Leo had settled around the campfire where booze flowed like a waterfall, easy and smooth, stitching the pack a little closer with every pour. Bottles of beer, whiskey and vodka made slow, lazy circles from hand to hand of each and every pack member whose names Leo had mostly forgotten, despite being introduced to all by Aleksandr.
The bonfire painted the faces of the pack members in soft, flickering gold. They laughed too loud, made references to old inside jokes, and leaned into each other like they were afraid to lose the warmth. Some spilled whiskey onto their boots, some drank too fast and coughed it back up in fits of giggles, but no one minded.
Leo felt that out here, under a sky thick with stars, with the smoke curling into the dark like a prayer, it didn't matter who you were or what you carried. For a while, he felt himself letting go and being a part of something big, where the people, tired, happy, and a little broken, shared the simple miracle of being together and accepted you as you were. Leo was amazed by his mate's ability to bring together such a large group of people, enabling them to accept each other's individuality without resistance, simply because they were bonded and connected through their Alpha.
Someone had started sharing twisted ghost stories and soon the air around the group changed as people started getting into it. Even though Leo had not paid much attention to the previous story, since he didn't really like ghost stories, he listened closely to Polyanna, the one telling the story.
"They say it only happens on nights when the moon is hidden—when the forest is so dark, you can't see your hand in front of your face. That's when the Whistler comes.
Years ago, there was a man named Elias who lived alone deep in the woods. People in the nearby town said he was odd, that he talked to trees and carved strange symbols into the bark. No one knows exactly what he did, but one night, there was a scream. Then silence. And after that, no one ever saw Elias again.
But people hear him.
It starts with a whistle. Low, slow... haunting. Just three notes, over and over. You think it's the wind—until you realize it's too perfect, too human. And it's getting closer.
The first rule is: never whistle back. The old stories say that if you do, it means you've invited him in. You've acknowledged him. And once you do... he never leaves you alone.
There was a camper out here once—years after Elias disappeared. Some kid from the city who thought the stories were just a joke. One night, he heard the whistle. Thought it was funny. So, he whistled back.
They found his tent the next morning—ripped open like a bear had gotten to it. But there were no tracks. No signs of struggle. Just the sound of that whistle, floating through the trees.
And every year since, on the same night, campers report hearing it. Some say it's right outside their tents. Some say they see a shadow—tall, still, just standing there in the dark. Watching.
So if you're ever alone in the woods, and you hear a whistle in the distance, three slow notes...
Don't whistle back.
And don't look behind you."
Having never been good at listening to spooky stories, Leo could feel raised goosebumps on his flesh, as the story ended. So, when he felt a whisper of a touch on the exposed skin around the nape of his neck, he let out a startled cry.
But it was only Aleksandr, who raised both his hands in surrender, shocked at Leo's reaction. As the guys around the fire started laughing, Leo just mumbled that he was going to sleep and stormed off.
Aleksandr immediately got up and followed him inside one of the tents the guys had set up for the night. He found his mate curled up in a corner by the light. Mirroring his pose, he sat nearby.
"Lev, what's wrong? You were having fun up until recently. What happened?"
Leo just shrugged. "I don't particularly like creepy stories. Or ghost stories."
He didn't add that logically, he knew his fear stemmed from being locked up inside a closet for half a day as kid. He didn't want to embarrass himself more in front of his fate, who was probably not afraid of anything, let alone silly things, like the dark.
"Okay."
Aleksandr's easy acceptance made Leo look up. "That's it? You're not gonna ask or convince me to go back out?"
"I'd much rather spend time with just the two of us."
Leo stared at his mate.
"It feels like forever since it was just us—no noise, no others—just me and you in the same moment. I know it's probably my fault. So I understand if there are things you don't want to share with me anymore. But if it counts for anything... I'd choose this—you—every time. Whether we're speaking or sitting in silence, even if all we do is exist in the same space, I'd rather be here with you than anywhere else without you."
Aleksandr's eyes shined with sincerity.
Leo slowly unfolded himself and shifted forward, wordlessly guiding their bodies until Aleksandr's arms encircled his back. Leo nuzzled his cheek in Aleksandr's chest, near his pounding heart and softly whispered, "I missed you too."
After a while, Leo said, "Tell me about it. About everything. About yourself, your pack. How did you become Alpha? When did you become Alpha? Did you have to fight someone for it? Are you a single child or do you have any siblings? What are your parents like? Do they also live in Mologa? Goddess, I don't even know anything about you."
His mate nuzzled Leo and he felt Aleksandr's smile against his cheek, "You're finally taking an interest in me, moy lyubimyy. This is the first time you've me asked me so many questions."
"Are you gonna answer any of them?"
"Mm-hmm, in a minute, moy lyubopytnyy kotyonok." Aleksandr's voice rumbled deeply in Leo's ear.
Leo frowned, hearing himself being called Aleksandr's curious kitten. He was a wolf.
Before he could process it though, Aleksandr brought his hand forward and turned Leo's head towards him just to kiss the hell out of him, his hand on Leo's face, gripping his chin with gently but guided pressure. And then his mouth was on Leo's, urgent and full of something unspoken.
It was a kiss pulled from the depths of him, rough and aching, like Aleksandr had been waiting too long to feel this, to taste the words that had fallen from Leo's mouth.
Leo made a sound, half surprise & half surrender, and melted into him, clutching at Aleksandr's hoodie like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. The kiss deepened, their breaths turned ragged and time fell away.
Aleksandr kissed him like he meant every second of silence, every regret, every secret hope he'd buried. And Leo let him—let himself be kissed, claimed, pulled into the gravity of Aleksandr's sudden, unstoppable want.
When they finally broke apart, neither of them spoke. They just stared, breaths uneven, lips swollen, the moment still crackling around them like static. And somewhere in the silence, everything had changed.
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Have you guys noticed, now that Leo has allowed Aleksandr to kiss him, Sasha has become a total Kiss Monster? Always looking for a chance to smooch Lev's lips! ;)
Also, I wanted to try adding a spooky story. It's pretty mild though. Hope you don't mind.
Happy reading!
Please vote on my story.