looks at me.

My hand reaches up to cup his cheek, smiling tiredly when he rubs his cheek against my palm, fangs gently scraping against my wrist.

"How're you feeling baby?" I murmur, fingers drifting lower to skim against his jaw, hand gently angling his face to mine, peering at the flushed pink of his cheeks, the way his curls press to his temples and nape, eyes dark and alert even as his body curves closer. A mix of exhaustion and deeply rooted satiated instincts rumbling as he chuffs, low and soothing, immediately setting me further at ease.

Even though my senses remain highly tuned to him, chasing to find the faintest trail of anything but settled and content in his pheromones, I need to hear him say it.

"Good. Better than good."

His eyes drag down my front, a tenderness in the way his fingers trail over my body. A stark cry from the roughness the same hands, the same fingers had held me... pinned me with.

"I didn't hurt you did I?" voice softer, a tinge of worry bleeding into his tone.

My smile curls slowly, head sinking back to appraise my tiger.

"You don't need to be careful with me Tae. And anyways... it'll take more than one round of a tiger in rut to tire me out." Voice lilting, words slow and unrushed.

His smile deepens, fangs peeking past parted lips, grin boxy and softer.

And mischief pools in his gaze.

"I never talked about tiring you just yet. You'll need to build your stamina to survive this rut sweetheart. So why don't you let me take care of you?"

Voice low and warm.

His arm winds around my back to draw me up, until our faces are a hairsbreadth apart, my legs tucked against his sprawled ones.

"Bath?"

He chuffs deep and delighted in response, ears flickering as he gently nudges his nose against mine.

"Then dinner. Or breakfast. Or whatever meal it is, or whatever you want. Let me take care of you until all I'm craving again is my fawn." Words a soft murmured plea and invite both.

My arms wind around his neck, drawing myself closer, a soft hiss of breath at the way my legs cramp and ache, sore and jittering.

He can't quite hide the preening tinge of pride that seeps tellingly into his scent.

And neither does he hide the quirk of his lips as a small smirk, proud and satisfied, plays on them.

Drawing me up carefully against him, hands steadily keeping me anchored to him.

"Got to keep my fawn in prime condition. How else will you survive the week?"

My lips curve against his throat, teeth playfully nipping at skin, ducking down to nip his gland, the saccharine sweetness of his scent blooming on my tongue.

"It's not about my surviving Tae. If I'm not ruined by pleasure and being bred by you, if I can walk independently after this week is over... then maybe cub. You didn't invest your all into it." teasing and provoking, his hands tightening around me, a small growl rippling past his lips as his eyes darken with warning.

Fangs nipping at my flickering ear, the sound rippling in the air as he moves towards the bedroom door, tail twisting the lock and tugging it open.

"Taunting a tiger? Challenge accepted."

He drawls back, words low and dangerous.

His tail curls and sways to come poke at my side, grinning at the small squirm, body pressing further against his chest, head resting against his collarbones.

There's no trail of any other scent in the hallway, and he pads out with an assuredness, steady footing as he noiselessly approaches the bathroom.

Hands carefully setting me down on the rim of the large tub and even though he steps away briefly, twisting the taps to the right temperature and stoppering the tub for a bath, his gaze constantly flicks to me every few seconds, silently making sure I'm still there, eyes dragging with a slow weighted intensity, assessing and making sure I'm okay.

Even when he crouches down in front of the cabinets, head ducking lower to peer inside, there's an alertness in the lines of his body, head almost catching the side of the cabinet, my body lurching forward before he's seamlessly standing.

As he moves to the tub once more, I briefly envy the lack of discomfort in his body, legs aching even as I knead at them, rubbing up and down, the cramps settled in them making my hips twinge every time I move.

For all the teasing and provoking, his first cycle had been intense.

And it was barely one day in. I knew it was only going to mount higher and higher from here. That this was the mere tip of the iceberg, that the rut was to grow and spiral into something even more wild and uncontrollable.

But for now... I relish in the lucidity that settles in the quiet that follows the cycle, hands curving to wind around Tae as he bends to scoop me against him. Moving towards the shower cubicle first, hands gripping at me as he grins.

"Need to clean out the mess I made of you no?" eyes sparkling with mischief, his smile deceptively warm and amused as if the same mouth hadn't pressed over my curves, as If the same mouth hadn't growled how much he'd wanted to breed me.

Rather it's almost surprising he's allowing it despite his lucidity, that his instincts aren't thrashing and protesting at the thought.

But when he sets me down, body leaning against the glass, he sinks down to kneel, head tilted back to peer up at me.

Smile deepening, playful teasing warning before his hands drag down the back of my thighs, lingering there.

"Didn't get to keep you full for as long as I wanted... but... this way we can restart." He croons, wicked delight in his eyes as his hands slowly trail to the inside of my thighs, tugging them open, my back leaning against the cold glass, palms sprawled over the smooth surface.

He leans back to twist the knobs, a blast of water that streams out from over our heads, a startled hiss at the cold water that streaks across his back and soaks his curls before the water warms, laughing as I press back against the glass in attempt to escape the sudden cold downpour before it heats up.

The half-hearted glare morphs into a grin as he leans forward, shaking his hair to dispel the cold water that soaks his curls and ears, leaning closer to press a cold cheek to my thigh, fingers skimming upwards.

Chuffing giddily at the yelp when cold curls press to skin, shivering at the touch, his fingers slowly circling my core, dragging across in an unrushed haste.

And when his fingers cease their playfulness, the brisk sharp efficiency as his fingers curl inside me, hand between my thighs as he clears out the stain of his mess made several times, the bubbling amusement melts away, a breathlessness as his dark eyes hold mine throughout it all, water washing over the two of us, a tiger in his element, tail curling, fur sodden. Pressing teasing kisses across my hipbone, grin curved against my skin at how his fingers elicit the same trembling jolts that wrack my thighs.

Dazedly concluding that it's nearly always Tae who makes my thighs shake, only him who takes and takes, knowing just how far he can push and then retrying again the next.

The water has left the two of us warm, wet limbs pressed together as he coaxes me away from the wall, eyes dark and appreciative, lingering over the lines and curves of my body, fingers slotting to my waist to remap them to the bruises of his fingerprints left behind.

Relishing in the soft groan that slips past my lips, legs wobbly as he draws me up, nose nudging along my cheek, sodden curls brushing against my own hair.

"Now we can have a bath."

The water sloshing when he clambers in slowly before he sinks down, the warm water lapping at my sides as he draws me against him. Rippling waves and bubbling suds that submerge the two of us, a trail of water marking the distance between the bath and the shower, a low rumbling groan pressed against my back as I lean against him. Head settling on his shoulder.

His touches are softer.

Calmer and slow as he winds his arms around me, his own head tilting back to rest against the rim, words low and warm and affectionate.

There's nothing but a sluggish warmth that leeches at the discomfort still prickling at skin, water warm but not hot enough to make my body twist with discomfort. The water's heat trying to coax the stiffness from my limbs, coaxing a hazy pliancy as I let Tae hold me, curling to rest against him, cheek pressed to his chest, hand curled against his forearm.

The bath tub's more than large enough to let me twist to settle over his sprawled legs, cheek rubbing against his collarbone.

Cheek pressing to my hair.

Nothing but quiet sinking into my bones, water sloshing around me as I turn further into Tae's embrace, hand absently brushing up and down his arm, lips moving against his collarbone, pressing slow lingering kisses against his skin.

"Was the first cycle okay for you? Was it too much for you?" I ask quietly.

There's less bites and marks scattering his skin, but there's no lesser amount of satisfaction and primal curl of pleasure to see the marks at his throat and collarbones, to see where my nails had dug into his shoulders, leaving faint red marks behind.

Marked as mine.

"I never thought-that it'd be so intense. I still feel like I'm barely holding on now."

My head twists to peer at him, scanning for his eyes first.

Cognizant gaze, pupils normal, eyes sharp and clear.

Trying to catch if somehow, if impossibly his scent thickening has escaped my notice. There's no way I could've physically overlooked it but even so at his words my head turns to nose along his jaw and throat, breathing in the berry-sweet contentedness seeping off him.

"You don't smell like rut."

The flash of fangs is the reminder of a predator hidden under human skin.

"You think my fawn all marked up and smelling like me on my lap looking like this won't turn me on? Won't have me ready to go again?"

His hands wind around me to draw me more flush against him.

"You pulled me onto your lap." I accuse, eyes narrowing.

His grin deepens, chest rumbling with a loud chuff, tail swishing and causing the water to ripple, his hand dragging down my hip.

"I never said I don't intend on coaxing out cycles from you. I never said I'd behave." Words coy and lilted. Dragged against skin with how his lips slowly begin to map a lingering trail from behind my ear down my throat.

"Don't start something Tae." I warn, trying to shift slightly away from him, even as amusement makes my own smile grow, intent on trying to keep him stabilised between cycles. To let him replenish, to let him rest... to let me breathe without the air thick with breeding pheromones making my lungs seize with it.

The water sloshes, dangerously close to the edge, spilling over the rims as I back away, hands slipping and fumbling for purchase, his eyes dark and thrilled as he leans forward to close the distance, leaning into my space, thigh slotting between mine. Skin gleaming with rivulets of water that trickle down, distracting my gaze, inviting it to follow their path.

"Oh but I finish what I start. And yet... I'm far from done with you." a coyness to the curve of his smirk, but the fangs peeking past, the way his body towers, sloshing the water as he leans further against my space, trying to crowd against me... playful or not... my mate's a tiger.

And he has no intention of ever letting me forget it.

"You. Menace. I'm trying to be responsible for you." I laugh, voice breathless at how the breadth of his shoulders stretch wide, bracketing me in, making me feel smaller and pinned even though he's yet to put a hand on me, yet to physically enforce that feeling of being trapped.

"So? Take responsibility for how you're driving me mad. For what you do to me. For leaving me hungering for you." words drawled and dripping with molten weighted intent.

Fingers curling around my ankle, a slow wrap of his hand encircling skin, a small tug that has my hands darting to steady myself against the rim, inhaling sharply.

He leans closer and closer.

Curls brushing against my cheeks, breath warm against skin.

His rut's not here yet.

But he's doing his damned hardest to make sure it's anything but smooth going.

I can already smell the way my scent betrays me.

I can tell he knows.

Tongue brushing against his lower lip, tasting the betraying pulse of sticky-sweet anise. Floral honey trickling sweeter at his words, at the conscious posturing my biology and instincts immediately notice, immediately respond to.

And in turn, the slightest head tilt has his scent sweetening with interest.

Eyes sharpening at the gesture. And just the weight of his gaze at my throat makes me feels as if he's sinking his fangs into me.

Head curving closer towards proffered skin, nosing along my throat, the weight of his hands turning possessive and sprawled, a lazy tiger relishing in the slowness before he suddenly pounces.

"How?" I ask.

His fangs peek.

The sight is disarming.

But I know too well to trust the grin.

"Let me take care of you first. I have all the time in the world to collect."

And the lingering promise and insinuation in his words hover over the two of us, teasing along my mind.

And when he collects... I'll know. He'll make sure I do.

----------------

There's a careful attentiveness as we re-enter the bedroom, first setting me down on the bed, drawing the ruined sheets away to rebuild the nest.

Though his fingers curl into them, lingering and holding on, not ready to part with how strongly they carry out scents, whine low in his throat as I lean over to give them a small tug.

Eyes flashing at the challenge, at the threat of the heady scents being taken away.

My lips curve up unbidden.

"Don't worry Tae~ I'm sure you'll make a mess of me on more than one set of sheets." Lilting playfully, words trailing into a soft groan when the movement makes the ache in my hips cramp slightly. A slight discomfort and unease still lingering what the bath and oils couldn't leech away entirely.

It makes his grip on the sheets go lax though, moving towards me instead, hands easing a pillow behind me, gaze flickering towards me as he hastily tugs on newer sheets, still carrying a faint pheromonal signature as mine.

Priority and focus shifting from coveting the scents to drawing me up against him slowly, hands steadying the jitters to my legs before he steers me around.

"Lie down cub." Voice low and soft, coaxing in a way that has my already pliant, hazed mind sinking down at the gently murmured words. Whimpered discomfort soothed, hand brushing down the curve of my spine as I sprawl on my front, lingering at the low of my back, hand a grounding weight sprawled against skin.

"Hips up." Hands easing the way, guiding them up so he can slip a pillow down, hand nudging me to stay stretched out.

A low pleased rumble of a chuff briefly ghosting along my back, lips brushing between my shoulder blades.

"Just hold on a second." Voice quietly rumbling against skin before the bed dips, the sound of the bedside drawers being opened and his weight carefully settling across the lows of my thighs as he straddles me. Weight pinning me down before a trail of cream is applied at the low of my spine, the large sprawl of his hands slowly working it into skin, carefully massaging it in, coaxing a low groan at the firm pressure of his touch. Working from my low back and hips upwards, thumbs sweeping up in straight lines, knuckles dragging against skin, thorough in his ministrations. Briefly, my legs jolt, hips trying to rock up, trying to somehow arch further into the touch, back bowing as I try push myself upright with my arms. But his weight bears down on me, stilling me from moving, the pillow already keeping me propped up for him, hands stilling on the middle of my back.

"Be good for me cub." Voice coaxing, chuffs a constant rumble of sound that has my ears flickering and drooping as I sag against the soft sheets, cheek rubbing against the material, limbs sluggish and uncoordinated as he continues to massage the stiffness out of my back, chasing away the remnants of fatigue and aches lingering in my bones.

The sound of his happiness, at how satiated his instincts are soak into my skin as he leans over me slightly, hands drifting up towards my shoulders, brushing hair away from my nape to press a lingering kiss to the vulnerable expanse of skin, slowly trailing his lips lower to between my shoulder blades.

Chuffs pressed to my back, his scent blooming with contentedness, sweet and slowly winding around me to encase me in it.

Hands firm and gentle as they trail back lower to curve around my hips, his body lowering down as he continues to mark a trail down the curve of my spine, lips pressing soft pecks against skin, the soft warmth of his mouth lingering as a phantom touch even as he continues to inch lower and lower, until I know without turning he's half-curved over me, head turning against the pillows, eyes peering down at him.

Lips curved into a small sluggish smile at the curl and sway of his tail and the boxy fangy grin, wide and unrestrained when he catches me gaze. Holding my eyes as he ducks lower to playfully nip at the curve of my backside, deep chuff reverberating through the air when it makes me squirm, trying to dislodge him as I cant my hips back.

Eyes briefly flashing dark and primal before he draws himself up to clamber onto the bed beside me, tugging at sheets and pillows to renew the nest that encircles the bed, enforcing the barriers with his touch, taking the time to rub his cheek against the soft fabric to leave his scent on them. Drawing pillows against his neck, curling around them to let the sweet-berry soak into fabric and take its place there.

And when he's satisfied he reaches for me, coaxing pliant relaxed limbs up, half kneeling on the bed as my body tilts to him, arms curling around his neck as he draws me up to curl on his lap, skin to skin, cheek rubbing against his collarbone, nose nudging at his gland.

"Nap time?" I mumble against his throat, head curling against him when his fangs nip at my ears, flickering at the soft touch.

"Food first. You're not running your body through a heat and my rut with no energy."

I smile up at him, eyes blinking at the seriousness in his eyes and the softness of his mouth, eyes lingering on his lips.

"Copying me?"

His words an echo of mine.

He hums, the rumble of his chest pressed against my side.

"Do you have the stamina to keep up with a tiger?" he teases, head cocked at me.

My brows rise at the playful challenge.

"Do you have the energy to keep me satiated cub?"

His fangs flash, a brief glimmer of their sharpness before he ducks his head to nip my cheek.

"No doubt."

Hand tightening where his arm wraps around my front, squeezing.

Other hand drawing a bottle of water closer, nudging it to my lips once he's opened it.

A sharp assessing gaze as he watches me drink, hand reaching up to take the bottle, drawing it down in large gulps.

The moment one bottle is emptied, he's pressing a protein bar into my hands, reaching for another.

Making sure I've eaten and drunk something first, eyes carefully watching before he begins to eat, coaxing the bar back to my lips to nudge me into eating, body curling close to mine. Holding me.

"At least this and another one. Before napping." He coaxes, head ducking to try peer at me when I burrow against his gland, nosing at his skin rather than tilting my head back towards the other bar he tries to get me to eat, a soft warm sigh as his fingers press against my waist.

"Nap."

"Not until you've eaten... and you know I love naps. So the quicker you eat, the quicker we can sleep." He persuades, voice low and soft. Lips brushing against my temple.

A softly murmured please that has my head tilting to his.

Lips jutting out instead.

"Kiss first." I bargain.

He huffs out a laugh, grinning against my lips as he crooks my face to his, fingers angling my jaw to his, mouth slotting to mine. Tasting faintly sweet, nose nudging against mine in a soft nuzzle, forehead resting against mine.

"You're not bargaining if it's everything I want baby."

I smile against the corner of his mouth.

"Win win then isn't it?"

My body sinks against his, head tucked under his once I've drawn the bottle away, fingers gently brushing curls from his face and tugging him further against me, a thin blanket drawn over the two of us, tucking me against his chest as he wriggles down to lie against the bed properly, leg draped over his lap, half sprawled on him.

I can smell my scent and his, softer now that the sheets have changed, soft, sleepy pheromones sinking into fabric, limbs slowly entangling as I curl closer, head resting on his chest, fingers resting against his arm that brackets me closer.

"You're a win Tae... a gift to have you as my mate." I mumble, eyes fluttering open and shut, drowsiness settling as time brings a settled reprieve from the heat and rut.

His hand smoothens over my hair, down my spine, head turning to press a kiss to the tip of my nose.

"You're our gift." He echoes quietly.

"I love you."

"Love you too cub. Love you with all my stripes."

I smile against his throat, lips lingering there.

"Sweet talking me into a nap? Or to another cycle?"

"Nap. Why? Does sweet talk get a sweet girl all sorts of flushed?" voice curiously lilting and teasing, hand settling on the low of my back, curving to lean further into me.

My hand brushes down his side.

Letting my eyes flutter shut.

"Guess you have a week to find out."

-----------------

I don't know what exact moment it becomes too much. Heat spiralling into a searing pain that wakes me, eyes blinking open, mind and body not in sync as they try to catch up with one another. But waking up and realising that I've woken deep into heat. Body struggling to sink into awareness, eyelids heavy and body drained even as I try twist my head. A keening pained cry tearing past my lips, whining with distress as the scorching heat flares hotter, lancing painfully at my skin. Limbs trembling with how much every inch of me aches and craves, drowsiness melting away in face of the craving want that pools under my skin and batters at sleep. Demanding to be mated, mind and instincts lost in the throes of a cycle.

Every movement feels slow and uncoordinated, like wading in treacle, sluggish and slow, awareness sinking in quickly regardless. Pained keening whimpers spilling past my lips, the tiger beside me roused immediately, sleepy soft scent sharpening with alertness and realisation, flaring to life with a heady thickness as he registers my pheromones pouring off me in thick rivulets. Stomach cramping and aching, legs shifting restlessly, a pleading sob muffled against the column of his throat, teeth catching at his gland.

"Tae... need you. Tae please." hands tugging at him, vision hazy and disoriented, eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness of the room, a sharp hissed curse before a hand fumbles for the side light, suffusing the room with a low warm glow, eyes finding his, pushing at the sheets entangled around the two of, squirming restlessly, discomfited by the barrier barring him from me, words slurred and heavy on my tongue.

His hands tug impatiently at the sheets, brushing against my sides, trying to soothe the restless buck of my hips, hands curving around his forearms, tugging him closer.

There's no time for the slower, unrushed haze of pleasure, there's nothing I need more than the immediate instinctual need to be bred and full clawing at me viciously from the inside, eyes stinging as I clutch at him as he fills me, a deep thrust that leaves my breath momentarily catching in my throat, thighs clenching around his legs, winding around him to keep him anchored to me, sheathed deep, unrelenting as I grip onto him and he in turn lets his hands drag against my side to settle at my hips. Grip bruising and pinning me there as the rough sharp thrusts find a quick rhythm, the snap of his hips driving himself deep and deeper, barely letting me register the slightest draw of his hips as he draws out before he's filling me again.

Words low and grounding.

"It's okay cub... I've got you..."

There's nothing said, nothing shared but desperate, carnal want that spirals his own scent into a deep rich heaviness that I can feel just as heavily weighing down on me, body bearing his weight down to keep me pinned to the sheets. Eyes flashing in the dark, a tiger's gaze fixated on me, fangs sharp and pooling over his lips as he groans, crowding against me and making me take.

There's nothing that can satisfy the bubbling visceral need of needing to be bred, of needing him over and over. Nothing that can satiate the hunger that only grows, nails dragging against his skin, against the straining curve of his arms as he continues to drive himself deeper and deeper, every buck of his hips yanking out broken cries and moans, a slew of sounds that are saturated with arousal and need, breath seizing in my lungs as he uses the grip of my thighs wound around him to drive further and further into me. A constant rutting deep grind of his hips that makes my thighs tremble with ache, pleasure quickly spiralling towards a sharp, painful peak, hands clawing at him as my body arches off the sheets, eyes stinging with overwhelmed pleasure as he continues to rut into me, prolonging one peak into the other. Not letting the overwhelming haze of pleasure crashing into me to abate before the same tightly coiling pressure winds tighter and tighter once more, breaths shaking at how thoroughly he gives. There's no hint of drowsiness or sleep in his gaze and even in the darkness of the room I can see the towering curve of his body over mine, pinning me to the sheets, breeding me over and over with the same mindlessness that consumes me.

His head ducking closer to let his fangs drag against skin, raking over the line of my throat, growling at the presented arch of skin that allows him to let his teeth sink in sharply, blinded with the single-minded need to brand and claim and take. To leave his scent, his touch so deeply branded into me that my biology and instincts won't ever fail to know at the barest of touches that this tiger is mine. That this tiger, my mate is more than capable of breeding me thoroughly and over and over.

But even as he continues to give, fangs at my gland, tongue brushing over the puffy tissue of skin, groaning at the bodily shudder as his mouth closes around it, the pressure of his tongue and lips harsh and unrelenting. Sucking a bruising claim into the crook of my neck, a claim on my scent as his.

"Fill you so well until there's no way it won't take." Words groaned rough against my skin, his eyes dragging down the length of my body to settle on the low of my torso, eyes glazed with lust and breeding haze and primal fantasy and need of keeping me full, of filling me even when I'm round and swollen and full of his cubs.

The peak that he winds me towards entangles with his own, the sharp, quick pace of his hips turning rougher and erratic, hands dragging against skin, tugging my hips to meet each thrust for thrust, fingers curling to grip me tighter, controlling the rough brutal tautness of pleasure that winds tight around the two of us, fingers trembling where they clutch at him, leaving half-moon indents behind in honeyed skin.

And even as my back arches, my hands cling to him tighter, desperate for a closeness that surpasses limbs pressing to limbs, curves to lines, teeth catching at his shoulder, biting down to clamp the bite of keening pleasure that tears itself past my lips, muffled against skin. Feel his teeth drag before sinking in sharp against my gland, fangs at my throat, shuddering as my body goes limp and sags against the bed. Head swimming with the burst of scent that drowns with pleasured release, hips grinding deep as he spills into me, groaning wetly against skin, tongue lathing over the indent of his teeth, the sharp pulsing throb of electric pain-pleasure that fans into a deeper growing heat. Body going lax as his curves closer to mine, crowding against me, breaths sharp and ragged against my skin.

Barely relishing in the brief reprieve of breathing against him, breathing him in, how his scent seeps off him, addicting and heavy with breeding pheromones, the sharp musky edge of it still curling and brushing against my skin. Barely feeling as if my lungs are breathing in deep gulps of air, heavy with his scent and our arousal when my hips are rocking back against where he's sheathed in me. Rocking back and feeling his hands tighten, eyes flashing with surprise, a low startled groan.

"Again?"

"More. Need more. Tae I need you."

A whine bubbles in the back of my throat, whimpering when he doesn't immediately rock his hips deeper, shushing the small distressed sound with a rock of his hips.

His scent drowns me with want, his hands dragging lower to push against the inside of my thighs, legs trembling as I let them unravel from around his waist, let them sprawl against the sheets. His hands guiding them up into a pinned splay, angled open for him.

Breeding pheromones and arousal cling to the air and push his body to respond immediately, already stiffening to a painful hardness as he slowly draws back.

Breath seizing at the next snap of his hips burying himself deep.

There's no words where restraint fails us. There's no words spoken when my pleasure spills out in a slew of noises wrung out from my throat, raw and aching and pleading for a satisfaction only he can give. There's no words needed for him to affirm how well he takes and gives when his scent sharpens with predatory interest, with his own rut sinking in rapidly to spiral together in the fog of mindless pleasure that consumes us until it's all we know.

My legs splay wider in invite, trembling with how every thrust of his hips makes his spilled release push back into me, the inside of my thighs slick with our arousal, branding my skin with how deeply our pheromones entangle with each other, sinking into flesh and bones with how deeply he fills me and I take him.

Hair still mussed with sleep, rumpled curls that obscure his sight slightly, shaking his head impatiently. But there's no mistaking the dark animalistic lust in his eyes that peer at me through overshadowing curls, rooting me under him. Pinned and splayed all for his taking. For his breeding.

And the more the rut descends onto him, the deeper my own heat drags me in, mind swimming with the constant flux of pheromones clogging the air, saturating it with unadulterated carnal wild arousal.

There's no softness in the hard frantic pace of how he fucks into me, hands winding around his shoulders, keeping him tucked against me, lips mouthing messily at his jaw and throat, desperate to taste the same saccharine arousal on my tongue, desperate to covet it for myself, senses solely centred on him, mind growing hazier with the cocktail of our scents, mouthing at his gland, letting myself fall deeper and deeper into the cycle, surrendering to it willingly because I know that Tae will be there through it all, tending to me, fulfilling every need.

His hands are relentless in their bruising pinning grip, the drag of his body against mine sparking heat, lines pressing tighter to curves, hands drifting upwards to leave sparking heat against skin, head ducking closer to drag teeth across my collarbones, fingers tugging out sharper cries where heat blooms at his touch, roughly palming one breast, head ducking to tug a stiff bud between teeth, the wet flick of heat where his tongue briefly lathes over the sting. Coaxing one then the other to a stiff aching sharpness until every drag of skin against skin, torso flush to mine brings sharp jolts of pleasure to rake across my spine, chest arching up as I let my hands sink into curls. Tugging him closer, nails dragging against his scalp, fingers entangled in dark strands, a rough guttural growl where his lips tremble against the curve of my chest.

Breaths staccato and wavering against my skin, sharp exhales as he continues to drive his hips forward, the sharp canting motion

There's nothing but the constantly bubbling need that wells up stronger and stronger despite the pleasure that his touch brings, the disorientation his scent brings as it sinks past skin to ignite the roaring in my veins to a consuming, inescapable blaze that sets my blood alight.

Whatever coherency I had over my words, over my thoughts falls away, a blinding fog of breeding pheromones snaring me in their depths, lost in the constant cycle of his body filling mine, tugging out quieter groans, lungs full of his scent, hands scrabbling for purchase on his shoulders, dragging against his hair, teeth catching at his shoulder and raking lower.

Words laced with growls and low rasps against my skin, ears flickering as my throat arches to present the vulnerable expanse of skin to the low guttural predator that aches to sink into me further, praises entangled with unbridled want so raw and intense that every word only pushes my scent further and further into neediness and in turn pushes his into a wild uncontrollable thickness that stains my tongue, tasting it on his skin, feeling it groaned against me, the feverish buck of his hips as he chases the rut that my heat reaches out to drag him into.

It's disorienting how heavily pleasure sweeps into me, the tightly winding pressure never finding a sole peak, never truly abating and settling, need flaring strong and heavy, core aching and body slowly slumping against the sheets, dragging Tae down against me until his body is entirely flush to mine, the sharpness of his breaths ragged against my skin, hips rocking deep into mine, drunk and lost in the blur of cycles merging together, of pleasure never being quenched even as our bodies slump against one another.

And when the fever under our skin finally settles, our limbs sluggish and syrupy, mind hazed when Tae finally stills. His eyes dark, pupils dilated, the brown of his irises a faint ring barely visible, gaze blackened with rut and arousal, mindless with release, with the tiger instincts clawing at him from the inside and overtaking any lucidness. Lost in the biological need to respond to each other, driven further and further into a dizzying inebriation that slows down every thought, narrows it to just Tae.

The slow deeper grinds of his hips coming to a still, body slumping over mine, breathing me in, nose burrowed against my gland. The rapid thrum of his pulse loud and beating wildly against me, the tension, the clawing urgency finally settled. Finally soothed. Finally quietened.

My hands find their place in his hair, brushing against damp curls, drawing them between my fingers, head tilted to press my lips against his temple, his cheek. Feeling as my lips tremble, every inch of me still buzzing from the high that slowly... slowly my body tries to draw me down from. Achingly full and bred, scent reflecting the contented post-cycle haze, scents thick and heady and entangled with one another in the same way our limbs are.

Breathing sharp and faltering, muffled against skin, large hands smoothening down my sides, touch softer, palms sprawled over my thighs, content to keep me tucked against him, holding me closer, burrowing closer, desperate to sink into skin.

Quiet silence disturbed by the faltering unevenness of every inhale and exhale, air saturated with the scent of sex, wild and unrestrained and animalistic.

My throat and lungs ache with how slow my breathing evens out, eventually begins to calm, hand brushing over the breadth of Tae's shoulder before skimming lower to drag against his spine, skin damp against my touch, his back bowing into the softer graze of skin against skin, head turning from where his nose had been burrowed against my overstimulated gland.

Even now, as he draws back my gland throbs, pulsing out scent, the tension in his body bleeding away with every passing second before slowly... slowly Tae draws himself up on trembling arms, eyes still glazed over, a hushed intimate silence falling as he looks at me.

Dazed.

Cheeks flushed and ruddy with exertion, skin glistening with sweat, dishevelled curls and parted lips, low exhales that make his lungs shudder, throat bobbing sharply.

Ruined.

He looks ruined.

He is ruined. Ruined by the rut, ruined by the heat. Ruined by me.

And his curls graze against my skin where he leans over.

A lazy satiated loose grin curling at his lips.

A sated tiger looking at his mate.

Thoroughly indulged and full.

Tail curling behind him and stripey ears flickering from amidst dark sex-damp curls.

Brows furrowed slightly, the slight sharpness to his breathing belying the exhaustion that slowly begins to settle.

"So you can wear a tiger out." I muse, voice breathless, words rasping against my tongue, heavy and lilted with a worn out exhaustion that sinks into my bones all the same.

My own smile curves slowly against my lips, stretching wide at the sight of the flicker of challenge in his eyes before he laughs, deep and rich.

The sound warming me to my bones.

"You wish baby cub. But... keep this up for the rest of the week. And I'll have to get back to you on that." Fangs flashing as he grins at me, the smile slow and lazy and his gaze slowly trawling over me.

Indulgently drinking me in.

In the mess he's made of me, a low rumbling chuff of satisfaction in the back of his throat as his hand drags possessively down my front to settle on my stomach, against the low of my abdomen. Fingers pressing down with the slightest pressure. Feeling so achingly full that the touch sparks a weak groan from my throat, pushing his hand away, delirious with overstimulated pleasure, sharp jolts prickling against skin where sensitivity sinks in.

"You look cubbed. You smell it too." He muses, fingers dragging against the swell of my stomach, stiffly swollen and taut, the pressure making me keen, writhing under him as his hips give an experimental thrust, ears flickering as they catch the sound torn past swollen lips.

Teasing primal satisfaction quietening as he leans down to kiss me. Slow and unrushed and cherishingly sweet and tender. Mouth slotting to mine with a lazy finality as our cycles settle. Quieten.

The blinding want I'd woken with soothed, leaving behind a weary heaviness that already makes me pre-eminently aware of the mess, of the discomfort that'll settle if we let the sheets remain as they are, feeling my thighs slick with arousal, feel where he's buried deep and slowly draws out as he kisses me still, release trickling against skin and the sheets. Swallowing my desperate keen with the brushing sweep of his tongue, a flickering biological dissatisfaction at being so empty after being so full for so long, large palm smoothing over the jitters of my thighs, pushing my leg back open as I try to lock him in place, lips quirking against my mouth and teeth sinking in gently into my bottom lip. Before he nips sharper, relishing in the soft hiss of breath, groaning wetly against me, hand angling my jaw up for him.

Kissing me deep and slow, drinking in the softer sounds of our haze, a quieter moan muffled against my lips as he tilts towards me regardless. Despite the mess between our legs as he draws out of me, arms banding around my back to draw me up against him instead, thighs straddling his, arms winding around him to tuck myself closer to him. And let him tuck closer to me, curls brushing my skin as he leans closer, nose brushing against mine, foreheads resting once he draws his lips away briefly. Unable to keep the distance for long, soft, sweet pecks pressed to my lips over and over, the dazed look in his eyes slowly fading, pupils slowly beginning to constrict once more.

"I think... you're a rare one." He breathes, eyes holding mine.

My ears flicker at the confusing mix of teasing warmth and lowly crooned admiration in his voice.

"A rare what?"

"Prey. You know just how to make a predator lose his mind. You know how to take if I hadn't given you a breeding. You would've shoved me back and taken me if I'd wasted a single breath."

Eyes sharp with mischief and sharp assessment.

My lips quirk up.

Hand dragging down his arm, squeezing his bicep appreciatively, fingers lingering at the taut swell of muscle.

"If needs be. I could take what I want from you tiger."

His grin curves deep, head tilted as he sinks back to rest his hands against the bed, leaning back to look at me, the curl and sway of his tail lazy and enticing. Inviting.

"Feisty aren't you tigress? You don't need stripes and claws to pounce on me. It's an open invite all day, any day." Eyes dark and mischievous.

And when I lean closer to him, he holds a hand up between us, brows raised at me with mock suspicion.

"Not now. A tiger needs other forms of protein too you know. Can't always sink my fangs into you even if that's all I'll ever want for." He bemoans, playful and warm, gaze turning molten as the motion of him moving back lets his eyes snap towards where my thighs are open and splayed on either side of him, the scent of his breeding thoroughly branded into me.

"Besides... you smell like a tiger pounced and took... I'm sure a food break won't change that." Confident and assured, hands painstakingly gentle as he draws me up against him, arms banding under my thighs and across my back to hoist me against him rather than drawing my trembling legs around his waist.

Tail playfully poking at my side before banding around my wrist, holding me close as he leans back, slowly clambering off the bed, gaze flaring to life with a new sharpness as he looks at the mess of the sheets.

Eyes clenching shut as he steels himself against it, breathing shallow.

"Maybe airing the room out too when we're done." I suggest.

I don't think either of us could survive another brutally intense cycle as the last.

And my mind still swims in the headiness of the sticky-sweet berry syrupy claim of his arousal branding my room as his. Me as his.

Lucidity keeping me rooted from spiralling headfirst into it all over again.

TAE POV:

I should feel bad for the marks littering (Y/N)'s body, for the bruising marks that my lips and hands have left behind on her curves, branding them as mine. A wild roaring possessiveness flaring up as I set her down on the bathroom counter, gaze tracking the trails of water trickling down her skin, dripping against the flooring, inviting my gaze to track their movements across the lines and curves of her body, her cheeks flushed with warmth, eyes glittering and bright. Cognizant and aware. Fully lucid. Eyes following my movements as I slowly wrap a towel around her, fingers clutching at the edges of it, gently tugging to steer her body closer to mine, lips chasing hers with the soft flickering warmth that settles with the rut, the burning ache quietening and indulgently losing myself in the taste of her mouth readily parting against mine, slow teasing mischief in the curl of her tongue evading mine, slick heat licking into my mouth as she groans quietly against me, hand winding to curl against my nape. Drawing me further against her, keeping me anchored there even when our lips part, large doe eyes holding my gaze, gently nudging her nose against mine, smile growing on her lips.

She smells happy.

And the way her scent has softened with contentment, eyes lazily trawling over me as I draw back slightly, slowly unfurling from her, the way her scent is sweet on my tongue even after her lips have moved from mine... there's a deep want to cherish and covet the scent all for myself.

Not the same intense want to bury myself into her skin, but the urge to nest and roll about in her scent with how innately satisfied and happy it makes me in turn to know that in my rut, in her heat, my mate is nothing but settled.

"Can't keep your eyes off me? Or rather what you've done to me?" she lilts with a growing smile, eyes tracking the way mine constantly flicker over the lines and dips of her body, over where the marks are deepening into vivid reds and purples.

There's a flicker of heat that sparks across my skin at the sight of her, at the knowing gleam in her eyes as she tilts her head, the movement making my eyes flash as I look at the bite marks at her throat, glands swollen and dark with bruised claims.

"How am I meant to take my eyes off you? I'm pretty sure that ruts are just a biological cycle to fixate all your energy, all your instincts, every single sense on your mate. I'm biologically wired to be addicted to the sight of you." tail curling and swishing as I step closer in, hands nudging her thighs apart, settling on her knees to make my space between them.

Her hands brush against my shoulders, fingers lazily skimming over where there's still the phantom stinging sensation of her nails digging in tight, feeling the memory sear across my mind as she leans closer, lips brushing slow against my collarbone.

"Even in rut the charm doesn't go does it?" playfully warm, head resting against my shoulder, hair damp against my skin, adding to the trickles of water that skim down my torso, squirming when her breath ghosts along my sternum, leg winding around the back of my thigh loosely, keeping me tucked against her.

"Not charm if I mean it. If that's all I can think of doing. My rut is just an excuse..." I murmur into her hair, nosing along flickering ears, smiling when they perk with curiosity.

Head tilting up to peer at me.

"An excuse for what?"

"To let your tiger play... to let your tiger play without a single competitor competing for your scent, for you."

"It's a game where I win. Where I'm already the winner."

Leaning closer and closer against her, body curved against her, bracketing her against me, hands winding around her to cradle her close to me, hand brushing against her spine, drawing the towel around her properly, leaning away to begin towelling her dry.

Hands gentle and slow against her, careful with her. For all that her body bears marks of how intensely the cycles of our rut and heat have entangled and overlapped... for all that there's a deep primal satisfaction at the sight of them, there's also the equally strong want to make sure she's okay. Not in any discomfort or aching.

"I didn't know ruts could be so rough." I murmur, thumbs rubbing at her hips, against soft skin bruised with fingerprints, hands gently skimming lower before brushing upwards towards her waist, leaning into her, arms bracketing her against me as I hug her.

Relishing in the warmth of skin against skin, of the way she winds her arms around me to draw me closer, head resting on my shoulder, tucking it close to mine, cheek gently nuzzling against mine, nose and lips brushing against my curls.

"I don't doubt that Hobi and Yoongi knew it'd be a rough rut. Whenever you'd have your first. And it didn't start the best way did it?"

I nuzzle against her, tail swishing and curling to band around her calf loosely.

"It was your scent." I grumble half-heartedly, chasing the same sweet floral pulse of pheromones, carefully nosing and nuzzling at skin and not her glands, mind cognizant, more than aware to know that it'll only work her up again and in turn I'll spiral into the mindlessness of rut once more, body so attuned to hers, so attuned to the faintest shifts in her scent that it would take very little to catch the faintest betraying tells of honeying floral sweetness for my biology to snap and respond to.

"I didn't do anything to-" she protests, squirming at the nip at her earlobe, lips twitching with a wry smile.

"The fact that I went into rut on your scent alone isn't a turn-on for you? That for me the biggest aphrodisiac is my mate's pheromones doesn't make you preen?" I ask, words lilting and low, hands aching to sink into soft curves, gums faintly aching.

This time the need isn't clouded with a blinding haze or single-minded biologically driven want. This time my mind is clear and yet I already feel like I'm losing control over it, surrendering it to her. But this time I'm fully aware of how easily I could lose restraint when it comes to her. To my mate.

This time I'm fully lucid and conscious with how readily my body responds to hers and how despite the lack of disorientation, my instincts and feelings care for nothing more than chasing her. Chasing (Y/N) in every aspect.

Her gaze is darker, pupils dilating slightly, lips parted and slack as she takes in my words, a soft surprised sound when I let my teeth sink in harsh against her bottom lip, tongue slowly flicking over the sting, grinning against the seam of her lips.

"Take the win flower fawn."

Her hands reach to draw the towel around herself when my eyes drift lower, relishing in drinking in the sight of her, a soft growl rumbling in the back of my throat with displeasure as she gives me a small nudge back, hands against the counter as she clambers off, balance unwavering and steady.

"Oh Tae baby I am. You know what else I'm taking?" body gravitating towards her as she takes a step aside to duck past me, the gesture stirring a faint rumbled growl, turning to tug her back against me.

Fangs snapping at air as she laughs and swerves my arm, hand clutching the towel to her chest.

"What else?" body trying to tilt to hers, spluttering at the towel she throws my way instead, face-full of the soft cotton, briefly distracted with how distinctly the fabric and the softener brings to mind a doe-eyed bun, floppy eared and just as playful as the fawn evading my swiping hand, gaze pointedly drifting down.

"Cover up. I'm not going to take advantage of a freshly bathed tiger?"

My tail curls, spine tingling where it shifts and sways, eyes tracking her movements, light on her feet, faint trembles contained, aches soothed away by the mix of meds she'd taken as the cycle set. The oils and salts mixed into the warm bathwater.

"Why not? I'd let you, it's such an opportunity. No clothes, all bare for you." I tease, playfully trying to duck closer, tugging at the hem of the towel, her grip tightening as she tilts her head to meet my gaze.

The same mischievous glint making her eyes flash, the same playful teasing warmth skimming across my skin with the dragged weight of her gaze that I return, eyes drawn to the damp strands of hair brushing against skin, the slope of her shoulders, skin still glistening with water.

Her ears flickering at the soft rumbles that bubble past my lips.

"Because! You're insatiable! And you promised me food." She laughs.

My hand curls tightly into the towel, dragging it down my front, eyes narrowing at her even as I can feel the giddy wild thrum of my heartbeat, pulsing quicker at the exuberance pouring off her, saturating her scent with a warm sweetness that's addicting to scent.

"I did I did... I'm a tiger of my word. A man of my stripes! I'll feed you first. Then pounce." Hands slow as I draw the towel around my waist, securing it carefully, fingers lingering at where the towel folds, toying with it. Feeling her gaze focus on the movement of my fingers, lips curving upwards.

"Fattening me up for the kill?" she questions, eyes narrowing with amused suspicion.

"Me? Feeding you before hunting you? That's courting courtesy... I should tend to the mate I intend to devour."

Slowly moving forward, advancing on her. With every step she takes backwards, inching towards the bathroom door, the more I move to close that distance, steps unrushed, larger prowling strides towards her.

Lunging when she abruptly pushes the door open and twists away, moves before I can bracket her against the door, her scent and laugh enticing warm sweetness that has me rushing after her, following the light trail of her steps as she moves back towards the bedroom, briefly slammed with the stronger entangled duo of our scents still clinging to the air.

Soft rippling quiet growls rumbling in my throat and chest as every step she takes away from me teases and pokes at my instincts, playing with them as she lets her hand dither at her wardrobe door.

"Would you rather I was clothed for this courtesy? Maybe in..." eyes holding mine, the silence a beat too long, hip cocked as she thinks.

"If you wear anything that's not drenched in my scent... I will tear it off you." words low and promising.

Her eyes glint.

"Is that a threat?"

"A promise."

She hovers at the edge of the wardrobe too long, patience dwindling as I surge forward, arms tugging at her, drawing her away from the amalgamation of scents that cling to clothes.

A primal possessiveness rearing its head.

Only wanting her in my clothes, holding her to me, arm winding around her, eyes scanning the clothes, disregarding them instantly if there's any other scent clinging to the fabric.

Turning with her still tucked against me, back pressing to my chest, leaning into her as we slowly stumble to the dresser, hand impatiently tugging at the handles.

Fingers curling triumphantly into fabric.

"That's my favourite t-shirt." Doe eyes peering at the shirt I hold in my grip. My smile deepens, deep chuff rumbling from the depths of my chest, growing loud and strong, scent bursting sweet at her words.

"Mine too~ who knew it'd been swiped by a fawn...been looking for this."

"Want it back?"

She turns in the circle of my embrace, turning so she presses against the dresser and can look at me, fingers clasped loosely at the towel at her front, hand curled into a fist at her sternum.

Her scent hazy sweet, a gentle trickling warmth that entangles with my richer preening burst of scent.

Floral berries.

"I can think of someone it'll look better on." (Y/N)'s hand reaching out for it, tugging at it, smiling when I lean closer, crowding against her, hand dragging down her side, relinquishing my hold on the tee in favour of letting my hands brush over the soft towel to graze against bare skin instead. Damp against my palms, letting them slide up, briefly squeezing at soft curves before hoisting her up, setting her on the drawers. Hands lingering before drawing away, settling on the wood instead.

Hand smoothening out the fabric, fingers tracing the black lettering across the chest.

I've worn that shirt enough to know that the very fibres of it are interwoven with my scent. That it's sunk in so deep that the shirt no matter how many different scents may overlay it every now and then it still carries my pheromonal signature in its material.

Even now, her fingers reaching to draw the towel off, her actions slow and measured. Precise, knowing how much my attention fixates onto the movement, how much it in turn toys with my restraint to reach where the towel tucks against her cleavage and to just tug it off.

Slow and unrushed as she lets it fall away, my hands snagging the shirt before she can, drawing the well-worn fabric over her head, threading one arm through then the other, knuckles grazing against skin as I draw the fabric over the full curves of her chest, down the dip of her waist and where it sits for now over the flared curve of her hips.

Knowing that when she stands the fabric will fall lower, hem brushing against marked thighs.

A deeply rooted satisfaction pools under my skin at the thought, hands dragging her forward, hooking under her thighs and tugging, grinning when she lets her legs lock around me in lieu of standing, chuffs rumbling pleased and happy at the gesture. At the choice to press against me, her head ducking to nose along the stretched neckline, eyes lingering at the glimpse of collarbones and her shoulders, the fabric slipping against the slope of her arm, left there as she settles for winding her arms around me instead.

Mouth lowering to brush against the curved expanse of skin, teeth nibbling gently, smiling at her soft squirm, pressing tighter against me.

"Behave tiger."

"I won't." teeth sinking in sharper, working the skin between them, sucking hard enough that she groans, tilting closer, curving around me, anchoring herself to me, shoulders growing taut at the pressure of tongue and teeth at her skin. Lips pressing slow kisses to the mark left behind, mouthing at it slowly.

"You won't?" voice slightly breathless.

"Not for an instant."

Her eyes flash, pupils dilating at the tone of my voice, words crooning lowly. Heavy promise in every syllable.

Her hand reaches to brush slowly against my curls, angling my jaw to her, fingers crooked to keep my lips tilted to her as she leans into me, lips brushing against mine.

The kiss tender and sweet, a sharp cry from the wickedness flickering in her gaze, keeping me still, hands tightening their grip on the back of her thighs.

Hissing against her when her teeth nip sharply in retribution, grinning against my lips, lip stinging, only pressing a small peck to it, tongue flicking gently over the sting when I jut my lip out. Growling softly in whining demand.

"You baby. My cub." Soft coos murmured into skin, nosing along my jaw as she tucks herself against me, cheek coming to rest against my shoulder.

The words don't flare the heated demand to prove that I'm her tiger.

Because between the cycles... in the quiet lazy contentment of unrushed indulgence... I can be her cub. Just as she's mine.

Indulging in the soft teasing and slow kisses, in the thorough, drawn out scenting and the words murmured into skin.

Holding her to me as I walk from the bedroom to the living room, hovering over the large couch, her eyes flaring with surprise at the small jolt of her body falling into the cushions, hands pushing herself upright with a laughing grin.

Settling herself comfortably over the couch, legs sprawling out as she twists to get comfortable, unable to tear my eyes away from the way she looks in the white tee, the loose fabric ghosting along curves, the slight draping fit only providing teasing glimpses of the curves underneath the shirt. Faint shadows of bruised and bitten claims peeking past where the fabric gapes or where the white of it can't hide mottled reds and purples.sss

"You sit... lie all pretty. I'll get food. Don't move." Words chiding as I duck lower to press a kiss to one flickering ear then the other, fingers briefly carding through damp hair, nails dragging gently at her scalp, smiling when she tilts her head back to crane into the touch, eyes fluttering heavily.

A long overdue sleep as well.

Hybrid biology might be designed to make ruts and heats physically easier on the body than if it was a human partner going through it but that didn't mean she couldn't be exhausted or run-down regardless.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Words soft as she sinks back against the cushions, eyes following mine until I move out of sight, slipping out quickly into the hallway.

Choosing to let her rest comfortably than to take her from room to room.

There's a wonderfully new thrill in sharing the entire apartment's space with her. With the knowledge that for the entirety of my rut and her heat the space is ours alone for me to hoard my fawn in.

And for all that the selfish want rears its head, possessiveness in coveting her, in keeping her all for myself, there's a burning fond affection when I tug open the fridge door, eyes finding the pre-packed food containers sitting there.

Eyes immediately recognising the array of handwriting on the notes on the boxes.

There's the familiarity of pack scattered across the containers and drinks. Meal boxes with Yoongi and Jin hyung's familiar script. The fruit boxes, bright and inviting, with Joon and Jimin's, lips quirking upwards. Smile deepening further as I rifle through the fridge, drawing out bottled shakes and waters, finding stickers and the bright smatter of colourful ink labelling and ranking them by Hobi hyung and Kookie.

I know, that outside of rut, on the other end of it... that looking back I'll be nothing but appreciative of my mates, of our mates and pack tending and caring even with a distance between us.

And maybe... maybe ruts always won't claw at me from the insides until every inch of me screams and thrashes for my mate, to be buried deep in her and drowned in her scent... maybe then... maybe then I'll be able to spend my ruts with my pack.

And then this tending from a distance won't be an issue, there'll be a shared experience of tending to each other.

But for now (Y/N) is mine. And she's mine alone to tend to, to protect and fuss over. Mine to satiate every nurturing, protective tendy instinct with.

Hands carefully juggling the drinks wedged between my arms, tucking them to my sides and carefully padding out of the kitchen, fingers reflexively tightening even as I hiss at the heat of the glass containers against my touch, regretting not grabbing a tray.

Hurrying forward to set them down on the coffee table, bottles thudding against the surface, turning to peer at (Y/N) where she's still sprawled against the cushions, head half-drooped on one, nosing at it unconsciously. Scenting it.

Ears flickering to perk at the sound, warm soft eyes blinking at me with a loose smile.

"Back already?"

"Before you could fall asleep without me."

Smile curling deep as she pushes herself upright, slowly drawing herself upright, pressing herself against the back of the couch, hand patting the space beside her.

"Without my berry blanket? Never."

I nudge the coffee table closer to the couch, within direct reach before clambering into the space beside her, purposely crowding against her, soft giggles muffled against my skin as she tugs me closer to her, nose nudging against my throat, lips curved into a smile against my skin as she wraps an arm around my front. Settling so she's half-sprawled over me when I reach for the first container, propped up against me, hands reaching for it carefully, proffering the first spoonful to me first.

"You need the energy more!" I refute, trying to steer it back to her, a soft huff at her stubborn insistence as she redirects it to my lips again, spoon nudging at my mouth, coaxing me to eat.

"But giving me a thorough breeding must've tired out my strong tiger." Words half-teasing as they are provoking, laughter laced into her tone.

I narrow my eyes at her, silently parting my lips to take the first bite, hand curling around her wrist to keep her hand anchored close to me, appraising her with a slow scrutiny. Thorough and examining.

Throat bobbing as I swallow, tugging the spoon from her to scoop a mouthful up. Nudging it against her lips, chest rumbling with the beginnings of a deep satisfied chuff when she eats without complaint. Taking the opportunity to bring a few more mouthfuls to her lips, nudging the food against her mouth before she can utter complaint, before she can get to arguing about fairness. Instincts beginning to be settled further and further at the sight of her body curled up against me.

One container emptied. Then another. Drawing a bottle to her lips, a warm pooling in my chest at the sight of doe eyes holding mine trustingly, head resting against me, fingers brushing nonsensical, distracting patterns onto skin with featherlight sweeping touches that linger long after her touch does.

Eyes drifting to slick lips, my own curving, fangs pricking at my bottom lip as I finally give her an answer.

"Clearly I must not have tired you out enough if you've got breath to challenge a tiger's stamina."

Nipping the tip of her nose, eyes dark as I hold hers.

Feeling the faint stirring of heat at the coy demureness in her eyes when I've seen them dark with arousal and blown wide with pleasure.

When I've been snared by them countless times, over and over, when I've seen my own reflection mirrored back at me in them, lost in the throes of carnal rut. In the mindless haze of chasing the pleasure that she gives.

"Seems like you'll have to do a better job mate mine." Challenge making the heated embers flare to life, flames that crackle and gain heat, feeding off the teasing mischief of her words heavy with molten teasing need.

My hand sets down the bottle hastily, body gravitating towards (Y/N) instead. Everything but her so easily forgotten and dismissed. Pushed aside.

Nosing along her skin briefly, hand angling her face up at, indulgently leaning into her, half-curved over her, chasing her scent to catch the tell-tale betraying thickening sweetness of her scent slowly progressing towards another cycle.

But her scent is strong and stable, she's enjoying pushing and playing with my buttons and restraint, enjoying the way her words make my scent burst sharp and strong and thrumming with challenge and predatory playfulness to hunt my prey and prove every word wrong.

"Don't worry baby cub, when this rut's over, you'll have no doubt over my stamina. You won't say I wasn't tiger enough... if I leave you with breath enough to speak."

Words low and crooned against her skin, fingers curling into my shirt to tug her closer to me, food momentarily forgotten, the phantom pressure ache of claws under my nails, of the biological want that tries to nudge along the instinct to sink the same fingers into her, to tug out broken cries of overwhelmed pleasure and to taste her on my tongue once again. Eyes scanning the black lettering sprawled over her chest, over the full curves of her breasts, nipples pebbling under the material, shifting onto her back as she settles to welcome my weight on hers.

Settling on her hips and straddling her.

Pinning her to the couch.

Head cocked as I appraise her.

Gaze slow and unrushed as it trawls over her.

Thumb brushing over her bottom lip, dragging slowly against it, feeling the heat of her breath ghost along skin, the scrape of teeth and the flick of tongue as she parts her lips, gaze lidded.

"I thought food first."

"That hasn't changed."

"I thought-resting first." She adds, lips quirking in the corners. A dangerous lilt to her smile, the wicked delight in her eyes beckoning.

Playing with fraying restraint, my scent sharp and strong, hips rocking down against her, fangs peeking past my lips at the sharp intake of breath, a soft groan.

"You have a way of playing with a man's restraint. That makes the animal come out."

"Why? Tigers don't toy with their prey?"

"Sweetheart when I'm hunting you, you'll know." Hand dragging down from her jaw to curl loosely against her gland, a sharp visceral burning memory of teeth sinking into the mating marks at her throat, fingers leisurely tracing them now, the small tremor in her quiet swallow, throat arching to present the permanent claims better.

Thumb sweeping lazy patterns against the line of her neck, purposely avoiding her gland, teasingly drifting close enough her scent spills readily to stain the pad of my fingers.

"When you're caught and pinned. When you're begging for me to stop playing you'll know." I murmur, voice dragging lower and lower, rasping with a growl that begins to bleed into my tone.

"What will you do then? When will you let me have my fun?" hand brushing from my shoulder downwards, a slow, lazy exploratory touch that maps me to her palm and fingertips, leaves their trace behind, warmth lingering and seeping into skin, inching lower and lower, past my sternum and down my torso to my navel.

Fingers a fleeting ghosting pressure against the waistband of shorts slung low on my hips, knuckles dragging against the divot of bone, cupping me over fabric. A tight taunting squeeze that has my hips bucking forward, gritting my teeth as a small hiss bubbles past my lips.

"What fun?"

"I want a taste. Not fair that you should get to indulge only."

The heat of a sole fingertip brushing past the waistband, skimming across skin scorches my body, fangs snapping at her jaw, soft growl beginning to rumble at the back of my throat.

"Want to have your mouth bred?"

Eyes sharp and cunning.

Contemplative.

I know that look. I know the weight in it. I know that there's more waiting to be sprung on me.

But she says nothing in lieu of letting her hand drift lower, head tilting back to sink against the cushions, propped up as she looks at me.

Legs shifting to part slightly, still pinned under my weight, thighs astride hers.

Hand delving lower under the waistband to cup me skin against skin, teasing fleeting touches making my body immediately respond, stiffening in her palm, her name a low groan that ripples in the air as my head curves forward, eyes following her movements. The sight of her hand under fabric, dragging lower as she continues to tease my body to respond so readily and eagerly to her touch, her scent driving my arousal to a spiralling height, quick and disorienting. Her scent is an aphrodisiac that makes my skin and blood burn with a roaring ache that sears to life at her touch, rutting into her touch, hips bucking forward slowly.

"You're upto something." Words trembling slightly.

Unabashed with how readily and easily she makes my resolve unravel, with how viscerally (Y/N) affects me.

"Just want to make you feel good. Is that a crime?"

Her pupils dilating in the slightest at my scent pooling sweeter and heavier, tart with the sharp musky edge of rut beginning to creep slowly into my pheromones. Staining them with how much my biology craves her, how much her slow teasing begins to rile me up.

My biology is wired and programmed to respond so readily for my mate, recognising her as mine, surrendering to her touches, hips rutting with a growing frantic hunger that licks at my spine, pools in my gut, winds itself around my limbs, snaring me in the familiar scorch of heat that slowly begins impeding on my senses. Crowding on them, cocooning them in their slowly simmering intensity, my hand curling around her forearm, drawing her further into the touches, trying to chase a greater relief than the slow torturous teasing she inflicts.

"Never you wicked minx." Words groaned as her hand curls tighter, drawing me in a loose fist, hips bucking into the touch, thrusting into the palm of her hand encircling me, her hand reaching to tug the waistband down, my hands hasty and impatient in aiding her, pushing them down my thighs, unable to bear the thought of drawing away to shuck them off entirely.

There's fire in her eyes. Molten desire pooling in the darkening of her irises as she tightens her grip, coaxing my hips to buck forward quicker, the snap of my hips turning sharper. Impatient as my arms settle on either side of her, bracketing her under me, head dropping forward, teeth dragging against the shell of her ear.

A slowly curling satisfaction in sweetening floral notes, a slower acclimation towards a cycle that neither of our bodies or biologies hasten towards.

Letting it crowd our senses and fog them bit by bit.

The sight of her hand curled around me makes my body ache, rocking into her palm, slow dragged out thrusts that just as much taunt me as her gaze does, her fingers curling tighter, a building pressure as her eyes fixate on the sight, hand coaxing me to a stiffening hardness that makes every touch bring a pulsing throb of heat to grow further and further. The heat suffused in my veins slowly gains intensity, frustration bubbling in a low growl that makes my teeth and gums ache, lips parting as I draw in shallow breaths, senses tingling with the way floral anise sinks in deeper and deeper into skin.

Her tongue darts out to whet her bottom lip, the sight of it flicking briefly against soft flesh, teeth sinking in slightly before she tilts her head to peer at me, the movement inviting my eyes from bared collarbones, up the column of her throat to fixate on her mouth. Bucking forward sharper into the encircled grip of her hand.

Head tilting back as her touches come to a still.

Eyes darkened with lust.

"Going to use my mouth?"

The growl shudders out of me, hand dragging up her front, fingers shy of her throat, from digging into her glands, letting them drift upwards to thumb at her parted lips, tugging her bottom lip down, leaning into her to press a kiss to her mouth. Tongue sweeping past lax lips to brush against hers, chasing the heat of her mouth willingly surrendered to me, groaning against her, her hand dragging up my torso to rest against my chest, fingers curling into skin slightly.

She doesn't have claws, she's not a predator. Yet the possessiveness of her touch resting right over my heartbeat, fingers curled against my sternum as if she aches to press closer is a proudly possessive touch that screams mine. My heart, my body is hers. I'm hers.

And I feel the weight of that claim as I chase the slick brush of her tongue curling against mine, kiss messy and uncoordinated. Bruising as I let my teeth sink into her bottom lip, tugging out a soft moan. Swallowing the sound down eagerly.

"With pleasure." I grit out, admiring the kiss-reddened state of her lips, slightly swollen from pressure.

Her hand unfurls from around me, drawing herself into a half-seated sprawl, settling under me, hands nudging at my hips, brushing against my thighs, squeezing tight.

My hands reach over to settle on the arm of the couch, settling behind her head, hands curled against upholstery, body looming over hers. Moving further up the couch until I'm kneeling over her sprawled form, weight no longer resting on hers but body caging hers in regardless.

Eyes fluttering at the first brush of her lips against my length, a teasing ghosting touch before her mouth parts and she lets her lips sink forward around me, hands curled around my thighs as she draws me in. Unconsciously my stance settles more securely, thighs shifting as she lets her mouth draw back, hovering the smallest distance away.

Testing the dwindling, unravelling impatience, lips parting wider when I lose first. Hips bucking forward, hand against her jaw as she takes me deeper, mouth sinking around me. The wet heat of her tongue flicking against me, tasting me, drawing me deeper as she moves her face forward, away from the sprawl against the pillows. My hands curling tighter against the couch's arm, gripping tightly as my hips thrust forward into the sheath of her parted lips, burying myself deeper. A sharp snap as I buck forward, a throaty reverberated groan that shudders around me, reflexively swallowing around me, the pressure and heat of her mouth drawing me deeper has a moan spilling past my lips, scent sharpening and thickening with arousal.

There's no carefulness or indulgence in taking my time, the drag of her lips and tongue making my skin burn and body thrash with the need to bury myself deeper and deeper, her hands sprawled over my thighs, dragging against skin, inviting me to lose control. Because her eyes shine with the wicked delight of being able to make me unravel for her.

Groan muffled around me, drawing her head back as far as the pinning grip of my hand at her jaw allows, hand snaking round to sink fingers into her hair, entangling into damp strands and cradling the back of her head. Drawing her closer to let myself buck forward, rocking my hips deeper and quicker into the lax heat of her lips opening further with a hazed pliancy that clouds her eyes with lust and impeding heat.

Slowly clouding her senses, her scent thickening the more she mouths at me, tongue dragging slow against my length, teasing touches and deeper swallows as she takes me further, fingers distracting as they trail to the inside of my thighs, brushing against skin. Sparking burning flames to scorch across sensitive skin, fingers digging in tight when my hips thrust forward in a sharp motion, burrowing deeper, her breath wavering. The tight muffled cry against me has my limbs coiling up, the pressure around my lungs tightening as I breathe in her heady scent, fingers tightening in her hair, tugging her closer.

Slowness melts away as impatience trickles in.

A heat that seeps into my veins and makes them roar with want, a dizzying rush as coherency lingers, lucid and fully conscious of every single motion, every single shift in her expression and scent, her legs shifting under me, thighs rubbing together as she nudges at my thighs with her hands.

Drawing herself off, lungs shuddering for air, chest heaving as she looks at me, gaze dark and pupils dilated, lips slick as she catches her breath, the sound rasping and grating at the fire, fanning the flames to a burning height, lungs full of honeying anise and saccharine berries; the two entangling to become cloyingly sweet. Trickling down my throat and clinging to my lungs, making every breath laboured, grip turning gentler as she looks at me, eyes watering, large doe eyes blinking at me, mouth parted as she draws in weak breaths.

A challenge she issues for herself and for me as she leans to chase the taste of my pleasure staining her tongue once more, the harsh pleasure spiralling as she draws me deeper and deeper, sheathing me into her mouth, fingers curled into my thighs and eyes holding mine. Teary doe eyes consumed with arousal as she swallows around me, her hand drifting to loosely brush against my length, encircling me before bucking her mouth forward, my hand tugging her forward.

Entangled into hair and tugging her to take me deeper, hips rutting further and further, relishing in the sharp breaths as she swallows, the reverberations as she moans around me, her eyes fluttering with pleasure, expression softening with the daze as she willingly surrenders control of her mouth. Tongue chasing my taste and the suction of her mouth around me.

Groaning as my hand tightens in her hair, the other clawing and gripping tightly at the arm of the couch, pace hastening as she lets me control the pace. Hips bucking forward quicker, slamming forward into her mouth, her hands trembling as she lets her throat go lax, tugging her closer, hand steering her head forward over and over for each thrust. The sound of choked breaths and wavering moans, inhales and exhales shuddery and rasped as I draw back, the tip of my length resting against parted lips, tongue and mouth parting in provocative, carnal invite.

Breed my mouth.

"Tae..." my name is a hoarse murmur on her lips, a breathy rasp as her eyes flutter, head tilting back at the lighter drag of my hand against her nape, brushing circles into skin, a brief fleeting touch before she lets her mouth go lax. Watching with a hazed deliriousness as her eyes clench shut when I buck my hips forward, until her mouth is entirely sheathed around me, feeling the contractions of her throat as she swallows around me, her head resting against my navel, the flutter of lashes a brief squirming sensation that entangles with the lancing heat growing further and further. The easy glide and slick mess as her lips remain parted as I continue to rut into her mouth, the rock of my hips dragging back and forth, gaze snared to the sight of how it ruins her, her face smoothened out with pleasure.

A lazy looseness in her limbs, my own body is tightly coiled, a wall of tense limbs and stiff muscles, all winding tighter and tighter, half curved over her, thighs trembling as my head falls forward, fangs pricking my bottom lip.

The faint taste of iron entangling with saccharine arousal that clings to the air, clings to the inside of my body with every intake of breath, arm straining as I keep myself propped up over her, chasing the blind release that makes my senses roar with a burning ache. Unable to think of anything but the constant slick glide of her tongue and lips, rutting forward with a burning desperation that aches.

The peak that washes over me, splintering and just as sharp, prickling against skin, body burning and thrumming with the bubbling arousal welling higher and higher, overflowing, body shuddering as my back bows forward.

Almost losing all ability to hold myself upright, hips bucking forward and slamming deep. Sheathed in her mouth as release spills onto her tongue, swallowing around me, swallowing down the pleasure that stains her throat, hand brushing against my hipbone, distracting patterns that only makes the growing fire crackle, the pressure in my spine, at my tailbone is taut before it snaps. A rubber band stretched further and further until it can't, dizzy with pleasured euphoria, release overwhelming my senses, (Y/N) keeping me at a peak my body has no intention of coming down from. The taste of iron stronger on my tongue, entangled with anise, floral syrupy sweetness that's treacle on my senses, sinking in slowly.

Her name tumbles off my lips over and over, a mantra, a cry, the peak of my release entirely lost in her, mindlessly aching for her, heat prickling at skin.

The tears in her eyes well up, brim up to hover on her waterline, spilling over, tears splashing against flushed cheeks, fingers trembling as I thumb at tears, uncoordinated and movement slow, her scent spiralling with a thick honeyed want that's betrayed by the visceral reactions of her body.

Her pulse a thrumming wild beat against my hand as it disentangles from her hair, fingers settling against her throat, dragging down her gland, branding it with the tell-tale scent of sharp arousal entangled with sweet berry.

Breath-taking. My mate is breath-taking.

She doesn't relinquish her hold on my thighs, slowly letting herself be eased back once the fog of scents and release doesn't cloud my mind entirely from coherency, hand brushing against her throat, feeling it bob as she swallows heavily, fingers rubbing lines up and down the side of her neck.

Drawing back, legs still feeling the aftershocks of pleasure jolting my muscles as I lean away, eyes raking over her with a careful intense scrutiny. Thumbing at the corner of her mouth, leaning down to press my lips against one fluttering eyelid then the other.

Lips trailing lower, tasting the faint tang of salt from tears, nosing at her cheeks, nuzzling gently into her, our breaths wavering and shaky.

"Oh cub... took me so well. Always so perfect for me." Voice low and quiet, praise murmured against her as I cup her cheeks, her head tilting forward, lips curved in a breathless smile.

"Can't be the only one falling apart. Not when you look so pretty crying out my name Tae."

The rise and fall of her chest is uneven, deep breaths being drawn in, words crooned to me, a hoarse quality to it, she sounds wrecked but not nearly as much as I am. Ruined by pleasure, by the dizzying waves of it, mind syrupy.

"Why didn't you go on top? I like you on my lap." Slumping boneless astride her thighs once more, body curving closer to lean into the warm of her body, hands brushing past fabric to slip upwards, tracing over marks and settling at her waist. A tight squeeze as I hover over her, not entirely flush with her body just yet.

"I don't know~ there's something about a tiger pinning me in with his body and using my mouth that... it's something else. I know I was the one to make you fall apart... and yet, I was caged in. Trapped."

There's a raspy quality to her voice, ruined by the control she surrendered of her mouth. And it sends heat to lick at skin, a hazy warmth that pools with desire in flesh and bones once more. The knowledge of knowing that I've done that to her throat, left her voice bearing its effect makes my scent bloom with primal satisfaction.

"You like that baby cub? Like being caged and trapped? Being made to take all a tiger has to give?"

Her eyes flutter as her smile curves, dangerous heat in the sensuous curve of her mouth, her tongue flicking against her bottom lip, as if still relishing my taste branded on her lips.

"You think being a prey doesn't have its advantages? For my big, wild predator to hunt me and pin me? Oh tiger... I want nothing more. If you can keep up, if you can catch me."

Challenge stoking the predatory instincts, purposely riling and provoking them, stirring them from a brief slumber.

I look at her.

And know.

That as much as a predator, a tiger likes toying with his hunt before digging in, (Y/N), my sweet prey, my fawn wants to be made to know. That when she's hunted, it's game over.

-----------------

"Where could my cub possibly be hiding?" I drawl, steps quiet as I advance into the kitchen, prowls slow and unrushed, nose chasing the sweet tendrils of her scent from where she'd first slipped away from the living room, sleep-rumpled disarray morphing into stumbling steps turning mischievous as she ducked away for my hand trying to tug her back onto the couch, a frustrated whine morphing into a soft growl when she'd only stepped back, tugging the hem of her shirt free from clasping fingers.

Ducking away with quick steps and laughter making her features shine with warmth, lips curled teasingly and rubbing sleep from her eyes, hair mussed and my scent clinging to her like a second skin.

My instincts immediately wanted nothing more than to swipe her again and let my scent sink deeper, to meld with skin and blood, to be entirely fused with her. Her body engrained with my pheromonal claim.

Her scent leaves its trails engrained into the space, teasing me even if she's not in immediate sight, not in immediate reach to lunge for her and grab her. To bury myself into that scent, to sink my fangs into its source and take.

There's slowly curling amusement seeping into my pheromones, bleeding into my scent, tail curling, spine tingling as my tail swishes and sways with excitement. Body thrumming with a bubbling anticipation, the heat under my skin steadily bubbling higher and hotter, making me prickle with a growing urge to find my fawn and sink myself entirely into her.

Her words ringing in my ears, breathless and raw with need, doe eyes dilated and peering at me unwavering and assured.

As if knowing saying it was enough. Her tiger would do it for her.

I like being caged. Trapped.

Catch me if you can. Hunt me down tiger.

Her scent is a warm heavy thrall that draws me closer and closer to her, chasing the tendrils of her sweet scent down the hallway towards her bedroom, advancing on the near-shut door with noiseless treads. Ears perked, fully alert to catch any sound that she knows I'm quietly slipping closer and closer to her.

"I know you're there tiger." Words lilted, full of amusement, filtering past the tiny slither of space where the door isn't entirely shut.

My feet come to a still, lingering at the threshold of the door, hand curling around the handle even if I don't immediately push it open. Not immediately rushing forward and ruining the quiet slowness of each tread.

My eyes narrow with suspicion, contemplating and questioning whether she's calling a bluff, the heat that's been steadily suffusing further and further into my veins, skin flushed and hot. It's disorienting how much my brain is desperate to hold on, not surrendering entirely to the burning heat beginning to gnaw at me from the inside, dizzy with the mix of sensations, how much I want (Y/N), to the point it's becoming a sharp, prickling ache. And yet how much my instincts and biology are thriving with the thought of surprising her and pouncing on her.

Liar.

Waiting with bated breath, hand tightening but not pushing the door open, the amusement seeping through her tone when she speaks again.

"Tae baby I can smell you." she lilts.

My tail curls, head cocked as I stare at the door for a few beats more before pushing open the door, eyes quickly scanning the room and settling on her.

Gaze narrowing at the stretch of distance between us, the bed bereft of my fawn sprawled on it, her hands drawing back from the open window, curtains fluttering.

Turning to lean against the sill, hands curled loosely around the edge, fingers on the curtain, smile deepening.

"Aren't you cold?" is the first thing I ask, the room significantly cooler than it's been since I've established it as mine. Our scents woven into the very fabric of the room, wormed deep into every nook and cranny.

"The room smelt like-" she trails off.

Sex. Carnal, untamed sex.

It still carried the vestiges of our scents laden with arousal, sunk into the room, into the nest with a cloying sweet thickness that made my gut clench with every inhale.

"Us."

Hand nudging the door shut, tail swaying and swishing behind me, my eyes narrowing onto her, the small flicker of her ears as the door clicks, locked shut behind me. Encasing the two of us in the space.

No escape.

Nowhere to run.

No-one but us.

My scent sharpens with interest, watching as she takes in the space, appraising it with a renewed gaze, head tilting, legs stretched out in front of her, the hem of my tee brushing against her thighs, white a sharp contrast to the purples and reds mottled along the inside of her thighs, the shift of her legs teasing me with glimpses of bruises left behind.

Fangs aching to sink in and leave a permanent claim behind but instincts growling with the want to have her entirely overwhelmed and lost in pleasure before I bite down and leave behind my mating claim on her.

A heat that pools in the base of my spine and fans out across my body, steps slow as I move away from the door towards her, eyeing the lazy sprawl of her body leaning against the curtains and sill, not yet moving.

Carefully watching my every move.

She lets me get close enough that she's in arm reach before she ducks away from the first swipe of my hand, taking steps away from me, moving towards the other end of the room, her tail flicking-a barely noticeable flicking motion under the loose stretched fabric.

Eyes pinning on her hips, on the generous curves not entirely hidden away under the shirt, clinging to the fabric where it briefly flits over her hips to brush against her thighs, tongue flicking against my fangs as I advance on her, relishing in the taste of a hunt that begins.

Blood roaring in my veins, a rumbling emanating deep in my chest as she ducks and weaves past me with ease, laughter and lilted croons of my names a beckoning call that draws me closer to her, to trapping me against a fawn, my prey toying with her predator before he hunts her down.

Hair curling against her shoulders where it's dried now, the teasing slope of skin dark with where my teeth had sunk in earlier, moving behind her with a purposely slowed tread.

I almost manage to bracket her against her drawers, our eyes meeting in the mirror, a flash of carnal predatory hunger searing through me, steps faltering as I stagger for her, fangs pricking against my lips, pooling over at the taste of her scent turning syrupy sweet, her own eyes dilating as we hold each other's gaze for mere moments, infinite seconds before the lure that kept our feet rooted snaps. And she ducks away before I can cage her there, fingers curling into wood mere seconds after she was there, body colliding with wood and not soft curves. Growls rumbling past my lips, twisting into a baring of fangs, tongue darting out to taste the way her scent seeps into the air, stains it with the beginnings of honeyed interest and arousal, pheromones betraying the shift in her body, in her biology. Both fawn and tiger instincts gearing up for the chase, finding that being chased and chasing set her blood alight in the same way it did mine.

"You know... there's a reason I like running." Words drawn out slowly, reeling me in, steps slower as she eyes the surroundings before fixing her gaze on me. Holding my eyes to hers, rooted there by the dark mischief glittering in soft large eyes.

"Why?"

Willingly taking the extended bait she dangles with the small silence, letting myself be snared because it's her.

"To be a good mate the very least you can do is catch me. The very least I can do is make you earn it."

"To have my fawn I have to be quick enough to get her."

Her lips curve up.

"Exactly."

She sidesteps me easily when I move towards her, steps slowing, assessing the shift in her body language, the almost imperceptible shift as she straightens, steps light and fluid.

For as much as every inch of my biology and my body are wired to be a hunter, to be a predator, to be quick and surefooted, to be quiet and noiseless in my approach unless I want... her biology is wired to run, to make the chase count.

My prey mate who makes her predator mates earn her, earn her and chase her, lose ourselves in the same mindless rush of endorphins and adrenaline that sears through her veins when she runs, shares it with us.

Biologies intertwining and overlapping. Syncing together.

"And you locked the door to what? Make the hunt more thrilling?" voice lilting as she tests the handle, fingers not drifting to unlock it, gaze curious.

In response my lips stretch wider, fangs peeking, letting them pool over my lips.

Words growled out in response, sparking the heat of the challenge to burn that much hotter.

"Run beautiful."

The only warning, the only prompting she gets before I surge forward with a growl rippling past bared fangs and parted lips, tail coiling alongside the bubbling arousal that simmers under my skin, the flames of a cycle sinking in, fusing with blood and bones making them ache with a growing restlessness.

Scent tart with primal hunger, saliva pooling in my mouth at her taste, grounding my gums with the ache of wanting to sink teeth into her and bite, the room encasing the two of us.

There's space to run but just how far can she go?

Her scent sweetens the closer I approach her, the air crackling with tension that bubbles and wells up, eyeing the barriers furniture poses in front of us, the soft beanbags, the scattered blankets where the nest falls open, her steps fumbling over it before she draws herself to the other end of the bed.

The two of us eyeing each other, the distance between us, the bed posing a barrier from directly lunging for her and yanking her close.

"Going to catch me?" voice breathless and tinged with a warm teasing lilt.

"First run.... baby you gotta run." I drawl, tongue feeling heavy and slightly uncoordinated in my own mouth, flicking against my fangs and lips, rushing for her, every inch of my skin tingling with the brimming urge to tackle her and bracket her with my own body.

Slowly circling round the bed, her treads lighter, nimble. She's made for running just as much as my biology is made for hunting.

There's not just the crackle of arousal bubbling higher because this is not just a chase that fuels and feeds our biologies, it winds them together. It feels like a hunt, a predator chasing down his prey to feast on. Her scent hits my senses, swarms them with its heady intoxicating potency, a richness that drugs my senses. Leaves them entirely surrendered to her, lost to the sweetening pulse of anise turning honeyed, floral cloying syrupy want that makes my lungs shudder, drawing in deep lungfuls, hungering and greedy for her scent to stain my lungs just as much as it does skin. It almost makes my lungs ache with how much her scent drags me into a spiralling mess of pleasure and need, skin blistering with heat as I rush after her, trying to close the distance, to overturn the space between us and grab her.

There's nothing but tiger left. There's no human left, no coherency, no lucid conscious thoughts that nudge me to the laughter and yelps, brain wired to the quality of her breathless exhales, shuddery and soft, trembling in the air.

Chasing after her and allowing her to relish the hunt just as much as my blood sings for it, instincts growling with a wild exulting giddiness that makes my pulse quicken, ears stiff and alert and trained on breathless laughter as she clambers onto the bed, a low rippling growl spilling past my lips at the sight of her hips arched back, pronounced and presented, the taunting sway as she scrabbles across sheets, a muffled yelp as I lunge for her, tackling her against the bed. The final fraying strings of patience snapping. A rough slam of my body colliding with hers, arms winding around her, growl rumbling and pressed to her hair as I pin her to the bed, weight bearing down entirely on her, growl increasing in volume, rumbling deeper when she squirms underneath me. Fangs snapping at her throat, feeling the slight laxness it immediately elicits, her biology acknowledging that she's caught even if she doesn't.

"No fair! That wasn't a proper chase." Voice muffled, squirming until my weight bears off her enough that she can turn her head to peer at me, doe eyes flashing with petulance, lips pouting.

But I can see how her pupils dilate as my fangs nip at skin, sinking in harsher over an already darkened purpled bite, teeth clamping down, the slight struggle bleeding out her posture, squirms half-hearted as she holds my gaze. My reflection wild and untamed, eyes glinting as I look at her.

I can feel the flick of her tail as she continues to wriggle, trying to dislodge the pinning sprawl of my weight settled entirely over her, chuffing when I see that she's utterly and wholly trapped under me, nowhere to move, no way of escape.

Got you.

"No? You didn't want me to pin you down?" grinning against her throat, fangs raking against skin at her shuddered groan, her fingers clasping loosely at the sheets.

No answer save for the breathless shudders muffled against the bed, hips still squirming in a way that makes the arousal pool in my body, biology wired to make me respond instantly, feeling the stiffness as my hips buck forward. Rutting against her with a sharp, deep grind. Letting her know just how her pheromones, how chasing her has made my body feral with the need to bury myself in her.

Knowing full well all I'd have to do is push the t-shirt up, body bare under it, and pin her legs open and take.

"What should I do now that I've caught you~?" I lilt, words rasped against her skin, guttural and hoarse with a wild bubbling hunger that makes my mind almost delirious with no thought save for (Y/N).

"Fuck." The sharp intake of breath, the hissed curse as she rocks her hips back against me, pushing back as much as the pinned sprawl of my weight against her allows for sends sparks of arousal to prickle at my skin, hating the restraint of shorts barring me from rutting directly against the flesh of her backside, of just tugging the shirt up to rut against her, skin to skin.

"Oh I will." Lips curving into a predatory smirk against her skin, all fangs and teeth against the vulnerable curve of her neck.

Words a dragged out promise, relishing in the small squirms of her body, hips pushing back more flush against mine, drawing out the pleasure until it's a gnawing need that I can no longer ignore, impatience bubbling and clawing at me from the inside. Slowly drawing back but still caging her in. Body hovering over hers, hands settling on either side of her head, space enough that she turns in the circle of my space, settling on her back, cheeks flushed with heat and glinting desire in her eyes, chest rising and falling, breaths sharp and quick.

"I didn't say to turn." Words shuddering out of me as the rut begins to sink in, a restless heat that brings discomfort without immediate gratification, drawing myself off the bed, hands curling around her ankles. A sharp yank that drags her body down, sheets ruined and mussed, hands losing their purchase, pupils blowing wide at the sudden roughness of the gesture, fangs pooling over my bottom lip as I stand. Body towering over where hers is splayed on the sheets, hands tightening briefly around her ankles before unfurling, dragging upwards as I hover over her, half-curved over my caught prey. Hands settling on her hips, a sharp twist as I tug her upright only to turn her face down on the bed, hands tugging her hips back, settling on the curve of her backside, dragging down fabric to palm at skin. Groaning at the sight of her.

Hand pushing the fabric up so it can settle over the low of her spine, fingers and palm sprawled wide across skin, a sharp push that has her hips arching back more pronounced, pushing down her front until she's belly-down, half-propped on her arms, hips presented.

"Stay bent over." Words rasped against her skin, mind glazing over with her scent, words heavy on my tongue as I push down the waistband of my shorts, shucking them off with a clawing impatience, leaning to press against her, body crowding against hers, rutting with a messy franticness that makes my head swim with how quickly her scent spirals into a cloying thickness that makes my throat tighten.

In response her hands curl into the sheets, head turning to peer at me, dazed eyes looking at me, tail flicking at the base of her spine. Back bowing as her head falls forward as I fill her, length sheathing entirely to the hilt, burying myself in her, chest pressing to her back, greedily nosing along skin, hand pushing her hair from her nape, mouthing along skin, open-mouthed pants against her as I settle my hands on either side of her, hips slamming forward with a sharp thrust.

Tugging a broken cry past her lips, back pressing to my chest, the drag of fabric against skin, mind dizzy with the thought of breeding her as she wears my scent claim, filling her up as she wears a shirt that brands her as mine as much as the lettering stretched across her chest seems to.

Grinding my length deep, enough that she trembles under me from it and my body aches with a restless hunger for more. Lips dragging messy against skin, hips bucking forward in quick snaps to fill her over and over, no reprieve, no teasing, no lingering slowness left as the rut sinks in, swamps me and drowns me in its entirety.

The rough relentless grinds of my hips rutting deep with every thrust, lingering before drawing back to bury myself in her core all over again, lost in the mindlessness of it, lost in the way her hips push back meeting each thrust for thrust, body jolted forward with the force behind each snap of my hips.

Everything feels too hot, her skin just as feverish against mine, where our bodies meld together, branding and scorching one another, lungs shuddering and constricting around her scent, drawing in lungfuls of air that are saturated with how deeply her heat hits her, spiralling into the same gnawing intensity that claws at reason and thought.

And leaves the mindless need to continue to rut into her, hands sure to leave bruises with how tightly they grip her hips, tugging her back to meet every thrust, her body pinned to the sheets, front pressed to the bed with how my weight bears down on her, keeping her trapped and caged. Hips presented, face down, the slew of moans and cries soaked into the sheets and pillows, her hands clawing for stronger purchase on the sheets rucked around us, under her, eyes glassy and hazed with pleasure.

"Fuck... filling me so well Tae." The words are slurred and uncoordinated, tumbling past her lips that part with shaky exhales, eyes fluttering at a particularly sharp thrust, (Y/N) rocking her hips back, spreading her thighs to take me deeper, the invite in trembling legs as she pushes herself upright slightly, arms straining under the effort of trying to keep herself steady, to steady my weight plastered against her.

Teeth sinking into flesh with a sharper groaning want, tongue flicking against her skin, tasting her scent seeping off her in strong waves. One hand drifting from the curve of her hip to settle on the low of her back, pushing down, keeping her body pinned to the sheets, one hand tugging her hips back, the pronounced arch of her back dipping low and hips flush to mine as she continues to rock back. Thrusts frantic and rough, the drag of my length inside her constantly fuelling the roaring inferno set ablaze. And now that it burns, it drags the both of us in its flames and sets our skin alight, body seared with lust and arousal, drunk on each other's scent, on how it pushes us further and further into the numbing haze that leaves only her body under mine, thrashing and pushing back, needy cries trembling as her head bows, baring the vulnerable slither of skin, neck bared to me, teeth rough against her skin, against her gland, tugging her scent out for me to taste. Scenting rough and messy, imbued with need, primal and unrestrained as I growl against her skin, teeth raking at her pulse, feeling and tasting the thrum of her heartbeat against my tongue, under my lips, sucking a mark into the column of her throat. Her body coiling tighter under me, arms trembling as my name spills past her lips with a shaky cry. Pants ragged and shaky, lost in the repetitive drag of skin against skin, whines and soft mewls entangling with guttural groans wrenched from the depths of my chest, her soft trickling scent syrupy and laden with the spiralling peak I can smell, can feel her body shudder under me as her legs shake.

The pace of my hips unfaltering, continuing to rock forward, pace quickening when she trembles, back arching, throat bared as she slumps forward, arms buckling, my weight pressing flush to her back, the thud of my heat hammering against skin, hips arching into a deeper present. Legs falling open wider as her scent bursts with the rich intensity of her peak crashing into her, fingers slipping past the crease of her hip to drift down to her core, thumb brushing circles against her slick heat, against where I continue to bury myself over and over into her, whining as she thrashes under me, pleas sobbed against the sheets, fingers clawing at the sheets, curled so tight her knuckles whiten with pressure, the sight of her futilely trying to find some sort of purchase, some sort of grip to keep herself anchored as she cries my name has her peak cresting into another and mine spiralling to fall with hers.

Pleasure almost painful with how sharply release slams into me, a sudden tautness unravelling, her body tensing before she loosens. All the strings cut. Face pressed to the pillows, groaning wetly as my hand pushes down on the low of her back, over the curve of her backside, fingers tracing messy rough circles onto her slick nub.

"Tae please..." begging for something neither of us knows how to name, how to word into a coherent thought but somehow I know, grip on her tightening, fingers slick with arousal smearing against her thighs, sinking into flesh and grip bruising.

Her soft hiss as my hand digs into bruises already scattered across the inside of her thigh, hands snaking back to curl over the flare of her hips, blind with arousal and release, shuddering her name against her nape.

The snap of my hips turning slightly languid, hips flexing as I fill her, delirious with the thought of her being swollen and full. Feverish with a wild hunger to see her cubbed, to smell her scent milky on my tongue, to hear her beg for my kits, for my cubs to fill her.

"You take me so well, so deep... could stay like this forever." I groan against her, hips continuing to grind deep circles into her, her entire body going lax, hands no longer keeping her hips tugged up, letting them slump down so she's pressed entirely to the bed, my weight sprawling over hers.

Messy scent-marking, uncoordinated and rough, more teeth and tongue, sharp pinpricks of pleasure as I continue to spill into her, her scent overwhelmed by my scent entangling with hers, berry steeping into honeyed anise, saccharine and cloying intensity.

Sugary sweet breaths that the two of us draw in, hips continuing to rock further and further into her, knowing the fabric of my t-shirt she still wears will also carry the scent of our arousal. Will leave a reminder soaked into fabric.

But the fire doesn't quieten.

The flames don't dull to embers.

The inferno isn't soothed.

The blaze remains, searing its path through my veins, breaths rough pants against her skin, curls grazing against her shoulder, still thrusting slowly, softer growls rumbled against her skin, coaxing and eliciting a deeper haze that fogs her mind. Eyes glazed over, scent-drunk as her cheek rests against the pillow, eyes shiny and teary.

I'm going to breed her until she's crying because it's too much.

The peak that we've both lost ourselves to takes its time before we're slowly eased off that high, disoriented with how intensely it wracks our bodies.

Hips giving an experimental shift, rocking forward.

Groaning with a restless hunger when I realise that just as achingly hard and stiff my arousal still is, she's still as ready and hungering for more, hips pushing back, flush against mine, words uncoordinated and slow.

"Still want more? Not been bred properly yet?"

Words breathless and shaky.

But there's no hiding the purposely provoking intent in them.

Half-turning to peer at me, hand nudging at my forearm, thighs clenching to try keep me sheathed in her even as I draw out of her, fingers immediately brushing against her core, sinking two fingers in to quieten the restless whine growing in the back of her throat. To temporarily satisfy the discontent making my throat rumble with a growl at letting my arousal spill out of her.

My hand nudges her onto her back, watching as she slumps against the bed, skin flushed with the same heat that continues to simmer away. Body hot and coiled up.

Eyes raking hungrily over the sight of my shirt rucked around her waist, hitched up, bearing the expanse of skin that bares her stomach, hand brushing against the low of it.

Hand reflexively pressing down on her abdomen, groan guttural at how it makes her tighten around me, thighs closing to trap my hand between them.

"Fuck me Tae, fuck me full. Fuck me until I beg you to stop."

There's a snarl in bared teeth and fangs snapping at the guttural obscenity of her words, of the delirious hunger drowning her words with a thick slurred weight.

There's carnal hunger that matches mine burning in her eyes.

A demand. My mate demands it of me.

There's no softness, no tender slowness in a rut.

There's no love-making in the throes of cycles that yank out the most wild, unhinged parts of our biology, drags out every animalistic want from the depths of my hindbrain, tugging out the tiger until there's no doubt that the human in me has been stifled and forgotten. Cast aside.

She wants me to fuck her like an animal.

My words rumble, low and hoarse with wild heady need.

"Whatever my mate wants."

------------------

My instincts and biology thrash and keen, exulted and overwhelmed with the sight of her hips pushed back, the arch of her back pronouncing the curve of her waist and hips, presenting them to me. A carnal satiated pleasure at seeing the surrendering pliancy of her limbs, of how readily she gives.

But a different visceral arousal sears through me at seeing every shift in her expression, seeing how flushed her cheeks are, how dilated her gaze grows, scent entangled with mine and her glands swollen and puffy with stimulation, the barest of touches making her body arch and shudder under me.

My eyes are snared to the sight of how her body is jolted against the bed, the curve of her breasts under the shirt, hands pushing at the fabric with an impatient ravenous hunger, desperate to get my mouth and teeth and hands on her without fabric barring me. It's an unusual searing heat, confusingly disorienting because a wild hunger rears its head, growling and roaring with a primal possessiveness to see her being thoroughly ruined in my t-shirt. But a warring conflict is to let my hands drag against curves and press to skin without the barrier, desperate to see the way her body thrashes and arches with pleasure and to see the tautness in her limbs as she shudders, thighs clenching around me, hands dragging down my biceps to my forearms. The stinging trail of heat where her nails rake across skin. Leaving sharp pleasure blazing in their wake.

"Fuck... I don't have enough hands for what I want to do with you. For how much I want to ruin you." Frustration bleeding into my tone, making the weighted growls lacing my tone thicken, turn heavier. See her eyes hazed and fogged with pheromones, her pupils dilated with pleasure widen some more as she tightens her grip on me.

"Like what?" words coaxing, reeling out the hazed thoughts, spilling easily off my tongue for her.

"Want to feel how deeply I breed you." Hand briefly dragging down her front, from between her breasts to rest against her stomach, unsure whether wild fantasy and arousal fuels the delirious hunger, whether I imagine the tautness of her stomach, feeling her muscles clench and contract under my palm, mind glazed over with the primal heated thought that she can feel me in her stomach.

"Want to mark you up. Want to hold you down and make you take me over and over." Her thighs tighten around me, trying to draw me deeper into her, lips parted as she breaths tremble, a keening whine spilling past kiss-swollen lips, bruised with the fierce brand of my mouth melding to hers, desperate to taste the sticky sweet of her scent and to swallow the soft cries, tongue sweeping through the laxness of her lips, parting further under my groaned command.

"Want to keep your legs open for me even as they shake, want you to beg and whine for more until you're mindless with it."

Her eyelids flutter, clenching shut at a rough buck of my hips, rocking further and further into her slick heat, groans rippling in the air with the way her body responds to my words, hand clutching me tight enough to leave her own marks against my skin, faint red lining my forearm, fingers curling around my wrist, dragging my hand lower, guiding my fingers to her swollen nub.

Jolts of pleasure makes her back arch, limbs tightly strung and coiling up, thrashing under my touch as she sobs my name, eyes glassy with tears, brimming and welling up. Hovering and teetering on her waterline before they spill over, breathless cries imbued with the tang of salt, my head curving close to chase the tears from her skin, to taste them against feverish lips that tingle as they press to her scorching skin. Groaning as her scent blooms thick, potent and rich, dragging me into its depths and snaring me into the honeyed lure.

"Don't stop." Plea breathless and murmured shakily into skin, hand grasping at curls and tugging me forward, pain-pleasure sparking where her fingers entangle in my hair, yanking me closer to her, the tremble of her hand hidden by the way she keeps me anchored to her. Her head falling back in response, hair sprawled across sheets and pillows, dishevelled and mussed, fingers aching to slip upwards from her hip to fist into her hair, to yank it back and make the pronounced curve of her neck more exposed to me.

Throat littered with countless marks, scattered blooming petals of reds and purples and blues that trail downwards, leave their marks on the tapestry of her limbs, forming a tableau of sex and desire, of mindless animalistic want turning reasoning to feral unhinged ecstasy.

Instead, my hand drags the t-shirt upwards, the dark lettering Celine turning mussed and wrinkled, fabric pushed high above her breasts, eyes dragging lower and mouth ducking down to tug a pebbled nipple between my teeth. The sharp nip rewarded with a throaty keen of my name, fingers tightening, tugging me closer, back arching upwards, pushing her chest towards my lips.

Chasing the pressure of tongue and teeth to lathe their attention to one stiff nipple until it's pert and swollen, puffy with stimulation, the barest drag of my lips against aching stiffness enough to elicit a bodily tremble from her. Mouthing along skin, teeth sinking into the curve of her breast, soft flesh so giving under the pressure of my mouth, teeth clamping down harsh. Desperation and wild need licks at my spine, nudges me closer and closer to her until I'm crowding against her, the feverish heat seeping off my body entangling with hers, a cocooning fog of scents and touches that drowns me in her, hips continuing to rock forward. Burying myself deeper in her, every thrust quick snaps of my hips, rutting grinding circles into her before drawing out again.

"Never. I don't think I can-" words breathless and tinged with need, body seeped in the feverish burn of rut, mind faintly lucid, a mercy and taunt in one.

Relishing in the mindless pleasure but so fully attuned to every sound she makes, every sharp burst of her scent and the sweeping waves of her pheromones as I work her to her release, her lips parting in a noiseless cry wrenched from her throat, fingers tightening before they go loose. Body wrought with pleasure as she whines, softer, quieter sounds bubbling between us, body arching and twisting as my grip on her tightens, hand settling underneath her breast, hand flat against her ribs, feeling the erratic pulse of her heartbeat, teeth continuing to press nipping kisses into skin, tongue and teeth revelling in the taste of her scent, imbued with the tang of exertion that makes her skin gleam in the dimness of our room.

"Don't want you to. Want you Tae... want you to mate me." Eyes glistening with overwhelmed tears, the words sobbed out, pleading as she looks at me.

Throat arched, my eyes following the movement of every shaky swallow, her breaths wavering as she looks at me, tear-streaked cheeks flushed with fever, the lines and curves of her body dewy with exertion. With time blurred together, lost within each other. Unaware of anything beyond (Y/N), unaware of anything but her.

Her scent wavers, spikes with the beginnings of distress, even as her legs tighten around me, keeping me tucked against her, lips brushing against my jaw, trembling.

"Mate me. Why haven't you mated me?"

My body immediately curves closer to her, face hovering over hers, fingers coaxing the duck of her head so she's looking at me, eyes uncertain and teary.

And not for a single instant should (Y/N), should my mate feel anything but cherished and loved and revered.

Low quiet rumbles softly trying to coax her distress away, hands drifting up to cup her cheeks, mouth slotting to hers, slow and unrushed, quietening the soft whimpered sniffle as she tilts to me, hands clasping my wrists, tugging me closer to her.

Mouth chasing hers, fangs gently tugging at her bottom lip, tongue brushing against hers.

Soft unrushed kisses that make my lungs burn and ache even as desire continues to prickle at skin, a distracting heat scorching my limbs at how she tugs me closer, her legs tightening their grip, locking more firmly around my waist.

"When I mate you... I want to sink my fangs into my bred mate. I want nothing more than to mate you pretty cub. This not enough?" voice softly murmuring against her skin, lilting and warm, nosing along skin and quietly soothed by the way her scent settles too.

Shiny doe eyes peering at me with a wanton ache so visceral I can feel it yanking at me.

"Want your bite too." Voice shaky.

My lips curve up, one hand cupping her cheek and the other drifting to slowly trawl over the lines and curves of her body, fingers tracing and mapping my curvy mate under the sprawl of my palm and fingers. Retracing every single bite left behind, every bruising claim, every single place I've devoted to leaving my claim scattered.

Feel the buck of her hips as she stirs restlessly under me, rocking her hips back onto me, drawing me deeper with a soft cry.

So full.

"These not enough for you?"

Lips brushing against hers, kiss more demanding and bruising, a clash of tongue and teeth, lips melding with a branding heat that leaves the brand of her mouth seared against mine and mine against hers in turn.

"When you beg so prettily how can I not give you everything? How can I not sink my fangs into my hunt when it cries so well for me to?"

Her nose nudges against mine, fingers tightening around my wrist, hips pushing back impatiently.

"So why aren't you?"

My mouth drifts lower towards her throat, nosing along skin and fangs dragging across the bites our mates have left.

First nuzzling against the large possessive bite that pans across one side of her throat, soft open-mouthed kisses against the bite, tongue flicking against it, tracing it. Feeling her body shudder, scent blooming sweeter with pliant submission. Going more lax under me.

Her pheromones pooling impossibly soft and needing, dragging the wildly possessive tiger out of me, growling against the other bite, mouthing at it, just as possessive over the bites as if they're mine. They're already purpled with where my mouth had slotted over them in turn, mimicking the bite of an alpha wolf and fox in turn.

So wonderfully responsive.

I can smell the thickening tell in her arousal, can feel the tremors in her thighs as she cants her hips upwards, drawing me deeper.

Hands drifting from my wrists to try find purchase on my body, nails dragging at my shoulders and back as I continue to rock my hips forward, hands clasping her hips, dragging down her thighs, keeping them pinned open and splayed as I continue to thrust into her.

The sight of eyes glistening with overwhelmed tears, of her body pinned in and caged under my weight, hands tugging at me, leaving trails of heat searing across skin where her nails rake, struggling to grasp at me properly for purchase... seeing how wrecked she looks and knowing that I did that, I'm doing that makes my own head swim with a dazed heat.

It's so easy to lose myself in looking at (Y/N), at the way her eyes flutter shut, letting the pleasure wash over her, body attuned to hers, her eyes glazed over with lust as she looks at me, gaze dragging down my front, teeth sinking into her bottom lip at a rough snap of my hips driving my length deeper.

It gets harder to form words, her spiralling scent as the heat deepens, as it yanks my rut to a reeling peak, harder to think of anything but the repetitive drag of my body against hers, length sheathing itself over and over to the hilt, tugging out moans from lips that part and draw me in. Drunk on her taste.

Body stiff and taut over hers even as the tight band of pleasure snaps and sends the euphoric release to slam into every inch of my body. Hands turning bruising on her thighs, keeping them pinned open, watching as her chest arches, breathless sobs entangling with the low guttural growl that bleeds into the air, violent and carnal and pure animal.

Instincts keening with the almost painful burn of release, with how intensely it wracks me, spine curving forward over her, crowding against her, eyes stinging with how light-headed the release makes me feel, delirious with the knowledge that I'm filling (Y/N) up with it. That my scent will take long after I'm no longer buried in her.

The sight of her blurs, lost somewhere in the haze of her peak coaxing mine to another high, groaning against her skin, the tang of salt and anise both on my tongue, burrowing against her throat as I slump down into her, hands smoothening over her thighs, absently kneading and palming soft flesh, grip turning softer as she sinks down and winds her arms around me.

The clawing franticness of her hands slowing, hands smoothening over the stinging trails she's left behind across my back and shoulders.

Lips mouthing at my gland, teeth dragging down my throat, gland overproducing my scent, pumping out pheromones that just as much broadcast mine, mine, mine as they do bred, taken, satiated.

Lips muttering it over and over, voice raspy and hoarse.

Dragged to a low huskiness that I barely recognise as my own.

"My mate, my mate, my fawn, my cub, my cub..." over and over into skin, breathless exhales shuddered against the line of her neck, head ducking lower, curls brushing against skin, my own gleaming with sweat and exertion.

Body feeling as if it's been wrung out, every last drop of energy drained as I sink into the cradle of her body, sprawling over her, her own breathing uncoordinated.

A blissful haze that sinks in.

Despite every limb, every muscle protesting and exhausted, drained from the intensity of the cycles, a dizzying combo of lucidness and vanishing restraint... despite it, there's a bubbling giddiness that wells up in the comfort of her arms, lips brushing against my jaw, nose nudging at my ear. Lips pressing to damp curls.

"Yours. My tiger."

My lips curve in a loosely satiated grin.

"But if you think I'm done with you..." hands squeezing her thighs.

"If you think you're leaving this room, this rut without a bite of my own on you think again tiger."

Words finishing my own, a lazy curling satisfaction seeping into her words.

Having the last word as we sink into the sheets, body still caging hers, breathing each other in.

Rut and heat quietened... soothed for now.

Yet the lingering knowledge of the mating bite still lingering, hovering.

Waiting to descend and drag us into its heady thrall once more.

(WHEW. AND SCENE. I ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO END THE CHAPTER WITH BABY FAWN BUT I COULDN'T... I JUST COULDN'T! SO ENJOY WHILST I CHANGE MY IDENTITY AND HIDE. I GENUINELY AM SO UNSURE HOW THE RUT WILL BE TO READ, Midiiplier I LEAVE THIS IN YOUR HANDS, MAKE IT BACK TO ME IN ONE PIECE I HOPE AND I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY! THE TIGER HAS SNAPPED, HE KNOWS NO BOUNDS! MATING BITE NEXT!! GAHHHHH I'M SO NERVOUS FOR THIS CHAPTER, TERRIFIED AND MORTIFIED.... OFF I GO TO HIDE. A DELAYED HAPPY KOOOOO DAY GIFT! ENJOY THIS 36K MONSTER OF A CHAPTER OF RUT TIGER! STAY ALIVE-SEE YOU ON THE OTHER END... IF I COME OUT OF HIDING!)

QUESTION... something you're not looking forward to?

Mine is... waking up early again for my NEW uni course from next week T____T

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3