The long road

She would not give him up, not even to save her heart. Relief. His heart didn't align with his words. As much as he might wish to spare her pain, he knew his world would be darker without her in it.

"And I you, beloved old friend" he whispered back, looking into her half closed eyes, and aching with the desire to draw her close. Heat infused his vains, and his soft breaths were warmed by it. Her scent was everywhere, it clung to him from the den, from their proximity. From the pelt beneath his paws. The scent of his desire lingered there too, his body saying what he would not allow his words to utter. That in that moment, he wanted nothing more then draw her into his arms, to mate with the woman that had always been in his heart. First the distance had been social, now it was by choice. Somehow that made it harder, hurt more. He closed his eyes, sinking to his hunches. Letting that create a pocket of space between them before he lost himself. He did not expect this direction when he had come to seek her out.

Hr had not expected her to profess her love, or how his body and heart might react to the words. The knowledge that only a few different paths might have meant that this moment could have been different. A different choice, and they would have been free to make love, to be in love, to be more then thr friendship thry had always allowed themselves. He was losing himself. He had to remember why, what he had build for himself. What he had to lose.