Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Noctis tries his best to ignore the disapproving looks Ignis gives him as the days pass.

He’s been more clingy than usual, desperate to keep Prompto within his line of sight ever since Luna was murdered in Altissia right under their very noses. He knows he’s being possessive and overprotective of their human packmate, but he can’t bear the thought of anything happening to Prompto if he gets distracted and turns his attention elsewhere.

If Prompto notices his strange behavior, he doesn’t comment on it. He doesn’t say a word when he kicks Ignis out of bed in the middle of the night when he gets anxious to be closer to Prompto. He unapologetically gets Ignis to trade places with him under the pretense that Gladio is moving too much for him to fall asleep just so he can climb into bed next to Prompto and listen to him breathe and know he’s safe.

He knows Ignis and Gladio are getting exasperated with his behavior, especially when he grows agitated when so many strange scents that don’t belong to his pack are on Prompto’s skin from their excursions into town, and he can’t do anything about it.

“Are you going to tell him?” Ignis asks quietly, pulling him from his thoughts. “Prompto, I mean?”

Noctis stiffens, warily glancing over his shoulder to make sure Prompto doesn’t overhear their conversation. He’s still playing King’s Knight with Gladio, hissing obscenities at his phone as they gang up on a boss. He should be playing with them, he wants to, but his nerves are shot. He feels like he’s crawling out of his skin. He’ll need to shift sooner rather than later and let his wolf have some free reign for a while to calm the restless energy roiling in his blood.

“I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?” Ignis challenges.

“Does it matter?” Noctis says stiffly.

“Of course, it matters,” Ignis says, disbelief coloring his voice. “He’s – “

“He’s important to me,” Noctis interrupts, voice strained. “He doesn’t feel that way for me, and I won’t ruin our friendship by burdening him with it.”

“Burdening him?” Ignis says incredulously, trying to keep his voice level. It’s a conversation they’ve had a thousand times, and it has always ended the same. “A mate isn’t – “

“He’s not a wolf, Ignis,” Noctis hisses quietly. “He won’t understand. It’s enough that he even puts up with all of my wolfy bullshit.”

“Noct,” Ignis says, voice pained. “You can’t keep this from him forever. Sooner or later, he’s going to learn the truth. How do you think he’s going to react when he learns you’ve kept this from him?”

Noctis growls, narrowing his eyes at Ignis warningly. “I’ll cross that bridge when it comes. Now’s not a good time.”

“It’s never going to be a good time,” Ignis says, ignoring Noctis’ warning tone. “Better to hear it from you than learning of it from someone else. You can’t protect him if –”

“I can!” Noctis shouts, slamming his hands onto the table and standing so abruptly that his chair topples over with a crash to the floor. “How dare you? I know how to protect what’s mine! Who are you to – “

“Noct.”

A heavy hand settles on Noctis’ shoulder and Noctis twists around to bare his teeth at Gladio. “Let go.”

Gladio’s hand falls from his shoulder so fast you’d think he had been burnt.

“Uh, guys?” Prompto says hesitantly, slowly walking up to their table with his hands held up placatingly. “I don’t know what this is about, but can we take it outside? You’re going to get us kicked out of the restaurant.”

Noctis’ chest heaves, anger boiling in his blood and making him see red. Everything is too loud, the harsh scents and stares of the people in the restaurant overwhelming his senses and making him angrier at the sensory overload. His vision shifts, everything becoming sharper, and the telltale ache in his jaw lets him know his mouth had filled with razor-sharp canines.

“Noct, you’re kinda making a scene, buddy,” Prompto says softly, worming past Gladio and covering Noctis’ trembling fist with his hand. “Come on. Let’s go get some fresh air, yeah?”

Noctis growls low in his throat, nostrils flaring, but Prompto doesn’t back down even when he turns golden eyes on him. Prompto looks him right in the eyes and tightens his hand on his. He can see how tense Gladio and Ignis are in his peripherals as they wait to see what he’ll do.

“Noct,” Prompto whispers, an uncertain look creeping into his eyes, and it’s that, that finally manages to get Noctis to relax and let go of the anger he feels coursing through him at Ignis’ comment. He would never hurt Prompto, would never want him to be scared of him. He’ll always protect him – even from himself.

Noctis exhales after a tension-filled moment, his posture relaxing as he closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths to calm himself. When he opens his eyes again, his vision and hearing are back to normal, no longer heightened with the senses of his wolf that had risen to the surface.

“Sorry,” Noctis murmurs, opening his fist to twine his fingers with Prompto’s and giving his hand a grateful squeeze. He can practically feel the relief in the air, Gladio letting out a loud exhale, Ignis slumping back in his seat.

Prompto gives him a small smile and squeezes his hand back before letting go, and Noctis mourns the loss of his touch.

“Let go take a walk, huh? Maybe you can shift before we have to sit on a train for hours on end,” Prompto suggests, jabbing his thumb towards the door.

“Good idea,” Noctis mumbles in agreement, grabbing his chair and righting it before making his way towards the door without looking back.

“I’ll get the bill,” Noctis hears Ignis say quietly, voice subdued, and Noctis feels a pang of guilt for the way he had lost his temper and shouted at his beta.

Noctis sighs, taking a deep breath of fresh air once he’s outside. He knows Ignis is right, because of course he is, he’s always right, but he can’t even begin to imagine how he would go about telling Prompto. How do you tell a human who has never grown up around wolves and knew next to nothing about them other than what they learned in school? It didn’t even begin to cover everything. Humans didn’t have mates, didn’t have the drive to search endlessly for the person that would fill the empty void in their soul that howled and raged for their missing half.

He found his in Prompto, and he wouldn’t dare risk their friendship and get rejected. He knows Prompto is hung up on Cindy, knows Prompto is straighter than an arrow. He had no chance, and he refuses to ruin Prompto’s life by dumping this on him. Prompto is too good, he would sacrifice his happiness to be with him, and he wasn’t about to let Prompto make that sacrifice.

He will tell him eventually. He knows he’ll have to; he can’t go his whole life without an anchor. He had made arrangements with Luna, was going to tell Prompto about everything after they had gotten married and the peace treaty was secured, but now that wasn’t an option. He didn’t know what to do, but it was safer if no one knows that Prompto is his mate. It would put a target on his back without the added protection the Fleuret pack would have provided.

“Hey, you okay?” Prompto asks, sidling up next to him and bumping his shoulder with his. “Things got pretty intense back there.”

“I’m fine,” Noctis sighs, running his hand through his hair and he circles to the back of the restaurant and down the beaten path that leads down into the woods.

“Uh-huh, sure, and I’m the King of Insomnia,” Prompto snorts, easily keeping pace with Noctis’ brisk footsteps. “What happened back there?”

“Can we not talk about it, please?” Noctis pleads, the throbbing in his temples warning of an incoming headache.

“Dude, you almost wolfed-out back there,” Prompto points out, stopping Noctis by grabbing his wrist. Noctis lets himself get pulled to a stop with a sigh.

“I lost my temper,” Noctis admits begrudgingly. “Ignis said something that… it riled up my wolf, okay? I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“You didn’t,” Prompto denies easily, huffing. “I’ve seen that alpha posturing shit a hundred times before. I think Ignis was more upset by it so you shouldn’t worry about me.”

Noctis grimaces, feeling chastised even though he knows that wasn’t Prompto’s intention.

“I’ll apologize to him,” Noctis promises, wanting to smack himself for the need for reassurance from Prompto. He’s an alpha, he knows it’s only instinct that wants him to seek his mate’s approval. Even if Prompto is only human and not a wolf or an omega, he still craves his mate’s praise to know that he’s taking good care of their pack. He knows Ignis and Gladio look to him too, even though he’s a human.

Prompto doesn’t even realize it, but there has always been a reason behind Ignis asking Prompto what he wants to eat before anyone else. Serving Noct, and then Prompto, before themselves. It’s wolf hierarchy; the alpha pair always eats first. Then there’s Gladio, who always makes sure Prompto is protected whenever Noct isn’t around. Gladio is his shield – his second – it’s his job to watch out for his pack alpha and his alpha’s mate.

“I know you will,” Prompto smiles, and Noctis feels warm in the face, his chest swelling with affection for the blond. He always has such faith in him, and he never wants to do anything to lose that faith.

“Now, come on,” Prompto says encouragingly, pulling Noctis along by the wrist and leading him deeper into the woods. Prompto drops his hand when they’re far enough that they can no longer see the buildings that they’ve left behind. Prompto turns around to give Noct some privacy. “Hurry up and get undressed and then we can play fetch or something.”

“I’m not a dog, you know,” Noctis chuckles, but acquiesces, shrugging off his jacket and throwing it at Prompto who flails to catch it as it soars above his head.

“You could have fooled me,” Prompto teases, keeping his back turned while Noct undresses, snatching the clothes from the air whenever Noct throws him another piece of clothing. Too bad his magic couldn’t make his clothes magically disappear and reappear whenever he shifts into wolf form. It would save him a lot of wardrobe changes, especially during battles when Noct needs to shift and it shreds his clothes.

“So, you’re telling me you wouldn’t chase after a stick if I were to throw one? Yeah, right,” Prompto scoffs, not believing Noctis for a second. He watches the discovery channel; he knows wolves play fetch too.

“Shut up and go grab a stick,” Noctis huffs, and Prompto laughs gleefully, folding Noctis’ clothes into a neat pile on the forest floor, and looking around for a sizable branch.

“Ah-ha! Found one!” Prompto exclaims when he finds a branch about the length of his arm and as thick as two of his fingers. Noct shouldn’t have any problems picking it up with his mouth, he’s seen dogs carry around much larger branches than this.

Prompto turns around, startling when he sees a large black wolf where Noctis had been moments before. Noct’s prowling towards him, eyes trained on the branch he’s holding aloft, his tail wagging slowly in the air.

Prompto grins, and waves the branch in the air, watching Noctis’ eyes track the movement. He laughs when Noct lunges forward only to come to an abrupt stop when Noct realizes he feigned a throw.

Noctis whines at him, bowing down with his hindquarters in the air with his forepaws stretched forward on the ground, his tail wagging excitedly.

“I thought you said you weren’t a dog?” Prompto giggles, watching Noct in amusement. He acts like an overgrown puppy, just much, much taller than any dog he has ever seen. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to how much larger Noctis is compared to the normal, run of the mill wolves. His head reaches his shoulder – and that’s without him standing on his hind legs. Noct towers over him when he does that, and it’s unsettling every single time.

Noct hasn’t done that in a long time, Prompto thinks idly, pulling his arm back and throwing the branch as far and as high as he can. Noctis takes off running, lunging into the air and snatching it up in his jaws before it even touches the ground. Prompto suspects Noctis knows how frightened he had been when he had first done that and hasn’t done it since. There’s just something terrifying about a creature with claws and sharp teeth towering over you that sends fear slithering down his spine – even from a creature he knows would never hurt him.

Noctis bounds back to him with the branch between his teeth, dropping it proudly at his feet.

“Good boy,” Prompto praises with a grin, laughing and shoving Noctis’ face away when he licks a broad stroke up his face. “No, no, stop that. Dude, you slobbered all over me!” Prompto whines, wiping the spit off his face with a grimace.

Noctis gives him a wolfish grin, tongue lolling happily, looking pleased as punch.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, buddy,” Prompto huffs, bending over to grab the branch, yelping when Noctis shoves him with his head and he topples over. “Hey! Not cool, man!”

Noctis bark-howls at him, and darts from side to side, lowering his body to the ground with his tail high in the air.

Prompto raises an eyebrow in amusement. “You want to play?”

Noctis whoofs at him, pawing at the ground and gesturing with his head to the woods.

“You want… to play chase? Seriously?” Prompto says incredulously, getting to his feet. Noctis makes that weird bark-howl sound again, and Prompto eyes the woods dubiously. “You know you’ll catch me in like, two seconds flat, right?”

Noctis chuffs and nudges him with his head again, careful to not make him fall over this time.

“Fine, fine. You want to chase the human, I get it,” Prompto huffs, starting towards the woods and glancing back at Noct. “At least give me a head start – an actual head start.”

Noctis sits on his haunches and that’s all the confirmation he needs before he turns and sprints into the woods without looking back. Prompto’s heart hammers, forcing his legs to move faster when he hears a howl split through the air, and he knows his time is up.

Noct gave him a good five-minute head start, and even though he knows he can’t possibly outrun him, that doesn’t mean he’s going to let himself get caught easily. He’s clever, he knows wolves track by scent, he’ll just have to be smart about it and throw Noct off his game.

Prompto pants, shrugging off his jacket and throwing it off the trail he was making for himself, swerving around trees as he ran aimlessly. Hopefully, Noct will stop and get confused by his scent going in two different directions and buy him some more time, Prompto thinks as he shrugs off his shirt too, and lobs it in the opposite direction as he keeps running.

Don’t run in a straight line, Prompto thinks to himself as he veers off course and heads west. A howl, much closer than before makes his heart lurch, a rush of adrenalin surging through his body. He’s being chased – hunted – and he fights back a rush of laughter, feeling wild and free as the trees rush past as he desperately tries to put more distance between him and Noct.

More than once he thinks he hears paws thundering behind him, but when he glances over his shoulder there’s no one there. It’s his heartbeat, Prompto realizes, thundering fast and loud as he runs and runs until he thinks his legs are going to give out. There’s something underneath all the adrenalin, some form of fight or flight instinct that recognizes the danger Noctis could pose to him if it was any other wolf, and it urges him to run faster, to evade the predator chasing after him like it was life or death.

A howl sounds again, and Prompto can’t stop the breathless laughter from escaping. He’s clearly fallen for his second trap just like he had hoped he would. Prompto didn’t know when he learned to tell Noctis’ howls apart, but he’s pretty sure Noct was having the time of his life trying to hunt him down. That howl was more high-pitched than it normally was when he was simply calling out to the others. It was a mix between excitement and approval that Prompto was smart enough to disperse his scent in different locations to prolong their game.

Eventually, Prompto has to admit he’s starting to grow tired. His lungs are burning, and his legs are just as exhausted. He hasn’t full-out sprinted like this since his last track and field course two years ago. Prompto veers to the left, hoping to circle around back to the restaurant. If he’s extra lucky, Noct won’t expect him to turn back.

His hope is short-lived.

He almost doesn’t see him, a blur of black speeding out from behind a large crop of trees that were densely packed together. Prompto’s eyes widen, lips parting in a startled scream as the large wolf barrels into him and knocks him flat on his back.

Prompto wheezes, gasping for breath as the wind is knocked out of him.

“Holy fuck,” Prompto pants, burying his hands in Noctis’ thick fur. Noctis straightens from his crouch on top of him and throws back his head in a triumphant howl, announcing his victory for the whole world to hear before he settles on top of him, tongue lolling and tail whacking Prompto’s legs.

“Urg, dude, you’re heavy,” Prompto groans as Noctis settles his weight on top of him. Noctis’ large paws take up the width of his chest, his wolf form almost twice as long as his body. Noctis licks across his face in retaliation, and Prompto makes a face in disgust as he’s once again covered in slobber.

“We really need to have a conversation about all the licking,” Prompto complains, wiping his face. Noctis licks him again. “Dude!”

Prompto laughs, it’s impossible not to when Noct practically pouts at him and levels those large puppy dog eyes at him. “Yeah, yeah, I love you too you overgrown puppy.”

Noctis makes a low rumbling sound, his tail wagging wildly between Prompto’s legs.

Prompto rolls his eyes, digging his fingers into Noctis’ fur and scratching behind his ears until the large wolf melts against him and closes his eyes, shimmying his body lower so he can rest his head comfortably on his paws on Prompto’s chest.

Prompto smiles fondly at the wolf sprawled over him. A wolf Noct may be, but he is the most affectionate wolf he has ever seen. Noct is a pretty affectionate guy as a human, but as a wolf, it’s like all of his human tendencies to respect personal space fall away. He’s still Noct, just with less restraint and more instinct.

“Are you falling asleep?” Prompto asks quietly after a few minutes, continuing to scratch behind Noctis’ ears and run his fingers through his thick fur. 

Noctis opens his eyes and squints at him, stretching out his body and making a soft sort of grunting sound as he resettles.

“Dude, you can’t fall asleep on me,” Prompto argues, his hand stilling. Noctis whines when he stops petting him, nudging Prompto’s hand with his snout. Prompto huffs, rolling his eyes. “Fine, fine. Five more minutes,” Prompto allows, going back to petting Noctis again.

Noctis makes a rumbling sound deep in his chest as his eyes fall closed once more, content to stay exactly where he is. Prompto can’t help but smile, tilting his head back onto the soft grass and looking up at the sky. Everything is calm and peaceful, a rare moment of tranquility that Prompto hadn’t known he needed until now. It’s beautiful here, the early morning sun filtering in from the tree tops, birds chirping happily from the tree branches.

He's warm and comfortable with Noctis’ weight on top of him, and exhausted from his mad dash through the woods, that he can feel his hand growing sluggish where he’s still petting Noct, his eyelids drooping. They woke up not too long ago, had enough time to eat breakfast before Noct’s little display in the restaurant for Prompto to still feel full from his meal. He’s warm, stuffed with good food, and comfortable. Before he knows it his hand stills to a stop and his eyelids are slipping closed.

Prompto doesn’t know how much time has passed before he feels fingers carding through his hair, and his eyes squint open to see Ignis kneeling beside him with a soft look in his eyes.

“Good afternoon,” Ignis greets, smiling down at him in amusement. “Did you two have a good nap?”

“Huh?” Prompto says groggily, blinking in confusion. There’s a heavy weight across his chest, pinning his body down, and Prompto looks down to see a large black wolf that is undoubtedly Noct still fast asleep on his chest. “Oh.”

Ignis chuckles, sitting back on his heels. “You two have been gone for hours. What were you two doing?”

“Uhh… playing?” Prompto says, phrasing it like a question. Prompto blinks when the sun is suddenly blotted out, Gladio’s large body blocking the sun from blinding his eyes.

“Playing?” Gladio cocks an eyebrow as he raises what looks suspiciously like his shirt. “What kind of playing were you two doing that required you to lose your shirt?”

Prompto looks down at his body and realizes that, yes, that is his shirt. He’s so warm he’d forgotten he wasn’t wearing it anymore.

“We were playing chase,” Prompto explains, shaking out his arm to get the blood flowing. “I ditched the shirts thinking it would throw Noct off my scent.”

Ignis’ eyebrows rise into his hairline as he regards him with something that looks like admiration while Gladio starts laughing, so loud it causes Noct to grumble and shift on top of him in his sleep.

“I got to give it to you, Blondie, that’s really clever,” Gladio praises.

“So, that’s why we heard Noct howling earlier,” Ignis muses.

“I’m pretty sure the whole damn town heard him,” Gladio chuckles. “He didn’t sound like he was calling for back up so we took our time getting to you two.”

“More like alerting me he was closing in on me,” Prompto laughs too, though Noctis’ weight made it difficult and it came out as more of a wheeze. “I really thought I was gonna win for a second, there.”

“If you can’t outrun a wolf, you have to outsmart it,” Ignis says, snatching the thought he had earlier right out of his head. “You were smart to try and throw him off your track. Now, I hate to break the two of you apart but really need to be going now or we will miss the train.”

“Good luck with that,” Prompto laughs, petting his hand over Noctis’ head. He doesn’t even budge. “He sleeps like the dead. I’m surprised he hasn’t woken up yet with all the commotion.”

“He’s familiar with our scents, that’s why,” Gladio explains. “If it had been someone he wasn’t familiar with, he would have seen them as a threat and would have woken up.”

“Even when he’s asleep?” Prompto asks, surprised. Just how good were those wolfy senses of his?

“It’s difficult to sneak up on a wolf,” Ignis elaborates. “Our sense of smell and hearing are far superior to that of humans. Fear not, you were perfectly safe in Noctis’ care, even when he’s asleep. Noct would never have let anything happen to you.”

“Oh! No, I wasn’t worried about that!” Prompto reassures. It’s laughable, really. Who would be sane enough to try to sneak up on a sleeping wolf as large as Noct? “I was just thinking how insane those wolfy senses of yours are. I’m a light sleeper, but smells wouldn’t be something I would register if I was asleep – unless it was particularly foul, that is.”

“Like that cavern we came across last month with the marlboro?” Gladio chuckles.

“Exactly,” Prompto says, shuddering in disgust at the memory of how horrid the stench had been. He can only imagine how it must have smelt for them. If he never has to see another Marlboro in his life it still won’t be long enough.

“Alright, enough chitchat,” Ignis says firmly. “We’ve tarried long enough, and we still have to make the trek back into town. Noct, I know you can hear us, it’s time to wake up.”

Noctis doesn’t deign to respond, pretending to still be asleep, but his ear twitching in the direction of Ignis’ voice gives him away.

Ignis heaves a sigh and reaches out to pry Noctis off of Prompto.

Noctis growls, baring his teeth in a frightening display of sharp teeth, but Ignis is unphased.

“Enough of that now, you have to let Prompto up. He must be uncomfortable pinned under all your weight,” Ignis admonishes.

“Not really,” Prompto says, giving Ignis a sheepish smile when he gives him an exasperated look.

“Thank you, Prompto. That’s very helpful of you,” Ignis deadpans.

“Sorry?”

Ignis sighs. “Noct, get up.”

Noctis groans, finally opening his eyes, looking annoyed.

“Come on, Princess, there’s plenty of time to cuddle with Prompto on the train,” Gladio teases.

Noct grumbles some more just for the sake of making his displeasure known before he reluctantly heaves himself up and moves off Prompto, shaking out his fur and yawning widely.

Prompto groans, stretching out his limbs. All things considered; he did have a really good nap. It could have been worse; he could have fallen asleep on a rock and woken up with a crick in his back. Prompto sits up with a groan. Now he knows how Noct feels, he doesn’t want to get up either. He’d been so warm and comfortable being blanketed by Noctis’ weight and body heat that now that he was no longer being covered by him, his skin was pebbling with goosebumps.

Prompto flops back down with another groan, sprawling out on the grass that is still warm from their combined body heat and making grabby hands towards Noct when he sees Noct watching him.

“Oh, no you don’t. Not you too. One Noct is enough,” Ignis says immediately, intercepting Noct when he tries to join Prompto. “Come on, up you get, Prompto.”

Prompto whines loudly in complaint, and Ignis is helpless to block Noctis’ larger body when he pushes past him. Prompto immediately winds his arms tightly around Noctis’ neck when he leans down to nuzzle into his chest. Prompto smiles, burying his face in Noctis’ neck and nuzzling against the soft fur, yelping and clinging to Noctis when he suddenly lifts his head and he’s pulled off the ground.

Prompto shoots Noct a glare once he’s back on his feet, crossing his arms as he steps away from the large wolf. “Traitor.”

There’s something in the wolf’s eyes that is burning and dark, his stance almost… predatory and wanting. Prompto doesn’t understand what that look means, doesn’t understand the sudden change in Noct’s demeanor or what could have provoked it. He had been happy a second ago – tired, sure, but happy. Prompto doesn’t understand the sudden hunger he can see making the wolf’s pupils expand until his eyes only have a thin ring of gold visible.

Prompto opens his mouth to ask what’s wrong when Gladio suddenly growls harshly at Noct and steps between them. Ignis gently grabs him by the elbow to tug him further away from the two alpha’s who are suddenly having a growling match, and shushes him when he tries to ask what’s going on.

Prompto watches helplessly, but after a few more incomprehensible rumbling and snarls, Noct backs down with a loud snarl and starts pacing back and forth angrily.

“What’s going on?” Prompto demands, looking to Ignis for answers.

Ignis hesitates, looking uncertain whether or not to answer. An uncomfortable feeling settles in Prompto’s stomach.

“Was it something I did?” Prompto asks uncertainly, going through the last few minutes in his head. He doesn’t remember anything he could have done to upset Noct.

“Don’t worry about it.”

Prompto frowns. “So, it was something I did.”

Ignis closes his eyes with a sigh. “It’s nothing you could have known, but next time, please think twice before you shove your face anywhere near a wolf’s neck. We’re very… sensitive about that.”

“What?” Prompto says dumbfounded. Noct got upset because he pressed his face against his neck? Prompto’s frown deepened, a sliver of hurt worming its way into his chest and taking root there. He can see where Noct may have taken it the wrong way. He’s seen Noct and the others scent mark each other tons of times in the past, and to Noct it must have looked like he was doing the same thing. Was that so terrible? Maybe humans weren’t supposed to be a part of that, it’s not like they have ever done that to him.

“Right…” Prompto mumbles, swallowing the lump in his throat and looking away, good mood officially ruined. “Sorry.”

Prompto doesn’t know if it’s just his imagination, but the sudden tension he can feel in the air makes him feel like there’s static electricity, his skin prickling. When he turns to glance at the others, there are three pairs of eyes trained on him.

“What?” Prompto asks self-consciously, eyes darting between them.

Ignis’ expression is bordering on devastation, and Gladio kind of looks like he’s constipated, while Noct’s ears are tilted back, shoulders slumped and tail low.

“What?” Prompto repeats nervously. What did he do now?

“You’re upset,” Gladio comments, making it sound almost like an accusation. Prompto winces. That’s one thing he hates about wolves. They always seem to know exactly what he’s feeling. Unable to hide what he’s feeling from them at any given time is a huge inconvenience – like now, for instance. Prompto knows he has no right to be upset, not when he’s the one that did something that offended his best friend.

“Sorry,” Prompto apologizes, giving a little shrug of his shoulders. Prompto turns his attention to Noct, their eyes locking before saying quieter, “I’m sorry.”

Noctis’ forehead scrunches in confusion, a small whine escaping before his posture straightens and he makes his way over to him, butting his head against his chest, going up on his hindlegs slightly so he can lick his cheek.

“Urg, Noct!” Prompto laughs burying one hand in the fur at the nape of his neck as he wipes his face with the other. “I thought we talked about this.”

Noctis sits back on his haunches and gives him the wolf version of a grin, tail wagging, and just like that everything is okay again. He’s clearly been forgiven, and knowing that Noct’s no longer upset is good enough for him. He’ll sort through his feelings in private later when there weren’t three wolves who can sniff it out like the bloodhounds they were.

Prompto smiles tentatively when Gladio approaches, gratefully taking his shirt when Gladio passes it to him and pulls it over his head.

Noctis huffs, drawing their attention to him as he lets out a series of growls intermixed with barking that Prompto once again cannot understand, but the guys seem to know what Noct is saying because Gladio nods and steps closer to him.

“Alright, Blondie, up you get,” Gladio says, giving him zero warning before he’s grabbing him by the waist and hoisting him up, his feet leaving the ground.

“What the – “ Prompto yelps, eyes wide as Gladio parks him unceremoniously on Noctis’ back. “Uhh…”

“Hold onto him tightly,” Ignis instructs once Prompto is seated. “Grab onto his fur with your hands and don’t let go. You can squeeze his sides with your legs to stay in place if you think you’re going to fall.”

“Um… are you sure this is okay?” Prompto asks, directing the question to Noct. He knows just as much as the next human that riding on a wolf’s back was a big no-no. Even suggesting it was enough to cause great offense.

“It’s fine, he suggested it – or rather, he demanded it,” Gladio chuckles, casually brushing his hand along his back before his hand falls back to his side like he had done nothing out of the ordinary.

Prompto’s eyebrows furrow in sudden contemplation at Gladio’s touch. He’s been noticing a lot of that lately, accidental brushing of their hands along his arms and shoulders. Gladio was more carefree about showing affection, slinging his arm around his shoulders, while Ignis was more reserved. The fact that he was noticing them touch him more frequently raised a lot of questions.

It must be a wolf thing, Prompto figures.

“I thought wolves never let people ride on their back,” Prompto says in confusion, breath catching when Noct suddenly starts walking, and he remembers what Ignis said and grabs a fistful of Noct’s fur.

“We don’t,” Gladio says easily, remaining at his side as they walk. “It’s usually reserved only for pups or to carry the sick and injured, or for the wolf’s m – “

Noctis suddenly lets out a furious snarl, cutting off Gladio’s words. Prompto startles, feeling Noctis’ fur bristling under his hands.

“ – main human,” Gladio finishes, shooting Noctis a glare. “We’re protective of the humans in our pack, and since you’re our only human it makes sense that Noct would want to keep you close.”

“Huh, I didn’t know that,” Prompto says thoughtfully, combing his fingers through Noctis’ fur to get him to calm down from whatever set him off.

Wolves are such temperamental creatures.

“It can be for bonding purposes too,” Ignis mentions. “It builds trust between the human and the pack alpha. Noct letting you ride on his back means you’re placed higher than he is, in a position to observe our surroundings while he focuses on leading the pack. It would be your job to alert us of potential dangers that we might otherwise miss while on the road.”

Prompto tightens his hands in Noctis’ fur, the importance of the act not lost on him now that he knows the significance behind it, but it reminds him of something… something he had heard or read about a long time ago when he had first joined Noct’s retinue and had to learn more about wolves.

“I thought that was the alpha’s mate’s job though, isn’t it?” Prompto wonders aloud. It’s a topic he has heard scarcely of. It seems to be one of those things wolves just don’t want humans to know about, but he knows the basics of what a mate is and their responsibilities to their pack.

Prompto gasps loudly, heart pounding when Noctis lurches forward, stumbling over a tree root and almost throwing him from his back.

“Shiva’s tits!” Prompto curses loudly, clinging to Noctis for dear life. “Can you please watch where you’re going, Noct?”

Noctis snorts, shaking his head as he rights himself and starts forward again.

“You’d figure you would have more balance on four legs,” Prompto grumbles, much to Gladio’s amusement if his laugh at their expense tells him anything.

Prompto never does get to hear the answer to his question as the buildings come into view, and he’s being eased off Noct’s back and ushered into their hotel to grab their things as Noct shifts back.

Chapter Text

It’s hard to refute Gladio’s earlier statement about cuddling on the train because they do end up snuggling on the train, and it’s infinitely better than sitting separately. They have a whole train carriage to themselves, so it’s not like anyone will say anything about propriety.  Wolves are naturally more openly affectionate than humans, to a point where it can make humans uncomfortable with their intensity.

Prompto had been more than a little uncomfortable at the beginning by how tactile they were with each other, but the way they touched each other wasn’t sexual in nature – intimate, sure, but it was more like they craved connection and reassurance, especially from Noctis.

It’s almost as if they get touch starved if they go without contact for too long, a feeling Prompto knows all too well. It’s not like he’s had a lot of physical intimacy in his life – even platonically. The fact that they include Prompto in these pack bonding moments now makes him feel like he belongs, that he’s a part of their pack and not just the prince’s best friend and member of his Crownsguard.

To say Noctis is disappointed that they couldn’t all fit on the bench for a true, good old fashioned puppy pile is an understatement, but that just means Prompto's able to sprawl out and lay his head in Noctis' lap while they mess around on their phones, Noctis’ fingers carding through his hair, nails scratching lightly at his scalp.

The sensation is heavenly, and Prompto is sure he can fall asleep just like this regardless of the awkward position he’s currently laying in. His position has the added bonus of not seeing Ignis and Gladio, the table blocking his view. Despite knowing he should be used to this after all these years, it still makes his cheeks feel warm seeing how intimate the two of them look sitting together; Ignis’ back pressed against Gladio’s chest as he sits between his splayed legs, Ignis’ head tilted back against Gladio’s shoulder with his eyes closed.

The grip Gladio has on Ignis’ thigh is almost possessive and it makes Prompto feel like a voyeur, like he’s intruding on an intimate moment he’s not meant to see. So, he’s content to lay back and bury his face in his phone and pretend he never saw anything, but that also leaves him with too much quiet, the others content to relax and enjoy the peace.

Prompto’s never been good with silence. He gets restless easily, and his thoughts run a mile a minute if he’s left with nothing but his own thoughts for too long. They have another few hours before their train arrives at the train station in Tenebrae, which means another few hours of restless shifting and boredom.

They’ll be meeting with the alpha, Lunafreya’s mother, Queen Sylva Via Fleuret at their manor. Prompto doesn’t know much about them, only bits and pieces of information that he’s heard on the radio. He remembers the TV and radio stations reporting when the Tenebraen prince consort died twelve years ago in a skirmish. It was a huge blow to their pack, the news that Tenebrae had lost one of their few male omegas shook the continent. They never fully recovered from the loss, their pack’s alpha disappearing from the public to mourn in privacy.

Prompto doesn’t know how much has changed over the past twelve years. The Queen will no doubt be devastated to learn of her daughter’s death – if she hasn’t found out already.

“So, what’s the Fleuret pack like?” Prompto wonders aloud, breaking the silence. The Lucis pack is the only one he’s familiar with. Lucis has smaller packs within their territory, the Galahd pack being one of the closest to their city, but this will be the first royal back outside of Noct’s that he will be in contact with. He wants to make sure he makes a good first impression.

“They’re an old family, they started expanding their territory and numbers around the same time my ancestors did,” Noctis says, nails scratching at his scalp. “Our packs have been allies and friends for generations. They’re good people.”

“That’s why you and Lunafreya…?” Prompto trails off, uncertain whether it’s too soon to talk about her. Noctis loved her, they were childhood friends. The fact that they were supposed to be wed in Altissia was a testament to how much Noct cared for her.

“Yeah,” Noctis sighs, putting down his phone. “We never thought much about marriage, but for the sake of merging our packs and expanding our numbers, dad and I agreed to the proposal. It was the only option we had to survive this war Ardyn is hellbent on starting.”

“Ardyn’s the ruling pack alpha of Niflheim, right? Their king?”

“Yeah, and a shitty one at that,” Noctis grunts.

“Why does he want to start a war with other packs? Why… why send his people to murder dignitaries outside his continent?”

“For more territory, of course,” Noctis says in disgust. “He’s been trying for decades to get dad to surrender his rule over Insomnia and the neighboring territories. He wants to expand and bring all the packs together under one rule. It’s a power move – taking out important members of high-ranking packs to cripple them and cause chaos. Ardyn will be expecting retaliation, but without strength in numbers, the Fleurets can’t make any real headway against him. Insomnia is half a world away. We’re too far to provide help in an emergency, which was why we were going to build outposts and integrate our packs, and deploy the Kingsglaives to make sure it would be a smooth transition.”

“Wait, what? Are you serious?” Prompto says in disbelief.

He hadn’t known that was the real reason Noct and Lunafreya were getting married. He had thought they were in love, and after years of back-and-forth correspondence, he had just thought it was a natural course of action for them to take. He hadn’t known they were only getting married to strengthen their packs.  

“All that over territory?”

“We’re territorial creatures – alphas even more so,” Gladio says nonchalantly. “Packs have been fighting for more land since the beginning of time. It’s nothing new.”

“But… but why?” Prompto stresses, looking up at Noct. “Your dad had never tried to expand and take over other territories, right? I mean, there hasn’t been a war for centuries, not since the battle of Solheim.”

“That’s because dad already controls a vast amount of territory. We don’t need any more,” Noctis snorts. “Being king isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. Being in control of all those packs under us? Handling all the territory disputes and disagreements between packs? What a chore.”

“So, it’s not just Insomnia?” Prompto frowns.

“No, Insomnia is the capital of our territory – the crown city. His Majesty is in control of five leading packs on our side of the ocean,” Ignis speaks up, voice soft and sleepy. He’s no doubt falling asleep against Gladio. Wolves are so warm, Prompto really doesn’t blame him. He kind of wants to take a nap against Noct too. “Cavaugh, Leide, Duscae, Cleigne, Galahd – he’s the ruling alpha of them all.”

“Holy shit,” Prompto whistles. “No wonder the Fleuret pack wants to merge. Ardyn wouldn’t pick a fight if they had King Regis backing them.”

“Exactly,” Ignis agrees. “We have the military resources that Tenebrae lacks. Since the Queen’s mate passed, Sylva has let a lot of important responsibilities fall by the wayside.”

“I thought…” Prompto trails off hesitating. “I thought you guys couldn’t survive if you lost your mates, right? Or it that a myth?”

“No, we can live without them, it’s just extremely hard for us to want to,” Gladio sighs. “Alphas and omegas take it the hardest, we’re more instinct-driven than betas are. We could be driven mad with the loss, sink into our grief and go feral.”

“I suspect the only reason Queen Sylva has managed to live so long without her mate is that she has two children that rely on her,” Ignis murmurs sadly. “Just like Noct’s father. Losing one’s mate is a death sentence for many us.”

“That’s terrible,” Prompto says quietly. He can’t imagine what that must feel like, to feel someone’s death so acutely that they wouldn’t want to live anymore. “Was Lunafreya…?”

“No,” Noctis says quickly. “She… she was great, an amazing friend, and I loved her but she wasn’t my mate.”

Prompto feels relief wash over him at Noctis’ words. Noctis was depressed and angry at Lunafreya’s death, but it’s reassuring to know that Noct wasn’t going to slip into a deep depression and want to… end it all. “How do you know when someone’s your mate, anyway?”

“Scent,” Noctis answers quietly when Ignis and Gladio remain silent. “We find them by scent. It’s… a mate smells different compared to everyone else. It’s like their scent has been tailored specifically for us, a blend of all our favorite smells that is impossible to resist, impossible to be mistaken for anything else. It calls – it’s supposed to call to our wolf.”

“So, it’s like waving a particularly juicy steak beneath your nose?” Prompto grins.

“Something like that, yeah,” Noctis grins back. “Any more questions? Because if I have to talk about politics for one more second, I’m gonna fall asleep.”

“It’s going to be all yours one day, Princess,” Gladio says in amusement. “At least sound a bit excited.”

Noctis scoffs. “What’s there to be excited about? I’d be happy if it was just us.”

“I actually have one more question. Are you sure you’re an alpha? You don’t seem all that territorial,” Prompto says cheekily. “You sure it’s not an error? Maybe you’re a beta – oh, the scandal that would cause!”

Noctis looks down at him, narrowing his eyes, his hand stilling in his hair. “What did you just say?”

“Uh-oh, now you’re in for it, Blondie,” Gladio chuckles.

Ignis sighs in exasperation, not even bothering to open his eyes. “Please keep the domineering behavior to a minimum, would you, Noct?”

“Huh?” Prompto says in confusion, sitting up and scooting down the bench to give Noctis space when Noct pushes his shoulders to get him to move off his lap, yelping when he’s suddenly being tackled down onto the carpet.

“Noct, wha – no!” Prompto squeals, breaking into laughter when Noctis digs his fingers into his sides.

“S-Stop, hah, stop it! Mercy!” Prompto laughs, struggling to roll over onto his back beneath Noctis’ body so he isn’t so helpless. Noctis’ hands are relentless in their assault, fingers dancing across his ribs and tickling him mercilessly. Once he’s on his back, his struggling renews, batting away Noctis’ hands and fighting to buck him off and return the favor.

Noctis drops his weight more firmly on top of him, legs squeezing on either side of his body, pinning Prompto’s hips to the floor as they wrestle for dominance. Prompto bends his knees, planting his feet on the floor and bucking his hips in an attempt to throw Noct off as his hands and arms strain against Noct’s, desperately trying to keep Noctis’ evil fingers away from him.

Noctis growls, freeing his hands and grabbing Prompto by the wrists, forcing his arms above his head to pin his wrists to the floor.

“Say I’m your alpha,” Noctis growls, eyes burning. “Say it.”

Prompto struggles to release his arms, but Noctis’ grip holds firm. Noctis smirks down at him, shifting his weight to pin Prompto’s wrists down with a single hand as the other trails down Prompto’s chest to his stomach.

Prompto inhales sharply, stomach sucking in at Noctis’ touch. Prompto squirms, flushing with a mixture of exertion and sudden arousal, his body growing interested in the proceedings. Prompto’s face heats, embarrassed to feel himself start to grow hard in his jeans. Noctis isn’t even putting much effort into pinning him down, his muscles no match for Noct’s inhuman strength.

“Say it,” Noctis demands, his voice sending a shiver down Prompto’s spine. Noct’s golden eyes are entirely focused on him, his fingers dancing threateningly along his stomach.

Noctis huffs when he doesn’t respond, but he doesn’t seem angry. He looks amused by his defiance, but then his expression slips into something Prompto can’t quite put his finger on. Noctis’ already golden eyes darkening, his nostrils flaring, and his hands suddenly tightening around his wrists.

Noctis slowly leans down, and Prompto’s heartbeat skyrockets, so fast and loud he’s sure Noct is able to hear the wild way it’s beating against his ribcage.

“Say it,” Noctis whispers, his breath ghosting across his lips, laying his palm flat against Prompto’s stomach. They’re so close, Prompto would only have to tilt his face up and his lips would be brushing against Noct’s.

Prompto swallows nervously, mouth going dry.

“You’re… you’re my alpha,” Prompto concedes, giving up on struggling to get free and relaxing beneath Noct. Noctis growls low in his throat, an unmistakable sound of pleasure at Prompto’s submission.

Noctis’ eyes are dark, dark, dark. A look on his face and in his eyes that wasn’t entirely different to the one Noct had given him back in the woods before Gladio had intervened. It’s different to see that expression on Noctis' face as a human and not as a wolf, but it wasn’t any less predatorial.

Is Noct mad at him again for some reason? He hadn’t done anything that was considered a faux pas to his knowledge…

“Noct.” Ignis’ voice is sharp enough to cut through glass, and Prompto startles at the warning in his voice, glancing away from Noct to where Ignis is getting to his feet. “That’s enough.  Let him up, now.”

An irritated expression flickers across Noctis’ face, his golden eyes boring into his when his eyes dart back to his face. There’s something almost… pleading in the look Noctis is giving him. Prompto holds his gaze, trying to decipher the emotions he can see reflected in Noctis’ eyes.

Prompto tilts his head back, eyebrows furrowing when Noctis’ eyes dart down to his neck, his lips parting, and Prompto’s heart skips a beat when he sees Noctis’ teeth sharper than they should be.

“Everything okay?” Prompto asks slowly, swallowing back the nervousness fluttering in his stomach. It’s not that he’s scared of Noct, even when he displays his more wolfen features and tendencies, but he doesn’t know what it means whenever it surfaces out of nowhere like this. Is it in anger or something else? Is this another form of alpha posturing he doesn’t know about? He hasn’t seen Noct do this with the others…

Noctis exhales roughly, releasing his wrists and sitting back, running his hand through his hair.

“Another alpha thing?” Prompto asks curiously, looking for insight into Noctis’ strange behavior. He’s been doing this more and more lately. Noct wasn’t nearly this bad before Lunafreya’s death. It’s normal to see Noct roughhousing with Gladio, having two alphas living in close quarters is bound to cause some friction, but Noct has never done anything like that with him. Noct’s certainly never pinned him to the floor like this before either.

Was that what Ignis meant when he had told Noct to keep the domineering behavior to a minimum?  

“Yeah, sorry,” Noctis apologizes, gold fading from his eyes, a disarmingly cute blush coloring Noctis’ cheeks as he awkwardly gets to his feet and offers Prompto his hand.

“It’s all good. Don’t be embarrassed dude, it’s fine,” Prompto reassures, grasping Noctis’ hand and letting him pull him to his feet.

Gladio snorts, mumbling something under his breath that Prompto couldn’t quite catch. Noctis’ hears him though if the scowl on his face tells him anything.

“I need to use the bathroom,” Noctis grumbles, turning on his heel and stalking down the hall.

Gladio is grinning at him when Prompto turns to shoot the other alpha an inquisitive look. Gladio gives him a wink, and Prompto is once again helplessly confused.

Is he missing something…?

“Is he mad at me again or something?” Prompto asks hesitantly.

“Mad?” Gladio guffaws. “More like he’s being driven mad, sure.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Gladio rolls his eyes. “He’s pent up. I don’t know about you guys, but once the meeting with the queen is over with I’m going to the nearest bar, and – “

“Gladio, can you not,” Ignis groans.

“– I’m going to get a leg over.”

Prompto’s jaw drops as the meaning of being ‘pent up’ finally sinks in.

“Ohhh.” Prompto glances down the hall where Noct had disappeared. Is he… is he doing what he thinks he’s doing? Had Noct gotten excited during their little wrestling match as he had?

“And you went and said it,” Ignis sighs, sliding back onto the bench and rubbing his forehead.

“Come on, Iggy, when’s the last time you got laid? Traveling with three other guys doesn’t exactly leave a whole lot of room for privacy.”

“Unlike you, sex isn’t on my list of priorities at the moment,” Ignis says wryly. “There are much more important things to think about than ‘getting a leg over’ as you so eloquently put it.”

“What about you?” Gladio questions, turning his attention to Prompto and raising an eyebrow at him. “Are you going to tell me you wouldn’t jump at the chance to sleep with a pretty woman giving you bedroom eyes?”

“M-Me?” Prompto stutters. “Uhh… no?”

Gladio looks at him like he’s grown a second head. “No?”

Prompto shrugs sheepishly. “I don’t do one-night stands. I mean, I did once, and the guy was nice and all, but… it wasn’t for me.”

Gladio’s eyes grow wide as saucers, and he leans forward with his forearm braced on the table, his expression oddly intense for a guy who had just been talking about getting laid.

“Wait a minute, did you just say a guy?”

“Well, yeah, who said anything about me being straight?” Prompto scoffs at the idea. How they could think he's straight with the outfits he chooses to wear is beyond him. Not to mention half a wall in his bedroom being dedicated to strikingly beautiful men and women with and without clothes from one of his photography classes. His internet search history is a far cry from a straight guy's, that’s for sure. “Do I look straight to you?”

“But – but, Cindy!” Gladio exclaims, looking like he’s truly seeing him for the first time. Gladio's head swivels to the side to face Ignis. “Did you know about this?”

“I had my suspicions,” Ignis says mysteriously, lips twitching into a smile as he leans back and crosses his arms. “He’s bisexual, Gladio.”

“Well shit, color me surprised!” Gladio laughs. “And here I thought you carried a torch for every bright-eyed beauty we came across. Is that why you haven’t hooked up with a girl yet? You could.”

“Oh, yeah, because asking a girl to peg me is going to go just swimmingly,” Prompto laughs, and Gladio chokes on his spit.

There’s a strangled sound from behind him, accompanying the sound of something shattering. It echoes through the train carriage, causing Prompto to jump and whirl around toward the noise.

Noctis is staring at him with wide eyes, gaping at him in undisguised shock. Noct doesn’t look like he’s capable of speech, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly, struck speechless in the wake of Prompto’s unexpected confession.

Prompto’s eyes fall to the glass of water that is now shattered in pieces at Noctis’ feet, water soaking into the carpet much like Noctis’ brain seems to be absorbing his words.

“I think you broke him,” Gladio snickers.

Prompto’s face grows hot, his ears burning. He can’t believe he had just said that and Noct overheard it. They’ve never even broached the topic of their sexuality in all the years they’ve been friends. Talking about crushes or cute girls was never something they cared to talk about – outside of teasing each other that is. Like that one time a girl had tried to flirt with Noct in high school in front of the citadel fountain, and Noct had looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

Ah, that had been hilarious! Noctis' face at that moment had been priceless! He still laughs remembering the look on his face. He’s pretty sure Noct is as straight at they come, barring their little moment a few minutes ago. It’s just adrenaline, and his body’s natural reaction to having a warm body beneath him, nothing more.

He shouldn’t look too deep into it. That would only lead to madness. He doesn’t need to bring his feelings for Noct into this. Not now, and likely not ever. Noct is about as attainable as the limited edition signed copy of Assassin’s Creed that Noct had managed to snag on the first day it was announced.

He never stood a chance – will never stand a chance. He’s just a human nobody, and Noct is wolfen royalty.

“Pegging?” Noctis blurts, the gears in his brain working overtime to get it functioning again; stuck on that word and causing his brain to stall all over again.

Prompto groans with mortification, collapsing onto the bench and covering his face with his hands, his cheeks hotter than an afternoon spent in the sun. “Can we please forget I ever said that?”

“I fucking knew you would be a bottom!” Gladio exclaims, completely ignoring the embarrassment radiating from him.

“You literally just found out he’s bisexual. How could you have possibly known he prefers to bottom?” Ignis says in exasperation.

“Kid’s a twink, it’s not that far of a stretch.”

Prompto whines loudly, folding his arms on the table and burying his face in the crook of his elbow. “Ramuh, strike me now, I beg of you.”

“On the topic of pegging, have you seriously never had a woman fuck you?” Gladio asks curiously.

“Oh my god, no! Gladio, would you please shut the fuck up?” Prompto begs, lifting his head from his folded arms.

“There’s always female alphas, you know. They have a cock."

“Oh my god!” Prompto throws his hands in the air, his face a furious shade of red. “I’m so done with this conversation. Remind me to never talk about this ever again.”

Gladio grins. “Aren’t you the least bit curious? I slept with this one female alpha whose clit grew into a cock, teenage me got the fucking shock of his life. It’s actually pretty hot.”

Prompto whirls around to face Noct, giving him a pleading look. “Please work your alpha mojo and tell him to stop. I’ll literally do anything, just please get him to stop talking.”

Noctis doesn’t even have to open his mouth, Ignis coming to his rescue and elbowing Gladio in the side, trying and failing to make himself look stern. There’s a smile lifting the corner of his lips, Ignis equally as amused by the whole conversation.

Gladio grunts, rubbing his ribs and shooting Ignis a wounded look. “Alright, alright, I get it. Keep your bony elbows away from me, fuck.”

Prompto snorts, scrubbing a hand down his face. God, how did this conversation get so derailed? Did female alphas seriously have cocks? Prompto’s mind spins just thinking about it, trying to imagine it. Imagining a woman’s clitoris growing into a cock when aroused. Prompto closes his eyes and shakes his head to clear it.

Just when he thinks he knows enough about wolves, he learns something new. Gladio is right about one thing though, that is kind of hot. He’s curious enough about it that he’s tempted to look it up, but there is no way in Six he was going to look up porn when he’s living in close quarters with three other guys.

He’s made it a rule of thumb to keep far away from that side of porn. He really, really doesn’t want to know. There is so much he doesn’t understand, and he has so many questions but he’d rather suffer in silence than die from embarrassment if he were to ever voice them.

Male pregnancies are extremely high on his list of questions. How did that even work? He’s too scared to ask, and even more afraid to know the answer.

Ignorance really is bliss.

“Well, when the curiosity starts eating at you, you know where to find me,” Gladio grins, recovering from Ignis’ sharp jab.

“Right. That’s not gonna happen, big guy,” Prompto says, rolling his eyes at the ceiling as he scoots out of the way when Noctis steps forward. Prompto looks up, having almost forgotten that Noct had overheard everything when he meets his eyes. Prompto’s face heats under the intensity of his stare, shrinking back in his seat when Noct continues to stand there and say nothing.

“Uh… you okay, buddy?” Prompto asks uncertainly, glancing to Ignis and Gladio for support. They’re both sitting ramrod straight, eyes focused on Noct. It doesn’t necessarily make him feel any better seeing them look like they are expecting something to happen.

“You’re bi?”

Noctis’ words send an unpleasant heat flaring through his body, almost like he just swallowed hot coals, and his heart sinks heavily into the pit of his stomach.

“Is that a problem?” Prompto asks, his voice coming out harsher than he had intended, struggling to remain calm. He doesn’t know what he would do if Noct actually has a problem with it. He’s a bisexual guy that sometimes shares a bed and a tent with three straight guys. Prompto can see where Noct may be drawing conclusions, may even be thinking if he had ever acted inappropriately – going over all their interactions in a whole new light.

Prompto sincerely hopes not. He does everything he can to not let his true feelings show, to not have Noctis find out about his feelings for him. He’s been so unbearably aware of how he acts around Noct, always careful not to slip up. He doesn’t care that they know he’s bisexual, he never tried to hide it – he’s not ashamed of it – but now that it’s out in the open and they actually know now, he’s terrified.

What if this changes things? What if… what if they see him differently now? Okay, maybe he had overdone it whenever he was around Cindy, but she’s an absolute goddess! The goddess of goddesses! The most beautiful woman he has ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on, but he doesn’t have feelings for her – never had feelings for her.

There’s only one person who lights a fire in his heart, making his blood race and his pulse jump, and he’s standing right in front of him.

“Why would it be a problem?”

“I don’t know, you tell me,” Prompto says slowly, eyes darting to the table and back to Noct, hoping he’d get the hint. There’s literally no space separating them. If Noct were to move just a centimeter more, their legs will be touching. Prompto feels a tad like he's being backed into a corner with Noct blocking his only exit, and it makes his blood run cold.

Noctis’ eyebrows furrow, his mouth opening and closing but no words come out.

“By the Six,” Gladio groans after whatever moment they had been waiting for came and passed. “Noct, just tell him you’re gay already and save us from watching you blunder and fuck things up even further.”

It’s Prompto's turn to be caught by surprise. Noct’s gay? No way. He’s never so much as caught Noct checking out another guy, let alone openly admitting he was batting for the same team. He would have known. He would have seen signs! Gladio must be pulling his leg, there is no way in Six Noct could be gay. Noct had been about to marry Lunafreya before all this mess!

“No way!” Prompto exclaims before he can think better of it, his brain to mouth filter completely shot. “B-But what about Lunafreya? You two were going to get married!”

“I told you, the life of a prince isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I never really had a choice in the matter, it had to be done to protect y – to protect everyone,” Noctis says with shrug, hoping Prompto didn’t catch his near slip-up.

“But… if you two had gotten married you would have had to, y’know... consummate the marriage sooner or later.”

Noctis makes a face, bumping against Prompto’s legs as he wiggles in-between him and the table to take the window seat. “Urg, please don’t remind me. I’m trying to purge that whole conversation I had with dad about that.”

Gladio snorts, and even Ignis looks amused by Noctis’ blatant disgust; covering his mouth with his hand to hide his smile.

“Way to show enthusiasm for continuing your lineage, Your Highness,” Gladio teases. “I’ve never seen someone so disgusted at the thought of sex before – besides Ignis, anyway.”

“I’ve told you many times before. I agree with Prompto in this regard, I do not see the point in meaningless hookups,” Ignis says, rolling his eyes. “I am not disgusted with sex; I merely do not feel the need to engage in intimacy with random strangers.”

“You’re ace?” Prompto guesses. “Or demisexual?”

“I’ve never been one for labels,” Ignis says matter-of-factly. “But if I must, I would say a bit of both. I want to have a bond with the person I’m potentially going to sleep with, but feeling sexually attracted to them is a whole other matter regardless of how deeply I care about them.”

“Huh,” Prompto hums thoughtfully. “What about mates then? How would that affect a person?”

Prompto tries not to notice the way Noct tenses beside him at the mention of mates. Noct seems against the very idea of having a mate out there waiting for him. He gets all tight-lipped and moody whenever the subject is brought up.

“It doesn’t,” Gladio says with a shrug. “More often than not it’s the exact kind of person we’ve been waiting our whole lives for – someone that fits with us in ways no one else did. Some of us are lucky to find ours while others could go their whole life without ever finding theirs. It’s why us wolves are so fiercely protective of our mates; we only have one – one person in the whole fucking world that's meant for us and us alone.”

“That’s…” Prompto trails off, his throat clamping down on the emotions welling in his chest, his heart clenching painfully. Mates. Noct has a mate out there somewhere, waiting to be found, and it most certainly isn’t him. Prompto’s eyes lower, drawing patterns on the table with his finger. Hearing Gladio put it that way now makes him feel a mixture of overwhelming sadness and relief that he had never confessed his feelings to Noct.

He's always feared being rejected, had hyped himself up to tell Noct how he feels so many times he’s lost count, but knowing what he knows now, it would be easier if he could just let his feelings for Noct die, as difficult and impossible as he knows that will be. Noct has a mate, they may not be in the picture now or maybe ever, but it clearly isn’t him, and that means they just aren’t meant to be.

“Hey, you okay?”

Prompto startles out of his thoughts at Noctis’ soft voice and the gentle touch of his hand on his arm.

“Yeah, sorry, got caught up in my thoughts there for a sec.” Prompto forces a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’m thirsty, anyone else thirsty?”

Noctis frowns when he changes the subject, his nostrils flaring in a way that is not as subtle as Noctis seems to think it is. Prompto knows he’s trying to get a read on his emotions through his scent, an impossible thing for him to hide. He can lie and deflect all he wants, but his scent doesn’t lie.

It’s a huge inconvenience, is what it is. It’s invasive, but Prompto knows he can’t be mad at Noct for something that is just a part of who he is. It’s instinctual, similar to how one would read someone’s body language to get a feel for the situation. He’ll never be able to understand it, but it’s just their way of communicating – especially when they’re in their wolf forms. They rely on body language and scents to do most of the talking for them.

He can’t fault him for something outside of his control.

“Thirsty?” Noctis repeats, confused.

“Yeah, you spilled your water earlier,” Prompto says, latching onto the opportunity to excuse himself for a few minutes so he can wrangle his emotions back under control. He doesn’t know how sensitive their noses are, but if his scent is as bad as the storm of emotions rolling inside him, it can’t be good. “I’ll get you another glass.”

“Uh, okay, sure?” Noctis agrees, sounding a bit lost as Prompto jumps up from his seat and walks over the wall-length table on the other side of the carriage that is laden with water pitchers and a coffee machine, and so, so many snacks.

I guess there are perks to being royalty, Prompto muses as he gathers two glasses and flips them right-side-up from where they had been neatly stacked in the corner. “Anyone else want something to drink while I’m over here?”

“Do they have Ebony?” Ignis asks hopefully.

Prompto scans the table, noting the pods of coffee and little packets of instant coffee.

“Do you want the good news or the bad news first?” Prompto chuckles.

“That’s a no, then,” Ignis sighs.

“Well, the good news it they have coffee. The bad news is they don’t have Ebony,” Prompto says, picking up one of the pods and instant coffee, turning to wave them at Ignis.

Ignis makes a face. “That’s abhorrent.”

Prompto smothers a grin as he turns back and deposits them back in their rightful place. “Water, then?”

“I suppose that will have to suffice,” Ignis says reluctantly.

“Gladio?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Suit yourself,” Prompto hums, pouring two glasses and bringing them to their table before going back to fill a glass for himself.

Prompto grabs the pitcher of water to fill his glass when he sees movement from the corner of his eye. Prompto looks up, staring at his reflection in the window. They’ve been on the train for hours now, and after two stops at other train stations along their route to pick up more passengers and to refuel, the sun has already set. The snowy countryside is bathed in darkness, the last rays of the evening sun unable to penetrate the thick trees on either side of the tracks as the train winds around the mountains of Gralea to get to Tenebrae – the closest they will be able to get to Fenestala Manor without a car.

Prompto blinks, trying to get his eyes to adjust to see outside when he sees another blur of movement in the snow.

“Uh…guys?” Prompto says slowly, eyes squinting to see through the dark outside as he slowly lowers the pitcher of water back onto the table. There are shadows moving alongside the train at a startling speed. Suddenly a pair of golden eyes locks with his through the window and Prompto startles back with a scream.

“Prom!?”

Prompto cries out in shock as his back slams into Noctis in his panic to put distance between him and the window. Noctis grabs his arms and whirls him around, taking in the terrified look on his face with an expression of panic.

“What? What’s wrong!?” Noctis asks frantically.

Ignis and Gladio are on their feet, coming to stand a foot behind Noctis, eyes alert and posture tense as they look around for the cause of Prompto’s sudden terror.

“There – there’s wolves outside!” Prompto stammers, eyes wide as he clings to Noctis’ forearms. “They’re running alongside the train. I saw their eyes – they’re like yours.”

Noctis’ eyes widen, his body freezing at Prompto’s words. Gladio and Ignis immediately react, rushing to look out the window to confirm what Prompto saw.

Gladio curses explosively.

“They’re Ardyn’s, I’m sure of it,” Gladio growls.

“They must have seen us depart from Altissia,” Ignis says grimly, turning to Noct who’s still standing frozen and holding Prompto close to him. “Your orders, Your Highness?”

Noctis looks away from Prompto, and just like that, the casual and relaxed demeanor of his best friend falls away and is replaced with a fierceness that takes Prompto by surprise.

“We have to protect the passengers. We cannot allow them to board the train,” Noctis commands, taking a step away from Prompto to think of their options, scanning their environment even though his instincts are screaming for him to ensure Prompto’s safety first.

Noctis’ eyes land on the hatch embedded in the ceiling that’s meant for evacuating encase of emergencies. “We’ll scout their numbers first and proceed from there. Do not engage. Do not take the fight to them, let them come to us. They’ll try to climb onto the train when they catch wind of us, they’ll be vulnerable and that’s when we will attack.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Gladio and Ignis say immediately.

Noctis turns back to Prompto, taking in the slight tremble running through his body, and the genuine fear in his eyes and scent, and knows that no matter what, he will make sure Prompto is as far from Ardyn’s bloodthirsty wolves as possible, but he needs him for his plan to work. He needs him to see how dangerous they can be, that he needs to be prepared to defend himself against an opponent that has the potential to end his life in seconds.

As his mate, he needs to see that Prompto’s willing to stand by his side when he needs him there the most. His instincts demand it. He needs to see for himself if Prompto’s willing to kill someone in defence of their pack – their territory – if the situation calls for it. These aren’t creatures infected with the scourge, these are actual people.

“You shoot to kill, do you understand?” Noctis demands, voice hard and commanding as he steps into Prompto’s space and grasps his arms to steady him.

Prompto can’t answer, his throat constricting as the reality of what’s happening crashes over him. Those are Ardyn’s wolves outside, probably the very same ones that had murdered Lunafreya. If they had managed to take out a princess, a woman who had powers that no normal wolf possesses, what chance did he have of coming out of this unscathed?

He’s just a puny, weak human compared to them.

“Do you understand?” Noctis growls, fingers digging into his arms, eyes flaring so bright it looks like someone lit a match behind his eyes.

“I-I understand,” Prompto stutters, his breathing speeding up, his heart pounding with anxiety. He’s never seen Noct so domineering and assertive before, and the severity of the situation isn’t lost on him.

“Stay behind me. Guard the hatch and protect the rest of the passengers. Pick off any stragglers that try to get away,” Noctis orders, turning sharp eyes to Gladio and Ignis who seem to be awaiting their orders. “Gladio, with me. Ignis, watch our flanks. Make sure no one gets near Prompto.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Gladio and Ignis say in unison, filing out behind Noct as he climbs up the latter and throws open the hatch.

Prompto swallows thickly, summoning his gun, the familiar weight of it settling in his hand. He’s been trained for this, but this will be the first time he will be up against werewolves outside of practice. These are real bullets, not blanks, and the idea that he might have to kill someone has his hand shaking where it’s gripping his gun.

“Prompto.”

Prompto looks up, terrified blue eyes meeting green flecked with gold.

“They will not touch you,” Ignis promises. “We will not allow it – I will not allow it.”

Prompto nods jerkily, finally managing to get his legs to move and follow Ignis up the ladder, his legs feeling heavier than lead.

Prompto squints his eyes when he finally reaches the top, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the darkness quickly, shivering as the wind blows snow from the treetops into his face, the cold biting into the exposed skin of his arms and face.

Noctis and Gladio have crouched a few feet ahead of him and are talking in low voices that Prompto can’t hear over the train’s engine.

“What’s going on?” Prompto whispers to Ignis who is crouched in front of him, eyes trained on Noct and Gladio.

“There are three wolves on the left,” Ignis says quietly, his eyes never leaving Noct and Gladio as they crawl on their hands and knees to the other side of the train to confirm whether or not there are more wolves on the other side. “…and four more on the right,” Ignis says grimly.

Prompto inhales shakily. Seven. There are seven wolves. They’re outnumbered, and while they’ve been up against worse odds than that in the past, those were beasts who were easily dispatched. These wolves have human intelligence, able to formulate and work in tandem. There is no way…

Prompto swallows thickly, trying to reign in his panic and the fear that threatens to consume him despite his best efforts. He’s not a fighter, he’s not even a wolf, how much help could he actually be in a real fight like this? It really makes him wish he had insisted on a more rigorous training regiment for defending himself against wolves when he had the chance.

“Stay calm,” Ignis murmurs, reaching back and grabbing Prompto’s hand and giving it a squeeze. “I know you’re afraid, but we will not let anything happen to you. We would lay down our lives before any harm comes to you. Steady your heart and breathe. Focus on what you have to do and we’ll take care of everything else.”

Lay down their lives for me, Prompto thinks deliriously. What does Ignis mean by that? Why would he –

A sudden howl splits through the air, swiftly carried up by the rest of the wolves running alongside the train, and Prompto forgets all about it as his heart lodges itself in his throat. A terrifying screech of claws tearing through metal sounds, and before Prompto can register what’s happening, Ignis is standing, summoning his daggers in his hand in a flash of blue sparks.

Prompto’s eyes widen when he sees a large hulking form heave itself onto the train, Gladio and Noct already on their feet and moving to intercept the wolf, and Prompto can only watch in horror as Gladio cleaves the wolf clean in half before the beast even manages to get its legs under him, roaring as his sword swings free.

Prompto gags as blood splatters thick and heavy across the train in a spray of blood as the lower half of the wolf’s body falls with a resounding thunk against the floor, blood pooling out from its severed body, the wolf’s head and torso sliding off the train and out of sight.

It’s vicious and savage in a way Prompto never expected to see from Gladio, and even less from Noct who stomps on a wolf’s face when it attempts to climb onto the train, the wolf falling back to the ground with a loud, pained yelp.

This is only the beginning, Prompto realizes with dread. Their actions only seem to have infuriated the rest of the pack, a chorus of furious snarls echoing all around them as they start what can only be described as a calculated assault.

They climb up the side of the train in pairs on either side, two large wolves forgoing climbing entirely and launching themselves onto the train, claws gauging the metal flooring, their claws sinking in deep to keep from toppling over.

Prompto’s breath catches in his throat as Noct and Gladio engage the wolves in front of them, leaving their backs exposed to the two wolves behind them. Prompto doesn’t have time to think, his heart hammering and blood rushing in his ears as a wolf launches itself at Noct with its jaws wide open.

Prompto scrambles to his feet, his arm flying up without thinking, pointing his gun directly at the wolf’s head and pulling the trigger. Prompto watches as if in slow motion as the wolf launches itself into the air, teeth poised to sink directly into Noctis’ throat, the crack of his gun ringing in his ears as the bullet meets its mark and embeds itself in the wolf’s temple.

The wolf’s body goes slack midair, crumpling to the floor with a deafening sound, and Prompto can breathe again, the fist around his heart loosening.

Noctis whirls around at the sound, sword slashing through the air to meet an opponent that’s no longer there. Noctis briefly stills, seeing the crumpled, lifeless body of a wolf at his feet, and he turns towards Prompto, eyes locking with his.

Noctis pants harshly, a feral sense of pride and satisfaction swelling in his chest at the expression on Prompto’s face. Gone is the fear that had been so prevalent and obvious in Prompto’s eyes, a fierce protectiveness taking its place that’s enough to make any wolf howl in gratification.

Noct wants to stalk over there, grab Prompto by the back of his neck and haul him into a kiss, but there are more pressing matters than kissing his mate senseless – the wolf he had kicked off the train recovering and jumping over his fallen packmate Gladio had just killed being one of them.

Noct spares Prompto one last glance, lips pulling back in a snarl as a wolf sprints towards Ignis and Prompto. His body lunches forward in an aborted movement, his instincts screaming and his inner wolf clawing at the inside of his chest to be let out, to tear the wolf going after his mate limb from limb.

The only thing that stops him is the deadly look in Ignis’ eyes as he brandishes his daggers and takes up a protective stance in front of Prompto. Noctis reluctantly turns away to face an incoming attack, trusting Ignis to keep Prompto safe.

Prompto glances away from Noct and tightens his grip on his gun, preparing to take a shot at the wolf charging at them but Ignis is already moving, meeting the wolf head on the second it’s within range. Prompto takes a moment to admire how fast and graceful Ignis is with his daggers, dodging and slashing, making it almost look like a dance.

A very deadly dance.

Prompto whirls around, his heartbeat ratcheting up again when a wolf climbs up on his left. Gladio, Ignis, and Noct are busy fighting their own battles, which leaves this wolf for him to deal with.

This wolf isn’t nearly as large as the others, but it’s fast. It barely gives him enough time to kick the hatch shut with his foot and throw himself to the side before it lunges. The wolf’s large maw snaps right where he had been standing not a second later. Prompto pivots on his knees to face the wolf, steadying his arm on his knee, and pulling the trigger.

Prompto’s ears ring at the painful howl that the wolf lets out when the bullet lodges in its shoulder. Prompto grimaces. It was supposed to be a killing blow but the wolf had moved too fast. No matter what crimes these wolves had committed he’s not the kind of person that wants anyone to suffer – even if they are coldblooded murderers.

The wolf is furious, snapping its teeth and snarling at him. The wolf doesn’t seem to care that it’s been wounded, it barrels towards him in a mindless rage, swiping at him with his claws and forcing him to back up and dart to the side to avoid it.

“Prompto!”

Noctis is screaming for him, but Prompto can’t look over, can’t get distracted, not with the way the wolf isn’t giving him much time to consider what to do next before he’s forced to act. Prompto hurriedly backs up, breathing hard, bullets falling to the floor as he quickly reloads his gun.

Prompto sees the exact moment the wolf knows its life is over. Its large gold eyes widening seconds before he puts a bullet between its eyes. The way those terrifyingly beautiful eyes grow dull as its body goes slack and collapses at his feet will haunt Prompto forever.

Prompto swallows against the lump in his throat, a horrible ache growing in his chest that makes his eyes sting.

Two people. He’s killed two people tonight in the span of five minutes. It would be easier if he could convince himself that these were just normal wolves and not actually people, but he’s always been a dog person so that doesn’t help make it any easier to digest.

Prompto glances back to see how the others are faring, his eyes locking with Noctis’ panicked ones. Noctis’ lips are moving, and Prompto can hear him yelling but he can’t make out what he’s saying over the sound of his own screaming as a burst of pain wracks his body.

Prompto falls to his knees and scrambles away, chest heaving in panic, breathing labored through the excruciating pain radiating through his back. He feels something wet slide down the back of his shirt and into his jeans, and he instinctually reaches a hand back to press his palm against where it hurts.

When he brings his hand back around, it comes away red, blood dripping down his hand.

“Prompto!” Noctis screams, his heart lurching in his throat as he fights to get to Prompto’s side as Prompto kneels on the floor completely exposed, and Noctis can see that his hand is coated in blood, can smell Prompto’s blood in the air.

Noctis sees red, dismissing his sword back into the armiger as his nails lengthen into claws, his wolf dangerously close to the surface. He’s seconds away from shifting, the urge to rip out the wolf’s throat with his teeth bringing out a savageness that Noctis has never experienced before.

He wants to tear him limb from limb, sink his fangs into the other wolf’s throat until his blood runs down the back of his throat. He wants to carve out his heart and eat it. He can hear Gladio shouting for him, but he doesn’t look back, his eyes are focused on the wolf who had backed up when Prompto had screamed.

He’ll teach him not to touch what’s his. No one, no one touches Prompto and gets to live to tell the tale.

Prompto looks up from his hand, lightheaded and eyes clouding with pain. He – he can’t see. Everything’s getting blurry, his vision spotting. He can see the wolf in front of him blurrily, and he struggles to get his body to cooperate enough to get to his feet, stumbling back to avoid the swipe of deadly claws, his gun clattering to the floor with a sharp sound as his foot suddenly meets empty air.

Prompto’s eyes widen in terror, watching as if in slow motion as he falls off the edge of the train, the sky and all the twinkling stars above him growing further and further away as the ground rushes up to meet him.

Chapter Text

Noctis is beyond enraged. There isn’t a word in the dictionary to describe the fury that consumes him when he sees his mate fall from the train. 

Noctis snarls, and before he knows what he’s doing he’s at the wolf’s side and his hand is plunging viciously into the wolf’s chest, his hand wrapping around the wolf’s heart and ripping it out of its body. Noctis breathes heavily, the wolf’s heart clenched in his hand, watching with vicious satisfaction as the wolf falls dead at his feet.

The wolf’s heart gives its last two beats before falling still, and Noctis’ fist closes around it, crushing it in his hand, blood washing down his arm. Noctis throws it over his shoulder like the garbage it is, whirling around in fury when he hears the last wolf climb up the side of the train.

Prompto.

He doesn’t have time for this. He needs to get to Prompto.

“Go! We got this!” Gladio yells, clothing shredding as he suddenly shifts in a burst of anger. Noctis doesn’t think twice, his body already moving on autopilot way before Gladio even spoke. He warps to the ground and starts running alongside the tracks, stumbling through the snow in his desperation.

Too slow, Noctis thinks wildly. The train carried them too far, too fast. Noctis warps in bursts, frantically searching through the snow for any signs of Prompto’s body every time he lands.

“Prompto!” Noctis screams, trudging more than running through the snow, eyes desperately searching for signs of movement. “Prompto!”

Noctis feels despair clench around his heart like a vice when he doesn’t hear an answering call. He doesn’t see any tracks, doesn’t see even a hint of blood in the snow. Noctis turns his nose up in the air, inhaling deeply, desperate to catch a hint of Prompto’s scent on the wind, mindlessly barreling forward despite the knee-deep snow making it difficult; unable to remain still knowing Prompto is out here alone, hurt, and bleeding.

Noctis catches Prompto’s scent when the wind blows, and Noctis chases after it, honing in on the overpowering smell of Prompto’s blood. The thick scent of his blood floods his senses. It’s thick and heavy in the air, and if he can smell it, other predators can too.

Noctis snarls in frustration at the snow hindering him, warping along the tracks when his impatience gets the better of him. He’s close, he’s so close. The scent of Prompto’s blood is growing stronger.

“Prompto!” Noctis screams so loud his lungs burn. “Prompto!”

Noctis warps further, screwing up his landing and stumbling over a boulder. He scrambles to right himself, completely ignoring the stinging in his knees.

“Prompto!”

Noctis hears a pained moan, and then he sees Prompto’s body laying in the snow in the distance. Relief washes over him, and he warps to cover the remaining distance separating them. 

“Prompto!” Noctis sobs in relief, falling to his knees beside Prompto. Prompto isn’t moving, the snow around him melting around his body from how long he’s been lying there, and Noctis’ heart wrenches at the sight of blood pooling beneath his body.

Prompto’s staring unseeing up at the sky and only turns his head to look up at him when Noctis touches his shoulder. Noctis whimpers. Prompto’s skin is turning blue, tremors wracking his small frame. The scent of his pain is so overwhelming that it’s competing with the smell of his blood in Noctis’ nose, and he doesn’t know which is more distressing.

Prompto blinks slowly up at him like he’s not convinced Noct isn’t a figment of his imagination, something his brain conjured up to comfort him.

“N-Noct?” Prompto says weakly, and his voice is like a knife being twisted in Noctis' heart. He sounds so weak and pained, his face slack like he’s accepted he’s going to bleed out and die. 

“I got you, I got you,” Noctis says frantically, reminding himself to be gentle as he slides his hand underneath Prompto’s shoulder to ease him into a sitting position, pulling him out of the snow and clutching him to his chest, letting out another sob at the sight of the gauges running down Prompto’s back from his shoulder to his hip, the pool of blood in the snow so dark it looks black. “I’m here, Prom, I’m here.”

“N-Noct,” Prompto whimpers in pain as the movement stretches the wounds on his back open further. Prompto slumps against Noctis’ chest, seeking his warmth as he shivers violently, nausea sweeping through him.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Noctis whispers hoarsely, gently laying Prompto back down and fighting back tears. He’s failed him. He should have made Prompto stay behind, but instead, he had forced Prompto into battle – had ordered him to fight alongside him. He should never have listened to his wolf, should have shoved down the need to see Prompto willing to defend their people like they were already a mated pair.

Prompto is human, and somewhere along the way, his wolf forgot that Prompto's fragile human body couldn't withstand the same things they could. His stupid instincts could have cost Prompto his life.

Prompto grasps weakly for his hand and Noctis grips it firmly with his own.

“So, Doc, how bad is it?” Prompto croaks. “Am I gonna make it?”

“God, Prompto, don’t even joke about that,” Noctis says roughly, getting choked up at the mere thought of Prompto dying in his arms.

They don’t have many potions left, and they’re all out of phoenix downs, but Noct will gladly empty all his reserves if it means Prompto never has to suffer a single scrape or bruise. Just the thought of someone so much as touching Prompto makes him want to gnash his teeth.

“You’re not going to die,” Noctis says firmly, reaching into the armiger and pulling out a Hi-Potion. He’ll have to spend a whole night imbuing his magic into making more but he doesn’t care. He’ll deal with the exhaustion as long as Prompto and the rest of his pack have the means to alleviate any of their pains.

“I… I think I’m gonna pass out,” Prompto warns, his words slurring as his eyes flutter shut before snapping back open, visibly fighting to stay conscious. “Hurts…”

“I know, baby, hold on. I’m gonna make the pain go away,” Noctis promises, placing the potion in Prompto’s hand and helping him curl his fingers around it, applying enough pressure to crush the bottle in their grasp.

Prompto must be more delirious with pain than he originally thought because he could have sworn Noctis just called him ‘baby,’ but he can only focus on the unbearable pain in his backside from being ripped into, and then the overwhelming rush of relief he feels when the pain abruptly ends and his skin starts knitting itself back together.

Prompto sags in relief, openly weeping, the phantom pain in his body mixing with exhaustion. He’s been so high-strung and anxious that now that the fight is over and the adrenaline is wearing off, he’s more tired than he ever remembers being in his life.

That’s what blood loss will do to you, Prompto figures, his body in a confused state of shock that saps the strength from his limbs. His body is still convinced it’s dying, the reality that his injuries have been healed not computing in his brain.

It’ll take some time for the potion to work its magic internally and replenish all the blood that he’s lost.

“Thank you,” Prompto sighs, going completely boneless, shivering in a pool of his own blood, feeling it starting to freeze beneath his body, the cold seeping into his very bones. “For coming back for me… for saving me.”

“Always,” Noctis says fervently, shifting to hold him closer, his hand cradling the back of Prompto’s head and bringing his head to rest on his chest as he carefully wraps an arm under Prompto’s legs before rising to his feet. 

Prompto gasps, his hand flying up to grip Noctis’ shoulder instinctively. “D-Dude! You can’t carry me!”

“Watch me,” Noctis says stubbornly, wading through the snow with Prompto in his arms.

“Noct, buddy, s-seriously, you’re gonna fall face first in all this s-snow. It’s up to your knees!” Prompto protests.

“I won't.” 

Noctis wouldn’t dare fall with such a precious cargo cradled in his arms. He’s extra careful with each and every deliberate step he takes, making sure there’s no ice buried beneath the snow for him to slip on. 

“You’re shivering, Prom, and you can’t talk without your teeth chattering. My body heat is the only thing standing between you and hyperthermia so you’re just gonna have to deal with it.”

Prompto grumbles, slumping against Noctis begrudgingly. How Noctis can carry him so effortlessly, his weight not seeming to hinder him in the slightest will never not take him by surprise.

That wolf strength really does come in handy in situations like this, and Noctis is right; he's freezing. They were never supposed to be out in the snow, and none of them had the foresight to bring clothes for the winter climate. They were supposed to disembark in Tenebrae, and now they’re stuck in the wilderness of Gralea in their summer clothes with no outward source of heat except for each other's body heat, something Prompto is sorely lacking at the moment.

Prompto sighs, loosening his grip on Noctis’ shoulder to slide his hand down his chest, letting himself truly relax. If Noctis insists on carrying him Six knows where, he’s not going to put up a fight. He trusts Noct to see them to safety, and he’s not even sure if he can walk in the state he’s in anyway. He feels weaker than a newborn calf trying to walk for the first time, and he’s way too cold to have enough strength to trudge through the snow on his own.

His entire body aches, and while he’s not in any physical pain anymore from his wounds, the cold is making his skin feel like it’s burning. Prompto buries his hands in Noctis’ jacket, trying to warm his hands. He can’t feel his fingers, and the way his skin is turning red and blue in certain places makes it hard for him to tell whether it's from the cold or if it’s bruises that the curative had missed in favor of healing a more grievous wound.

“N-Noct,” Prompto stutters, trying and failing to keep his teeth from chattering; proving Noctis’ point. Even with the heat Noctis is producing, the wind continuously biting at his exposed flesh and blowing snow from the trees and into his face isn’t doing much to warm him up. “I’m c-cold.”

“I know, I know, Prom,” Noctis says, picking up the pace as much as he safely can. Noctis shifts Prompto’s weight, wrapping an arm around his back to grip Prompto’s arm, hoping his hand on his bare skin will provide him with a little more warmth. “I’m looking for a place out of the cold. Just hang on for a little while longer, okay? There’s bound to be a cavern or a cave near the base of the mountain.”

Prompto lifts his head to glance around their surroundings, moaning in disappointment and discomfort. They’re miles away from the base of the mountain. He can’t even see through the thick trees that are surrounding them on all sides.

“C-Can’t you s-shift and carry m-me on your back?” Prompto pleads. “W-We’ll get there f-faster.”

Noctis stops, looking down at Prompto; looking so small and shivering in his arms. Yes. Yes, he’ll do that. He’ll never turn down the chance to have Prompto sitting astride his back as a truly mated pair would. Prompto’s the only one he will ever allow to do so, the only one who belongs there.

“Would you be able to hold onto me?” Noctis asks. There’s no way he can risk running with Prompto riding on his back if he can’t hold onto him tightly. He could get hurt falling from his back if he’s running at full speed. “I won’t be walking, I’ll be running. You’ll need to hold on to me tightly.”

Prompto nods against his chest. “I-I can do it.”

“Okay, then.” Noctis gingerly sets Prompto on his feet, steadying him when he sways in place. “You can wrap your arms around my neck if you’d prefer to lay down, you’ll be more secure that way.”

“O-Okay,” Prompto agrees. That sounds really good actually, Prompto thinks to himself as he wraps his arms around himself as Noctis starts stripping. 

“Here, put this on for now,” Noctis tells him, helping Prompto put his arms through his shirt and pull it over his head. Noctis helps Prompto put on his jacket too, buttoning it up with deft fingers, happy that Prompto is letting him do this for him.

Prompto shudders. The clothing is still warm from Noctis’ body, and even though Noctis’ jacket sleeves only fall below his elbow he appreciates the extra layers.

Noctis turns and strips off his jeans and his boxers along with it, and Prompto blushes, turning his face away but not before getting an eyeful of Noctis’ naked back and ass. 

Noctis has a really nice ass… and that scar on Noctis’ back. He remembers hearing about the wolf attack that had killed Noctis’ mother and the injuries that had crippled Noct as a child. Noctis carries the remnant of his old wound like a survival merit badge. 

We match now, Prompto thinks sadly, because there’s no way that his back isn’t going to be scarred after being torn open the way it had. He’ll count himself lucky that he hadn’t been paralyzed from the waist down like Noct had been even though he’s terrified to look at the state his back is in.

“Here, take these,” Noctis tells him, jolting him from his thoughts. “There’s no use getting you to put these on because of your boots, and I don’t want you to have to take them off to put these on, so you can just lay these flat on my back before you get on.”

Prompto resolutely keeps his face turned away and nods, grabbing the clothing Noctis is holding out to him as Noct bends down to stuff his socks into his boots.

“W-What about your boots?” Prompto asks with a frown. “You’re not l-leaving them here, are you?”

“No, I’ll grab them and carry them with my mouth once I shift,” Noctis reassures, smiling. Even after getting mortally wounded and currently suffering from what is clearly becoming the beginning stages of hyperthermia, Prompto still worries about him. 

Noctis doesn’t wait to hear Prompto’s response and reaches deep inside himself for that part of him that is always eager to come out of the cage that is his human body.

His bones shift and grow seamlessly, the transition from human to wolf only taking a handful of seconds; fur exploding across his arms and chest and down his legs, his spine curving as he kneels down in the snow. His jaw stretching into a long muzzle and his hands morphing into large paws, his tailbone tingling as it grows out from his backside.

Noctis rights himself as soon as the transformation is complete, doing a whole body shake to get rid of the last of the tingles in his joints from shifting. Noctis turns to Prompto and walks in front of him, laying down on his belly so he’s low enough for Prompto to climb on.

Prompto drapes Noctis’ jeans over his back and awkwardly climbs on, swinging a leg over his back to straddle him. Prompto fists his hands in Noctis’ fur when he slowly gets his paws out from under him and stands on all fours.

Noctis patiently waits for Prompto to settle and get comfortable, rumbling in approval when Prompto presses his chest against his back and loops his arms around his neck, clinging to his fur tightly. Noctis barks in warning, communicating to Prompto that he’s going to start trotting, making sure Prompto can handle that before daring to take off at a full sprint.

Prompto whoops, laughter bubbling up as Noctis speeds up, weaving through the trees easily, the wind whipping through his hair wildly at the breakneck pace Noctis is running. It reminds him of Noctis chasing him through the woods earlier this morning, and Prompto knows that Noctis hadn’t really given it his all if he could run this fast.

Noctis eats up the distance between them and the base of the mountain in a matter of minutes opposed to the hours it probably would have taken them on foot. Noctis only slows long enough to investigate a burrow, which doesn’t meet his satisfaction because he takes off again without wasting any time.

Prompto appreciates that Noct is trying to find them a place out of the cold as fast as he can, and he knows Noct can only run so fast, but he can feel himself starting to slip, both physically and mentally. He’s growing dizzy, Noctis’ movements making his stomach roll with nausea. He struggles to keep his eyes open, knowing that if he closes his eyes he’s gonna pass out. As much as he hates to admit it, his body is growing weaker. He’s clinging to Noctis with what is left of his strength, and he already knows it’s not going to be enough, even if Noct doesn’t seem to realize it yet.

He's not going to make it…

Prompto tries to cling to Noctis tighter but his fingers and arms are starting to hurt, and he’s long lost all mobility in his fingers. He can feel himself starting to loosen his hold on Noct involuntarily, unable to tighten his legs on either side of Noctis’ body to keep himself in place, his muscles unwilling to cooperate and growing stiff.

“N-Noct,” Prompto breathes, burying his face in Noctis’ fur as he feels his eyes well with tears that spill down his cheeks, freezing against his skin before it even reaches his chin. The wound he had sustained from the wolf’s claws may not have killed him but at this rate freezing to death is becoming more and more of a probability. “I can’t… ’m s’cold… ‘m sorry.”

Noctis whines, forcing himself to run faster, eyes frantically searching their surroundings for some form of shelter out of the cold and build a fire to warm his mate. Desperation claws at his chest. He can feel Prompto going slack on top of him, his fingers loosening in his fur. Fear clenches around his heart in a vice-like grip at Prompto’s weak, trembling voice. Prompto’s small and slurred “I’m sorry” made his eyes sting with tears.

It sounds so much like he’s saying goodbye that it has a loud and broken howl tearing from his throat. Prompto can’t die, he can’t . He can’t live without him, can’t imagine a world without his mate in it – he won't. He’s not like his father, he’ll have nothing tying him to this world if the one thing in his life that gives his life meaning is torn from him.

He won’t survive Prompto’s death, he’s not strong enough to face a life without ever seeing Prompto smile at him or hear the sound of his voice ever again. 

He’ll raze the very earth Ardyn walks on, desecrate and destroy everything he holds dear. If Prompto dies, he will not stop until every single member of Ardyn’s pack meets their end by his teeth and claws. He’ll slaughter them all even at the cost of his own life. If he’s going to die, he’s going to take every single one of them down along with him.

Noctis whines loudly to catch Prompto’s attention, needing to hear his voice, but he doesn’t get a response. Prompto starts to slide sideways, and Noctis abruptly digs his claws into the ground to make himself skid to a stop when Prompto slides off his back and falls into the snow with a soft sound, the snow cushioning his fall.

Noctis shifts back to his human form so fast his bones ache as he scrambles on his hands and knees to Prompto. Noctis whimpers in distress. Prompto’s skin is taking on a bluish tint, and he’s lying so still that if Noct hadn’t been capable of hearing his heartbeat he would have thought him dead.

“Prompto!” Noctis shakes Prompto’s shoulders frantically, breathing unevenly when Prompto doesn’t open his eyes or answer him. Prompto’s breathing and heartbeat are slowing, and Noctis holds back another helpless, despairing howl that wants to claw its way up to his throat. “Prompto, please!”

Ignis would know what to do but Ignis isn’t here! Prompto only has him, and Noctis has never felt so inadequate in his whole life. He doesn’t know what to do.

He doesn’t know what to do!

Noctis bundles up his jeans and lifts Prompto’s unconscious body into his arms and pushes on. Prompto’s slow heartbeat is pounding in his ears like the echo of a drum fading at the end of a song before it comes to a stop. Noctis’ heart is beating so hard he can feel it thumping wildly against his chest. Panic and fear mix in a vicious cocktail that threatens to poison him with thoughts of Prompto dying in his arms.

Noctis startles, holding Prompto to his chest when he hears snarling and sounds of a fight breaking out. Wolves. It’s easy enough for him to discern that it’s not werewolves, but normal wolves. Noctis hastens towards the sound. If there are wolves in the area then that means there must be a den nearby.

When he draws near enough, he can see two wolves fighting over a carcass of a felled deer while two other wolves snarl and gnash their teeth for a turn at the meat, and behind them… behind them looks like an entrance to a den that leads underground. Noctis gently lowers Prompto to the ground beneath a tree.

“Hold on, Prom,” Noctis whispers.

Noctis shifts back into a wolf, steeling himself. If he’s gotta deal with predators, he has to be one himself. He’s larger than normal wolves, and if it comes to a fight, he knows he’ll come out on top, but he’s hoping it won’t come to that. Hopefully, the pack will be frightened or amicable enough at the mere sight of him to allow him to temporarily commandeer their den or at least share it, but wolves are territorial creatures – he knows that first hand.

Noctis spares one last glance at Prompto, watching his chest rise and fall shallowly to reassure himself that he’s still alive and breathing before he turns and starts making his way over to the pack of wolves.

The wolves notice his approach almost immediately, the wolves in the back skittering backward while the two fighting for food whirl around to bare their teeth at him before they still, their ears laying flat on their head.

Noctis doesn’t stop walking towards them even when they snarl warningly at him and their fur starts to bristle. He makes himself stand tall, pouring every inch of dominance into his posture to let the other wolves know he means business and he’s not someone to fuck with.

One of the wolves in the back starts whimpering, and Noct immediately feels bad. They sound like a pup, and it pulls at his heartstrings and stirs up his instincts. He’d never hurt a pup, and he softens at the wolf that’s cowering behind the other wolf’s body. 

Noctis rumbles when the other wolves take up a protective stance in front of the frightened wolf, communicating that he means them no harm. Noctis’ eyes flicker to the den’s entrance when another wolf comes running out, larger than the others, a gruesome scar running across the length of his muzzle.

Noctis straightens to his full height when the wolf bravely approaches him, teeth pulled back in a snarl, everything about his posture and mannerisms projecting aggression.

This must be the alpha, Noctis thinks, his thought confirmed when a female comes out of the den and runs towards the wolf that’s challenging him, worming her head underneath the alpha’s jaw to shield his neck. The she-wolf narrows her eyes at him, and Noctis can see the fear in her eyes despite the fierceness in her expression.

They’re obviously mates, and Noctis would bet every last gil he has that the wolf in the back is their pup.

“I'm not here to hurt you or yours,”  Noctis conveys. “I am in urgent need of shelter.”

“Go elsewhere. This is my territory,” The alpha snarls. “You are not one of us.”

“No, I’m not,” Noctis agrees, his eyes sliding to the rest of the alpha’s pack. “I’m not here to take over your territory.”

“Then leave,”  The alpha snarls again.

“I cannot,” Noctis growls, his frustration mounting and seeping into his tone. “You have a mate and pup, and I have a mate that’s fallen ill. He will die if doesn’t get out of the cold, he doesn’t have fur to keep him warm.”

Noctis sees the uneasiness spread through the pack like wildfire. The luna wolf comes out from underneath the alpha, her eyes scanning the woods behind him. Noctis growls in warning, broadening his stance.

The wolf’s eyes flick back to his, something in her eyes softening just slightly. Understanding and compassion dawning in her eyes.

“You bring a human to our den!?” The alpha snarls furiously. “They bring fire and destruction everywhere they go. They hunt us for our pelts and capture our young.”

“He isn’t like that,” Noctis snarls furiously, angry on Prompto’s behalf. Prompto has a gentle soul. He wouldn’t hurt a fly, and Noctis saw his expression tonight. He took no joy in taking someone’s life even if it meant saving his own. “He’s a member of my pack – my mate. He needs help. I’m asking you. As one alpha to another, help me save him. I will be eternally in your debt.”

The Luna wolf looks towards her mate, and the alpha must not like her expression because his ears flick back to lay flat against his skull.

“No,” The alpha growls at her, but his mate growls right back at him. 

“Would you let me die alone in the cold?” The female demands bitingly. When she receives no answer, she turns her back to him, her tail flicking over his muzzle much like a human would shove someone’s face away with their hand.

“Your mate is young?”  The she-wolf demands, turning her sharp grey eyes on him.

“Two of your years,” Noctis responds quickly, hope blooming in his chest. “We are still young by our standards. We have only just reached adulthood.”

“What do you need from us ?” The Luna wolf demands. “You claim to need shelter, but you will need food.”

“I will take no more than what you are willing to give,” Noctis reassures, eyes shining in gratitude. “Warmth out of the snow is all I require. I will hunt for myself if the need arises.”

“I have five pups to feed and look after. I do not want you anywhere near them, do you understand? If I so much as see you look in their direction, I will kill you .” The she-wolf growls menacingly. “I will allow you to share my den until your mate regains his strength and no longer.”

The alpha growls in discontent, but one look from his mate sufficiently quiets his protests.  

“Thank you,” Noctis bark-howls in gratitude. “I do not take your generosity lightly.”

“I wish to see him with my own eyes before I allow you to bring him into my den,”  The Luna wolf growls. “I’m sure you can understand I need to see for myself that he is not a threat.”

“He isn’t,” Noctis reassures, but grudgingly accedes to her request. 

The she-wolf bows her head. “Bring me to him.”

Noctis turns his back, trusting the Luna wolf and the rest of her pack – and he has no doubts that she is the one who calls all the shots despite her mate being the alpha – not to attack when his back is turned. She follows closely behind him, her mate following at a distance to make sure no harm comes to her.

Prompto comes into view, and his heart pounds at the sight of his unmoving form beneath the tree he left him at. Noctis whines, nudging his face with his muzzle.

The Luna wolf approaches cautiously, taking in the sight of the small human lying unmoving in the snow without any of the cloth she is used to humans being wrapped in with their climate.

“He’s dying,” The wolf surmises quietly.

“Yes,” Noctis whines. “He isn’t a threat. Please, he cannot stay out here.”

“Bring him,” She barks. “Your human doesn’t have much time.”

“I’ll have to change back into a human,” Noctis warns. “I cannot carry him in this form.”

“Do what you must,” She concedes. “Just remember what I said. I do not want you or your mate near my pups.”

“I understand. Thank you,” Noctis bows his head gratefully, turning to Prompto before another thought suddenly comes to him. Noctis hesitantly turns back to regard the Luna wolf. “ Another thing; I will need to build a fire. I know how fearful you all are of it, but it is essential to my mate’s survival. It will only be a small one,” Noctis rushes to reassure. “It will not spread and will be isolated, and I will get rid of it once he is sufficiently warm.”

“Very well,” The wolf bites out in displeasure, growling. “I will take your word for it.”

Noctis hurriedly shifts back once he has her approval, gathering Prompto up into his arms hastily, his heart sinking at how much colder Prompto feels against his skin. Noctis stands, nodding to show that he’s ready.

The wolf turns and leads him back over to the rest of the pack, and Noctis holds Prompto tighter to him when the wolves cautiously move closer and circle around him curiously to get a closer look at them. Noctis wants to snarl and gnash his teeth to tell them to stay back, but just like the old saying goes, “Don’t bite the hand that feeds,” he can’t because he desperately needs what this pack is able to provide and doesn’t want to risk angering them and being sent away.

Luckily, Noctis doesn’t need to say anything because the alpha snaps at them when he sees him growing antsy. Noctis follows the alpha’s mate into the den, immediately feeling the temperature rise the deeper they go.

They pass a chamber and he immediately hears the yipping of pups tousling together. Noctis spares them a glance, a smile rising to his lips, but doesn’t linger when he sees their mother watching him closely.

He’s led deeper into the cavern, and when the Luna wolf barks at him, he understands that this small inner chamber is his.

“Thank you,” Noctis says sincerely, unsure if she understands human speech, but his intention must come across because she bows her head and takes her leave.

Noctis gently sets Prompto down on the cave floor and hastily runs out of the cavern, growing anxious the further he gets away from his mate, but he needs to find wood to build a fire or Prompto’s condition will only grow worse.

Noctis ignores the wolves and scours the forest floor for dry wood and branches, and whatever else he can find that’s dry and can be used for tinder. He looks for a fallen tree to gather a sizable amount of firewood, and in his desperation when he could find none, summons his ancestor’s battle axe and hews a large branch off a tree, and sets on chopping it into chunks, making several quick trips to carry all the supplies into the den.

He may have gone a little overboard, Noctis realizes when he comes back from his final trip and there is a heap of logs piled up against the cave wall and a large pile of twigs and dried weeds beside it. It looks like he has enough to keep a fire going for several days. It’s far more than he probably needs but he doesn’t care. He’d chop down every tree, burn the entire forest to the ground and reduce it to ash if it meant keeping Prompto warm.

Better safe than sorry, Noctis reasons. He’d rather not make any more trips and leave Prompto alone in case he takes a turn for the worst – which he doesn’t even want to think about. It’s that thought that has him summoning his magic until a bright flame burns bright in his hand once he’s arranged the tinder and wood, setting it aflame. Noctis piles more wood on top for good measure before going to Prompto and moving him closer to the fire, but not close enough to accidentally roll over into it. 

That would be bad – very bad. 

Once again Noctis wishes Ignis were here. He wishes he had paid more attention to the human members in other packs so he would know what to do; how to take care of Prompto better. He feels so useless. Prompto is blue, unconscious, and still shivering, and now that he has provided a source of warmth, he doesn’t know what to do.

Noctis spares a moment to pull on his briefs. He knows how squeamish humans are with nudity and the last thing he wants is his mate to wake up and see him nude even though he would like nothing more than to show off his body for his mate’s perusal. 

Not knowing what else he can do he lays down beside Prompto and takes him into his arms to transfer his body heat to him, sending up a prayer to anyone who is listening that it’s enough.

Chapter Text

Prompto slowly blinks his eyes open, dazed and confused to find himself waking up from a nap he doesn’t remember taking. He has no memory of falling asleep, and he doesn’t understand how he got here, wherever here is. 

There are shadows and lights dancing across the… cave walls? He can feel warmth at his back, the familiar sound of a campfire crackling, but what really snags his attention is the beacon of warmth plastered all along his front.

Noct.

His face is resting against Noctis’ bare chest, and with a start, he realizes Noct isn’t just not wearing a shirt—he’s naked. It takes Prompto’s brain a long moment to process that information properly. It’s Noctis’ bare chest pressing against his. Noctis’ bare, creamy thigh shoved between his legs, his arms wrapped around him, and Noct’s… Oh, thank Ramuh, Prompto thinks to himself when he finally registers the feeling of the soft fabric of Noctis’ briefs against his hip.

He doesn’t know what he would have done if Noct had been completely naked as he had originally assumed. He’s come to learn that werewolves have no qualms about walking around in the nude, completely unbothered by the human construct of decency. Nudity just never seems to be something that bothers them, but Prompto is endlessly grateful that they don’t strut around naked—except for Gladio, that is. Gladio is practically allergic to shirts, but at least that’s something he can handle, and his sanity thanks him.

Prompto shifts slightly in Noctis’ arms, startling when Noctis abruptly draws back.

“Prom!?”

“That’s my name,” Prompto responds hoarsely, swallowing against the dryness in his throat. He doesn’t even remember the last time he had something to drink, doesn’t even know how long he’s been out for or even how he fell unconscious. “Don’t wear it out.”

“Prom!” Noctis exclaims again, relief evident in his voice as he wraps his arms back around him and pulls him against his chest in a tight embrace. “Oh, thank the Astrals!”

“What happened?” Prompto mumbles, voice muffled against Noctis’ chest.

Noctis pulls back, his eyebrows furrowing in worry. “You don’t remember?”

“Um… no?” Prompto says slowly, trying to think back, but it’s all a blur.

Noctis makes a distressed sound. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“I… I fell from the train,” Prompto says, remembering the fight on the train top with Ardyn’s wolves, and the explosion of pain that wracked his body when one of them had clawed his back, remembers screaming himself hoarse until all he remembers is pain and the cold biting into his skin. “My back—I got hurt.”

Prompto reaches a hand to feel along his back, swallowing when he feels the raised edges of fresh scar tissue. It’s obviously been healed, but the most a potion can do for serious injuries is heal it and stop it from bleeding; not completely erase evidence of the wound. Potions do nothing to help with scarring; he’ll carry these scars on his back for the rest of his life. 

“Yes,” Noctis confirms softly, watching Prompto closely. “You remember nothing else?”

Prompto slowly shakes his head, noticing with a start that there’s dried blood coating Noctis’ arm. There’s blood staining his skin from his hand to his elbow, but he can’t see any injuries.

“You got hurt,” Prompto says in dismay, taking Noctis’ bloody hand in his and turning his arm to make sure Noct had already healed it. It must have been a terrible wound for it to have bled so much.

“Ah, no, the blood isn’t mine,” Noctis says awkwardly, pulling his hand away. He doesn’t want that wolf’s filth anywhere near his mate. He should have washed it off, but he hadn’t wanted to leave Prompto alone any longer than what was necessary.

“That… that couldn’t have come from me, did it?” Prompto asks with wide eyes. He had seen the blood that had been beneath his body, knew that he had been bleeding out, but Noct hadn’t touched his back other than when he had been holding him. The back of his shirt must be soaked with blood. His shirt still feels awfully wet, clinging to his skin.

“No, the blood isn’t yours,” Noctis quickly reassures.

“Then who's is it?” Prompto frowns. “That looks bad.”

Noctis grimaces, hesitant in divulging the details, but he can’t lie to Prompto either. “I may have lost control when I saw you get hurt. I killed the wolf that hurt you with — with my bare hands.”

Prompto’s mouth opens with a soundless oh, trying to imagine what Noct could have done to the wolf to have his skin practically painted red, and shudders at the gruesome possibilities his mind conjures up. After seeing Gladio cut a wolf in half with his broadsword and Noct hack and slash up his own opponents, it’s not too far of a stretch to consider what Noct may have done if he had truly lost control like he said he had.

“Sorry,” Noctis says quietly, looking away in shame. There’s a bitter note in Prompto’s scent that makes his stomach sink and his inner wolf whine. “I know what I did was brutal and unnecessarily cruel. I wasn’t thinking. All I could think of was… getting revenge. He hurt you, and then you fell off the train and I didn’t even know if you were still alive, and I just… lost it.”

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m okay,” Prompto reassures, squeezing Noctis’ bicep to let him know he’s here and he has his support. Whatever Noct did, he didn’t want to know. The less he knows about what happened, the better. He’s seen enough blood and death to last him a lifetime. The two people he killed tonight… he’ll have to live with their death on his conscience for the rest of his life.

“You almost weren’t,” Noctis whispers, laying his hand over Prompto’s, his eyes flicking back up to meet his. “You almost died, Prom.”

Prompto honestly doesn’t know what to say to that. He doesn’t remember losing consciousness, even though he knows that’s what must have happened. He’s sluggish and tired, still shivering despite the fire at his back and Noctis’ warmth at his front. He should feel uneasy knowing that he almost died—should be terrified that he came so close to leaving everything and everyone he knows behind—but it’s hard to feel that way when he doesn’t remember any of it; only has a scar and the leftover cold as evidence.

“Yeah, but I didn’t. You saved me.”

He doesn’t feel like someone who had come close to dying. He remembers being afraid of dying, sure. When he fell off the train and the last thing he saw was the wolf snarling above him, he thought he’d been a goner, and when he’d been lying in the snow all alone, crying for help—crying out for Noct, he’d been afraid. Afraid that he was going to die alone and never get the chance to say goodbye or see Noct’s face ever again.

“I know that, but you nearly died because of me — for me. I led you into a situation that nearly cost you your life, Prom.” Noctis stresses, getting choked up, practically having to force the words past his lips. “I never should have made you come onto the roof with us. You got hurt because of me. What if next time I... what If I don’t make it to you next time?”

Prompto desperately wants to reassure him, to erase any lingering fear and wipe away that guilty expression on Noctis’ face. Noct looks so… vulnerable. His near-death experience had obviously broken something in him, traumatized him in a way that left him stripped bare; more emotions than Prompto is used to seeing swimming in Noctis’ eyes. 

“Noct, I will always follow you. It’s my duty, remember?” Prompto reminds him gently. “I knew what I was signing up for when I became a member of your crownsguard. We’ve been up against all kinds of nasty creatures in the past and it’s never bothered you before.”

“It always bothers me,” Noctis admits with a growl. “It’s my duty to take care of my pack, and I failed you. You’re the most prec—the most important member of my pack. You’re human. It’s our job to protect you.”

“No, it’s my job to protect you ,” Prompto argues back, undeterred by Noctis’ low tone and the growl rumbling in his throat, knowing it’s not genuinely aimed at him. Noct’s only upset and angry at himself. “You’re going to be the future King of Lucis, and you may be the pack alpha, but it’s our job to protect you. If I get hurt, that’s on me, not you.”

“You’re mine – “ Noctis growls, biting off his words and taking a deep breath. “You don’t understand. Human packmates are my responsibility to protect. You’re… fragile. Compared to us.”

“Dude, I may be human, but that doesn’t mean I’m made of glass. Today aside, when have I ever gotten seriously hurt? Scrapes and bruises are nothing. I don’t think you understand how a Crownsguard is supposed to work,” Prompto says wryly, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice and failing. He can’t help it. Noctis’ protectiveness and possessiveness just does something to him. “I get it, okay? You want to protect me, and I want to protect you. So, why don’t we just agree to protect each other?”

Noctis grumbles, looking away with a huff, clearly disagreeing.

Prompto sighs. It doesn’t look like anything he says is going to be enough to reassure Noct. Noct is so wound up, a fine tremor running through his body like it does before a transformation, his eyes shifting from blue to gold. Wolves are tactile creatures, so maybe actions would be better than words.

“Hey, come here,” Prompto says, rolling over on his back and tugging Noctis by his arm to coax him down.

“What?” Noctis says uncertainly, awkwardly allowing Prompto to tug him closer, Prompto’s arm wrapping around his shoulder and pulling him down to curl into his side with his head resting on his chest. “Prom?”

“Shh, listen,” Prompto urges. Noctis is stiff against his side like he’s unsure why Prompto had suddenly pulled him into his arms and he doesn’t know what to do with himself now that he’s there.

“Do you hear that?” Prompto asks gently, carding his fingers through Noctis’ hair and scratching lightly at his scalp like Noct had done to him earlier this morning—or is it yesterday, now?—to get him to calm down.

“Hear what?” Noctis sighs, finally relaxing against him and throwing an arm over his stomach lazily.

“My heartbeat,” Prompto clarifies.

“Oh,” Noctis breathes, shifting to lay his head directly over his heart. 

Prompto smiles when Noctis practically melts against him, a rumbling sound vibrating in Noctis’ chest that sounds suspiciously like a purr. “See? My heart is beating. It’s strong, right? I’m here. I’m alive, Noct.”

Noctis’ arm tightens around him, pulling him impossibly closer like he’s trying to mold his body against his.

“I’m sorry you got hurt. I… I was so scared, Prom,” Noctis admits in a whisper after a long moment where Noct just breathes and listens to his heart beating. “I should have made you stay behind. I should never have made you go up there when I already knew you were scared of them.”

“Shh,” Prompto says soothingly, pressing a kiss to the crown of Noctis’ head unthinkingly, trying his best to comfort his best friend. “I would have had to face them eventually. It’s not your fault I got hurt. I got distracted watching you and wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings.”

Noctis lifts his head from his chest, his lovely gold eyes boring into his with such intensity that it makes Prompto feel naked. Noctis seems to be searching for something in his expression, and after a moment, his breathing grows shallow, his expression crumpling.

Prompto opens his mouth, about to ask if he’s okay when Noctis suddenly leans forward, raising his hand to grip the back of his neck, and then he’s closing the gap between them and pressing their lips together.

Prompto gasp of surprise is muffled by Noctis’ mouth as he slips his tongue past his lips, and he freezes in shock, his brain trying to register what’s happening. Prompto shivers at the contact, surrendering to the kiss and falling into Noctis, closing his eyes as he reaches up to grip Noctis’ wrist and kisses him back. Noctis’ grip tightens slightly, and Prompto moans into his mouth when Noctis deepens the kiss and shifts to hover over him.

His moan must have startled him because Noctis abruptly pulls away, letting go of him as if burnt. Noctis scrambles off of him, eyes wide and panicked.

“Fuck, Prom, I’m so sorry!” Noctis says frantically, honest to God fear in his eyes. “I didn’t—I didn’t mean to do that! Gods, Prom, I–I don’t know what came over me. Please, I didn’t mean to force myself on you, I swear! I would never—“

“Whoa, whoa, hey, it’s okay!” Prompto pants, his head spinning when he sits up too fast, breathless and a bit dazed from the kiss. “You didn’t force yourself on me, okay? It–it was an accident; you didn’t mean to. You were upset, and you weren’t thinking. It’s okay, Noct.”

It’s okay, Prompto repeats to himself, trying to get his heart to calm down from the summersaults it’s doing in his chest. Noct just kissed him. Not a chaste kiss, either. He kissed him with tongue, and he’s still trying to wrap his head around what just happened.

Noctis’ eyes are still a little too wide, his face too pale; fear plastered all over his face despite his words of reassurance. 

“Look, if you want to forget this ever happened, we can do that. We can just pretend this never happened and never mention it again,” Prompto offers, ignoring the way his heart aches as soon as the words pass his lips.

Noct has been through so much in the past couple of days. Losing Lunafreya and their hope of expanding their packs to push Ardyn back all in one fell swoop, and then almost losing his best friend at the hands of the same wolves that killed his betrothed? Yeah, he’d want to seek out some form of physical comfort from someone to take his mind off of all that too, and if it’s with someone he knows and trusts? He’d choose Noct too.

Noct thought he was going to die from his wounds and only kissed him out of relief that he had survived. Prompto had touched him and comforted him, despite him being the one who had gotten hurt. He had laid Noct’s head on his chest and held him in his arms and told him to listen to his heartbeat. He had confused Noctis’ instincts and Noct had reacted before his mind could catch up.

Noctis whines, a sharp, warbling little sound as he runs his hand through his hair in agitation. “I’m sorry. You’re—you’re my best friend, Prom. I don’t—I didn’t mean to make things awkward. I don’t want to ruin things between us.”

“It’s fine, dude. Stop apologizing. You haven’t ruined anything. We aren’t best friends unless we’ve shared one awkward accidental kiss,” Prompto says jokingly, trying to ease the tension. “Seriously, bud, don’t worry about it. This isn’t gonna change anything between us.”

“Promise?”

Prompto smiles reassuringly, heart aching at the vulnerability and insecurity in Noctis’ voice, and reaches out to take his hand to show that everything’s fine. He isn’t going to change the way he and Noct interact just because they shared one kiss. Sure, it may be awkward to hold hands and cuddle with the memory of their kiss in the back of his head, but he’ll get over it. Wolves are tactile. He can’t just distance himself from him, and he doesn’t want to. He’s gone this long without telling Noct how he feels or acting on it. He’s not going to make a big deal out of this—not when Noct obviously didn’t mean for it to happen and regrets it.

“I promise.”

Noctis visibly sags and lets out a loud exhale, his hand squeezing his.

“Hey, do you think Ignis and—“ Prompto trails off with a loud gasp, startling violently, his hand gripping Noctis’ hand in a death grip when a sudden howl outside interrupts him; his heart lodging itself in his throat.

“Noct.” 

Prompto hates to admit that his voice comes out high and shrill, no more than a squeak. He’s definitely ashamed of the way he instinctively moves closer to Noct, clinging to his hand like a lifeline as his eyes dart all around the cave, his heart rabbiting in his chest. 

Oh god, they’ve found them. They’ve found them and they’re going to finish what they’ve started. His back flares with the phantom memory of the pain of claws tearing through his flesh, the snapping of their bloody teeth milometers away from biting into him flashing through his head.

“Breathe, Prom, it’s okay,” Noctis instructs, immediately wrapping an arm around Prompto and drawing him close when his breathing starts to grow quick and panicked, his wide eyes darting around the cave. 

“Breathe,” Noctis says again, but his voice sounds distant in Prompto's ears. “You’re having a panic attack. Prom, I need you to breathe.”

Prompto tries to calm down, to listen to Noctis’ voice and focus on the arms wrapped around him, but the baying of the wolves outside keeps ringing in his ears and he doesn’t know if it’s all in his head or if what he’s hearing is real.

“Please, Prom, breathe,” Noctis pleads. “Listen to my voice. I’m right here, you’re safe.”

Except they’re not safe. They’re never safe, are they? Ardyn’s wolves are after them, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re found. Ignis and Gladio are Astrals know where and if they’re attacked, he’s not going to be much help to Noct, not when he can’t get his shit together. He’s shaking like a leaf and he can’t breathe.

“Prom, listen to me,” Noctis says desperately, cupping Prompto’s cheek and forcing him to turn his head and look into his eyes. “Those wolves you hear? They’re not Ardyn’s, okay? They’re friends. We’re safe now. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”

“Friends?” Prompto gasps, clinging to Noctis’ wrists. 

“Yes,” Noctis confirms, filled with relief when Prompto answers him. Noctis takes one of his hands and holds it firmly to his chest. “Breathe with me, alright? In. One, two, three. Out. One, two, three. That’s it, Prom. Good, just like that.”

Prompto follows Noctis’ instructions, doing his best to breathe in and out steadily to match Noctis', his breathing slowly calming down. His head is pounding, his chest tight with residual fear, his muscles hurting from being locked tight.

“You’re safe,” Noctis repeats softly, pressing his forehead to Prompto’s. “You’re okay, Prom. It’s okay, I got you.”

Prompto goes limp in the aftermath, shifting so he can rest his forehead on Noctis’ shoulder, listening to Noctis murmur praises and reassurances in his ear that have him relaxing further.

I’ll keep you safe, I promise. I got you. Everything’s going to be okay, Noctis whispers over and over until Prompto’s breathing matches his own.

“Are you okay?” Noctis asks after a long moment, holding Prompto protectively in his arms. 

Prompto nods against his shoulder. “Sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Noctis soothes, rubbing Prompto’s back. “I should have warned you we were in a wolf’s den — not werewolves, normal wolves.”

Prompto lifts his head. “Why are we in a wolf’s den? You said they’re… friends?”

“Yeah, I asked them if we could stay here until you’re back on your feet and they agreed,” Noctis explains. “So, don’t worry, we’re safe here. We’ll know if anyone comes close.”

Prompto sighs in relief, ashamed that he had freaked out over nothing. 

“I have to go out and see them, though,” Noctis says regretfully. “They’re calling for me, that’s why they were howling.”

“Oh,” Prompto mumbles, untangling himself from Noctis’ arms with a blush. So much for not making things awkward. He had practically climbed into Noctis’ lap at some point during his panic.

“I’ll be right back,” Noctis reassures, getting to his feet.

Prompto immediately feels Noctis’ absence, the chill rushing in and raising goosebumps along his arms and making him shiver harder.

“Hurry up,” Prompto whines, wrapping his arms around himself. Fucking Noct, taking all the heat away with him. “I’m freezing.”

“I’ll be quick,” Noctis grins, and Prompto averts his eyes when Noctis shucks off his briefs and shifts into a wolf, trotting out of the cave.

Prompto shivers, tightening his arms around himself and moving closer to the fire. Prompto tenses when he hears growls and barks coming from outside, but he forces himself to remain calm. It’s only Noct talking to the other wolves. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

After a couple of minutes, he hears the tapping of claws against the rock floor, and Prompto sees golden eyes and Noctis’ familiar bulk of black fur walking slowly towards him. He seems to be trying to make himself appear as small and non-threatening as possible; as if Prompto might be afraid of seeing him in his wolf form now.

Prompto shoots him a smile, and Noctis’ tail wags before he turns and shifts seamlessly back into a human, leaning down and pulling on his briefs. 

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, they heard your voice and were asking about you,” Noctis smiles. “They’re happy you’re finally awake.”

“Well, they seem nice,” Prompto says in surprise. Huh, who would have thought that a wild wolf pack would care if one human were to live or die?

Noctis shrugs. “They’re not too different from us. Back in the old days, packs would have wolves amongst us as honorary members. It was… customary for descendants of the Lucian line to be given a wolf pup to grow up alongside.”

“Wait, like that one painting in the Hall of History!” Prompto exclaims, remembering a painting on the wall in the citadel that depicted one of Noct’s ancestors with a wolf at his side.

“Yeah,” Noctis chuckles. “Grandad abolished that tradition, though. He thought it wasn’t right to force wild wolves to be integrated into civilization when they were meant to roam free. Dad says grandad set his wolf free and it started a family on the outskirts of Insomnia that still watches over us to this day.”

“Wow, so that’s why there are never wolf attacks against humans in Insomnia,” Prompto says with newfound realization. “It wasn’t because they were afraid of you guys, it was because they remembered they used to have a place with you.”

“Exactly,” Noctis agrees, crouching down to arrange more wood into the fire to keep it burning. “They’ve done a great job of passing down their memories of us to their descendants. It’s been, what, eighty years now? They’ve never caused any problems.”

“That’s actually pretty cool,” Prompto says, trying to imagine Noct with a small wolf sidekick and giggling at the image that comes to mind.

“Pretty cool,” Noctis agrees, standing and walking back over to him, and Prompto’s eyes catch sight of Noctis’ jeans lying by the fire.

“Here, wait, you should put your clothes back on,” Prompto suggests, tugging Noctis’ vest and shirt off.

“Hey, no, you need them more than I do,” Noctis frowns, catching his clothes when Prompto throws them at him.

Prompto scoffs. “You can’t walk around in your underwear all night, dude.”

“Fine,” Noctis grunts, shrugging on his clothes and rolling his eyes when Prompto points towards his jeans and pulls that on too. “There, happy?”

“Ecstatic. Now come back and warm me up,” Prompto whines, burrowing back into Noctis’ arms as soon as he lays back down.

“Yeah, well, good thing for you I run hot,” Noctis chuckles, wrapping an arm around Prompto to pull him closer.

Prompto laughs softly. He’s definitely hot alright—in more ways than one. Prompto wiggles his hand under Noctis’ shirt, searching for more of his heat to warm him up.

“Is this okay?” Prompto asks hesitantly, his hand stilling when Noctis suddenly inhales sharply.

“Yeah,” Noctis chuckles. “Your hands are just freezing.”

“And you’re like a furnace, dude. Don’t worry, you’ll melt my fingers in no time and then you won’t have my icy fingers on you anymore.” Prompto snorts.

Noctis huffs. “Maybe you should take off your clothes.”

Prompto jerks back to look at Noctis’ face, gaping at him in shock. If he wasn’t so cold, his face would be as red as a tomato and as hot as a Leiden Pepper. “What?”

“What?” Noctis says, having the gall to look confused.

“Maybe you should take off your clothes,” Prompto parrots, voice growing shrill. “What the fuck, Noct?”

Noctis’ eyes widen, an expression of horror crossing over his face as he realizes how that must have sounded. 

“No, no, no, I didn’t mean it like that!” Noctis says frantically, backpedaling. “I would never—I mean I wouldn’t— shit. I just meant that your clothes are still wet! You should take them off to put next to the fire to dry!”

“Oh,” Prompto mumbles, ducking his chin in embarrassment. Of course, Noct hadn’t meant it like that! What was he thinking? “But I don’t have any spare clothes, they’re all on the train. I’ll freeze.”

“You won't,” Noctis assures him. “I won’t let you. C’mon, I’ll keep you warm.”

“Fine,” Prompto grumbles, pulling off his vest and shirt with shaky hands and passing them to Noct to lay out beside the fire. Prompto grimaces at the sight of the claw marks gauged through the fabric of his shirt and sighs. No amount of Iggy’s skillful stitching is ever going to repair that.

Prompto sits up, tugging off his boots before working on his belt buckle, cursing when his fingers shake too much for him to get the rod out of the hole. Prompto curses, yanking on the buckle until it finally comes free.

Prompto sighs, shimmying the jeans down his legs and tossing them to Noct who is waiting patiently.

“You better hold up your side of the bargain,” Prompto grumbles, shivering in the cold air. “Or I’m gonna freeze to death.”

“Don’t even joke about that,” Noctis says sharply, and Prompto’s eyes widen slightly at Noctis’ tone.

“Sorry,” Prompto mumbles when Noctis settles beside him.

“It’s fine,” Noctis sighs, opening his arms. Prompto gratefully sinks into his warm embrace, wrapping his arms around Noctis’ waist and laying his head on his chest. "I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just too close for comfort how easily you came close to actually freezing to death."

"I know," Prompto sighs, feeling Noctis’ warmth envelop him, smiling when he feels the warmth of Noctis’ breath exhaling against his bare skin, a much more welcome breeze compared to the cold gusts of air that blows in from outside whenever the wind shifts direction.

Prompto closes his eyes with a smile when Noctis moves slightly and their cheeks brush together. It should feel awkward after their kiss to be cuddling like this, but it’s not. It’s… natural. Noctis' warm body against his is familiar, warm, and comforting. Noctis has always been the one person he’s always been comfortable with. Wolves being tactile is a bonus, in his opinion. He can cuddle all he wants with his best friend without it looking strange or out of place.

Prompto feels another gust of warm breath over his neck and the slightest brush of Noctis’ cheek against his. It’s the third time it’s happened, and Prompto had thought it was unintentional at first, just Noctis shifting to get more comfortable, but a minute later it happens again; a warm puff of hot air being exhaled over his neck, and Noctis rubbing his nose and cheek against him slightly, and sudden realization slams into Prompto when he connects the dots.

Noctis is nuzzling him, scenting him. 

Noctis breathes slowly and calmly over his skin and repeats it a fifth time.

“Are you scenting me?” Prompto whispers after a long moment, knowing for certain that is what Noct’s doing. He’s seen wolves do almost this exact same thing. He doesn’t understand it, it just seems like a lot of aggressive nuzzling and rubbing of cheeks. He figures it’s just an aggressive way of showing affection, and he always finds it really weird when he sees it happen, but what Noctis is doing is almost… gentle?

Prompto feels it when Noctis tenses against him, turning into a statue, his body freezing like he knows he’s been caught doing something he isn’t supposed to.

“Hey, there’s no need to freak out,” Prompto reassures, burrowing against Noctis and getting as close to him as he can.

“It… doesn’t bother you?” Noctis asks quietly, holding him tightly in response.

“Nah,” Prompto says easily, and he feels when Noctis slowly relaxes against him. “It shows that you care about me, right? That’s why you guys do that to each other?”

“Yeah,” Noctis breathes, and Prompto hums when another puff of hot air washes over his skin.

Prompto squirms until they are face to face and leans in, nuzzling against the base of Noctis’ throat and rubbing his cheek against his like he’s seen Noct do a thousand times to Ignis and Gladio. Noctis audibly gasps, his arms tightening around him. 

Prompto pulls back with a grin. “I’m not a wolf, so I don’t know if I did that right, but yeah, that was me saying I care about you too.”

Prompto startles slightly when Noctis’ pupils abruptly dilate and turn a bright gold right before his eyes.

“Should I not have done that?” Prompto asks tentatively, uncertain whether or not the sudden appearance of his golden eyes is a good sign or not. He can count on one hand when a wolf’s eyes turned to gold for good reasons. It’s usually a triggered response to anger or stress from what he’s seen. “I’m sorry. I won’t do that again.”

“No!” Noctis exclaims, and Prompto flinches in surprise at the vehemence in Noctis’ tone.

“No, it’s okay,” Noctis says quieter, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. When he opens his eyes again after a long moment, they’re back to their normal hue. “You just caught me by surprise. It was… good.”

“Yeah?” Prompto smiles, relaxing. “What does that do for you, anyway? Is it like the wolfy version of a hug?”

“Uh, not exactly,” Noctis laughs weakly. “It… transfers our scent onto the other person. We scent mark other wolves to mark them as pack or to, y’know…stake a claim.” Noctis mumbles the last part, almost too low for Prompto to hear, embarrassment creeping into his voice. “It can be stress-relieving too. It’s calming.”

Prompto furrows his brows, absorbing the new information. “You consider me pack even though I’m human?”

“Wha—yeah, of course, I do!” Noctis says fervently, taken aback. “A lot of packs have humans in them. Prom, I thought you already knew that you’re a part of my pack!”

“Well, it’s not like you’ve ever outright said it,” Prompto defends, huffing. “Being initiated to be a part of your Crownsgaurd is much different than being initiated into your pack, Noct.”

Noctis groans like he’s in pain. “That was initiating you into my pack. Dad’s Crownsguard is his pack, just like you, Gladio and Ignis are mine. I may not have chosen Ignis and Gladio to be in my pack, but I chose you. You are pack, Prom.”

“Then how come you’ve never scented me before, then?” Prompto frowns.

“I—“ Noctis hesitates. “I didn’t think you’d be okay with it. I know how it must seem weird to you, and I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“Do wolves need to scent mark members of their pack?” Prompto asks. “Like, I don’t know, do those wolfy instincts of yours need to do it?”

Noctis shrugs, his face carefully devoid of emotion—a mask Prompto notices Noctis has a habit of wearing when he doesn’t want others to know how much something is bothering him.

“Have I been like, depriving you or something, dude?” Prompto asks in concern. “Is that why you scented me out of the blue? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“What? No, it’s…” Noctis trails off when Prompto narrows his eyes at him, looking unimpressed. Noctis sighs heavily. “Okay, fine, maybe a bit. I know you don’t get it, but it’s comforting – especially after you got hurt. It calms my wolf to have you smell like me and it, uh, lets other packs know you’re… off-limits.” 

Prompto raises an eyebrow. “Wolves are a possessive bunch, aren’t they?”

Noctis shrugs unapologetically. “We can be, yeah.”

“How do you do it, though?”

“Do what?”

“You said that it transfers your scent when you do that. How does that work just by rubbing our faces together?”

“We have scent glands on our necks,” Noctis explains, tugging down his shirt collar and tilting his head to the side. Noctis points to a slightly raised spot of skin below his ear. “That’s why we scent mark each other that way, but it’s usually only reserved for close pack members.” 

And mates, Noctis thinks to himself.

“Why?” Prompto wonders, peering closer to look at the area Noctis is pointing at. It doesn’t look any different from the surrounding skin, just a barely noticeable lump beneath his skin that he would never have noticed if Noct hadn’t pointed it out to him. “Is it bad manners or something?”

“No,” Noctis snorts, letting his shirt fall back into place. “It’s because it takes a lot of trust. You’ve seen our teeth; would you trust someone you didn’t know well near your neck?”

Prompto blanches, his eyes darting down to Noctis’ mouth and the sharp canines in question. Noctis’ sharp canines are nothing compared to how deadly they are when the rest of his teeth elongate, but they are still pretty impressive.

“Yeah, no,” Prompto shudders.

“Exactly,” Noctis chuckles.

“So, how do you scent mark new pack members, then?”

“We have glands on our wrists too,” Noctis explains. “We just rub our wrists together or against any part of their skin, really.”

“Huh,” Prompto muses. Noctis is right, he does find it a little weird, but it sort of reminds him of an article he read about being touched starved. Wolves are tactile creatures; they need touch to feel connected to their pack, and scent marking is just another essential part of their wellbeing and mental health.

“Does it bother you?” Noctis asks quietly, watching his face closely.

“No,” Prompto says earnestly. “It doesn’t bother me.”

“I’m glad,” Noctis murmurs, a small smile lifting the corner of his lips.

“Well, you have my permission to scent mark me whenever you need to,” Prompto offers, smiling back. “It was kind of nice.”

Noctis’ lips part, his eyes widening slightly. “Wait, really? You’d be okay with that?”

“Sure,” Prompto says, his smile widening at the awed expression on Noctis’ face. “As long as you give me a bit of a warning first and don’t shove your face in my neck or anything. I think I’d probably be a little alarmed if you suddenly did that like you do with Ignis.”

“No, no, I’ll ask first,” Noctis says immediately, eyes wide and excited. Prompto is sure that if Noct was in his wolf form his tail would be wagging.

“Then I’m okay with it,” Prompto grins.

“Is it too soon to ask if I can scent mark you again?” Noctis asks. “Like, for real this time?”

Prompto shakes his head with a laugh. “Only if you show me how to do it properly so I can do it back.”

“Deal,” Noctis grins. “Just copy what I do to you, okay?”

Prompto nods and focuses on the way Noctis slowly leans forwards, his heart tripping in his chest. It almost looks like Noct is going to kiss him again, but Noct only leans in to gently rub his cheek against his before he nuzzles into his neck, rubbing his cheek along the column of his throat with a contented sound. Noctis stays there for a long moment, just breathing him in.

Noctis’ eyes are half-lidded when he finally pulls away, pupils blown, and flecks of gold highlighting his irises.

“Your turn,” Noctis rumbles, clearing his throat.

Prompto takes in the sight of Noctis’ face. His face is slack with relief, but it is his eyes that hold him captivated. His eyelids are half-closed, eyes a little unfocused and dazed. He almost looks high—high off his scent, and his voice… Prompto holds back a shiver. He definitely heard a hint of Noctis’ wolf when he spoke just now.

“Right,” Prompto laughs nervously. He doesn’t understand why he’s suddenly so nervous. He’s done it before, not even five minutes ago, but it feels different this time. The air between them seems charged, heavier somehow.

Prompto leans forward before he loses his nerve. He kind of feels like he did when he first kissed a girl, stomach filled with butterflies. Somehow, this feels just as intimate. Prompto brushes his cheek against Noctis’ like he had done to him before moving down to his neck. Noctis tilts his head to the side to give him better access, and Prompto nuzzles against Noct’s scent gland, rubbing his cheek and his own neck against it.

Prompto freezes when Noctis clings to him and lets out a quiet whimper. Noctis’ breathing hitches, and for a split second, he thinks he somehow managed to hurt him. Maybe he rubbed too hard against his scent gland, but Noct makes no move to push him away. Prompto slowly does it again, cautiously nuzzling against that spot, and Prompto feels Noct exhale shakily, his grip tightening on his shoulder before loosening.

Prompto pulls away to gauge Noctis’ facial expression. “Too much?”

Noctis blinks slowly, gold eyes uncomprehending, and it only furthers Prompto suspicions. He hasn’t seen Noct react this strongly when scenting Ignis or Gladio. He really has been depriving Noctis of something he needed if his wolf has risen to the surface like this over something so simple as scenting.

Noctis’ eyelids keep fluttering shut before slowly blinking back open to stare into his eyes like he’s struggling to keep his eyes open but doesn’t want to look away from him. Noctis is wearing this small, dopey little smile, and he’s never seen Noct drink or do drugs, but this is what he imagines Noct being intoxicated would look like. His whole body is slack and relaxed against him; his arm heavy where it’s slung over his waist from when he had been holding him earlier. 

“You okay, dude?” Prompto asks worriedly when Noctis doesn’t respond. “You look a little high.”

“Mhm.” There’s that rumbling sound again. “Yeah.”

Prompto snorts in amusement at Noctis’ slurred words. “My scent makes you high? Seriously?”

“Not usually,” Noctis mumbles.

“Should I feel special, then?” Prompto smiles.

“You are,” Noctis says, as easy as breathing. “To me.”

Prompto’s smile freezes. Noctis’ eyes are closed now, his body relaxed and limp against his, his breathing evening out. If Prompto didn’t know any better, he would think Noctis fell asleep. He doesn’t remember ever seeing Noctis this relaxed when he scents Ignis or Gladio. It never put him on the verge of sleep like this before either. Does scenting each other really make Noct feel this good?

“What’s so special about my scent?” Prompto asks curiously, jostling Noctis slightly to grab his attention.

“It’s everythin’,” Noctis hums, not bothering to open his eyes. He looks seconds away from falling asleep.

“Can you describe it to me?” Prompto coaxes, his heart thumping in his chest so loud he’s sure Noct can hear it. Noctis breathing deepens, inhaling his scent again. “Noct?”

“Mm… mate always smells s’good,” Noctis slurs.

Prompto inhales sharply, arms tightening reflexively around Noct. Noctis’ breathing slows as he falls asleep, his face tucked into the crook of his neck.

Prompto doesn’t feel an ounce of Noctis’ relaxation, and it takes him a long time before he feels even remotely tired, thoughts running circles in his head, Noctis’ words ringing in his ears long after he had spoken. He can’t get Noctis’ words out of his head, and they keep playing on repeat over and over.

Mate.

He knows what that word means—knows what that word means for wolves. A part of him feels elated to learn that he’s Noctis’ mate, but another part of him feels betrayed. Noctis had intended to marry Lunafreya—would be married to her right now if she hadn’t died—and he would have never said a word to him about it.

Noct had kissed him and played it off like it was accidental. He had blamed himself for tricking Noctis’ instincts, and now he knows that isn't true. Noct had meant to kiss him, had done it intentionally, and had regretted it right after.

He’s had feelings for Noct for as long as he could remember, and to learn that his feelings are mutual? He should be happy, but all he feels is a hollowness where his happiness should be. A cold feeling spreads through his body that has nothing to do with the temperature in the cave, making his limbs feel numb. Noctis never would have told him if he hadn’t been high off his scent and half-asleep, and the realization that Noct had never intended to tell him breaks his heart.

Is he that undesirable that his mate doesn’t even want him? Noct had hidden it from him all these years and kept him in the dark. Is… is everything a lie? Their whole friendship—everything just an elaborate lie to keep him close even though Noct doesn’t want him like that? He thought he knew Noctis, but now…

Now he isn’t so sure.

Chapter Text

Prompto is already awake and sitting by the fire, gazing into the campfire with distant eyes and snapping twigs between his fingers to feed the flames by the time Noctis wakes up. The scent of bitter misery and sour disappointment burns in his sensitive nose and makes his eyes water. He’s normally a pretty deep sleeper all things considered, but Prompto’s scent wakes him up faster than a bucket of ice-cold water. He barely manages to bite back a sleepy whimper at the dark, noxious emotions practically wafting off of his mate like a cloud of black smoke.

There is something decidedly off about Prompto; something different in the way he’s carrying himself, and he can’t pinpoint the reason for the sudden sliver of wrongness that starts to slither and constrict around his chest like a boa constrictor, his heart pounding in his chest so hard he can feel it. He doesn’t understand why Prompto is suddenly smelling so miserable and sitting hunched in on himself like he wishes he was anywhere but here, but he has the sinking suspicion that it’s because of him.

Noctis doesn’t think he did anything to upset Prompto. Did he cross the line by scent marking him? Prompto had seemed enthusiastic about the scenting at the time and had even scented him back once he had explained what it meant and shown him how to do it.

Was it too soon after he’d lost himself to his instincts and kissed him? Maybe it had made Prompto more uncomfortable than he was letting on and he was just too nice to say otherwise. It seemed like something Prompto would do; play it off like everything’s okay just so he could spare someone else’s feelings no matter how much it bothered him. He would keep it all bottled up until it burst forth from him like a dam buckling under the weight of holding everything back.

Maybe Prompto is just as worried as he is about the kiss making things awkward between them, but Prompto had promised that the kiss wouldn’t change anything between them – although perhaps that was asking too much of him. Prompto can’t stop what he’s feeling any more than he can completely reign in his instincts where Prompto’s concerned.

Noctis blinks and rubs the last bit of sleep from his eyes, his eyes immediately drawn to Prompto’s bare back when his eyesight adjusts. Noctis’ stomach drops at the sight, unable to look away from the long, jagged scars that cut across Prompto’s back from his right shoulder to his left hip. He knows that it’s going to bother Prompto when he finally catches a glimpse of his back in a mirror.

Prompto hates the stretch marks from his weight loss even though he’s never actually mentioned it in conversation. He sees the way Prompto shies away from the wandering eyes of strangers when he has his shirt off, the way he unconsciously tries to cover his chest by crossing his arms whenever he’s sitting down. His mate has always struggled with his image and self-worth, but Prompto couldn’t be more perfect in his eyes.

Prompto’s everything he could ever want in a mate. If he had the option for a do-over he’d choose Prompto every single time.

He hates the idea that the scars on Prompto’s back will cause his mate even more grief. He would take it from him if he could. He would gladly wear the marks on his own flesh if it meant sparing Prompto future hardship. Such a thing is impossible no matter how much he wills it so. He will be imprisoned and weighed down by the knowledge that he could have prevented the injury but had chosen his pride over Prompto’s wellbeing.

“Prompto?” Noctis calls out tentatively, sitting up and peering around to see Prompto’s face when he can longer stand the sight of the scars marring Prompto’s back; taunting him with the evidence of his failure, forever marring Prompto’s pale, delicate skin – a permanent reminder that he should have protected his mate and failed. “Are you okay?”

Prompto turns his head at the sound of his voice, and Noctis shrinks back, his insides shriveling up at the dark expression on Prompto’s face; so close to fury Noctis feels his heart thud once, a solid thump against his chest. He’s never seen such an expression on Prompto’s face and it genuinely frightens him, his mate’s strikingly beautiful eyes seem to pierce through him, striking him straight to his core.

There are dark circles under Prompto’s eyes, every inch of his body language screaming anger and exhaustion at him. Prompto turns back to the fire after staring at him for a long moment in silence.

“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Noctis frowns, getting to his feet and hesitantly approaching Prompto. “I don’t know. You’re… angry. Will you tell me what’s bothering you?”

“Nightmares,” Prompto answers simply, letting out a quiet drawn-out sigh. “Couldn’t sleep.”

Prompto’s heartbeat doesn’t stutter, and he can’t detect any hint of a lie. Prompto’s never been one for lying, so he has no reason to disbelieve him, even though Prompto’s initial reaction was far more intense than the usual run-of-the-mill distress nightmares warranted. What kind of terrible nightmare would be capable of making Prompto so furious? He’s never seen Prompto like this before, not over a dream.

“I’m sorry,” Noctis murmurs, gingerly sitting down beside Prompto and letting his shoulder rest against his. “Was it about the attack?”

Prompto is quiet for so long Noctis thinks Prompto isn’t going to answer. When Prompto finally responds he sounds small and defeated.

“Yes and no. Just couldn’t get my brain to shut off.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Noctis asks cautiously, wary of Prompto’s dark and somber mood.

Prompto’s emotions are hanging over him like a literal storm cloud, his scent one big hurricane of emotional turmoil that threatens to pull him in and destroy every ounce of his control that’s holding him back from pulling Prompto into his arms like he had done last night. He wants to hold and scent him as an alpha would with their mate when they’re in need of comfort, but Prompto isn’t a wolf. What would work for their kind won’t work with Prompto. Humans talk about feelings and their emotions and like to be reassured and soothed with sweet words – everything he’s terrible at expressing aloud.

He may be half-human, but he has no idea how to bridge the gap in his experience with dealing with humans and doing things the human way. Wolves prefer action over pretty words and promises. Expressing their intent and feelings through touch and endeavors, and proving their sincerity is the proper way to do things. A tongue doesn’t get things done; – outside of the bedroom, anyway – actions speak louder than words.

Prompto turns to meet his eyes, and Noctis swallows down a whine at how shiny Prompto’s eyes are, his blue eyes threatening to spill the tears Noctis can see starting to glisten and cling to his eyelashes. Noctis is sure that if he were to reach out and try to physically comfort Prompto right then and there, his mate would revolt.

“Do you trust me?” Prompto asks quietly, his adam’s apple bobbing when he swallows.

“With my life,” Noctis swears, his eyebrows furrowing at the abrupt line of questioning. “Prom, please tell me what this is about. If your dream was about me, you know whatever it was wasn’t real, right?”

“I know,” Prompto whispers, his bottom lip quivering, and Noctis immediately knows he said the wrong thing.

“Your nightmare was about me, wasn’t it?” Noctis asks, but it comes out as more of a statement. Prompto’s reaction more than confirms his suspicions.

Prompto nods, taking a deep breath. “In my dream… in my dream, you did something behind my back that seriously fucked me up, and when I found out about it, I pretended I didn’t know and you just… carried on… leaving me in the dark.”

Noctis takes the chance of leaning against Prompto’s side, hoping physical contact will be a comfort to him. “You know I would never hurt you, right? I’d never do something like that.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Noctis turns his head sharply to look at Prompto, needing to see his face. “What do you mean by that?”

“We’re best friends, right?” Prompto asks instead of answering, turning his face away from him and taking away the chance for Noct to gauge his facial expressions.

“What? Prom, of course, we are!” Noctis exclaims, eyes wide. He’s more than a little hurt that Prompto could even wonder about such a thing. When Prompto turns away from him it feels like he really has been dunked in ice-cold water. “What kind of question is that?”

“It’s just something that stuck with me. Sorry,” Prompto mumbles, rubbing his arm absentmindedly. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” Noctis says immediately.

He’ll grant Prompto everything and anything if it’s in his power to do so. He’ll do anything to make Prompto happy. He wants to fix whatever is bothering Prompto; feels that familiar urge rising with his wolf that demands bloodshed – to rip whoever or whatever is responsible for making Prompto feel unworthy apart with his bare hands, but it gets a little tricky when it seems to be himself that’s making Prompto feel this way – even if it is only dream him.

Dream him is apparently a real asshole, and dream Noctis should throw himself off the nearest cliff for making Prompto feel this way.

“We tell each other everything, right? I mean, I share everything with you and I’d like to think that you confide in me too,” Prompto babbles, anxiety and embarrassment rising in his scent and making Noctis feel infinitely worse. Prompto should never be afraid to talk to him – about anything. “If there was something… something big that you were keeping secret, you’d tell me, right? You wouldn’t hide it from me?”

“Are we still talking about your dream?” Noctis asks tentatively, unsure where Prompto is going with this.

What secrets is Prompto talking about? He’s never kept any secrets from Prompto except for the obvious, and that is a heavily guarded secret that only Ignis, Gladio, and his father know about. Just thinking about it has panic constricting his chest. He doesn’t want to even think about what would happen if the Niflheim packs under Ardyn’s rule learn of his mate’s existence.

“Whatever I did in your dream isn’t really me. C’mon, dude, you’ve known me for how long now? You know I wouldn’t do something like that.”

“You have kept secrets from me, though,” Prompto points out, snapping another twig between his fingers with more force than necessary. Noctis flinches at the sound, hanging onto Prompto’s every word. “I didn’t find out about Lunafreya until your father called us into the throne room to tell us we had to pack for a journey to get you hitched with a distant princess from Tenebrae.”

“This is about Luna?” Noctis asks in disbelief, growing more and more confused by the second, his concern mounting as Prompto’s scent fills the cave with the smell of burnt citrus and a hint of something that he’s smelled on Prompto before but can’t put a name to. “I didn’t have time to tell you! I was stuck in that council meeting that morning, remember? I found out shortly before you guys did! It all happened so fast and before I knew it, we were already on the road! Of course, I would have confided in you! You’re my best friend; I tell you everything!”

“What about the treaty? We’ve been traveling together for almost a month and I just learned about it yesterday,” Prompto says bitterly. “Even Gladio and Ignis knew about it before I did.”

Noctis gapes wordlessly, desperately grasping at straws, trying to figure out why Prompto is acting like this, why he seems so determined to push him away and cast doubt on him. Is this all because of a nightmare he had or is it… something more?

“The treaty? Prompto, what was the point of me bringing it up after Luna died? Any chances of a treaty died with her. Her brother Ravus is an alpha, it would never work out. I didn’t bring it up before because I thought you knew already! Are you… are you seriously mad at me about that?”

Noctis is so confused. Prompto had been in a good mood when they had fallen asleep last night, and Prompto’s had nightmares before – they all have at some point – but it had never affected Prompto this much before. He doesn’t know exactly what happened between him and Prompto in his dream but it must have been truly unspeakable if it has him questioning everything and smelling like he just walked out of a funeral service.

Prompto doesn’t answer him, and at this point, Noctis shouldn’t be as surprised as he is by his silence.

He’s never actually had Prompto mad or upset with him before, and it has his instincts pulling him in two different directions like a vicious tug of war. A part of him wants to grovel at his mate’s feet and beg for forgiveness even though he doesn’t know what he actually did to him and technically knows he didn’t do anything wrong.

The other half of him is angry, his alpha ego bruised at having Prompto interrogate him and question his decisions, but this is his mate. Prompto’s the only person alive who has the right to step up and question his decisions, and it makes him feel downright horrid that he’s obviously failed to meet his mate’s approval.

“Prom,” Noctis says beseechingly, proud of himself for not letting the distress he feels bleed into his voice. “Please talk to me. What’s really going on? I can’t fix whatever I did that upset you if you won’t tell me.”

Prompto turns to face him, and Noctis’ heart sinks into the pit of his stomach. Noctis tentatively reaches a hand out to brush away the tear that’s rolling down his cheek, but Prompto turns his face away and wipes his cheek against his shoulder.

“Prom, please tell me what’s wrong,” Noctis pleads.

“You said you tell me everything, so… so if you knew something that – that concerns me, you’d tell me, right?” Prompto asks him quietly, refusing to meet his eyes, going back to staring into the fire as he draws his legs up and wraps his arms around them. “Even if you thought I wouldn’t – that I wouldn’t want to know.”

“About you…?” Noctis trails off, thoughts running a mile a minute. What is Prompto talking about? “Is this… is this about your wrist? If that’s what this is about, I swear I didn’t mean to look! I caught a glimpse of your tattoo once, but I didn’t say anything because you obviously keep it covered for a reason and it’s none of my business. If you wanted to tell me about it you would have, but you never brought it up so I wasn’t going to pry.”

Prompto turns to him so fast Noctis worries Prompto’s going to get whiplash.

“You knew about my wrist!?”

Noctis flinches at Prompto’s shrill voice and the way it echoes loudly in their enclosed space, the panic lacing his voice instantly putting him on edge.

“Is it that bad?” Noctis asks hesitantly. “I mean… you must have liked it at some point if you had gotten it tattooed.”

Noctis shrinks back, his shoulders hunching up around his ears when Prompto starts laughing a little too hysterically, anxiety and disbelief blooming bright and sharp in his scent.

“You think I… oh my god, you think it’s a tattoo,” Prompto laughs, his voice cracking with a sob halfway through. Prompto buries his face in his knees, his body shaking with the force of it.

“Prom… Prom, you’re seriously starting to scare me,” Noctis says shakily, his hand hovering in the air above Prompto’s shoulder, uncertain if his touch would be welcomed. He’s starting to seriously question if the cold hadn’t done more damage to Prompto than he thought. Does hyperthermia cause brain damage? He’s never seen Prompto act like this before, and it’s totally out of character for his mate.

“Do you – do you seriously not know what it means?” Prompto hiccups, lifting his head and covering his face with his hands.

“I… should I?” Noctis asks haltingly.

Prompto laughs wetly, and swallows thickly, his nose sounding like it’s clogged when he sniffs noisily. “It’s not a tattoo.”

“What do you mean?” Noctis asks just as quietly, confused but happy that Prompto is finally talking to him and opening up again even though what he’s saying doesn’t make any sense.

“Your dad never told you? Seriously?” Prompto asks, scrubbing at his face and rubbing at his eyes.

“No…? Why would he know about it?” Noctis asks in confusion. Prompto’s answers are only raising more and more questions, and he desperately wants to understand what’s going on with his mate.

Prompto drops his hands from his face, wordlessly unclasping his bracelet and stretching his arm out towards him.

Noctis takes Prompto’s arm in a gentle hold and inspects the ink on Prompto’s wrist, seeing it up close for the first time. He’d only caught a glimpse of it last time, and could barely make out the lines of black ink before Prompto had quickly covered it up.

It’s a barcode.

Noctis peers at the numbers in thought, trying to make sense of it. It reads 05953234 at the top and then N-iP01357 at the bottom… almost like the barcodes he’s seen on equipment and machinery. It’s a model and ID number from what he understands. Why would Prompto have…

Noctis gently traces the ink with a fingertip, his hand stilling when he feels the raised skin beneath his finger, each line and number almost feeling like a… scar. He knows what a healed tattoo feels like, impossible not to when Gladio is practically covered in them, and this feels nothing like the smoothness of a healed tattoo.

“What is this?” Noctis asks carefully, barely managing to keep his voice from trembling.

“You really don’t know,” Prompto says in astonishment. “I thought… I thought your dad would have told you when I – when I became a part of your Crownsguard.”

“No, he – he didn’t mention this,” Noctis clears his throat, raising his eyes to meet Prompto’s. “What is it?”

“It’s a brand,” Prompto says flatly, his face carefully blank. “I… I’m from Niflheim, Noct.”

Noctis inhales sharply, his hand tightening reflexively around Prompto’s arm as he glances back down and stares at the mark on Prompto’s wrist. They… they branded his mate – branded him like he was cattle to be tagged and kept monitored.

A white-hot fury envelops him, his eyesight blurring as his vision shifts to a razor-sharp focus, his hearing heightening to the point where he can hear everything within a ten-mile radius, his teeth elongating until he can feel the press of his canines against his bottom lip, and feel the itch in his nailbeds as his nails curve into claws.

“I’m going to kill them,” Noctis says menacingly, a growl rumbling furiously in his throat and echoing loudly in the cave, his words dripping pure venom. He knows he’s dangerously close to slipping into a bloodlust state like he had on the train, but all he cares about is finding out who did this to his mate so he can kill them slowly and painfully; peel their flesh from their bones with his claws and watch them writhe and scream like they had no doubt listened to his mate’s pained screaming all those years ago.

“Who did this to you? Give me a name, Prompto,” Noctis demands with a growl, pulling Prompto to him with a tug on his arm. Noctis ignores Prompto’s startled yelp and decidedly looks past the sudden fear spiking in Prompto’s scent in favor of the interesting way Prompto’s scent suddenly takes on a hint of… arousal? Prompto’s eyes meet his, his mate’s wide eyes darting all over his face, but there is more than one emotion fighting for dominance in Prompto, and Noctis can easily guess which one is winning.

“Tell me,” Noctis says lowly, softening his voice to make it more coaxing as he pulls Prompto closer.

Prompto audibly gulps, his eyes darting down to his lips before quickly darting back to his eyes. Noctis won’t kiss him – won’t repeat that mistake, but gods he wants to. It’s hard to resist the impulse when his mate is smelling of interest so keenly it makes his wolf want to howl with the acknowledgment that Prompto wants him – accepts him even when his baser instincts are controlling him and he is less than human. There is fear in his scent too, but it’s not enough to hinder him from backing down.

“I-I don’t know,” Prompto stutters.

“You don’t know who did this to you or you don’t know if you want to tell me?” Noctis demands softly.

“The, uh, the first one,” Prompto stammers, swallowing hard. Noctis can hear Prompto’s heartbeat racing in his chest so loud he’s positive the wolves outside could hear it too. “I don’t know who did it. I’ve had it ever since I was a baby, I think. I’ve had it ever since I could remember.”

Since he was a baby. What kind of sick fuck would brand a baby!? No, scratch that, he knows exactly who would be sick enough to do that. If what Prompto says is true, that he is from Niflheim, there is only one person psychopathic enough to do something like that.

“Ardyn,” Noctis snarls furiously, baring his teeth.

Prompto shudders, tugging his arm out of Noctis’ grip. “Can we stop talking about it, please?”

Noctis narrows his eyes at his mate. He knows he has no right to take his anger and frustration out on his mate, not when he has already been through so much, but how can Prompto live with proof of the horror that Niflheim has inflicted upon him and not desire retribution – especially with what happened last night? Prompto just has to say the word and he would call all the packs together, travel across the continent, and bring the fight straight to Ardyn.

No wolf in his kingdom would stand by after learning that one of their own was harmed in such a way – that the prince’s mate was hurt so cruelly. Even his father who doesn’t desire it to come to that wouldn’t stop him if he demanded it of him. He may not be king yet, but he holds just as much sway with the council’s decisions.

A wolf’s mate is sacred. He’d like to see the council try to stop him if he were to order Ardyn’s head on a spike. Fuck ordering a glaive or paying a hunter to do his dirty work, he’ll do it himself. Blood must have blood, and right now Noctis wants Ardyn dead more than he’s ever wished death on anyone in his life.

“I’m not nearly done talking about this,” Noctis growls. “How did you get out of Niflheim?”

Prompto wraps his hand around his wrist. “I don’t know.”

“How did you get to Insomnia? Why did – “

“I don’t know!” Prompto snaps, anger starting to spike in his scent. “I don’t know a lot of things, okay? I was adopted when I was a baby, I never knew my real parents. I’ve never even stepped foot in Niflheim as far as I know. My real parents were probably refugees that left me at the orphanage in fear of getting deported because they were Niffs. I only found out I originated from Niflheim because your dad called me into his office one day and he knew about the mark even though I’ve kept it covered my whole life because my parents – my foster parents –  told me to keep it hidden or bad things would happen to me.”

“So, your parents knew, and my dad knew…” Noctis frowns. None of this makes any sense. Why would his dad hide this from him? Especially when he knew that Prompto’s his mate? Isn’t this something he should have been told? “What did dad say to you?”

“Not much,” Prompto sighs, resigning himself to Noctis’ relentless questioning. “Same thing my folks have always told me; keep your wrist covered. He… he told me all the children born in Niflheim have a barcode like mine. I bet if you look at those wolves we fought on the train last night, they would have it too. Or maybe it’s just the humans, I don’t know. I was… shocked. I didn’t really ask questions. I was told if I ever wanted to know more about where I came from Cor would tell me when I was ready.”

“Cor knows? The Marshal of the Crownsguard – that Cor?”

When Prompto nods, Noctis exhales loudly, anger boiling in his blood. The little that Prompto knows of his heritage just raises more and more questions that desperately need answering. Why would his dad tell Prompto to talk to Cor? Why would Cor know more about Prompto’s birth? Why did they keep this from him?

“You… you’ve seriously never seen anyone else with this before?” Prompto asks hesitantly.

Noctis shakes his head. He hasn’t come across many Niffs – not since the day he got caught in the crossfire in Tenebrae when he was eight. The day his mother was killed and he was injured. He can’t remember ever seeing or hearing about Niflheim branding their people. It’s never been brought up in council meetings, never been a subject of conversation.

“I really did think it was a tattoo,” Noctis says truthfully, scowling at his naivety. He had no way of knowing what Prompto had been hiding all these years, even when he noticed Prompto would grow anxious and check his bracelets to make sure his wrist was covered. He had just thought he was embarrassed by it, not hiding it out of fear for his safety.

“Well, now you know,” Prompto laughs humorlessly. “It turns out that I was one of them all along. That I’m… one of them.”

“You’re not,” Noctis says vehemently. “Prompto, you’re not!”

“How can you say that now that you know the truth?” Prompto says in disbelief. “This fucking brand is proof that I was a part of Ardyn’s pack – the very same pack that hurt your family so much – that murdered Lunafreya. I have their blood running through my veins. I was born in Niflheim, Noct, not in Lucis.”

“You are nothing like them,” Noctis snarls, furious that Prompto would even think to compare himself to those monsters. “I don’t care where you were born! You’re part of my pack, not theirs. You’re a Lucian citizen through and through.”

“Still… I can’t change where I came from,” Prompto frowns, looking down at his hands as he slowly uncurls his fingers from the tight grip he has around his wrist to reveal the barcode once more. Prompto stares at his wrist for a long moment before covering it with the palm of his hand, and Noctis wishes he knew what to say to make Prompto feel better, to reassure him that this changes nothing between them.

“What will happen when everyone else finds out? It’s only a matter of time before Gladio and Ignis figure it out, and then what?”

“Then nothing,” Noctis growls. “They wouldn’t dare lay a hand on you. Nothing is going to happen to you, Prompto.”

“They may not want to hurt me, but… but what if they don’t want me in your pack anymore?” Prompto asks softly, sounding so small and sad that Noctis can’t hold back anymore, and wraps an arm around Prompto’s shoulders to pull him into his side.

“Is that what you’re worried about?” Noctis sighs, resting the side of his head against Prompto’s as he breathes in his scent, his arm tightening around him. “That’s never gonna happen, sorry. You’re stuck with me.”

Noctis smiles when Prompto lets out a wet laugh.

“Gladio’s your shield though,” Prompto points out. “If he thinks that I’m a danger to you, it’s his job to – to get rid of me.”

“No,” Noctis says fiercely, growling at the mere thought of Gladio ever trying to do such a thing. Gladio wouldn’t dare. “It’s his job to protect me from my enemies and to always have my back, sure, but where you’re concerned, he has no say.”

“Why?” Prompto asks hoarsely, pulling away from him and turning to face him fully. “Why, Noct?”

“Because you’re important to me,” Noctis says, unsure how to express how much Prompto means to him without divulging too much. It’s bad enough that he’d already gone and kissed him. He’s pretty sure his feelings for him couldn’t be any clearer. “You… you make me happy, Prom. You’re my best friend. You’ve never done anything for me to question your loyalty or to doubt the trust I’ve placed in you. I don’t see you betraying me, do you?”

“What? Of course not!” Prompto exclaims indignantly.

“And that’s the difference between you and Ardyn’s pack,” Noctis says smugly, the corner of his lip rising into a smirk when he sees Prompto flounder for a response. “I meant it when I said I didn’t care where you were born, Prom, and the guys won’t either. We know the real you. We know who you really are, Prompto Argentum.”

A fresh wave of tears spills down Prompto’s cheeks, and when Noctis reaches out to brush his tears away, Prompto doesn’t stop him this time. Noctis’ thumb brushes away his tears, caressing under Prompto’s eye and watching Prompto’s eyes fall closed and turn his face into his hand. Noctis’ heart aches at the tenderness of it, wishing he could tell Prompto just how much he means to him, how much it hurts him to see Prompto cry, and how much he aches for him; mind, body, and soul.

“Thank you, Noct,” Prompto chokes out, his voice cracking on his name. Prompto squeezes his eyes tightly closed, a few more tears escaping as he visibly tries to hold back a sob. “You… you have no idea how much that means to me.”

“I do,” Noctis murmurs, brushing away every single tear that falls from Prompto’s eyes. “I know you didn’t want us to know, and that I found out before you were ready to tell me. I know how scared you must have been of us finding out. You’re so brave, Prom. You held onto this for so long, it mustn’t have been easy.”

Prompto shakes his head wordlessly, a sob tearing free as his chest heaves. “I… I didn’t want you to find out. Didn’t want to be kicked out and have you h-hate me. You’re…you’re the only real friends I’ve e-ever had.”

“You’re not going anywhere and neither am I,” Noctis says reassuringly, voice soft. “I’m right here, and I’m not letting go of you, alright?”

His words only have Prompto crying harder, and Noctis feels a sharp pang in his chest, desperation, and helplessness fighting for dominance in his body. It doesn’t seem to matter what he says to comfort Prompto, he just seems to get more and more upset.

“Prom, can I hug you?” Noctis asks as a last resort, not knowing what else he can do to comfort him and make Prompto’s anguish go away.

Prompto all but launches himself into his arms and throws his arms around his waist at the question, the cool skin of his forehead resting against his collarbone, his sniffling nose pressed against his throat before he turns his head and buries his face into his chest to stifle his cries into his shirt. Noctis winds his arms around Prompto, raising his hand to cradle the back of his head, gently carding his fingers through Prompto’s hair and refraining from rocking him like a pup. He holds him tighter instead, letting him cry it out in the safety of his arms, shielded from the rest of the world.

“You know – “ Prompto moans against his chest, fisting his shirt in his hand.

“And I still want you around,” Noctis confirms softly. “I’ll always want you, Prompto. Your secret is safe with me. Gladio and Ignis don’t have to know unless you want them to.”

Prompto muffles the sound of a whimper against his chest. “I-I’ll tell them eventually, just not – not right away.”

“Whenever you’re ready,” Noctis says reassuringly.

Prompto nods against his chest, slumping against him in what Noctis assumes is exhaustion.

“Do you feel better now?” Noctis murmurs, sliding his hand free from Prompto’s hair to rub his back comfortingly. “Dream me must have been a real piece of work if you thought I’d think of you differently just because of where you were born.”

Prompto tenses in his arms, and Noctis bites the inside of his cheek, closing his eyes and berating himself for opening his stupid mouth when Prompto’s scent turns bitter again.

“That wasn’t what my dream was about,” Prompto mumbles. “I didn’t even know you knew about my wrist until you told me.”

“I’m sorry,” Noctis apologizes. “Do you want to tell me more about your dream?”

“I told you; you were keeping secrets from me,” Prompto sniffs.

Noctis hesitates, his mind immediately going to the one big secret he’s keeping from Prompto.

“Well, if I did have a secret I’d tell you,” Noctis reassures, which isn’t a blatant lie. He does intend to tell Prompto when the time is right. Noctis scowls when he remembers Ignis telling him it’ll never be a good time to tell him and that he’s just putting it off in fear of ruining what they have. That’s not it – that’s not it at all. With everything going on with Ardyn, it wouldn’t be safe. Ardyn’s had it out for his family for decades. If he were to find out his one weakness, he would use Prompto against him – or worse, he’d have him killed.

Ardyn has no reason to go after the Kingsglaive or members of his Crownguard. To him they are insignificant, and he’d rather not give Ardyn any reason to turn his attention to Prompto. When the war is over, telling Prompto will be the first thing he does.

“I wouldn’t hide anything from you, Prom.”

Prompto releases a small hitched sob and places his hand flat on Noctis’ chest to push him away.

“What?” Noctis says fretfully, his hand instinctively reaching out to grab a hold of Prompto’s hand, his fist closing before he makes contact; letting his hand fall to his lap. “What did I say?”

Prompto shakes his head, wiping his tears away angrily. “Forget it. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“Prom – “

“Drop it,” Prompto snaps, and Noctis flinches back as if struck, his breath catching. “I said I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“Okay,” Noctis says quietly, swallowing. “I’m sorry.”

Prompto shakes his head, snatching up his clothes and getting dressed. “I need some fresh air.”

Noctis slowly gets to his feet, watching Prompto warily.

“Okay,” Noctis repeats, waiting silently for Prompto to finish getting dressed.

“Where are your boots?” Prompto asks with a frown when he turns to him and glances down at his bare feet.

“I, uh… I left them behind,” Noctis admits hesitantly, wincing at the disapproving look Prompto gives him. “When you… when you fell unconscious, I shifted back into a human and carried you here. I forgot all about it until you mentioned it just now…”

Prompto sighs, rolling his eyes and waving his arm towards the exit. Noctis wordlessly leads Prompto out of their temporary den and into the adjacent tunnel that leads outside with several other caverns branching off into different directions.  

Prompto remains silent as they walk side by side down the tunnel, shame and guilt eating at Noctis the entire time. He doesn’t know what he said or did to make things worse, but it’s killing him inside. The memory or Prompto’s furious expression when he woke up and Prompto snapping at him all point to him. He’s done something to garner Prompto’s ire and Prompto won’t be straight with him about it.

“Oh em gee!” Prompto squeals and Noctis startles at Prompto’s loud and excited exclamation. The sharp burst of adoration bursting in Prompto’s scent has him turning his head sharply to look for what made Prompto suddenly so happy.

“Is that a puppy!?”

Noctis’ eyes widen in sudden terror, and he springs forward to snatch Prompto by the arm to haul him back when he takes a step toward the pup who had wandered out of one of the inner caverns along the tunnel and starts to kneel down as if to pet him.

“No – don’t!”

Prompto yelps, back slamming into Noctis’ as his arms come around his middle to pull him against his chest.

“Ow, dude, what the fuck?” Prompto snaps, rubbing the back of his head where it had collided with Noctis’ shoulder. “What are you doing?”

“What am I doing?” Noctis demands, his chest heaving against Prompto’s back in panicked breaths. “What the fuck are you doing? Goddammit, Prompto, you can’t just walk up to a wolf’s pup like that. Their mother would kill you if she catches a whiff of your scent on them.  Wolves are fiercely protective of their pups; don’t you know that?”

Prompto stills against him as his words sink in.

“If they’re that protective of their pups then how come this one was able to wander off unnoticed?” Prompto huffs, elbowing his way out of Noctis’ restricting hold and wiggling free. “Geeze, let me go already, will you? I’m not gonna touch the puppy, you overprotective idiot.”

Noctis scowls at the insult, reluctantly letting Prompto go, carefully keeping both eyes on the puppy and Prompto. Prompto is right though, the pup shouldn’t have been able to wander out of its den without the mother or another member of their pack noticing. Pups are notoriously loud and yip excitedly at everything that crosses their path, but this one is remarkably silent and seems more interested in exploring than causing a ruckus and getting caught.

That is until the pup finally notices he isn’t as alone as he thought he was, the pup’s attention locking on the two of them. The pup’s tail stops wagging in the air and freezes, his ears swiveling back to lay flat on his head. The pup broadens his stance and bares its teeth with a high cooing sound that Noct is sure was meant to be a howl, but the pup is too young to have learned how to do it properly.

It’s with a pang of sadness that he comes to the sudden realization that the pup is scared of him. It’s to be expected, he rationalizes. He’s a strange alpha in their home and doesn’t smell like pack, not to mention the pup can probably smell the predator lurking beneath his skin, larger and much stronger than he is.

The pup doesn’t seem to know what to make of them, cannot decide whether they are friend or foe, and is much too young to understand why there is a human and a half-human in the middle of his den. They’re more than likely the first humans this wolf pup has ever seen so it’s natural for the pup to be fearful of the unknown.

Noctis rumbles low in his chest, trying to make the sound as low and comforting as he can, and he’d been so sure that the pup’s attention would be focused on him, but no, his focus is solely on Prompto. The wolf is looking at Prompto with its pupils contracting, starting up at him with wonder, like a wolf seeing the moon for the first time –

Noctis gasps quietly, eyes widening even further as he’s forced to take a step back when Prompto places a hand on his chest and moves in front of him, placing himself between them, and starts cooing at the pup and talking to him in a soft, soothing voice.

Noctis watches in stunned disbelief, his heartbeat suddenly racing in his chest and hammering against his ribcage as Prompto slowly kneels down with his hands raised palm up, shushing the whining pup gently.

To see the pup calm almost immediately and bound towards his mate like the excitable pup he is has him immediately sinking into a panic, but it’s too late to try to prevent Prompto from touching the pup when the wolf has already launched himself into his mate’s arms and is wiggling happily and soaking up every inch of attention Prompto gives him, rubbing against him to get him to pet him.

Noctis sighs deeply, running his hand through his hair.

Now, how the fuck is he going to get them out of this one?

I’m a dead man, Noctis thinks to himself as he watches Prompto relax and start to laugh, the bitterness that had been in his scent all but evaporating and being replaced with the familiar notes of jasmine and neroli that always reminds Noctis of oranges; sweetening the air with Prompto’s sugar sweet happiness.

It makes Noctis’ heart ache at how easily Prompto’s mood improves when he’s no longer the main focus of Prompto’s attention. Whatever he did to upset Prompto, being jealous of a pup isn’t going to improve or make the situation any better.

Already, Noctis can smell their scents entwining, and he holds back a grimace. He’s gonna have a hell of a time trying to explain to the pup’s mother why her pup smells distinctly of his mate after she had specifically told him not to go near them or she’d kill him.

A little too late for that, Noctis inwardly groans, watching in mounting horror as the puppy rolls over onto his back and shows Prompto his vulnerable belly. Prompto has no clue behind the significance of that act, but Noctis does, and he is blown away that in a handful of minutes Prompto’s already won the wolf’s trust and garnered its devotion.

Prompto’s hand giving the puppy a belly rub all but seals the deal, and Noctis can’t bite back a whine at the acceptance Prompto readily gives – even if he had done it unknowingly and completely unintentionally. The pup’s mother isn’t going to be happy when she finds out that one of her pups imprinted on a human.

It’s dangerous and cruel to separate a pup from the one they’ve imprinted on, but their journey is far from over, and is much too dangerous for them to take a pup that hasn’t been weaned off the mother with them. Not to mention the mother would never allow it. They’re not descendants of the wolves his ancestors kept as companions, at least he’s pretty sure they aren’t. They would have recognized him and welcomed him without question or hesitance.

The idea of a wolf forming a close bond with the species they hold so much contempt for is unthinkable. They’d kill Prompto before they ever allow one of their own to be subjugated to that fate. The sound of a whimpered howl echoes in the cavern and Noctis’ blood freezes in his veins. The way Prompto suddenly tenses and goes rigid lets him know he heard it loud and clear too.

“Prompto,” Noctis says, throwing caution to the wind and grabbing Prompto by the elbow to tug him back to his feet. Prompto can get angry and yell his ear off about the rough treatment when they aren’t in danger of being the main focus of a vengeful mother worried for her pup. “Stay behind me.”

Prompto makes an aborted sound deep in his throat like he was about to protest, one hand reaching out for the pup when the wolf gets back to his feet and whines in confusion, not understanding why Prompto is suddenly being wrenched away from him, nor why his mother sounds so frantic and angry in the distance.

Noctis carefully tugs Prompto behind his body, putting himself between the large white wolf that comes charging around the corner, and Prompto. Noctis sees the exact moment the mother spots her wayward pup unharmed, her gait slowing and relief evident in her amber eyes as she strides up to her pup and nuzzles him.

Noctis winces when she suddenly tenses, a low rumbling growl reverberating from her chest as she moves to stand above her pup protectively, narrowing her eyes at him accusingly. The look in her eyes speaks louder than words, crossing language barriers and reminding him of what she had told him just yesterday.

I do not want you anywhere near them, do you understand? If I so much as see you look in their direction, I will kill you.

Noctis raises a hand placatingly, stretching his other arm out by his side to protect Prompto and keep him safely behind him when Prompto grabs a fistful of his shift in sudden fear when the mother ignores his gesture of goodwill and takes a step towards them with a growl, baring sharp rows of teeth at him in anger, her ears pressing flat against her head in obvious displeasure.

Noctis need not have worried about their confrontation resulting in violence – not when the she-wolf’s own pup yowls and charges out from where he is partially protected underneath his mother’s body to come running towards him, stopping at his feet and whirling around to face his mother.

Noctis’ jaw drops in amazement as the pup takes up a defensive stance before its mother, small growls and barks that don’t sound even half as threatening as the pup probably thinks they are, echoing in the cavern with fierce protectiveness, taking on an almost feral quality.

Noctis hears Prompto’s gasp behind him, his hand clenching tight in his shirt at his back, his other hand moving to grip his hip in a bruising grip.

His mate’s worry towards the pup has an instinctual protectiveness rising in him swifter than an ember bursting into open flame. The burn rises in his chest, rises into his throat until he has to wind his arm back and hold onto Prompto tightly – not to hold Prompto back but to keep himself from springing forward and acting on the impulse to scoop the pup into his arms and deposit him safely into his mate’s arms.

This isn’t his pup, isn’t a pup that is under his care, even though every ounce of wolf in him is howling that this small wolf pup is pack – an extension of Prompto – tied to Prompto as irrevocably as he himself is tied to him – and needs his protection and guardianship. For all intents and purposes this pup – this small, fierce, defenseless pup – is theirs.

“What’s happening!?” Prompto exclaims, his hand releasing his shirt to grip his bicep, his grip so tight Noctis is sure he would have bruises in the shape of Prompto’s fingers if he were a human man and capable of bruising so easily. Sensing Prompto’s emotions and feeling his body’s instinctual response to hold onto something to brace himself sets him on edge. The only thing stopping him from outright challenging the mother in defense of her own pup is the knowledge that no sane wolf would ever harm their own child – or any pup for that matter.

Noctis hears Prompto’s breath hitch in his throat, a mixture of shock and worry blending together in his scent when he moves his shoulder slightly to the side so Prompto can see the pup standing at his feet from over his shoulder. He knows Prompto more than enough to know that the sudden spike of anxiety he is feeling is because he doesn’t want the pup to be hurt or punished for siding with them.

That nagging feeling is rising in him again. Noctis follows that gut feeling – it’s never failed him before – and slowly reaches back around to grasp Prompto’s arm as he moves out from in front of him, making a point to stand at his side, keeping a light, but firm grip on Prompto’s arm; prepared to yank him out of the way if he’s wrong.

Noctis sees Prompto’s eyes widen, shooting him a terrified look, his hand clinging to his arm like a lifeline. Noctis nearly backs down, the look of panic and… and betrayal on his mate’s face would have been enough to send him to his knees, the sudden sharp pang of fear and shame slamming into him was like a sledgehammer being brought down on his chest.

He never wants to see that look on Prompto’s face directed at him ever again.  He doesn’t even want to guess at the thoughts running through Prompto’s head right this second. None of it is good, and he can only imagine what conclusions Prompto is now drawing up in his head, thinking that he’s no longer protecting him and letting him get attacked – again.

“Noct,” Prompto says shrilly, voice octaves higher in his panic. “What – “

“Shh, it’s okay. Look,” Noctis whispers, reaching up to grab Prompto’s hand and intertwine their fingers, giving it a soft squeeze of reassurance as he gestures with his head to the pup.

The pup’s head whirls around to face them at the commotion, the wolf’s golden eyes darting between Noctis and Prompto in obvious concern at the distance the alpha has put between himself and his mate, their only point of contact being their clasped hands held at their sides. The pup’s eyes narrow and his fur starts to bristle as determination fills his eyes. The young wolf turns back to face its mother, his lips pulling back to reveal his milk teeth displayed in a fierce snarl.

Noctis exhales, a smug smirk pulling at his lips as pride swells behind his breast.

“Nothing’s going to happen to you, not with him defending you,” Noctis says easily, locking eyes with the she-wolf and watching her stare at her pup, dumbfounded.

“Why?” Prompto breathes, not daring to raise his voice above a whisper lest he catches the attention of the mother wolf again; her eerie gold eyes sending shivers down his spine. They weren’t as terrifying as the hellfire bright red eyes of a werewolf, but they were cold, and nothing like the warmth that their color suggests. The mother had looked ready to tear him limb from limb before her pup intervened.

“Because he imprinted on you,” Noctis reveals, not bothering to quiet or soften his voice as Prompto had. He wants the mother to know regardless if she does or does not understand human speech. “He’s yours.”

“Mine?” Prompto whispers.

“Yours.” Noctis shivers, feeling goosebumps break out across his arms as the word slips past his lips. Yes, this pup is Prompto’s.

Ours, his wolf corrects, rumbling with pleasure, the sound vibrating in his chest subvocally; not loud enough for a human to hear unless their ear is pressed against his chest, but just loud enough for the other two predators in the room to hear. The pup’s ear twitches at the sound and the mother’s eyes slide over to him briefly before returning her attention to her pup, staring him down with an unimpressed look.

“But I – how!?” Prompto hisses, glancing to Noctis and back to the two wolves squaring off and starting to growl at each other, Prompto’s anxious scent unabating. “I’m not – I’m not his father. How can he form an attachment to me like that? We just met!”

Noctis understands Prompto’s fears. Not twenty-four hours before, he got attacked by a werewolf and nearly died. Noctis doesn’t blame him – would never blame him – if the situation he faced left him traumatized and he grew to fear all wolves. It’s a very real possibility that he’ll have to face – that they’ll have to face and overcome together. No matter what, he’ll always have Prompto’s back and walk down whatever path his mate chooses by his side – as long as he’ll have him.

Prompto is still fearful that the mother is going to attack because he touched her pup, but Noctis isn’t worried; he can understand their rough wolfen speech just as well – if not better – than the human language, and Prompto is in no danger. Even now, the mother is backing down, her tail and ears lowering. Her indignant, angry growling tapering off into softer growling barks and rumbling as she starts to understand what’s happening to her pup.

Noctis shushes Prompto softly, his thumb rubbing over his knuckles soothingly. “Do you remember that story I told you yesterday? The one about my ancestors having a wolf for a companion and adopting them into their pack as an honorary member?”

Prompto’s breath catches in his throat before all the air inside his lungs gets expelled in a loud gust of air like he’s just been punched in the stomach, the wind completely knocked out of him. “But Noct, I – I’m not a wolf. I’m not even royalty!”

Noctis is at a loss of how to explain that one. He hasn’t met or heard of anyone outside of the ruling families ever having a wolf companion. There may be some records in his family’s archive – or even at Fenestala Manor – but that will have to wait until they get out safely first.

“He must see something in you that’s worth protecting, that’s worth standing by your side and risking his life for,” Noctis says quietly, the only explanation that comes to mind. “Bonds like these aren’t something to be taken lightly or disregarded, Prompto. He’d follow you to the ends of the earth and stick by you until death separates you or your command releases him. You accepted him as a member of your pack when he showed you his belly and you didn’t hurt or turn him away.”

Prompto makes a small sound in the back of his throat that sounds suspiciously like a whimper but Noctis doesn’t have time to comfort him. Between one second and the next the heavy atmosphere in the room changes, and Noctis watches in startled shock as the situation spins on its axis; the mother sitting with a huff and the young wolf throwing his head back with a triumphant howl before turning on his tail and launching himself at his mate’s legs, hopping and pawing at him eagerly.

Prompto is frozen for half a beat before he seems to pull himself together. He crouches down, barking a startled laugh when the pup licks at his face and every part of him that he can reach.

“Good boy!” Prompto laughs, accepting the excited kisses the puppy bestows all over his face.

Noctis crosses his arms, eyebrows furrowing into a deep frown, his lips pursing into a pout. Prompto never calls him a good boy and lets him lick his cheek without complaint, and here he is letting a complaint stranger – it doesn’t matter that he is only a pup and is technically their new packmate – kiss him all over and shower him in the affection Noct wishes he could.

“I’ll have to figure out what to call you, little guy. I can’t refer to you as puppy forever. Hmm… what about… Umbra?” Prompto says, sharing his thoughts aloud. “It means shadow, but shadow is a pretty common name, and there’s nothing common about you, huh boy?”

Prompto laughs when the puppy gives an excited yip, his tail wagging wildly. “Alright! It’s decided then! Umbra it is!”

Noctis silently approves of the name. Everything about Prompto could easily be associated with the sun, and Umbra will be the shadow always matching his stride.

There is no light without shadow,

just as there is no happiness without pain,

for all the beauty in life is made up of

light and shadow.

Chapter Text

Noctis watches the exchange between his mate and their newest pack member with an aching fondness, his heart full of love and affection. His heart is fit to burst – and it does – it bursts like a balloon pricked by a pin when a sudden crashing realization comes to him.  His heart grows heavy; sinking to what feels like the very pit of his stomach as he visibly deflates; the joy and happiness seeping from him like an open wound. The dread he feels suddenly weighing him down is like a cinderblock tied around his ankles before he’s cruelly dropped into the ocean; tethering him to the earth and leaving him with no immediate way out of the situation.

“Prom,” Noctis says, his voice rough with growing guilt with what he’s about to say – with what he has to do. The dreadful reality of their situation bleeds into his voice, causing his voice to come out strained and tight with reluctance. Knowing it’s the right thing to do doesn’t make having to do it any easier. “We can’t take him with us.”

“What?” Prompto says sharply, turning on the spot. “What do you mean? You just said he imprinted on me. I can’t just leave him. He’ll think I abandoned him.”

Noctis hesitates, looking to the mother for help, but she’s too busy looking at Prompto playing with her pup with fondness instead of the wariness and distrust she had displayed moments before. He doesn’t even detect any lingering hint of hostility, agitation, or bitterness directed towards Prompto, and it makes his job ten times harder because of it. It would be so much easier if the mother was bitter and was unwilling to part from her pup.

“Prompto… we can’t,” Noctis repeats, forcing the words past his lips. He doesn’t like the idea of separating them any more than Prompto does, but he has no choice. It’s for their own good. “We don’t know if Ardyn is still hunting us. We don’t know for sure if the attack was random or intentional. We’ll be putting the pup – “

“Umbra.”

“– Umbra in danger,” Noctis insists, correcting himself at Prompto’s sharp tone. “Prom, you know it’s a bad idea. We don’t know if Ardyn will send more wolves to attack us, and as alpha, it’s my responsibility to look out for all of you. I cannot in good conscious bring a pup along with us when I can’t guarantee his safety.”

“There’s three of you, he’ll be safe,” Prompto argues stubbornly.

“I couldn’t even protect you!” Noctis’ voice rises in mounting frustration when Prompto refuses to see the problem clearly or think about this sensibly. Noctis clenches his hands into fists, crossing his arms over his chest. He forces himself to take a few deep, calming breathes to keep his wolf at bay. “Like how I protected you? And now you expect me to be responsible for looking after a pup that hasn’t even been fully weaned from its mother? No, Prom, the pup has to stay here.”

Prompto’s jaw clenches, a fire blazing in his eyes that Noctis would admire under different circumstances. Prompto’s easy defiance in the face of his authority makes his blood run hot. Prompto standing up to him is hot. It’s a quality every mate of an alpha should possess, and Prompto has it in spades.

“I’m not asking you to look after anyone – let alone me,” Prompto snaps, his hand stilling on Umbra’s back where he had been petting him. Prompto slowly gets to his feet; straightening to his full height. “I know what I signed up for. I can take care of myself, and if anything happens to me, that’s on me, not you. I don’t need you to constantly take the blame for every scrape and bruise I get in service to you, Your Highness.”

Noctis snarls before he can swallow it back, but Prompto isn’t afraid, he tilts his chin up and narrows his eyes at him challengingly; daring him to do something. Noctis feels his wolf surge up in answer, feels the thrill and curiosity at being challenged by his mate. He wants to push back and rile him up to see how far he has to push him before his mate submits to his will, but his mate is human. He can’t play those kinds of games with him.

Noctis growls, turning his back on his mate to pace across the length of the cave as he desperately tries to force his wolf back down before he does something stupid or something he’ll regret. He’s already acted on his instincts where Prompto is concerned more than what Ignis would consider appropriate. Prompto won’t let him get away with pinning him to the ground in a show of dominance as he had done on the train – he can see it in his eyes.

Prompto’s not playing. If he tries to settle this dispute the Wolfen way he risks flaming Prompto’s anger even higher. He has to do this the human way; with words instead of actions. A frustrated growl rumbles in his chest. How humans get anything done like this is beyond him. It takes so much longer to get his point across, long moments wasted on words when he could get his meaning across with a few growls and a flash of his eyes and teeth.

Noctis takes one last deep breath before he turns back to Prompto, forcing a calm expression on his face. He doesn’t want to frighten Prompto, but his control and patience are a thin thread close to snapping. The stress, anxiety, and grief of the last week are starting to take their toll on him. His mate is healed and alive, but it’s been over twenty-four hours and he hasn’t heard head or tails of Gladio and Ignis. He refuses to entertain the thought that something’s happened to them.

The train must have carried them further out after he had jumped off the train after Prompto, especially if they had still been fighting. It will take Ignis and Gladio a while to track them and get to their location even if they are in their wolf forms. He will not accept any other explanation. They’ll come after him. They always do.

“Prom, please, I don’t want to fight with you over this,” Noctis pleads, trying to appeal to him. “Look at him. He’s so small, he could easily get hurt. He’s too young to come with us – too young to be separated from his mother. This isn’t goodbye, we’ll come back for him, I promise.”

“How would you feel if I left your pack and you didn’t know why?” Prompto bites out. “That’s exactly what I’d be doing to Umbra.”

Noctis’ breath catches in his throat; his heart freezing in his chest with panic at the mere suggestion that Prompto would ever do such a thing without telling him, without ever saying a word to him before leaving their pack – leaving him.

You wouldn’t, Noctis wants to cry in denial, but the look on Prompto’s face has him swallowing those words. Noctis flounders for a moment, frozen to stillness as though Prompto had just slapped him, leaving him stunned into shocked silence. Noctis opens his mouth but no words come out. He clears his throat and tries again.

“T-That’s not the same thing,” Noctis manages.

“Isn’t it?” Prompto challenges, slowly approaching him; stalking towards him like a predator sensing sudden weakness in their prey and pouncing upon it. Noctis feels cowed under the weight of Prompto’s glittering eyes, his heart thundering. He wants to cover his ears if only to halt Prompto’s next words.

“If I left, you’re telling me you wouldn’t be upset? That you wouldn’t look for me everywhere and wonder why I left and abandoned you? You said I’m his pack now, how would that make you feel, Noct, if you were him? What would you do if I were to leave right now and not come back? Would you be satisfied with only the promise of my return and nothing more? You wouldn’t believe it would you? So, why should he?”

Noctis inhales a shaky breath, taking an involuntary step back when his body thaws. He feels cornered, his fingers twitching where his arms dangle limply at his sides. A foreign emotion flutters in his stomach, his wolf responding on reflex; his pupil's contract as his vision sharpens, and his nails grow into wickedly curved claws.

For the first time in his life, he feels out of control.

What is this? Noctis thinks in a panic, glancing down at his hands in shock. Fear constricts his chest at the sight and makes his hands grow clammy and his body go cold as terror sweeps all else away. He’s never lost the tight reign he has over his wolf. Sure, he can’t fully control the way his eyes change color according to his emotions, but physical changes – against his will?

“Oh no,” Noctis whispers quietly to himself, swallowing down the panic rising in his chest, rising up into his lungs, and into his vocal cords. He wants to scream and howl at the sky. He knows… he knows what this is – what this means.

Noctis glances back up at the sound of Prompto’s footsteps coming closer, his sense of hearing heightening along with all his other instincts. He can hear the sound of Prompto’s heartbeat, the rush of blood pumping through his veins. His teeth feel sharp and big in his mouth.

“Stop,” Noctis commands before he can think better of it, raising a shaky hand to stop Prompto’s advance; a very real fear for Prompto’s safety clutching at him like a hand encircling his heart in a vice-like grip. He feels like he’s moments away from shifting, and Prompto’s too close. “Prompto, stay back.”

Prompto thankfully listens, coming to a tense stop an inch away from his outstretched hand. Prompto’s eyes dart from his face to his clawed hand, shock making his eyes widen and his lips part in a quiet gasp. A guilty, apologetic expression quickly takes its place. Like he thinks he’s the one responsible for his spontaneous lack of control.

He’s right.

Prompto reaches a hand up to grab his hand. Noctis’ eyes widen and he hastily withdraws his arm, but he reacts a fraction too slow, and Prompto snatches his wrist before he can pull away from him.

“Prompto!” Noctis exclaims in panic, staring at him in mounting horror. He tries to retract his hand without yanking his arm from Prompto’s grip and unintentionally hurting him, but Prompto’s hand tightens around his wrist; refusing to let him go. If he shifts, Prompto’s in serious danger of getting injured by his claws when he transforms. The memory of Prompto screaming when the wolf gauged his back and Prompto’s bloody wounds gaping open in the aftermath of the attack flash vividly before his eyes.

He desperately tries to fight and beat down the uncontrollable need rising in his blood to shift, but he already knows it’s going to be a losing battle. He has never felt so compelled or felt such urgency in his blood to shift before. It’s almost like he’s being commanded to do it and he’s fighting against the weight of the order of an alpha stronger than he.

Is this what it feels like whenever he orders someone using his influence? If so, he’ll never order Ignis or Gladio to do anything ever again with his alpha voice.

Noctis curls his captured hand into a fist and digs his claws into his own skin so there is no danger of them nicking Prompto accidentally.

He can feel it starting in his bones, feel the way his skin is starting to draw tight and stretch to accommodate the way his bones rapidly start to grow longer and change shape. He can feel his tailbone tingling and his body start to tremble the way it does during a full moon when he’s anxious to shift and run through the woods and hunt for his next meal.

“Prompto, you have to let go of me – right now,” Noctis says frantically, genuinely starting to panic. If he’s going to go feral, he wants to put as much distance between him and Prompto as possible. Already, his vocal cords are changing, his voice coming out deep and inhuman. It won’t be long before human speech is lost to him. “It’s not safe for you to be around me right – argh.”

Noctis grunts as he’s forced back a step as Prompto’s weight collides against his chest, Prompto’s arms winding around his waist to pull him into a tight hug. Prompto tucks his face into the side of his neck, his lips pressed against his skin. Whether the act is intentional or not, Noctis’ heart kicks into high gear at the proximity to his mate and the hint of Prompto’s lips pressed to such an intimate place.

His mate is initiating contact, and it’s the only thing he can focus on.

Every inch of Prompto is pressed along his front, holding onto him so tightly it feels as though Prompto’s trying to cling onto the failing threads of his self-control through sheer force of will so it doesn’t unravel and come apart in his arms. Noctis can feel every point where their bodies touch, and he revels in the contact and the sensation of his mate in his arms.

“I’m sorry,” Prompto mumbles, his voice coming out slightly muffled. Prompto’s arms tighten around him further, and Noctis can feel Prompto’s lips brush his neck with every word. “I’m sorry I said all those things – I didn’t mean it. I’m not leaving, Noct. I swear. I may be mad at you, but I would never – I would never just up and leave you like that. I’m sorry, please calm down.”

Noctis lets out a shaky breath that comes out in a whine, slowly and carefully returning Prompto’s embrace. He wraps his arms around him and clings to his shoulders, being extra careful not to nick him or dig his claws into his back. It takes him a long moment of confusion to ponder why he’s suddenly an inch taller than Prompto. His mind is muddled, and it takes him longer to come to the realization that it’s because his legs have already partially transformed into the hindlegs of a wolf.

Noctis opens his mouth to apologize, he knows that it frightens Prompto when he towers above him in his wolf form – especially his hybrid form where he is both human and wolf, and he doesn’t know exactly how far along his transformation has gone; how much more wolf than human he is right now.

Noctis flushes, ashamed at how out of control he is over his wolf when he opens his mouth, and a deep growling rumble comes out in lieu of words. He’s never lost himself to his wolf before, and he’s terrified of the wolf taking over completely.  His wolf thinks Prompto is rejecting him, and it’s trying to claw its way to the surface; fighting for control over his body and consciousness to take the reigns over the situation, and he can’t allow that to happen.

He's never given full control over to his wolf, and he knows better than to allow that to happen at a moment like this, but he’s not sure if he can hold it back. He doesn’t know what his wolf will do to Prompto if it takes over. He’s heard stories – terrible, unspeakable things – of what happens when a wolf’s mate rejects them and their wolf seizes control.

Noctis whines high in his throat, frightened and unsure what to do. If he pushes Prompto away right now maybe he could put enough distance between them before he completely loses control, but that would mean leaving Prompto in a den full of wolves he doesn’t know or trust.

“Noct? Noct, hey, can you hear me?” Soft hands cup the sides of his face.

Noctis looks down, meeting Prompto’s wide, searching eyes. He can see himself reflected in them, the gold of his eyes appearing like twin flames glowing in the darkness. His jaw is a little too sharp, too angular to be human. Noctis inhales a sharp breath, recognizing the twin peaks on the side of his head where his ears have grown pointed.

Prompto sighs loudly.

Noctis doesn’t have time to react before Prompto raises himself onto his tiptoes to bring their faces closer together. Noctis’ eyes widen, his heart tripping over itself in his chest, his eyes darting down to Prompto's pink lips; thinking Prompto is about to kiss him.

Noctis whimpers when Prompto’s right hand lowers to grip his bicep as he rubs his cheek along the side of his face and nuzzles into the crook of his neck like he had shown him how to do last night. His throat grows tight with longing. A questioning, beseeching coo leaves his lips as Prompto’s chest pushes more firmly against his own when he raises himself higher on his tiptoes so he can nuzzle against his scent gland.

Prompto huffs what sounds suspiciously like a sigh and a breath of laughter all at once when his resolve to get away from Prompto crumples at the same time his body does. Noctis feels the sting of relieved tears prick at his eyes when Prompto moves back, slowly lowering himself back onto the balls of his feet as his left hand trails down his cheek to gently cup the back of his neck and tug his face down into the crook of his neck.

Noctis lets out a needy sound that he knows he’ll be embarrassed about later, a sound that Gladio would relentlessly tease him for if he had been here to hear it. Noctis clutches Prompto to his chest, practically bending him backwards due to their height difference as he rubs his cheek against the bare skin of Prompto’s neck and clings to him like he’s afraid he’ll leave if he doesn’t.

Prompto shushes him, his fingers tangling and combing through his hair and scratching lightly at his scalp. Prompto tilts his head further back, and some distant part of Noctis’ brain finds it amusing that the position they’re in is similar to when someone dips their partner during a dance. The long, bared column of Prompto’s throat offered up to him has his instincts all riled up and he can't properly appreciate the comparison. He no longer knows if the sudden urge to bite Prompto is his own desire or that of his wolf.

“I’m sorry,” Prompto apologizes again, gasping sharply and tensing in his arms when he presses too-sharp teeth against the corded muscle where his neck meets shoulder. Prompto’s hand tightens in his hair to the point of pain. “Noct.”

Noctis unclenches his jaw instantly, pulling back when he realizes what he’s done. Noctis worriedly glances down to make sure he hadn’t actually hurt Prompto.  A thrill of pleasure and satisfaction shoots through him at the slight imprint of his teeth on Prompto’s skin and he has to purse his lips to keep from smirking smugly.

“Sorry,” Noctis says roughly, his tongue thick in his mouth.

Prompto releases a relieved breath, his fingers loosening in his hair. He applies gentle pressure to the back of his head, coaxing him back down. “It’s fine. Just no biting, okay? That hurts.”

Noctis hums to show that he’s listening, going back to nuzzling behind Prompto’s ear and breathing in his scent until he feels like he’s smoked a roll of the strong stuff Gladio sometimes gets for him to help with his anxiety. He feels lightheaded and loose, his eyelids growing heavy. Calm and contentment the likes of which he only ever feels when Prompto’s near envelops him.

Noctis slouches, going boneless in Prompto’s arms. Noctis hears Prompto huff, his arms winding around his body to steady him and hold him upright.

“Better?” Prompto asks, a trace of bitterness in his voice that Noctis can’t quite figure out. It taints what Noctis is sure was meant to be concern, and he feels awareness come back in degrees.

Noctis slowly pulls away, blinking sluggishly at Prompto. It takes a moment for his brain to understand that they’re the same height now, and when he raises his hand in front of his face his nails are back to their blunt, rounded tips. He curiously raises a hand to his face, feeling along his jaw and sticking a finger into his mouth to feel along his teeth.

Normal. He’s back to normal.

Noctis turns his wide eyes to Prompto. “You… how did you know that would work?”

Prompto shrugs, giving him a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “You were having a panic attack. You did say that scenting a packmate is stress-relieving and helps calm you down.”

“Right. I did say that,” Noctis murmurs, not bothering to correct him, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. Prompto’s scent is much more than a simple stress-reliever. It’s like coming home after traveling abroad, traveling across the waves of an ocean of homesickness.

Prompto may be human, but he had comforted him as a wolf would have. The easy acceptance and willingness to adapt to his needs makes his wolf – who had been about to burst free from his flesh not a minute ago in despair and agony thinking Prompto was rejecting them – rumble in pleasure.

The sound of worried and distressed whining and yipping suddenly registers. The sound had faded to white noise in his panic, but it is suddenly loud and ringing in his ears as clear and sharp as a bell. Turning his eyes to the pup – to Umbra, he reminds himself – guilt immediately washes over him. The mother is holding her pup back with one large paw, and it’s plain to see that Umbra is growing agitated, lacking an understanding of what’s happening between them.

To the pup it must look like he and Prompto are fighting and having a disagreement. The pup had seen him press his teeth against Prompto’s throat but doesn’t understand why. He thinks he’s forcing Prompto to submit or is biting him to reprimand him, and Umbra wants to get between them to break up the fight.

The thought makes him chuckle and raises a smile to his lips. He’s about to apologize and attempt to comfort Prompto’s familiar and reassure him that Prompto’s not in any trouble, but he doesn’t get the chance.

Noctis abruptly turns, body tensing and instinctively placing himself in front of Prompto when a wolf comes barreling down the tunnel towards them at full speed.

Intruders at the edge of our perimeter, the wolf warns with a deep growl when he skids to a stop in front of them. It’s one of the wolves that had been fighting over food, Noctis remembers. Two wolf humans told leader they’re looking for their alpha and their alpha’s mate.

Noctis audibly gasps, his eyes widening at the unexpected news. An immense wave of relief crashes over him. His pack is whole and safe. Ignis and Gladio fought their way past the remainder of Ardyn’s wolves and came out victorious and have come looking for them just like he knew they would.

“What? What is it?” Prompto asks fretfully, glancing back and forth between Noctis and the wolf as they launch into a series of growls and high-pitched sounds.

Noctis turns to Prompto, grinning widely as he reaches back to grab Prompto’s hand as he breaks into a jog, leading him down the rough tunnel to the cavern’s entrance.

Prompto protests loudly, yelling for him to slow down and tell him what’s happening. Noctis groans when Prompto digs his heels into the rock and refuses to budge despite his enthusiasm and impatience to get outside before. Noctis notes that Umbra is dutifully keeping pace with them, tongue lolling and tail wagging happily by Prompto’s side. Noctis meets Umbra’s eyes and the pup sits down and waits patiently like he already knows Prompto’s about to go on a tangent.

Smart pup.

“What’s going on?” Prompto demands, his eyes darting over his face and taking in his happy expression with curiosity. “What did the wolf say that’s got you so excited?”

“Our band of two has become four,” Noctis sings, grin widening when Prompto’s eyes widen with understanding.

“Ignis!? Gladio?!” Prompto asks excitedly, starting forward and tugging Noctis along, only stopping and allowing Noctis to lead when he realizes he doesn’t know where he’s going. “They’re okay!?” 

“They better be,” Noctis quips, happy when the entrance comes into view, the sunlight gleaming off the snow-covered land, and in the distance, he can make out Ignis and Gladio standing just outside the treeline of the wolves’ territory.

Ignis and Gladio are staring intently at the cavern’s entrance, waiting for them to emerge, and he sees the exact moment their eyes flash gold in obvious relief and acknowledgment when they come into sight. The tension and fight leave their bodies, and they quickly make their way over to them.

Noctis jogs to meet them halfway, grinning and opening his arms when Ignis breaks into a run to close the remaining distance. Noctis slows to a stop, blinking and slowly lowering his arms back to his sides when Ignis rushes right past him. He turns just in time to see Ignis crushing Prompto into a hug.

“It’s good to see you too,” Noctis mumbles, but he doesn’t have time to be too upset about it when Gladio slaps him on the back and pulls him into a bear hug that lifts him off his feet.

“Fucking hell, Noct,” Gladio says gruffly, squeezing him so tightly Noct swears he hears the sound of his ribs creaking and all the air in his lungs vacating his body. “We thought you were going to go feral. You scared the shit out of us.”

“Yeah, well, I think I did for a second,” Noctis wheezes, slapping Gladio on the back. Gladio loosens his hold slightly and sets him back on his feet but doesn’t let him go.

“Iggy took it hard,” Gladio whispers, looking at Ignis and Prompto over Noct’s shoulder. He speaks so quietly that his lips barely move, ensuring that he wouldn’t be overheard by Ignis’ sensitive hearing while Ignis fusses over Prompto. “You should know that he blames himself for what happened.”

“He blames himself for Prompto falling off the train?” Noctis hisses in surprise; pulling away to look Gladio in the face, trying to keep his voice low. “That wasn’t his fault.”

“I bet you feel like it’s your fault – and no one is pointing fingers,” Gladio argues gently, amending his statement when he sees a flash of pain cross Noctis’ face at his words. “You’re not at fault any less than Iggy and I are. We should have protected him better, but Noct, Ignis is taking sole responsibility for what happened to Prompto. He’s convinced –”

Gladio and Noctis are startled out of their conversation when they smell the saltiness that accompanies tears, along with the scent of deep guilt and shame seconds before a broken, pained keen reaches their ears; the unmistakable sound of a wolf in distress.

Noctis turns instinctively towards the noise, his protective instincts flaring. Noctis' heart lurches into his throat when he sees and understands what’s happening with his own two eyes.

It wasn’t one of the wolves from the pack that was hosting them, but Ignis.

Ignis, who is crushing his protesting mate in his arms and clinging to him as if he’ll disappear if he were to loosen his hold on him. Prompto’s talking fast and hurried, trying to soothe and reassure Ignis that he’s okay but Ignis doesn’t seem to hear a word he’s saying. Noctis can hear Ignis’ low voice whispering into Prompto’s hair, repeating the same two words over and over, his hands clutching Prompto to him. Prompto’s arms wrap around Ignis’ waist just as tightly.

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.

It takes a moment to get his limbs to work, and by then Gladio has beaten him to Ignis' side, alarm and worry bursting in the alpha’s scent; piling onto Ignis and Prompto’s scents and flooding the clearing with the noxious fumes that are the essence of their emotional states.

“Ignis?” Gladio says gently, placing a large hand in the middle of Ignis' back. Even the comfort of Gladio’s touch does little to soothe Ignis’ distress, his scent growing bitter with disdain that could only be directed at himself.

“It’s all my fault,” Ignis says hoarsely, choking back another wave of tears.

It doesn’t take Noctis long to realize that Ignis’ words are for Prompto and not for them.

“You got hurt because of me,” Ignis continues, voice cracking with emotion.

Prompto is rubbing Ignis back and saying, it’s okay, Iggy, it’s okay, over and over but Ignis shakes his head against his shoulder and refuses to listen to his reassurances.

“Ignis,” Noctis says softly, putting a hand on Ignis’ shoulder. It’s trembling, and he draws his hand away in shock when Ignis flinches away from his touch.

“Ignis?” Noctis whispers, trying to conceal the hurt from his voice. Ignis hadn’t flinched away from Gladio, so why…?

Noctis can hear Ignis take a deep breath, the sound hitching and rattling in his throat. He doesn’t even object to Ignis obviously scenting his mate, genuinely distressed that Ignis is so upset that he requires the scent of his alpha’s mate to comfort himself; requires Prompto’s scent and proximity to reassure him that Prompto’s alive and isn’t a figment of his imagination.

Ignis exhales slowly, visibly trying to calm himself. He nuzzles against the side of Prompto’s neck once before unwinding his arms from around Prompto’s waist. Slowly, he turns with great reluctance to face Noctis, and Noctis inhales sharply at the sight of Ignis’ puffy red eyes and the solemn resignation on his face.

Noctis’ concern quickly morphs into shock, his heart cracking straight down the middle, watching as if in slow motion as Ignis takes a step towards him and sinks to his knees at his feet, tilting his chin up and closing his eyes.

“W-What are you doing?” Noctis' voice cracks. At his side, Gladio makes a strangled sound.

“I submit myself for judgment,” Ignis answers gravely. “I take full responsibility for disobeying your orders which resulted in your… beloved companion’s injury. I accept whatever punishment you seem fit for my crime, and am fully aware that punishment for such a crime usually results in death. I… I am deeply remorseful and only ask that you grant me a swift death.”

Noctis stares down at Ignis kneeling at his feet in mounting horror. Every word Ignis says lands like a physical blow, each one more painful than the last; threatening to send him to his own knees before his beta.

A sort of numbness spreads through his body as he slowly reaches out to rest his claw-tipped fingers against the side of Ignis’ throat.

Chapter Text

“No!”

Prompto’s horrified shout echoes through the valley like a scream out of Noctis’ worst nightmares, and Noctis feels Ignis’ pulse start to thrum wildly beneath his fingers. Nausea sweeps through Noct at the abrupt change in Prompto’s scent. It tips down like a scale, his already anxious scent dropping down into terror; rolling off of Prompto in waves so thick it threatens to overwhelm him and make his protective instincts rise and spin out of control.

Noctis raises his head just in time to see Gladio – who up to that point has been quiet and respectfully watching the scene before him unfold – rush forward and snag his mate around the waist, wrapping his large muscular arms around him and hauling him off his feet when he yells and starts to puts up a struggle.

“Gladio, what are you doing!? Let me go!” Prompto yells, struggling in vain against Gladio, kicking and trying to pry Gladio’s arms off him in an attempt to free himself.

“We have to stop him!” Prompto yells, voice cracking with desperation talking over Gladio’s low baritone trying to calm him down. “Noct, stop! Don’t – don’t do this!”

“Prompto, stop it,” Gladio says through gritted teeth, the muscles in his neck, shoulders, and jaw pulling taut. He is as tense as Noct has ever seen him, clearly hating every second he has to play the bad guy and restrain his alpha’s mate. Brown eyes meet his over Prompto’s shoulder, and Noctis bites his tongue and gives Gladio a small nod. He can trust Gladio to keep Prompto out of this without hurting him while he deals with Ignis.

Noctis focuses his attention back on his beta and tries his hardest to tune out Gladio and Prompto’s shouting, but it doesn’t work. It hurts to know that Prompto thinks he’s capable of doing something like that to his own beta, and he just can’t let it go. It sticks in him like a thorn in his paw, drawing blood.

“Let me go, Gladio. Right now!”

Doesn’t his mate know him well enough by now? The only reason Gladio hasn’t objected or intervened is because the other alpha understands. Gladio was raised with the same traditions and old-fashioned way of handling pack disputes as him. It’s only a show of dominance, but Prompto’s human. He doesn’t understand any of this.

“This is between Noct and Ignis, let them work this out.” Gladio grunts.

He doesn’t know what hurts him more: his mate’s obvious lack of confidence in him or Ignis suggesting this; thinking that he would kill him – someone he’s known his whole life and considers family.

“Work this out? Work this out?” Prompto screeches; the sound grating in Noctis’ ears. 

The taste of blood fills his mouth.

He has to settle this like an alpha would – like any wolf who was put in this position would. A display of dominance and having Ignis submit to him was barely skimming the surface of what other alphas in his position would do.

Wolves have killed for less, but for their mate? They’d do a lot worse. A heck of a lot worse.

The mind-numbing fear and pure rage that had vibrated through his entire being when one of Ardyn’s wolves had hurt Prompto and caused him to fall from the train? He had let himself sink into that mindless fury and bloodlust that had risen from the very depths of his soul. He had plunged his hand through muscle and bone and tore out that wolf’s heart in revenge and relished in his death.

And he’d do it again. For Prompto.

“Prompto, we can’t get involved.”

He’s not a fool, he knows his family’s reputation and what must be said behind closed doors. How is the Lucis Caelum bloodline capable of producing so many wolves after breeding with humans and marrying outside of royalty? Their bloodline should be diluted after generations of mating with humans and ‘inferior’ wolves, but it isn’t. His bloodline is filled with strong alphas and feisty omegas, and even their human offspring inherit inhuman strength and speed that outmatch a normal human.

He's heard the whispers and the vile words strangers say about the descendants of the founding families. Human sacrifice, bathing in the blood of infants, making a deal with the devil – or the most popular one that seems to be making the rounds: hunting humans and consuming their flesh.

The list goes on and on and it makes him sick.

“Like hell, I can’t!” Prompto snaps. “Look at what’s happening right in front of you!”

He had one insane and murderous relative, but it’s not like it’s hereditary. Somnus’ actions are his own and in no way reflect the rest of his family, but Ignis’ bewildering actions and the way Prompto is looking at him right now makes him wonder if perhaps he does have a little bit of Somnus in him.

Somnus killed the woman he loved when he discovered that she was destined for someone else. She wasn’t his mate, and if he couldn’t have her, then no one would. Noct doesn’t see any similarities between Somnus and him. He can’t pinpoint where Ignis drew the conclusion that his actions deserved a death sentence.

And, God, how this must look to Prompto.

It’s that thought that kills him inside more than anything else. Gladio and Ignis’ opinions will always matter, but his mate… his mate’s opinion and approval are the only ones that his inner alpha actively seeks and craves.

Ignis is kneeling at his feet with his claws resting against the side of his throat. Prompto being a member of his Crownsguard means he would have to be present during public executions ordered by the king. It doesn’t happen often – it’s usually only reserved for traitors or enemies who’ve committed heinous crimes while in their capital – but Noctis vividly remembers one they had been forced to attend a few years back.

His father had ordered Cor to execute a traitor who had been feeding information to the Empire that led to the death of numerous nobles within their house. Cor had rested his claws against the side of the man’s neck and asked if they had any last words before slashing their throat open with his claws, blood spraying in an arc and staining the white floor red with their blood.

Because of what happened that day, Prompto would recognize the scene unfolding in front of him now.

“He’s going to kill him if we don’t stop him!” Prompto cries out, the words piercing Noctis straight in the heart more accurately than any arrow could ever hope to achieve.

Noctis swallows down a mouthful of blood and clears his throat, willing his fangs to retract.

“I am furious with you,” Noctis says lowly, his claws resting lightly against Ignis’ skin even though he wants nothing more than to pull his hand away. Noctis bites back a whine when he hears Ignis’ breath catch, and Prompto’s voice rising in fear for Ignis’ life.

“I am furious that you could ever think that I would kill you like some barbaric, savage alpha due to something that was out of your control,” Noctis continues, voice dripping with hurt and indignation. “How could you think me capable of such a thing, Specs?”

Ignis opens his eyes and blinks his golden eyes up at him in confusion before his eyes clear.

Noctis is all too familiar with the fire that ignites behind Ignis’ golden eyes. Ignis has been stubborn from the moment their secondary genders presented themselves. He’d taken the responsibility of overseeing pack affairs and taking care of them since they didn’t have an omega in their pack.

So, when the confusion clears and Ignis opens his mouth, an argument already on the tip of his tongue, Noctis is ready for it.

“No,” Noctis says sharply, curling his hand around the back of Ignis’ neck and giving it a gentle but firm squeeze; scuffing him in a way he no doubt hadn’t had done to him since he was a pup. It causes all the air to rush from Ignis’ lungs. “Stand – “

Noctis snaps his head up and snatches his hand away from Ignis’ neck, startling badly when Gladio suddenly yowls loudly in pain. His hackles rise, his senses broadening in search of a threat.

Finding none, his first assumption is that Prompto had done something to Gladio in his struggle to free himself. That is until he sees Gladio shaking his leg with Umbra hanging onto the meat of his calf by his teeth.

Noctis stares for a long moment in shock, his jaw hanging open. It doesn’t take long for the ridiculousness of the scene to tickle his funny bone. Amusement bubbles up before he can contain it, the tension and adrenaline draining from him like a bubble bursting, and he bursts into sudden laughter.

There’s Gladio – a tough, muscular, six-foot-six alpha – thwarted and brought low by a mere pup.

Noctis covers his mouth with his hand, trying to smother his loud snorting laughs and failing. It’s just so ridiculous. After such a tense moment, he feels almost relieved by the interruption and the distraction away from the role he’d been forced to play.

“Don’t hurt the pup, Gladio,” Noctis orders, trying and failing to keep the amusement out of his voice. “He’s protecting Prompto. He’s his familiar, he’s only doing his duty.”

“Prompto,” Gladio growls after a pause filled will snarling curses. “Get the little fucker off me right now before I make him.”

“Umbra!” Prompto calls loudly, jolting forward like he just got his limbs to start cooperating again after Gladio had abruptly let go of him. Prompto gives a short, high whistle to draw the puppy’s attention to him when Umbra doesn’t immediately respond to his call and continues to growl around his mouthful.

Umbra finally unlatches his jaw from Gladio’s leg and bounds over to Prompto obediently, and Prompto quickly bends down and scoops the pup into his arms before he can cause any more mischief.

“What the ever-loving fuck,” Gladio groans, kneeling down and inspecting the leather the pup’s teeth had sunken into, lifting his pant leg to get a look at the damage. Gladio groans again, this time with more feeling. “Prompto, you owe me new leather pants. Do you know how hard it is to do a good patch job and get blood out of leather?”

“I owe you new leather pants?” Prompt exclaims indignantly.

“He’s your familiar – your responsibility, and since he ruined my only good pair of black leather pants you got to buy me a new one,” Gladio grunts, leveling an accusatory look at Noct. “A little heads up would have been nice. I wouldn’t have grabbed him if I knew his guard dog would have taken a chunk out of me.”

Gladio grimaces and with a loud sigh he summons their medical kit from the Armiger and starts taking out supplies to wrap the wound to stop the bleeding. Noctis almost suggests using a potion, but then he remembers that they’re low on potions and need to save them for emergencies. As much as he hates the idea of having one of his packmates remain injured, there’s nothing he can do about it right now. Not until they get into town and take up some odd jobs to purchase more curatives. They heal faster as wolves, but it’s not practical to travel on all fours when they have to take the train and pass-through crowded towns. It’ll draw too much-unwanted attention to them.

“Here, let me,” Noctis offers quietly, crouching down and taking the gauze and bandages from Gladio’s large hands, remembering to grab the little brown bottle in the kit that he remembers Ignis explaining is for preventing infections.

Gladio grunts but doesn’t put up a fuss at having someone else treat his wounds.

Noctis carefully cleans and treats the wound like he’s seen Ignis do for them when they get scrapes and bruises that don’t warrant the use of a potion. Once he gets the bleeding to stop and cleans the wound, he carefully presses a large bandage over the area and wraps it up with the gauze dressing to keep it in place, tearing a piece of medical tape with his teeth to ensure the dressing doesn’t come undone.

“There,” Noctis murmurs, kneeling back on his hunches to take a look at his handiwork. It’s pretty good if he does say so himself. Almost as good as Ignis’. “I’m no vet, but I’d say that’s pretty damn good, huh?”

“Shut up, you brat,” Gladio huffs, shoving a hand in Noctis’ face and pushing him away, laughing when Noctis yelps and falls back on his ass with a loud, “Hey!”

“Get up, Iggy.”

Prompto’s quiet voice drifts over to them, reminding Noct that he still has unfinished business to attend to. Noctis gets back to his feet and turns back to Ignis, a wave of relief washing over him at the sight of Ignis no longer on his knees.

His relief is short-lived.

“And you!” Prompto hisses, whirling around to face him with a fury that makes Noctis both nervous and curiously aroused by the sight. Prompto spares enough time to place Umbra back on the ground before he stabs Noctis’ chest with his finger, and Noctis restrains himself from growling in answer and pulling his mate against him just to rile him up further.

He doesn’t do that, obviously. He doesn’t have a death wish. He already feels like he’s walking on thin ice with Prompto and he doesn’t know why or how to fix it. The last thing he wants to do is make matters worse by doing something foolish like that.

“Prompto...” Ignis interjects, attempting to come to Noctis’ defense but immediately falls silent when Prompto wordlessly raises his hand with such a confident and commanding air that it doesn’t surprise Noct that Ignis immediately listens.

“How could you do that?” Prompto demands, his voice harsh and unforgiving.  “You couldn’t just open your mouth and tell him it wasn’t his fault like a normal person? Do they actually think you would execute them if I were to get hurt? Seriously?”

“Uh…” Noctis’ eyes dart towards Gladio for help. Gladio’s an alpha, he can help him explain, and sort out this misunderstanding. Even if they don’t divulge the truth of Prompto’s status and standing within their pack, their ways still stand. Gladio can –

“Don’t look at him, look at me,” Prompto snaps, jabbing him in the chest with his finger again. “I’m asking you what you think. Do you think it’s okay that Ignis has been living with the fear of death hanging over his head because I got hurt? Because if you do, we’ve got a problem. Are you the type of leader or alpha or whatever that wants their pack to be afraid of them? Because going along and making us believe you were going to execute Ignis like that was fucked up, Noct.“

“Prom – “

“No, shut up!”

Prompto furiously shoves at Noctis’ chest with both hands when he interrupts, sending Noctis stumbling back a step.

“I don’t care if it was some stupid alpha powerplay thing, I don’t ever want to see you do that again,” Prompto says lowly, voice deadly serious. “You’re human too, so fucking act like it.”

The silence after Prompto’s speech is deafening; so quiet you could hear a branch falling from a tree and landing in the snow. Even the birds in the trees are eerily silent and the wolves gathered in an audience at the entrance to their den are all tense. Umbra is whining softly at Prompto’s heels, laying on his belly with his paws thrown over his snout.

Gladio whistles lowly under his breath, breaking the sudden tension in the air.

“I don’t know about you, Princess, but I’d be groveling right now if I were you,” Gladio mutters, coughing into his fist when Prompto turns narrowed eyes on him and crosses his arms over his chest.

Gladio doesn’t cower in the face of his mate’s obvious displeasure. Gladio’s lips spread into a grin of amusement instead, and he gingerly puts pressure on his bad leg to step closer to Ignis, throwing an arm around Ignis’ shoulders and drawing the stressed-out beta against his side.

“Damn, I think Blondie here would make a fine omega, don’t you think? I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone brave enough to put Noct in his place like that before. I like it.”

Noctis scowls and turns his head away, his face flushing with embarrassment and shame.

He got chastened and had his alpha-hood questioned by his mate in front of their entire pack instead of being pulled aside like most mates would do when their alpha or pack member steps out of line or goes too far. Questioning his authority and berating him like a child who had done something bad in front of their pack like that…

“I’m sorry,” Noctis says quietly, swallowing down a whine, his shoulders tense and fists clenching at his sides so the others don’t see how his hands shake. He doesn’t know how to untangle the web of emotions and instincts waring inside him and put them into words that Prompto would understand, so he doesn’t.

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to,” Prompto rebuffs, standing tall and firm, looking Noctis straight in the eyes.

Noctis swallows, shoving aside his wounded pride and turning to face Ignis obediently. Ignis quickly smooths his facial expression into one of neutrality, but not before Noct sees the surprised pleasure on his face at having his mate defend him so strongly.

It makes Noctis feel even worse if that’s possible.

“I’m sorry,” Noctis repeats, biting the inside of his lip when his voice comes out shaky. Noctis clears his throat before trying again. He refuses to be weak now. He meets Ignis’ eyes and doesn’t look away. “I’m sorry I handled the situation the way I did. I should have done things differently.”

Ignis’ frowns, his eyebrows creasing. Ignis opens his mouth but Noctis lifts a hand and tells him to wait, and for the second time that day, Ignis obediently falls silent.

Noctis shifts awkwardly from foot to foot and rubs his arm absentmindedly, curbing the urge to look towards Prompto to see the expression on his face. He doesn’t know if he can handle further disappointment from his mate.

“I should have used my words. Not everything should be handled that way just because that’s how it’s always been done.”

“It’s the law – “

“Fuck the law,” Noctis snaps.

Ignis has a look of shocked astonishment on his face at his outburst like Noct had just uttered something sacrilegious.

“Most of the old traditions and laws have been rescinded. They’re from a bygone era, Specs. Prompto’s right. My own pack should never have to fear death as a punishment from me.”

Ignis finally recovers, his eyes turning steely. “You are well within your rights. You could kill me where I stand and no one would question it. Prompto was injured because of my negligence. I failed the one order you gave me, and I know the consequences for failure to protect your – “

“I don’t blame you for what happened!” Noctis interrupts, voice rising to speak over Ignis before his words damn him further.

“You don’t blame me?” Ignis says incredulously, shrugging off Gladio’s arm and taking a step toward him.

“Specs, we were there too. It’s not your fault.”

“How can you claim this isn’t my fault?” Ignis exclaims in disbelief, grabbing Prompto by his bicep and whirling him around until his back is facing Noct, ignoring Prompto’s startled yelp and the overprotective pup’s warning growl as he tugs Prompto’s shredded shirt up to reveal the large, raised scars that take up the majority of his back.

“Do you not remember your own back injury you sustained as a child? Look at it – look at it. We’re leagues away from Tenebrae. He could have been crippled, or worse – paralyzed – and it would have been all my fault. So, do not say such a thing to spare my feelings when I know full well who is to blame for this. So, if you’re not going to kill me, serve me my punishment.”

Noctis bites back an angry growl at the rough treatment of his mate, his instincts still on edge. The sound of Prompto yelping and the sight of Prompto’s back triggers his eyes to change, and he barely manages to keep from baring his teeth.

Ignis, always perceptive and attuned to his many moods, abruptly lets Prompto go with a murmured apology, a fresh wave of guilt and shame rising in his scent.

Noctis takes a deep, calming breath. It does no one any good if he loses his temper now. He understands where Ignis is coming from even though his dynamic has never left him feeling like he needed to repent or receive some form of punishment in order to feel like he’s earned forgiveness.

He knows it’s something that betas and omegas sometimes struggle with. The knowledge that they will at some point in their lives require disciplinary action from him when they deem themselves at fault for something and being simply forgiven isn’t enough doesn’t come as a shock to him – he just never thought Ignis would ever need it.

It’s his duty as pack alpha to make sure his pack members are healthy, both physically and mentally, and if Ignis needs to have some form of punishment or consequence to heal and move on from this, then it’s his job to provide it or to pass the responsibility to another trusted alpha in their pack to handle if the wolf in question needs another form of… release… that he’s unwilling or uncomfortable giving.

He's never seen Ignis like this; so distraught and emotional that his eyes are flickering from green to gold and back again; visibly fighting to compose himself. He can’t remember a time when he had ever seen Ignis cry; not in all the long years he’s known him, and it kills him to see his beta hurting like this.

“Okay.”

Ignis blinks, taken aback. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Noctis repeats with a shrug. “You need me to punish you so you can find closure?”

“Yes,” Ignis agrees, the gold slowly receding from his eyes now that he knows he’s getting what he wants.

“Okay, then this is what’s going to happen,” Noctis says slowly, his tone broking no argument.

This is a punishment, Iggy’s not supposed to like this. I have to sound stern, Noctis reminds himself.

“I’m going to speak my mind and you’re going to listen to what I have to say. I don’t want you to interrupt or speak unless I want an answer from you, and when I’m done— “

Noctis shoots a quick look to Prompto who’s watching and listening to their conversation, not looking very happy with the idea of Ignis receiving any form of punishment.

“Prompto is going to tell you his version of what happened— if he wants to,” Noctis quickly amends. “And it will be entirely up to him whether on not to forgive you since you don’t want to hear it from me, is that clear?”

“Yes, alpha,” Ignis sighs, lowering his eyes.

“Good,” Noctis says in approval. “And if after all that you still need something more, Gladio will handle the rest of your punishment. Are you ready to listen?”

“Yes, alpha,” Ignis confirms, muscles tensing like he’s bracing for an attack.

“I want you to know that I genuinely mean it when I say that what happened to Prompto wasn’t your fault. I don’t blame you,” Noctis says slowly, enunciating every word carefully. When Ignis follows his instructions and doesn’t object to his words or interrupt as he had done earlier, he continues.

“We didn’t see the other wolf until it was too late. He slipped past us while we were all preoccupied fighting, and your back was to Prompto so you couldn’t possibly have seen the wolf coming. True or not true?” Noctis demands.

“True,” Ignis admits reluctantly.

“There was nothing you or I—or even Gladio—could have done. We would have gotten seriously injured or even killed if we stopped mid-fight to run to Prompto’s side. Trust me, I know it’s hard to accept but we have to face the facts. Take a moment to think and answer this: is anything I just said untrue?”

“…No,” Ignis whispers after a long moment of silence, sounding pained.

Now, if only I could listen to the reasoning coming out of my own mouth, Noctis thinks to himself.

He’d take a bullet for Prompto, and that’s not just a figure of speech.  He fought tooth and nail to get to Prompto’s side, yet he still hadn’t been quick enough to prevent his mate from getting hurt. Noctis shoos those thoughts away, not giving his depressing thoughts time to seep into his scent and make Ignis feel worse than he already is.

“You’re an amazing advisor to me, and an even greater beta, Iggy,” Noctis praises. “You did everything you could. We were fast, but they were faster. We didn’t see the wolf climb up until it was too late. So, please, I want you to stop putting all the blame on yourself.”

Ignis lets out a shuddering breath, his hand trembling faintly at his sides as he slowly raises his head to meet his eyes. Noctis gives him a reassuring smile before turning to Prompto who is observing their exchange. Noct knows Prompto well enough to know he’s moments away from pulling Ignis into a hug.

His mate’s compassion and empathy for others are one of the things he fell in love with first. Now that he thinks about it, Gladio’s right. Prompto would make a fine omega. Compassionate, fierce, and protective are all traits Prompto has already.

Noctis gently places a hand on Prompto’s elbow to grab his attention. He hopes Prompto agrees to go along with his plan and share his version of events because, without it, it’s going to be hard to truly convince Ignis without the words coming directly from the person he feels he failed the most.

Prompto flinches and draws away at his touch, but leans into his side afterward as if in apology when Prompto notices Ignis and Gladio watching them. Noctis’ eyebrows furrow, but he pushes aside the sharp pang of hurt and the biting question on the tip of his tongue.

Later. He’ll have time to apologize and talk everything over with Prompto later.

“Do you want to tell him?” Noctis questions softly.

Prompto nods and slowly approaches Ignis. Noctis’ hand falls from Prompto’s arm and back to his side as Prompto moves away from him.

“I never blamed you for what happened to me, Iggy,” Prompto says softly, giving him a small reassuring smile. “Not for a second. Everything happened so fast, and I get what you’re saying, I do. I’m not dismissing the fact that you felt responsible for protecting me because Noct told you to. I understand that, but…”

Prompto trails off, biting his bottom lip and looking away, rubbing his arm absentmindedly. “You were all so busy fighting and trying to protect me, but who was protecting you? Who had Noct’s back? I don’t know if you saw it or not, but a wolf snuck up behind Noct, and I just couldn’t stand there and do nothing.”

Prompto lifted his head to look Ignis in the eyes. “I didn’t want to hang back and be useless when you were already fighting for your lives. I got hurt, and it wasn’t your fault. You’re forgiven, Ignis, even though there was never anything to forgive.”

Ignis lets out a tremulous breath, his shoulders sagging as though a huge weight has been lifted from him. Ignis’ eyes soften, gratefulness and no small amount of awe and fondness replacing the distress and guilt that had taken up residence in his being.

Ignis tentatively reaches for Prompto’s hand, his body relaxing further when Prompto accepts his touch. Ignis gently rubs his thumbs over Prompto’s knuckles, giving his smaller hand a gentle squeeze.

“You can talk to me, you know,” Prompto teases gently, smile widening into his infamous grin. “I’m not Noct.”

Despite the permission, Ignis still glances over Prompto’s shoulder to lock eyes with Noct.

“Thank you,” Ignis murmurs when Noct nods to him. “You don’t have any idea how much your forgiveness means to me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Prompto repeats softly, his hand squeezing Ignis’ hand in his own.

“I still wish I could have spared you the experience,” Ignis says ruefully.

“It was scary,” Prompto admits. “But the alternative was doing nothing and letting Noct get hurt, which would have been a lot more terrifying. If anything, I was the one who failed by trying to play hero and getting myself hurt in the process.”

“Excuse you,” Ignis immediately frowns, affronted. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean…” Prompto stutters, the back of his neck burning beneath the weight of their stares. Prompto lets go of Ignis’ hand to card his fingers through his hair and huff out a loud breath. “One of the wolves almost got Noct and I reacted without thinking, and then another one tried to get through the hatch so I kicked it shut so it couldn’t go for the passengers which left my back wide open. It was a rookie mistake.”

“That sounds like a hero from where I’m standing,” Gladio butts in. “You took out, what? Three wolves and saved Noct’s ass?”

“You’re barely even standing.” Is Prompto’s snarky response to that, but he sounds pleased that Gladio noticed his accomplishments and complimented him. “You’re leaning against a tree.”

“And who’s fault’s that?” Gladio huffs. “That mutt of yours took a chomp out of my leg like it was a prime rib.”

“Okay, big guy, I get it.” Prompto rolls his eyes. “The next time we rack up some dough from a hunt, the next round of potions is on me.”

“Pff, whatever you say but I’m still expecting a brand-new pair of pants,” Gladio reminds him.

“How could I forget? You’ve only been complaining about it for the last ten minutes,” Prompto says sarcastically, grinning when Gladio grumbles something too low for him to hear.

“Now that everyone’s said their piece, can we get a fucking move on, please? The temperature is gonna drop if we wait here any longer and I’d like to keep my balls,” Gladio complains.  

“Not to mention we will be moving a tad slower with Gladio’s leg injury,” Ignis points out. “We have quite the distance to travel to make it to the next train station and catch the evening train.”

“I’ll be fine,” Gladio says dismissively. “I’ll heal faster once I’m in wolf form, we’ll make it.”

“Another train?” Prompto groans. “Is that smart? What if they’re still tracking us? Won't they expect us to hop on the next train to Tenebrae?”

“We’ll have to take that chance,” Noctis sighs. “It’s too far for us to travel with you on my back, you’ll get hyperthermia. And besides, I’m pretty sure we got them all.”

“But Ardyn will know his wolves didn’t get us when none of them report back to him,” Prompto argues. “He’ll just send more after us.”

“You make a valid point, Prompto,” Ignis agrees. “But there isn’t much we can do about it. We have no other mode of transport this far north. There are no roads until the tracks turn east.”

Prompto closes his eyes with a loud sigh. “This is the worst road trip ever.”

“You get to ride on Noct’s back the whole way while we do all the leg work, so stop your whining,” Gladio grunts, sliding his pants and boxers down his legs without care and tossing it to the side, sparing one last mournful look at his pants before starting to shift.

Prompto averts his eyes to the sky with a huff. “Fine, but what about Umbra?”

“Prom…” Noctis says weakly, reluctant to restart their previous argument but knowing he has to say something now before Prompto gets his hopes up. “Prom, we can’t take him with us.”

The devastated look that comes over Prompto’s face almost undoes him. Prompto looks down at his feet where Umbra is laying, oblivious to the decision being made about him.

“But I… I can’t just leave him,” Prompto whispers, bending down to hoist the pup into his arms and bury his face in his soft fur.

Ignis places a gentle hand on Prompto’s shoulder. “It’s for the best. The journey we’re embarking on is no place for a pup. Umbra will be much safer with his pack.”

“But Noct said he imprinted on me,” Prompto argues, his voice growing hoarse. “I can’t just leave and have him think I didn’t want him.”

“Oh, Prompto,” Ignis murmurs, turning Prompto around to face him. Ignis bends slightly to meet Prompto’s watery eyes. “He knows he is loved. He will grow to understand that you left to keep him safe. When this is all over, we will come back for him. I will take you myself if I must.” Ignis swears.

Prompto sniffs loudly, arms tightening around Umbra as he takes deep even breaths, fighting back tears. Prompto turns around and slowly walks towards the wolves at the entrance of the den, easily spotting the alpha female, the mother of the pup in his arms.

Prompto approaches her slowly and kneels down in front of her, gently setting the pup at her paws.

“Please take care of him for me,” Prompto requests, voice hoarse and tears starting to blur his vision. He doesn’t know if the she-wolf even understands him, but he has to try. He can’t leave without trying to explain. “It’s not safe for him to come with me right now. The pack who hurt me is still after us. I-I’ll come back for him when it’s safe. I promise.”

The white wolf stares into his eyes for a long moment before she finally blinks her large eyes at him once, her paw lifting to pull Umbra between her legs, her forepaw braced across his body as if to hold Umbra back, and Prompto knows she understood.

When Prompto staggers back to his feet and turns to stiffly walk back to his own pack, Noctis is already shifted, and Ignis is waiting quietly in human form at Noctis side.

Prompto clenches his eyes tightly shut, Umbra’s sudden whine tugging painfully on his heartstrings. When he opens his eyes, Noct is crouching down and Ignis is silently holding out his hand. Prompto swallows past the lump in his throat and takes Ignis’ hand gratefully, allowing Ignis to help him onto Noctis’ back.

Noctis slowly rises but Prompto doesn’t bother to straighten into a sitting position astride him. He lowers himself to lay his chest against Noctis’ back and clings to Noctis’ fur.

Noctis takes a step forward, then another, and another until he breaks into a light run, and Umbra howls.

Prompto buries his face in Noctis’ fur, a sob tearing free as he finally lets the tears he had felt build up spill over as Umbra’s howls grow further and further away.

Chapter Text

Prompto spends the entire journey to the Gralea train station clinging to Noctis’ back while he runs like he’s some sort of human koala. They have to make frequent stops along the way because he’s not dressed for the climate, and has to warm up in the middle of all three wolves in the comfiest puppy pile he’s ever been in until he’s warm enough to feel his limbs again and climb back onto Noct’s back.

When they finally arrive at the train station the sun is setting and the train is already preparing to leave. Noct doesn’t even have his shoes on when they board the train, and Ignis’ clothes are rumpled and disheveled in his haste to get dressed. Even Gladio seems disgruntled at being rushed.

They very nearly miss their chance to board the train, and honestly, Prompto would rather have missed it and slept in the uncomfortable seats overnight and catch the train in the morning so he’d have time to mentally prepare himself.

He never thought he’d see the day when he would be terrified of getting on a train, but here he is.

As soon as they are assigned their cabin, he beelines straight to a bed and takes the top bunk; turning his back to the others and praying that he falls asleep quickly. The others are talking in hushed voices, and he can feel their stares boring into his back but he doesn’t care.

Prompto wakes up with no memory of having fallen asleep, and with none of the relief he had hoped sleep would bring him. The troubles of the past few days still plague him like a nightmare that doesn’t vanish when you wake up. He’s exhausted, both emotionally and physically. He feels like he’s a battery that’s been completely depleted and is in dire need of recharging.

The sun is too bright when he steps off the train. Tenebrae truly is a magnificent city, but he can’t find any joy in the sprawling forests. Nor the castle with its ivory towers or the cobblestone streets lined with an array of flowers he’s never seen before in his life. It’s like he just stepped into another world. On a normal day this would have him whipping out his camera and gushing about the beauty of it all, but right now he’s just… hollow.

Noctis and the others keep shooting worried glances his way, but Prompto resolutely ignores them. He’s angry. He’s so fucking angry and hurt, and he doesn’t care if he’s broadcasting his emotions through his scent or however the fuck they seem to pick up on people’s moods.

He’s been through so much over the past few days that’s it’s a miracle that he hasn’t had a complete and utter mental breakdown. He got attacked by a wolf and almost died. He learned that he’s Noctis’ mate and Noctis has been hiding the truth from him since the day they met, and then he had to witness his best friend intending to execute Ignis – oh, and on top of all that, Umbra was forced to stay behind… and he had to get onto another fucking train.

Talk about a long list of reasons for him to develop PTSD. He’ll probably need therapy when all of this is over.

He hopes his glaive stipend is enough to cover that.

It’s just… too much. His mind keeps haunting him with the memory of Noctis sleepily revealing that he’s his mate over and over and over again, and Umbra’s heartbreaking howls and whimpers as Noctis carries him further and further away from him.

So, let them know he’s angry. He doesn’t care about holding back his feelings anymore. He’s way past caring about hiding how he feels just so they don’t pick up on it. Noct had so many chances to confess and come clean, and he chose not to. Instead, they had dug up his past, and he was so mentally and physically tired that even the rough six-hour sleep he had hadn’t been enough to put him into a better mood.

The fact that the guys give him space and don’t even question why he wants to be alone only gives him more time to compartmentalize his thoughts and go over everything that happened – every interaction between him and Noct where he had acted suspiciously or behaved differently whenever it involved him. It paints quite the picture, and it’s so glaringly obvious he could kick himself.

How many times has Noct almost said something and then abruptly changed the subject or said something else to cover up his almost slip up? How many times had Ignis and Gladio been about to tell him something and Noct would growl at them and get angry before they could finish what they had been about to say? How many times had Noct gotten defensive and moody every time the subject of mates was brought up?

Too many times.

It all adds up, and he feels foolish that he hadn’t put it together before now; would have probably never figured it out if Noct hadn’t messed up and said those damning words that flipped his whole world and everything he thought he knew upside down.

It’s obvious to him now when he looks back that Ignis and Gladio had wanted to tell him, had almost come close to revealing Noctis’ secret several times, dropping little crumbs for him to follow, but Noct would miraculously appear like he had some sort of sixth sense that he was getting close to finding out the truth.

Prompto spares a glance towards the guys to see if he could get away with taking a walk around the station and wander into the woods in the back to clear his head. The station is packed with people traveling in and out of Tenebrae and checking into the hotel, and he can’t stand being around so many people when he’s in such a bad mood. He just wants to be alone and sort through his feelings in peace before he does something he regrets – like blow up at Noct and make a scene in front of everyone.

Luckily for him, Ignis and Noct are busy arguing in front of the esteemed Tenebraen restaurant, Vagone Ristorante Giussoli, that he had been excited to try after hearing Noct gush all about their desserts that he no longer has an appetite for. He silently slips around the corner of the diner, and really, he should have known it wouldn’t be that easy to slip out unnoticed.

It is Gladio’s job to keep the prince’s mate safe, Prompto thinks grumpily when he turns the corner and a large hand grabs him by the elbow; Gladio’s familiar woodsy cologne hits his nose.

“What do you want, Gladio?” Prompto says moodily, turning around with the momentum of Gladio’s hand on his arm.

Gladio’s eyebrows furrow and he frowns at him. “Where are you going? It’s dangerous to go off on your own.”

Prompto raises an eyebrow. “Oh yeah, a station full of people, totally dangerous. Who knows, maybe I’ll even get mugged. Add that on top of everything else that’s happened to me this week.”

“Okay, since no one else is going to say it, I will. What’s going on with you?” Gladio demands, pulling Prompto by his elbow until they were on the side of the diner and out of sight of the others. “Something’s been up with you ever since we got back on that train.”

“It’s nothing,” Prompto scowls, tugging his arm free.

“Bullshit. Your scent’s all twisted up and none of it’s good,” Gladio says, swiftly placing his hand on the wall to block Prompto when he tries to step around him.

“Look, I’m not in the mood, Gladio,” Prompto snaps. “If I wanted to talk about it I would, but I don’t, so drop it, alright?”

Gladio narrows his eyes, his nostrils flaring. “What the fuck has gotten into you? If something happened – “

“Nothing happened!” Prompto shouts, embarrassed to feel tears of frustration sting at his eyes, his face heating. He hates the fact that he cries when he gets angry. It’s pathetic. “I just want to be alone right now., is that too much to ask for? I don’t want to talk about it. Is it a crime now to take a walk? Or do I have to be supervised now?”

Gladio’s posture goes rigid, and for a long moment, he says nothing, just watching as Prompto’s chest heaves and his hands clench into fists at his sides.

Gladio lowers his arm and softens his voice, gentling his posture to appear less intimidating. “Talk to me. I know I’m not great at this stuff but you know I care about you, right? I can see that you’re hurting, and I want to help.”

“You can’t,” Prompto laughs humorlessly. “I was always going to get hurt one way or another. I just didn’t think it would be because of my best friend. I guess that old saying is true, huh? It’s always the people you love that hurt you the most.”

Gladio tenses, his expression freezing, and it would have been comical in any other situation, but there is nothing funny about this. There is nothing funny about the shock he sees fall over Gladio’s face or the seriousness that takes its place a second after, his posture straightening further.

It reminds him of the glaives at the citadel standing at attention; waiting for their alpha’s orders. It should be funny, and Prompto wishes that he could laugh at the fact that Gladio is behaving like he’s the one giving out orders – but wait, that’s right. He does have a certain authority in pack hierarchy being the prince’s mate, doesn’t he?

“Noct,” Gladio says slowly, sounding incredulous. Prompto wouldn’t be surprised if Gladio doesn’t believe him. After all, from what Prompto understands, wolves are extremely protective of their mates. Him accusing Noct of hurting him mustn’t sit well with Gladio’s instincts. “Noct hurt you?”

Prompto looks away, crossing his arms over his chest and discreetly rubbing his cheek against his shoulder so Gladio wouldn’t see the tear that escaped. A load of shit that does since Gladio can probably smell the salt in his tears.

Gladio takes a step forward, gently placing his large hands on his shoulders as he bends down until they’re at eye level. “Please tell me what happened. What did Noct do that’s got you so upset?”

“It’s more like what he didn’t do,” Prompto grumbles.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Gladio frowns.

“He scented me the other night,” Prompto divulges after a long moment.

“Yeah, we kind of noticed,” Gladio says carefully. “Did he not ask you first? Is that why you’re mad?”

“No,” Prompto scoffs. “I’m mad because I had to find out while Noct was high off my scent that I’m his mate and he fucking hid that from me.”

“Oh, Titan’s balls,” Gladio curses, his eyes growing wide.

Prompto shrugs off Gladio’s hands angrily and takes a step back. “Do you know how fucked up that is? He was going to marry Lunafreya. Marry her, Gladio. Now that Lunafreya is out of the picture, I guess he’ll settle for second best.”

Gladio’s eyes steadily grow wider until they’re practically bugging out of his head. “No, oh fuck, Prompto. It’s not like that! He was going to – “

“He still needs an heir, and the last time I checked I can’t give him that,” Prompto spits. “So, what? He made an arrangement with her so he could have me on the side? Thought I’d be okay with being his mistress?”

“Prompto – “

“I don’t want to hear it,” Prompto scowls, and this time when he tries to sidestep around Gladio, Gladio lets him.

Gladio watches Prompto go, clenching his jaw and inhaling through his nose to calm down. Fucking Noct. He fucking knew something like this was going to happen. If something bad can happen, it will, and this is going to be bad, bad, bad. Every instinct in his body urges him to go after his alpha’s mate – to stop him from leaving, but it isn’t his fight and he can’t stop Prompto if he actually wants to leave.

If Prompto rejects Noct and forsakes his place in their pack everything will come crumbling down. He’s seen what a rejected wolf is like, and the thought of Noct turning into a shell of his former self; functioning and talking but barely alive has anger and fear clenching like a vice around his heart.

With a growl, Gladio turns on his heel and stalks toward the diner. He must look angrier than he thought because when he gets to the doors Ignis stops talking to the manager of the hotel next door and turns towards him. Ignis takes one look at his face and blanches, taking an unconscious step back.

Gladio barely notices the manager beat a hasty retreat back to the safety of the hotel, all his focus trained on Ignis.

“Where’s Noctis?” Gladio demands.

“Inside the diner,” Ignis says, eyes darting to the door and back to Gladio. “What’s happened?”

“Noct’s stupidity is what’s happened,” Gladio growls. “Prompto knows.”

“He knows…?” Ignis inhales sharply, understanding quickly dawning in his eyes, his face paling. Ignis immediately looks around, a look of panic crossing his face. “Where is he? Did he – did he leave?”

“He’s going to if Noctis doesn’t find a way to explain himself – and quick. The kid’s all twisted up. Fuck, Iggy, he thinks he’s Noct’s sidepiece. Noct got high off his scent and let it slip. Prompto’s been holding all of this in since we left the wolf’s den.”

“No,” Ignis whispers. “No, Gladio, he can’t just leave. Noct’s going to be inconsolable. He’s going to go – “

“I know,” Gladio grunts, baring his teeth in a grimace. “I’m gonna knock some sense into Noctis’ thick skull.”

Ignis makes a distressed sound, taking a step forward to follow Gladio into the diner.

“No,” Gladio says gently, reaching a hand out to squeeze Ignis’ bicep. “Finish sorting out arrangements for our stay and get two rooms.”

“Two rooms?” Ignis asks in a small voice.

“Just in case things go south,” Gladio says grimly. “Best case scenario, Prompto’s still mad and wants a room to himself. Worst case scenario… Noct will need to be locked up until we can –until we can figure out what to do. We can’t have him going on a rampage through town so make sure the room is… equipped to deal with it in case it comes to that.”

Ignis closes his eyes and nods, wrapping his fingers around Gladio’s wrist and giving it a squeeze before he lets go.

“Do we still have sedatives?”

“Always keep them stashed with my personal effects in the armiger,” Ignis says somberly. “Never know when we might require them. Two hot-headed alphas in a pack with no omegas to keep you two in line, and only one beta to act as a referee between you two? It’s a recipe for disaster.”

“Good. Keep them close,” Gladio instructs, tone grave. “We might need them today.”

“Let us hope it does not come to that,” Ignis says, clearing his throat and gently pushing Gladio in the direction of the diner. “Hurry; before Prompto decides to hop on a train before Noct has the chance to explain himself.”

Gladio nods once and strides to the diner, shoving open the glass door, his teeth grinding together when the little bell dings above his head; grating on his nerves. His eyes search through the crowd of people, finally landing on Noct lounging in the back by the window eating fries like he hasn’t a care in the world – like his entire world isn’t just about to walk out of his life if he doesn’t make amends

Gladio stalks over, ignoring the heads turning in his direction.

Noctis looks up when he reaches the table, smiling and getting up so Gladio can slide in and take the window seat. His eyes widen, his body tensing when he registers the expression on Gladio’s face.

“Gladio – “

“You fucked up,” Gladio growls, shoving Noctis back down in his seat, uncaring that he’s drawing attention to them.

“What the fuck, Gladio?” Noctis growls, his hand darting out to grip the corner of the table to catch himself before his head collides with the window, leaving him sprawled across the seat.

“For once in your life, I need you to shut the fuck up and listen to me,” Gladio growls angrily. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? We tried to tell you something like this would happen and you wouldn’t listen.”

“What are you talking about!?” Noctis snaps, pulling himself upright.

“I’m talking about Prompto!” Gladio snaps back. “And how you managed to completely fuck everything up with him.”

“What?” Gladio can hear Noctis’ heartbeat ratchet up in a sudden panic, his scent souring with fear. “What do you mean?”

“Does scent marking him, getting high from it, and then telling him he’s your mate before passing out ring any bells?”

“What?” Noct gasps, his face turning white as a ghost. “I didn’t – “

“Oh, you did,” Gladio says seriously. “I had to practically drag it out of Prompto. We were all wondering why he’s been acting so different since we found you two, and now we know why. Noct, he thinks he’s a third wheel and that you never wanted him. You need to – “

“Where is he!?” Noctis interrupts frantically, rocketing up from his seat and fisting Gladio’s shirt in his fist to pull him down to his level. “Gladio, where is he!?”

“H’s following the forest trail behind the diner,” Gladio grunts, the force of Noctis’ ordered demand threatening to make him stumble to his knees before his pack alpha. Gladio waves his hand in the direction he had seen Prompto disappear in. “You better catch up to him before he decides to leave after your royal fuck up.”

“Shut up,” Noctis snarls, shoving him back and dashing out of the diner in the direction Gladio had indicated.

Noctis runs faster than he’s ever run in his life, eyes scanning his surroundings for any sign of Prompto, his eyes drawn over and over again to the train running idly on the tracks. Anxiety has nausea sweeping through his stomach until he feels like vomiting.

Prompto knows – he knows – and he found out in the worst way imaginable. He had told him he wasn’t keeping secrets and had comforted him to the best of his abilities after his nightmare, and had been pushed away. Prompto’s behavior suddenly makes much more sense. It had never been about a nightmare.

Noctis’ heart hammers inside his chest, and when he finally catches sight of Prompto walking along the beaten-off trail that leads into the wilderness, he’s so relieved he hadn’t hopped on the train he could cry.

“Prompto!” Noctis howls, pitching his voice as high as he can with his human vocal cords to make sure Prompto would hear him.

Prompto pauses, turning around instinctively at the sound of his name being called, his jaw clenching when he sees Noct running toward him.

“I want to be alone right now, Noct,” Prompto says, not bothering to raise his voice as he turns on his heels and resumes walking, knowing Noctis can hear him even from this distance.

“Prompto! Prompto, wait!” Noctis cries out, gasping for breath, having sprinted all the way from the diner. A sharp pain lances through his chest when Prompto turns his back on him when he catches sight of him coming his way. Noctis runs past Prompto to stand in front of him, holding a hand out beseechingly to get him to stop.

“Prom, please! Please let me explain!” Noctis pleads, panting for breath.

“What’s there to explain?” Prompto says bitterly. “I get it.”

“No! You really, really don’t!”

“I won’t settle for being second best, Noct. I may have real shitty self-esteem, but even I won’t sink so low as to be a rebound,” Prompto says crossly. “I won’t do it. I think I deserve better, don’t you?”

“You’re not a rebound! You never were!” Noctis says wildly, eyes frantic and pleading. “Let me explain, please! You’ve got it all wrong! It’s just a huge misunderstanding!”

“So, I’m somehow misunderstanding the fact that I’m the mate you didn’t want, but because wolves are possessive as fuck you still kept me around?” Prompto snaps, his fists clenching at his sides, refusing to let himself give in and listen to Noct explain himself in the face of such genuine distraught.

“Is any of this even real?” Prompto demands, pushing ahead. “Did you actually want to be my friend or did you just seek me out the day we met because you found out who I was to you?”

“No!” Noctis cries out, his voice practically a wail. His eyes had turned gold the instant Prompto had turned away from him, a viscerally visible sign of his distress. “No, that’s not true at all! I do want you! My feelings for you, our friendship, none of it is fake! Fuck, Prompto, you’ve got to believe me! It was a political marriage – you know that! There was never going to be anything between me and Luna! It was just going to be on paper!”

“That’s still a marriage, Noct,” Prompto fumes. “You wouldn’t have been able to go public about being with me, would you? I’d be your dirty little secret; hidden like some dirty laundry you shove under the bed so no one sees.”

“Prom, no, no, I would never do that!” Noctis says desperately. “I didn’t mean to hide this from you! I didn’t want to, but I – “

“You didn’t mean to hide it from me?” Prompto exclaims, loudly interrupting Noct, his voice turning incredulous. “I asked you if you had any secrets that had to do with me and you lied to my face.”

“I was going to tell you, I swear!” Noctis yells. “I didn’t do it to hurt you! I had no choice!”

“You had plenty of time to tell me, and you just chose not to! You had five years to tell me, Noct – five years,” Prompto shouts, raising his voice to match Noct’s.

“I didn’t say anything because it would have put you in danger!”

“Open your eyes, Noct!” Prompto snaps, waving his arm to gesture around them. “We’re put in dangerous situations every day! If it’s not wild creatures, it’s Ardyn’s psychopathic, murderous pack! I could have gotten hurt at any time, but that’s not what we’re talking about – we’re talking about you!”

“I never wanted to hurt you! I was trying to – “

“But you did,” Prompto interrupts, getting choked up and tired of screaming. It’s making his chest ache. He never thought he’d see the day where he would be screaming at Noct in anger, but again, here he is. “I can’t – I don’t want do this with you right now, Noct. You hurt me, and to be honest, it hurts to even look at you right now.”

Noctis reels back as if struck, his face pale and stricken with grief.

“I’m sorry,” Noctis says hoarsely, and Prompto watches in muted horror as Noctis starts trembling; shaking so violently his body is vibrating in place like he’s having a sudden, unexpected seizure. “I’m so sorry.”

“Noct?” Prompto says cautiously, hesitantly taking a step back when Noctis’ claws sprout from his nails and his canines elongate.

Noctis’ face twists in anguish and he makes a pained sound. Noctis stumble away from him and trips over his own feet as he sways in place, and suddenly his body is shifting. His clothes tear under the bulk of his wolf form, and Noctis suddenly screams.

Noctis’ scream morphs into animalistic sounds as his vocal cords change with the transformation. The sounds torn from his throat sound excruciatingly pained as he keens and whines as his bones break, lengthen, and reform. Black fur sprouts all over his body, and Noctis’ back bows, the pain bringing him to his knees.

Prompto makes a horrified sound, frozen between terror and the desperate need to rush forward and help as Noctis’ spine curves horrifically. Between one blink and the next, there is a large wolf panting and wheezing where Noctis had been moments before.

“Noct?” Prompto whispers quietly, his voice shaking as he cautiously takes a step forward. “Are you okay?”

Noctis’ ears twitch, swiveling in his direction before his head follows.

Prompto never thought it was possible to see such a devastating look on a wolf’s face, but the look on Noctis’ face is bordering on despair. Everything about Noct’s body language screams discomfort and misery. Noctis is trembling even in wolf form, his tail tucked between his legs.

Prompto doesn’t have time to wrangle his thoughts together and decide on a course of action before Noctis is suddenly turning and sprinting away. The last thing Prompto sees is a blur of black as Noctis disappears beyond the trees.

Prompto stands frozen, staring at the scraps of fabric laying in tatters on the ground – all that is left of Noctis’ clothes, and not knowing what to do. He’s never seen Noctis shift like that before. It had always been a seamless transition, but that had been painful to watch. Not knowing what else to do, he turns and sprints back to the station to find Gladio and Ignis.

Finding Ignis and Gladio turns out to be more difficult than expected. Prompto frantically searches the diner, slamming the door open, out of breath, and scanning the area for any signs of them, but they aren’t there.

The hotel, Prompto thinks wildly. If they aren’t in the diner or at the convenience store, they’ll be at the hotel. Prompto runs next door, scaring the staff and the people waiting their turn to book a room when he all but runs up to the front desk, cutting the line entirely, and demands to know what room Ignis had booked for them.

Prompto snatches his key from the front desk clerk, completely ignoring the elevator and running up four flights of stairs to get to their room. Prompto fumbles with the key, shoving it into the doorknob.

“Ignis! Gladio!” Prompto shouts, bursting into the room, the door slamming against the wall and no doubt leaving a sizable hole in the shape of the doorknob. “Help!”

“Prompto!?” Ignis and Gladio exclaim at the same time, dropping everything and rushing to his side. “What’s happened? What’s going on?”

“Noct,” Prompto pants, leaning against the doorframe to catch his breath. “Something’s wrong with him.”

“What?” Gladio’s says gruffly, alarm pitching his voice rougher than it normally is. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know!” Prompto exclaims frantically. “We – we got into an argument, and then he – he just shifted! It was terrible, it wasn’t – he was in pain.”

Ignis and Gladio exchange a grave, resigned look, and Prompto really hates how they can communicate without saying a single damn thing.

“What?” Prompto says loudly. “What does that look mean? What’s wrong with Noct!?”

“What did you say to him?” Gladio demands, voice going hard.

Prompto’s eyes widen at his tone. Gladio never speaks to him that way. His voice is more of a growl than anything else.

“M-e?” Prompto stammers. “I don’t know, I said a lot of things!”

“Prompto, this is extremely important,” Ignis says softly, stepping between Gladio and him, trying to diffuse the situation; his scent heightening to project soothing pheromones to calm the angry alpha at his back as much as his muted beta scent could. “What’s the last thing you said to him before he shifted?”

“I… I said he was hurting me,” Prompto confesses, licking his lips nervously. “I was upset, and he was trying to explain about the m-mate thing, but I didn’t want to listen. I didn’t want to get into with him. I needed time and space to think, and I… I said that I didn’t want to see him right now and he just – shifted.”

Ignis’ eyes steadily grow wider through the course of his explanation, his face losing color the more Prompto spoke about what he had said to Noct. Gladio curses behind Ignis explosively, stomping out the door and shrugging out of his clothes as he went.

A moment later a howl is heard from the open window, alerting Prompto that Gladio had shifted and is probably calling out to Noct.

“What’s going on?” Prompto pleads. “Please say something.”

“We’ll talk about this later,” Ignis tells him calmly, unbuttoning his shirt and stripping out of his clothes. “I have to go after Noct. Stay here.”

“No, wait, please. Tell me what’s happening,” Prompto cries out, snagging Ignis by the wrist. “I want to help!”

Prompto inhales sharply, letting go of Ignis’ wrist when he turns bright gold eyes on him.

“If you truly care about Noct, don’t go anywhere. Stay here until we get back,” Ignis says with finality, closing the door with a snap when he walks out, leaving Prompto standing alone in the room and feeling more alone than he can ever remember being.

---

It’s hours before Prompto hears the sound of the door banging open.

Prompto scrambles out of bed in a mad dash to meet them. He gasps, eyes widening when he sees the state Gladio is in. There’s a bleeding bitemark on his shoulder and even bloodier claw marks gauged down his side. Ignis is miraculously uninjured, but he’s walking on shaking legs and all but collapses on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.

“W-Where’s Noct?” Prompto asks fearfully. “What happened? Did you have a run-in with Ardyn’s pack?”

“No,” Gladio grunts. “These are from Noct.”

“What?” Prompto gasps sharply. “Noct did that to you? How – why?”

“He isn’t called the alpha of alphas for nothing,” Gladio says humorlessly, summoning a potion and breaking it in his fist, his wounds healing and leaving faint pink scars behind.

“He’s gone feral,” Ignis sighs, rubbing his eyes and bending down to shakily retrieve his jeans which he had carelessly thrown in his haste to get out the door. “We thought we could get through to him, but… he couldn’t be reasoned with.”

“Feral? Wait, I thought – I thought that was just a euphemism!”

“No.” Ignis sighs again. “It’s very real. We’re lucky if we never have to experience that in our lifetime, but sometimes it’s unavoidable.”

“What made him go feral?”

“You.” The word is growled, and Prompto flinches at Gladio’s harsh voice; more wolf than human.

“Prompto…” Ignis rubs his temples. “When a wolf believes their mate has rejected them it forces their body to shift whether they are prepared for it or not – whether they want to or not. Things are easier as a wolf. It’s a defensive mechanism, one that is hard to get pulled out of. Some wolves never… never find their humanity again. They can get stuck in their wolf form if they stay in a feral state for too long.”

Prompto feels his heart drop into the pit of his stomach as the consequences of his actions are made vividly clear to him.

“But I didn’t reject him!” Prompto exclaims, throwing his hands up. “I never said I didn’t want him! I just hated the idea that he expected me to share. I… I was jealous and hurt – I feel betrayed, Iggy. Noct was gonna get married and he kept this from me. How was I supposed to react? I don’t want to be a… a –“

“A mistress?” Gladio cuts in, remembering Prompto’s words from earlier.

“Yes!” Prompto wails. “I don’t want to be a rebound for Lunafreya. He never said anything before yesterday. What was I supposed to think? He hid this from me for years and now he suddenly wants me? He never acted like he even liked me in that way. Astrals, I didn’t even know he was gay until recently. How would you react if you were in my place?”

“I’d be furious,” Ignis groans, resting his elbow on his knee and rubbing his forehead. “I warned Noctis something like this would happen.”

“He’s a fucking idiot,” Gladio growls, plucking Ignis’ glasses from the dresser and holding it out for him.

“What’s done is done,” Ignis sighs, lifting his head and taking his glasses with a tired smile. “We just need to focus on figuring out how to fix Noct.”

“You know how we can do that,” Gladio responds.

“No, that’s out of the question,” Ignis says firmly. “I will not put Prompto in danger. Noct will never forgive himself if he hurts him. We’ll never get him back if that happens. It’s too much of a risk.”

“What? Whatever it is, I’ll do it,” Prompto says insistently. “It’s my fault he’s like this. Please, let me help.”

“See? He wants to help,” Gladio says pointedly, gesturing to Prompto. “Anyways, you really think Noct would be capable of hurting his mate? He may be feral, but even in that state he’ll recognize Prompto’s scent.”

“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of,” Ignis says with a glower. “There are worse fates than being injured, Gladio. Noctis won’t be himself, his wolf is in control. You know what could happen.”

Gladio frowns, his eyebrows knitting together as he crosses his arms over his chest, looking troubled.

“Can you please stop talking about me like I’m not here?” Prompto snaps. “Tell me what to expect and I’ll decide if it’s too dangerous for me, thank you very much.”

Ignis doesn’t respond, he’s too busy staring Gladio down with intense eyes. His green eyes flicker gold, obviously distressed with the direction the conversation is heading and sensing defeat. After a long moment, Ignis’ eyes lower, and he tilts his head to the side with a sigh, slumping in defeat.

“There are risks. It could be dangerous,” Gladio tells him when Ignis doesn’t elaborate for him. “You’ll need to approach him. Say whatever you need to get his attention, but don’t say anything you don’t mean. We can tell when you’re lying. Apologize, give him hope; tell him you’ll give him another chance to explain. Whatever you need to. He’ll likely listen if it’s coming from you.”

“Okay. Okay, yeah, I can do that,” Prompto agrees readily. That seems easy enough. “What about the risks? Will he really try to attack me?”

“No.” Gladio shakes his head. “We are incapable of hurting or physically maiming our mates intentionally. It goes against all our instincts. It’s probably one of the reasons why Noct reacted so badly when you told him he was hurting you.”

“Okay, so no maiming. That’s good.” Prompto sighs a breath of relief. He’s already been on the receiving end of getting clawed open and he’d rather not relive the experience. “Then what’s there to be worried about?”

Gladio remains uncharacteristically silent, and it causes Prompto’s anxiety to start flaring up again.

“Tell him,” Ignis orders.

Gladio closes his eyes. “He might try to claim you.”

“Claim… me?” Prompto says slowly. “Like, you mean by scenting me? Noct brought up that term before. Staking a claim or whatever?”

“No,” Gladio groans, covering his face with his hand and looking uncomfortable. “That’s not the same thing. Do I really have to spell it out for you?”

“I’m not a wolf,” Prompto reminds him, crossing his arms in frustration. “I don’t know what that is supposed to mean.”

“It means he might try to have intercourse with you,” Ignis says quietly.

Prompto stares at Ignis blankly, his brain screeching to a halt. The highway of his mind has become a seven-car pile-up for which there are no survivors.

“What?” Prompto croaks, clearing his throat.

Gladio rolls his eyes so hard they nearly roll into the back of his skull. “He might try to fuck you.”

“No, no, I got that,” Prompto chokes out. “When… when you say he will try to – to do that, do you mean as a wolf?”

Their matching grim expressions more than answer his question.

“Oh my god,” Prompto whispers. “Oh my god.”

“Now you know why I don’t want you going to him,” Ignis says grimly. “He thinks you rejected him, Prompto. It’s not completely unheard of for wolves to… force themselves on their mates. In a feral state, the only thing his wolf will be thinking about is mating you so you won’t leave him again. Wolves mate for life, Prompto. It would bind you two together for the rest of your lives – not to mention that the process of mating with an alpha when you are human would be… painful.”

“That’s… a lot.” Prompto has to sit down to digest that. “But I’m not a wolf. He can’t… do that, right? Bind us together like that?”

Ignis shakes his head. “Not in the same way as it would for one of us, but it will affect you nonetheless. You’ll never be able to be with anyone else – you won’t want to be with anyone else. It’ll change the way you feel; another person’s touch will repulse you. It wouldn’t be pleasant.”

Prompto involuntarily winces at the mere idea that Noct could take away his freedom to chose who he wants to be with – not that he does want to be with anyone else, but still. To take away his choice, to alter the way he sees and feels about someone is a total violation as a human being. No one should have that kind of power over another. It’s like a twisted form of mind control.

“We’ll find another way,” Ignis says firmly.

“No, I’ll… I know the risks and I’m willing to take the chance. He’s still Noct, right? He’s still in there. He wouldn’t hurt me,” Prompto says confidently.

Ignis closes his eyes in grim acceptance. “There’s still another possibility we haven’t told you.”

“What now?” Prompto groans.

“How much do you know about a wolf’s dynamic – as in our secondary genders?”

“Uhhh… I know Gladio and Noct are alphas, and you’re a beta,” Prompto says hesitantly. “I don’t want to say anything offensive or insulting, but your dynamic has nothing to do with your gender, right? That – that’s why female alphas have—" Prompto narrows his eyes in Gladio’s direction. “—dicks and male omegas can get pregnant. At least, that’s how I understand it.”

Ignis nods. “It’s not as simple as that, but yes, you have the gist of it. Noct being an alpha – from a long line of alphas no less – means that he has the potential of being able to…”

“To what?” Prompto asks with dread when Ignis trails off.

“He could turn you,” Ignis says quietly.

“Wait, what?” Prompto exclaims, jumping to his feet. “You’re telling me he could turn me into a wolf!? I thought that was a myth! I thought you had to be born into it!?”

“Usually yes, but some bloodlines still carry the ability,” Ignis explains. “Gladio for example doesn’t have that ability; most alphas don’t. Noct being a direct descendant from one of the founding families blessed by the Goddess Lupa means that if he bites you, you will turn.”

“Holy shit… you’re serious,” Prompto whispers, slowly sitting back down.

“There are too many unknown variables. It is impossible to know how Noct will react to your presence,” Ignis huffs, turning his head to regard Prompto solemnly. “No one will blame you if you change your mind.”

“The fuck I will,” Gladio grunts. “You know just as well as I do that nothing short of sedating Noct and dragging his furry ass back here is going to get him to come back willingly. Prompto is our only shot at doing this peacefully and without any more bloodshed.”

“What do you mean you’re going to sedate him?” Prompto says in alarm, a sick feeling sweeping through his stomach. “You can’t just drug him.”

“Do you see my chest?” Gladio grunts, gesturing at the fresh pink scars down his side. “He can’t be reasoned with. He’s the alpha. He will not submit to orders from his subordinates, but you’re his mate.  In his eyes you two are equals. Why do you think he just stands there and lets you bitch at him whenever he does something stupid? You’re the only one who can get through to him. So, if anyone can convince him and get him out of that headspace it’s you. Otherwise, we’ll have to knock him out and chain him up.”

“Chain him up,” Prompto whispers, that sick feeling growing roots in his stomach and sinking into his very being. He has to swallow against the urge to vomit at the mere idea of drugging and chaining Noct up against his will like some rabid beast. Prompto shakes his head vehemently. “No, no, I’ll do it. I’m not gonna let you tranquilize him and keep him locked up like a monster.”

And that’s how Prompto finds himself walking out of the hotel with Gladio and Ignis in tow and making his way towards the woods for the second time that day, climbing onto Gladio massive back as soon as he shifts, and being carried off into the woods to try and get Noct back.

Chapter Text

“I’m surprised you’re okay with this, big guy,” Prompto says nervously, talking to fill the silence. They’ve travelled several miles into the forest, and Ignis has already shifted back into human form to walk the remainder of the distance so he can fill him in on what to expect once he’s on his own and has to face Noct. “I’m not your mate.”

“You may not be his mate, but it’s considered an honour to be chosen to bear a pack alpha’s mate on their back,” Ignis reassures him. “Even though it may not seem much to you, it means a lot to Gladio that you willingly got on his back.”

Gladio is much larger than Noctis. Gladio makes him feel like he’s towering above everyone. He’s taller than Ignis right now, which is the whole point of riding on a wolf’s back, Prompto reminds himself; remembering what Ignis had explained the last time he was in this position.

“If you say so,” Prompto mumbles, carding his fingers through Gladio’s thick fur. Gladio rumbles beneath him in agreement, and the sound is so much like the noise Noctis makes to comfort him that it has him letting out a long breath.

He needs to get Noct back and fix things between them.

“You know, your fur is almost as soft and downy as a chocobo’s,” Prompto chuckles, trying to lighten the mood and break the tension he can feel in the air between the three of them. They’re all worried about what will happen once he goes to Noct.

Gladio growls, his ear flicking back. Gladio turns his head to give him an unimpressed look.

“Just kidding, big guy,” Prompto grins, scratching behind Gladio’s ear.

Gladio huffs and suddenly plops down onto his stomach, causing Prompto to jolt forward with a surprised yelp and cling to Gladio’s fur to stop himself from flipping over Gladio’s head.

“Dude!” Prompto sputters, bracing a hand on Gladio’s shoulder to steady himself as he attempts to climb off his back on his own. Ignis chuckling behind him lets him know he must look absolutely ridiculous swinging his leg around like he’s dismounting a horse and stumbling onto his feet.

“Blurg,” Prompto groans, making a face as he pulls a strand of Gladio’s hair out of his mouth. “Pro-tip, Gladio? If one day you find your mate and they ride on your back, don’t stop, drop – and definitely do not roll – because pulling your hair out of my mouth is not—stop laughing! I know you’re laughing at me you asshole,” Prompto huffs, crossing his arms as Gladio’s body starts to shake.

Ignis chuckles, placing a hand on his shoulder and gently spinning him around. Ignis’ smile vanishes, and for a long moment he does nothing but stares into his eyes, and Prompto doesn’t know exactly what Ignis is searching for, but after a few more heartbeats Ignis lets out a long breath and pulls him into a hug.

“Are you ready?” Ignis asks him, his voice barely a whisper.

Prompto nods against Ignis’ chest, his arms winding around his waist and hugging him just as tightly. Prompto is more than a little surprised when Ignis nuzzles the side of his head affectionately and rubs his cheek against his hair.

“Iggy?” Prompto asks uncertainly, more than familiar with the gesture now because of Noct.

Ignis reluctantly pulls away and takes a step back, giving him a weak smile. Oh fuck, Ignis look upset.

“You should always smell like pack,” Ignis answers his unspoken question. “We’ve obviously been quite remiss in scenting you properly like we should have been doing this whole time.”

“It’s okay, Iggy,” Prompto says softly. He knows why they haven’t. He’s sure Noct’s secret would have been ousted a lot sooner if they had. Noctis seems the possessive and jealous type, and if he had seen Ignis and Gladio scentmarking him he would have felt left out and done it too.

Prompto turns to look at Gladio who is now sitting on his haunches attentively. Prompto frowns slightly and turns back to Ignis inquisitively. “He’s not shifting back?”

Ignis shakes his head. “He needs to be ready in case… in case things don’t go well between you and Noct.”

“Oh.”

Prompto shifts from foot to foot nervously, hesitating to leave the safety Ignis and Gladio’s presence provides, but Noct is out there and he needs him. He’s confident they won’t be needing the tranquillizer – sedatives, Ignis corrects with a sigh. Prompto would like to say that he’s at least ninety percent certain Noct wouldn’t do anything to him against his will; would never do anything to hurt him, but then again, he never would have thought he’d see the day that Noct would seriously hurt one of them as he had to Gladio.

“He’s right through that crop of trees, about a mile in, hiding in one of the bushes to your right,” Ignis informs him, pointing in the direction he’s talking about. “You’ll see a large boulder with small purple violets growing in front, when you see that, you’re close to where he is.”

Prompto nods, biting his bottom lip as he stares in the direction Ignis is pointing in. He had been so eager to get away and disappear into these very same woods earlier when he was running on anger, but now he’s having trouble finding the courage to take a single step further.

“We’ll be right here, Prompto. If anything happens—if he tries anything you don’t want, we’ll get you away from him, okay? Just shout our names and we’ll hear you and be there within seconds,” Ignis says fretfully.

“Okay,” Prompto exhales, giving Ignis a small smile.

“And don’t let him bite you under any circumstances,” Ignis reminds him, catching his hand when he turns to walk away. “As a human it’s safe, but as a wolf, if he bites you…”

“I know,” Prompto swallows, squeezing Ignis’ hand once before letting go. He takes several deep breaths as he forces his legs to move and carry him away from Ignis and Gladio, and deeper into the forest.

The forest is so dense and compact with towering trees that the sun doesn’t quite manage to penetrate through the leaves of the trees. Everything is cast in a half-light, filled with shadows that feel like they’re about to jump out at him or reach a phantom hand out to touch him. It’s mid-morning yet within this vast forested area, it feels like twilight.

He does his best to stick to the direction Ignis had indicated while trying to stay within the sunlight as much as possible. After about ten minutes, Prompto exhales a loud breath when he sees the large boulder with little purple flowers appear in his line of sight.

Prompto makes his way towards it, looking around once he’s passed it for any signs of Noct. He spots the bushes Ignis said Noct would be hiding in and sees nothing.

“Shit,” Prompto curses quietly beneath his breath. It would be just his luck if Noct had wandered off and found a new hiding spot now that Ignis and Gladio were aware of it.

Prompto ambles around the area but keeps the boulder within eyesight so he can easily find his way back to the guys if he can’t locate Noctis.

Prompto freezes, coming to an abrupt stop when he thinks he hears the sound of leaves rustling and the sound of something moving within the bushes.

“Noct?” Prompto says softly, eyes darting around the area, his heartbeat speeding up when he hears a twig snap. “Noct, is that you?”

A low growl has him whirling towards the sound, his heart lodging in his throat when he turns just in time to see Noct slinking out of one of the large shrubs definitely not where Ignis said Noctis should have been.

Noctis’ golden eyes are piercing and they pin him in place with their intensity. His teeth bared in a snarl works too. If Noctis’ goal is to frighten him, it’s working; his heart skips a beat in fear.

“H-Hey, there buddy,” Prompto laughs nervously, holding his hand up, palms forward to appear as non-threatening as possible. “I, uh, wanted to check up on you. We didn’t leave off on the best of terms, and I-I’m sorry.”

Prompto swallows and licks his lips nervously when Noctis doesn’t react. He’s literally staring into the jaws of the beast—one that can use him like a chew toy and turn him into a beast himself if he’s not careful.

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you when you were trying to explain,” Prompto tries again. “I-I said some things that I didn’t mean in the heat of the moment. Can—can we give it another shot? I promise I’ll listen this time.”

Noctis stills finally, his ears flicking. Prompto thinks he’s making progress when Noctis’ mouth slowly closes and he stops growling. Hope grows in Prompto’s chest. That has to be a good sign, right?

“I didn’t—you have to understand,” Prompto continues, stumbling over his words slightly. Noctis is just staring at him, and he doesn’t know how to gauge how well Noct understands him right now. “I was upset, but I’ve calmed down now, okay? I shouldn’t have said all those things that I did. I didn’t mean it, I swear. I was just angry. I don’t know why you kept it a secret, but I’m willing to listen this time and hear you out. I won’t even say anything! I’ll listen this time, I promise!”

Noctis growls deeply in response and prowls forward.

Prompto freezes, hardly daring to breathe as Noctis slowly approaches him. He doesn’t know what to do. A large part of him is screaming to turn and run, but you don’t outrun a wolf. Running will just make everything worse and set off Noctis’ hunting instincts.

“Please don’t hurt me,” Prompto begs, unable to disguise the tremble in his voice when Noctis growls and nudges him roughly with his snout. Prompto’s breath hitches when Noctis does it again more aggressively and causes him to stumble back a step. “Noct, please, I’m sorry. I don’t—I don’t know what you want.”

Prompto inhales sharply, getting ready to scream when Noctis suddenly opens his mouth and grabs him by the hip. He can feel his teeth pressing down against his skin through his shirt, threatening to bite down.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Prompto yelps in panic, his shaking hands hovering in the air above Noctis’ head, too afraid to push Noctis’ head away in case he bites down in retaliation. Terrified tears well in his eyes and spill down his cheeks. “Please don’t hurt me—don’t bite me, Noct, please! I said I was sorry! I know you’re probably really u-upset with me, but we—we can talk about it, ok—aaayy that hurts!!”

Prompto cries out when Noctis tightens his jaw and he feels his fangs press into him harder. His hands instinctively bury themselves in Noctis’ thick fur, grabbing a fist full and yanking to tug him off.

Noctis yelps in pain and loosens his jaw immediately and skitters backwards, shaking his head and whining.

Prompto takes a hasty step back and clutches his side, chest heaving with panicked breaths. Filled with terror, Prompto carefully peels his shirt away from his skin to take a look at the damage. He lets out a shaky breath of relief when he is met with the imprint of Noctis’ teeth on his skin, the area tender and starting to bruise already, but thankfully, no blood. Prompto swallows hard and glances back at Noct. Noctis is watching him warily now, head low and tail tucked between his legs like he’s the one that did something wrong and not the wolf who just tried to take a chunk out of his side.

“Fuck, Noct,” Prompto says shakily. “I know you’re still mad at me, but I’m human remember? You could have seriously hurt me. What the fuck were you thinking?”

Noctis whines and slowly crawls towards him, his ears pinned to his skull. Prompto watched his approach warily, holding his hand against his side as if that would help make it stop hurting.

Noctis whines again and slowly sits back on his haunches when he’s in front of him, leaning forward to lick at Prompto’s fingers. Prompto stares down at him incomprehensibly before it clicks. Wolves lick each other's wounds when they’re injured.

“You’re… you’re sorry?”

Noctis chuffs in reply.

It doesn’t sound like a threatening noise, but Prompto is still hesitant to let Noct do what he wants. Noctis noses at his fingers insistently, trying to nudge them out of the way. After a moment of hesitation, Prompto slowly lifts his hand.

Noctis rumbles, and Prompto holds his breath, flinching slightly when Noctis’ cold nose comes into contact with his skin when he noses under his shirt and starts to gently lap over the area with his tongue. Prompto lifts his head to the sky and endures several minutes of Noctis giving the sensitive area the equivalent of a tongue bath before he finally moves away, seemingly satisfied now that the entire area was covered in his spit.

“Why did you bite me?” Prompto asks cautiously, tugging his shirt back into place with a jerky movement.

Noctis whines, ears flattening again. Noctis nudges his leg with his head the same way as he had earlier, only much gentler.

“I don’t—I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me,” Prompto says gently, trying not to agitate the wolf into more aggression.

Noctis huffs and slowly opens his mouth, causing Prompto’s heart to skip a beat, but Noctis only snags his shirt with his teeth and gives it a slight tug, whining.

“You want me to follow you?” Prompto asks in confusion.

Noctis perks up at that, letting his shirt go in favour of barking at him and nudging him enthusiastically so that he almost falls over.

“Okay, okay! Easy with the human!” Prompto laughs breathlessly, steadying himself against Noct before he topples over. Noctis barks at him and walks forward a few paces before turning his head to look back at him.

Prompto may not be able to read Noctis’ body language as well when he’s a wolf but he knows that look well enough. He can picture Noctis’ unimpressed look, one eyebrow raised as if to say, “Well? You coming?”

Prompto slowly follows behind Noct, uneasy as he’s led deeper into the forest. He only hopes Ignis and Gladio’s impeccable hearing can pick up his voice this far out if he needs to call for help.

He’s had one close call as it is, and the fact that Noct is still in wolf form and not transforming back into his human form speaks volumes. Noctis isn’t a hundred percent back to himself, and he cannot allow himself to be lulled into a false sense of safety.

He’s feral, Prompto reminds himself, conjuring the image of Gladio’s bloody wounds in his mind and the possibility of Noct… of Noct trying to force himself on him. He can’t let his guard down. Just because Noct is behaving semi-normal now doesn’t mean he won't snap. He reminds himself of that every time Noctis glances back to make sure he’s following.

Noctis leads him into a densely back area, Noctis' large body parting branches out of the way until Prompto finds himself in the middle of an area within the bushes and trees that have been trampled to make a makeshift hiding place.

Oh god, Prompto thinks to himself when he realizes what he’s standing in.

He’s literally in a wolf’s den.

Noctis sits and waits patiently, watching him with intense golden eyes. With a start, Prompto realizes Noctis is waiting for his approval.

“Uh… this is a really good nest? Den?” Prompto says awkwardly, unsure of the proper way to complement Noctis’ destruction of the wildlife’s habitat. “Good job, buddy. Looks very cosy.”

Noctis’ tail thumps against the ground happily, and nudges his head against Prompto’s backside, pushing Prompto forwards.

“Whoa!” Prompto yelps, stumbling forward. “Noct!”

Noctis yips and nudges him again, completely ignoring Prompto’s protests.

Prompto glances at the makeshift bedding and glances back to Noct who’s looking at him expectantly. “You—you want me to get in?”

Noctis wags his tail in response.

“Okay,” Prompto sighs, approaching the nest of leaves and branches and gingerly sitting in the middle of it, turning to face the wolf whose den he is now occupying. Prompto sits cross-legged and remains alert as Noctis approaches him.

Prompto yelps in shock as Noct suddenly lunges at him, his weight forcing Prompto onto his back. Prompto’s legs kick out, eyes widening further in alarm as Noctis hovers over him.

“Noct, what—what are you doing?” Prompto stutters, hands poised to push Noct off.

Noctis chuffs and lowers his body to flop down on top of him.  Prompto grunts, wiggling his hand to get them out from underneath Noctis’ body to push at his shoulders. “Dude, you’re heavy, get off me.”

Noctis huffs and noses into the crook of his neck.

Prompto raises his shoulder to his ears and lets out a squeak. Noctis noses into his neck more insistently, growling at him in displeasure. Prompto tenses at the sound and slowly lowers his shoulders.

Noctis immediately nuzzles into the crook of his neck and rubs his fury head against him with a pleased rumble.

“Oh,” Prompto breathes, the fight draining out of him. Prompto slowly tilts his head to the side to give Noct more room to scentmark him. Noctis slumps against him, another contented rumble vibrating against his chest. Prompto slowly pets through the thick fur at the back of Noctis’ neck and scratches behind his ear in the way he knows Noctis likes.

Noctis melts against him at his touch, nuzzling into his neck more enthusiastically. Noctis’ fur is soft against his skin, so Prompto lets him continue. Prompto’s breath hitches when he feels Noctis lick his neck, one long line from his collarbone up to his ear. He makes a face but doesn’t move to stop him, and after a long moment Noctis calms and shifts on top of him to get into a more comfortable position.

The way Noct is laying on him reminds him of that day in the woods of Tenebrae when they fell asleep together in the sun after playing chase.

That day feels so long ago now.

Noctis’ breathing deepens, and Prompto can feel the massive body over his go boneless against him. He’s warm and soft, and Noct feels so much like a weighted blanket that he can feel his anxiety and nervousness slip away. He doesn’t know if it would be a good idea to fall asleep with Noct while he’s feral, but he doesn’t feel like he’s in any from him.

If Noct meant to… claim him, surely, he would have tried that by now? Prompto doesn’t get the impression that Noct wants anything more than to have him all to himself and to have him smell like him.

Ignis and Gladio made it sound like Noctis would be vicious and aggressive—and while Gladio’s injuries had been evidence enough that he had been—Noctis isn’t treating him any differently than he usually does. He’s just an overgrown puppy who’s grumpy and wants to cuddle and show off the den he made while possessively scent marking him.

Not so different from his normal Noctis.

Prompto glances down, letting out a sigh when he sees Noct already passed out on his chest. Is his scent really that relaxing to him? What exactly does he smell like to Noctis? A wolfy version of catnip?

Prompto resigns himself to his fate and tilts his head back to rest against the bundle of leaves beneath his head and stares up at the trees. It must be around noon by now, and the last time Noctis fell asleep because of his scent he’s been out for hours so he might as well take a nap with him.

If you can’t beat him, you might as well join him, Prompto muses, closing his eyes and resting his hand on the top of Noctis’ head.

Prompto wakes up groggy and confused when he feels hands frantically shaking his shoulders, pulling him out of what has to be the best sleep he’s had in days.

Prompto rubs his eyes tiredly, a grumbled complaint at being woken up dying on his tongue. Relief slams into him when he sees Noctis’ blue eyes staring down at him.

“Glad to see you’re back to your old self,” Prompto jokes, smiling up at him. “Not that I don’t like your wolf form, but you’re kinda hard to understand when you can’t actually speak my language, you know?”

Prompto’s eyes widen when Noctis’ bottom lip trembles and his hands fist his shirt.

“Why did you come after me?” Noctis chokes out, voice hoarse with disuse. “Gods, Prom, are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No, I’m fine. You didn’t hurt me,” Prompto quickly reassures him, sitting up and holding Noctis’ hands against his chest. His hip aches now that he’s sitting up straight, reminding him he isn’t one hundred percent telling the truth, but whatever.

“You—” Noctis gapes at him, eyes widening in shock. Noctis frantically shakes his hands free and fearfully pulls Prompto’s shirt collar down to see his neck before he can react. “You’re lying. Prompto, where did I hurt you? Gods, what did I do?”

“Noct, calm down and breathe, okay? You’re gonna have a panic atta—ey! Stop, I said I’m fine!” Prompto yelps in indignation Noctis grabs his chin and turns his face to the side so he can pull down his shirt collar to expose the other side of his neck and shoulder.

Prompto bats Noctis’ hand away. “See? There’s nothing there, not even a scratch. Can we stop with the manhandling now? I’m fine.”

“No, no, no, no, you lied. I heard your heart rate spike and you’re breathing change,” Noctis says, just as frantic as before. “Tell me!”

Prompto flinches at the roughly growled command.

“I’m not a wolf, Noct. That macho alpha bullshit doesn’t work on me,” Prompto says with a glare, refusing to let himself be intimidated. He may not be biologically wired to submit and forced to obey when Noctis speaks in that tone since he’s human, but it doesn’t stop him from wanting to make himself look smaller when he speaks so harshly towards him.

Prompto crosses his arms over his chest. “Seriously, dude, that’s not funny. I don’t like it when you do that, so cut it out.”

Noctis’ eyes widen and he slaps a hand over his mouth. “Fuck, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to do that, I swear. It just slipped out.”

Prompto shakes his head with a sigh. Wolves are fucking weird. It’s hard to believe that one word from Noct in that tone of voice would have other wolves scrambling to do what they’re told. It’s… dehumanizing.

“You’re forgiven. Now, can we please go? Not that this nest you made isn’t nice, but you’re…” Prompto coughs, snapping his eyes back to Noctis’ face when his eyes accidentally roam over his naked body. Prompto feels his face heat. Now is definitely not the time to ogle Noctis’ body. “…naked and covered in leaves and dirt, and in desperate need of a shower."

“No.” Noctis grabs Prompto by the arm before he can get his feet out from under him. “We’re not leaving until you tell me, so you’ll just have to deal with my nakedness. Prompto, I know I hurt you, so just tell me.”

“So you can go feral again?” Prompto accuses. “I just got you back. Gladio told me why you were forced to shift like that, and I’m not taking any chances of you falling right back into that headspace.”

“No, I-I can handle it. I’m here—I’ll stay,” Noctis says quickly. “Please tell me.”

“If I said you hurt me emotionally, can we just leave it at that?”

Noctis makes a pained sound and looks down. Prompto isn’t lying, and he knows Noctis can tell the difference.

“I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you by hiding things from you,” Noctis apologizes softly, his eyes staring at his hand that’s wrapped gently around his arm. “I wasn’t lying when I said it was to protect you.”

“Okay,” Prompto murmurs, taking a deep breath and reminding himself that he promised to hear Noct out before making any more judgements. “You can tell me all about it when we get back to the hotel, okay?”

Noctis shakes his head in refusal and raises his head to meet his eyes.

“You’re trying to distract me,” Noctis accuses.

“Is it working?” Prompto smiles.

“Prompto,” Noctis says in warning, a hint of command unintentionally slipping into his voice. It seems Noctis’ patience is at its breaking point.

“Okay, okay,” Prompto sighs. “What do you remember?”

“Uh, you told me that you…” Noctis’ eyes slide away from his. “You told me you couldn’t stand to look at me.”

“Right,” Prompto winces. Prompto places his hand on top of Noctis’ and gives his hand a light squeeze. “I didn’t mean that I didn’t want to see you anymore or that I—that I didn’t want you. I just needed some space to sort out my feelings.”

“And have you?” Noctis asks quietly, refusing to meet his eyes. “Sorted out your feelings?”

Prompto takes a deep breath, nerves fluttering in his stomach. “Promise me we’ll be honest with each other from here on out. No more secrets.”

“Okay.” Noctis swallows nervously and gives a small nod. “I promise.”

“Okay.” Prompto lets out a long breath, blowing his bangs from his eyes. “I didn’t—I didn’t want to be a third wheel in a relationship you were gonna have with someone else. I was… I was jealous, okay?”

“What?” Noctis’ eyes snap up to meet his.

“Don’t make me repeat it,” Prompto whines, removing his hand from Noctis’ so he can cross his arms over his chest and steadfastly ignoring the flush rising to his cheeks. “I know you heard me.”

“You were jealous? That’s why you were so mad at me?” Noctis says in disbelief, his eyes wide and uncomprehending like he can’t believe what he’s hearing.

“I guess we can add possessiveness to the list of things we have in common,” Prompto mutters, clearing his throat. “But that doesn’t matter right now. Let’s just go, okay? We can talk more about this later.”

“God dammit, Prom,” Noctis huffs, his nostrils flaring. Noctis shifts to lean forward on his knees, caging Prompto in with his arms on either side of his body. Prompto inhales sharply, the nerves fluttering in his stomach growing wings at how close they are. Their noses are almost touching, and Prompto has to bite back a whimper when Noctis’ eyes grow dark with a look that warns Prompto that Noctis’ wolf is close to the surface.

“You said you would tell me how I hurt you, but you keep trying to steer me off-topic,” Noctis accuses, his breath ghosting across his face. “Didn’t you just make me promise to be honest with you? Are you going to return the favour or does it only apply to me?”

Prompto laughs nervously, leaning back on his hands as far as he can without lying down on his back. Noctis’ domineering behaviour has made a sudden reappearance, and he really shouldn’t be as surprised as he is when Noctis growls and follows his retreat, his hand pressing firmly against his shoulder to press him down into the nest so he has nowhere to go.

“N-Noct,” Prompto stutters, raising his hands to push against Noctis’ chest, but Noctis plucks his hands out of the air and pins them to his sides effortlessly. Prompto squirms, his breathing picking up; ashamed of how much he likes it when Noctis gets like this.

“Does it?” Noctis presses, staring down at him with intense eyes.

“No,” Prompto squeaks. “No, it doesn’t just apply to you.”

“Then tell me,” Noctis demands. “No more diversions.”

“Okay, okay,” Prompto swallows, still hesitating.

“Prompto, just tell me,” Noctis sighs. “The longer you drag this out the more inclined I am to believe that it’s really bad.”

“You, uh… you bit me. Kinda.”

Noctis freezes, his breath audibly catching in his throat. Noctis abruptly lets him go and sits back on his haunches. His wide, panicked eyes roam over his body searching for injuries that could be hidden beneath his clothing.

Prompto slowly sits up and places his hand over his hip, holding back a grimace. It hurts more now than it did before he fell asleep.

Noctis’ eyes fall to his hand and he makes a wounded noise deep in his throat. Prompto doesn’t even see Noctis breathe as he stares down at his hand. Noctis shakily reaches out to cover Prompto’s hand with his.

“I bit you?” There is no mistaking the bone-chilling fear in Noctis’ voice. “I-I need to see. Prom, I—”

“It’s fine, Noct, seriously. You didn’t even bite me that hard. I’m not bleeding or anything, don’t worry.”

Noctis’ eyes dart up to his face and Prompto smiles wryly. “The guys told me the risks. I didn’t come out here blind, you know. I know all about the possibility of you being able to turn someone if you bite them deep enough.”

“I still need to see. It’s not that I don’t believe you, but I-I need to make sure,” Noctis pleads.

Prompto sighs in resignation and pulls up his shirt.

Noctis makes a strangled sound at the sight.

“Gods, Prom, I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry,” Noctis whimpers over and over, his body starting to tremble hard. He’s unable to tear his eyes away from the black and blue bruise that covers Prompto’s hip in the imprint of his teeth.

“Hey, no, don’t do this to me again,” Prompto exclaims, grabbing Noctis by the arms. “You promised you’d stay here with me, remember? Breathe, it’s just a bruise. It’ll fade!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Noctis chants, not seeming to hear a word Prompto’s saying. Noctis’ eyes are flickering gold again like the flame of a candle threatening to go out.

“Noct, c’mon, listen to me! It’s just a bruise!” Prompto says loudly, shaking Noctis by his arms.

Noctis shakes his head frantically, the tremors becoming a full-body shake. Claws sprout from his nailbeds and his ears start to grow pointed, Noctis’ eyes a solid ring of gold.

“Fucking—” Prompto growls, grabbing Noctis by the back of the neck and surging forward to press his lips to his.

Noctis makes a muffled sound of surprise against his lips, and Prompto pulls back slightly.

“I forgive you,” Prompto whispers, pressing his forehead against Noctis’ with a soft sigh. “I forgive you.”

“You kissed me,” Noctis whispers, dazed.

“Yeah. Yeah, I did,” Prompto chuckles. “It got you to stop shaking, at least.”

“I think I’m still a bit shaky,” Noctis swallows, his hand coming up to tentatively cup the side of Prompto’s neck. “I still might shift unless you do it again.”

“Real smooth, Noct,” Prompto giggles, but acquiesces, placing another chaste kiss on Noctis' lips before pulling back again.

“Again,” Noctis breathes.

Prompto’s eyes flick up to Noctis’ eyes, his heart pounding at the longing and pleading he can see shining in Noctis’ eyes. Prompto twines his arms around Noctis’ neck and gives him a proper kiss, their lips moving gently against each other.

Our first kiss should have been like this, Prompto thinks with a pang, shivering when Noctis groans against his lips and grips his waist to pull him closer.

“Again,” Noctis rasps when Prompto pulls back to breathe.

Prompto’s eyes flick back down to Noctis’ lips swollen from his kisses and closes the distance between them once more, tilting his head to the side and slanting his mouth over his, kissing him deeper, his tongue caressing his when Noctis’ lips part for him.

Prompto moans into the kiss when Noctis takes control of the kiss and kisses him harder, rising to his knees to kiss him better, his arm wrapping around his back to pull him against his chest. Prompto tangles his hands in Noctis’ thick locks and hangs on for dear life.

Noctis pulls back to suck his bottom lip into his mouth, and Prompto keens when his canines press against his lip before Noct releases it, laving over the bite with his tongue before capturing his lips in another feverish kiss, their tongues caressing each other heatedly.

Prompto tugs on Noctis’ hair and Noctis growls into his mouth.

Oh, he likes that. Prompto gives Noctis’ hair another tug, and gasps when Noctis’ hips jerk forward, his erection pressing against his belly and making him realize just how hard his own dick is, straining against the confines of his jeans.

“Oh my god,” Prompto gasps, his chest heaving for breath when Noctis’ lips trail down to his jaw, and then to his neck. Prompto whines, his hands falling to Noctis’ shoulders, digging his nails in when Noctis latches onto a spot high on his neck and sucks.

“Noct.” Prompto yelps in sudden pain when Noctis’ hand smooths down his side to grip his injured hip at the same time his teeth press down firmly.

Everything abruptly comes to a stop, and Prompto has to catch himself with a startled sound against Noctis’ chest when Noctis suddenly jerks away from him as if Prompto’s body suddenly erupted into flames and he didn’t want to get burnt.

Prompto lifts his head, blinking owlishly at Noct, dazed from the sudden loss of Noctis against him and lightheaded from their kiss. Noctis is staring at him with wide eyes like he hadn’t realized he’d been attempting to devour him a moment earlier.

“Shit, I’m so sorry!” Noctis hastily apologizes. “I got carried away!”

“I can see that,” Prompto laughs breathlessly, his lips swollen from Noctis’ teeth. Prompto swallows when he inadvertently glances down and sees Noctis’ hard cock between his legs with precum already beading at the tip. Prompto’s eyes snap back to Noctis’ face, his cheeks burning. Prompto clears his throat, his hand reaching up to cup the side of his neck. “You’ve really got to stop apologising. I got carried away too.”

Noctis smiles sheepishly, exhaling loudly. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Prompto breathes, dropping his hand from his neck and attempting to straighten his clothes, leaving his jeans alone despite wanting to adjust himself. There’s no way he’s doing that in front of Noctis’ watchful gaze. “I hope you know you’re not off the hook just because we made out. I still expect an explanation.”

“And you’ll get it,” Noctis promises, his eyes tracking Prompto’s every movement. Noctis’ voice is rough, and it sends a shiver down Prompto’s spine as his mind wanders, imagining Noctis saying, “You’ll get it,” in that same tone of voice but in a more sexual scenario, specifically with Noctis between his legs.

Prompto laughs nervously when Noctis’ nostrils flare and his eyes grow darker with what Prompto is beginning to suspect is lust. He’s seen that look in Noctis’ eyes several times before, and with a flush of realization, he finally understands why Gladio and Ignis separate them whenever Noct gets that look in his eyes.

Noctis can smell when he becomes aroused.

Prompto covers his face with a groan. God, he’s an idiot. Of course, Noctis can pick up on that.

“Sorry,” Prompto mumbles in embarrassment, peeking between his fingers when Noctis’ hands wrap around his wrists.

“Don’t be,” Noctis says, pulling his hands away from his face and giving him a wolfish grin. “I like knowing I have that effect on you. That definitely boosts my ego.”

“Please,” Prompto scoffs. “Your ego doesn’t need stroking—you wipe that smirk off your face!” Prompto warns, pointing a finger in Noctis’ face. “Get your mind out of the gutter!”

“Says you, your mind was definitely in the gutter a minute ago,” Noctis teases playfully, sniggering when Prompto shoves at his shoulder. “Aw, Prom, are you blushing?” Noctis grins. “What exactly were you thinking about? Whatever it was I definitely wanna know about it.”

“Shut up! God, just stop talking!” Prompto whines, smacking Noctis on the shoulder. “Stop teasing me.”

“Okay, okay,” Noctis laughs, snatching Prompto’s hand before he can smack him again. “I’m sorry.”

“You better be,” Prompto grumbles half-heartedly, huffing. “You and that freaky nose of yours need to learn some manners. Didn’t your father teach you it’s rude to go around sniffing humans?”

Noctis snorts in amusement. “Okay, I’ll be more polite about it next time and compliment you first.”

Prompto crosses his arms over his chest. “Next time? Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourself, buddy?”

Noctis’ grin falters slightly, the laughter in his eyes going out. “Right.”

“I…I didn’t mean it like that,” Prompto sputters. “I just meant—"

“It’s okay,” Noctis says tightly, giving him a forced smile. “I get it. You haven’t accepted me as your mate. I should be thankful you even let me kiss you.”

“Noct,” Prompto says, his heart constricting painfully in his chest at the resigned look on Noctis’ face.

Noctis shakes his head, the familiar blue aura starting to glow around his body signalling Noct reaching into the Armiger. Noctis suddenly curses loudly, causing Prompto to jolt in surprise.

“What’s wrong?”

Noctis frowns deeply, cursing when his search in the Armiger for potions comes back empty. He could have sworn he had a few more potions stashed in there when he had healed Prompto back in the cave. Gladio and Ignis must have used the last of their reserves for some reason.

“I’m sorry,” Noctis says remorsefully. “Your hip—is the pain tolerable? There aren’t any potions left in the Armiger to heal it.”

“As I said before, it’s only a bruise,” Prompto reminds him gently. “I don’t need a potion.”

“It would make me feel better if you took a potion,” Noctis argues. “I don’t like the idea of you walking around with an injury that I caused, no matter how small.”

What about the hickey you probably left on my neck? That counts as a bruise, Prompto wants to say but bites his tongue. Now isn’t the time to be sassy.

“Potions are for emergencies, Noct,” Prompto says with exasperation. It was their one rule when they started this journey. Healing potions aren’t cheap, and with how clumsy and slow-healing he is compared to wolves, they’d be broke within a week. “And a bruise isn’t an emergency. It’s not important enough to warrant the use of a potion.”

“Any injury you have is important to me. It doesn’t matter how small it is,” Noctis growls, and wow, okay, Prompto has to remind himself not to tell Noct about all the times he’s tripped and scraped his hand and knees or knocked his elbow against something and gotten bruised—or all the times he stubbed his toe against Noctis’ furniture.

“Dude, seriously, it’s bearable, okay? I’ve suffered a lot worse than a bruise.”

This is obviously the wrong this to say to an overprotective alpha because Noctis’ frown deepens and he growls unhappily.

“That doesn’t make me feel any better, Prom,” Noctis scowls.

“I know, but it’s the truth,” Prompto sighs. “I can handle it.”

“Fine, but as soon as we’re back in town, I’m buying you a potion.”

“Fine.” Prompto rolls his eyes with a huff. “So, we can go back now?”

Noctis nods and gets to his feet, holding out a hand to Prompto to pull him to his feet, biting back a whine when Prompto smothers a groan of pain when his hip twinges painfully.

“It hurts more than you’re letting on,” Noctis whispers, stepping closer and gently placing a hand over the smarting area. “I wish you didn’t feel the need to act so tough, at least not when you’re with me.”

“Force of habit,” Prompto takes in a measured breath and lets it out just as slowly, closing his eyes and pressing his hand over Noct’s. “Us humans aren’t as durable as you are. I don’t want to look weak.”

“You’re not,” Noctis says fiercely. “You’re the strongest human I know.”

“I’m the only human you know,” Prompto points out with a chuckle.

“That’s not true,” Noctis denies, pausing for a long moment. “Uh…”

“Exactly,” Prompto snorts, shaking his head with a smile. 

“Cindy?” Noctis tries.

Prompto gives Noct an unimpressed look. “Her grandfather is a werewolf. She still carries the gene.”

Noctis rolls his eyes with a huff. “Fine, you got me there.”

“Alright, then, smartass, let's get going before it gets any darker.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to get on my back when I shift? Or will that hurt your hip too much?” Noctis asks worriedly, pulling away from him. “We can walk back into town, but, well…” Noctis gestures at his naked body.

Prompto winces at the thought of having to swing his leg over Noctis’ back without help. Yeah, that would definitely burn and make the bruise ache like a mother fucker, and not only that; they still have the whole mate thing to discuss.

“Full honesty?”

When Noctis nods, Prompto gives him an apologetic smile. “I’d rather walk. Not only will it hurt to climb on, but me being on your back means more to you than simply giving me a ride, and I don’t want to assume any position or—or hierarchy in the pack until we’ve had that talk.”

Noctis physically deflates at his words, his eyes falling to the ground.

“This isn’t me rejecting you!” Prompto hastily adds. “Don’t misunderstand me. I… I obviously wouldn’t have made out with you if I didn’t have feelings for you.”

Noctis’ eyes snap up to meet his. “You have feelings for me?”

“Yes,” Prompto confirms, chuckling when a large smile starts to spread across Noctis’ face.

“I would kiss you right now if I wasn’t afraid you’d punch me for pushing your boundaries,” Noctis breathes, reaching for him and swallowing audibly. “I love you. You know that right?”

Prompto inhales sharply at the admission and swallows against the sudden lump in his throat.

“I know,” Prompto says hoarsely, his heart thudding wildly against his ribcage. “I…”

“Don’t feel pressured. I didn’t tell you to hear you say it back,” Noctis murmurs, entwining their fingers and giving his hand a gentle tug to get Prompto to follow him. Noctis faces forward so Prompto’s left staring speechlessly at his back. “I just wanted you to know, and whatever you decide after our talk, I’ll… I’ll do my best to respect it and not push for more if you—if you don’t want this. I’m not telling you this to coerce you or—or guilt trip you. I just… I needed to tell you at least once.”

Prompto swallows hard, his throat closing and his chest contracting painfully as his emotions bubble up inside him, too overwhelming to contain. His eyes well with tears that spill down his cheeks, his breath hitching with a quiet sob.

Noctis whirls around at the sound, his eyes widening in panic. He just made his mate cry.

“Oh no, don’t cry. I’m sorry,” Noctis says softly, rumbling soothingly, uncertain whether the sound would comfort Prompto like it would for a wolf, hesitating to envelop Prompto in his arms while he’s still naked.

“I’m okay.” Prompto hiccups a laugh, rubbing at his eyes and wiping away the tears that escape.

Noctis whines quietly in dismay. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

Prompto pulls his other hand free from Noctis’ grasp so he can wipe away the wetness under his eyes and on his cheeks.

“I’m not crying because I’m sad,” Prompto sniffles. “This is gonna sound really pathetic, but… I’ve never had anyone tell me they loved me before.”

“Wha—never?” Noctis sputters in indignation. How could people not love his mate? “I’m sure your parents have told you before?”

“Yeah, right,” Prompto scoffs. “Maybe when I was five. I barely see them anymore. They’re always busy travelling. I couldn’t even get a hold of them on the phone to let them know I was leaving Insomnia, remember?”

Noctis’ face goes through a multitude of different emotions before settling on grim determination.

“I’ll tell you every day,” Noctis tells him solemnly. “So that not a single day goes by where you don’t know you’re loved.”

“You don’t have to do that!” Prompto squeaks, his voice going a little high, overwhelmed by the situation. “Can we just back up into the friend zone again, please? We’ll save the l-love talk for after we’ve talked everything through.”

“I can tell you I love you platonically,” Noctis says, affronted. “You’re my best friend. My dude. My bro. My buddy. My pack.”

“’Bro?’ Seriously?” Prompto snorts a laugh, scrubbing a hand down his face to hide his grin. “Bros don’t kiss their bros, and friends definitely don’t kiss each other.”

“Bullshit, I saw you kiss Ignis on the cheek when he gave you that season pass to the chocobo ranch on your birthday.”

“Friends don’t kiss each other like that,” Prompto amends.

“You’re forgetting friends with benefits.”

“Oh my god!” Prompto yells, smacking Noctis repeatedly when Noctis throws back his head and laughs. “Urg, I hate you so much right now.”

“Sure, you do,” Noctis grins, catching Prompto’s hand mid-air before he can land another smack to his shoulder. “Let’s get going, friend, and try not to stare at my ass. Friends don’t stare at each other's asses.”

Prompto lobs some very choice words at Noctis’ back as he follows Noctis out of the forest and back into the sunlight.

Chapter Text

When they finally make it to the tree line, Prompto has to squint and shield his eyes with his hand. The sun is much brighter out here than in the forest, and it takes a long moment for his eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness.

Ignis and Gladio spot them before Prompto does, Ignis’ voice calling out to them from a distance, the relief in his voice palpable.

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!” Gladio grins at his joke when he sees Prompto squinting up at him, his lips turning down into a pout. Gladio turns his head to regard Noctis with an assessing look before his expression clears. “I could do without seeing your junk, though.”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s good to see you too,” Noctis snorts, catching the bundle of clothes Gladio tosses his way. Noctis sighs forlornly when Gladio tosses a pair of running shoes by his feet. His boots mustn’t have survived the transformation; they were his favorite combat boots too! “Did you guys wait out here all day?”

“Yes,” Ignis confirms. “We stayed nearby in case something happened.”

Noctis nods in understanding while pulling on his pants and slipping his feet into his sneakers. He can make do without socks, but it would have been nice if Gladio had given him a pair of briefs; his dick is gonna chafe in these damnably tight jeans.

Noctis pauses and stares down at the jeans while he’s buttoning and zipping them up, frowning in confusion. He… doesn’t remember owning a pair of light blue jeans. Noctis blinks down at the, “I’m about to fuck shit up” patch ironed onto the thigh of the jeans.

Oh, Noctis realizes. These are Prompto’s jeans; no wonder they’re so fucking tight. He doesn’t know how his mate can stand squeezing his body into skinny jeans, but damn if they don’t make his ass and legs look good so he’s not really in a position to complain too much about them.

Speaking of Prompto…

“Prom needs a potion.”

Ignis’ eyes widen and he turns his focus onto Prompto, sweeping his eyes over him and looking for signs of an injury.

“I do not,” Prompto huffs, crossing his arms against his chest. “I’m perfectly fine. I don’t need a potion for a stupid bruise.”

“A bruise?” Ignis frowns, turning back to Noctis with a raised eyebrow. “You know potions are only for emergencies, Noct, not for trivial injuries.”

“That’s what I told him,” Prompto says.

“I bit him, Specs,” Noctis growls, tugging his shirt on with a little more force than necessary. “I want it healed.”

“You what?” Gladio thunders. “Oh fuck, tell me you didn’t—”

Ignis rushes to Prompto’s side and grabs him by his elbow, turning Prompto to face him. “Did he draw blood? Prompto, where did he bite you!?”

“Oh my god, I’m okay! I’ve already been over this with Noct, don’t worry!” Prompto exclaims, alarmed by the mixture of fear and worry for him on Ignis’ face. Is being turned into a wolf that terrible? “He didn’t bite me deeply or anything! He tried to grab me to show me this nest-den thing he made. He didn’t mean to bite me that hard.”

“Are you absolutely certain?” Ignis presses. “It doesn’t take much for the bite to take. If his canines sunk in just a little too hard and drew blood, even a drop—”

“Noct checked it himself, there’s no blood. He didn’t break the skin, but have a look at it if it’ll make you feel better.” Prompto tugs his shirt up with a sigh, revealing the nasty bruise covering his hip. Prompto ignores the way Noctis turns away from him in shame; unable to bear looking at it again.

“Holy fuck,” Gladio grunts, wincing in sympathy. “That doesn’t look pretty.”

“It’s fine. I just bruise eas—eeeey,” Prompto hisses, jerking away when Ignis presses his fingers against his tender skin.

A furious snarl rips out of Noctis the way an explosion would rip through the air, loud and startling. Ignis quickly backs away from Prompto and holds up his hands to show he means no harm, keeping his gaze trained firmly on the ground so he doesn’t provoke Noctis any further.

“Easy, Noct,” Gladio says cautiously, placing himself between Noctis and Ignis.

Prompto flinches in shock at the sudden aggressive snarling, and for a horrifying moment, Prompto thinks it’s Ardyn’s pack and his heart rate skyrockets with panic before he realizes it came from Noct. Prompto stares at Noctis with wide eyes, surprised to see him baring his teeth at Ignis in a snarl, his eyes a bright, burning gold.

“Forgive me, Your Highness,” Ignis apologizes, his head bowed and neck bared in submission. “I didn’t mean to cause him any discomfort.”

“Astrals, Noct, calm down,” Gladio huffs when Noctis starts growling, still peeved with Ignis for unintentionally hurting his mate. “Those instincts of yours are wound up real tight, aren’t they?”

“I’m fine,” Prompto reassures when Noctis’ eyes don’t immediately fade back to their normal color, his posture still tense as if he’s prepared to come to his defence. “Relax, Noct. I promise I’m okay.”

Noctis’ eyes finally leave Ignis to look at him and his posture softens a bit before he turns away.

“Let’s just go so we can get him a potion,” Noctis grumbles, stomping back onto the beaten trail that leads back into town.

“Wait a minute,” Gladio calls to Noctis’ retreating back. “Do you want me to carry Prompto into town?”

Noctis whirls around with a sharp threatening snarl.

“No,” Noctis bites out between his fangs. “He’s—”

“He’s yours, yes, I know,” Gladio says hastily, raising his hands in surrender. “It was a harmless offer, Noct. It’s a half-hour walk on foot and your mate is injured,” Gladio warns.

“I said no,” Noctis growls. “If he couldn’t ride on my back, I’m not allowing him on yours.”

Prompto gapes at how possessive Noct is behaving.

“Is this another alpha thing?” Prompto whispers to Ignis uncertainly.

Ignis makes a noise of agreement, watching the two alphas warily.

“Noct, if you don’t want me to ride on another alpha’s back, Ignis could carry me.” All eyes turn to him at that, and Prompto shifts from one foot to another self-consciously. “I-I mean, he’s a beta so you wouldn’t, uh, feel threatened or whatever, plus Iggy is slimmer so it probably won’t hurt my hip—no offence!” Prompto says quickly, unsure if that’s an offensive thing to say about a wolf when they value the size of their wolf form.

“You… you would grant me that honour?” Ignis whispers, his voice trembling slightly. Ignis is staring down at Prompto with wide, shining eyes and Prompto is overcome with the appalling notion that Ignis is about to cry. “Truly?”

“Of course, I would, Iggy!”

Prompto smiles helplessly when Ignis whips around to look at Noct and asks for his permission with a giddiness that takes him by surprise. Ignis looks so much younger and less severe with his eyes all lit up with happiness and his face unguarded, showing how excited he is at the prospect of getting to carry him.

Prompto sees the exact moment the anger and fight drain from Noctis.

Noctis sighs, running a hand through his hair.

“Prompto suggested it so it’s okay,” Noctis mumbles. He may no longer sound angry, but Prompto can hear the petulant tone in his voice.

Ignis practically scrambles to get undressed, shocking Prompto once more when Ignis barely takes the time to neatly fold his clothes before depositing them into Gladio’s arms.

“Why don’t you just put them in the Armiger?” Gladio sighs, holding his arms out patiently while Ignis piles his clothes into his arms.

“Don’t be absurd,” Ignis sniffs, giving Gladio an incredulous look as he hastily folds his jeans and briefs and places his shoes neatly on top of the pile in Gladio’s arms. “You know we don’t store our clothing in the armiger because it makes the fabric stiff.”

“You’re too stiff,” Gladio mutters under his breath, rolling his eyes. “My leather pants survive when I store them in the Armiger.”

“That’s because leather is already stiff,” Ignis explains with a roll of his eyes to the sky in exasperation. How Gladio doesn’t know these things already is beyond him. “The next time I do the laundry I will put all of your clothes in the armiger and then you will see.”

Ignis doesn’t bother waiting for a response and shifts before Gladio can come up with a retort; eager to carry Prompto on his back into town.

Prompto watches as Ignis turns his back to them and shifts from man to wolf. When the transition isn’t painful like it had been when Noct had gone through a forced shift, it’s an amazing thing to witness. Prompto doesn’t think he’ll ever grow tired of watching fur sprout like magic over their body and begin to change shape effortlessly into a new form. He’d be envious of the ability to change into an animal whenever the mood strikes him if he didn’t also have to deal with all the instincts that came with being that animal.

Ignis’ wolf form is just as beautiful as Noctis’ and Gladio’s, his sleek grey fur shining and glinting almost silver in the afternoon sun. Ignis’ golden eyes shine, and Prompto can clearly see how happy he is by the way he tries to calmly walk over to him, tail twitching in the air like he’s trying to stop it from wagging fiercely behind him.

Prompto laughs, digging his hands into Ignis’ thick fur coat and scratching him behind the ears when Ignis butts his head against his hand and steps forward so his hand slides down his head. Ignis rumbles deep in his throat in contentment, and Prompto smiles.

Ignis shakes his body out and lowers himself onto his belly, glancing up at him with a question in his eyes.

“That’s perfect, Iggy,” Prompto reassures him.

Prompto braces a hand on Ignis’ shoulder, slowly and carefully climbing onto his back, wincing slightly when he manoeuvres his leg over Ignis’ back and his hip twinges. When he’s finally seated on Ignis’ back, Prompto lets out an exhale as he straightens and gets comfortable. He was right, Ignis’ slimmer build put less strain on his hips. It’s still slightly uncomfortable, but at least it’s not painful.

“Alright, Iggy, I’m good. You can stand up now,” Prompto tells him, grabbing a fistful of fur to steady himself in preparation.

Ignis carefully raises himself onto all fours, experimentally taking a few slow steps before stopping… and then taking another few steps forward at the same pace, before stopping and turning his head to make sure Prompto is seated comfortably and continuing on at his snail's pace.

Prompto looks over when Gladio starts roaring with laughter. Gladio’s shoulders shake with the force of his laughter, not even bothering to hide his mirth as Ignis continues to walk extremely slowly, carefully placing one paw in front of the other.

Noctis is grinning in amusement and lets out a chuckle of his own. “Relax, Specs. You don’t need to walk so carefully, Prompto’s fine.”

Ignis lets out a whine of uncertainty and stops to glance over his shoulder at Prompto again.

Prompto bites his lip to stop himself from laughing as well and cards his fingers through Ignis’ fur reassuringly.

“I appreciate how careful you’re being, but I’ll be fine if you walk faster,” Prompto tells him, rolling his eyes when Ignis narrows his eyes and flicks his eyes down at his hip pointedly with a growl. “My hip’s fine, I barely even feel it. If it starts hurting, I’ll say something. I promise.”

Ignis lets out a grumbly sort of growl that sounds so stern that Prompto can just imagine Ignis’ voice in his head saying, “You better,” while he points a finger at him warningly, and Prompto has to laugh at the mental image.

“Scout’s honour,” Prompto swears, holding three fingers in the air. Ignis doesn’t seem completely won over, but he turns his head to face forward and starts walking again at a slightly faster pace than before.

“You’re not even a scout,” Gladio scoffs, walking up beside Prompto while Noctis takes his other side, his hand wrapping around his ankle like he can’t resist touching him.

Prompto ignores the warmth of Noctis’ hand on his ankle and brings his finger to his lips to shush Gladio before Ignis gets insecure about walking too fast again.

Gladio rolls his eyes but doesn’t make fun of the situation anymore which Prompto is grateful for. He doesn’t want Ignis to doubt him or regret carrying him because he thinks he’s suffering through the pain in silence just so Ignis could enjoy carrying him for half an hour.

Ignis walks tall and proud back into town with Prompto on his back, bringing him all the way to the front doors of the hotel and preening with gratification when people turn to watch his approach and whisper amongst themselves.

“Look at him soaking up all the attention.” Gladio shakes his head with a smile, walking a little bit behind Ignis’ right flank due to Ignis’ longer strides. “He’s gonna be bragging about this moment once we get back to Insomnia.”

“Bragging? I doubt it,” Noctis chuckles, watching his packmates with fondness. “Ignis is too proud to brag.”

Gladio scoffs. “Oh, he’ll hoard it over the council’s head whenever they question his decisions, you’ll see.” Gladio clears his throat and imitates Ignis’ voice. “I am the trusted advisor to his Royal Highness. Have any of you had the honour of carrying the prince’s mate on your back?”

“Alright, yeah. I can kinda see him saying that.” Noctis laughs, watching Ignis carefully lower himself to allow Prompto to climb off. Noctis narrows his eyes when his mate straightens and starts walking up the steps, heading straight for the lobby doors. Noctis hastens to catch up with him.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Noctis asks pointedly, catching Prompto’s wrist before he can make a beeline for the doors. “We’re getting you a potion at the general store, first.”

Prompto groans in complaint. “Do we really have to?”

“Do you still have a bruise?” Noctis deadpans. “Yes? Then we’re getting you a potion, Prompto. End of discussion.” Noctis says firmly when Prompto opens his mouth to object again.

“It’s best you just go along with it, Blondie,” Gladio says with a chuckle. “The faster you get that healed; the faster princess here will be less likely to crowd you so much.”

“Fine,” Prompto sighs, letting Noctis lead him by his wrist like a sulking child all the way to the store, dragging his feet the whole way.

“Does it really bother you that much?” Prompto asks, uncomfortable with the silence between them as Noctis leads the way, weaving through the crowds like a man on a mission.

“Yes,” Noctis says tersely. “It does.”

Prompto wiggles his hand free from Noctis’ grip to hold his hand instead.

“You know I’m okay, right?” Prompto checks, tugging on Noctis’ hand to get him to slow down. “You can relax, I’ll take the potion.”

Noctis exhales a loud sigh, his shoulders slumping. Noctis’ hand tightens briefly around his and stops leading him to walk beside him. “I’m sorry, I know I’m being pushy. It’s just… hard for me to deal with sometimes—you being hurt.”

“Noct,” Prompto says softly. His heart feels too big for his chest, his insides thrumming with heat. He doesn’t need Noct to remind him every day that he loves him, his actions speak for him. Noctis cares so much it physically pains him to see him hurt.

“We’re here,” Noctis’ says, leading him into the store and eyeing the selection on the shelf.

Prompto has to grab the hi-potion out of Noctis’ hands to put back on the shelf in favour of a normal potion, giving him an exasperated look.

“Just a bruise, remember?”

“Fine, fine,” Noctis relents, taking the potion and moving to the back of the store, tensing and eyeing the other customers in the store distrustfully as they get in line to wait their turn.

“Relax,” Prompto reminds him, slinging his arm through Noctis’. “Why are you so tense? Nothing is going to happen while we’re in public. Not everyone is out to get us you know.”

Noctis sighs, his nose twitching as he takes in the scent of the people around them. “Sorry.”

“No, seriously. What’s up?” Prompto asks worriedly. “I can’t sense things around me as you can.”

“It’s nothing,” Noctis says, but his eyes dart around the room like he’s searching for something—or someone.

“I thought we promised not to keep things from each other,” Prompto says quietly, stepping closer to Noctis, finding the building anxiety calm slightly when Noctis pulls him closer to his side.

“I don’t want to alarm you,” Noctis responds just as quietly.

“Well, now I’m alarmed,” Prompto says nervously, his eyes darting from person to person, trying to see what Noctis sees.

“I thought I caught someone’s scent, but it’s gone now.”

Prompto feels his stomach coil with dread and unease. “Ardyn?”

Noctis nods once, clenching his jaw and holding onto his arm tightly as the customer ahead of them is taken next.

“Where?” Prompto whispers.

“I don’t know—too many people.”

Prompto bites his lip nervously. “A scout?”

“Most likely.”

“Are we safe here?” Prompto asks quietly.

Noctis doesn’t respond, plastering on a fake smile as they step up to the counter. Noctis hands over the potion for the cashier to scan and hands over the necessary amount of gil. Noctis mumbles a quick ‘thank you' to the cashier and grabs the potion, clutching his hand in his again as they make for the exit.

“Noct? Are we safe here?” Prompto repeats frantically, his heart beginning to beat faster, and his breathing starting to pick up.

Noctis turns sharply around a corner, leading him down an alleyway. Prompto gasps when Noctis pushes him abruptly against the wall and presses in close. His heart slams against his ribs when Noctis’ hand falls over his mouth to silence him. “Shh.”

Prompto’s eyes widen in shock, not daring to even breathe as Noctis’ eyes sharpen and turn gold. Noctis removes his hand from his mouth and raises a finger to his lips to tell him to remain silent.

Prompto nods jerkily, flinching when Noctis presses the potion into his motionless hands. “Wait.”

Prompto swallows thickly, watching as Noctis stalks down the alleyway with his back to the wall and waits by the entrance of the alleyway. Prompto waits with bated breath, his heart galloping in fear as the seconds drag on and nothing happens.

Prompto jumps, gasping loudly when someone enters the alley and Noctis lunges at them. The guy yells as Noctis forces him down onto the pavement and pins him down on his back, pressing his knee into their chest. The guy scrabbles at Noctis’ leg in shock before Noctis twists his arm and pins them hard and unforgiving to the stone above his head with a smack that has Prompto flinching when the guy keens in pain.

“Who sent you?” Noctis snarls.

“Please!” The kid cries out—and he really is only a kid, Prompto realizes. He doesn’t appear to be that much younger than they are, maybe seventeen at the most. “I didn’t do anything!”

“Why were you following us?” Noctis demands.

Prompto hesitantly inches closer, his heart panging in his chest at the terror he can hear in the boy’s voice. When he’s close enough, he can see that the boy’s eyes are gold, and he’s bearing his neck to Noct and trembling like a leaf beneath Noctis’ body.

“I—please, you’re hurting me!” The boy pleads, and his eyes desperately lock onto Prompto’s, his nostrils flaring, and he gasps like he’s having trouble taking in air. “Please, they—they made me!”

“Who made you?” Prompto asks softly, biting his tongue when Noctis’ head lifts to look at him.

“I-I don’t know, I swear! They approached me and offered to pay me to do a job for them! I’ve never seen them before in my life—honest!” The boy says frantically. “Please a-ask your alpha to get off me. I’m not gonna hurt you!”

Prompto looks to Noctis, and Noctis slowly lifts his knee away from the boy’s chest and lets him sit up. The boy coughs and scrambles away from them on his hands and knees to put some distance between them, rubbing at his sore wrists.

“What’s the job they asked you to do for them?” Noctis demands no less gently than before.

“They—they offered me five thousand gil to follow you and report back to them,” The boy stutters, eyes flicking between Noctis and Prompto. “That’s all! All I had to do was tail you for the day. All I had to do was follow two guys? It was easy money so of course, I said yes!”

“Five thousand gil?” Prompto says in shock. That’s not junk change, that’s enough to put a down payment on a brand-new car or a house. “Why?”

“They didn’t tell me and I didn’t ask.”

“Just us?” Noctis asks sharply. “Not the rest of my pack?”

The boy shakes his head. “They specifically said the blond and the guy with black hair. They told me you two would be together so it was easy to spot you.”

“Fuck!” Noctis says explosively, his breathing coming fast and hard. “What did you tell them? How long have you been following us? Answer me!”

The boy whimpers and shrinks back. “I haven’t told them anything! I-I’m supposed to meet them tonight. I’ve been following you s-since you got off the train.”

“Since we got off—” Noctis freezes, his face losing all of its color. “No…”

The boy slowly crawls backwards, yelping when Noctis grabs him by the ankle and yanks him back.

“Noct!” Prompto shouts in shock at how Noctis roughly treats the kid, but Noctis ignores him.

“You know,” Noctis accuses, snarling furiously. “You heard everything, didn’t you? You heard our conversation right before I shifted into a wolf.”

“Please!” The boy begs, tears gathering in his eyes. “I don’t know what you want from me!”

“I want you to disappear,” Noctis growls. “I don’t care where you go, but if you breathe a word to anybody—especially to the people who hired you—that Prompto is my mate, I’ll find you, and believe me when I say that you won’t be leaving that encounter alive. Do we understand each other?”

The tears spill down the boy’s cheeks and he nods frantically, his breath hitching with a cracked sob.  “I-I’ll leave. I swear, I will. Just don’t kill me.”

“Then don’t give me a reason to,” Noctis growls, letting him scramble to his feet and run out of the alley like he has a pack of hellhounds nipping at his heels.

“What the fuck was that, Noct?” Prompto snaps, shaken by the whole ordeal.

“Ardyn,” Noctis growls, his chest heaving. “His pack must suspect that you’re more than just a pack member to me, and if they suspect something, then Ardyn must too.”

“Oh,” Prompto chokes, the severity of the situation finally crashing into him.

“Come on, take the potion and let’s get the fuck out of here,” Noctis says, wrapping his hand around Prompto’s so the potion breaks in Prompto’s hold and washes over him with healing light. “The faster we get to our room, the faster we’ll be away from prying eyes.”

Prompto nods and hastily follows Noct back the way they came. Prompto is so relieved when they make it to the hotel without incident that he could cry. He thought they’d be safe here, but he’s coming to realize that nowhere is safe as long as Ardyn has people willing to do his dirty work for him.

Ignis and Gladio are waiting for them in the lobby, and when they burst through the front door, they turn in alarm at their loud entrance. Ignis and Gladio take one look at Noctis’ stormy expression and goes on the alert at once.

“What happened?” Gladio demands, taking Prompto’s side and sweeping his eyes over him.

“Ardyn has people watching us,” Noctis hisses quietly, motioning to Ignis to lead the way to their rooms. “Members of his pack are in the city.”

“What?” Gladio exclaims.

“Are you sure?” Ignis asks, turning around sharply and almost stumbling down the stairs they’re going down in his surprise.

“Considering the fact that I ambushed someone they bribed to follow us and report back to them, I’m pretty sure,” Noctis says heatedly. “I don’t want Prompto out of our sight. I want someone with him at all times—don’t fight me. Not on this,” Noctis says, shooting Prompto a look that doesn’t broker any arguments.

“You won’t hear any from me,” Prompto promises. “But what are we going to do?”

“We’ll head for Fenestala Manor first thing in the morning before the sun comes up. We’ll be safe in Queen Sylva’s manor,” Noctis says. “Until then, we have to act normal. If they’re watching us and we do anything suspicious, they’ll know they’ve been made.”

“Can’t we just call room service and stay in for the rest of the night?” Prompto asks hopefully. “That's a normal thing people do after a long train ride, right?”

“I… may have made reservations at Vagone Ristorante Giussoli for dinner,” Ignis informs them weakly.

“Of course, you did,” Prompto groans.

“It’s Noctis’ favorite Tenebraen restaurant,” Ignis says defensively. “And he missed his chance to eat there for lunch.”

“Which means we have to go,” Prompto groans. “Great.”

“We’ll be fine,” Gladio says confidently, slapping Prompto on the shoulder. “Queen Sylva may not have as many glaives as us, but she has enough glaives patrolling the streets to keep trouble away. Ardyn’s pack wouldn’t be stupid enough to start anything publicly and risk being noticed.”

“He wouldn’t want to start the war before he’s ready, you mean,” Ignis quips.

“That too,” Gladio agrees.

“Here we are,” Ignis says finally, leading them down one last flight of stairs and through a door that enters into a short, hallway with four rooms; two on each side.

“I paid for two rooms,” Ignis explains when he notices Noctis’ confused expression when he summons two sets of keys from the Armiger instead of one.

“Why?” Noctis frowns, his confusion deepening. “We always share a room.”

“Gladio suggested it and I agreed that it was a good idea. It was a precaution and nothing more,” Ignis explains in a placating tone, looking up the staircase they had just descended, straining his ears to ensure that there is no one nearby that could be privy to their conversation. “We weren’t certain whether Prompto would be able to get through to you in a feral state. We had to be prepared to contain you if he failed—which is why the clerk at the front desk was gracious enough to rent us these… suites.”

Suites are too nice of a word for what these rooms are. They’re specifically tailored to holding werewolves with low self-control. The rooms are equipped with the bare minimum—a single bed and bathroom to minimize the cost of damages. There are no windows in the room, and the walls are made of pure concrete with the door being made of solid, reinforced steel.

It’s more of a prison cell than a room made for comfort.

Noctis’ frown turns into a look of grudging agreement before his expression shifts into one of displeasure and anger, his eyes narrowing.

“Yeah, about that. Why in Ifrit’s fiery ball sack did you send Prompto after me instead of coming yourself?” Noctis asks angrily, eyes pinning Ignis in place. “I could have hurt him—more than I already have.”

“Don’t take your frustration out on Ignis,” Gladio frowns. “We did come after you before resorting to Prompto. We couldn’t get through to you. You attacked me, Noct.” Gladio gestures to the freshly healed wounds on his chest and shoulder.

Noctis had been so preoccupied with worrying about the bruise he inflicted on his mate that he’d failed to notice the fresh wounds on Gladio’s torso until now. Noctis stares disbelievingly at his packmate's chest, unable to comprehend that he would ever do such a thing. He… he doesn’t remember. He doesn’t remember anything.

“I did that?” Noctis asks quietly, his breath hitching and his face crumpling when Gladio slowly nods.

“I’m so sorry, Gladio,” Noctis apologizes in a thick voice, going to him and raising a shaking hand to place it on Gladio’s chest. Noctis makes a wounded sound when he feels the raised edges of the gauges that his own claws inflicted upon him. Gods, they look so much like Prompto’s. “I don’t remember—I don’t remember any of it. I would never—”

“I know,” Gladio says gruffly, tugging Noctis into a hug. “You weren’t yourself.”

“It’s all my fault,” Prompto says guiltily, watching Noctis scent Gladio apologetically. “If I had just heard him out Gladio wouldn’t have gotten hurt and Noct would never have gone feral.”

“What’s done is done,” Ignis says with a sigh, placing a comforting hand on Prompto’s shoulder. “There’s no point thinking about what ifs. Withholding important information like that from you? We knew a long time ago that something like this was bound to happen at some point.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” Prompto mutters, but takes Ignis’ advice and puts aside those thoughts for the moment. “Which room is mine?”

Ignis hands over one of the keys and points to the door across from them. Prompto takes the key from Ignis and unlocks the door, letting the door swing open wide as he searches along the wall with his hand to find the light switch.

“Uh… Iggy?” Prompto says dumbly when he flicks the switch and the lights turn on and there is only a single queen-sized mattress on the floor. There’s a door to the right that must lead to a bathroom, but other than that, there are no chairs, tables, or other comforts a normal hotel room would have. His and Noctis’ suitcases sit in the middle of the room, the colors standing out in the empty room. “What’s wrong with the room?”

“I’m sorry. It’s too late for us to change our accommodations for the night, so we’ll just have to make do,” Ignis replies apologetically. “The rooms are empty save for the bed because it’s made to hold someone while in wolf form. We’ll be at Fenestala Manor tomorrow, so it’s just for tonight.”

“Right,” Prompto mumbles, remembering the reason they had to get two rooms in the first place. “Noct will be rooming with me, then?”

“If you would rather be alone, Noct can stay with us,” Ignis offers. “But with what’s happening now, Noct would never go for it.”

Prompto shakes his head. “Nah, it’s okay. Me and Noct need to have a proper talk anyway.”

“Of course,” Ignis murmurs, a contemplative look coming over his face.

Noctis trudges up behind Prompto and peaks into the room with a loud sigh, turning to raise an eyebrow at Ignis. “Seriously, Specs? All that’s missing is manacles and chains for this to be a dungeon.”

Ignis rolls his eyes, tilting his head back when Gladio presses against his back to nuzzle his face into the crook of his neck before snatching the remaining key out of his hand with a murmured thanks.

“You know just as well as I do why this was necessary, Noct.”

Noctis huffs and walks into the room without further comment.

“One moment if you would please, Prompto,” Ignis requests, gently grabbing Prompto’s wrist before he could follow Noctis into their room. “I’d like to discuss something with you privately.”

“Oh, uh, okay,” Prompto agrees uncertainly.

“About what?” Noctis frowns, turning back around.

“A pack matter,” Ignis says vaguely.

Noctis’ brow furrows in confusion, and he steps back into the hallway. “Okay, I’m listening.”

Ignis gives Noctis a patient look. “A pack matter for the alpha’s mate to be aware of.”

Noctis blinks with no less confusion, but he shrugs, unruffled by Ignis deferring to his mate instead of him. If anything, Noctis looks pleased that Ignis is going to Prompto.

“I’ll leave you to it, then.” Noctis yawns, exhausted from everything that’s happened. “I’m gonna hop into the shower.”

“Yeah, you need it!” Gladio hollers from the other room. “I can smell you from here!”

Noctis scoffs and flips Gladio the middle finger even though he can’t see it, and walks back into the room and shuts the door softly behind him.

“So, uh, what did you want to talk about?” Prompto asks curiously, albeit a little nervous.

What pack matter could he possibly solve that Noctis couldn’t? He hasn’t even officially accepted his positions as—fuck, it sounds ludicrous even thinking about his would-be title—Prince Consort. They’d become an alpha pair, ruling the Lucian dynasty side by side. 

Prompto still doesn’t understand how that works since he’s not a wolf, but he guesses he would be Noctis’ second-in-command. Or was that Gladio? He has no clue. Anyway, what wolf in their right mind would follow a human’s orders? He has none of that mojo that alphas have to make others obey his orders. He’s only a human.

“Not in the hallway,” Ignis murmurs, gesturing for Prompto to follow him into the room.

Prompto shuffles into the room behind Ignis, unsurprised to see Gladio has already claimed one of the mattresses on the floor and is lounging back with a book propped up on his chest. Prompto closes the door behind him when Ignis asks.

“What’s this about, Iggy?” Prompto asks, eyes darting between Gladio and Ignis.

“What I wish to discuss with you is intimate in nature involving your relationship with Noctis,” Ignis explains. “So, if you’re uncomfortable with Gladio’s presence in the room he can leave until we’re done with our discussion.”

Prompto sputters in embarrassment, his eyes growing large when the meaning of Ignis’ words sink in.

“Are you—you’re not seriously—I don’t need The Talk from you, Ignis!” Prompto exclaims, waving his arms in the air.

Gladio snorts from the bed, turning a page in his book without looking up.

“Have you ever been intimate with a werewolf?” Ignis asks sceptically.

“Wha—of course not!” Prompto stutters. “I mean, other than kissing, no!”

“Those kisses better have been with Noct,” Gladio mutters. “Noct won’t take kindly to the knowledge of another wolf pawing at his mate.”

Prompto groans, smacking a hand to his forehead and scrubbing his hand down his face. “Astrals, yes, it was with Noct. There are no other wolves 'pawing at me.’”

“If you’ve never been with a werewolf before then this is important,” Ignis says firmly. “We may look human, Prompto, but we’re not. There are certain things we do to our significant other that humans don’t, certain behaviours we exhibit that would be considered… controlling and disturbing to humans.”

“I know that already,” Prompto objects, ticking off a list with his fingers. “The scentmarking and biting, the possessiveness and jealousy. I know, Iggy. Trust me, I know,” Prompto laughs, gesturing to his neck before he remembers that the potion wiped all evidence of the hickeys and love bites away. “You saw the state of my neck before, right?”

“That behaviour will only grow worse until the two of you have bonded and Noctis’ wolf settles down,” Ignis warns. “He thought you rejected him, Prompto. It will take some time before he’s convinced that you don’t plan to leave him.”

“Okay,” Prompto sighs quietly, pacing the length of the room restlessly. “Then, what do I do?”

“Do you forgive him?”

Prompto bites his lip and runs his hand through his hair again, walking back and forth across the room while he gathers his thoughts. “I-I don’t know. I’m still angry that he hid this from me, but…” Prompto sighs, shaking his head. “It’s hard to stay mad at him. He’s my best friend, you know? I need to hear Noct’s side of the story. I just want to understand.”

“Do you plan to leave if you don’t like what he has to say?” Ignis asks quietly.

Prompto stops his pacing and turns to face Ignis again, his eyes darting to the side and locking eyes with Gladio. Even Gladio has put aside his book to listen for Prompto’s answer.

“No,” Prompto says softly. “No, I won’t leave.”

Both wolves in the room collectively exhale a long, relieved breath.

“Then stay close to him,” Ignis murmurs, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. “Let him scent mark you, hunt for you, protect you, and provide for you. It’ll be harder for him to hold back those impulse behaviours in the future now that you’re aware that you’re his mate. It’s already extremely difficult for him.”

“Noct once brought down a coeurl and dragged it all the way back to the haven to present it to you,” Gladio sniggered in amusement at the memory. “He was devastated when Ignis told him that you wouldn’t appreciate waking up to a dead cat waiting outside the tent for you.”

“Not to mention humans don’t eat coeurl meat,” Ignis says dryly.

“Oh my god, when was this?” Prompto gapes, grimacing at the mental image of waking up to a dead coeurl in their camp.

“The same day we hunted all those garula and Noct helped me cook it for you,” Ignis chuckles. “He was very determined to provide for you after his first attempt failed.”

“Oh yeah, I remember that!” Prompto’s eyes widen at the memory. He’d found it strange that Noct had willingly gone anywhere near the cooking range to help Ignis cook their meals that day.

“Well, look forward to more of that,” Gladio chuckles, picking up his book again now that the important question was out of the way. “It’s ingrained in us alphas to provide and hunt for the pack—even more so when we have a mate to protect and take care of.”

“Noted,” Prompto says wryly. “I’ll add that to my list of things to anticipate. Is that it?”

“Oh, that’s not all,” Ignis says, chuckling softly at the look of exasperation that crosses over Prompto’s face. “Try to be a little patient with him because that little display of possessiveness you saw in Noct earlier? Do not be surprised to see more of that in the future, and you should know this before going forward: if you do forgive Noct and accept being his mate, relationships between mates tend to progress relatively fast,” Ignis warns.

“When you say ‘relatively fast,’ how fast are we talking about here?” Prompto asks weakly, feeling his cheeks heat; already knowing the answer before the question leaves his mouth.

“He’ll be fucking you by the end of the week,” Gladio says nonchalantly like he’s simply commenting on the weather. He turns another page in his book like he hadn’t just pulled the proverbial rug out from underneath Prompto’s feet.

Prompto sputters, choking on his own spit, his face turning scarlet. “You-you're not serious.”

Ignis sighs, throwing Gladio an annoyed look.

“What Gladio means to say is that it would be unusual if Noct doesn’t try to initiate anything whenever you’re alone with him. He needs to feel connected to you, and as an alpha, it… pleases him to take care of you. I do not think I need to specify in what capacity I am referring to.”

“Nope,” Prompto croaks, coughing and avoiding Ignis’ eyes in discomfort. “Will he really want to… y’know, that fast?”

“Prompto, if you’re not ready to do anything with him he’ll respect that,” Ignis reassures him. “He’s an alpha, and alphas are prone to being one-track-minded when it comes to their mates, yes, but he wants you safe, happy, and comfortable with him above all else. If you do decide to take things further, however, do not be surprised if Noctis gets hyper-fixated on pleasing you. He’s already desperate for your approval, it won’t be any different in bed.”

“Okay!” Prompto squeaks, waving his hands in front of him to get Ignis to stop talking. Prompto is mortified and wants to exit this conversation as soon as possible. He remembers the surprise sex-ed classes sprung on him and twenty-nine other students that he had to endure in high school. He doesn’t need to have Ignis tell him how sex works—especially when it involves Noct. “I think I get it now, thanks!”

“I’m just making sure you’re informed that relationships work differently with wolves.”

“Well, consider me well-informed!” Prompto says hastily. “Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Well, there is one last thing.” Ignis slowly smiles at the looks of dismay on Prompto’s face and chuckles. “I’m only joking, Prompto.”

“Urg, Iggy, don’t do that to a guy!” Prompto whines. “You seriously had me there for a sec.”

“That was the intention,” Ignis smirks. “Now go. Don’t keep Noctis waiting, you know how he is. He’s probably brooding right now as we speak.”

“Don’t I know it,” Prompto laughs, raising an eyebrow when Ignis gets up and follow him to the door.

Ignis smiles. “Noct’s orders. Can’t let you out of my sight, remember?”

“Right,” Prompto sighs.

This is gonna be one hell of an evening.

Chapter Text

Once Prompto is safely in his and Noctis’ room, Prompto closes the door and rests his back against it, sighing a breath of relief that Noctis isn’t out of the shower yet and he has time to calm his nervous heartbeat and the flush of embarrassment still tinting his cheeks.

Prompto takes the time to himself to go through his suitcase and root around for a clean pair of clothes. He’s still covered in mud and leaves from sleeping in the den Noct had made in the woods. His favorite coeurl printed paints that he loves to wear with his black tank and jacket are good for garbage, Prompto thinks sadly as he stares down at the torn and bloody clothing that he’d stuffed into a plastic bag the night before so it wouldn’t dirty the rest of his clothes.

Even Ignis’ skills would be no match for getting the blood that’s been left to soak in his clothes for the past three days out of the fabric, and there’s no point in asking him to work his magic and try to stitch the four gashes cut clean through his shirt and jacket either.

Prompto sighs and throws the bag to the far corner of the room to throw in the trash later, and frowns down at what’s left in his suitcase. He has a single pair of grey jeans, a white tank, and a grey sleeveless jacket left since Gladio gave one of his outfits for Noct to wear which is now covered in dirt.

Prompto groans. He has no spare outfits to wear, and they’ll be meeting with Queen Sylva tomorrow, and he is not going to be attending that reunion in his pyjamas. The others have their official wolven crownsguard uniforms for the occasion, but since his wasn’t prepared in time for their departure all he has is this color-coordinated outfit he had planned to wear. He hopes it will be presentable enough for the queen’s court and help him give a good first impression. It’s leagues more presentable in comparison to the outfits he usually prefers to wear.

He's pretty sure the queen wouldn’t appreciate seeing profanity emblazoned on his clothing the first time they meet—especially when he is expecting their arrival to be less than warming. So, all he has to do is make sure this outfit survives dinner tonight and the trip to Fenestala Manor tomorrow without getting dirty and he’s in the clear!

Prompto sighs and glances towards the bathroom door, listening for the sound of the shower running to reassure himself that he has time to change into clean clothes before Noctis comes out.

Once he’s in his clean clothes Prompto throws himself down on the mattress with a groan and stretches his arms and legs out. He hears the shower shut off, and closes his eyes to lay there in wait; a picture of relaxation, but inside, his stomach is in knots.

He doesn’t know how this talk is going to go, but he’s going to keep his promise and let Noctis explain himself properly this time. Prompto straightens and sits cross-legged, frowning at the bathroom door when more than ten minutes have passed since Noctis got out of the shower and he still hasn’t come out of the bathroom.

Looks like he’s not the only one that’s nervous about the talk they’re about to have.

Prompto slides off the bed and makes his way to the bathroom door. He raps his knuckles softly against the door. “Noct?”

Prompto hears a sigh from behind the closed door before Noctis’ soft voice tells him to come in. Prompto turns the knob and pushes the door open to see Noct dressed and leaning back against a steel pedestal sink that’s bolted to the floor.

Yikes, now that’s something Prompto’s only seen in the refugee camps and in the low-income cottages on the outskirts of Insomnia. The hotel really did its best to put the bare minimum essentials in these rooms without spending a lot of money in the process; which is smart if they ever need to replace everything if a wolf loses their temper and trashes the place.

“I guess it’s time for that talk then, huh?” Noctis asks in resignation, giving him a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“You don’t have to look so scared, Noct,” Prompto says when he recognizes the anxiety on Noctis’ face.

“I have every reason to be scared.” Noctis laughs humorlessly. “There’s a lot riding on this conversation. I just… I needed more time to put my thoughts into words, and I… this is just so hard.” Noctis digs the heels of his palms into his eyes.

When Noctis removes his hands to meet his eyes again, Noctis’ eyes have turned gold with stress and anxiety.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Noctis admits with a sigh, rubbing at his face as if he could scrub the look of despair off his face.

“Why don’t you start from the beginning?” Prompto suggests gently. “When you first met me.”

Noctis smiles as the memory comes to him, and this time his smile reaches his eyes.

“I didn’t know you were my mate right away. I didn’t learn that until after,” Noctis tells him with a small chuckle. “I didn’t understand what I was feeling or what was happening to me. I walked by you and you smelt so damn good, and when I turned around to get a look at your face you tripped and fell, and I just… panicked. You were a complete stranger to me and yet, watching you fall and skin your knees literally gutted me. Ridiculous, I know.” Noctis laughs at the memory and shakes his head at his past self.

“Oh my god,” Prompto grins, laughing. “I remember that! Dude, that is still the most embarrassing moment of my life. I trip over my own two feet, and who comes to my rescue? The crowned prince of Insomnia himself. Then you make it worse by calling the citadel to send medics for my skinned knees.”

“Hey, I told you I panicked, okay? I had never seen a human get hurt before, and you were bleeding, and holding back tears,” Noctis points out.

“Of course, I was holding back tears, I was embarrassed!” Prompto exclaims. “I could have just walked it off or gone to the nurse’s office, but you made a big fuss over it—at school.”

“I did not make a big fuss over it!” Noctis denies, affronted. “And the nurse’s office was too far away, and I wasn’t going to let you walk, are you kidding? Anyways, the citadel has better physicians.”

“Uh-huh. They were so good that you freaked out and almost shifted when they poured antiseptic on my knees and I said ow,” Prompto teases. “They had to call the glaives to come and get us because you wouldn’t let them touch me. You made us miss an entire day of school because you threatened them for hurting me.”

Noctis flushes, giving him a sheepish grin. “That was definitely not my proudest moment, but I couldn’t control it. We’re very protective of our mates, and seeing them hurt you—even to help you? My wolf wanted to do less than pleasant things to them.” Noctis grimaces. “Dad and I had a very long talk about that, trust me.”

“Was your dad the one that convinced you to keep it secret?” Prompto asks curiously. “Because of the way you reacted to me getting hurt?”

“No. It was mine,” Noctis say softly.

“Why?”

“I was scared,” Noctis admits quietly, not quite meeting his eyes.

“Of what?” Prompto frowns.

“The way I responded to someone hurting you… it was so strong. I was scared that if anyone knew you were my mate, something bad would happen to you,” Noctis whispers, clearing his throat. “Ardyn killed my mom, and I… I didn’t want to lose you too.”

“Ardyn—Ardyn killed your mom!?” Prompto gasps. That isn’t public knowledge. As far as Prompto knew, their queen had died in an accident. The media never said anything about her being murdered.

“Not directly. He sent his pack after us. They ambushed us in Tenebrae, in the very same woods we were in today,” Noctis says bitterly, a growl in his voice. “We barely made it out with our lives. All the kingsglaive’s that were with us were killed, and the prince consort of Tenebrae died when he came with reinforcements to help us once they caught wind of the attack. It… was not a good day for either of our kingdoms. I lost my mom, and Tenebrae lost one of their few male omegas.”

“So, you thought if Ardyn found out about my existence he would come after me,” Prompto sums up.

Noctis nods, and growls low in anger; his eyes flaring with his emotions.

“Every fucking time I step foot outside of Insomnia something bad happens. Family trip to Tenebrae? Mom gets murdered and I become a cripple for almost two years. Sneak out of the citadel at night to go fishing? Gladio gets clawed in the face and almost gets blinded protecting me from a rogue wolf. Go to Altissia to get married? Luna gets murdered to stop the treaty, and then you—”

Noctis chokes up, laughing hollowly. “You almost died protecting me on that train. Do you know how badly that fucked me up? I saw red. I never did tell you what I did to the wolf that hurt you, did I?”

Prompto swallows thickly and shakes his head. Noctis’ eyes are burning, and Prompto swears he can feel the heat radiating off of Noctis’ body like it does when he’s a wolf.

“I killed him with my bare hands—ripped his heart right out of his chest,” Noctis says fiercely, raising the hand in question. “No one that hurts you like that deserves to live. I’m sorry if that’s too much for you and you can’t accept that, but it’s a part of me that you have to understand, Prompto. No one touches what’s mine without retribution.”

Prompto’s breath catches, and he doesn’t dare look away from Noctis’ eyes. For the first time, in all the years he’s known Noct, he sees the dark possessive side of the creature that lurks beneath Noctis’ skin. The side of Noct that is capable of viciousness and animalistic savagery, and the sight of the willingness to resort to violence shining in Noctis’ eyes should terrify him, but it doesn’t.

Why should he be afraid for the people who wish to hurt him? Noctis is like his guardian angel – a vengeful angel, but an angel all the same. The intensity he sees in Noctis’ eyes is only confirmation of the lengths he would go to keep him safe, and the lengths he would go to exact revenge if he fails. This is the possessiveness Ignis warned him to be mindful of, that’s only going to get worse the longer they’re unbonded—whatever that means.

“I understand, Noct,” Prompto says gently, reaching out to hold the hand Noctis has curled into claws in the hope that it will comfort him and pull him back from his reignited anger over what had happened to him. He doesn’t fully understand how someone could do something so violent to another human being, but Noctis is just that—not human. He never was, and the sooner he accepts that Noct will always be more wolf than human, the better.

“You’re not afraid of me now?” Noctis demands softly, his eyes searching his. Noctis curls his hand gently around his, mindful of the claws on the tips of his fingers. “After knowing what I did?”

“No,” Prompto whispers, meeting Noctis’ eyes and knowing even as he says it that it’s the truth. “I know you’d never do anything to hurt me.”

“Never,” Noctis swears, tugging him closer by the hand until Prompto collides with his chest. Noctis raises his free hand to gently cradle his face, his thumb caressing his cheekbone. “I only ever want to protect you.”

“I know,” Prompto breathes, his heart pounding in his chest.

“I almost refused to let you come on this trip, did you know that?”

Prompto shakes his head meekly.

“I was going to leave you at the citadel where you would be safe, but the thought of leaving you behind—of not being near you, was enough to convince me to bring you along despite the danger. And oh, how I thought I knew what true anger felt like, but I didn’t. Not really. Not until that wolf hurt you and you almost died in my arms.”

Noctis gnashes his teeth, and Prompto’s heart skips a beat at the long canines snapping so close to his face. Noctis is getting worked up again, and Prompto has no doubt in his mind that if the wolf that hurt him had still been alive, Noctis would have hunted him to the ends of the earth and killed him slowly and painfully.

“I wish I could say I’m sorry for keeping this from you, but that wouldn’t be honest,” Noctis growls, breathing in deeply and attempting to reign in his emotions. “I didn’t tell you because Ardyn’s had it out for me since the day I was born, and it would put a target on your back, and it fucking terrifies me that they might know now.”

“Okay,” Prompto says in understanding, not knowing what else to say.

Prompto takes a long moment to digest all the new information. He can see where Noctis is coming from, and he can clearly see that there was no malicious intent behind Noctis’ actions, only the desperate attempt to keep him safe and off Ardyn’s radar. Noctis hadn’t kept this from him to hurt him or because he didn’t want him. “I can understand that, but why did you want to marry Lunafreya if you’re gay? Is it because I’m human and you… don’t want me like that?”

“What? Of course, I want you! I don’t give a fuck that you’re human, I’ve wanted you before I even knew you. Fuck, Prompto, if you knew how much I want you to be mine, you’d run for the hills,” Noctis says fiercely, his hand brushing away Prompto’s bangs with a tenderness that counter’s the roughness of his voice. “I told you before; I love you.”

“Then why?” Prompto asks, his heart skipping a beat at the declaration of love from Noct again. “Just to have a treaty with Tenebrae?”

“The whole point of the treaty wasn’t to mobilize our packs and ready for war like everyone was told,” Noctis explains somewhat sheepishly, letting his hand fall back to his side before he can get distracted by how soft Prompto’s skin is.  “We do need to combine our forces and strengthen our alliance to better protect Tenebrae and the surrounding townships. Insomnia has more soldiers than Tenebrae, and we can afford to send out a few hundred to strengthen their ranks and protect the small cities between here and Gralea since it will be those cities that will be the first to get attacked if Ardyn pushes forward for more territory.”

“You thought all of this out very carefully, huh? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you sound more like a prince than you did just then,” Prompto teases. “But if that’s not the main reason, then what is?”

“I was moving the queen’s soldiers closer to you,” Noctis confesses.

“Why?” Prompto asks in confusion. Why would Noct need the queen’s soldiers when the kingsglaives are said to be ten times more skilled in battle? The magic the King of Lucis grants to his soldiers gives them an edge not many wolves without it can match.

“The Nox Fleurets are renowned for their connection to the Astrals and for their healing magic. My magic is both defence and offence, but I can’t use my magic to heal,” Noctis explains patiently. “The healing magic the queensglaives have surpasses even that of our best physicians in Insomnia. If anything were to happen to you, I would have been able to count on them to take care of you. We wouldn’t have to worry about potions or phoenix downs ever again. Do you know how valuable those abilities would be in a war?”

Prompto nods along to everything Noctis is saying. It all makes so much more sense now. The proof of how damn overprotective Noctis is of him is glaringly obvious with every word out of Noctis’ mouth. He had been willing to marry Lunafreya just so he could insure that there would be healers spread out throughout their territories to make sure if war ever came to them, he would always be within reach of a healer.

Noctis will make a great king one day, Prompto thinks with quiet awe.

Noctis orchestrated this whole thing for him, yes, but what this would mean for his people is significant. Everything will change. People will no longer have to worry about affording potions and phoenix downs for their ailing family members. Hundreds of people have fled the north and sought refuge in Insomnia, many of them crippled from war and dying from illnesses that potions can’t save them from, only give them more time.

It only makes what happened to him on the train even more terrifying. What would have happened to him if they hadn’t had any potions? Prompto shivers at the answer his own mind supplies him with. He would have died out there, cold and bleeding out in Noctis’ arms.

“Astrals, Noct, that’s bloody genius! I can see why your dad and the queen went for it. Insomnia would get healers and in exchange, Tenebrae would get fighters—smart,” Prompto praises, and he gets the delight of seeing Noctis’ cheeks flush for a moment with pleasure at the praise.

“I can’t take all the credit,” Noctis mumbles, smiling despite himself. “Luna knew that you were my mate; I’d talk about you to her.  She was the one who suggested the idea of us getting married to protect you, and then I came up with the rest.”

Noctis squeezes his hand, his eyes softening. “It was always about you. We were going to get married, and she agreed to move to Insomnia since I’m the only heir and can’t abdicate the throne.”

“That’s something I need you to clear up for me,” Prompto says softly. “What was my place going to be in all this after you married Lunafreya? I’m your mate, but you wouldn’t have been able to be with me if you were married to her.”

“Me and Luna aren’t mates; there are laws that release us from the bonds of marriage when we have mates. I was doing this for you. It was always for you, Prompto. The marriage between me and Luna was never going to be permanent, and she knew that—she suggested it, remember?” Noctis explains, his eyes pleading with him to understand and see the truth in his words. “You were never going to be my secret lover or anything like that, I would never do that to you. Me and Luna were supposed to tell you the night of our wedding and explain everything to you, I swear.”

Prompto’s having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that Noctis was willing to go to such extreme lengths for him. That Noctis would get married to a foreign royal just to keep him safe—and to a woman, no less, is astounding.

“But what would happen when you would have divorced Luna?” Prompto frowns, chewing the inside of his lip and trying to think of an outcome that didn’t involve all the healers leaving Insomnia. “Wouldn’t the queensglaives have gone back to Tenebrae? Without the treaty that’s forged by your marriage, it would just dissolve any obligations they had.”

“No, it wouldn’t have,” Noctis says, shaking his head. “You don’t know what happens when packs merge—how many of us find our mates during the process.  Several of the queensglaives who were sent to Insomnia to prepare for Luna’s arrival have found their mates. They would have stayed even if Luna had decided to go back to her home country.”

“They would have stayed even if their monarch didn’t?” Prompto says dubiously.

“Wolves are loyal to their mates,” Noctis says simply, like that explains everything. Noctis notices his doubtful look and grins. “Has nothing I’ve done convinced you of that? I’d follow you to the ends of Eos and nothing would make me leave your side.”

“So, you’re telling me that you’d desert your kingdom if I ever decided to move away from Insomnia?”

Noctis hesitates, his hand tightening around his briefly before relaxing. “Are you planning to do that?”

“No, of course not,” Prompto say with a roll of his eyes. “I just mean that once they’ve heard what happened to Lunafreya, they’ll want to return home. You can’t expect them to choose between their mate and their queen. I’m pretty sure it’s treason to turn your back on someone you’ve sworn an oath to.”

“That… does complicate things,” Noctis agrees, grimacing. “Once we’ve taken an oath, it will take a lot for one of us to go back on our word. We take oaths very seriously, and the initiation into the glaive is a big deal.”

“Like when I swore my oath to protect you when I became a member of your crownsguard and you almost wolfed out in the throne room in front of everyone?” Prompto teases.

“Um… yeah, I didn’t mean to do that.” Noctis blushes. “It was an emotional moment for me—you being officially sworn into my pack.”

“And it wasn’t for me?” Prompto says quietly, meeting Noctis’ eyes. “I’ve never been a part of anything before, and joining your pack… made me feel like I’ve finally found somewhere where I belong.”

Noctis’ eyes soften, and he wraps his arms around Prompto’s waist to pull him into his arms, his hands clasped at the small of Prompto’s back. “You belonged in my pack way before you swore any oath. There will always be a place for you at my side… if you want it.”

“At your side?” Prompto whispers, clenching his hand in Noctis’ shirt; hearing the weight behind that offer and understanding exactly what Noctis is offering him.

“Mhm,” Noctis hums, his eyes unbelievably tender. “Lead my pack with me.”

Prompto’s breath catches, and he captures his lower lip between his teeth to stop it from trembling. A large part of him is terrified at the prospect of being in such a position. He wouldn’t just be leading a pack with Noctis; it’s not that simple, and he knows it. This would mean a place by his side for life. If he agrees to the proposal—because that’s essentially what this is—he’d be Noctis’ mate, his equal. He’ll be Prince Consort Prompto Argentum-Caelum.

“That is if you forgive me for keeping this secret from you for so long,” Noctis says anxiously when Prompto remains silent. “Do you understand now why I did what I did?” Noctis whispers. “Can you forgive me for it?”

Prompto releases his bottom lip and lets out a long breath, already knowing what his answer is going to be. His mind was made up a long time ago—long before he knew he was Noctis’ mate. It was him, after all, that told Noctis he’d be ever at his side.

All he’s doing is agreeing to make it a little more official.

Slowly, Prompto crowds Noctis against the sink, letting the tension build between them for a moment. He lifts a hand and curls it around the nape of Noctis’ neck, the palm of his hand brushing his scent gland. The moment his hand touches Noctis’ skin, Noctis melts. A soft breath escapes Noctis as his whole body relaxes against his, and he slumps back against the sink.

“I won’t claim to completely understand, because a lot of your thought process there was flawed, dude,” Prompto teases softly, smiling. “But yes, I can forgive you for it—I do forgive you.”

Noctis’ breath hitches and Prompto is stunned to see tears gather in Noctis’ eyes, and Prompto goes in for the kill.

“Please let me know if I’m saying this wrong because I’ve only seen this said on Moogletube and I don’t know how accurate it is,” Prompto says with an involuntary nervous laugh. He clears his throat. “I, Prompto Argentum, accept you, Noctis Lucis Caelum, as my mate and alpha. I accept—mph”

Prompto’s eyes widen when Noctis’ eyes abruptly flare a bright gold and he surges forward to kiss him, silencing him with his lips. The kiss is anything but chaste, and Prompto’s eyes flutter shut, parting his lips when Noctis’ tongue coaxes his mouth open. Prompto shivers when Noctis lets out a deep guttural sound when their tongues touch.

Prompto wraps his arms around Noctis’ neck, welcoming the warmth of Noctis’ body when he pulls him flush against him, their bodies slotting together perfectly as if they’re two pieces of a puzzle finally fitting together.

When he pulls away to catch his breath, Noctis’ lips chase after his. Noctis is looking at him like he hung the moon, his eyes half-lidded and dazed with wonder. His eyes plead with him, so Prompto closes the gap between them and kisses him.

“I guess I said it right, then?” Prompto asks breathlessly, his head tilting back when Noctis finally releases his lips to trail kisses down his jaw, growling a pleased little rumble when he reaches his neck and Prompto tilts his head to the side.

“Yes,” Noctis growls, and without missing a beat, Noctis’ hands slide down his backside, groping his ass in his hands before lowering to grip the back of his thighs and lifting him. Prompto moans and wraps his legs around Noctis’ waist, gasping when Noctis walks the short distance to the wall and presses him up against it, never once separating his lips from his neck.

“Gods, Noct,” Prompto gasps, tangling a hand in Noctis’ hair. His head thumps back against the wall and he yelps out a sharp moan, scrabbling for Noctis’ shoulders when Noctis sinks his teeth into his neck hard enough to bruise. Prompto whimpers when Noctis pushes him flush against the wall, his hips rolling forward to grind against him. “Noct.”

Noctis moans against his neck, his tongue laving over the bite to soothe the sting.

“Perfect,” Noctis breathes when he pulls back to look at his handiwork. Prompto doesn’t know if he’s talking to himself or complimenting him, but it sends a shiver of pleasure down Prompto’s spine all the same.

“Possessive,” Prompto remarks, breathless already. His neck throbs, and he knows he’s going to be wearing Noctis’ bitemark for a while before it fades.

Noctis’ eyes leave his neck to make eye contact with him briefly. Noctis slowly grins, his canines peaking out from between his lips, making his heart stutter.

“You’re mine,” Noctis says confidently, his eyes glowing brightly.

“Uh-huh,” Prompto says, nearly swallowing his own tongue when Noctis growls possessively and ruts his hips forward again, his hands sliding up his thighs to grope his ass. Prompto whimpers and leans forward to kiss Noctis again, tightening his legs around Noctis’ waist so he can rock his hips against him. He’s so turned on that he can barely think past the delicious friction against him; his cock is already hard and straining against his zipper.

It’s been so long since the last time he got off, and the arousal he feels is borderline painful. He can already feel himself creating a wet spot in his boxers, his cock leaking precum already. God, he can’t even remember the last time someone touched him, and this encounter is about to end really fast if Noctis keep grinding against him like that.

“Noct, ah, we shouldn’t be doing this here,” Prompto gasps in-between kisses.

“You’re right,” Noctis mumbles against his lips, and Prompto squeaks, tightening his arms and legs around Noct when his back is suddenly no longer pinned against the wall. Noctis starts walking, carrying him like he weighs nothing.

Prompto gasps when his world suddenly tilts, and he blinks up at Noct in shock when he finds himself laying on the bed flat on his back with Noctis hovering over him.

“Better?” Noctis asks, leaning down and nudging his nose with his own.

Prompto swallows, inwardly screaming. That wasn’t what he meant, but he forgets all about stopping when Noctis cups his cheek and kisses him again. Prompto hooks his calves over Noctis’ hips, ankles crossing at the small of Noctis’ back to tug him closer, their hips jerking together with a spark of friction that makes them both groan.

Prompto’s eyes flutter shut as Noctis’ hand tangles itself in his hair and uses the grip to tilt his head to the side to bare his neck, Noctis’ lips leaving his to trail biting kisses down his jaw.

Prompto pants for breath, the action an unbelievable turn on as Noctis continues to grind down against him as he trails his lips down his jaw to suck at the junction where his neck meets his shoulders, sending arousal pooling between his legs, his cock throbbing.

“Fuck,” Prompto curses, face heating as he feels the dampness in his boxers spread, his cock leaking profusely. He shivers in pleasure as Noctis’ hand slips beneath his shirt to explore his chest, his lips trailing down to his collarbone. Noctis’ hand gropes along his ribs and trails back down, sneaking beneath Prompto to raise his hips. The next grind of Noctis’ hips makes his breath hitch on a moan.

Oh no, Prompto thinks in sudden panic as he feels tension coiling tighter in his lower abdomen with every rock of Noctis’ hips. He’s about to come in his pants like a horny teenager just from making out and a little grinding.

“Nnngh, Noct, w-wait, stop,” Prompto pants, clinging to Noctis’ shoulders and digging his nails harmlessly into his skin. “Slow down for a sec.”

Noctis lifts his head away from where he had been mouthing at his collarbone, determined to leave a hickey on every inch of pale skin his lips touch. He’s going to be covered in them at this point, and a part of him finds it incredibly hot that Noctis is obsessed with marking him up and making sure everyone knows he’s his.

Noctis stops grinding against him, his hand leaving his hip as he stops the motion of his body, looking down at him with concern, then fear, then shame.

Noctis straightens, sitting back on his heels, his hand slipping free from beneath Prompto’s ass guiltily. He runs his other hand through his hair in agitation, frustrated with himself for pushing for too much too fast.

“I’m sorry,” Noctis apologizes with a grimace. Noctis’ hands fall back to his side to slide down Prompto’s thighs to massage Prompto’s calves that are still wrapped around his waist like he can’t keep his hands to himself now that he has permission to touch Prompto more intimately. “I’m moving too fast, aren’t I?”

Prompto laughs breathlessly, his hands falling to rest against his stomach as his legs relax in Noctis’ hands. Moving too fast was an understatement, but at least he can say he’d been forewarned, and it’s not like he hadn’t enjoyed it.

“Maybe a bit.”

“Sorry,” Noctis repeats, smiling sheepishly, yet apologetically. “I swear I didn’t mean to get carried away.”

“It’s okay,” Prompto chuckles. His raging hard-on is more than enough proof of how more than okay it had been for him. “Trust me, if I didn’t like what we were doing you’d know. It’s just, uh…”

“What?” Noctis asks worriedly. “Was I—was I doing something you didn’t like?”

Prompto knows he’s blushing furiously. He can feel the heat racing up his collar and his cheeks flushing with heat at the question. Prompto mumbles his response under his breath, too embarrassed to admit that he’d been a hair trigger away from coming in his pants like an inexperienced virgin who’s never had someone touch them before.

Noctis’ brows furrow, his lips quirking up into an amused smile. “What did you say? I know I have good hearing, but even I need you to speak up a bit, Prom.”

Prompto groans, turning his face to the side so he doesn’t have to look Noctis in the eye when he responds.

“I said I was getting close and these are my only pair of clean jeans,” Prompto finishes lamely, biting his lips as his face flames hotter.

“Oh.”

The little punched-out sound that comes from Noctis has Prompto turning his head shyly to take in Noctis’ expression. His eyes widen slightly when he sees wide eyes staring back at him; Noctis’ pupils so dilated that only a thin sliver of gold remains.

“Are you okay?” Prompto asks gently, taking in the way Noctis has gone eerily still, the hands gripping his calves tightening slightly. Noctis’ nostrils flare, and his eyes darken further.

Prompto pushes himself up into an awkward sitting position when Noctis doesn’t respond or show that he’d heard him. Prompto’s hands trail up Noctis’ arms to his shoulders until his hands rest tentatively on either side of Noctis’ neck, his thumbs rubbing what he hopes is soothing circles against his scent glands as he leans forward to rest his forehead against Noctis’.

“Did I overwhelm you?” Prompto questions softly.

A rumbling sound vibrates in Noctis’ chest, a growling purr that sends a shiver through Prompto’s body. Noctis suddenly presses forward to claim his lips. The beast inside Noctis that always hovers near the surface breaks free and chases away the gentleness of their previous kisses.

Noctis kisses him hungrily, desperately, and Prompto succumbs to the kiss with a groan, clinging to Noctis again when he’s tipped back onto his back with Noct hovering over his body once more.

“I almost made you come,” Noctis growls against his lips, nipping his bottom lip and making Prompto hiss at the slight sting of sharp teeth.

“Yeah,” Prompto gasps, his heartbeat thundering in his chest. This is the most instinct-driven he’s seen Noct act towards him, and Ignis’ warning floats to the forefront of his mind.

He’s an alpha, and alphas are prone to being one-track minded when it comes to their mates. If you two are intimate do not be surprised if Noctis gets hyper-fixated on pleasing you. He’s already desperate for your approval, it won’t be any different in bed.

“Was that your only complaint?” Noctis asks roughly, his voice pulling Prompto away from Ignis’ voice in his head and back into the moment.

“What?”

“Were your jeans your only complaint?” Noctis repeats, pulling back slightly so he can see Prompto’s face.

“Uh…yes?” Prompto squeaks, not used to seeing those golden eyes so dark and hungry—and entirely focused on him.

“Good,” Noctis rumbles, eyes blazing with heat. “Then you’ll have no complaints when I make you come and lend you a pair of my jeans afterwards, then.”

“Oh fuck,” Prompto whispers, swallowing hard.

“Is that a yes?” Noctis asks, an edge creeping into his voice.

Prompto hesitates, taking a moment to think what this would mean for them. He doesn’t know how to start the bonding process that wolves talk about starting with their mates, but he’s pretty sure this counts as a step towards that direction. While he doesn’t mind taking his relationship with Noct a step further, the guys are in the other room right across from theirs and he doesn’t know just how good their hearing is with the wall the only thing separating them.

Is their room soundproof? Will they hear?

“I’ll do whatever you want,” Noctis promises eagerly. “We can keep doing exactly what we were doing. I won’t even touch you below the belt if that’s what you want. I just want to—”

Prompto can see Noct struggle with some inner conflict, and Ignis’ words of wisdom once again come to mind.

“Please me?” Prompto finishes for him. “Take care of me?”

“Yes,” Noctis growls lowly, voice rough with want. “I want to make you feel good. It’ll… help you relax? Take your mind off things?” Noctis sounds less certain and more like he’s trying to find excuses and reasons for Prompto to agree.

“Okay,” Prompto agrees, snorting a laugh. It’s not every day someone is more interested in someone else’s pleasure than their own. Noctis seems more intent on getting him off than himself, and isn’t that something?

“Okay?” Noctis asks, his breath hitching in anticipation.

Prompto hums in affirmation, laughing when Noctis dives in for a kiss.

The atmosphere is less intense and heated compared to before, but Prompto prefers this level of intensity. Noctis’ touch and kiss is less devouring and more exploratory. He takes his time now, his hands roaming over his body, his hips rocking into his slowly as he deepens the kiss.

Prompto moans softly into the kiss, taking the opportunity to do a bit of his own exploring. His hands slip up the back of Noctis’ shirt, greedily feeling the muscles of Noctis’ back and shoulders shift with their movements.

Prompto wracks up Noctis’ shirt, and Prompto will deny the sound that leaves his mouth and take it to his grave when Noctis sits up and pulls his shirt over his head so he has an unfiltered view of Noctis’ chest.

Noctis grins wolfishly down at him. “Like what you see?”

“Uh-huh,” Prompto says dumbly, smiling shyly when Noctis laughs and ducks down to kiss him again, his hands slipping under his shirt to run over his stomach and trail up his ribs to hold him by his waist as his other hands smooth down his thigh.

Prompto groans, his hips twitching up into Noctis’ touch when Noctis slides his hand back up his thigh to palm at his erection through his jeans and rub his hand along the length of him, gently squeezing.

“This okay?” Noctis breathes, his lips trailing down Prompto’s jaw.

“Mhm.” Prompto bites his lip, tilting his head to the side to give Noct more room when he inevitably moves down to mouth at his neck and nuzzles behind his ear.

“Can I touch you more?” Noctis whispers in his ear, causing his skin to erupt in goosebumps.

“M-More?” Prompto stutters, embarrassed but how breathy he sounds.

“Under your clothes,” Noctis clarifies, pressing a gentle kiss behind his ear. “Below the belt, I mean.”

Prompto’s heart is gonna beat right out of his damn chest at this rate. Noctis is taking his proposal seriously, unwilling to do anything to disrupt his comfort. The fact that Noctis is frequently checking in to get his acceptance is hot. Sweet, but definitely hot.

Prompto finally understands when some people say consent is sexy.

Prompto nods, wordlessly giving his acceptance. If he tries to speak, he’s pretty sure he’s going to embarrass himself. Gods, he fucking hopes he lasts longer than a few strokes because that would be embarrassing.

“Can I take them off?” Noctis asks, his hand running teasingly along the waistband of his jeans. “For the sake of keeping them clean?”

Oh, that smooth, sneaky bastard, Prompto thinks, unable to stop a small laugh from escaping.

“Yeah, okay,” Prompto agrees, biting his lip to keep from smiling when Noctis immediately straightens to get his hands on his belt. Noctis undoes his belt and unbuttons his jeans hastily, eager to get them off him. Prompto digs his fingers into the bedsheets and lifts his hips helpfully, allowing Noctis to pull down his jeans and boxers all in one go.

Prompto’s blush darkens when his hard cock springs up against his stomach, and Noctis pauses for a moment to look at it. Prompto doesn’t even have time to feel self-conscious or register the look of admiration on Noctis’ face before Noctis is wrapping a loose hand around his cock and strokes his hand up his length, his thumb gently rubbing over the tip of his cock when a pearl of precum beads at the top.

Prompto’s hips jerk and he bites back a moan, fisting his hands in the sheets and praying to every single astral on the planet that he doesn’t come before he actually has time to enjoy this.

“Feels good?” Noctis rasps, his eyes flicking up to his face, and Prompto doesn’t know if he can blush any darker than he already is, but his body feels like a furnace with how hot he feels under Noctis’ scrutinising gaze.

“Yeah,” Prompto says breathlessly, his eyes falling between them to watch Noctis’ hand move along his cock before realizing how much of a bad idea that is and squeezes his eyes shut.

Prompto hears Noctis let out a small huff of laughter, and he feels Noctis lean over him, nudging his nose against his playfully.

“Don’t like what you see?” Noctis asks teasingly.

“I like too m—ah,” Prompto moans; Noctis’ hand tightening around him and stroking him more firmly.

Noctis laughs softly, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

“Shut up!” Prompto whines, smacking Noctis on the shoulder before clinging to him.

“I didn’t say anything!” Noctis laughs.

“It’s been a long time since I got off, okay?” Prompto pouts.

“With someone else or on your own?” Noctis asks sharply.

Prompto feels a jolt of pleasure go through him at the jealousy and possessiveness he can detect in Noctis’ voice. The way Noctis strokes him faster definitely has something to do with it, too.

“Both,” Prompto pants, feeling that familiar pleasure building in his lower abdomen despite his attempts to hold back. His hips have been moving in time with the motion of Noctis’ hand until he’s practically fucking into Noctis’ fist, and he can’t make himself stop, but he wants to make this moment last. He doesn’t know when they’ll have time to do this again and he doesn’t want it to end in under five minutes because his stamina has been shot to all hell. “Ah shit, Noct, I don’t wanna come yet.”

“Mm,” Noctis hums, smiling against his skin as he pushes Prompto’s shirt up his chest, forgoing his neck entirely to press kisses to his chest. “I thought the whole point was to make you come?”

Prompto groans, lifting his head to thump it back against the mattress.

“Not this fast,” Prompto whines.

“Alright.” Noctis relents, taking his hand away and rubbing calming circles on his hip with his thumb. “Mind if I do some exploring, then?”

“Do I need to draw you a map?” Prompto quips, lifting his head to watch Noctis’ progress down his body.

“Nah, finding my own way is half the fun,” Noctis grins, flicking his tongue in a pattern across his nipple. Prompto gasps, shivering at the unexpected touch of Noctis’ tongue. “X marks the spot. Got any treasure for me? Oh wait, I see the treasure trail.”

“Urg, you’re the worst,” Prompto groans, tilting his head back and throwing his arm over his eyes. “Remind me why I’m attracted to you again?”

“Because you love me,” Noctis says easily, and Prompto has to swallow hard and calm his rapid heartbeat at hearing the L word again. “And because I’m about to give you orgasms.”

“Right,” Prompto croaks, his stomach sucking in when Noctis' lips trail a blazing path down his chest to his stomach, following his ‘treasure trail’. Prompto makes a strangled sound, nearly swallowing his tongue when he removes his arm and sees Noctis burying his face between his legs.

“You smell so good,” Noctis groans, inhaling his scent and nuzzling against him.

Prompto whimpers, trying his best not to squirm but it’s so hard with the way Noctis’ hot breath ghosts over his cock.

“Can I suck you off?” Noctis asks, lifting his head and looking up at him through his eyelashes.

Prompto swallows hard, his cock twitching needily at Noctis’ offer. Prompto licks his lips and nods.

Noctis gives Prompto a feral grin and licks a long stripe up his cock to swirl his tongue around the tip before backing off. Prompto’s quiet “oh god” is music in Noctis’ ears. When Noctis lifts his head again to check Prompto’s reaction, Prompto’s eyes are wide like saucers, a deep red blush high on his cheeks. Noctis keeps his eyes fixed on Prompto’s face as he lowers his head and wraps his lips around the head of his cock again and takes him a few inches into his mouth as he starts to bob his head up and down his length.

Prompto throws his head back, slapping one of his hands over his mouth to muffle the sound of his moan, his hips jerking up reflexively before he stutters out an apology from behind his hand. Noctis hums around his mouthful, preening at Prompto’s reaction.

Noctis pulls off after a few moments when Prompto continues to muffle the sound of his pleasure.

“Stop that,” Noctis rasps, reaching out to tug Prompto’s hand away from his mouth. “I want to hear you.”

“But, Noct—” Prompto whimpers, gasping as Noctis wraps a hand around his cock and strokes him as he watches his face with hungry eyes, eating up every sound that escapes him. “Oh god.”

“That’s it,” Noctis coaxes, licking his lips and lowering his mouth to his cock again to tongue at his slit. “Let me hear you.”

Prompto grunts, biting his lip after the sound leaves him, his chest heaving.

“That’s good,” Noctis praises, suckling on the tip of his cock and swirling his tongue in such a deviously pleasurable way that it has Prompto moaning and fisting his hands in the sheets. It feels like a reward. “Don’t hold back.”

Prompto moans again, much louder than before as Noctis continues his ministrations. Too caught up in the pleasure of Noctis’ mouth, he soon forgets all about why he wanted to stay quiet as Noctis sinks back down on his cock without stopping to talk.

“Noct,” Prompto moans, shakily reaching down to tangle his hand in Noctis’ hair. Noctis moans around him, and his toes curl at the jolt of pleasure the vibrations inflict. Prompto tightens his hand in Noctis’ hair, holding on for dear life as he feels that familiar buildup of tension form in the pit of his stomach coil tighter and tighter, pushing him closer to the edge.

Noctis’ lips pull off with a pop, a string of saliva connecting his lips to the head of his cock. Prompto whines loudly at the unintentional edging, his hips bucking up in complaint.

“Feels good?”

“Yes,” Prompto moans, tugging on a strand of Noctis’ hair, wordlessly begging for more. “I’m so close, please…”

Noctis groans and takes him back into his mouth, his hand stroking him in time with the movement of his tongue.

“Noct, of my god—fuck! Noct, I’m close. I’m so close, I’m gonna—” Prompto babbles, tugging on Noctis’ hair to get his attention; warning him so he has enough time to pull off if he wants.

Instead of pulling off as Prompto had expected, Noctis doubles his efforts. Noctis bobs his head along his length and sucks, his tongue pressing against the vein on the underside of his cock and moaning around him.

All it takes is the vibration from Noctis’ mouth against his cock, and Prompto is gone.

“Fuck!” Prompto shouts, tightening his grip on Noctis’ hair and moaning loudly as he feels himself rapidly careening towards the edge despite desperately trying to hold himself back. Prompto’s body goes taut, his mouth hanging open, wide eyes staring up at the ceiling as he shoots his load into Noctis’ eager mouth.

Prompto whimpers as Noctis swallows around him and lifts his head to swirl his tongue around the head and suckle on the tip while he strokes him in time with the motions of his mouth, wringing his body of every last drop.

Noctis works him through the aftershocks with his mouth and hand until Prompto’s legs are shaking and his chest is heaving, overstimulation starting to set in. Prompto whines and tugs harder on Noctis’ hair.

Noctis lifts his head with one last flick of his tongue and sits back on his haunches. Noctis is wearing a satisfied, smug smile when he finally meets his eyes. Prompto’s eyes lock onto the corner of Noctis’ lips, flushing when he realizes the shininess isn’t just from his spit.

Noctis notices his fixation on his lips. His smile turns into a sharp grin as he swipes his thumb across the corner of his lips and pops his thumb into his mouth, savoring the taste of his mate’s pleasure.

Prompto groans, flinging an arm across his eyes when Noctis laughs at him, not missing the way his cock twitches with renewed interest and valiantly tries to get hard again.

“You like that,” Noctis teases, leaning over him and bracing his hands on either side of Prompto’s head.

Prompto removes his arm to glare up at Noct, but the effect is ruined by the blush staining his cheeks.

“So did you,” Prompto shoots back.

“Obviously,” Noctis says smugly, looking entirely too pleased with himself. Noctis lowers himself onto his elbows, his fingers toying with some strands of his hair. His voice is softer when he says, “Thank you.”

Prompto lets out a huff of amusement. “Are you thanking me for letting you get me off?”

“I guess I am, yeah,” Noctis chuckles, looking a tad embarrassed. “I didn’t think I’d be allowed to do something like that for you so soon. I… enjoyed it.”

“I enjoyed it too, but what can I do for you?” Prompto asks, entirely too aware of the hardness he can feel pressing against his hip. “You didn’t get off.”

Noctis blinks down at him, the hands stilling in his hair as Noctis visibly hesitates.

“This was about you,” Noctis says slowly like he’s choosing his words very carefully. “I didn’t do that with any expectation of reciprocation or anything. I don’t want to pressure you into anything you’re not ready for. I know we’re already moving faster than you’re probably comfortable with.”

“That’s very considerate of you, but you’re not forcing me to do anything I don’t want to,” Prompto reassures, wrapping his arms around Noctis’ neck to tug him down into a kiss. “I want to.”

Noctis groans into the kiss, rutting against his thigh.

Prompto laughs against Noctis’ eager lips, his hand tugging on Noctis’ hair playfully. “When I offered to get you off, I didn’t mean you had to hump my leg like a dog, Noct.”

Noctis huffs against his lips and pulls back. “Well, technically I am one you know.”

Prompto rolls his eyes and reaches down between them to unbutton Noctis’ pants. “Won’t my hand feel better?”

“Gods, yes,” Noctis whispers, his eyes going half-lidded when Prompto reaches inside to pull Noctis’ cock out.

“I thought so,” Prompto hums, wrapping a hand around Noctis’ cock and stroking his hand down his length in an experimental stroke to get a feel for what Noct likes.

Noctis moans in appreciation, and Prompto gains confidence at the sound. He tightens his loose grip to stroke him more firmly, his other hand cradling Noctis’ jaw when Noctis claims his lips in a desperate kiss until Noctis gets overwhelmed and breaks the kiss to breathe when he can no longer focus on maintaining the kiss with Prompto’s hand on him.

“Good?” Prompto whispers against Noctis’ panting mouth.

“Fuck yes,” Noctis groans. “Way better than humping your leg.”

“Told you so,” Prompto sniggers, glancing between their bodies to watch his hand move over Noctis’ cock. Prompto lightly squeezes the base of Noctis’ cock teasingly, and Noctis gasps; a rush of precum dripping from the tip of his cock.

Noctis seems to enjoy a bit of pressure—he looks down at him with pleading, desperate eyes that seem to beg him to do that again so Prompto gladly does it again. He jerks Noctis off while giving his cock gentle squeezes every time his hand reaches the base, and is rewarded with more noises of pleasure from Noct that sends heat searing through him.

Prompto holds Noctis close when he buries his face into the crook of his neck with whine, his body starting to tremble.

Prompto kisses Noctis’ bare shoulder and cards his fingers through his hair. “Are you close?”

Prompto feels the hint of sharp teeth press against his shoulder in answer before Noctis jerks away with a strained sound.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Prompto soothes, softening his voice when he catches the needy, lost look on Noctis’ face. He has a feeling wolves tend to bite each other when they’re intimate; the love bites and hickies that cover his neck are more than enough evidence to support that theory.

“Prom, you’re, shit—I can’t—” Noctis gasps out in-between low moans.

Noctis’ eyes are a wild, bright gold, his terrifyingly sharp canines on full display. Prompto hears a tearing sound beside his head, and he doesn’t need to turn his head to look to know that Noctis’ claws have sliced through their bedding.

Noctis’ cock throbs in his hand, and when he strokes his hand back down to the base of his cock to squeeze, Prompto swears he can feel Noctis’ cock get thicker at the base, swelling gently in his fist.

Noctis moans louder and lifts himself onto his hands to quickly look down between their bodies.

“Fuck, w-wait,” Noctis pleads, quickly wrapping a hand around Prompto’s wrist to still his hand. “Oh god.”

Prompto doesn’t know what suddenly has Noct so spooked, because that’s definitely what he hears in Noctis’ voice—fear, and a hint of… embarrassment?

“What’s wrong?” Prompto asks in concern, carefully extricating his hand from Noctis’ grip with a concealed wince when the sharp point of a claw presses uncomfortably against the tender skin of his inner wrist. “Noct?”

Noctis makes a mournful sound deep in his throat. “Sorry, sorry. I’m just… I need a minute.”

“To regain control of your wolf?” Prompto guesses. This is definitely a wolf thing Noctis seems to be struggling with. Is Noctis worried about losing control and accidentally hurting him? Or is he worried about scaring him with the sudden changes coming over him?

Noctis nods mutely, letting out a loud breath of air.

“It’s alright, you know,” Prompto reassures him, cupping Noctis’ cheek and coaxing him to look at him again. “It’s not a side of you I haven’t seen before. I don’t mind if you’re a little more wolfy.”

Noctis lets out a strained laugh, nuzzling into Prompto’s hand and closing his eyes when Prompto’s hand moves to trace his fingers around a pointed ear.

“I don’t think you’d appreciate it if I suddenly sprouted fur and a tail because I got too excited and caught up in you,” Noctis says wryly.

Prompto’s never seen Noctis partially shift before, and honestly, he’s more than a little intrigued to see what Noct would look like in that form. Would he have fluffy ears to go with his tail? Would he have short fur all over his body or only in certain areas? Either way, the images that come to mind are far from disturbing.

“I think that’s hot.” Prompto laughs at the shocked look that crosses Noctis’ face at the confession. “I mean, you’re losing control of your wolf over a hand job. I don’t think you realize how flattering that is.” Prompto teases playfully.

Noctis’ cheeks turn pink.

“I don’t mind, Noct,” Prompto repeats when Noctis still looks embarrassed. “If that’s all you’re worried about, don’t be. It doesn’t bother me, okay? I promise. Now, do you want me to continue or do you want to stop and resign yourself to blue balls?”

Noctis hesitates, glancing back down at his dick. He slowly removes his hand from where it was wrapped around the base where he had been devastatingly close to popping his knot. He’s relieved beyond measure that he’d managed to reign in that part of him before Prompto had time to notice any obvious changes to his body and ask questions he wasn’t ready to answer. Noctis lets out a quiet breath of relief and gives Prompto a nod to continue.

“Okay, then,” Prompto smiles, wrapping his hand once more around Noctis and stroking him firmly, determined to get him off this time. “Just relax and let go.”

Noctis’ head falls to rest on Prompto’s shoulder with a groan of his name, his hips thrusting into Prompto’s fist. Prompto murmurs more words of encouragement in his ear that sends heat racing through his body, his inner alpha rumbling at the attentiveness and care his mate is showing him.

Prompto is going to be the death of him, Noctis decides right then and there. He’ll count himself lucky if he can keep his baser instincts under control. Prompto’s hand around him has no right to feel as good as it does, and his scent. Six, it’s a struggle and a half not to sink his teeth into his mate’s neck to claim him and knot his mate’s fist like his body is demanding him to.

Noctis moans Prompto’s name when Prompto’s hand squeezes the base of his cock like before, threatening his carefully regained control. He mouths at Prompto’s bare shoulder, pressing his teeth against his delicate skin as much as he dares as he feels his orgasm building rapidly again.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Prompto coaxes, pressing a kiss to the crown of Noctis’ head and wrapping his arm around Noctis’ shoulder to hold him close. “Let go. Come for me.”

Noctis muffles the sound of an aborted howl into Prompto’s shoulder, his teeth biting down hard before he could control the impulse, and spilling into his mate’s hand.

Prompto yelps, his shoulder jerking before he forces himself to still when he feels Noctis’ canines dig in painfully, and a moment later Prompto feels heat splatter against his chest and drip over his knuckles.

Prompto breathes through the stinging pain in his shoulder, not wanting to freak Noctis out and send him into a meltdown over hurting him. The pain he can feel flaring in his shoulder where Noctis’ teeth are still firmly lodged, holding him in place, isn’t as terrible as the initial bite had felt but it still hurts like a mother fucker. At least he’s not bleeding… he hopes.

Looks like I was right about the biting, Prompto muses with a wince, trying his best to focus on stroking Noctis through it, only stopping when Noctis’ teeth unclench. Noctis exhales a satisfied groan and presses a kiss to his skin before leveraging himself up before he’s no doubt tempted to fall asleep on top of him and curl up to take a nap in post-coital bliss.

Noctis looks between their bodies and groans.

Prompto looks down to take in the mess, snorting in disbelief at the sheer amount of come that Noctis covered him in.

“Dude, just how pent-up were you?” Prompto says in disbelief. Noctis’ come is splattered all over his stomach and chest. It even reaches the bottom of his t-shirt resting above his nipples. If Noctis’ had come any harder he would have reached his chin.

“Fuck, sorry, I—it’s a wolf thing,” Noctis apologises sheepishly, looking embarrassed all over again.

“It’s fine, nothing a shower won’t fix,” Prompto chuckles, grinning up at Noct. “At least it won’t come as such a surprise next time.”

“Next time?”

Prompto laughs at how quickly Noctis perks up at that.

“Next time,” Prompto repeats with a grin.

“Well, and won’t you look at that,” Noctis grins, now in high spirits, triumphantly gesturing between their naked bodies. “No jeans—no mess.”

“Yeah, but we can’t say the same for my shirt,” Prompto laughs, looking back down at his chest.

“I’ll lend you one of mine,” Noctis says easily, flopping down beside him with a content sigh and closing his eyes to enjoy the afterglow.

Prompto roll his eyes, absentmindedly raising his hand to rub at his aching shoulder and bringing his hand to his face, relieved to see no signs of blood.

“What’s wrong?” Noctis mumbles, blinking open his eyes to see Prompto massaging his shoulder.

“It’s nothing,” Prompto says, smiling at him over his shoulder as he throws his legs over the side of the bed and stands, raising his arms above his head and stretching.

Noctis gets up as well and follows Prompto into the small bathroom with a frown on his face, watching his mate worriedly. He heard a small blip in his mate’s heartbeat that told him Prompto was lying, but why?

“Prom?” Noctis says tentatively, hesitant to voice the insecurity and anxiety suddenly choking him. Did Prompto regret what happened between them? Did he… hurt him? His eyes sweep over his mate’s body, checking for signs where his claws might have nicked him, where he might have gripped him too hard. His eyes land on his mate’s shoulder when he bends down to test the water and his breath catches.

“Hm?” Prompto hums, fiddling with the ancient knobs to get the water temperature in the shower just the way he wants it. He hears Noctis inhale sharply and he turns to find Noctis frozen, staring at him like an anak caught in the headlights.

“What's wrong?” Prompto asks worriedly, alarmed at the look of shame and horror on Noctis’ face. Prompto quickly moves to his side, grabbing Noctis by the elbow when he looks like he’s about to fall over. “Hey, talk to me, what’s going on!?”

“I—oh god, I tried to…” Noctis' words trail off, gaze riveted to his shoulder.

Prompto clamps his hand over the spot where Noct had bitten him, understanding and relief washing over him.

“Don’t worry about it,” Prompto says softly, dropping his hand from his shoulder to cup Noctis’ cheek. “It doesn’t even hurt anymore.”

“Don’t worry about it?” Noctis' voice is shrill in the small bathroom, and Prompto flinches back in surprise, retracting his hand. “It doesn’t hurt anymore? I bit you. Fuck Prompto, I didn’t— fucking Six— I swear I didn’t mean to. I would never—I would never try to claim you without permission, you gotta believe me, Prom.”

There’s that word again, Prompto thinks. Claim. He doesn’t know in what context it means in this situation, but by Noctis’ reaction, it can’t mean anything good—definitely not the scenting kind. He doesn’t think Noctis means it in the other way Gladio and Ignis explained to him since they hadn’t been having sex.

Why did wolves have the same word that meant different things? It's so frustrating!

Surprisingly, Prompto’s not repulsed by the idea of being tied to Noctis for the rest of his life. He’s Noctis’ mate, it’s bound to happen eventually on his own terms, anyways. He’s not stupid, he knows wolves mate for life, and he’s it for Noct. There’s never going to be anyone else.

“I know,” Prompto says, eyes softening. “I know, Noct, but if it did happen, I wouldn’t be upset about it.”

“What?” Noctis breathes, his eyes widening in shock.

“I told you I accepted you as my mate, didn’t I?” Prompto says, equally as soft. “I meant it. I’m in this for the long haul, and I know one day you’ll want to claim me or whatever, and I accept that too.”

Noctis swallows against the lump in his throat, his eyesight becoming blurry.

“I don’t deserve you,” Noctis says hoarsely. “You forgive me too easily.”

Prompto raises an eyebrow, a teasing grin lifting the corner of his lips as he tries to brighten the mood. “Do you want me to make you grovel and beg for my forgiveness instead? If you want to get on your knees, then by all means.” Prompto gestures to the floor with a wave of his hand. “Beg me, then.”

Prompto thinks he made a grave mistake in teasing Noct when Noctis’ eyes darken, all traces of distress leaving him as Prompto watches Noctis’ eyes travel down his body to land between his legs.

When Noctis falls to his knees at his feet, Prompto’s the one that ends up begging, chanting Noctis’ name like a prayer.

Chapter Text

Prompto wishes he could be anywhere other than sitting here in this restaurant—preferably in bed, KO’d after Noctis had thoroughly turned his legs to jelly by sucking his soul out through his dick for the second time that day.

That definitely taught him a lesson in thinking twice before saying something that could be mistaken as an innuendo—not that he had done a lot of complaining at the time.

Prompto pushes the food around his plate with his fork, refusing to give into the burning urge to nervously glance around the restaurant and look over his shoulder to make sure no one is watching them.

It’s hard to enjoy the atmosphere of the fancy restaurant and the delicious food when he feels like he’s being stalked and hunted. He just can’t get himself to calm the fuck down.

Whatever elation he had felt earlier with Noct in the safety of their room has all but evaporated and has been replaced by anxiety that someone, even now, is watching them and planning an ambush. That someone is watching their every move and is just waiting for the right opportunity to swoop in and catch one of them alone.

Prompto startles when a hand lands on his knee and gently squeezes, stilling his anxious leg bouncing. Prompto looks up from his plate to see Noctis watching him in concern. Prompto gives him a weak smile and subtly slides his hand into his lap to hold Noctis’ hand tightly in his own.

Noctis’ doesn’t say anything; just scoots his chair closer to his side, his hand squeezing his in gentle reassurance.

“Well, aren’t you two just cosy,” Gladio drawls, smirking at them with a knowing glint in his eyes. “I told Iggy we should have left you two lovebirds alone.”

“If we had left them to their own devices, I’m afraid Prompto here would be wearing a necklace of love bites by morning,” Ignis says wryly, his lips twitching in amusement. “We really need to find you some shirts with a higher collar if Noctis continues to insist on marking you up like that.”

Prompto flushes, ducking his head in embarrassment. Ignis had suggested putting healing salve on the marks to get them to fade, but Noctis had gotten angry and possessive at the mention of covering them up.

It was only Ignis’ rational explanation that it would draw unwanted attention and endanger Prompto’s anonymity that had Noctis panicking and rushing to cover the marks himself. Noctis even stole one of Ignis’ dress shirts for Prompto to wear to provide extra cover.

While Ignis and Gladio hadn’t said anything about hearing them, the widening of Ignis’ eyes and the slow smirk that had grown on Gladio’s face when they had met up in the hall to leave for the restaurant spoke volumes.

The way their nostrils had flared was the only warning Prompto had gotten before the teasing had begun. They could smell what they’d been up to, and no amount of soap he had scrubbed himself in the shower seemed to have any effect.

The endless teasing doesn’t help with Prompto’s embarrassment or his nervousness. If Gladio and Ignis can smell what he and Noct had been up to, then so can they. They’re already suspicious, and sooner or later, Ardyn’s pack is going to figure out exactly what his ties to Noctis are.

“Can we please stop talking about that?” Prompto mumbles, forcing himself to take a bite of his food and avoid their eyes.

The food is delicious, and this restaurant definitely deserves all the hype it gets, but he’s so nervous that he can barely stomach it. He has to force himself to swallow after every bite.

“Forgive me,” Ignis apologizes, his smile slipping from his face with a rueful grimace. “I only meant to lighten the mood, not cause you discomfort.”

“You need to relax, Blondie,” Gladio says through a mouthful of food. Gladio swallows when Ignis shoots him a look of disgust and tells him not to talk with his mouth full. “You’re stinkin’ up the place.”

“Excuse me?” Prompto demands, frowning at him from across the table. “What do you mean I stink? I took a shower half an hour ago!”

“No, moron,” Gladio says with a roll of his eyes. “We can smell the anxiety wafting off of you, and you’re putting Princess over there on edge.”

Prompto glances over at Noctis, guilt settling heavily in his stomach when he sees the truth of Gladio’s words reflected by the stress and worry written all over Noctis’ face.

“Sorry,” Prompto says with a sigh, slumping in his chair and pushing his plate away from him with a soft clatter when his fork hits the porcelain. He wishes he could control his emotions better, but he’s never been great at hiding his feelings or covering them up behind a mask. “I can’t help it.”

“What’s the matter?” Ignis asks kindly, and the concern on Ignis’ face just makes him feel worse. He seems to be the only one that’s afraid to be out in public while Ardyn’s pack is probably lurking around the corner; which in turn, makes him feel guilty about thinking they don’t care.

Noctis’ reaction in that alleyway has put any doubts he had to rest. Noctis had been ready to kill that kid; Prompto had seen the intention in his eyes. A part of Prompto wonders if Noctis would have killed him had he not been there. Noctis takes his safety seriously; he’s never doubted that for a second.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Prompto huffs, his eyes darting around the restaurant again; searching for a threat that isn’t there. He knows he’s being paranoid; the guys haven’t sensed anything since they got to the restaurant, but he can’t stop the way his heart pounds in his chest or the way he’s nervously fidgeting in his chair. “We’re out after dark and there are psychopaths after us.”

“Psychopaths that wouldn’t dare try anything if they know what’s good for them,” Gladio growls, reacting to the fear that hasn’t left Prompto’s scent. “They’d have to get past us three and a restaurant full of wolves who’d jump to a human’s defence. Trust me, no one’s going anywhere near you, Prompto. No one.”

Prompto chews on his bottom lip and lets out another sigh, forcing himself to relax and believe what Gladio’s saying.

“I know just the thing to make you feel better!” Noctis says excitedly, pushing away his own plate.

“Going back to the hotel?” Prompto asks hopefully.

Noctis looks at him with a grin and shakes his head, much to Prompto’s disappointment.

“Without dessert? While we’re here, you’ve got to try the memory lane pastry! It’s the best damn tart you’ll ever have. It’s literally an orgasm in your mouth!”

“I bet that’s not the only orgasm you’d have had in your mouth today, Noct,” Gladio sniggers.

Noctis doesn’t have an ounce of shame, and wiggles his eyebrows, looking smug and entirely too proud of himself.

“Are you not going to finish your supper first, Noct?” Ignis asks, eyeing Noctis’ plate.

“I am finished.”

“…Clearly the vegetables don’t count, then?”

“Clearly,” Noctis says with a roll of his eyes and turns to wave down their waiter.

Prompto covers his laugh with his hand at the exasperated look on Ignis’ face. Ignis’ eyes shift to him and his expression softens and turns fond when he sees Prompto grinning through the cracks of his fingers. Prompto hadn’t realized how tense everyone was until he sees all of them relax at the sound of his laughter.

Noctis catches the attention of the waiter and orders pastries for everyone. When the waiter comes back with their order and places Noctis’ plate in front of him, Noctis’ whole face lights up. He looks like a little kid on their birthday about to blow out the candles on their cake.

Prompto looks down at his own plate, his mouth watering at the sight of the pastries that came with sweet sauteed ulwaat berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. He doesn’t usually allow himself to eat desserts without working out immediately after since his metabolism is complete and utter shit, but he figures he more than deserves a cheat day after the week he’s had.

Prompto smiles and picks up his fork to take a bite when Noctis turns to him with an expectant look; waiting to see what he thinks of it. Prompto already has high expectations, but when the flavor of the jelly filling explodes across his tastebuds; sweet and fruity, with the pastry baked just right, he is still surprised.

Orgasm in your mouth, indeed.

“Oh god,” Prompto blurts, moaning aloud at the taste.

Gladio bursts out laughing at his reaction. When he looks over, Gladio and Ignis look amused, but it’s Noctis’ reaction that snags his attention. There’s a dusting of pink that colors Noctis’ cheeks that doesn’t take him long to figure out the cause. Flashbacks of Prompto making similar noises not an hour before for an entirely different reason fill his mind.

Prompto feels himself flush when he realizes where Noctis’ mind has wandered off too, and he squeezes Noctis hand meaningfully before letting go, bringing his attention back to dessert. Prompto swallows when he sees a flash of hunger in Noctis’ eyes, there and gone within a blink; so quick Prompto is sure he imagined it.

Noctis chuckles when he swallows his mouthful and immediately scoops more of the pastry onto his fork with some berries.

“I told you it was good,” Noctis says smugly, digging into his own with gusto.

“Yeah, yeah,” Prompto says, flapping a hand at him and taking another bite. “It’s really good. Happy?”

“Ecstatic,” Noctis says with his mouth full, much to Ignis’ chagrin.

“You have the biggest sweet tooth out of everyone I’ve ever met, so when you say it’s good, I believe you,” Prompto teases, nudging Noctis with his shoulder.

Noctis nudges him back and scootches over a bit more so their shoulders are touching. Warmth blossoms in Prompto’s chest at Noctis’ attempt to maintain contact now that they’re no longer holding hands. Without thinking about it, Prompto turns his face to peck Noctis on the cheek.

“Do try to keep the PDA to a minimum, please,” Ignis softly interrupts. “While I am pleased to see you two bonding and that you’re in better spirits, Prompto, you have to be a bit more… discreet in your affections while in public.”

“Shit,” Prompto curses quietly, eyes darting around the restaurant to see if anyone had seen. For a moment there, he had entirely forgotten about his worries, which was dangerous considering that Ardyn’s pack could be watching their every move from the shadows.

Would they ever be free to act like a normal couple without worrying about the target on their back?

“Sorry,” Prompto apologizes, shooting Noctis a guilty look.

“Don’t be sorry,” Noctis says quickly, reaching out to grab his hand again and entwine their fingers under the table. “I love it, but Iggy’s right. We just have to be careful when we’re in public. We can kiss all you like once we’re back at the hotel. Maybe other stuff too,” Noctis suggests with a mischievous grin.

Prompto feels heat creep up to his face and he ducks his head.

Noctis chuckles at Prompto’s sudden shyness.

“Stop trying to embarrass me,” Prompto pouts. “That doesn’t make me feel any better, you know.”

Noctis’ grin widens. “You know what would?”

Prompto lifts his head and raises an eyebrow at Noct, refraining from stating the obvious. “What?”

Prompto sees Noctis’ grin sharpen, and then Noctis is leaning forward to whisper in his ear. Prompto’s breath catches, his lips parting and eyes widening as he listens to Noctis whisper all the things he would like to do to him to make him feel better when he finally gets him alone.

“Noct!” Prompto hisses when Noctis pulls away with a feral grin, his eyes flashing triumphantly. “We’re in public!”

“Aww,” Noctis coos, that damning grin still on his face. “You’re so pretty when you blush.”

Prompto ducks his head and huffs, attempting to hide the smile on his face. He doesn’t know how Noctis can whisper such filthy things to him in front of their friends without an ounce of shame. With their sharp hearing, they no doubt heard every word Noctis said to him.

“I’m not blushing,” Prompto denies, well aware of the heat in his cheeks.

“Yes, you are.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“Children,” Ignis sighs, and Prompto is mortified to see that Ignis’ cheeks are slightly pink. “Some of us are still trying to enjoy our meal.”

Fucking Noct. He’s going to get him back for this. Prompto narrows his eyes at Gladio when he smirks and winks at him, but Gladio is undeterred.

“Well, it sounds like you’ll be visiting cloud nine later,” Gladio sniggers.

Prompto glares over at him but the effect is ruined by his darkening blush. “Shut up, Gladio, and finish your food.”

“You got it, boss,” Gladio laughs, giving him a mock salute before doing as he’s told.

Prompto rolls his eyes and returns to his own food, his thoughts turning to the day ahead. Tomorrow they’ll be at Fenestala Manor, and he knows their arrival won’t be entirely welcomed by smiles and happy greetings. If word hasn’t reached the queen of her daughter’s death, that duty will pass to Noct.

With a sigh, Prompto finishes off his pastry and pushes his plate away. He looks around the table at their empty plates. “Now that we’re done, can we head back now?”

“Why?” Gladio questions, his lips twitching into a smirk. “You that eager to get wrecked, Blondie?”

“Oh my god, Gladio,” Prompto hisses. “I don’t want to go back to the hotel to have sex.”

“You don’t?” Noctis asks, pretending to pout. “Not even for a quickie?”

“No!” Prompto glares, pinching Noctis’ thigh and causing him to laugh. Prompto is immensely relieved when Ignis flags down the waiter and excuses himself to go pay the bill. He can forgive the amused smile Ignis has on his face if it means they get to leave finally.

Ignis comes back with a nod, and motions for them to get up. Noctis is the first to rise from his seat, and Prompto moves to follow behind Ignis and Gladio, but Ignis gently grabs him by the elbow with a murmured “This way, darling,” and positions him in front of them as they exit the doors.

Noctis is ahead of them leading the way while Ignis and Gladio are at his back. He feels safe in between them and is grateful for Ignis’ foresight, but it doesn’t stop his eyes from wandering nervously and eyeing the people they pass suspiciously, nor does it stop him from wanting to reach out and hold Noctis’ hand.

It’s a disorienting thought, knowing that he’s the most vulnerable and fragile out of the four of them. He’s never particularly felt weak, and it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth knowing that he needs protecting when it’s supposed to be him doing the protecting.

Except that’s not entirely true anymore, Prompto thinks wryly. As Noctis’ mate, it’s Gladio and Ignis’ duty to protect him as much as Noctis. He may not be that knowledgeable when it comes to wolves, but he knows enough about what happens if a wolf loses their mate to know that Noctis would go feral if anything ever happened to him.

Prompto lets out an audible sigh of relief when they cross the threshold and enter the safety of the hotel and make their way to their rooms. Their room may not be grand but it is safe, and he’s eager to be isolated from the outside world for a couple of hours.

“You okay?” Noctis asks once they’ve said goodnight to Ignis and Gladio with the reminder that they have to wake up before dawn to find a car to take them to Fenestala Manor.

“Yeah,” Prompto sighs, closing the door behind him. He’s exhausted in more than just the physical sense. “Just… anxious. And tired.”

“I know, me too,” Noctis admits, opening his arms in an invitation that Prompto immediately takes. Noctis wraps his arms around him in a hug.  “I don’t want you out of my sight for even a second—especially tomorrow. I want you by my side the entire time we’re there, alright?”

“No complaints here,” Prompto mumbles, resting his cheek against Noctis’ chest with a sigh as he slides his hands up Noctis’ back to hold him to him.

“Good,” Noctis murmurs, tightening his arms around Prompto briefly and pressing a kiss to the crown of his head before letting him go. “We’ve had a long day. Let’s get some shut-eye.”

Prompto agrees with Noctis wholeheartedly. He wants nothing more than to close his eyes and put this disastrous day behind him, but the moment he strips down to his boxers and climbs into bed beside Noct, his brain won’t shut off.

No matter how hard he tries to clear his mind, he can’t stop overanalyzing everyone they passed since they discovered they’re being watched. Had the big guy in a suit sitting a few tables over from them at the restaurant looked at them too long? Had the lady they passed in the street recognized them when she had glanced back at them?

Had—

“Go to sleep,” Noctis mumbles drowsily, nosing into the back of Prompto’s neck as he wraps an arm around him to pull him closer. “I’m ‘ere.”

Prompto immediately feels guilty, knowing his anxiety and stress are what’s keeping Noctis awake. His scent is probably broadcasting every single thing he’s feeling to Noctis like he’s tuned into a radio station just for his emotions. Prompto turns in Noctis’ arms and buries his face in the crook of his neck with a whispered apology.

Noctis makes a rumbling purr of a noise and slides his hand up Prompto’s back and into his hair. His nails lightly scratch his scalp and play with the long strands of his hair. Prompto releases a long sigh, forcing himself to close his eyes and surrender to Noctis’ gentle ministrations; feeling the tension slowly seep from his body.

Prompto can feel the faint vibration beneath his cheek as the soft purring continues. He likes the way it sounds, the way he can feel it rumbling from Noctis’ chest with each breath. He finds it oddly soothing and comforting. His eyelids feel heavy already, each gentle rise and fall of Noctis’ chest beneath him lulling him into a state of calm, the quiet purr deep within Noctis’ chest and his gentle fingers playing with his hair are lulling him to sleep… until the noise stops.

“Can you keep doing that?” Prompto asks quietly.

“Hm?” Noctis hums questioningly.

“That noise you made,” Prompto says uncertainly. “The… purring? It’s nice.”

Prompto gets the sudden feeling he’s asked for something unexpected when Noctis makes a surprised sound and his hand stills in his hair.

“You don’t have to,” Prompto says swiftly.

“No, no, I’d love to,” Noctis reassures, going back to playing with his hair. “I just didn’t think it affected you, is all.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wasn’t sure it affected humans. It—” Noctis’ explanation is cut off by a loud yawn. “It’s a sound meant to soothe other wolves.”

“Mm,” Prompto hums, closing his eyes once more. “Well, it does. It’s nice.”

Noctis doesn’t respond verbally, but the kickstarting of a gentle rumble beneath his ear is answer enough.

Prompto sighs in contentment, his body relaxing further under the soothing sound until he slips into a dreamless sleep.

Prompto wakes up to find himself half buried beneath Noctis’ body. They must have turned at some point during the night. Prompto hums contentedly and lets his eyes fall closed once more; enjoying Noctis’ comfortable weight and warmth pressing against his back. This is the most at peace he’s felt in weeks and he wants to enjoy it while he can.

It’s nice to wake up and not be consumed by anxiety and dread for what the day will bring. Today, they’ll be safe within the walls of Fenestala Manor. They’ll be under the protection of the queen and her guards, and practically untouchable. As Gladio and Ignis have said before, Ardyn’s pack would be suicidal to try to reach them there.

It’s one less thing for him to worry about.

Prompto reaches under his pillow, rooting around for where he left his phone. Finding it, he squints his eyes at the brightness when he turns it on and checks the time.

4:20 AM

That gives him enough time to shower and style his hair before Ignis comes to retrieve them.

Prompto squirms under Noctis’ weight, trying to stealthily leave the bed without waking him up, but Noctis tightens his hold around him with a sleepy growl. Prompto snorts out a quiet laugh and tries to wiggle out from under him again only to still when Noctis’ teeth close around the nape of his neck with another low growl.

“Noct?” Prompto asks uncertainly.

Noctis unclenches his jaw and presses an apologetic kiss where he had bitten him instinctively.

“Sorry,” Noctis apologizes, voice rough with sleep. He nuzzles and presses his face into Prompto’s neck with a whiny noise. “Early. Stay.”

“So you bit me to get me to stay in bed? Really?”

Noctis makes a petulant sound against the nape of his neck. “Yes.”

Prompto snorts in disbelief. “And you thought that would work?”

“Yes.”

“Can you say more than one-word sentences?” Prompto teases.

“No.”

Prompto rolls his eyes and nudges Noctis so he can turn over in his arms. Prompto snorts when he sees the state of Noctis’ hair sticking up in about a dozen different directions. Noctis pulls him against his chest with a content sound, scent marking him lazily.

“And how would you like it if I bit you?” Prompto says, playfully scraping his teeth against Noctis’ collarbone.

“Mm, you know, biting it a form of foreplay for us,” Noctis mumbles, shifting against him tellingly.

“Of course, it is,” Prompto chuckles, pressing his teeth down in a bite against Noctis’ shoulder much in the same way Noctis had done to him.

There’s a muffled curse from Noctis, and Prompto giggles as Noctis rolls on top of him.

“Don’t even think about it. We don’t have time for that, Noct,” Prompto laughs, squirming under Noctis and turning his face away when he tries to kiss him; his lips landing on his cheek instead. “Iggy and Gladio will come get us in like, half an hour, and I still need to shower and do my hair.”

“We can shower together,” Noctis suggests, pressing kisses along Prompto’s jaw before moving lower. “We’ll save on time and water.”

“Pff, yeah, sorry, that’s not gonna happen,” Prompto laughs, pushing Noctis back. “We’ll definitely be late, then.”

“Please?” Noctis pouts. “I promise to be on my best behavior.”

Prompto raises a single eyebrow, regarding him dubiously. “You’re going to keep your hands to yourself while we’re in the shower?”

Noctis nods enthusiastically, reminding Prompto of the bobblehead toys he’d see in shops.

“While I’m naked and wet,” Prompto deadpans.

Prompto watches Noctis’ expression falter, watching as Noctis bites his bottom lip as though he doesn’t want to admit that no, no he would not be able to keep his hands to himself.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Prompto smiles, laughing at the crestfallen expression on Noctis’ face. “Now get off me so I can go shower.”

With a loud groan, Noctis rolls off him and flops down beside him. “Fine. Leave me then. I’ll be here… depressed and alone.”

Prompto rolls his eyes. “You’re so dramatic.”

“So alone,” Noctis repeats with a whine. “My mate is so mean to me—banishing me from his sight.”

“Oh my god, Noct,” Prompto laughs, slapping him on the thigh before dragging himself up from the bed. “Fine, you can join me in the shower, you big baby.”

Noctis eagerly follows him like the eager puppy that he is.

“Hands to yourself,” Prompto reminds, pointing a warning finger at Noctis. “I do not want to be the one to explain to Iggy and Gladio if they come and get us and find our bedroom empty.”

“I’d handle it,” Noctis says easily, before realizing his error. “But that won’t happen, obviously, because I’m a man of my word and will keep my hands to myself.”

And it comes as no surprise to Prompto whatsoever that when they finally emerge from the bathroom—twenty minutes late he’d like to add—to find Gladio and Ignis already in their room waiting for them with breakfast set up on small foldable tables beside the bed that they must have gotten from the concierge.

It turns out that Noctis’ idea of ‘being on his best behavior’ differs greatly from Prompto’s.

“It’s about time you two showed up, your breakfast is growing cold,” Ignis chastened, letting out an exasperated sigh when he sees the new hickey adorning Prompto’s pale throat. “Really, Noctis?”

“What?” Noctis says innocently, already making his way to one of the tables and reaching for a piece of toast; ripping a chunk off to shove in his mouth. “I didn’t do anything.”

“I beg to differ,” Ignis scoffs, rising from the bed and motioning for Prompto to take a seat as he summons the tube of healing salve into his hand. “You know you’ll have to cover it.”

Noctis frowns unhappily. “Must I?”

“Let him keep it, Ig,” Gladio interjects, shrugging when three pairs of eyes turn to him. “All the rest have healed up, haven’t they? It won't hurt for him to keep the one to keep Princess settled, now will it? We’ll be at the queen’s manor today so it won’t matter.”

“I suppose it won’t hurt,” Ignis allows, dismissing the healing salve and taking a seat on the bed. “Now, let's finish our breakfast and get on the road. If we want to arrive before dawn we will have to leave soon.”

“Are we walking?” Prompto asks, unsure of the idea of walking to the manor in the dark.

“No, I have already procured a driver to take us up to the manor. He is waiting down in the lobby,” Ignis explains. “While normally it would be a good idea to go under the cover of darkness, we don’t know who else may have the same idea.”

“And I am in no mood for an ambush this early in the morning,” Gladio comments dryly.

“Agreed. It is imperative that we reach the manor without incident. The less attention that we draw to ourselves, the safer we shall all remain. We cannot afford another incident like what happened in Altissia.”

They sit and eat in silence until the last crumbs of their breakfast are gone, then pack their bags and store what they can in the armiger.  They’re ready in record time and make their way down to the lobby and out the back door into the parking lot behind the hotel.

Gladio waits alertly beside the car while the driver and the rest of them get in before getting in himself. After giving the all clear, the driver backs up slowly and pulls onto the main street, heading towards Fenestala Manor in relative silence.

The car stops ten minutes later in front of a large manor house, a beautifully wrought iron gate bearing the Nox Flueret family crest at the entrance of the drive.

“This is it,” The driver announces quietly. “Fenestala Manor.”

“Thank you,” Ignis says for them, unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the door to step outside. He glances over his shoulder at Gladio and gives him a nod when he meets his gaze. Noctis slides out of the car next, and they wait for Prompto to round the car before they make their way past the gate together.

Fenestala Manor’s outer courtyard is silent as they walk through. Shadows seem to leap and grow from every hedge and corner of the gardens as the sun slowly rises on the horizon. If Prompto didn’t know any better he’d think they were alive. The shadows move and shift in patterns with their every footstep almost like a living thing.

Prompto shivers at the thought.

Noctis looks around with interest as he leads them up the steps to the main entrance.

“This place hasn’t changed a bit,” Noctis observes, glancing up at the vines creeping over the walls with a faraway look in his eyes. “It looks exactly like how I remember it…”

Noctis says it as if remembering a day out and not a night of terror. His voice and words are casual enough, but everything in his body language screams that something’s wrong. There’s a weight to his words, and Prompto is frightened by the vacant, haunted look on Noctis’ face as he continues to stare up at the manor like he’s seen a ghost.

Noctis is thinking about the first and last time he was here. Just being near the manor is bringing back memories so raw and painful that Noctis can barely speak, can barely even move. He’s frozen; rooted to the spot as if Medusa herself turned him to stone. It makes Prompto’s heart ache for him and everything he’s lost.

Prompto walks to his side and slips his hand into Noctis’ to offer him comfort. Noctis flinches at his touch, startling back to the present.

“You’re not alone,” Prompto promises him, remembering what Noctis told him about the night his mother was murdered in the very forest that surrounds Tenebrae, about how terrified he is that something terrible is going to happen to him. “We made it. We’re safe.”

Noctis’ fingers tighten around Prompto’s, and he gives him a small, grateful smile. His shoulders lose a bit of their tension as he takes in Prompto’s words. A flashback of him being carried in his father’s arms while their kingsguard gets slaughtered flashes before his eyes, his mother's corpse fading into the distance as his father carries him to safety.

He delivered them all safely. Gladio, Ignis and Prompto are alive and safe. He didn’t fail them.

Noctis finds the strength to continue with Prompto at his side. They reach the grand double doors when someone emerges from inside. It’s a woman, dressed in elegant black. She smiles with familiarity when she sees Noctis and walks up to him, looking genuinely glad to see him.

“Prince Noctis… we have been expecting your arrival for quite some time now. I was beginning to worry.” Her voice is soft and gentle, her face serene. “It is good to see you again.”

“Gentiana,” Noctis murmurs softly in recognition. “What—what brings you here? This isn’t…” Noctis trails off, unable to finish. Grief flashes in his eyes and for a moment he seems like he’s going to cry.

“No need for concern, Prince Noctis,” Gentiana tells him kindly. “My being here is simply a formality. I know grief weighs heavily on your heart. I hope that the knowledge that Lady Lunafreya successfully crossed over and now resides with her ancestors is a comfort to you. She is at peace.”

Noctis looks both relieved at the news and resigned. “Queen Sylvia knows, then?”

“Yes. It is not my way to keep secrets from the people who deserve the truth,” Gentiana replies simply, her expression turning grave and solemn. “What has transpired is a tragedy and a great loss to all of us.” Gentiana pauses, her gaze lingering on Prompto.

“You are aware Lady Lunafreya shared her visions with me.” When Noctis nods, Gentiana continues. “May I offer some advice?”

“Of course,” Noctis murmurs quietly.

“Be strong,” Gentiana says gently. “Difficult times are upon you and danger swiftly approaches. Be wary, for there lies enemies amongst those whom you would consider friends. For your own sake and that of your mate; be wary of all who you encounter for even Lady Lunafreya could not foretell who is behind what will come to pass.”

Prompto looks from Gentiana to Noctis. He doesn’t quite understand the conversation happening between the two of them, but the sense of foreboding is strong. Noctis’ jaw clenches, and he nods; a tight line of determination appearing across his brow.

“The Queen is awake and in the throne room; she awaits your arrival,” Gentiana continues, her voice softer still. She offers Noctis a smile before stepping back, allowing them entrance into the manor.

They follow after her in silence. There’s a sudden tension in the air that hangs over them, like the kind that Prompto feels when there’s too much that remains unsaid. It feels like a dam holding back a force that wants to break loose and run rampant. It takes everything in Prompto not to ask Noctis what Gentiana had meant with the mysterious warning.

Gentiana leads them down an ornate hall decorated with portraits of old kings and queens, the latest one depicting a regal woman standing behind a throne. Further down the hall, the walls are covered with framed paintings and tapestries. Some depict scenes of hunting in forests, others portray past rulers side by side with their wolf companion which makes him think of Umbra.

There are many more of the royal family themselves and various landscapes; including several of Lunafreya and what can only be her brother, Ravus.

They reach the end of the massive hall and come to a stop before a pair of doors carved into a large archway that’s guarded by two Queensglaive. On either side are statues of two giant wolves that wield a dagger in their mighty maws. They tower of Prompto and Noctis, their expression grim and determined; ready to tear into anyone intruding upon their territory.

“And here is where our meeting must end, Prince Noctis,” Gentiana says regretfully. “May our paths meet again.”

Gentiana tilts her head in farewell and turns to leave without another word. Her footsteps fade until they’re nothing but echoes in the distance.

“Well, she seems nice,” Prompto ventures awkwardly.

Noctis chuckles. “Gentiana is an Astral Messenger. She was Luna’s link to commune with the other Astrals.”

Prompto raises an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” Noctis replies. “Luna was… well, she was the Oracle. She saw things before they happened. She could read people and sometimes forewarn them before tragedy struck. If only…”

If only she had seen her own demise.

Noctis straightens up, shoulders squared. “Anyway,” Noctis continues briskly, regaining his composure. “Let’s go and get this over with.”

The guards allow them to pass into the throne room uninterrupted. They walk towards the two thrones that sit atop a raised dais. The one beside the throne belonged to the Consort of Tenebrae which is flanked by two lesser thrones of gold and silver that must belong to Lunafreya and Ravus. The throne itself is tall and imposing; made out of pure white marble and polished to gleaming perfection.

They come to a stop at the bottom of the dais, and Prompto reaches subtly for Ignis’ hand; wrapping his fingers gently around his wrist in a loose hold. The Queen looks fierce and stern, her eyes burning into them. Prompto swallows thickly as he takes in the Queen for the first time; her bloodshot eyes and her long black mourning gown. It’s obvious that the Queen has suffered many sleepless nights and has spent a long time grieving her daughter’s death.

“If you’ve come to tell me my daughter is dead, you’re too late, Noctis Lucis Caelum,” Queen Sylvia informs him, clutching a blue and silver trident in her lap that no doubt belonged to her daughter. “I hope you will be able to shed some light on my daughter’s passing since the last I heard before communications were lost was that she was to be meeting you for the wedding.”

The Queen’s words are accusing, and the guards react to her tone; straightening further and slamming the butt of their spears against the floor. Prompto fidgets nervously, hand tightening around Ignis’ wrist as the tension in the room thickens.

“I see your mate clings to your beta like a frightened pup hiding beneath their mother’s skirt,” Queen Sylvia sneers when Noctis takes too long to respond, her tone harsh. “I hope he was worth the price my kingdom has paid.”

Noctis bristles, a warning growl rumbling in his chest. “You know the feeling caused by the loss of your mate, Queen Sylvia, so you should know better than to ask me that.”

Ignis inhales a sharp breath beside him and twists his wrist to grab his hand.

“You were aware of the risks when you approved of Luna’s suggestions and allowed her to travel to Altissa. If anyone is to blame it is the guards you sent to protect her.”

“You dare to place the blame on my guards?” Queen Sylvia says dangerously.

Prompto swears the temperature in the room drops by several degrees.

“I do,” Noctis says just as bitingly. “Where were they when she needed them? Obviously, they weren’t with her or we would have found their bodies. Seems to me that you have traitors in your guard who gave her up.”

“That’s preposterous!” Queen Sylvia hisses. “My daughter was the finest healer my family has bred in generations! The people adored her; they would never have committed such a heinous crime.”

“Your faith in them is admirable, but it still doesn’t explain that Luna was dead before we even got there and they were nowhere to be seen,” Noctis says, his voice cracking with emotion. “There’s no other explanation for it. You have traitors within your ranks. I get that you’re upset and grieving, but we are not your enemies, Sylvia.”

The Queen’s composure splinters.

“If what you say is true…” The Queen trails off, the expression on her face becoming vicious.

“It is,” Noctis says firmly.

“Would you swear on your mate’s life?” The Queen says sharply. “That you speak the truth?”

Noctis tenses briefly at the passive-aggressive threat to his mate before forcing himself to calm down. No matter how upset Queen Sylvia is, she would never harm Prompto. Their families have been friends and allies for generations.

Noctis straightens further, locking eyes with Queen Sylvia. “ I do.”

Queen Sylvia lets out a long sigh and relaxes her posture; satisfied with his answer. The Queen turns to the guard at her side.

“I want everyone who was tasked with my daughter’s protection over the last few months brought to the throne room,” The Queen orders. “And gather all the new recruits from the past year while you’re at it. Speak of this to no one.”

“Yes, my Queen,” The guard says obediently, bowing at the waist and silently slipping from the room to carry out her orders.

Queen Sylvia turns once more to face Noctis, a glimmer of vindictive savageness shining in her eyes.

“I do love a morning execution,” Queen Sylvia says with a sharp smile. “I will find the truth of whoever is behind this and they will be executed forthwith.”

Queen Sylvia pauses, watching them with a calculating gaze.

“Do you know the history of this trident?” The Queen asks offhandedly, raising the trident in question.

“No,” Noctis replies, unsure where the queen is going with this.

“The very first Oracle imbued it with her will. She had a powerful drive to uphold justice. She named it The Trident of Truth,” The Queen explains. “Whoever touches the weapon is compelled to speak the truth; they are incapable of lying. You already swore on your mate’s life so I will not insult you by asking you to touch it, but if today does not yield results we will be having an altogether different discussion.”

“I have nothing to hide,” Noctis says firmly. “And neither does my pack.”

“Very well,” Queen Sylvia says, offering a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Then you will not take offence when I request your mate to be the first one to lay their hand upon the trident and submit to my questions.”

Noctis’ jaw clenches. “My mate doesn’t know anything.”

Queen Sylvia raises an elegant eyebrow. “He is your mate and closest confidant. Forgive me if I find that hard to believe.”

Prompto can practically see Noctis’ hackles rising and his hair standing on end. Noctis clenches his fist, and Prompto worries when he sees a faint tremor of anger go through Noctis’ body.

“I’ll do it,” Prompto blurts out, cringing when everyone turns to look at him. “I’ll do it right now just to—to clear any doubt that we had anything to do with it.”

“Prompto—” Noctis starts but the queen raises a hand and Noctis falls silent.

“You are braver than I originally gave you credit for, young one,” Queen Sylvia says with a thoughtful hum, her eyes scrutinizing him. “Step forward.”

Prompto swallows nervously and takes a step closer to the throne, guiltily ignoring Noctis’ eyes boring into his back. He’s sure he’s going to get an earful from him when this is all over.

“Kneel before me,” Queen Sylvia commands.

Prompto hears Noctis’ snarl reverberate through the throne room. His heartbeat pounds through his chest, flinching at the sound. Please don’t do anything stupid, Noct, Prompto wordlessly pleads, looking over his shoulder and giving Noctis a pleading look.

“He is Prince Consort,” Noctis growls, a furious rumble vibrating in his chest. “It is an insult to have him kneel before foreign royalty.”

The Queen doesn’t look phased by Noctis’ anger. “Forgive me, Prince Noctis, but unless I haven’t been made aware of certain laws changing, your mate is not considered an official consort unless he bears your mark.”

Noctis’ nostrils flare angrily and says nothing.

Queen Sylvia smiles. “And unless my nose deceives me, your mate’s scent is his own.”

“Highness, the queen is right,” Ignis says quietly, daring to place his hand on his alpha’s elbow. “Just let it go. The quicker we resolve this, the better for all parties involved.”

Noctis hesitates briefly before backing down. He looks away, letting out a defeated exhale.

“Good.” The Queen nods curtly, her eyes flickering back to Prompto and locking eyes with him. “Kneel.”

Prompto kneels on the stone steps as the queen repeats her command.

Queen Sylvia stands, the stave of the trident sounding loudly in the room as it strikes the floor. Prompto flinches and forces his breathing to stay calm and controlled so he doesn’t panic Noctis with his sudden anxiety.

“Place your hand upon the trident.”

Prompto swallows to moisten his dry mouth, nerves fluttering in his belly. He reaches out a steady hand, proud that it doesn’t shake, and wraps it around the stave. Prompto immediately jolts with a gasp, a bolt of panic shooting through him when he finds his hand unable to withdraw from the trident. Prompto stares at where his hand is wrapped around the stave with wide eyes, shuddering when he feels foreign magic wash over him.

“Good,” Queen Sylvia says with a smile. Her whole demeanour seems to relax and soften. Like now that Prompto is compelled to tell the truth she is infinitely more at ease.

“We’ll start with something simple,” The Queen informs him. “What is your name?”

“Prompto Argentum,” Prompto answers immediately. His breathing quickens, choking as the answer is ripped from him forcefully. His free hand rises to his through in discomfort.

“You didn’t say this was going to hurt him!” Noctis exclaims, taking a halting step forward and stopping when the queensguard takes a step forward and steps down the dais to place himself between Noctis and his queen.

Noctis’ expression shifts to one of panic as his frantic eyes dart between the queen, the guard, and Prompto.

The Queen's features soften with sympathy at the spike of fear and panic that sours the air in the room.

“He is in no pain,” Queen Sylvia promises. “It may cause mild discomfort, but your mate is in no pain.” Queen Sylvia turns to Prompto once more and addresses him. “Prompto, are you in any pain?”

“No,” Prompto rasps, swallowing hard as the forceful feeling comes over him again. He bites his tongue to refrain from going into more detail. It's uncomfortable, but he’s not in any actual pain.

“You know your mate is incapable of being dishonest. Does this ease your concern?” Queen Sylvia asks Noctis, voice soft for the first time since they’ve entered the throne room.

Noctis takes a deep breath and nods, still not looking entirely happy with the situation.

The Queen turns her attention back to Prompto, her face turning serious once more.

 “Your pack arrived in Altissia to meet with my daughter, correct?”

“Yes,” Prompto confirms, surprised that the queen referred to Noctis’ pack as his after she had chastised Noctis about technicalities earlier.

“When your pack arrived, was my daughter alive?” The Queen asks sharply.

“I don’t know,” Prompto chokes, feeling the weight of the question bearing down on him.

“Explain.”

“I don’t know if she was alive when we got there. She was late to meet us at the rendezvous point so we went looking for her and found her in her rooms…” Prompto gasps out. “She was dead on the floor when we found her.”

“Is what your mate says true? Were her guards not with her?”

“The only body we found was hers.”

The pain Prompto sees on the queen’s face has him looking down at the floor, waiting for further questions.

Prompto’s breath catches in his throat when the immediate release of magic when the queen pulls the trident away. He glances up at the queen as she takes a step back.

“Your pack is hereby pardoned. I thank you for your cooperation and loyalty. You have my trust,” Queen Sylvia announces. “I will have rooms prepared for each of you. Feel free to explore the grounds in the meantime; my manor is open to you.”

Queen Sylvia walks away without another word, her guard trailing after her. Prompto slowly rises to his feet, staring numbly after the queen.

Noctis immediately rushes to his side and spins him around to face him. “Are you okay!?”

“I think so,” Prompto says shakily. He feels a bit queasy from the adrenaline rushing through his body; now numb with shock and relief. “That… is not something I ever want to experience again.”

“Don’t ever do something like that again,” Noctis says, pulling him into a tight hug; his tone scolding.

Prompto just wraps his arms around Noctis’ waist and snuggles deeper into the embrace, as if to show him that he won’t be leaving anytime soon; that he’s safe and unharmed.

Noctis sighs and buries his face in his mate’s shoulder, breathing in his scent. He doesn’t have the heart or energy to reprimand him further. Instead, he holds his mate tighter, his hand sliding up Prompto’s back to slide his fingers through Prompto’s hair. It feels good—grounding.

Having Prompto in the safety of his arms relaxes him. Prompto smells like them and his own unique scent underneath the smell of his shampoo, soap and hairstyling products. His familiar, intoxicating scent is so comforting—so welcome that Noctis finds himself unconsciously scent-marking Prompto to get him to smell more like him.

Noctis feels a thrill when Prompto nuzzles the side of his face, scenting him back before tilting his head to the side to give him more room, an unintentional submissive gesture that has Noctis wolf howling.

Noctis' gums suddenly ache; the need to mark his mate is so strong it almost causes Noctis to lose control. He can feel his fangs pushing against his lips and the urge to bite down on Prompto’s neck to claim him.

Noctis takes several deep breaths, sluggishly fighting the temptation as Prompto’s scent clouds his mind.

“Noctis,” Ignis says sharply, his voice cutting through the growing fog with enough urgency to snap him out of the daze Prompto’s scent had put him in.

“I got it,” Noctis says roughly, aware of how tightly he’s holding Prompto against him. Aware of how still Prompto suddenly is in his arms. Aware of how he’s bearing his fangs against Prompto’s skin, and he frantically tries to reign in fraying control.

Finally, after several minutes of tense silence, the need to claim him subsides as he regains control of his instincts. He loosens his hold on his mate and releases him, taking a step back to put some distance between them and he wills the fangs away.

“Sorry,” Noctis apologizes, unable to meet Prompto’s eyes. His mate doesn’t smell frightened, but he knows Prompto is well aware of what had almost happened—how close he came to actually losing control of his wolf.

“It’s becoming harder for you to suppress it, isn’t it?” Prompto asks softly, worry furrowing his brow as he watches Noctis struggle to put space between them.

“I’m fine,” Noctis argues, his gaze dropping to the floor when Prompto closes the distance between them. He can feel Ignis and Gladio silently watching and waiting in case they have to intervene, and shame fills him knowing that they witnessed his utter lack of control.

“I didn’t ask if you were fine,” Prompto says gently, reaching out to place a hand on Noctis’ jaw to tilt his face up towards him. “I’m asking you if it’s making it harder for you—that you haven’t claimed me yet.”

“I’m trying.” Noctis swallows, reaching out to touch Prompto’s face as well, cupping his mate’s cheek with one hand; his thumb tracing over his bottom lip. “I don’t want to rush you.”

“That’s not an answer.”

Noctis closes his eyes, his shoulders sagging as he leans forward to rest his forehead against Prompto’s.

“Yes,” Noctis admits with a whisper.

“Okay,” Prompto murmurs in response. “How about we go get some fresh air and we can go over the details of you claiming me?”

Noctis lifts his head, his eyes flaring a brilliant gold as surprise overtakes his features.

“You’re—you’re saying yes?” Noctis asks, breathless at the prospect of getting to claim his mate properly. “Really?”

The corner of Prompto’s mouth twitches in a smile. “Yes, really.”

“Finally,” Gladio exclaims loudly, breaking their moment. “That was fucking painful to watch.”

“Gladio!” Ignis chides, glaring the alpha into silence. “Let them have their moment. This is a monumental decision they are undertaking.”

Gladio rolls his eyes good-naturedly.  “Congratulations, the both of you. It’s about fucking time.”

And it really is. Noctis’ wolf is practically prowling and stalking the edges of his control, eager to claim Prompto as theirs. He’s been waiting patiently for years, and now that it’s finally going to happen…

Noctis reaches out and drags Prompto in, kissing him hard, trying to convey every ounce of joy and elation that’s coursing through his veins. When Prompto pulls away, remembering that they’re not alone, Prompto laughs as Noctis chases after his lips.

Prompto’s laugh makes Noctis’ heart stutter, and Noctis smiles widely, feeling lighter than he has in a long time.

Chapter Text

Prompto promises that on the next full moon, he’ll let Noctis officially claim him as his mate, as is tradition amongst wolves. By then, they should be back in Insomnia which will set him infinitely more at ease.

He doesn’t like the idea of claiming his mate under the queen’s roof and isn’t keen on staying here for another month while there’s still the issue of a traitor among the queen’s guards.

Besides, he’s the prince of Insomnia; it only feels right for Prompto to become his prince consort in his kingdom surrounded by friends and family and not in a foreign land surrounded by strangers.

Noctis isn’t even upset that Prompto immediately shut down the idea of a public claiming. He knows his father will more than likely be disappointed that he can’t hold a grand claiming ceremony in their honor, but Noctis gets why Prompto isn’t into it—and he’s more than okay with Prompto’s decision.

His wolf is possessive, and while he would like nothing more than to show everybody Prompto is his, he also doesn’t like the idea of having so many people seeing his mate in such a vulnerable state. The bite might be more painful for Prompto than it would be for a wolf, and he doesn’t want the world to be privy to that. The fact that he gets to give Prompto his claiming bite in private makes it all the more intimate.

“Noct? You in there, buddy?”

“Huh?” Noctis responds eloquently.

“Nice going, blondie.” Gladio chuckles. “I think you fried his brain. Now he’s gonna be thinking of claiming you and little else all day.”

Prompto grins as Noctis’ expression turns dreamy at the mention of claiming him. Noctis has been nothing but smiles all day, and Prompto can’t remember a time he’s ever seen Noctis this happy and relaxed—like all the worries have been lifted from his shoulders.

“Speaking of frying, my skin’s gonna melt off if we stay out here any longer,” Prompto groans, squinting up at the hot afternoon sun.

“You could do with a tan after all that time spent in Gralea,” Gladio says with a laugh.

Prompto shivers at the mention of the harsh cold wilderness of Gralea. He never wants to see those snowy mountains ever again, but the thought of who he left behind is like a sharp knife twisting in his heart. He doesn’t know when of if he’ll ever see Umbra again, and that thought aches more than the cold ever did.

“Tanning is all fine and dandy, but it’s as hot as Ifrit’s ball sack out here.”

“And how do you know what Ifrit’s ball sack feels like?”

Prompto rolls his eyes. “The same way I imagine you know what Shiva’s tits feel like.”

Gladio grins and throws a broad arm over Prompto’s shoulder as they walk towards an area with a bit more shade. “I like the way you think, kid. She has some mighty fine tits I wouldn’t mind getting smothered in-between.”

“I think you need to lower your standards, big guy,” Prompto laughs. “I don’t think you’re gonna bag yourself an Astral any time soon.”

“I could win any woman over—even her,” Gladio boasts, flashing a cocky grin as he gestures confidently at his body. “One look at this, and she’d be all mine.”

“In your dreams, maybe,” Prompto shoots back, his laughter cutting off with a shriek as Gladio’s arm snakes around the back of his neck, yanking him into his side as he rubs his knuckles against his skull.

“Gladio!” Prompto yelps, struggling against him. “You’re messing up my hair!”

“Puny human,” Gladio laughs, thoroughly enjoying himself as he mercilessly messes up Prompto’s carefully styled hair. “Resistance is futile!”

“I will bite you!” Prompto threatens. “I swear I will!”

“Save the biting for your claiming ceremony,” Gladio quips, grinning gleefully.

“Noct! Iggy!” Prompto calls out in desperation. “A little help here!?”

From behind, Prompto hears the unmistakable sound of snickering—Noct and Ignis, clearly more entertained by his struggle and choosing to watch it play out instead of rescuing him. Ignoring his pleas, they watch with amusement as Prompto flails, finally managing to twist out of Gladio’s grip with a breathless curse. His hand immediately flies to his hair, frantically trying to smooth it back into place.

“You’re a menace! Look at what you did to my hair!” Prompto whines, running his fingers through his hair, feeling it sticking up in every direction.

“Looks like an improvement, if you ask me.”

Prompto gasps in outrage, whipping around to glare at Noct and Ignis when their laughter starts up again.

“Thanks for nothing, guys,” Prompto huffs, crossing his arms in exaggerated frustration.

“You’re most welcome,” Ignis says smoothly, an amused smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Your hair’s fine, Prom,” Noctis chuckles as he steps forward, carding his fingers through his mate’s hair to help tame some of the wayward strands back into place. “There. All fixed.”

“Yeah, no thanks to him,” Prompto grumbles.

“C’mon,” Noctis says with a smile, taking Prompto’s hand and lacing their fingers together. “Let’s head back inside. It’s gotta be close to dinner time by now, anyway.”

Prompto pulls out his phone to check the time, groaning when he sees that his battery is almost dead. After everything that’s happened, he’s honestly grateful it’s even still working. “It’s a little early for dinner, don’t you think?”

“Have you seen how much we eat?” Noctis reminds him with a wolfish grin that shows off his canines. “If their kitchen’s anything like the one we have back at home, they’ll have kitchen staff working around the clock making fresh food for all the glaives.”

“Well, in that case, I can eat,” Prompto agrees. He knows Noctis is probably hungry, but he also recognizes the excuse to get him out of the sun—a gesture he’s grateful for. The last thing he wants is to waste another potion just because he forgot to put on sunscreen again. If Noct so much as suspects he has a sunburn, he’ll make him take one.

It doesn’t take them long to find their way through the sprawling mansion to where the dining room is. Noctis has the nose and ears of a wolf—and the hunger to match. When they finally locate the dining room, the staff are already setting the table for this evening’s dinner, and it takes little persuasion to get the kitchen wheeling out carts of food, the sight and smell enough to make their mouths water.

Prompto isn’t at all surprised that they have the room to themselves. The queen and her entourage are absent, but then again, Prompto doesn’t expect her to be here to host them. She’s probably still preoccupied with solving the mystery of who’s responsible for her daughter’s death, and to be honest, after his last experience dealing with the queen, Prompto’s glad she didn’t feel the need to be present.

Dinner is thankfully an uneventful affair. After the stressful day yesterday and the tense meeting with the queen this morning, all Prompto wants to do is curl up in a proper bed and get a full night’s sleep without having to worry about Ardyn having people spying on them or the fact that a traitor is lurking somewhere here in Tenebrae.

On top of everything, watching Gladio attempt to seduce the maid serving their dinner is starting to make Prompto feel like a voyeur. The only thing amusing about the whole situation is the look of complete and utter disgust on Ignis’ face. He’s clearly able to hear every word Gladio is whispering in the maid’s ear—words that Prompto is more than happy to remain ignorant of.

“He’s not very subtle, is he?” Prompto mutters, watching as the maid blushes and giggles under Gladio’s attention. 

Ignis’ eyes narrow as he listens to Gladio’s whispered advances.

“It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion,” Ignis says dryly. “I can only imagine what the rest of the staff are thinking of his behavior.”

Prompto snickers, glancing at Noct, who’s trying to suppress a grin as he too listens to Gladio’s whispered conversation with the maid. “Think his flirting is actually working on her?”

Noctis shrugs. “I don’t see how. Gladio’s got the charm of a bull in a China shop.”

Just then, Gladio straightens up, a look of smug satisfaction on his face. The maid hurries away, her face as red as the ribbon tying up her hair.

Ignis lets out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples. “Let’s just hope this doesn’t make things awkward with the staff,” Ignis mutters, already dreading the potential repercussions of Gladio’s antics. All it takes is one complaint to the queen about Gladio’s advances to have them removed from the manor.

“Relax, Iggy,” Gladio says, waving away his concern. “She was into it.”

“Or perhaps she was too polite to tell you to back off,” Ignis counters, his tone growing sharper.

“Yikes,” Prompto whispers under his breath, his eyes flicking between the two, feeling the tension between Gladio and Ignis thickening by the second. Prompto glances at Noctis, who’s doing a terrible job of hiding his amusement.

“You’re making a big deal out of nothing, Ignis.” Gladio huffs, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. “The girl was into me.”

“You think she was into you,” Ignis corrects. “There’s a difference. One misstep and we’ll be answering to the queen, and I’d rather avoid that.”

Prompto winces as he watches the tension between Gladio and Ignis rise. He’s seen this kind of clash before and it never ends quietly. Gladio’s an alpha and he’s never been one to step down from a fight.

Ignis’ sharp eyes stay locked on Gladio, his frustration with him mounting as Gladio leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest, clearly daring Ignis to challenge him further. The silence stretches, and Prompto is tempted to cover his eyes so he doesn’t have to watch this disaster unfold—especially if they suddenly resort to violence to settle their differences—which is exactly the opposite of what Ignis wants.

“Iggy, it’s fine. Calm down,” Noctis finally says, his voice light but with enough authority to draw their attention. “Stop stressing. As unbelievable as it sounds, I think she actually did like Gladio’s attention.”

Gladio smirks, clearly pleased with Noctis’ backing. “See? Even Noct agrees with me.”

Ignis narrows his eyes. “We have to be cautious, Gladiolus. There are too many unknown variables at play right now. You don’t even know that girl.”

“You’re being overly cautious,” Gladio huffs dismissively. “Not everyone here is out to get us. She’s a maid employed by the queen.”

“It’s called being prepared for anything,” Ignis snaps, the edge in his voice razor-sharp. “A valuable principle you seem determined to ignore.”

Prompto shifts in his seat, his knee bouncing anxiously as he catches the glimmer of gold flickering in Ignis and Gladio’s eyes, a telltale sign that their control over their wolf is slipping. What has gotten into them? Prompto thinks to himself, his gaze darting between them, wide-eyed with shock that they’re suddenly behaving like this.

Prompto can feel the growing heat in the room, the barely restrained aggression simmering just below the surface. This isn’t their typical, playful banter—this is something darker, and he doesn’t understand what brought about the change in them.

It almost seems as if Ignis is… jealous.

Prompto squirms uncomfortably, glancing between them and the door to the kitchen full of staff that can potentially hear their conversation. “Uh, guys? Maybe we could, y’know… chill? And not cause a scene?”

Gladio ignores him and leans forward with his forearms planted on the table, his dark eyes never once leaving Ignis’. “Come on, what’s your problem? Why are you getting so worked up over this?” Gladio demands. “You’re acting like a simple lay with that beta would ruin everything for us.”

“Given your track record, I’m inclined to believe so,” Ignis says sharply, his words clipped. Ignis’ jaw tightens, and a low growl escapes him, his eyes flashing with a dangerous glint. “Maybe you should learn to respect that someone here has to think beyond immediate gratification.”

“Are we even still talking about the fucking maid?” Gladio growls, frustration evident in his voice.

Prompto flinches, inching his chair closer to Noctis as the tension in the room spikes dramatically. He can practically feel the feral edge of their wolves sharpening in the both of them; their breathing is heavy, and their muscles tensed like they’re gearing up for a fight.

Ignis’ eyes harden, refusing to give in to the alpha’s intimidation. “What exactly are you implying?”

“Don’t play coy with me, Ignis.” Gladio scoffs, his lip curling. “You know damn well what I mean.”

Ignis’ expression darkens, but his voice is calm—too calm. “You’re treading on dangerous ground,” Ignis warns, a subtle threat lacing his words.  “I’m simply making observations based on experience.”

Wait…

Prompto’s thoughts race, piecing together the veiled implications. Gladio’s defensive posture, the way Ignis is so upset over the idea of Gladio flirting and planning to have sex with the maid, and all the biting words…

This is more than just about the maid. There’s something bigger here.

A chilling realization begins to form in Prompto’s mind, and suddenly all the pieces begin clicking together in his mind. His stomach churns as the truth hits him. His jaw falls open in a gasp of shock, and his eyes widen, the realization settling heavy on his chest, and he glances between Ignis and Gladio. Now that he knows what to look for, it’s so painfully obvious that Gladio and Ignis had something going on between them before something happened.

“Yeah? Well, here’s an observation for you,” Gladio retorts, his voice taut with restrained anger. “Maybe the only thing getting between us isn’t the maid, but you.”

Ignis snarls, his control slipping further. “If anyone’s jeopardizing anything, it’s the one who can’t seem to think with anything but his dick!”

“That’s enough,” Noctis growls, his voice carrying the unmistakable command of a pack alpha.

The effect is immediate. Gladio and Ignis both fall silent, their eyes still blazing but grudgingly shifting away from each other. Prompto exhales, relief washing over him as he relaxes his tense shoulders. For a second there, he was sure there was about to be an all-out brawl—the kind that usually gets settled outside and not at a dining table.

“Look,” Noctis continues. “We’re all on edge; we all feel the full moon rising, but we need to keep it together. The last thing we need is to let this get out of hand. Agreed?”

Reluctantly, Gladio gives a curt nod, though his gaze remains fixed somewhere beyond Ignis, unwilling to meet his eyes. Ignis mirrors the motion, releasing a sigh as he rubs his temples, as though trying to dispel the headache that had begun to form. “I’m just trying to keep the peace. You know how things can spiral out of control with the wrong people.”

Prompto feels a thread of unease tightens in his chest at the mention of the full moon. He’d completely forgotten that it was tonight. It’s the whole reason why he and Noct had agreed to wait until the next full moon to have him officially claim him.

The rising moon only amplifies their emotions, stoking their tempers like dry tinder. No wonder things had gotten so close to boiling over, Prompto thinks to himself.

“Next time, I’ll bring you a detailed report of all my extracurricular activities for you to look over,” Gladio says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Prompto inwardly groans, resisting the urge to cover his face with both hands. Gladio, really? Gladio really doesn’t know how to let a subject drop, even with Noctis’ alpha command still lingering over them.

“I can’t believe we’re still sitting here arguing about Gladio’s… flirting skills when we’ve got bigger things to worry about,” Prompto carefully points out, hoping not to anger Ignis further by bringing up Gladio’s flirting again.

The mention of the full moon is a startling reminder that they’re in a manor that houses over a hundred wolves, and any one of them could be the traitor that betrayed Lunafreya and got her murdered. Six, Adryn’s pack could be nearby for all they know, and instead of worrying about having all their bases covered, they’re fighting over a one-night stand Gladio is planning on having with the maid.

Prompto feels for Ignis, he does, but this is clearly not the right night to be picking that battle—not when their emotions are high and they’re both one step away from letting their wolves do most of the talking.

“Yeah, the full moon rises earlier this time of year. It’s going to be reaching its peak in a few hours,” Noctis comments, a teasing tone entering his voice.  “But I’m not sure if that’s a bigger problem than Gladio’s ego right now.”

The higher the moon gets, the more their wolves’ claw at their control, eager to shed their human skin and run in the wild. It’s not just their tempers that flare; it’s their instincts, too. They may be able to shift at will, but a full moon strengthens their wolf counterparts and weakens their resolve to stay in human form.

“Don’t start,” Gladio warns, throwing a playful glare in Noctis’s direction, thankful for the distraction. “I swear I’ve never seen a pack so obsessed with each other’s love life before.”

Prompto grins, leaning in to join the teasing. “Maybe that’s because you’re the only one really getting attention around here. Maybe it’s all the big muscles—it hides the fact you have a small brain.”

There’s a beat of silence before Gladio’s deep laugh fills the room, and the tension that had been building for the last hour seems to dissipate, at least for now. Ignis, who had been keeping quiet lets out a soft huff of annoyance, but even he can’t hide the ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Really, Prompto? That’s what you’re going with?” Gladio laughs, not missing a beat. “I guess it’s working out pretty well, considering I’m not the one actually getting attention around here. How’s Noct been treating you in bed, blondie?”

Prompto blinks, his eyes widening in surprise at the sudden shift in Gladio's teasing. Gladio leans back in his chair, looking far too smug for Prompto's liking. Noctis, on the other hand, freezes, his eyes flashing a bright gold that causes Prompto's heart to skip a beat.

“What the hell, Gladio?” Noctis’ voice is low, a warning growl curling beneath his words. “Are you insinuating I don’t take care of him?”

“Whoa, whoa—let’s not go there!” Prompto exclaims.

“Not what I meant,” Gladio says, raising his hands placatingly, his grin faltering slightly as he registers the shift in Noctis' mood. “I’m just messing around, Noct.”

Prompto eyes Noct with concern. Noctis had been doing a good job of hiding how much the full moon was affecting him up until now, but it was obvious that he was struggling just as much as the other two, it just took a little more coaxing to bring it out.

Prompto shifts closer to Noctis, his hand finding his mate’s thigh under the table. Noctis is tense, his golden eyes flashing as he glares at Gladio.

“Noct, it’s okay,” Prompto says gently, his hand squeezing Noctis’ thigh. “Gladio’s just messing around. He doesn’t mean anything by it.”

Noctis doesn't immediately respond, his gaze still locked on Gladio with an intensity that has Prompto holding his breath. Prompto can feel the tension in Noctis’ body, the way his leg is stiff under his touch.

Prompto honestly doesn’t understand how Gladio can be so dumb. Even he knows it would be a bad idea to set off an alpha’s instincts concerning its mate. Maybe he really does have a small brain—at least on full moons. Gladio is usually a lot smarter than this.

Noctis’ breath comes out in a soft exhale as he leans into Prompto, the tension slowly beginning to melt away. Noctis presses his nose against the side of Prompto’s neck, inhaling deeply. Prompto can feel the warmth of Noctis’ breath against his skin as he scents him, and he takes a steadying breath himself, feeling the tension leave his own body as Noctis relaxes further.

“So, um,” Prompto says awkwardly, tilting his head to the side to accommodate Noct’s scenting, hoping it will help to keep him calm and less confrontational after Gladio’s unintentional insult in his ability to take care of him in bed. “I think we should all call it a night, then, huh?”

Gladio grunts, rubbing the back of his neck as if the physical movement could release some of the tension coiled in his muscles. “Yeah,” Gladio mutters, casting one last, wary glance in Ignis’ direction before his eyes flicker back to where Noctis is currently scent marking Prompto possessively. “Probably for the best.”

Ignis, his control seemingly back in place, gives a short nod. There’s a flicker of something shining in his eyes—anger, perhaps, or hurt—that hadn’t quite left his eyes yet. “Agreed. A night’s rest should allow us all to regain our composure.”

Noctis reluctantly pulls back and gets to his feet, his movements slow as he takes a moment to compose himself. “You okay, Prom?”

Prompto manages a smile, shrugging slightly. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… didn’t expect things to get that heated.”

They walk down several hallways, trying to remember the way to their rooms in companionable silence, their footsteps muffled by the soft carpeting. They finally find the right hallway that leads to their rooms, but before they can say their goodnights and go inside their separate rooms, Gladio speaks up.

“I need to shift, Noct,” Gladio says seriously, his voice rough with his wolf being so close to the surface. “Ignis is feeling the strain even if he won’t outright say it, and you’re showing signs of it too.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Noctis says after a brief moment of hesitation to consider it, his eyes meeting Gladio and Ignis’ with a look of regret. “We can’t leave Prompto here alone, and I don’t feel comfortable having him with us out in the forest where someone could be watching and waiting to ambush us. There will be too many other wolves out there running for us to keep tabs on everyone.”

“We can take care of ourselves, and if you want to stay inside with Prompto, that’s your choice,” Gladio tells him. “There’s no place safer for Prompto than with you, but can you withstand the effects of sitting the full moon out?”

“I’ll have to,” Noctis says firmly. “I’ll be fine. It’s not the first full moon I’ve missed and spent with Prompto.”

“No, but it is the first one you will be spending with the knowledge that you’re allowed to claim him,” Ignis gently interjects. “Can you truly say you have confidence in your ability to hold your instincts at bay?”

Noctis’ breath audibly hitches at the reminder, his hand unconsciously reaching for Prompto’s. He hates the fact that he has to honestly consider that he might be a danger to Prompto—that the full moon might influence him enough that he’d try to claim him before the date they had agreed on. The thought twists in his mind like a warning siren that he can’t ignore.

He knows himself well enough to admit that his control is already tenuous. He’s one thread away from snapping—has already come so close to claiming Prompto several times. Add a full moon to his already fraying self-control? He honestly doesn’t know how he’s going to manage to keep the urges of his wolf at bay.

Prompto squeezes his hand tightly, and Noctis looks up to meet his eyes, fear and apology warring for dominance on his face.

“It’s okay, Noct,” Prompto say softly, his voice gentle with understanding.

“Full honesty?” Noctis asks with a weak smile.

Prompto nods, his eyes softening.

Noctis licks his lips nervously, ignoring the fact that Gladio and Ignis are still waiting for his approval to leave despite already making it clear they were going to go.

“The full moon is going to make it harder for me to ignore my instincts… especially when it comes to you,” Noctis admits. “I honestly don’t know how hard tonight is going to affect me. I already feel…”

“Protective?” Prompto finishes, his gaze searching Noctis’ face, trying to figure out just how much Noctis is holding back.

“More than protective—territorial,” Noctis admits, swallowing back a growl, his eyes darkening as he forces himself to be truthful with Prompto. “You’re mine, and I want everyone to know it. Fuck, Prom, I want to bite you, and it’s already taking everything in me to stop the impulse from dragging you to my room and claiming you in every way humanly possible.”

“Oh,” Prompto wheezes, his cheeks flushing as he stares at Noctis, caught between shock and a thrill that sends a shiver down his spine. “I… I didn’t realize it was, um, that intense,” Prompto stammers.

“Sorry, it’s the full moon,” Noctis mutters, clearing his throat to get the roughness out of his voice. His wolf is way too close to the surface. “It amplifies everything.”

“I’m sorry it’s getting harder for you,” Prompto apologizes. He’s been noticing a lot of changes in Noct’s demeaner ever since they settled things between them and he officially accepted being Noctis’ mate. Now that it’s out in the open and Noct doesn’t have to hide his feelings for him for fear of ruining things between them, he’s become more affectionate and touches him more freely, but he’s also grown more possessive and anxious whenever he’s not in his direct line of sight.

It would drive Prompto crazy if it wasn’t for the fact that he kind of likes how possessive Noct is of him. It’s flattering to know that no matter who else is in the room, he’ll always be the only one in Noct’s eyes.

“No, don’t apologize,” Noctis tells him, his thumb brushing over Prompto’s knuckles. “We agreed to wait until we’re back in Insomnia. I’m not going to rush you, Prom.”

Prompto’s eyes soften further, his heart aching. He can see the tension in Noctis’ body and the strain on his face; the way his jaw is clenched and the gold flecks in his eyes growing brighter as his wolf rises with the call of the full moon; the tight reign of control Noct usually has over his wolf loosening.

Prompto can see the evidence of how hard Noct is trying to hold back for him, and he can’t help but feel guilty that Noctis has to wait one whole month before he can officially claim him as his mate. He may not understand the struggle, but it pains him to see Noct fighting to reign in instincts that are clearly getting harder and harder for him to suppress.

“Are you going to be okay?” Prompto asks softly, his free hand coming up to rest against Noctis’ chest. Noctis’ heartbeat is a steady thump under his hand, and he can feel its pace pick up at his touch.

The tension in Noctis’ body eases slightly, and Noctis covers Prompto’s hand with his own, his heart fluttering at the realization that Prompto had been the one to initiate further contact first. Noctis looks down at their hands, and his chest tightens when his eyes land on Prompto’s wristband. His mate has already been through so much. He refuses to be one more person responsible for Prompto’s fear or pain. He’ll do whatever he needs to make sure Prompto is safe—even if that means protecting him from himself.

“I’ll be okay,” Noctis reassures him. “I just don’t want to pressure you into anything before you’re ready. I need you to know I respect your decision to wait. It’s just hard for my wolf to understand.”

“But you want to?” Prompto asks hesitantly, unsure if it’s a smart idea to be bringing this up now. It feels too much like he’s flirting with danger, taunting Noctis with something he can’t have—yet. “Not just your wolf?”

Gladio’s deep, rumbling laugh is enough to tell him he’s right on the money.

“Careful there, blondie,” Gladio drawls, arms crossing over his chest as he eyes the both of them with sharp, watchful eyes. “You keep poking Noctis’ wolf like that, and that careful control he’s been hanging onto is gonna break.”

“Of course, I want to claim you,” Noctis growls, his voice rough with want, completely ignoring Gladio’s teasing. “I want you, Prom. I want everything with you. But I also want it to be something we choose together and not something that happens because I can’t control myself.”

“If I may interject,” Ignis says smoothly, clearing his throat; a gentle but pointed reminder of his presence. “I’d caution against sharing the same room with your instincts heightened the way they are, Noct. If you will not run with us tonight, please try to remain in your separate rooms unless absolutely necessary. Do not underestimate the effects the full moon will have on you.”

With one last lingering look, Gladio and Ignis head out, leaving the two of them standing alone in the dim quiet of the hallway in front of their bedrooms.

“Iggy’s right,” Prompto says softly, his voice filled with reluctance as he slowly pulls away from Noct and takes a few steps back towards his own room to put some distance between them.

“Wait, Prom—” Noctis’ voice is low, a subtle urgency in his voice as he calls after him; catching Prompto’s attention just as he reaches for the doorknob.

Prompto turns back around, his eyebrows knitting in concern. “Yeah?”

Noctis hesitates, wavering where he stands. Prompto knows that Noct doesn’t want to sleep in separate rooms any less than he does, but the queen made it clear that they’d each have their own rooms. Besides, if Noct is already finding it difficult to keep certain urges under control, then it’s not a good idea to tempt fate by sharing a room with him while the moon is full.

Noctis takes a deep breath, then lets it out slowly, his gaze lowering briefly before flicking back up to meet Prompto’s. “You’ll come to me, right? If you need anything?”

The question strikes a chord deep inside Prompto, his heart twinging with the vulnerability in Noctis' voice. Noct is terrified of being separated—even if it’s only by a few feet.

“You know I will,” Prompto says softly, giving him a reassuring smile. He takes a step away from his door and closer to Noctis, easily seeing the need on Noctis’ face for him to stay close, even if it’s just for a little while longer. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just…” Noctis glances away with a sigh, his hand clenching into a fist before releasing. “I don’t like the idea of not having you by my side. I know you’re just across the hall, but… I don’t like it.”

“I don’t like it either,” Prompto admits. After everything that’s happened, he doesn’t like the idea of being separated from Noct any more than he does. Rationally, he knows the likelihood of something happening to him tonight is slim, but he’d still feel a lot safer if he was in the same room as Noct or his packmates. “But I promise I’ll come straight to you if anything happens.”

This is obviously the wrong thing to say by the way Noctis’ jaw clenches and gold flickers in his eyes like he can’t even bear the thought that something might happen to him. What Noct had told Gladio had been the truth, this wouldn’t be the first full moon Noct missed to spend time with him, but it was the first time that Prompto’s seen him so high-strung.

Despite knowing how fragile Noctis’ control is right now, Prompto knows without a shred of doubt that Noct would never hurt him, even if he let go and the wolf took over. Even when Noct had gone feral and his wolf had been in full control¸ not once did he ever put him in a dangerous situation—not counting the time he accidentally bit him, of course, but luckily that had only ended in a bruise and nothing serious.

“I’ll be fine, Noct,” Prompto says firmly, hoping to dash away Noctis’ paranoia. “I’ll come to your room if I so much as hear a mouse scurrying across the floor, okay?”

Noctis' expression softens just a bit, though the worry doesn’t completely leave his eyes.  “Fine, but lock the door behind you and don’t let anyone in but me,” Noctis commands softly.

“I wouldn’t open the door for anyone but you and the guys, anyways,” Prompto laughs. It’s not like he knows anyone here that he’d open the door for anyway.

Noctis closes the distance between them, reaching out and wrapping a hand around the nape of Prompto’s neck to draw him close until their bodies are pressed together. Prompto can feel Noct’s warm breath on his lips as Noct leans forward to kiss him.

Prompto sighs into the kiss, his hands settling on Noctis’ waist, feeling the tension coiled in his mate’s body. The full moon’s pull is setting Noct’s instincts on edge, heightening his need to be closer to him. Prompto can sense it in the way Noctis’ fingers tighten around the back of his neck, keeping him close, almost as if he’s afraid Prompto might pull away before he’s ready to let him go.

Eventually, Noctis pulls back, though he doesn’t step away from him. Prompto can see that wild, golden glint in his eyes—the wolf side of him never fully at rest whenever Prompto’s not within arm’s reach, and knowing that they’ll be spending the night separated must be riling up Noctis’ instincts something fierce.

“Promise you’ll wake me up if anything’s wrong,” Noctis says, his voice a low growl that rumbles through Prompto.

“I promise,” Prompto swears, his hands tightening on Noctis’ waist. “But nothing’s gonna happen, Noct. I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, I know.” Noctis’ voice is steady, but his gaze flickers behind Prompto towards his bedroom door, and there’s a clear expression of unease on his face. “It’s just… hard for me to be away from you right now.”

Prompto nods. He knows exactly what Noct means—knows that it’s not just a matter of protecting him from Ardyn’s pack and the reality that there could be a traitor in the manor right this second, but also from his own instincts clawing at him. With the full moon nearly at its peak, it’s probably taking everything Noct has to keep his instincts in check. That pull to keep Prompto safe. To kiss him, mark him, and claim him as his must be stronger than ever now that he has the knowledge that Prompto wants that too—just not right now.

Prompto easily picks up on Noctis’ reluctance, catching the way his eyes flicker over his shoulder to his bedroom door. Prompto tightens his hold on Noctis’ waist in a reassuring squeeze. “Will it make you feel better to check the room before I go in? Just to make sure there’s no one in there?”

Noctis’ gaze snaps back to Prompto’s, and for a moment, he seems embarrassed, but then he nods, and the relief that washes over his face when Prompto smiles encouragingly at him is unmistakable. Without letting go of Prompto, Noctis reaches for the doorknob and pushes the door open, stepping inside with Prompto at his back.

Noctis’ sharp gaze sweeps over every corner and surface of the room, his nostrils flaring and his ears straining; alert to even the smallest of movement or sounds as he stalks across the room to pull open the closet to make sure it’s empty.

Prompto stands back and watches quietly, letting Noctis do what he needs to do. He understands that this isn’t just about ensuring the room is empty; it’s about giving Noctis the peace of mind that he’s patrolled his perimeter and ensured that it’s a safe space for him to be in.

After a moment, Noctis returns to his side, visibly reassured now that he’s paced the whole room and found nothing out of the ordinary. “All clear,” Noctis murmurs.

Prompto gives him a small, reassuring smile. “See? Nothing to worry about.”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t,” Noctis replies, leaning in to rub his cheek against Prompto’s to mark him with his scent before pulling back. “But… thank you. I feel a bit better now.”

“Good.” Prompto smiles, trying to keep things light. “This’ll be just like the sleepovers we used to have in high school before I started crashing in your room. You’ll be right across the hall, and If I need anything, you’ll be the first person I go to—like always.”

“I think we both know there’s no way I’m sleeping tonight,” Noctis chuckles.

“At least try, alright? You can’t stay up the whole night, you’ll just drive your wolf crazy doing that,” Prompto says, pressing his forehead against Noct’s. “It’s just for a few days, right? And then we’ll be heading back to Insomnia?”

“Yeah… just a few days,” Noctis says, letting out a long, deep breath. “Just until things settle down.”

“Alright, then,” Prompto says, his voice gentle as he takes a step back. “I’ll see you in the morning. Try to get some rest, okay?”

Noctis’ eyes linger on him for a moment, and Prompto can see the struggle in his eyes before he finally nods. “Yeah, I’ll try. Goodnight, Prompto.”

“Goodnight, Noct,” Prompto replies softly, watching as Noctis turns and steps out of his room to his own across the hall, closing the door softly behind him. Noctis’ absence weighs on him, and though Prompto knows they’re only a hallway apart, he can’t help but feel the pull himself—the urge to be close, to feel Noctis’ warm, comforting presence beside him when he falls asleep. He doesn’t have to be a wolf to feel and want the same things.

Prompto toes off his shoes and pulls back the blankets to settle in for the night. He’s happy to be in an actual bed, but instead of falling straight to sleep, he’s stuck staring up at the ceiling as the minutes tick by. Shadows cast by the full moon play across the window as the moonlight shines through the white curtains, throwing strange patterns across the walls.

Prompto tugs the blankets up, trying to bury himself in their warmth, but it’s not the same as having Noctis there beside him. Noct always runs warmer than any blanket, and his presence always works wonders for making him feel safe and comfortable no matter where they are.

Prompto listens to the silence, broken only by the faint sounds of the night beyond the window and the distant sounds of howling as the inhabitants of the manor spend the full moon in their wolf forms. Prompto feels an irrational flutter of unease in his stomach just thinking about it. He hopes Gladio and Ignis are okay.

Sighing, Prompto rolls over, pulling the pillow close, trying to force himself to relax, but as he closes his eyes, all he can think about is the look in Noctis’ eyes as he was leaving; the flicker of gold slowly overtaking the blue of his irises and the way he was struggling to allow him out of his sight.

Chapter Text

Prompto stirs from sleep, shifting on the unfamiliar mattress. At first, he thinks it’s just the typical creaks of an old building settling that woke him up, but then he hears it—a rhythmic sound, muffled but unmistakable, coming through the wall from the room next to him.

Prompto tenses, feeling his face heat up as he realizes that someone, specifically Gladio, is… occupied in the room next door… with a lady.

The muffled noises continue, punctuated by a loud moan that has Prompto’s cheeks turning a furious red. He tries to bury his head under the pillow, but it’s useless; the walls in this place clearly aren’t thick enough to contain Gladio’s enthusiasm and his bed partner’s loud cries. Prompto knows the guy doesn’t exactly do anything by halves, but seriously?

Slipping out of bed, Prompto creeps across the room and opens the door, glancing up and down the hallway before making his way over to Noct’s room and quietly opening the door.

Noctis stirs when he hears the sound of his door creaking open. Being in a new environment, and being surrounded by a pack he was unfamiliar with more than ensured he wasn’t going to be sleeping as deeply as he normally would.

Noctis growls, making his displeasure known as he rises onto his elbows and blinks at the open doorway. The sound cuts off abruptly in his chest when he sees Prompto standing in the doorway uncertainly.

“Come here?” Noctis requests, voice rough with sleep as he flops back down and throws an arm outside of the bed to hold a hand out to Prompto.

Prompto quietly closes the door behind him and pads over, climbing onto the bed and immediately moving to snuggle into his side.

“You okay?” Noctis murmurs, nosing into Prompto’s hair and breathing in the smell of shampoo, searching for the underlying scent of Prompto that always reminds him of citrus fruits and some kind of flower that he has no name for.

“Can’t sleep,” Prompto sighs, a hint of embarrassment blooming in his scent that immediately piques Noctis’ interest.

“Why?” Noctis questions, shifting onto his side and wrapping an arm around Prompto’s waist to pull him closer.

“Arg… Gladio,” Prompto mumbles, hiding his face in Noctis’ collarbone. “He’s being very… loud. With a lady friend. Next to my room.”

“Oh,” Noctis snickers, tightening his arms around Prompto. “That’s… enlightening.”

“It’s not funny,” Prompto whines. “You try to sleep when they’re banging the headboard against the wall and—and making all those noises.”

Noctis chuckles. “Five bucks it’s the maid he was flirting with at dinner.”

Prompto groans. “I don’t need that imagery, thank you.”

Noctis laughs softly. “Well, he was talking about getting laid for a while now.”

“But do they have to be so loud about it?” Prompto grumbles.

“You think you’d be able to stay quiet if you were getting fucked?” Noctis points out, yelping when Prompto pinches his side.

“Shut up.” Prompto flushes. “Think you would be quiet?”

“Wanna make a bet?” Noctis challenges, any notion of going back to sleep fading from his mind as he boldly trails his hand down Prompto’s back to grab a handful of his ass and pull him flush against him. “Why don’t we make a game of it then?”

Prompto gasps as his hips press against Noctis’, the intention in Noctis’ voice and in his actions obvious. Things between them are progressing a lot faster than he had expected it would, but he’s far from a blushing virgin. He doesn’t have any qualms about jumping into bed with Noct, not when he knows this isn’t some meaningless hookup.

Ignis had warned him that Noct might be more touchy-feely with him now that he had come around and accepted being Noctis’ mate. He already notices the way Noct craves his touch, soaking his attention up like a sponge and preening whenever he does something that makes him happy.

Noctis has been repressing his instincts when it comes to him for years. To finally be able to let loose and act on them must be like removing a shackle weighing him down.

It would be unusual if Noct doesn’t try to initiate anything whenever you’re alone with him, Ignis had warned him when he had pulled him aside not too long after they had made up after what he likes to refer to as “the incident.” He needs to feel connected to you, and as an alpha, it… pleases him to take care of you. I do not think I need to specify in what capacity I am referring to.

Prompto had understood the implications loud and clear.

If this is Noctis’ way of saying he needs more physical contact, that he needs more than fleeting touches and kisses, Prompto isn’t going to deny him when he’s just as eager to explore and touch Noct in return. He would be lying if he hasn’t thought about multiple scenarios in his head over the years.

Prompto lifts his head, his heart racing as he locks eyes with Noct. There’s that look in his eyes again, one that he’s come to recognize as longing. Prompto never has to doubt how much Noct wants him when he looks at him like that, with barely concealed want shining in his eyes and etched onto his face.

Prompto licks his lips, and Noctis’ eyes dart down to track the movement. “What did you have in mind?”

“Can I touch you?” Noctis asks softly, pressing closer.

“You are touching me,” Prompto chuckles.

Noctis rolls his eyes, pressing his cheek against Prompto’s to whisper in his ear. “Touch you more. I want… I want to touch you all over. I want to make you feel good, want to make you moan for me.”

Prompto’s breath hitches, fingers twisting in Noctis’ shirt. His cock twitches with interest, and Prompto has to bite his lip to keep from making an embarrassing sound at the effect Noctis’ words have on him.

“But you can’t,” Noctis continues, pressing a kiss below Prompto’s ear, his lips brushing against his earlobe when he speaks. “Because that’s the game. You make a sound? I win.”

“T-That’s…” Prompto stammers, struggling to get his mouth to work, all his blood rushing down south and making him feel lightheaded by how fast arousal swims through his body at Noct’s words.

“Too much?” Noctis asks, pulling back to look at him with a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be, that was fucking hot,” Prompto blurts, face erupting in flames as the words slip out, his brain-to-mouth filter obviously still offline.

Noctis’ lips stretch into a wolfish grin, and Prompto whimpers when Noctis’ eyes flare a brilliant shade of gold before Noct closes the distance between them and claims his lips in a heated kiss that leaves Prompto feeling dazed before he pulls away.

“Don’t make a sound,” Noctis reminds him, coaxing Prompto to roll over onto his back. Noctis hovers above him, mouthing down the line of his jaw to his neck as he slides his hand down Prompto’s chest. “Unless it’s to tell me to stop.”

“Okay,” Prompto agrees, tightening his grip on Noctis’ shirt, biting his lip when Noctis sucks a mark high up on his neck. Prompto inwardly curses the possessiveness of wolves. While he loves the feeling of Noctis’ lips on his skin, he knows Noct marking him where none of his shirt collars would be able to cover is entirely on purpose.

Noctis sits up, untangling Prompto’s hands from his shirt and raising his arms above his head.

“Keep your hands there for me, babe,” Noctis says softly, pressing down on his wrists before letting go.

Prompto’s eyes close as Noctis goes back to trailing kisses and mouthing down the side of his neck, his hands racking up his shirt as he smooths his hands up his chest, his shirt pooling by his collarbone. Prompto squirms when Noctis’ hands brush against his nipples.

“Sensitive?” Noctis hums, his lips following the path of his hands as he moves away from his neck, his lips pressing a kiss against his sternum.

Prompto tries to control his breathing and the racing of his heart, anticipation and nerves fluttering in his stomach as he nods.

Noctis hums again, moving to straddle his hips as he sits up, smoothing his hands up and down his chest like he can’t get enough, his fingers brushing over Prompto’s nipples before rolling them between his fingers.

Prompto’s hips buck, unintentionally grinding against Noctis’ ass, a strangled noise getting caught in his throat at the friction on his cock.

“Careful,” Noctis chuckles, eyes dark and heated as he gently rolls Prompto’s nipples between his fingers, pinching them lightly. “Wouldn’t want to lose this early in the game now, would you?”

Prompto shakes his head, gritting his teeth.

“That’s what I thought.” Noctis grins. “Should we implement some new rules? Maybe give you three chances?”

Prompto opens his mouth to respond before he thinks better of it and raises an eyebrow instead.

Noctis’ smile is a pleased little thing. “Three chances. You get three chances, and if you make a sound after those are up, I win. The one you just made will be your only freebie—don’t worry, breathing doesn’t count.”

Prompto nods, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

“Good,” Noctis says, pleased. Noctis leans down, replacing his fingers with his mouth.

Prompto inhales sharply, back arching and pushing his chest out, fingers twining together to hold his own hands tightly to keep from reaching down and tangling his hands in Noctis’ hair.

Prompto’s stomach muscles clench, his pants becoming unbearably tight as Noctis’ tongue swirls and flicks against his nipple. Prompto squirms, breathing unevenly as he manages to bite back a moan when Noctis’ hand resumes playing with his other nipple.

He has to save his three chances for when he really needs them.

Prompto lets out a shaky breath when Noctis pulls off of him, blowing on his wet nipple and making him shiver, goosebumps rising on his flesh.

Noctis shifts off of him, and Prompto blinks open his eyes to see what he’s doing. Prompto swallows hard as Noctis spreads his legs and settles between them, smoothing his hands up his thighs.

“Lift your hips for me,” Noctis instructs, hooking his fingers in Prompto’s waistband and tugging it down his slender legs when Prompto raises his hips.

“Fuck,” Noctis groans, mouth watering at the sight of Prompto’s hard, uncut cock laid bare. There’s precum beading at the tip, and Noctis inhales, breathing in the scent of Prompto’s arousal. “You’re so beautiful.”

Prompto blushes furiously, averting his eyes and fighting the urge to cover himself. Prompto shifts uncomfortably, bending his knees to close his legs but Noctis grabs him by his knees and spreads his legs again effortlessly.

“No, hey, don’t hide from me,” Noctis says, leaning forward and cupping Prompto’s cheek to turn his face towards him so he can rub their noses together and press his lips to his in a soft kiss. “There’s no need to be shy. You’re fucking gorgeous. Let me see you, babe.”

Prompto nods bashfully, looping his arms around Noctis’s neck and pulling him down into a kiss. Noctis gladly accepts the kiss, parting his lips with his tongue to deepen the kiss. Their tongues tangle together, stealing the breath from Prompto’s lungs as Noctis devours his mouth, sucking his tongue into his mouth before withdrawing, nipping his bottom lip.

“Mm, sorry, babe,” Noctis says roughly, pressing one last kiss to his lips as he grabs both of Prompto’s hands from where they’re now gripping Noctis’ shoulders, and places them back above his head. “Your hands are too distracting.”

Prompto wants to laugh. Distracting? Everything about Noctis is distracting. From the way his lips trail down his body, to the way he bypasses his straining cock in lieu of nipping his hipbone and sucking a mark there, his hands arranging his legs back down. Just seeing Noct between his legs is enough to make him feel like he’s going to combust.

Noctis pulls back, satisfied by the shiny new mark blooming on Prompto’s hip and finally takes mercy on Prompto, curling his fingers around his cock and stroking slowly, watching intently as the bead of precum slides down Prompto’s shaft with the movement.

Prompto nearly bites through his bottom lip to keep quiet as Noctis starts stroking his cock, his legs attempting to close for an entirely different reason, but Noct easily pins his leg to the mattress and leans down to press kisses to his quivering stomach.

Prompto tilts his head back and closes his eyes, unable to watch Noct for a second longer or he’ll be in serious trouble. Prompto swallows thickly, squeezing his eyes tighter as Noctis nuzzles into his pubic hair, a hot puff of breath washing over his cock and making it twitch in Noctis’ fist.

“God, you smell so good,” Noctis groans.

Prompto has a retort on the tip of his tongue, but he holds it back and focuses on steadying his breathing, the muscles in his legs tensing and his stomach sucking in when Noctis mouths below his navel where his cock had leaked precum onto his belly.

Prompto’s back arches off the bed, a loud moan tearing from his throat when Noctis wraps his lips around the head of his cock, his tongue swirling around the tip and dipping into his slit.

Noctis pops off and strokes Prompto’s cock firmly, looking down at him smugly. “That’s one.”

Prompto barely manages to hold back a loud whine as his back slowly lowers back to the mattress. God, this is going to be impossible.

Noctis grins. “Feels good?”

Prompto pants, chest heaving, cheeks flushing a dark red as he nods. This is going to end embarrassingly fast. The feeling of Noctis’ lips wrapped around his cock was bliss.

“Good. I want you to moan for me,” Noctis says, and Prompto’s head thumps back, and he clings onto his pillow for dear life when Noctis takes him back into his mouth. Prompto could cry at how good it feels, and it’s a physical effort to hold back the moan of pleasure from escaping. Prompto almost chokes on his tongue when Noct takes him further into his mouth and sucks.

Prompto strains to keep his hips still, his legs shifting against the sheets, trying not to buck his hips and fuck into the warm, wet heat of Noctis’ mouth as he starts bobbing his head. Prompto pants harshly, his stomach pooling with heat, his cock throbbing on Noctis’ tongue.

Oh god, Prompto chants over and over in his head, slapping a hand over his mouth as the sensation builds and builds behind his navel and in his groin, his cock throbbing hard. He’s gonna come, he’s gonna—

His cock slips from Noctis’ mouth to slap wetly against his stomach, and Prompto has no hope in the world of holding back the loud whine he makes as he squirms, his orgasm receding just as quickly as it had built.

“Oh, were you close?” Noctis asks teasingly, licking a stripe up the underside of his cock and making his cock twitch towards his mouth. “That’s two.”

Prompto grits his teeth, hand slamming down onto the mattress and twisting the sheet in his fist. That asshole.

“Oh, babe, don’t be mad. I’ll make you come.” Noctis grins toothily. “And keep your hands away from your mouth, that’s cheating.”

Prompto narrows his eyes, glaring at his smug-ass boyfriend.

Fuck you, Prompto mouths.

Noctis laughs. “Fuck me? Oh no, Prom, fuck you. I wonder how long you’d last if I got my fingers in you, I wonder. Wanna try?”

Prompto makes an embarrassing sound of pure want, clenching his eyes shut in shame as the sound escapes his lips.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Noctis laughs, squeezing and massaging his thighs. “That’s three, by the way. One more peep out of you and I win. Man, you’re so easy to rile up. I love it.”

Prompto exhales noisily, angry at himself for losing all three of his chances so early. He hasn’t even come yet, and he knows he won’t be able to stay quiet for that.

“Should I get the lube from the armiger?” Noctis says playfully, checking to make sure it’s okay with Prompto first.

Prompto glares, planting his feet on the bed and spreading his legs, giving Noctis a look that clearly says, if you don’t, I’ll kill you.

Noctis laughs in delight, a bottle of lube appearing in his hand. Noctis uncaps the lid, pouring a generous amount onto his fingers and rubbing the liquid between his fingers to warm it.

“How long has it been? You can talk,” Noctis says, his hand dipping down between Prompto’s legs and beneath his balls to press his thumb against his perineum before trailing down to rub against his hole.

“Too long,” Prompto gasps, his thigh muscles jumping at the contact.

“I’ll be gentle,” Noctis promises, pressing a kiss to Prompto’s inner thigh. “Game on. Don’t make a sound unless it’s to tell me to stop or slow down.”

Prompto nods, breathing in and out through his nose as Noct circles his thumb around his entrance.

“Ready?” Noctis checks.

Prompto nods, reminding himself to relax. Noctis withdraws his thumb and replaces it with his index finger, slowly sliding the tip of his finger inside and working his finger in a little bit at a time until he’s knuckle deep in his ass.

Prompto swallows back a groan, forcing himself to relax against the intrusion. It’s familiar, the stretch sending pleasurable tingles down his spine. He’s used to the sensation from his own fingers, but it’s been a while—a long while—and it’s like having an itch he couldn’t quite reach finally being scratched.

While Noctis, on the other hand, is having an internal crisis.

Prompto is so tight. His body is gripping him, closing and contracting around his finger, trapping it in the confines of his heat. He had fantasized and imagined this in his head a thousand times, but he had never thought… God, if he feels like this around his finger, what would he feel like around his cock?

Prompto watches Noct through half-lidded eyes, his lips twitching into a smile. Noct is staring between his legs with wide eyes that are so dark Prompto can barely see the thin ring of gold, his pupils so blown out with lust they’re eclipsing the color of his eyes.

Prompto smothers a grin and rolls his hips. Obviously, Noct needs some persuasion to get a move on, caught up in watching his finger knuckle deep in his ass like it’s the best thing he’s ever seen.

Noctis' eyes dart up to his face, and Prompto raises a playful eyebrow, unclenching his hand from the sheets to tap his lips.

Noctis’ eyebrows furrow, leaning over him to press a kiss to Prompto’s lips. Prompto giggles. “Wait.”

Noctis pulls back immediately. “Are you okay?”

“You said I can talk if it’s to tell you to stop or slow down, but can I talk to tell you to hurry the fuck up?” Prompto asks cheekily. “Or would you like to stare at my ass all day instead of fucking it?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, am I going too slow for you?” Noctis drawls, narrowing his eyes. “Game on.”

Noctis withdraws his finger and thrusts it back inside, crooking his finger once it’s as deep as it will go, taking savage pleasure in the way Prompto’s mouth drops open and his hips grind down on his finger.

“That it, Prom? Feels good when I touch you there?” Noctis goads, punctuating his question with a harder thrust of his finger against the soft bundle of nerves and revelling in the sight of Prompto shoving his hips down to fuck himself on his finger in tandem with his thrusts. “Think you can take two now since you’re so impatient?”

Noctis doesn’t wait to hear Prompto’s response, because he’s not getting one, and lines up a second finger alongside the first and slowly works it inside. Noctis massages the roof of Prompto’s channel, giving Prompto a moment to adjust and for him to stop gripping him so tightly before he starts thrusting his fingers, curving them upwards to hit his prostate.

Prompto throws his head back, hands scrambling for purchase as Noctis’ fingers rub along his walls, pressing against that spot inside him that has his legs trembling and his cock drooling precum all over his stomach. Noct is relentless in his assault, and he chokes back a loud cry that rises in his throat when Noct adds a third finger shortly after, stretching him open further with a single-minded focus.

Prompto almost regrets goading Noct into doing things faster, pleasure building in his core like a crescendo instead of a steady climb that would have made it easier for him to handle. He’s going to come so fucking hard, his stomach quivering and thighs trembling as it continues to build inside of him with every thrust of Noctis’ fingers.

Prompto cries out, hands flying down to fist in Noctis’ hair, toes curling as Noctis takes him into his mouth while he pumps his fingers in and out of him. Prompto yanks on his hair, making Noctis groan around him, but Prompto can’t form a coherent thought enough to feel sorry about it.

Noctis pulls off of him with a loud pop, and Prompto sobs at the loss of his mouth, his fingers twitching against his scalp, fighting the urge to shove his head back down.

“That’s it, babe,” Noctis says roughly. “You know what that means.”

“Noct,” Prompto whimpers. It comes out breathy—needy, and it’s like the floodgates have opened, his voice coming out broken and pleading. “You win, you win. God, I don’t care, just make me come, please.”

Noctis growls, and doesn’t waste any more time teasing him, circling a hand around the base of Prompto’s cock and taking him back into his mouth. Noctis flicks his eyes up to Prompto’s face, watching his expression contort with pleasure as he continues to fuck Prompto with his fingers as he bobs his head, taking him in deeper until the head of his cock hits the back of his throat and his nose is nestled into Prompto finely trimmed patch of hair.

“N-Noct, I’m gonna—I’m gonna come, please—“ Prompto gasps, tugging on Noctis’ hair sharply as his whole body starts to tense, moaning loudly as Noct slides his mouth up his shaft and sucks hard, his fingers plunging into him.

“Noct!” Prompto cries out, eyes rolling back and his back arching off the bed, his body going taut as his orgasm crashes over him.

Noctis moans as Prompto starts to come, the scent and taste of his release on his tongue assaulting his senses, making him salivate at the heavy smell of sex and pleasure surrounding him. Noctis swallows everything Prompto has to offer greedily. Noctis doesn’t stop thrusting his fingers until Prompto is a quivering mess beneath him, his walls fluttering around his fingers, sucking them in.

Prompto trembles, collapsing against the mattress with a loud whine, and Noctis finally slows his thrusts as he suckles the head of Prompto’s cock and cleans him with his tongue before he lets him slip from his mouth.

Prompto groans when Noctis’ fingers slip out of him, his legs feeling like jelly as Noctis runs his hands along his thighs.

“Does it feel good to lose?” Noctis rumbles, wiping his hand on the sheets at he leans down on his elbow to bury his face in Prompto’s neck and inhale his scent, blanketing him with his body without hesitation, following the instinct to protect and coddle Prompto, his instincts telling him Prompto is vulnerable and needs comfort as his body trembles against his as he comes down from his orgasm.

“You can say that,” Prompto laughs breathlessly, tangling his hand back in Noctis’ hair and massaging his scalp where he had pulled on his hair a little too hard. “You’re a real asshole, you know that?”

Noctis chuckles warmly, pressing a loving kiss to the mark he had left on Prompto’s neck. “Yeah, I know.”

Prompto sighs, running his hand through Noctis’ hair and down to the nape of his neck, palm squeezing the back of his neck. Noctis nips at his skin, a rumbling growl vibrating against his chest. Prompto knows that’s a wolf thing, Noct’s done it to him often enough, and he’s seen other wolves do that with their partners, but it’s always been the alpha doing that.

Prompto tightens his hold on the back of his neck curiously, gasping a surprised sound when Noctis suddenly tenses before collapsing on top of him.

“Oof,” Prompto grunts when Noctis’ weight settles over him, completely boneless. “What the— Noct?”

“Sorry,” Noctis groans into his neck. “Wolf thing.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured that.” Prompto snorts. “You do that to me sometimes. Why?” Prompto asks curiously, loosening his grip in favor of running his hand down Noctis’ back.

“Domineering behavior,” Noctis mumbles in embarrassment. “Sorry.”

Prompto has a brief moment of worry that maybe he shouldn’t have done that to Noct. “Should I not do that to you, then?”

“Maybe not in front of the others,” Noctis allows, chuckling. “Gladio would never let me live it down.”

“How so?”

“Because it’s seen as me submitting to you,” Noctis explains. “It’s called scruffing. It’s used on pups and our partners. We—wolves I mean—like it under the right circumstances. It’s… relieving.”

“Huh, well, there’s another form of relief I’d like to give to you,” Prompto says playfully, pushing against Noctis’ shoulder and rolling him over onto his back with a grin. “It’s your turn now.”

“I already won,” Noctis laughs but doesn’t put up a struggle. He even lifts his hips to help when Prompto tugs on the waistband of his pyjamas. Prompto happily drags them down his legs and tosses them to the side.

“Then let’s see if we can make it a tie,” Prompto retorts, snatching up the bottle of lube where Noctis had carelessly tossed it.

“You can try,” Noctis says easily, crossing his arms behind his head. “I obviously have more self-control than you.”

“We’ll see about that,” Prompto scoffs, squirting some lube into the palm of his hand. “Same rules apply to you—three chances.”

“Confidence is a good look on you,” Noctis smiles, looking up at him through half-lidded eyes.

“Shush, I’m starting now,” Prompto mumbles, blushing under Noctis’ attention. “Same as it was for me: don’t say a word unless it’s to tell me to stop or slow down.”

Noctis’ smile widens and he makes a zipping motion across his lips before relaxing back.

Prompto wraps his hand around Noctis’ cock, keeping his fist loose, twisting his wrist at the tip to spread the lube along his shaft. Noctis doesn’t even react, not even when he swipes his thumb over the head of his cock in a way that he knows would make himself moan. Noctis’ breathing in infuriatingly even, his eyes closed and posture relaxed.

The corner of Prompto’s lips twitch into a smirk. Noctis won’t be so quiet in a few minutes from now, he’s sure of it. Noct can play nonchalantly all he wants now, but Noct is gonna lose all semblance of his so-called “self-control.” He’ll make sure of it.

Deciding that Noct is slick enough, Prompto shifts; throwing a leg over Noctis to straddle his hips. Prompto reaches back to guide Noctis’ cock to his entrance, and then he’s slowing sinking down until he’s fully seated, taking a deep breath and letting it out as he adjusts to the stretch.

Noctis shouts. His eyes snap open and reveal the widening of his eyes, his pupils expanding and flaring a bright gold. Noctis’ hands fly down to grasp his hips, staring up at him in shock.

“One,” Prompto breathes, laughing at the stunned, slack-jawed expression on Noctis’ face. “Still think you can be quiet?”

Noctis’ nostrils flare, his fingers digging into the skin of his hips.

Prompto grins triumphantly. “Because I’m nice, that one won’t count. That one’s your freebie.”

Prompto shifts to get more comfortable, his legs squeezing on either side of Noctis’ waist, wiggling in Noctis’ lap as he gets used to the size of his cock.

Prompto sees the exact moment Noctis’ face crumples in pleasure, his chest expanding with a deep inhalation when he clenches his inner muscles around him; Noctis’ fingernails biting into his skin.

Prompto wraps his hands around Noctis’ wrists and removes them from his hips, pressing them firmly into the mattress. “No touching. I’m not taking any chances of those claws of yours making any sudden appearances.”

Noctis glances down at his hands as if checking to make sure he hasn’t suddenly sprouted claws and curls them into the sheets.

“Good boy,” Prompto says playfully, leaning back and bracing his hands on Noctis’ thighs as he rolls his hips experimentally.

A punched-out sound escapes Noct as soon as he does, and Prompto throws his head back with a laugh. “That’s one, Noct. I knew you were all bark and no bite.”

When Prompto looks back down to gauge Noctis’ expression, his heart skips a beat when he sees his bared teeth.

“What happened to that self-control?” Prompto teases, rolling his hips and squeezing around Noct again to see if he can pull more noises from him.

Noctis doesn’t answer, but then again, Prompto doesn’t expect him to. Noctis fists the sheets in his hands and tilts his head back to stare up at the ceiling, his breathing turning ragged.

“Do I feel good?” Prompto goads, squeezing Noctis’ thighs under his hands as he lifts himself and drops back down with a loud moan. And fuck, if the way Noctis suddenly snarls doesn’t have his cock throbbing between his legs and starting to harden again.

“Two,” Prompto groans, panting as he fucks himself on Noctis’ cock; moans escaping from him freely now that he doesn’t have to fight to keep quiet.

A tearing sound echoes through the room and Prompto startles, glancing down to see Noctis’ claws shredding the sheets.

“Feeling good?” Prompto taunts, repeating Noctis’ earlier words back at him. “Mm… because you feel good. You feel so good, Noct.”

Noctis claws at the sheets desperately, fisting it in his hands and turning his head to bite into the pillow to keep quiet. Prompto hones in on the weakness.

“Hey.” Prompto sits up, running his hands up Noctis’ heaving chest and cupping the side of his jaw. “No cheating.”

Noctis unclenches his jaw, panting as he presses an open-mouthed kiss to the palm of Prompto’s hand. Noctis’ body is flushed and warm to the touch, his hair starting to stick to his forehead.

This must really be getting to him, Prompto thinks gleefully.

“Dirty talk really does it for you, huh?” Prompto muses aloud, bracing his hands on Noctis’ chest as he picks up the pace, rocking his hips back. Noctis audibly swallows, and Prompto grins when Noctis uncharacteristically avoids his eyes.

“Do you want me to keep telling you how good you are for me?” Prompto offers, leaning forward and forcing Noct to take on more of his weight so he can lift his hips and slam himself down harder.

Noctis’ eyes widen, the pupils of his eyes so large that only a sliver of burning gold remains.  Noctis’ lips part on a soundless moan, his wide eyes staring up at him. Prompto holds his gaze until he can’t anymore, enjoying the sense of power he has over Noct. A thrill shivers down his spine at the helpless desire and struggle he sees raging within Noctis’ eyes.

“God, Noct, you feel so good inside me,” Prompto moans. He knows he’s probably laying it on a little too thick, but he means every single word, and he knows Noct will hear the truth behind it. “Making me feel so goo­­d—just like you wanted to.”

Noctis squeezes his eyes shut, fighting to stay silent and fighting even harder to contain his wolf. A fierce sense of pride is swelling in his chest that makes him want to throw his head back and howl with triumph at how well he’s satisfying his mate.

Prompto shifts back and braces his hands on Noctis’ thighs again. It feels so much better like this. Prompto lifts his hips and slams back down, establishing a rhythm that has Noctis breathing harshly beneath him.

Prompto rolls his hips forward, and Noctis’ cock finally nails his prostate. Prompto stills in shock as a cry escapes his lips; his hips stuttering at the unexpected burst of pleasure that makes his cock twitch hard and leak precum onto his belly.

“Yes,” Prompto hisses to himself as he does it again and again; pleasure coiling tight in his belly. “There, right there, fuck, Noct—nngh.”

Noctis keens sharply; an entirely inhuman sound that sends a pleasurable shiver through Prompto’s body.

“T-Three,” Prompto moans, panting hard as he fucks himself on Noctis’ cock with wild abandon; chasing his second orgasm of the night. Prompto makes a strangled sound, his eyebrows furrowing when he feels the base of Noctis’ cock start to… grow? Prompto sinks back down, circling his hips to get a better feel for it.

It’s not his imagination. It feels like Noctis’ cock is growing thicker at the base, and when he rolls his hips backwards whatever it is catches on his rim and slides in, stretching him a bit wider and making him moan.

Noctis whimpers, scrambling for his hips and pawing at him desperately.

“Off. Get off,” Noctis says wildly. “I can’t—Prom, now, now.”

Prompto’s eyes widen in shock, and he quickly lifts himself and scrambles off Noctis when Noctis’ voice turns harsh and guttural with alpha command.

“What’s wrong? Noct—”

Noctis makes a pitiful sound, his face pinching into an expression of pain as he reaches down and wraps a hand around the base of his cock.

“Noct. Noct, what’s happening?” Prompto exclaims worriedly. “Did I hurt you?”

“I’m sorry,” Noctis whines—actually whines—and Prompto’s worry increases.

“Hey, no, it’s okay. We agreed we’d tell each other to stop if we needed to,” Prompto reassures him hastily.

“I don’t want to stop,” Noctis whines, his eyes squeezing shut. “B-But I had to. Was gonna hurt you.”

Prompto frowns in confusion. “What do you mean? Noct, you weren’t even touching me.”

Noctis groans like he’s in pain. “My dick. I was gonna hurt you if I didn’t stop you.”

“Your—” Prompto’s eyebrows furrow. Noctis’ explanation only further confusing him. “I don’t understand.”

Noctis exhales roughly and removes his hand.

Prompto doesn’t see the problem. Noctis’ dick felt fucking amazing inside him, especially once he had managed to angle himself right so Noctis’ cock hit his prostate. He’d been so close to coming, and Noctis’ dick looks just… fine…

“What the—” Prompto gasps, staring down at Noctis’ dick in astonishment. The skin at the base of Noctis’ cock has swelled into some kind of bulb, the flesh swollen and tight.

“I…” Noctis' cheeks flush a dark red that travels all the way down to his shoulders. Prompto doesn’t need to be a wolf to see that Noctis is extremely embarrassed and insecure at the changes in his body. “I…”

“It’s okay,” Prompto soothes when Noctis stutters and his words trail off again. “Is that… is that normal?”

Noctis swallows thickly, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. Noctis nods jerkily, his eyes sliding away.

“Can I ask what it is or would you rather not talk about it?” Prompto asks softly, placing his hand on Noctis’ hip; hoping his touch will help soothe Noctis’ nerves. It doesn’t matter how curious he is about this sudden new addition to Noctis’ anatomy, Noctis’ comfort comes first.

“It’s… it’s a wolf thing—an alpha thing,” Noctis mumbles, still avoiding Prompto’s eyes. “I… I tried to hold it back, but it’s hard because you’re… I can’t do it with you.”

Prompto eyes the swollen bulb on Noctis’ cock curiously, his jaw-dropping when it finally clicks.

“You have a knot,” Prompto gasps in realization. “Like a—”

“God, don’t even say it,” Noctis groans, covering his eyes with his forearm.

Prompto bites back a smile. Now is obviously not the time to be cracking dog jokes.

“Does it hurt?” Prompto asks, genuinely curious. Noct is still hard and leaking.

“No,” Noctis groans. “It… it felt good. When it was inside. I never… felt anything like that before.”

“Can I…?” Prompto asks hesitantly.

Noctis slides his arm up to his forehead to peer up at Prompto. “What?”

“Can I touch it?”

Noctis noticeably shudders at the question.

Prompto slowly touches his fingertips to the base of Noctis’ cock when Noctis nods his acceptance; feeling around the engorged flesh with fascination.

“You said you never felt this before. Is this the first time this has happened?”

Noctis grunts, shaking his head. “It’s… I can control it normally. Like my fangs and claws—it’s the wolf side. But you… you’re my mate,” Noctis says helplessly.

“The mating for life thing,” Prompto remembers. Ignis had briefly mentioned it when Noctis had gone feral, and he’d been facing the real possibility that Noct would try to claim him. Now he knows what Ignis truly meant by that—that Noctis would try to knot him. “That’s what it’s for, right?”

“Yeah,” Noctis breathes, pushing his damp hair away from his face. “I can’t control it when I’m with you. Fuck, Prom, I… I want you so bad,” Noctis whispers hoarsely, covering his eyes with his arm again.

Prompto swallows hard, his heart aching at the raw emotion in Noctis’ voice. He sounds so desperate and filled with longing. It almost makes him regret his decision to wait until the next full moon for Noctis to give him his mating bite. His wolf would probably feel a lot more settled if they had agreed to have done it tonight.

“I’m yours,” Prompto reminds him softly, eyeing his knot. It’s not that large. With a bit more prep he’s confident that he would be able to take it comfortably. “What’s stopping you?”

Noctis whines and abruptly sits up to gather Prompto in his arms to bury his face in his neck; scenting him almost aggressively.

“Can’t,” Noctis says roughly, pressing his teeth against Prompto’s neck briefly before lifting his mouth away with a growl. “It’ll hurt you.”

Prompto wraps an arm around Noctis’ back and rests his cheek against his shoulder. “I think I could take it. We could try?”

“Prom,” Noctis whines, voice agonized. “No… God, you have no idea how much I want to, but I can’t. It… it gets bigger. I could seriously hurt you.”

“It gets bigger?” Prompto says dubiously. “Like, how big are we talking?”

Noctis groans, dropping his forehead onto Prompto’s shoulder and mumbling something too quiet for Prompto to hear.

“What?”

“Almost the size of my fist,” Noctis says a bit louder, sounding mortified by the admission.

Prompto pulls back, regarding Noctis with wide eyes as his eyes fall back to Noctis’ lap. The knot is the same size as he last saw it, maybe adding two inches of girth at the base of his cock. It had been inside of him already. He had felt the pleasant stretch of it and had wiggled down on it to get a better feel for it. He had enjoyed the sensation but he could see where Noct had reason to worry about hurting him if it did indeed grow much larger than that.

“Holy shit,” Prompto whispers, trying to imagine it. “How… I mean, how would you, y’know, mate with me if I can’t take it?”

“I don’t,” Noctis sighs. “Not like that, anyway. We bite our human mates instead.”

“To turn them?” Prompto asks hesitantly.

He doesn’t know how to feel about that. He doesn’t want to be a wolf—ever. All the instincts and mood swings, and not to mention turning into an eight-foot-tall wolf. It’s terrifying.  He can’t imagine his body shifting into one—doesn’t want to imagine the pain of a first or forced shift like Noctis had gone through.

“Well, that is an option for you if you want it,” Noctis says tentatively.

“No, I—sorry, but no. I don’t want to be a wolf,” Prompto says anxiously. “You don’t need to do that to me, do you? Because I don’t—I don’t want that.”

“No!” Noctis says in a rush. “You’re perfect just the way you are. I would never do that, Prom—ever. Not if you don’t want it.”

“Okay,” Prompto sighs in relief. He’d been worried he might offend Noct by refusing the bite. “Did you mean the claiming bite, then?”

Noctis’ eyes fall to his neck at the mention of it before darting back up to his face. “Yeah. I should have explained it to you better earlier. When I bite you with my fangs it will heal and leave a scar that will carry my scent so everyone will know that you’re mated to a wolf.”

Prompto raises his hand to his neck. “So that’s why you freaked out so bad last time you bit me.”

Noctis grimaces at the reminder of how close he’d come to claiming Prompto without his consent or knowledge. “Yeah.”

Noctis scoots back, reaching for his discarded pyjama bottoms.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Prompto asks, snatching Noctis’ wrist.

“Uh, getting dressed?” Noctis says in confusion.

“Who said we’re done?” Prompto chuckles at the dumbfounded look on Noctis’ face. “You haven’t come yet.”

“But…” Noctis trails off, glancing down at his lap to see his knot still bulging at the base of his cock. “But my…”

“You can still get off, right?” Prompto asks, walking on his knees to sit back on his haunches between Noctis’ legs.

“I—yeah. Yeah,” Noctis rasps, looking at him with wide eyes.

“Okay, good, because I want to make you come,” Prompto says, taking great pleasure in the way Noctis suddenly groans. “And I think you want that too,” Prompto giggles, placing a hand on Noctis’ chest and pushing him back down on the bed. Noctis goes easily, looking up at him through his eyelashes. “Just tell me what to do.”

“You’re gonna kill me,” Noctis groans.

“Kill you with orgasms? What a way to go,” Prompto laughs.

“Just shut up and touch my dick already,” Noctis huffs.

“Yes, Sir.” Prompto grins, tilting his head to the side calculatingly as he wraps a hand around Noctis’ cock. “Or should I say, ‘Yes, Alpha?’”

Noctis keens and bucks his hips to fuck up into his hand, his eyes flaring brightly.

“Don’t,” Noctis bites out.

“I guess that does it for you too, huh?” Prompto laughs, tightening his hand around Noctis and stroking firmly. “I wonder…”

“What?”

“If I’m careful, can I still ride you? Without taking your knot, I mean?”

“Fuck, Prom. I—please. Yes.” Noctis’ last word comes out as a hiss as he reaches eagerly for Prompto.

Prompto laughs and moves back into position astride him. “Okay, good, because I wanna come again.”

“Careful, careful,” Noctis moans, his hands flying to Prompto’s waist and griping tightly as Prompto sinks back down onto his length.

“I know,” Prompto breathes, feeling Noctis’ knot against his rim. He wiggles down on it teasingly, gasping when Noctis rolls his hips up and it slides inside.

Noctis keens loudly and pulls him back up hastily by his waist once he realizes what he’s done.

“Prom—fuck—are you okay!?” Noctis asks brokenly, his voice taking on a desperate edge.

“Shh, calm down,” Prompto shushes, taking Noctis’ hands in his and entwining their fingers. “It’s okay. You didn’t hurt me, it felt good.”

Noctis’ hands tighten around his. “Prom, I’m sorry, I can’t—”

“Do you trust me?” Prompto softly interrupts.

“With my life,” Noctis swears. Prompto’s heart flips in his chest at the sincerity and conviction in Noctis’ voice.

“Okay, then just let me—” Prompto wiggles, fully seating himself back down until Noctis’ knot slips back inside. Prompto moans in appreciation at the slight stretch. “There we go.”

Prompto gasps when Noctis grinds his hips up with a cry and tightens his hands in his to the point of pain.

“Prom, Prom!” Noctis says frantically. “Wh—what are you—”

“I got this. Trust me,” Prompto groans, rocking his hips back and forth; stimulating Noctis’ knot and enjoying the sensation of it rubbing along his walls. “I have a little time before it grows bigger, right?”

Noctis throws his head back and grits his teeth in pleasure.

“Not—not safe,” Noctis pants, clinging to Prompto’s hands like a lifeline; his eyes nearly crossing when Prompto circles his hips and clenches around him.

“I’ll be careful,” Prompto promises, grinding down and circling his hips faster. “I’ll pull off, don’t worry.”

“Prom,” Noctis sobs, untangling his hands quickly from Prompto’s when he feels his nails start to lengthen into claws. “H-Hurry, I’m gonna…”

“Yeah,” Prompto gasps, his hips stuttering when he feels Noctis’ knot start to grow inside him. “Fuck, Noct, that feels good…”

Noctis whines loudly and curls his fingers into the sheets; uncaring when it makes a loud shredding sound.

“Prom,” Noctis whimpers, his chest rising and falling rapidly with every breath. “I-I need you so bad—so fucking bad. Please.”

“You have me,” Prompto moans, placing his hands on Noctis’ chest to steady himself as he leans down to press his lips to Noctis’. Prompto laughs breathlessly when Noctis immediately tangles a clawed hand into his hair and kisses him back hungrily.

Prompto bounces in Noctis’ lap, tilting his head back and panting for breath as Noctis’ lips trail open-mouthed kisses down his neck. Prompto inhales sharply when he feels too sharp teeth press against his shoulder. Noctis grips the back of his neck firmly as he snaps his hips up, grinding his knot deeper inside of him.

“N-Noct,” Prompto chokes out, clinging to Noctis’ shoulders as he’d held in place while Noctis fucks up into him. Prompto’s mouth drops open, moaning wordlessly as Noctis’ knot continues to grow. He can feel it better now; feel the way it’s expanding just inside his rim, stretching him out further.

Noctis growls, nipping at his skin and lapping over the spot he bit. Inhuman sounds spill from Noctis’ lips as he stops thrusting in favor of grinding into Prompto to get his knot in as deep as he can.

Prompto moans, his hips stuttering at the extra stimulation when Noctis wraps a hand around his cock, but he’s distracted by the thickness of Noctis’ knot. Nervousness starts fluttering in his belly, Noctis still holding him firm so he’s unable to struggle or attempt to wiggle away. He has to pull off, the stretch of Noctis’ knot edging into uncomfortable territory.

“Come,” Noctis growls, trailing his lips up Prompto’s neck and biting at his jaw. “I wanna feel you come around my knot.”

Prompto whines loudly at Noctis’ words and grinds back onto Noctis’ knot while rocking into Noctis’ tight fist. “It—it’s so big.”

“Hurts?” Noctis grunts, licking at Prompto’s lips.

“N-No,” Prompto gasps. “Not yet. I can still take it.”

“Then come,” Noctis demands, but it’s whined out and pleading more than anything. “Please, Prom. I need to feel it—need to feel you come. Come for me.”

Prompto wails, his back bowing as he curls against Noctis’ chest, sobbing as his orgasm crashes over him; his walls contracting around Noctis’ knot are intense. Prompto’s eyes roll back, trembling and slurring babbling words that could be Noctis’ name as Noctis’ hand wrings the last of his orgasm from him.

Prompto slumps over Noctis, his chest heaving and thighs trembling as he comes down from his orgasm, and he slowly becomes aware of the discomfort growing inside him. Noctis' knot is starting to feel like it's expanding even further. Prompto tries to shift his hips, but Noctis' hold on him is unyielding, keeping him pinned against his body.

“Noct,” Prompto rasps, pushing weakly against Noctis’ chest until he allows him to sit up. He can feel Noctis’ knot growing, stretching him to his limits. "I need to get off. It’s starting to get too big.”

Noctis' eyes flutter open, and he gazes up at Prompto, his expression dazed and pleasure-drunk, his face slack with pleasure as he basks in the aftermath of Prompto's orgasm milking his knot. Noct’s still grinding his hips up into Prompto, his knot rubbing against Prompto's walls and sending shivers down his spine when it rubs against his sensitive prostate.

Noctis whines, and with a herculean effort, he helps Prompto gently ease himself off his knot until it pops free from his entrance. Prompto scrambles off Noct on trembling legs to kneel at his side, his eyes widening and his jaw-dropping when he sees the full width of the knot that had just been inside him.

Noctis’ hand darts down to wrap around his knot with a desperate sound, and Prompto reaches out to replace Noctis’ hand with his own; wrapping his fingers around Noctis' knot and giving it a squeeze.

Prompto begins to stroke Noctis' cock, paying special attention to the knot, gently massaging the swollen flesh with his fingers.

Prompto's eyes lock onto Noctis' face, watching as his expression contorts in pleasure. He continues to work the knot, his fingers squeezing and releasing the flesh in a slow, rhythmic motion before moving up his length to stroke him. Noctis' breathing quickens and his hips begin to lift off the bed, his knot growing once more at the stimulation.

Prompto's grip tightens, and he gives the knot a gentle squeeze on the next downstroke, holding it in place as Noctis' body begins to tense.

“I’m close,” Noctis gasps, his hands moving to his sides to pierce the mattress with his claws to keep himself from thrashing when Prompto tightens his hand around his knot.

“Holy shit, Noct,” Prompto whispers, his eyes wide as Noct leaks profusely onto his stomach seconds before he comes long and hard with a howl, come splattering across his heaving chest all the way up to his collarbone.

Noctis can’t respond, his body taut as his cock continues to jerk in Prompto’s fist and spurt over his knuckles, his knot throbbing in his hand. When Noctis finally collapses against the bed with a loud moan, Prompto slowly loosens his grip.

“Don’t—” Noctis chokes, frantic as he reaches down and wraps a clawed hand around Prompto’s wrist. “Don’t let go.”

“But you—” Prompto cuts himself off, eyes wide as Noctis’ knot throbs in his fist and he comes again with a strained whine.

“Oh my god, Noct,” Prompto gasps, eyes widening with shock. “Did you just come again?”

Noctis can’t talk, his teeth are clenched so tight his jaw must ache with it, his fangs bared in a grimace of pleasure.

Prompto tentatively wraps his other hand around Noctis’ cock, jerking him off as he tightens his other hand around Noctis’ knot again.

Noctis’ mouth drops open, babbling and slurring incomprehensible words, and Prompto watches in a mixture of shock and fascination as Noctis’ body starts to shake as he comes for a third time.

Noctis’ hand loosens on Prompto’s wrist to fall limply at his side, his chest heaving as he pants for breath, sounding winded. Prompto takes it as his cue to stop stroking him, pulling his hand away but keeping his other hand tight around Noctis’ knot.

“D—Don’t let go,” Noctis slurs, his head turning and his eyes slipping closed, an expression of ecstasy on his face. “Need to stay inside… please.”

“Sure, Noct,” Prompto agrees, watching more come slowly ooze from the slit in Noctis’ cock and dribble down his knuckles. “But you know you’re not actually inside me, right?”

“I wish I was,” Noctis whines.

Prompto smiles, his eyes softening at the neediness in Noct’s voice. Prompto carefully leans over Noctis’ body without letting go of his cock or touching the mess covering his chest to nuzzle into the side of Noctis’ neck, rubbing against his scent gland.

Noctis makes a sound so close to a contented purr that it makes Prompto grin. Prompto presses his lips to the side of Noctis’ neck before pulling back.

“You know I would have let you if I could,” Prompto says softly. “I liked it.”

Noctis moans and Prompto feels Noctis’ knot throb again, and when he looks down between their bodies, he sees Noct’s cock twitch and a weak spurt of come drip onto his stomach.

“Oh my god, Noct,” Prompto giggles.

“Shut up,” Noctis groans, his eyes half-lidded and blinking up at him sluggishly.

“Is it normal for you to come this much?” Prompto asks curiously.

“Un,” Noctis groans, looking down at the mess on his chest before letting his head fall back onto the pillow. “No.”

Prompto stifles a laugh. “Is it because of me?”

“It’s all your fault,” Noctis groans, inhaling a sharp breath, and Prompto feels Noctis’ knot throb weakly in his hand again. “It’s the knot. I haven’t… God, I don’t even remember the last time I came this much outside of a rut.”

“Rut?” Prompto questions. “What’s that?”

“Mating season,” Noctis grunts, rubbing his eyes tiredly. “It’s to ensure… y’know.”

“Successful breeding?” Prompto says, laughing gleefully when Noctis’ hips hitch upwards at his words.

“Stop talking,” Noctis begs. “I can’t—fuck, it’ll never go down at this rate.”

Prompto bites his bottom lip to stop himself from laughing. “How long does it usually last?”

“Anywhere from ten to fifteen minutes,” Noctis groans.

“And you come the entire time?” Prompto gapes.

Noctis nods.

Prompto blinks, staring unabashedly down at Noct. God, he wonders what that would feel like. He’s done it raw before, had hooked up with a guy and let him finish inside him and had enjoyed the sensation. Fuck, what would it feel like to have Noct fill him up like that?

Prompto doesn’t realize he’s said his thoughts aloud until Noctis growls and hauls him down for a biting kiss that completely lacks finesse; more teeth and tongue than a soft press of lips.

“Next time,” Noctis growls against his lips. “Next time I’m gonna stay inside you and pump you full of come just the way you want.”

Prompto moans, nipping Noctis’ bottom lip.

“Is that a threat or a promise?” Prompto breathes, squeezing Noctis’ knot.

Noctis growls. “A promise. I’m gonna…”

“What?” Prompto coaxes, his heartbeat quickening. “You’re gonna what?”

Noctis’ cheeks turn pink, and he shakes his head mutely.

“C’mon, what were you gonna say?” Prompto presses, squeezing his hand rhythmically around Noctis’ knot to pull a reaction from him.

“Fuck,” Noctis growls, his eyes flashing. “Gods, I’m gonna fucking stretch you open on my knot until you can’t take it anymore, and then I’m gonna fill you up with my come. And you know what? Without my knot keeping it all inside, it’s gonna leak out…”

Noctis leans forward, his nose trailing up Prompto’s neck as he moves to whisper in Prompto’s ear. “And then I’m gonna stuff it all back in with my fingers. Make sure not a single drop leaks out of you until you're so full of me that everyone will know that you’ve been claimed by me.”

Prompto's eyes widen, his face flushing as he listens to Noctis' filthy promises. He can feel his heart racing, his pulse pounding in his veins as he imagines the scenario Noct is painting for him. Prompto can feel his body responding, his cock giving a valiant twitch of interest. If he wasn’t so exhausted he’d contemplate a round two.

Prompto's eyes lock onto Noctis' as Noct pulls away far enough to take in his expression, and he can see the arousal he feels reflected in the gold of Noctis’ eyes. Without thinking, Prompto leans forward, cupping the back of Noctis' head to pull him closer. Their lips meet in a fierce, passionate kiss, the tension between them building again.

"I’d like that," Prompto admits when they break apart for air.

Noctis' eyes flash with desire, and he growls, his voice low and husky. "I'll do it. You'll get everything you want and more. I'll make sure of it."

The promise lingers in the air, heavy and heady between them. Prompto’s fingers tangle in Noctis’ hair, pulling him closer, their breaths mingling.

“You better,” Prompto says playfully, his lips curving into a grin. “But maybe next time you could follow through instead of just talking big?”

Noctis narrows his eyes, the corner of his mouth curling to show a hint of fang.

“Oh, you think I’m all talk, huh?” Noctis murmurs, his voice dangerously smooth. “You’ve got no idea what you’ve just set yourself up for, babe.”

Prompto’s laugh is breathless, almost giddy, and he rests his forehead against Noctis’ and gently tightens his fist around Noctis’ knot. “Yeah? Guess you’ll just have to prove it, Alpha.”

Noctis growls softly at the title, his hands gripping Prompto’s waist with enough pressure to make the blonde shiver when Noctis’ hips roll into the touch. Prompto swears Noctis just throbbed in his hand again. “Oh, I will.”

Arousal spreads heat through Prompto’s body at the promise, but exhaustion still lingers, stopping him from acting on it. He sighs, his hand sliding down to rest on Noctis’ shoulder, his thumb brushing softly over his skin before he reaches out to pull one of the discarded sheets up the bed to wipe Noctis' chest clean. “Okay, okay. Next time, right? Right now, I just wanna stay here. Like this.”

Noctis’ expression softens, the fire in his gaze tempered with tenderness. He presses a gentle kiss to Prompto’s forehead before settling, pulling Prompto down to rest at his side, his arm looping protectively around his mate’s waist.

“Yeah,” Noctis says quietly. “Sounds good to me.”

“Mm, do you need me to let go now?” Prompto asks, gently squeezing Noctis’ deflating knot for emphasis.

“If you want,” Noctis says. “But I wouldn’t mind if you held on a little longer.”

Prompto gives Noctis’ knot another gentle squeeze, earning a low, satisfied growl from Noctis, before loosening his grip until his fingers are holding it loosely in his hand.

“Guess I don’t mind,” Prompto hums, resting his cheek against Noctis’ chest. “You’re lucky I’m such a nice guy.”

Noctis huffs a laugh, his fingers brushing through Prompto’s hair. “Yeah, sure. Real selfless of you, babe.”

Prompto chuckles, but the sound quickly melts into a yawn. Prompto nuzzles closer, the steady rhythm of Noct's heartbeat a soothing lullaby.

Noctis' fingers trail lazily up and down Prompto’s back, his touch light. It’s moments like this that make all the chaos and danger of their world seem so distant. Prompto sighs contentedly, his exhaustion catching up with him, and his eyelids grow heavier by the second.

"You know," Prompto murmurs, his voice soft and drowsy. "If you keep talking like that, I might just hold you to it tomorrow."

Noctis chuckles, the sound rumbling through his chest. "Tomorrow, huh?" Noctis teases, leaning down to brush a kiss against Prompto’s temple. "You're not gonna be too sore, are you?"

"Not a chance," Prompto replies, a sleepy grin spreading across his face. "You promised, and I plan to collect."

Noctis smirks, his lips grazing Prompto’s hair. "Then you’d better get your rest. Tomorrow, you’re gonna need it."

Prompto hums in agreement, too far gone to banter any further. His breathing evens out, and soon he’s fast asleep in Noctis’ arms.

Noctis watches him for a long moment, a smile softening his features.

“My mate,” Noctis whispers, the word carrying both reverence and possessiveness. He presses one final kiss to Prompto’s forehead before letting his own eyes close, his grip on his mate never loosening.

Tomorrow can bring whatever challenges it wants. Tonight, they have each other, and that’s all that matters.

Chapter Text

The first thing Prompto registers when he wakes up the next morning is warmth. Noctis' body is wrapped around him and caging him in the circle of his arms like the overprotective, possessive wolf he is.  Noctis’ whole body is wrapped around him in a cocoon of arms and legs. If someone were to walk in and find them like this, they wouldn’t know where Noctis’ body began and his ended.

Noctis’ chest rises and falls steadily beneath his cheek, the rhythmic thump of his heartbeat a comfort after all the previous mornings they’ve spent on the run or holed up somewhere waiting to be ambushed or attacked. Prompto wished he could spend every morning lazing about, cuddling with Noctis just like this without a worry in the world.

Prompto hums contentedly, stretching just enough to feel the pleasant ache in his muscles. Yeah, he’s definitely feeling last night, but it’s a good kind of sore, the kind that leaves a lazy, satisfied grin tugging at his lips—especially when he remembers that they actually had sex.

Noctis stirs slightly at the movement, a sleepy grumble rumbling from him as he tightens his arms around Prompto. Noctis’ arms flex, pressing their bodies even closer together, and Prompto can't help the quiet giggle that escapes him.

"Morning," Prompto murmurs, tilting his head just enough to nuzzle into the crook of Noctis' neck to rub against his scent gland; hoping to spread more of his scent onto himself and Noctis; knowing how much Noct enjoys scent marking even though him being a human means he can’t smell the evidence of such a possessive claim on Noct like Noct and the others obviously can.

Noctis huffs a half-hearted protest against waking up, but he quiets almost immediately when Prompto starts scent marking him, and tilts his head to the side to encourage more of it.

Prompto feels the slow drag of Noctis’ fingers over his back, the warmth of his palm splaying between his shoulder blades. A lazy, satisfied growl rumbles from Noct’s throat, and Prompto shivers at the sound.

"You smell like me," Noctis mumbles, his voice rough with sleep. He noses at Prompto’s temple, his breath warm against his skin.

"Yeah, well," Prompto chuckles, a smile tugging at his lips. "Kinda hard not to after last night."

Noctis chuckles, low and smug, and Prompto yelps when sharp teeth graze along the sensitive spot beneath his ear. He doesn't bite down, but the threat is there, and Prompto inwardly groans at the lecture he’s gonna get from Iggy if he comes out of this room with more love bites. Noctis’ teeth scrape lightly over his skin, and Prompto squirms in his grasp—though not to get away.

"Are you sore?" Noctis murmurs, dragging his hand lower, tracing the curve of Prompto’s ass.

Prompto huffs a laugh, pressing his face into Noctis’ collarbone to hide the flush creeping across his cheeks at the suggestive question. 

"A little," Prompto admits, heat starting to curl in his belly at the thought of experiencing what they did last night again. "Not that I’m complaining."

Noctis hums, his fingers dipping lower, teasing between his cheeks to brush the pad of a finger against his hole. "Good," Noctis growls, his lips brushing Prompto’s temple as he speaks. "I want you to feel me for days.”

Prompto rolls his eyes, though the way his heart stutters betrays him when he feels Noctis suddenly smirk, knowing his sensitive hearing could pick up on the change in his heart rate. Prompto shifts, attempting to mimic Noctis’ low growl, but it comes out more like a strangled groan.

Noctis snorts out a laugh. "Was that supposed to be me?"

"Shut up," Prompto whines, swatting at Noct’s chest in embarrassment. He’s never tried to growl before, and his human lungs don’t have the bass capable of producing such an animalistic sound.

Noctis grins, smug and wolfish, and flips them easily so that Prompto is pinned beneath him. "Nah," Noctis rumbles, lowering his head to nip at Prompto’s jaw. "I think you should try that again."

Prompto gasps, squirming beneath him, but Noctis is all muscle and his weight presses him into the mattress. Any protests he might’ve had melt away as Noctis resumes scent-marking him; rubbing his cheek along his.

Prompto huffs, turning his head to the side to hide his embarrassment, but Noctis isn’t having it. He noses at Prompto’s jaw, then his cheek, a deep rumbling growl vibrating from his chest as he licks a slow stripe up to Prompto’s ear.

"Come on," Noctis coaxes. "Give me your best shot."

Prompto groans, somewhere between exasperation and arousal, because Noctis pressing him into the mattress like this is doing things to him.

"No," Prompto mutters, crossing his arms with a pout.

Noctis smirks, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Guess I’ll just have to make you, then."

Before Prompto can ask what he means, Noctis rolls his hips to grind against him, the slow drag of his cock against his own making Prompto gasp.

"Noct!" Prompto groans, arching beneath him, his body reacting instantly to the friction and causing him to harden. Noctis chuckles, pleased with himself, and does it again.

"That almost sounded like a growl," Noctis teases, dipping his head to nip at Prompto’s throat. “C’mon, babe. Growl for me.”

"You are the worst," Prompto groans, throwing his head back against the pillow. 

Noctis chuckles, clearly enjoying this. "Nah. I’m the best."

Prompto opens his mouth to argue but Noctis rolls his hips again, and whatever he is about to say dissolves into a choked moan. Noctis’ eyes darken, and his hand slides down to Prompto’s thigh to lift his leg to wrap around his hip, holding him in place and he continues to grind against him.

Prompto huffs. If Noctis wants a growl, fine—he'll give him one. Prompto takes a deep breath, his eyebrows furrowing as he tries to create a rumbling vibration in the back of his throat that mimics the growls that Noct makes so effortlessly, and lets it out. It’s more of a guttural, throaty noise than a proper growl, but the moment it leaves his mouth, Noctis freezes above him.

Prompto blinks up at him, unsure if he’s about to be laughed at again, but Noctis isn’t laughing. No, Noctis is staring at him with wide, blown-out pupils that are slowly turning gold. Noctis’ entire body is tense, and for a moment Prompto swears he feels a tremor run through him.

“Uh… Noct?” Prompto shifts beneath him, a little nervous now.

Noctis exhales slowly, and when he speaks, his voice is strained. “Do that again.”

“What?” Prompto blinks, uncertain by Noctis’ response.

“Prompto,” Noctis growls this time, and it’s different. It’s not playful or teasing. It’s raw, almost desperate, and his fingers tighten on Prompto’s thigh. “Do it again.”

Prompto swallows and does as he’s told, trying to make it more of a proper growl this time.

Noctis shudders, his breath hitching as his grip on Prompto’s thigh tightens even more. His nails dig in just enough to make Prompto gasp at the feel of his claws, and the reaction is instantaneous—Noctis grinds down against him, rolling his hips with far more urgency than before.

“Fuck,” Noctis breathes, ducking his head to press his nose to Prompto’s throat to inhale his scent. “You don’t even know what you do to me.”

Prompto squirms, heat pooling in his stomach. “Uh, I think I’m starting to get an idea.”

Prompto takes a breath, leans up, and growls into Noctis’ ear, knowing exactly what it does to him.

Noctis curses, fingers tightening on Prompto’s thigh as he bucks against him.

"Fuck, Prom," Noctis groans, dragging him down for a kiss. "I want to fuck you."

Prompto huffs a breathless laugh, still trying to wrap his head around the way Noctis had reacted to his attempt at growling. He hadn’t expected that kind of response, but now that he knows how much it affects Noct, he’s definitely going to use it to his advantage in the future, and as much as he wants to let Noct have his way with him right now, he knows that it won’t be long before Ignis or Gladio come to wake them up. 

“Can’t,” Prompto mumbles between kisses, pulling back to meet Noctis’ eyes. Noctis growls softly in protest, trying to chase his lips, but Prompto places a hand on his chest to still him with a soft laugh. “I want to, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t want to start something and get interrupted when Iggy or Gladio come to get us.”

“I hate that you’re right,” Noctis grumbles, dropping his forehead against Prompto’s. “But I really don’t want to stop.”

A shiver runs down Prompto’s spine at the rough, needy edge in Noctis’ voice. He doesn’t want to stop either, but there’s little he can do about that.

“Then don’t,” Prompto murmurs, shifting beneath him and rolling his hips to drag his hard length against Noctis’. “Just because we don’t have time for sex, doesn’t mean we can’t continue doing this.”

Noctis inhales sharply, his body tensing before he groans, his forehead pressing harder against Prompto’s. “Fuck, Prom...”

Prompto grins, shifting again so their cocks rub together. “C’mon,” Prompto whispers. “I want you too.”

That’s all the encouragement Noctis needs.

A deep growl rumbles from Noctis’ chest as he shifts, sliding his arms under Prompto to pull him flush against him. Their cocks align perfectly, and Noctis starts grinding down against him more deliberately.

Prompto gasps, gripping Noctis’ shoulders as their lengths slide together, slick with pre-cum. The friction is perfect—just enough to make his breath hitch and his thighs tighten around Noctis’ waist as he moves faster.

“Gods,” Prompto pants, tilting his head back against the pillow, already feeling the tension start to coil low in his stomach. “You’re—ah—so needy now.”

Noctis snarls, burying his face in Prompto’s neck, his breath hot against his skin. “Yeah?” His hips snap forward, rubbing their cocks together with just the right amount of pressure, and Prompto whines at the sensation.

Noctis chuckles against his throat. “Who sounds needy now, huh?”

Noctis works his way down, dragging his nose along Prompto’s throat, breathing him in like he wants to drown in his scent. He lets his lips part, teeth scraping lightly against Prompto’s skin. Prompto shivers, his breath catching when Noctis nuzzles the hollow of his collarbone and exhales a pleased little growl.

“Shut—ah—up,” Prompto moans.

Noctis laughs in amusement as he continues to grind their cocks together, relishing the way Prompto shudders beneath him. The friction feels good, their precum making the slide smoother, and Prompto can feel himself getting closer with every deliberate drag of Noct’s cock against his own.

“Feel good?” Noctis murmurs against his skin, his voice rough.

Prompto whimpers, nodding. Noctis shifts, lifting himself just enough to grab Prompto’s wrists and pin them above his head. He smirks down at him, his fangs on full display, his blue eyes glowing gold.

“You’re so fucking beautiful like this,” Noctis growls, rolling his hips in a way that makes Prompto moan.  The way he says it and the way he’s pinning him down has Prompto keening, arching into him as heat coils tight in his belly at the dominating display. It’s so hot when Noct gets like this, and he can feel his orgasm building fast as arousal hits him like a punch to the gut, and from the way Noctis is panting against his throat, he knows Noctis is right there with him.

“Fuck, Noct—” Prompto gasps, his body trembling and his muscles tensing as he teeters on the edge.

“Yeah, baby,” Noctis pants, pressing their foreheads together. “Come for me.”

That’s all it takes. With a sharp cry, Prompto comes. He shudders, his whole body going taut beneath Noctis as he spills between them.

Noctis groans, his grip on Prompto’s wrists tightening as he thrusts against him a few more times before he follows, moaning Prompto’s name into the hollow of his throat as he comes, shuddering through his own release.

"Mine," Noctis murmurs, so low that Prompto almost doesn’t catch it.

"Yeah," Prom whispers, tilting his head to let Noctis scent mark him when Noctis nudges his cheek against his jaw. "Yours."

Noctis makes a pleased noise at that, his chest vibrating against Prompto’s as he settles his full weight over him. Prompto lets out a soft "oof," but he doesn’t complain—not when Noctis is nuzzling into his neck again, his breath warm and even, like he could drift right back to sleep just like this.

"You're heavy," Prompto mumbles, but he doesn’t push him off. He wraps his arms around Noctis’ back when Noctis finally lets his wrists, his fingers splaying across the dip of his spine, keeping him close.

Noctis just grumbles in response, not moving an inch.

"You're comfy, though," Prompto concedes, rubbing slow circles against Noct's back, being gentle as his fingers dance across the scars on Noctis’ back. "But if you crush me to death, I’m haunting you."

Noctis huffs a lazy chuckle against his skin. "Worth it."

Prompto rolls his eyes, but his heart swells at how relaxed Noctis is. It’s a rare thing to see him like this, unguarded and at ease. For a long moment, they just stay like that, wrapped around each other, soaking in the afterglow.  

“You smell even more like me now,” Noctis murmurs, voice rough with satisfaction as he noses along Prompto’s jaw.

Prompto lets out a breathless laugh, tilting his head to allow Noctis more access. "Well, yeah, you just came all over me."

Noctis smirks against his skin, shifting just enough to meet Prompto’s gaze. His eyes are dark, his pupils blown wide, and there’s something unmistakably possessive in the way he looks at him. 

"I like that I get to come on you," Noctis’ fingers flex against Prompto’s waist like they're itching to rub his seed into his skin. "And I really like knowing that everyone else will smell me on you."

“Possessive,” Prompto mumbles, smiling.

“Mhm,” Noctis hums in agreement, not refuting Prompto’s comment.

They stay like that for a long time, neither in a rush to get up and start the day. The outside world can wait—at least for a little while. Which isn't long enough, because someone banging on the door not too long after shatters their hopes of staying in bed for most of the morning to cuddle undisturbed.

“Noct, you up?” Gladio yells through the door, a note of panic in his voice that has both of them stiffening in concern. “Is Prompto with you? He's not in his room.”

“He's with me,” Noctis calls, relaxing.

“Are you guys getting up?”

Prompto groans, his head thumping back onto the pillow. “Do we have to?”

“Definitely not,” Noctis grumbles, glaring at the door.

“The kitchen staff prepared breakfast,” Gladio calls through the door, likely overhearing their whispered conversation.  “And if you don’t get out here soon, Iggy’s gonna come and start asking questions.”

That gets Noctis to groan. Ignis interrogating them before they've even had their coffee? No thanks.

“Guess that’s our cue,” Prompto sighs.

“Five more minutes,” Noct grumbles, settling back into Prompto’s arms, growling in complaint until Prompto starts drawing patterns on his back again with his fingers.

Five minutes turns into ten, then fifteen. Neither of them moves, content to stay right where they are, basking in the comfort of being in each other's arms after a very satisfying night and morning, but the universe isn’t that merciful to just allow them to stay in bed, and the door suddenly swings open without warning.

“I said breakfast is—oh, for the love of Six.” Gladio stops dead in his tracks, one hand still on the doorknob as his nose scrunches up at the smell of sex that permeates the room. His eyebrows shoot up as he takes in the sight of Noctis and Prompto tangled together in bed, both very much still naked beneath the sheets.

Prompto lets out an undignified squawk, yanking the blanket up to make sure their lower bodies are covered. Noctis just groans, not even bothering to move.

“Ever heard of knocking?” Noctis grumbles, his eyes flashing gold in displeasure at being disturbed.

“I did knock,” Gladio retorts, crossing his arms. “You just ignored me. Sorry to interrupt your bonding, but food is gonna get cold and then you'll both be grumpy."

Prompto peeks out from beneath Noctis just enough to glare when he sees Gladio still staring at them with amusement. “Dude, why are you still staring!?”

“Trust me, it’s nothing I haven't seen before,” Gladio snorts. “And, hey, at least Iggy wasn’t the one to walk in."

Noctis sighs dramatically, rubbing a hand over his face. “Yeah, yeah, fine. We’re getting up.”

“You’d better,” Gladio says. “Or I’m sending Iggy in here next.”

The threat is enough to get Noctis moving. With a groan, he reluctantly untangles himself from Prompto and sits up, making sure his body blocks Gladio’s view of Prompto.

Gladio snickers as he turns to leave. “You guys might wanna wash up first. Just sayin’.”

Prompto groans, covering his face with a pillow. “This is the worst morning of my life.”

"Liar," Noctis smirks, nudging Prompto’s side. “C’mon, shower?”

Prompto peeks out from under the pillow, cheeks still red at having Gladio subtly mention that he can smell what they just did, but when Noctis leans down and presses an affectionate kiss to his lips, Prompto sighs in defeat.

“Fine,” Prompto mumbles. “But if we're late because you can't keep your hands to yourself, I’m blaming you.”

Noctis just chuckles, already pulling Prompto toward the bathroom. “Deal.”

The shower is warm and soothing and almost makes up for the rude awakening. Prompto leans against Noctis’ chest and wraps his arms around his waist, letting the spray cascade down his back while Noct lazily washes his body. It’s quiet between them, comfortable, and they occasionally sigh or hum in contentment as they wash each other’s bodies.

“You know,” Prompto muses, tilting his head to look at Noct. “If we stay in here long enough, maybe they’ll just give up on us coming to breakfast.”

Noctis smirks, his hands slipping lower to grab a handful of Prompto's ass. “Tempting.”

Prompto laughs, turning to press a quick kiss to Noctis’ lips before nudging him toward the water. “C’mon, let’s rinse off and head down to breakfast before Gladio sends Iggy to check on us.”

Reluctantly, Noctis agrees and shuts off the shower once they’ve finished rinsing off. They dry themselves up and get dressed at a pace just slow enough to be annoying but not slow enough to warrant a visit from Gladio or Ignis.

When they finally get to the dining room, Gladio and Ignis are seated at the table, plates already half-eaten.

“Well, well,” Gladio drawls, raising an eyebrow as he bites into a piece of toast. “Look who finally decided to show up.”

Ignis doesn’t even look up as he sips his coffee. “I trust you both enjoyed your… extended rest.”

Prompto’s face instantly turns red at the implication. Noctis just flops onto the chair next to Gladio and steals a strip of bacon off his plate. “Morning to you too, Iggy.”

Prompto clears his throat and takes the chair next to Noctis. “How did you sleep, Iggy?”

“Terribly,” Ignis says with a disgruntled expression. “I was kept awake by the… enthusiastic noises coming from Gladio’s room, which is why I assume you snuck into Noctis’ room last night.”

Noctis snickers, but the sharp look from Ignis silences him.

“Don't you laugh, Noctis Lucis Caelum. You were much worse. I'm surprised Gladio didn't hear you howling, but I did, and I would rather never hear it in that context ever again."

"You—you howled?" Gladio roars in laughter. "What the fuck were you two doing last night? Oh shit, did you pop your knot? Blondie isn't walking with a limp so you didn't knot him."

It's Noctis' turn to be embarrassed, his shoulders hunching up around his ears as his face abruptly turns red.

“Holy fuck, you did!” Gladio exclaims, his head swivelling to Prompto, his eyes wide with shock and what looks like awe. “How are you still standing!?”

Ignis’ eyes widen, his fingers going stiff around his coffee cup as Gladio’s words sink in and he takes in Noctis and Prompto’s embarrassment. His usual composure crumbles in an instant, replaced by a look of sheer disbelief. His mouth opens slightly, but nothing comes out for a long, painful beat.

“Wait…” Ignis breathes, looking between Noctis and Prompto before settling on Noctis. “You—tell me you didn’t. Noctis, he’s human. You could have seriously hurt him. His body isn’t capable of taking an alpha’s—”

“No, no, no—nothing like that happened,” Prompto says, flailing his arms, his face an uncomfortable shade of red in mortification. Well, they did do that up to a certain point, but Ignis doesn’t need to know the details. “We didn't— we didn’t do that. There was no actual, uh… y’know, happening. In me.”

Ignis studies them both for a long moment, then exhales slowly, his posture relaxing. “I trust you both understand the risks, though?” Ignis’ voice carries an edge, concern evident in his tone. “Especially considering Prompto’s body isn’t capable of handling that part of you, Noctis. That’s not something you could ever do with him, no matter how much your wolf may want to.”

Noctis rubs the back of his neck, looking more embarrassed than ever. "I get it, Iggy, seriously. I wasn't planning on doing that with him. I know better than to do that when he’s a human."

Prompto bites his bottom lip, feeling irrationally guilty. He doesn’t like the idea of Noctis having to hold that part of himself back, and the fact that he has no choice but to deny Noctis the experience of being able to fully bond and claim him because he’s a fragile human doesn’t sit well with him. He knows there’s a solution to this problem, but it’s a decision he would never be willing to make. He has no intention of ever being turned into a wolf.

The room falls quiet again for a moment until Gladio slaps his hands on the table. "Alright, enough serious talk. Who wants to go for a walk after breakfast? I feel cooped up staying inside."

Prompto perks up, still a little embarrassed but eager to shift everyone’s focus away from them. “You just want to watch me suffer and get sunburnt.”

Gladio chuckles, a wolfish grin curling at the corners of his lips. “Hey, I’m just saying, you’re pretty pale, blondie. It’ll do you some good to get some sunshine.”

Prompto shoots him a glare, his lips pulling into a pout. “I swear, if I turn into a tomato today, I’m blaming you.”

Noctis leans back in his chair, looking at Ignis. “You coming too, Iggy?”

Ignis hums in agreement. “I think a walk would do us all some good.”

Once they finish their coffee and clear their plates they make their way outside. The mid-morning sun is rising high into the sky, casting a warm, golden light over the manor grounds. It isn’t as hot as it was yesterday, and the fresh morning air has a breeze to it that ruffles their clothing. Prompto closes his eyes with a smile as he raises his arms above his head to stretch. The courtyard is peaceful, with neatly tended flowers blooming in the garden beds. The sound of the fountain’s water splashing lightly in the background is accompanied by the sounds of children laughing and playing in the water, taking advantage of the mild weather to be outside and play.

Gladio strolls ahead with a contented grunt. “I could get used to this weather.”

“I’ll take this over a scorcher any day,” Noctis agrees, his hands in his pockets as he walks alongside Prompto. “Too bad it won’t last.”

“Oh well,” Prompto shrugs, crossing his arms behind his head as he walks. “Even a few nice days like this are better than none.  I could use a few more days like this. It’s not too hot, not too cold. Just perfect.”

They continue walking through the courtyard, the children’s laughter fading into the background as they move past the fountain, their steps slow and easy.

“So, what’s the plan after this?” Gladio asks as he stretches his arms, looking out toward the open grounds beyond the courtyard. “I wonder how long the queen is going to want us to stay while she figures out who was behind Lunafreya’s murder.”

Noctis’s expression darkens at the mention of Lunafreya and what Prompto had to do in the throne room to get the queen to believe that they had nothing to do with it.

“It’s difficult to say,” Ignis sighs. “The Queen is still conducting her investigation. If there are any leads, she has yet to share them.”

“The Queen has her reasons for keeping things quiet,” Noctis mutters. “If she makes an announcement to bring everyone in for questioning, she risks tipping off whoever did it.”

Gladio exhales through his nose. “Yeah, but it also means we’re stuck playing the waiting game.”

“She can’t keep us here knowing we’re innocent… right?” Prompto asks. “I thought we were planning to leave tomorrow.”

Ignis adjusts his gloves, his expression thoughtful. “That was the initial plan, yes, however, circumstances may require us to stay.” Ignis’ eyes slide to Noctis’. “And I don’t know about you three, but I would like to see whoever committed the crime face their punishment.”

“Yeah… me too,” Noctis says quietly.

A group of queensglaives stride briskly across the courtyard, their armour clinking with each step. Their faces are set in grim determination, their focus straight ahead, but they can all see the panic on their faces that they’re trying to hide as they dart towards where the armoury is.

Noctis watches them pass. “Something’s up.”

Just as the words leave Noctis’ mouth, the loud wailing sound of sirens ringing and the bell on top of the belltower chiming loudly sends everyone enjoying the morning sun on the manor grounds into a panic. 

"What's happening?" Prompto shouts as everyone around him starts sprinting for cover and running into buildings, trying to find a safe place to hide.

"We're under attack," Ignis says in disbelief.

A tremor shakes the ground beneath them, followed by the unmistakable sound of something heavy crashing against stone. Screams echo from the far end of the manor grounds, and a plume of smoke rises beyond the courtyard walls.

“Where’s the attack coming from?” Prompto shouts, reaching into the armiger for his pistol, his fingers fumbling in urgency.

Another explosion rocks the air, sending debris flying from the manor’s western wing where their rooms had been. The force of it makes Prompto stumble back into Noctis, who catches him by the arm before they both lose thier balance.

A bloodcurdling howl tears through the sounds of people screaming, and the sound makes the hairs on the back of Prompto’s neck stand on end.

From beyond the courtyard walls, massive shapes move through the smoke, their hulking figures illuminated by the glow of the fires caused by the explosions. Through the smoke, they all see a pack of wolves make their way through the debris.

The queensglaives barely have time to react to protect themselves before the first wolf barrels into them, knocking a glaive clear off his feet. His scream is cut short as massive jaws clamp down on his throat, blood spraying across the cobblestones.

Gladio’s greatsword is already in motion, cleaving through the first wolf that dares to lunge towards them. The impact sends the creature skidding backwards, but it barely slows before it growls and launches itself forward again, unfazed by the deep gash across its chest.

Prompto stares in horror at the wolves that he knows without a shred of doubt are a part of Ardyn’s pack. Prompto is so distracted by the terror filling his body and leaving him immobile in fear, his back aching with the phantom pain of claws tearing through his skin, that he doesn’t see a man striding towards from the side with a sword in his hand until Gladio is screaming.

"Noct, watch out!"

Noctis turns just in time to see Ravus' mismatched eyes and wild hair before agony sears through his shoulder as Ravus’ sword buries deep into his flesh. He screams as Ravus’ sword digs deep into his shoulder, his vision blurring with pain as he staggers back when Ravus violently pulls his sword free from his body. Noctis clutches his shoulder on autopilot to stop the bleeding; blood pouring from the wound, slick and hot between his fingers.

Noctis’ knees buckle, and he feels a pair of hands grab him around the waist to steady him when he collides with someone’s back, and then he’s being lowered gently to the ground. He blinks away the blackness threatening to overcome him to see his mate quickly rising to his feet.

“Prompto, what are you—” Noctis gasps, staring at his mate who's standing in front of him protectively with his gun trained on Ravus.

Noctis’ breath comes in ragged gasps at the pain flaring through his body, the gaping wound in his shoulder burns, but the sharp agony from being stabbed is nothing compared to the realization slowly dawning in his mind as he stares at his blood dripping from Ravus’ sword.

“You—” Noctis breathes, holding his injured shoulder as he climbs unsteadily to his feet, desperate to get Prompto safely behind him.  “It was you.”

Noctis doesn’t have time to think—he just moves. His mate is in danger, and his wounds come second to protecting him. His fingers curl around Prompto’s bicep, yanking him backwards, shielding him with his own body. His injured shoulder screams in protest, but he ignores it, his only focus is on keeping Prompto out of Ravus’ reach.

Prompto struggles against him, but Noctis whirls around to snarl at him in warning with his fangs bared—something he would never do on a normal day, but tension is high, and Noctis can feel his wolf rabidly snarling at the cage that is his body. Noctis steps forward to block Ravus’ view of his mate entirely; satisfied when Prompto falls back a step and stays put.

Ravus tilts his head with his lips curling slightly in amusement, his mismatched eyes flicking towards Prompto, and he lifts his bloodied blade and gives it a flick, sending crimson droplets spattering across the cobblestones. "That must be your mate that I’ve heard so much about."

“Why did you do it?” Noctis grits out through clenched teeth, his fingers flexing as his sword appears in his hand at the threatening display, and he shifts his body into a defensive stance to draw Ravus’ eyes away from Prompto.

“Why?” Ravus repeats with a sneer, his voice low and cold. “Because she was always mother and father's favorite. I was to be named Oracle, not her. I am the eldest. The title should have gone to me!"

"She was your sister!" Noctis yells, his chest heaving as he tries to breathe through the pain. "How could you do that to her?"

"Don't act so self-righteous," Ravus scoffs. "Like your bloodline isn't bathed in just as much familial bloodshed. Your own great-great-grandfather murdered his brother's mate because he couldn't have her and then usurped the throne from him."

"Somnus? What the fuck does this have to do with him?" Noctis says in disgust. "Is he your idol or something? Want to follow in his footsteps? Because you're off to a great start."

"You don't have any idea, do you?" Ravus says incredulously, tilting his head back with a disbelieving laugh. "Ardyn is the great-great-grandson of the original Ardyn Lucis Caelum and was named after him. Surprise! He's your uncle. I quite look forward to that family reunion."

The world around Noctis seems to slow, and the words, "Ardyn is your uncle" reverberate in his head. The thought of Ardyn being related to him is repulsive; a stain on everything he’s ever known.

"You lie," Noctis hisses, baring his fangs.

"I have no need for lies," Ravus says, twirling his sword in his hand with a laugh. His laughter is cold and harsh; like knives being sharpened. "When the truth cuts so much deeper."

“You’re wrong,” Noctis snarls.

Ravus' eyes flash gold, and he steps forward, his sword gleaming in the sunlight. "You want to deny it? Fine. But the truth has a way of catching up to you, Noctis. You’ll learn the truth soon enough. You should ask dear old daddy about it next time you two sit down for a chat."

“You’re trying to turn us against each other. That’s all this is,” Noctis bites out, baring his teeth in warning when Ravus takes another step forward.

Ravus scoffs, his voice thick with contempt. “You’re a pawn in a game you didn’t even know you were playing. You think you’re fighting for your kingdom—for your people? No. All you’ve done is play into their hands. The same way I did.”

“Shut up!” Noctis roars at him, the power embedded in his words echoing across the courtyard. “You killed Luna out of jealousy and greed! You’re nothing but a coward who’s too scared to face his own failures!”

“You’ll regret saying that to me,” Ravus snarls, his voice low and dangerous as his eyes flare bright gold. “I’ll destroy everything you care about—starting with that pathetic human weakling you call a mate.”

The moment those words leave Ravus’ lips, Noctis feels something inside him snap.

Ravus is still talking, but Noctis can’t hear a word he's saying. All he can hear is the thunderous growl building in his chest and the blood rushing in his ears. The chaos and fighting around him fade into the background as his body moves of its own accord, his instincts the only thing guiding him now.

His blood burns hot with rage, his vision narrowing to a single, obsessive focus— destroying the threat to his mate.  The rage coursing through him is too strong, and he can feel the wolf inside him clawing at the edges of his control, wanting to break free completely—and he doesn’t fight it. Noctis eyes glow with the intensity of his wolf pushing to the surface, his control slipping further. His fangs bare, his muscles tense, and the primal drive to protect what’s his consumes him entirely.

Noctis’ hand tightens around the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white before he dismisses it back into the armiger. Noctis doesn’t need a weapon—he is a weapon. Ravus wants to make this personal? Well, fine, there’s nothing more personal than killing another alpha with his bare hands. Adrenalin floods his body, and the power of his wolf surging through his veins makes him feel as though he could snap Ravus in half.

He doesn’t think, and he doesn’t hesitate. He lunges at Ravus with a speed that’s almost too fast for the human eye to follow. One minute he’s standing on two legs and the next he’s shifting in mid-air, his bones cracking and reforming as his human form disappears in an explosion of fur and muscle before his paws hit the ground with a loud thud.

Ravus snarls and shifts into a wolf, meeting Noctis head-on, and the two wolves collide with a deafening crash. Noctis’ fangs snap inches away from Ravus’ throat, but Ravus is quick, and he dodges the fatal bite.

Noctis growls, and the sound is pure alpha and filled with aggression and impending violence. Ravus’ ears flatten, but he stands his ground, unwilling to back down, snapping his large maw in defiance.

Prompto watches the fight with a frantically beating heart, fear clogging his throat. Noctis is injured, and while it doesn’t seem to be hindering his ability to fight in his wolf form, he can’t help but worry that he’s at a disadvantage despite his wolf’s massive size difference in comparison to Ravus.

A golden-brown blur streaking towards him from the corner of his eyes shakes him free from his stupor, and he has just enough sense left to raise his pistol at the approaching wolf. The wolf yelps mid-leap, its body twisting as the bullet tears through its shoulder. It crashes to the ground before scrambling back to its paws with an angry snarl. Prompto steadies his shaking hands, keeping his pistol trained on it.

Noct and Ravus are still locked in a vicious battle, their massive forms tangling in a blur of teeth and claws, and Prompto has no idea where Gladio and Ignis are amongst all the chaos happening around them. He’s on his own.

The wolf lunges at him and his finger instinctively tightens on the trigger, and the wolf’s head snaps back as the bullet sinks deep into its skull, its lifeless body falling in a heap on the ground.

A low growl rumbles from behind him, and before Prompto can react, something massive slams into his back with the force of a freight train. Prompto stumbles, his breath knocked out of him as he’s sent sprawling to the ground. His pistol skitters across the dirt out of reach. Prompto’s heart leaps in his throat as he scrambles to his feet, the blood draining from his face when he’s faced with another wolf.

Prompto can see the familiar grey fur of Ignis' wolf form sprinting towards him at full speed, but Prompto already knows he's going to be too late as the large wolf extends its neck, its jaws opening wide to close the distance between them.

Prompto barely has time to scramble back and move his head and neck away before the wolf's teeth bite deep into his shoulder. Prompto screams as those long fangs pierce his flesh, digging in tight from the front and back of his shoulder and snapping closed like a bear trap that he’s seen the hunters use to capture large predators. The wolf adjusts its grip on him, fangs digging in deeper until Prompto can feel his shirt becoming soaked with his own blood before the wolf begins to tug and shake him like he’s a rag doll.

Everything happens so fast Prompto doesn't remember falling, doesn't know how he went from standing on his two feet to laying helplessly beneath the massive wolf. It takes Prompto far too long to realize he’s being dragged, and that's why his back feels like it’s being ripped open as the wolf drags him away. The agony around his shoulder spreads through his whole body so suddenly that Prompto nearly blacks out. The wolf pulls, and he can feel his body sliding painfully over the hard ground, rocks scraping through his shirt and scraping his back raw.

A shot of pure terror seizes him. Where’s the wolf taking him? Why is he trying to take him away from the field? Does he intend to eat him–or worse? The wolf shifts on its paws, and Prompto can feel each incisor of its sharp teeth digging deeper into his skin, preparing to pull him again once he has a firmer grip on him. Prompto tries to brace for it, fisting the wolf’s fur in his free hand, but he's not ready for the wolf to suddenly sink his teeth in deeper as it surges forward.

Prompto chokes on a scream, and he can taste blood filling his mouth, and thinks maybe the wolf’s fangs punctured a lung. His world is nothing but pain for far too long before he feels the wolf's fangs rip free from his shoulder when Ignis slams into the wolf.

The force of Ignis’ impact sends the other wolf sprawling, and Prompto collapses onto the ground, crying as pain flares through his torn shoulder. His entire left arm feels useless, like it's barely attached to his body despite the fact that he can see his arm is fine. The wolf must have severed his nerve endings along with his muscles because he can't even move his arm.

Prompto rolls onto his side, blinking through the haze of pain just in time to see Ignis barreling into the larger wolf again. They tumble together in a blur of snapping teeth and claws, rolling over the dirt as they fight for dominance. Ignis is smaller, but he’s fast and smart, ducking and twisting to evade the other wolf. Ignis’ fangs snap dangerously close to the other wolf’s throat, and Prompto can hear the sharp yelp of pain as Ignis’ teeth find purchase.

Prompto tries to push himself up, but his wounded shoulder protests violently, and he barely stifles a scream of pain as his vision swims. Blood drips steadily from his torn flesh, soaking into the dirt beneath him. His fingers dig into the ground as he fights to stay conscious as his body screams at him to give in to the darkness pressing in at the edges of his mind.

A deep, guttural roar shakes the air, and the sheer force of it cuts through the haze threatening to pull Prompto under. His vision swims, but he blinks desperately, forcing himself to focus just as a massive black wolf appears to loom over him. Then the beast is gone, and in its place is Noctis, and it takes Prompto’s faltering brain too long to process that the wolf had been Noctis the whole time and not his grim reaper.

"Prompto!" Noctis’ voice is raw with panic as he drops to his knees beside him. “Prom, baby, stay with me! Stay with me!” Noctis’ voice cracks as Prompto’s eyelashes flutter, his heavy eyes slipping closed again.

"You're naked again. We really have to stop meeting like this." Prompto giggles weakly when his eyes open and focus enough to see the state Noctis is in, but instead of laughing Noctis' gold eyes fill with tears.

"Stop, don't talk. Let me heal you first," Noctis chokes out, his voice ragged with panic as he presses his hands against the wound, desperately trying to stem the flow of blood, but it’s useless. The blood pooling under him steadily grows into a puddle as the back of his shoulder continues to bleed.  "Save your strength."

Noctis’ chest heaves in fear and panic as tears spill down his cheeks when he reaches into the armiger in search of a potion only to come up empty. He’d forgotten he’d only bought one when they went to the general store to heal Prompto’s bruise, and now he’s paying the price for not splurging on more. He thought they’d be safe here.

“I’m… sorry,” Prompto wheezes. His chest rises and falls erratically, each breath coming out as a painful rasp. His lungs burn, each inhale sharp and shallow, and it’s a fight just to draw in enough air. A violent cough rattles through his body and blood spills from his lips, staining his chin and dripping down his neck.

"Fuck! Where are the healers!?!" Noctis roars, scanning the battlefield with frantic eyes, tears blurring his vision.

"Noctis!" Ignis says urgently, falling to his knees by his side, panting with exertion from the fight. "Your bite can save him. It has the power to heal his wounds with the change. We can't wait to find a healer."

"I can't!" Noctis howls in anguish, his hands still pressed against Prompto’s wounds, refusing to let go despite the futility of it, his hands trembling violently. "I can't do that to him. He doesn't want it."

“Noct…” Prompto’s chest heaves with a wet, gasping breath, and another violent tremor wracks his body as he coughs. The blood pools in his mouth, and Prompto struggles to swallow it down as his body breaks out in a cold sweat. More blood comes up, spilling over his lips as he coughs to clear his airway.

"I’m here, baby," Noctis sobs, his voice raw and broken. "I’m right here."

Ignis grips Noctis’ shoulder, his own breathing growing ragged from tears clogging his throat. "If you don’t, your mate will die, Noctis.”

Prompto coughs, blood painting his lips and chin red. Prompto's hand encircles Noctis' wrist weakly. "Please…"

An abyss yawns in Noctis' chest, threatening to swallow his heart whole.

"I need to hear you say it, Prom," Noctis says frantically, his breathing erratic as hope ignites like a fire burning in his chest. "I need you to be sure."

Prompto’s lips part, but nothing comes out at first, only a shallow, rattling breath as more blood spills down the corner of his lips. His fingers tighten around Noctis’ wrist weakly, tears spilling down his cheeks. "I don't… don’t want to die.”

Noctis removes his bloody hands and Ignis’ hands quickly replace them. Noctis doesn't waste any time shifting back into a wolf and sinking his fangs deep into Prompto's hip. Prompto screams and thrashes weakly against him, trying to dislodge his teeth, but Noctis holds on and squeezes his eyes shut with a whine at the pain he’s causing his mate.

He needs to make sure his bite takes. He has no room for error. He won't take any chances on the bite not taking—not when Prompto’s already on death's door. Noctis holds firm, his jaws locked tight, his breath coming in short, pained bursts through his nose at the pain searing behind his sternum as Prompto continues to weakly push against his head in an attempt to push him away while crying.

With a strangled, agonized whine, Noctis finally releases him, lifting his head to stare down at his mate with the eyes of a man who has reached the end of a long tunnel and realized there's no light there when Prompto loses consciousness.

Chapter Text

Noctis sits hunched over Prompto's bed. There are dark circles under his eyes, his skin pale and drawn from lack of sleep. Two days. Two agonizing days of waiting, watching, and willing Prompto to wake up.

Noctis hasn't left Prompto's bedside since he carried him back to the manor, cradled in his arms. He hasn't let anyone besides Gladio and Ignis inside the room or anywhere near Prompto. Gladio and Ignis have been standing guard outside the room on rotating shifts, keeping everyone away—not that anyone had dared approach them after what happened.

The queen came to check on their well-being when she first learned what had happened to Prompto, but Noctis wasn't in the right mental state to allow anyone who wasn’t pack near his vulnerable mate, and the queen knew better than to try to approach an alpha who was one step away from going feral.

The fact that Ravus had gotten away didn't make him feel any better, but he had the choice of taking off after him or running to his injured mate, and there was only one real choice to make in that situation. Ignis had torn apart the wolf who had hurt Prompto, but that was of little comfort to him.

The door quietly opened and closed, but Noctis didn't acknowledge whoever entered, his focus solely on Prompto.

"Noctis," Ignis says softly, approaching him and placing a supportive hand on Noctis' shoulder. "He's going to pull through. His vitals are strong, and all his wounds have healed."

"I know," Noctis says hoarsely, his thumb caressing Prompto's knuckles. 

"You need rest," Ignis says gently. “It's been two days.”

"I'm not leaving his side until he wakes up," Noctis says, his voice cracking. "I can't leave him. I can't, I can't, I can't–"

Noctis doesn't realize his voice is starting to rise with hysteria until Ignis falls to his knees beside him and pulls him in for a hug, gently coaxing Noctis' nose into the crook of his neck.

"Breathe, Noct," Ignis says, his voice thick with emotion. "Everything is going to be okay. Prompto's going to be okay. You're not going to lose him."

Noctis’ whole body shakes as a sob tears from his throat, his free hand fisting in Ignis' shirt while his other clings to Prompto’s hand like he's the only thing tethering him to the here and now.

“It's been two days,” Noctis hiccups. “Why hasn't he woken up yet?”

“His heart rate is steady,” Ignis murmurs, rubbing slow, soothing circles on Noctis’ back. “He just needs time to recover. His body must be undergoing a lot of changes right now, and he needs more rest. There hasn't been a turned wolf in so long, and he… he was terribly injured, Noct. This will take some time.”

“I should have been by his side to protect him,” Noctis cries. “But instead, I got blindsided by rage. He didn’t want to be a wolf, Iggy, and now he’s gonna hate me for doing this to him.”

“Noct,” Ignis whispers, his arms tightening around him. “He’s not going to hate you. You saved his life.”

“His life wouldn’t have needed saving if I hadn’t left his side in the first place!” Noctis bursts out, choking on a sob as his mind goes through a thousand different possibilities of how Prompto will react when he wakes up and remembers that he took away his humanity and made him into a wolf. “He would have never chosen this life for himself if it hadn’t been forced on him.”

“Noctis… you didn’t force this on him,” Ignis says softly, treading carefully with his words. Even Noctis can hear how unhinged he’s starting to sound, how his body is trembling violently against Ignis’. The only thing holding him back from being forced to shift into a wolf due to stress was Prompto’s delicate hand in his.

“He chose this. He chose you. When confronted with the choice of death or the possibility of a new life as a wolf, he made his choice. You didn’t take that away from him, Noct. Even when confronted with the possibility of losing your mate, you didn’t take the choice away from him. You waited until he consented, and that… that is far more than I could say if I had been in your shoes and it had been my own mate dying…”

Noctis clears his throat and pulls away from the embrace, wiping his tears away and squeezing his eyes shut for a long moment, trying to calm down and compose himself before he completely gives in to the despair that’s weighing on his heart.

“I just don’t want him to grow to resent his decision—resent me,” Noctis admits quietly, his voice low and vulnerable. “What if he goes through his first transformation and decides… and decides the pain wasn’t worth it? We have no idea how the change will affect him. I don’t want him to hate what he is now, and I don’t want him to feel like he lost something because of me.”

Ignis sighs quietly. He knows Noctis’ fears are valid, and he has every right to worry that Prompto won’t acclimate well to being a wolf. What Noctis says is true; Prompto never wanted to be a wolf, and that fact may heavily impact how well he adjusts and accepts being a wolf. “He might struggle in the beginning, but Prompto has always been resilient, and more than that, he loves you. That doesn’t just go away because the world will be a bit different to him now.”

Noctis opens his mouth to respond, but then he freezes. There’s a flicker of movement in his peripheral vision, and Noctis turns his head sharply towards the bed, his heart slamming into his ribs as Prompto’s fingers twitch in his and Prompto’s eyebrows furrow like he’s struggling to wake up.

“Prompto?” Noctis whispers, standing so quickly that his chair skids backwards across the floor. He lets go of Prompto's hand in favor of reaching out and cradling Prompto’s face in both his hands, his face hovering above Prompto’s so he won’t miss the moment he opens his eyes. “Baby, can you hear me?”

A soft sound escapes Prompto’s lips, and then his eyes slowly flutter open. His eyes are hazy, the brilliant blue of his eyes dulled with fatigue and confusion, but they’re open. Prompto blinks slowly, his pupils dilating as they focus, his gaze finally locking on Noctis with clarity, and then his eyes abruptly burn gold.

Prompto inhales sharply. He's alive. He's alive. The bite worked, and… Prompto stills, nostrils flaring as Noctis’ scent hits his nose. Prompto's vision sharpens, everything thrown into sharp contrast as his vision tunnels and focuses on Noctis’ face hovering above him.

Time ceases to exist, and everything besides Noct fades away. He can't tear his eyes away from him. It's like Noctis has a rope and he's pulling him towards him, and he’s helpless to resist the magnetic pull.

Prompto has time to see Noctis' pupils expand right before his eyes and glow a brilliant gold before Prompto surges forward and kisses him, his hand raising to thread his fingers in Noctis’ messy locks.

Their mouths crash together, hungry and desperate; their lips parting like they've forgotten how to breathe without each other. Prompto moans low in his throat, his fingers tightening in Noctis' hair as he kisses him again, like he’s trying to make up for every second they were apart. Noctis gasps into the kiss, and Prompto’s hands pull Noctis closer until Noct is practically lying on top of him.

Something fierce and primal rises in Prompto, like an entity waking up inside him, vicious and triumphant at having his mate so close. It claws at the surface of his skin, wild and relentless. It’s like every cell in his body is screaming to be as close to Noctis as physically possible, and he can't get close enough despite their bodies already being pressed together.

Noctis feels feverish with emotion, his wolf rising to the surface to meet Prompto’s as Prompto kisses him possessively, laying claim to his lips like he owns him, and he’s staking his claim on him for everyone to see, even though Ignis is the only audience currently in the room.

There’s nothing hesitant in the way Prompto moves, no uncertainty in his grip, and it unravels Noctis completely. He growls into the kiss; the sound swallowed between them as their mouths continue to meet over and over again.

They’re so absorbed in each other that neither of them notices Ignis slipping out of the room and returning with Gladio in tow until the door closes behind Gladio a little too loudly.

Noctis doesn’t hear any of it, too distracted with the insistent way Prompto’s mouth moves against his, but Prompto’s fresh instincts and sensitive hearing does, and he reacts to the sudden presence of someone in the room as a threat.

Prompto stiffens, pulling away from their kiss and clinging to Noctis tightly. His head tilts, his senses expanding beyond Noctis, his eyes sharp and dangerous and feral, and entirely inhuman. He growls low in warning, not recognizing Ignis and Gladio’s scent now that he can pick apart individual scents.

“Okay,” Gladio rumbles from the doorway, voice amused. “I was coming in to say I’m glad you’re awake, but I can see that I’m not welcome right now.”

Prompto snarls, all teeth and protective instinct, the gold in his eyes flashing dangerously as he pulls Noctis even closer, half-shielding him like Gladio might be a threat and not, well... Gladio.

Noctis finally lifts his head, panting, his lips swollen and cheeks flushed. “Gladio?” Noctis manages, his voice wrecked and breathless.

“Damn, his instincts are strong already,” Gladio chuckles. “You might want to tell your mate I’m not a threat to you,” Gladio says, holding up both hands in surrender, a crooked grin playing at his mouth. “Relax, blondie. I’m not here to hurt or steal Noct from you.”

Prompto keeps Noct tight against him, breathing hard, his golden eyes sharp and assessing as he eyes the alpha like he’s trying to see if he could take him in a fight.

“Easy,” Noctis murmurs, brushing his thumb over Prompto’s cheek, directing his gaze back to him. “It’s just Gladio, Prom. He’s pack, remember?”

Prompto blinks, and some of the tension leaves his body, though his grip doesn’t loosen. He nuzzles into Noct’s palm, his nose pressing against the scent gland at Noctis’ wrist.

“Damn, kid. I didn’t think you’d come back this wolfed out,” Gladio says with a chuckle, leaning back against the door and crossing his arms. “I didn’t expect you to want to bite everyone who got too close to Noct. It kind of reminds me of Noct when he first met you. He wanted to bite everyone’s head off for getting too close to you, too.”

“He’s not going to bite anybody,” Noct says roughly, trying to sit up without pulling away too far. Prompto lets him, but just barely.

“Pretty sure he just growled at me threateningly,” Gladio deadpans, his lips tugging into a smirk. “I’m glad you’re alive, Prom. Really.”

At that, something shifts in Prompto’s expression, and the gold slowly recedes from his eyes. The tension breaks a little, and his grip on Noctis relaxes enough to let him move.

“Hey, big guy,” Prompto croaks, clearing his throat. His eyes dart from Noctis to Gladio and then to Ignis, his cheeks heating when he realizes the spectacle he just caused. Prompto gives Gladio a sheepish grin when he locks eyes with him again. “Sorry, I… don’t know why I did that.”

“You just wanted to make sure I knew Noct was off-limits,” Gladio chuckles, smiling back. “Don’t sweat it. You just got dragged through hell and back, and those new instincts of yours are probably in overdrive.”

"Figures Noct would be the one to wake the wolf in you," Ignis says with a hint of amusement. "How are you feeling?"

"Happy to be alive," Prompto says hoarsely, swallowing against his dry throat as he locks eyes with Noct again. There's a restlessness inside him that he's never experienced before. Not his normal jittery, unable-to-keep-still restlessness. This is like a physical sensation, like something clawing at his insides to get out.

Prompto's heart starts to pound, his chest tightening with a rising panic that he can’t explain. He knows he’s safe. Noct, Gladio, and Ignis are here, but some primal part of him is screaming run, urging him to grab Noct and flee, to get far away from here.  Prompto’s breath catches as dread coils tighter in his gut. His fingers twitch as he tries to curb the sudden overwhelming instinct to grab Noct and force him to get moving, as if he doesn’t act right now, something terrible will happen.

The mattress shifts, and Noctis’ arms encircle him in a comforting embrace. Prompto inhales sharply, momentarily distracted from the turmoil of emotions inside him by having Noct so close, his scent overwhelming his new senses. His entire body shudders as his instincts suddenly go quiet.

"Shh, it's okay. I’ve got you," Noctis rumbles, his arms tightening around him. "You're safe."

Prompto feels the bed dip under the weight of Gladio and Ignis sitting on the edge of the bed on either side of him, their hands touching his shoulders and rubbing his back. Their combined scents soothe the part of him desperate to flee, the scent of pack and safety enveloping him.

Prompto doesn’t even realize he’s shaking until Noctis pulls him in tighter, tucking Prompto’s face against his throat like he’s trying to shield him from the world. He doesn’t fight it, he just clings to Noctis like a lifeline, his fingers fisting in the back of his shirt as a sob wracks through him.

“It’s alright,” Noctis whispers, his lips brushing Prompto’s temple. “You’re okay. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

Prompto’s breathing is ragged and shallow as he fights the panic buzzing beneath his skin. He doesn’t understand why he feels so terrified, but a rational part of him realizes he must be going into shock, that he’s finally processing everything that’s happened to him.

It feels like just yesterday everything was good—great even—and then it suddenly wasn’t. Ravus betrayed them all and launched an attack on his own home, forsaking everything because he was jealous of his own sister.

He never wanted to be a wolf, and while he doesn’t feel any different deep down, he knows a part of him has been irrevocably changed. He doesn’t feel safe here, even surrounded by pack. Ravus knows where they are, and that means so does Ardyn. They are no better than sitting ducks awaiting the slaughter if they remain here.

“Deep breaths, Prom,” Gladio murmurs from his right, his hand rubbing firm circles between his shoulder blades. “We’re here for you.”

“Can we go home?” Prompto asks, his voice trembling as he lifts his head, feeling oddly weak and dazed the longer he breathes in Noctis’ scent. “I don’t want to be here anymore. Please tell me we don’t have to stay.”

Noctis pulls back just enough to look at him properly, brushing the hair from Prompto’s forehead. “I don’t want to stay here any longer than necessary either, but we need to speak to Queen Sylvia about what happened before we leave.”

“Do we have to?” Prompt asks, an edge entering his voice. “I know I’m panicking, but… I don’t know. It’s like this part of me is screaming that we’re not safe here anymore. Like if we don’t leave soon, we won’t get to.”

Ignis frowns, the lines around his mouth deepening. His thoughts are on the same wavelength as Prompto’s as he guesses the reason behind his wolf’s unease. “You think Ravus or Ardyn might strike again.”

“I know they will,” Prompto says. “They know where we are, and I’m not just some human nobody to them anymore; they know who I am to Noct now. I’m a goddamn target. They’ll try again.”

“We’ll leave tonight,” Noctis says, glancing to Gladio and Ignis, who both nod in agreement. “I’ll see Queen Sylvia to bid our goodbyes, and we’ll head out.”

“No, I’ll go,” Ignis offers, already standing. “Prompto needs you right now. I’ll go and inform her of the situation. The less time we waste, the better.”

“Thanks, Iggy,” Noctis says gratefully, relieved that he doesn’t have to leave Prompto’s side. He’s waited two achingly long days to have Prompto awake and in his arms again, and he’s loath to be parted from him even for a second.

Ignis gives him a brief nod and turns to go, pausing at the door to look over his shoulder, his expression softening when he meets Prompto’s anxious eyes. “I won’t be gone long.”

Prompto tenses once the door closes behind Ignis, and he disappears out of view. He thought his worry for Noctis’ safety was just because they’re mates, but he immediately feels that irritational panic rise again at having Ignis out of his line of sight. It seems these irrational instincts of his extend to the rest of the pack, too.

“I’m sorry,” Prompto whispers. “I know I’m being irrational and paranoid.”

“You’re not being irrational or paranoid,” Gladio says. “If your instincts are telling you something, we’re not ignoring it. If there’s one thing we’ve learnt, it’s always follow your instincts, Prompto. Listen to what your wolf is trying to tell you.”

“Does it always feel like this?” Prompto asks, trying to figure out the best way to explain how he feels. “My… wolf doesn’t really feel like a part of me. It feels separate from me.”

“That may be because you were turned and not born. That feeling will probably fade once you’ve shifted for the first time,” Noctis says, his eyebrows furrowing in thought. “Or maybe it’s because you haven’t presented yet. I guess your transformation isn’t fully complete until after you’ve shifted on a full moon.”

“Do you remember the first time you shifted?” Prompto asks.

“Yeah,” Noctis says softly. “I was eight, I think? It was the first full moon after my birthday. I remember trying to fall asleep when my body started to shift.” Noctis pauses, hesitating as he wonders if he should try to censure how unpleasant that night had been for him. “It hurt, but I was also excited that I was finally shifting for the first time. It made it a bit easier to go through.”

“It hurts to shift?” Prompto whispers, a tinge of fear and dread settling in his gut, knowing that he will soon have to experience this for himself. “Like, every time or just the first time?”

Noctis winces at the question, knowing that he can’t lie to protect Prompto from the truth. Not when the full moon is a few weeks away and Prompto will need to go into it as prepared as he can be. “It hurt the first few times I shifted. The first time is always the hardest because it’s the moon that forces the change. My body felt like it was tearing itself apart and mending all at once. Once I was able to control when I wanted to shift, it got easier.”

Prompto swallows thickly. “That sounds... terrifyingly painful.”

“It can be,” Noctis admits quietly. He hates the thought of the pain he knows Prompto will have to go through, and that he’s the cause of it. “But you won’t be alone. I’ll be there the whole time. So will Gladio and Ignis, if you want them there. We’ll help you get through it, Prom.”

A soft knock sounds at the door, and Prompto immediately tenses. Noctis’ arm tightens around him protectively while Gladio steps toward the door, every bit the shield he was born to be.

“It’s me,” Ignis calls from the other side.

Gladio opens the door to let him in, and Prompto visibly sags with relief when he sees Ignis. The wolf inside him settles instantly at the sight of his packmate’s safe return.

Prompto didn’t think his wolf would be so… awake. He still feels like himself, but he feels like there’s this whole other entity living inside of him now, and he doesn’t know how to ask if it’s supposed to feel like that. He thought that the wolf would be a part of him, but he couldn’t separate himself from the wolf that he could feel lurking beneath his skin. It feels like a whole other person caged inside of him, waiting to be set free.

“We’re good to go,” Ignis says as he steps inside. “A secure vehicle will be waiting just outside the gate to take us to the train station.”

Prompto lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Okay. Okay, that’s good.”

“Let’s get moving, then,” Noctis says, helping Prompto get out of bed, letting out a sound of alarm when Prompto’s knees buckle and he stumbles into him. “Hey, are you okay!?”

“Yeah, sorry,” Prompto says, closing his eyes and gripping onto Noctis’ bicep to ground him as the room spins. “Got up too fast, I think.”

Ignis makes a noise of concern. “Noctis, he hasn’t eaten in two days.”

“I’m fine,” Prompto says quickly. His knees wobble, and Noctis immediately slips an arm around his waist, holding him upright.

Noctis frowns, keeping a firm arm around his waist. “You haven’t eaten in two days, Prom. You need to eat something before we leave.”

“I’ll ask the kitchen staff for some food,” Ignis says, already turning toward the door.

“No!” Prompto blurts, sharper than he means to. He flinches, lowering his voice when all three of them turn to stare at him. Prompto doesn’t miss the way Ignis and Gladio’s posture immediately straightens like they’re waiting for an order, and it immediately makes him feel guilty for snapping. He completely forgot that being the alpha’s mate places him right at the top of their pack’s hierarchy. “Sorry. I’m fine, really. I’ll eat at the station, okay?”

Ignis pauses, hand still on the doorknob. “Prompto—”

“Please,” Prompto says quietly. “I can’t… I don’t want to stay here any longer than we have to.” His voice cracks on the last word, and Noctis feels it like a tug in his chest, and the way both Gladio and Ignis’ posture immediately softens, they must feel the same way.

Ignis relents under the weight of Prompto’s anxiousness. “Very well. I’ll call ahead and see if I can get us a reservation at Vagone Ristorante Giussoli—” Ignis pauses when he catches the look on Prompto’s face. “—or perhaps just a takeaway container we can bring aboard the train.”

Noctis helps him straighten, keeping a steadying hand at his back. Prompto smells something sour coming from Noctis that has his instincts flaring to life so unsettling fast that it makes his head spin, and before he knows what he's doing, he's turning in Noctis' arms and nosing into the crook of Noctis neck to scent mark him, a strange cooing rumble vibrating in his chest as he nuzzles further, his nose trailing up the length of Noctis' throat and rubbing their scent glands together so they smell more like each other.

Prompto almost purrs at the way their scents mix so well together. He's so focused on comforting his mate that he completely forgets about leaving and his earlier panic—all his attention focused solely on Noct and making him feel better. Prompto mindlessly presses his lips to Noctis’ pulse, humming when Noctis’ scent turns rich and earthy with a hint of something darker that momentarily snares all his attention. It makes him want to roll over and—

Prompto stops, and it takes Prompto a long moment to realize that what he’s smelling is Noctis' emotions. He inwardly winces, feeling guilty at all the times he's felt anxious around Noct and how he must have smelled to him moments before. It must have driven Noctis' instincts crazy. Just look at how he's reacting to just a whiff of that scent coming from Noctis.

Noctis chokes on a gasp, his fingers tightening reflexively against Prompto’s waist.

“Prom,” Noctis manages, his voice breaking halfway between surprise and a breathless sound that's almost a growl. His pupils dilate, his eyes flaring gold as his instincts surge in answer to Prompto scent marking him so openly in front of others—his wolf loving every minute of the possessive act.

“Shit, sorry,” Prompto mumbles, his cheeks heating with embarrassment. Noctis’ skin is warm beneath his lips, his pulse beating steadily just beneath the surface, and Prompto can feel the tension slowly ebbing away from him. It makes his inner wolf purr and literally prance around in happiness at how well he managed to calm Noct down.

Noctis’ arm curls instinctively around him, holding him close. “It’s okay,” Noctis murmurs, his voice oddly rough. It makes Prompto inhale deeply again, catching a hint of the wildness in his scent that he's starting to think is arousal. “You just caught me off guard.”

Ignis discreetly clears his throat, his gaze carefully averted. “I’ll… step outside and see to the food arrangements, then.” Ignis steps out, closing the door behind him.

“You two good?” Gladio asks, his expression somewhere between amused and sympathetic.

Prompto stills, realizing what he’s doing and jerking back like he’s been burned. His face flushes crimson, eyes wide when he realizes he just did all of that in front of Gladio and Ignis. “Y-yeah. Sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Gladio says with a smirk. “Wolf instincts can be a real bitch, huh? With how instinctual you are, I wouldn't be surprised if you present as an alpha,” Gladio says before heading toward the door.

Gladio's words hit Prompto like a physical blow. His heart drops into his stomach, all the warmth and comfort from a moment ago draining out of him in an instant. Alpha. The word echoes in his head, and his throat tightens, his mouth suddenly gone dry.

Gladio clearly meant it as a harmless joke, but Prompto’s stomach swoops with dread all the same. An alpha? Every part of him recoils at the thought of presenting as an alpha. That’s not what he wants to be. How is his relationship with Noct—being his mate—going to work if he turns out to be an alpha?

Noctis had already told him the reason he couldn’t marry Ravus for the treaty instead of Lunafreya was because Ravus was an alpha and their instincts would clash. Prompto’s thoughts drift back to all the times Noct and Gladio had argued or fought over something stupid or trivial. All the times their instincts reared their ugly head. All the growling and alpha posturing bullshit he’s seen from them over the years, and the memory of it now twists uncomfortably in his chest.

He doesn’t want it to be like that between him and Noct.

“Hey, you okay?” Noctis asks softly, pulling Prompto away from the black hole his thoughts had been dragging him down into.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Prompto says, shooting Noctis a weak smile.

Noctis obviously doesn’t believe him, his eyebrows furrowing and his nose flaring like he’s trying to get a clearer idea of what Prompto’s feeling. A rush of relief washes over him when Noct assumes he’s unsettled from his lack of control earlier.

“You smelled that I was worried about you?” Noctis asks softly. "Is that why you're suddenly anxious—because your instincts made you react like that?"

“Yeah," Prompto sighs, still embarrassed to have gotten all up in Noctis' space like that in front of Gladio and Ignis. "I guess I went a little overboard, huh?”

“You didn’t,” Noctis says, his lips curving into a small smile. “I actually feel a lot better now.”

Prompto’s shoulders relax a little at that.

“It’s fine, Prom,” Noctis reassures, his smile softening. He leans in close enough for their foreheads to touch, his breath brushing against Prompto’s lips. His hand slides up, fingers curling gently around the side of Prompto’s neck in a gentle hold that has Prompto letting out a shaky breath, his heart fluttering in his chest.

“You can do that as often as you need to, okay?” Noctis says quietly, his thumb stroking along Prompto’s jaw. “If anything, it’ll help the bond settle and keep your wolf at ease—mine too.”

Prompto's eyes flutter shut as he nods. “Okay.”

“Think you can make it to the car?” Noctis asks in a teasing voice, but Prompto knows it’s a serious question. He feels weak from not eating—and probably from all the blood loss and pain, no doubt—but he should be able to make it to the car without embarrassing himself by tripping over his own two feet.

“As long as you don’t let me faceplant,” Prompto teases back.

“Deal.” Noctis chuckles, his thumb brushing once more against Prompto’s skin before he drops his arm and takes a step back.

Prompto barely manages to bite back a whine at the sudden loss of contact, his wolf immediately protesting the distance between them. He knows he wasn't entirely successful at keeping silent when Noctis' eyes flicker from blue to gold and back again in reaction to the sound.

Noctis closes the distance between them again without hesitation, sliding an arm around Prompto’s waist. The second Noctis’ body presses against his side, Prompto sighs in relief, the uneasy, clingy feeling melting away as his wolf settles under the familiar scent and touch of his mate.

“Better?” Noctis murmurs.

 “Yeah, sorry,” Prompto says sheepishly. “I don’t mean to be so… clingy.”

"It's okay, don't worry about it." Noctis’ lips twitch into a grin. “Trust me, you're doing a lot better than I did when we first met, and I found out you were my mate. We were practically joined at the hip after you fell and scraped your knee, remember?"

Prompto laughs, shaking his head at the memory. He hadn't known at the time, of course, but looking back, he doesn't know how he could have been so oblivious—for five years no less! Noct hadn't exactly been subtle that they were mates, now that he thinks about it.

Noctis' hand on Prompto's waist tightens slightly, guiding him toward the door. His steps are still a little wobbly, but Noct matches his pace without complaint. As they move toward the door, Prompto glances down at himself for the first time and freezes, finally taking in what he's wearing. Gone are the bloodstained, torn ones he’d been wearing in that nightmare of an attack. Instead, he’s in clean, soft cotton—one of Noct’s shirts and a pair of loose sleep pants.

“These are yours,” Prompto says quietly.

“I changed you,” Noctis admits quietly. “Your clothes were… they couldn’t be salvaged. I didn’t want you waking up in that.”

Prompto’s fingers curl into the hem of the oversized shirt, the familiar fabric soft beneath his fingertips. It smells of Noct, and the wolf part of him seems to take immense pleasure in wearing his mate's clothing.

“Oh,” Prompto murmurs, embarrassment flooding his cheeks that Noct can probably smell the shift in his scent and tell how pleased he is. “Thanks. I, uh… appreciate it.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Noctis says, his voice pained. “I just… couldn’t let you stay in those. You were hurt, and it—” Noctis cuts himself off, his jaw tightening as if even remembering that night makes him want to kill something.

The wolf in Prompto stirs again, urging him to lean closer, bury his nose into Noctis’ neck, and scent mark him until the anger and pain fade away from his scent. He doesn’t, but gods, does he want to.

When Noctis opens the bedroom door, the scent of sandalwood and spice greets Prompto from the hallway like a slap to the face, instinctively making his footsteps falter. His wolf seems to be almost… intimidated by the smell, and it takes him a long, confusing moment to realize the scent is coming from Gladio.

Prompto's nostrils flare, finally taking in the other alpha's scent. His wolf must be reacting to the uncertainty of the alpha's presence, still not used to him being a packmate despite how long Prompto's known Gladio for.

Prompto's eyebrows furrow slightly when he can't immediately place Ignis' scent. It's less in-your-face compared to Noctis and Gladio's—it must be because Ignis is a beta. Ignis has a slightly floral scent that Prompto can't put a name to, but it's pleasing, and he takes an immediate liking to his scent. It's almost… comforting. Gladio's on the other hand, smells like he spent too much time in the cologne aisle, spraying himself with Old Spice.

Prompto smothers a grin at the thought. It's strangely fitting for Gladio.

Ignis straightens immediately at the sight of them, his sharp gaze flicking from Noctis to Prompto, taking in the way Noct has his arm around him. Gladio's leaning casually against the wall with his arms folded, his expression somewhere between amused and concerned at how they're practically joined at the hip.

“Everything alright?” Ignis asks, his voice tinged with worry.

“Yeah,” Noctis answers before Prompto can. “He’s just a little unsteady on his feet."

Prompto flashes a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah, sorry for holding everyone up.”

“It’s fine, blondie,” Gladio snorts. “You’ve been through a lot lately. No one blames you for needing time to recover, so take it easy. You could crawl to the car and I’d still call it progress.”

“If you’re sure,” Ignis frets, looking like he wants to protest and press Prompto to eat something from the kitchen again, and barely suppresses the desire to voice it. “The car’s already waiting outside. A Queensguard will take us directly to the train station. We should leave now if we intend to make the evening train.”

Prompto nods, though his knees feel weak again at the thought of walking all the way to the front gates. The hall feels impossibly long as they start walking, the hush of the carpeted floor muffling their footsteps. Noctis keeps Prompto close, his hand a constant, protective presence at his waist. Every few steps, Prompto can feel Noct’s thumb brush along his ribs, which makes him want to melt.

He’s dimly aware of Ignis glancing back every so often, making sure he's okay, and of Gladio’s heavy footsteps behind them, guarding their back, but all Prompto can really focus on is Noct’s warmth beside him and his scent filling his nose.

The moment they step outside, the quiet chatter within the manor fades behind them, replaced by the low rumble of a sleek black sedan parked at the gate. The Queensguard, dressed sharply in a dark uniform, stands beside it, offering a polite bow as they approach.

“Your Highness, gentlemen,” The Queensguard greets politely. “The vehicle is ready. We should arrive at the station within ten minutes.”

“Thank you,” Ignis replies with a crisp nod, circling the car to slide into the front seat.

Gladio opens the back door without a word, his expression soft. “You got him?”

“Yeah,” Noct says quietly, helping Prompto lower himself into the seat.

Prompto lets out a slow breath, his head resting against the seat. The scent of leather and Noctis fills the confined space, calming the last of his nerves. He looks up at Noct, who’s still crouched beside the open door, one hand braced on the frame, the other lightly resting on Prompto’s knee.

“See?” Noctis murmurs, his lips spreading into a smile. “Told you I wouldn’t let you faceplant.”

Prompto manages a faint grin. “You get major points for that.”

“I’ll collect later,” Noct teases, his eyes flashing.

Prompto’s eyelids droop, exhaustion weighing heavily now that the adrenaline and anxiety he felt earlier are gone. He feels Noct’s hand squeeze his knee lightly before his hand slips away, replaced by the quiet sound of the car door closing.

A moment later, Noct slides in beside him, the warmth of his presence filling the confined space, followed seconds later by Gladio and the car door closing. The engine starts and the car rolls forward, leaving the manor behind, much to Prompto's relief.

Prompto leans sideways until his head rests against Noctis' shoulder.

“Sleep, baby," Noctis whispers. "I’ll wake you when we get there.”

"What if I don't want to wake up?" Prompto murmurs drowsily.

"Then I'll carry you," Noctis promises.

The softness in his mate's voice makes it easy to let go. Prompto exhales and closes his eyes, his wolf finally quiet as the scent of Noctis and pack surrounds him.