So Stepped On

In stark contrast to Viper, Aliana had never slept better than she did her first night sharing a bed with Chimera. It reminded her of the nap they'd taken out in the rainstorm, just the two of them, cuddled together with his bulk keeping her safe and warm. She had never dared in all her wildest dreams to have a wolf own her who also cared about her, but she'd found it in Chimera. And beyond even all of that, she was free—free! Now her life here on the island with Chimera was entirely by her own choice, and although it had been an easy one for her to make, the deep meaning it had to her didn't get lost in translation. She respected Chimera, cared for him, and wanted to remain his forever. Her sleep had been deep and dreamless curled up next to the giant wolf with her jaguar pelt blanket, a smile on her face the entire night.

When morning came, she'd felt Chimera stir and rise to begin his duties, the motion of his body rousing her from sleep as a lovely reminder of where she was. Ordinarily her internal clock would have had her up by now as well, but something about sleeping next to his big, warm body had made it so easy to want to sleep in. With a yawn, Aliana stretched and slid from beneath her blanket, moving out to the common area to get a drink from the water basin before heading for the door to begin her day. That was, until she heard the abrupt chaos of Viper scrambling to push her way into the monochrome fae, bumping Ali with her chest the same way she had when they'd first met. Ali gasped in surprise as she stumbled back, but didn't lose her footing, ending up half-in and half-out of the den.

She fixed Viper with startled, confused eyes. The heavily pregnant woman wasted no time in letting her know exactly what her issue was. In a shocking display of vocabulary control, Viper growled out that she didn't want Aliana here. Ali's ears folded back to her head, some of her naturally submissive personality showing through—until she remembered that she was no longer a slave bound to Viper's commands. Still holding her ears pinned back, Ali dared to keep eye contact with Viper while she steeled her nerves against the aggressive woman. "I'm sorry if I've caused you any offense, Viper. That wasn't my intention," she began, trying to be as diplomatic as possible. She didn't have to be subservient anymore, but that didn't mean she was looking for conflict either. "But I belong to Chimera, not you, and I will remain with Chimera as that is his desire. If that"—she paused to find the right word—"displeases you, perhaps it would be best to discuss it with him. Now if you'll excuse me..."

Dipping her head to Viper, Aliana turned to finish exiting the den and begin her day's chores, perhaps unwisely turning her back on Viper. She believed the conversation to be finished, and she really didn't want to get into a heated discussion that might cause undue stress to Viper. Regardless of what she thought of the savage woman, those were Chimera's puppies inside her, and she could never bring herself to do anything to negatively impact any part of the wolf she was bound to.

"Aliana"