I woke up with my body warm and my heart racing, as if the dream were still happening. His name still lingered on my lips: Azazel.
Outside, the sky was beginning to lighten, painting the forest in soft shades of blue and gold. But inside me, everything was fire.
I sat up slowly, trying to push away the image of the kiss, the touch, the gaze that burned through me. But it was useless.
Kael was still asleep, breathing deeply, his tail curled around him like a blanket. Azazel wasn't in the cabin. Maybe he'd already gone out to prepare for the day.
I got up, washed my face with cold water, and tried to pull myself together. But every movement felt heavy with memories that weren't mine — they belonged to the dream. And yet, they felt far too real.
I stepped outside quietly, following the scent of damp earth and smoke. I found Azazel near the trail, sharpening his claws with a stone. He didn't see me right away.
Or maybe he did, and pretended not to.
— Sleep well? — he asked, without taking his eyes off the stone blade.
— I had a strange dream — I replied, trying to sound casual.
— Strange how?
— Intense. Confusing. Way too hot to be just a dream.
Azazel stopped moving. His silver eyes met mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
— Sometimes dreams know more than we do — he said softly.
I didn't answer. I just felt my heart speed up again.
I decided to stop running from it. I stepped closer and said:
— Azazel... I want you to be my beast husband.
Azazel froze. The stone slipped from his fingers and hit the ground with a dull thud.
He looked at me as if he wasn't sure he'd heard right. As if the words were still echoing inside him.
— What? — his voice came out low, almost hoarse.
— I said… — I took a deep breath, my face burning. — I want you to be my beast husband.
The silence that followed was so deep, even the birds seemed to fall quiet.
Azazel stood up slowly, his eyes locked on mine. There was something in them — not just surprise, but a deep love and passion burning in those beautiful silver eyes.
— Ophelia… — he began. — It's an honor to be your first beast husband.
He stepped closer, slowly, as if each movement was a promise of a beautiful future together. When he stopped in front of me, his eyes were filled with something I'd never seen before: vulnerability, passion, love, loyalty, courage, and contentment.
Azazel stood tall before me, imposing, yet with a rare softness in his gaze. His silver eyes didn't shy away — on the contrary, they seemed to wrap around me, read me, accept me.
— Do you understand what you're saying? — he asked, voice firm but gentle. — Because if you say it again… I'll claim you as mine. No turning back.
— I do — I replied without hesitation. — And that's exactly what I want.
A silence formed between us, but it wasn't empty. It was full. Full of intense emotion.
Azazel raised his hand and touched my face with the tips of his fingers, as if sealing a pact. His touch was warm, steady, and carried a promise.
— Then listen closely — he said, eyes blazing. — From now on, you're mine. And I'm yours. No matter what comes. No matter who tries to tear us apart.
He leaned in, his face so close I could feel his breath mixing with mine. But he didn't kiss me yet. He wanted me to know this wasn't impulse. It was a decision.
— You chose me, Ophelia. And I accept. Proudly.
And then, he kissed me. A kiss intense and sweet, unlike anything I'd imagined.
Not like in the dream. But like someone who knows exactly what they're doing. Someone who's certain. Someone who loves.
His arms wrapped around me firmly, and I felt the world disappear. There was only him. Only us.
When the kiss ended, he rested his forehead against mine, eyes closed, as if engraving that moment into his soul.
— You gave me something I never thought I'd have — he said. — A home. And a future family.
And there, between the scent of earth and the warmth of the rising sun, Azazel didn't just accept love.
He claimed it.
The silence between us still pulsed in the air, as if the world had stopped just for us. His touch lingered on my skin, and the heat of the kiss seemed to blend with the dawn.
Then we heard a noise from the cabin.
Kael.
The door creaked open, and he appeared with messy hair, his tail dragging behind him, eyes half-closed with sleep.
— Morning… — he said, yawning loudly.
Azazel stepped back, crossing his arms with a restrained smile. I felt my face flush instantly.
— Morning! Sleep well? — I asked, trying to sound casual. — Did you dream about food again, Kael?
— Last night you were mumbling about dancing chickens.
Kael scratched his head, confused.
— No… I don't think so. But you two look weird. And kinda clingy. Like… a couple?
Azazel let out a low chuckle — the kind he only released when he was genuinely amused.
— Go wash your face, kid — he said. — Before you start seeing hearts floating in the air.
Kael frowned, still not getting it.
— You're acting strange. But whatever. If there's chicken for breakfast, I'll take any mood.
And he walked back into the cabin, as if he hadn't just interrupted a moment that could've changed the course of everything.
I stayed there, beside Azazel, trying not to laugh.
— He's got a talent for killing the mood — I murmured.
— And maybe that's exactly what we need — Azazel replied, looking at me with that gleam in his eyes. — A reminder that the world keeps turning… even when the heart stands still.
I reached the fire pit, grabbed the boar meat, and started cooking. The smell drifted through the air, drawing Kael out from inside the cabin, where he'd been rummaging for something...