The days immediately following the birth of their six children had been full of exhaustion and rest for the ash and snow queen of Fenmyre. Though her labor and birthing had gone normally, pushing six very large little boys into the world had been an ordeal, but it was one she would have suffered through time and time again if she knew she would have the half dozen bundles of love and joy currently tucked up against her belly at the end of it. Aliana lifted her head from the mattress and furs, aquamarine eyes blinking back the sleep from the brief nap she'd caught amidst feeding her children and peered down at her sons nestled against them, almost all of them now conked out for an afternoon nap. All except for Morendo, who was busy trying to climb over his snoozing brothers with little mewling cries. Aliana watched them with the warmth in her smile only a mother could have, eyes shimmering with pure love as her heart soared. How she loved her children so, so much... perhaps even more so knowing she had these little darlings in the wake of all the pain and darkness that haunted her memories of her first litter.

Morendo began to cry louder, and Aliana gently shushed her son as she curled closer to nudge and nuzzle him back into position against her warm stomach, tucking him in amongst his siblings while he tried to fight back a nap. Eventually, the pup settled, his chest rising and falling rhythmically and nearly in sync with the five other boys. Ali watched them all slumber for a while, just savoring this moment and committing it to memory. One day, when she was old and gray—grayer than she was now—she would look back on this time of her life as the happiest she'd ever been. She had been freed from a life of slavery, given luxuries she'd never imagined, revered as a queen, had three wonderful lovers and the most amazing mate to care for her, a beautiful home on a tropical island paradise and a pack all their own. If this wasn't heaven, Aliana couldn't think of anything that would make her life more perfect than it was now.

Laying her head down on the bed again, Ali quietly watched her pups, still in disbelief that she had helped create such beautiful creatures. The boys clearly took after their father's good genes and would be handsome heartthrobs of princes. Oh, the world would not be ready for any of them!

"Aliana"

Chimera had been out hunting and had managed to fell one of Siren's deer that had sustained an injury to its leg. It had been suffering and so Chimera felt nothing as he ended the ungulate's life. With the deer dead, he drug its lifeless body back to the kill den, taking the body deep underground to keep it cool. He would process it later, but for now, the giant man would extract a large chunk of meat which he would carry back with him.

Fresh meat between his jaws, Chimera moved through the island that was his and towards the structure that housed the women and children that he loved. Aliana had been his focus of late. Bearing six strong sons had taken a lot out of her and he took every opportunity to pump her full of nutrients. Just like this opportunity.

Pushing into the room that they shared, Chimera took one of the clay dishes from a countertop and placed the meat upon it. Licking his chops, he drew near to the clouded fae and placed the dish quietly before her. Placing a kiss upon her brow, he looked down upon the plethora of sons nestled at her belly. She had to shush Morendo, but the boy soon quieted alongside his brothers. Chimera then gently moved onto the furs and lay down on the opposite side, lightly sandwiching the pups between them. One paw moved out to rest upon that of his lover, his queen. "How are you feeling?" He spoke softly as to not wake the children, but he was concerned for the woman. She was small to begin with, and now she was giving all of her nutrients to six large boys. If her strength was waning, he needed to know.

"Chimera Klein"

The heavy footfalls of approaching paws alerted Aliana that her mate was approaching even before he pushed open the door, carrying in a sizable meal for her in his jaws. The ash and snow queen gave her love a warm smile and greeted him with eyes sparkling with love and mirth as he came closer with the food for her. Her stomach growled appreciatively just from the smell of the fresh meat. Chimera was doing such a good job caring for her, now more than ever—making sure she had plenty to eat, plenty to drink, enough furs and blankets to keep her and their babies warm and dry during the rainy season of Auster. While Chimera got situated alongside her to create a corral with their bodies around their pups, Aliana gratefully devoured the meat, chewing away with gusto, hungrier than she'd realized she'd been. The recovery process had been gradual, but sure; an expected outcome from birthing a half dozen strong, healthy boys, two of which were notably larger than their siblings and no doubt carried their sire's dire genetics.

While the tired queen ate her meal, she felt Chimera's larger paw envelop her own, drawing her eyes to his, glistening brightly like the gemstones they shared their color with. He asked how she was and Ali paused her meal to lick her lips clean of the blood before craning her neck in to nuzzle the side of his jaw with tender affection. "Still very tired, but I'm feeling better every day," she admitted in hushed tones. She would never lie to her king, he deserved to know everything that was going on with her. "I'd be more surprised if I wasn't tired after birthing these six. Can you believe we made such beautiful angels?" With a beaming smile, Ali glanced down at their snoozing sons, her heart leaping at the sight of them every time she looked at them. "Siren and Dalila have been keeping me in alfalfa, and you've been keeping me fed. I have the best aftercare any wolf could ever have." She knew her mate would never stop worrying about her, nor would she try to convince him his fears were unfounded, but she would do all she could to prove she was okay to him.

Aliana finished eating, reveling in the simple delight of having a full stomach and already feeling infinitely better for it. After a moment to wash her paws and muzzle, she turned all of her attention to her mate. He looked tired as well, but he was healthy once more, no longer plagued by illness. "How are you feeling? Ready to resume your reign, my king?" she asked in exchange, lifting her other paw to rest on top of his that was on top of hers, stacking their paws together. Chimera would be assuming his duties ruling again and she wanted to make sure he was equally as tended to as she was.

"Chimera & Aliana"

As Aliana ate, the dire brute looked down upon their sleeping children. In the miasma of monochromatic colors with legs, tails and ears sticking out every which way, it was almost difficult to tell who was who. In the mash of bodies were six perfect sons. The beginnings of an army. Would they all grow up to excel in fighting? He hoped so. Cerberus and Albion had taken up fighting as well. Surprisingly so had Scylla. Nine out of ten children learning to art of war? There was his army.

Once his queen had taken a break to speak and began to clean her face, Chimera leaned forward and swiped his tongue along the corner of her mouth, getting a bit of blood that she had missed. He licked along her lower lip once more, just for good measure, simply enjoying the taste of her. The clouded woman gave him a nuzzle and the corner's of the brute's maw lifted. She admitted to being tired, which he expected. Her small body had gone through a lot and she was still feeding six strapping boys. He would have been worried if she hadn't been tired.

Chimera's gaze never left Aliana's face as she questioned him about the beautiful angels. "Yes, I can. With a mother as gorgeous as you, of course they came out perfect," he purred sweetly and softly. He couldn't wait for her to be whole and healed again. Chimera always wanted her beneath him, but seeing the prideful gleam in the fae's aqua eyes as she looked down upon the children that they had created together just did something for him. It ignited the passion within him in a different manner. He would count the days until he could have her again.

Aliana questioned his own health and resuming his duties. The massive man nodded. "Well enough and ready to take control again," he admitted. His gaze met and held Aliana's. What he would say next was important. "Dalila has done well in my absence. She's paid her dues. I've decided to make her a queen alongside you and Siren. It's fitting as the mother of my child and, should anything happen to me again, none would argue her rule." He wondered what the woman would have to say about that. Would she be jealous to share her position with yet another or would she be happy for Dalila? Knowing Aliana and how naturally sweet natured she was, he imagined she'd simply be happy for the mottled woman.

"Chimera & Aliana"

Aliana should have expected Chimera's shows of affection by now, given how often he'd graced her with them, yet somehow she always found herself delightfully surprised by them, like when he leaned in to run his tongue over the corner of her mouth to help clean her. She gave a soft giggle when he licked over her lower lip just because, feeling her heart do that amazing little fluttery flippy thing it did whenever he loved on her. Chimera smiled, a rare sight she was finding more and more joy in making a commonplace fixture on her massive mate's face. His easy comment about how they'd taken their beautiful features from their gorgeous mother brought a flush of warmth across her face, ears pulling shyly back to her head, but the bright smile on her features betraying how much she truly enjoyed Chimera's doting on her. He made her feel so special, so unique, so loved. What had she done to deserve such a wonderful outcome to her life?

"Well, when they all took after their handsome father, I knew they'd want for nothing in beauty," she replied, doing her best to flirt back, even though it wasn't something she'd ever had practice with. Leaning her neck in closer to Chimera, the clouded queen gave a tender lick beneath his chin, then flicked her tongue up to catch his lower lip in a light kiss like he had done for her before pulling back again. Even with all of her efforts going towards caring for their new children, Ali hadn't forgotten her own king's needs for physical affection and love as well. Despite not being able to satisfy Chimera in all the ways he needed, she wouldn't miss a chance to share her love with him and let him know he was always on her mind and heart. Besides, once she was healed up and their children old enough to explore and play on their own or have their own bedrooms, she intended to make up for all the missed time with her virile king, many many times over, in many different ways and positions.

Aliana breathed a sigh of relief when Chimera confirmed he felt well enough to take control of Fenmyre again. Not that Dalila hadn't done a splendid job running everything in his absence, but she was ready for everything to return to the way it was supposed to be, back before the world had ended. Aqua eyes met his mismatched gaze and held when he met her expression with a serious one. Ali tilted her head curiously, but Chimera wouldn't leave her wondering what was on his mind long. Chimera explained that Dalila had done well as a leader and that he wished to make her Fenmyre's third queen. Aliana wasn't surprised in the least. Dalila had stepped up and supported not just their family, but the entire pack when they needed her to. The ash and snow fae nodded her head assent. "Dalila has been a loyal and diligent support to the pack since I was brought here. She's a kind and honest wolf, but I know she's also firm and resolute when she needs to be. She's the best choice for leadership in your absence," she said, but gave Chimera a soft, cheeky, almost Klein-like smirk. "But that doesn't give you an excuse to be reckless, my love. We all still want you around for a long, long time. I want you for as many years as I can have you."

That was all that really mattered to Aliana. The happiness and safety of their family, and spending her life with her lover and their children. The other details like who was alpha didn't matter to her. So long as she had Chimera and their children, she was complete and she was happy. Dalila was the wisest choice for a backup if something happened to him. But Aliana wouldn't allow anything to happen to Chimera.

"Chimera & Aliana"

Aliana's playfulness brought a soft growl from the two-toned man. He wanted much more than just her lips, but all of it would have to wait. "How much longer?" He asked, the edge of lustful irritation in his gaze. He wouldn't rush the woman, but he would be chomping at the bit until the time came when he could have her beneath him again. With another low growl, he tried to push the thoughts from his mind.

They both agreed that the other was good looking and thus their children would be attractive. Pleasantries, a little bit of ego blowing. The conversation then drifted on to Dalila and, as Chimera expected, Aliana supported the decision to change the mottled woman's rank within the pack. She then warned him to not be reckless. The massive brute scoffed. "When am I ever reckless?" Chimera was as careful as they came, though he did often overwork himself.

Between them, a pup or two began to huff and squirm at the amount of talking going on above them. Chimera looked down on his pile of boys, gave his eyes a roll, then lay his head down on his paws, intent on taking a nap with them.

"Chimera & Aliana"