A low growl rumbled from Zarion’s chest, a sound of frustration as he watched Alden retreat. The sound only deepened when Alden’s back hit the wall, a small yelp escaping him.

In one swift movement, Zarion’s furry body enveloped Alden, pulling him close as he licked his face, sending shivers racing down Alden’s spine.

Why is he holding me like this? Alden wondered. Is this love… or something else? I want to run, but my body won’t respond.

Something inside Alden stirred, heat radiating through the fabric, giving him a strange mix of warmth and unease he couldn’t quite understand.

“Listen carefully, Alden,” Zarion’s voice softened, but the authority behind it remained unshaken.

“You are my Embera, and I am your Regal. TODAY, TOMORROW, AND FOREVER. You are bound to me, my love.”

Alden’s breath hitched, quick and shallow, as Zarion's commending voice echoed in his ears like a frantic drum.

The weight of Zarion’s words pressed into Alden’s mind, quieting the storm of his thoughts, wrapping around him like an unbreakable bond.

But the calmness didn’t last. Every word that escaped from Zarion’s mouth hit Kieran like a physical blow.

“Womb!” Kieran exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief. He couldn’t process what was happening. “Why didn’t I know about this… despite being your elder brother?” His voice faltered as the realization hit him, but he quickly mumbled to himself, as if he was thinking everything in his head.

It was then that Alden became acutely aware of the people around him. Panic gripped him. Zarion’s embrace, once comforting, felt suffocating as Alden’s mind spiraled out of control. His mother’s words rang in his ears like a constant, torturous whisper.

“You are disgusting, Alden. Don’t even call me ‘Mom.’ Because of you, I had to send Kieran away to study abroad at such a young age. My child is alone because of you. It’s all your fault… and that disgusting womb. If Kieran finds out about it, he’ll hate you. He’ll never call you his brother. Mark my words.”

Alden’s chest tightened, the weight of her words consuming him. His body trembled in Zarion’s hold.

Damn it. Not again, Alden thought, his breathing growing shallow and rapid. His chest constricted painfully, and his hands began to shake.

Even the thought of her does this to me. If she ever comes near, I’m probably going to have a heart attack, he thought, clutching the fabric of his clothes desperately, trying to ground himself amidst the storm raging inside.

“Because of that… did you leave me?” Kieran asked, his voice filled with a mix of hope and desperation as he looked at Alden, silently begging for an answer. His words cut through the storm of Alden’s thoughts, snapping him back to reality.

Their eyes met, one pair filled with boundless love, the other haunted by an overwhelming fear. Alden’s lips remained sealed, but the dreadful expression on his face spoke volumes, revealing all the pain and turmoil he had kept hidden inside.

“That womb of yours will make me love and care for you even more, Alden." Kieran's voice came as calmly as possible.

"Especially when you become pregnant. You don’t understand how much I love you. You are my only brother.   My only family," he spoke and trailed as he took a momentary pause to catch his overwhelming emotions.

"Mom and Dad seem like strangers. So even if you don't want your brother in your life, you have to keep me around you,” Kieran said softly, his voice filled with something tender, yet unsettling.

He’s my brother, but how can I forgive what’s been hidden all these years? Still, I want to hold him close, no matter what. With this resolve, Kieran took a step closer to Alden, who was visibly shaking, his panic attack taking hold.

Zarion gently broke the hug, but he kept his paw on Alden's back. A gentle reminder that I am here with you.

Alden’s body trembled uncontrollably as he clutched his chest, struggling to breathe.

He is gonna hate me, Alden's mind kept repeating the same line again and again. In this battle with his mind, he couldn't catch a single word spoken by his brother. 

As he saw Kieran approaching, his body shook with fear. Is Big Brother gonna hit me? He wondered.  His mind raced with this gut-wrenching thought. He hated the idea of his brother slapping him when he never once scolded him with hate in his heart.

Before Alden could react, Kieran pulled him into a tight embrace, not giving him the space to move away or even process what was happening.

Wait! It's not what I ever imagined or mother said. What's happening? It's too good to be true, Alden wondered. Is this a dream? If it is, I wish it would never end. 

Alden closed his eyes and let the overwhelming closeness deepen the storm inside his mind.

“The womb is the reason for Kieran’s suffering?” Akalon questioned, his head tilting in confusion. His sharp gaze fixed on Alden, waiting for an answer.

Alden broke the hug and nodded, his movement small, barely perceptible.

What the fuck… The words hit Akalon like a punch to the gut, but he only sighed in frustration. He couldn’t direct his anger at either of them, not when he could see how much they had both already suffered.

Alden, caught up in his turmoil, didn’t even notice that Akalon hadn’t referred to Kieran as his “big brother.” He had used his name, a subtle but telling shift that reflected Akalon’s deeper focus, his attention fixed solely on his brother and the storm raging inside his heart.

“Zarion, you’re the reason the Panthers didn’t attack me that day?” Alden asked, his gaze scanning every inch of Zarion’s body, as though searching for an answer hidden in his movements.

Zarion felt a subtle discomfort under the weight of everyone’s eyes, but he nodded in quiet confirmation.

“I see…” Alden whispered, his fingers fidgeting nervously, his lips trembling as he tried to steady himself. He didn’t want to hear the answer, yet he couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“Who are you?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and uncertain. Zarion froze for a moment, surprised by the bluntness of it. But then, his shoulders relaxed, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. He paused, unsure of how to respond, before the silence stretched on, thick with tension.

On the other side of the room, Akalon pulled Kieran away gently, guiding him to sit on the bed. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice deep and husky, sending a shiver down Kieran’s spine. The sound made Kieran’s knees feel weak, and butterflies fluttered in his stomach.

“Yes… I’m okay now. I know the reason, and I’ve got my brother back,” Kieran replied, his voice quiet and tinged with sadness. “But I don’t understand why Mom and Dad never told me about him having a womb… or why they said I’d hate him for it.”

Akalon’s eyes softened as he nodded. “Good to know you’re okay. Let’s think about everything else later,” he said, his voice flowing with calm reassurance. Without thinking, he pressed a gentle kiss to Kieran’s forehead.

Kieran froze, his heart racing. The unexpected tenderness left him stunned. It felt almost surreal, and a heat stirred inside him. He could feel his body react, the sensation foreign yet undeniable. The butterflies in his stomach multiplied, leaving a faint pink hue across his cheeks—a subtle blush Akalon failed to notice.

On the other hand, the air was still tense as the question hung in the air, blunt and direct.

If Alden hates me, if he pushes me away—I don’t know if I can survive that rejection, but I can't lie to him either. Zarion thought and took a deep breath.

He finally met Alden’s gaze and, with a steady voice, replied, “Panther Zarion Noirclaw.” His expression remained neutral, though inside, a storm of anxiety raged. He feared that Alden might despise him, that his love might recoil from the truth.

But, to his relief, nothing of the sort happened. Alden simply blinked, his mind processing the new information. A memory from his past surfaced, something he had overheard his parents discussing.

“So… you bit my mother when I was in her womb?” Alden asked, his voice calm, the question slipping out before he could stop himself.

His composure remained unshaken as if the revelation didn’t rattle him, but beneath his calm exterior, his thoughts churned. He knew there was much he didn’t understand, and for now, he couldn’t bring himself to blame anyone, not without knowing the whole truth.

“What? No! I didn’t bite anyone,” Zarion replied quickly, his voice laced with panic. He could feel his heart race at the thought of Alden hating him.

“I don’t really remember anything about my past either. The first time I knew I was a panther was the day you were there when those two beasts surrounded us. That’s when I shifted into this form for the first time. After that, I realized I could shift whenever I wanted.”

Zarion’s words rushed out, his anxiety palpable. He hoped Alden wouldn’t see him as a monster or turn away from him, but the fear still gnawed at him.

“His father did,” Akalon replied, entering the living room and leaving a dumbfounded Kieran behind.

Alden froze, his surprise clear as he struggled to understand why Akalon was the one answering his question. His mind raced, and his anxiety grew.

“Why? How do you know about this?” Alden asked, his voice edged with unease.

Akalon’s expression remained calm, seemingly unaffected by Alden’s growing tension.

“First of all,” he began, “this Zarion… he’s not just any panther. He’s the Panther Prince.”

He paused for a beat before continuing, his voice steady.

“Alden, your mother was carrying the fated mate of a Panther Prince—and the King knew it. Your pheromones were so unique, so powerful, that even as a fetus, they were overwhelming… too strong for a human body to handle. And your mother, being human, was never meant to carry something like that.”

Akalon’s eyes darkened.

“She could’ve died before giving birth. Just carrying you was a risk.” Akalon paused for a moment, his gaze steady as he continued.

“That’s why the King, or rather, Zarion’s father, bit her. He transferred some of his protective power to her to ensure she would survive and give birth to a healthy child. Because of the panther’s bite, your womb became visible earlier, rather than after mating.”

Alden’s mind spun as he processed the revelation. Akalon’s tone was calm and steady, as though he’d known all along. He wasn’t fazed by the information; his focus was purely on satisfying his best friend’s curiosity. Akalon had studied his kind well, so he could take care of them, always ready with answers, no matter how complicated the truth might be.

“So, you’re saying my father saved both his mother and himself?” Zarion asked, his face relaxed, though the weight of the question still lingered in the air.

“Yes,” Akalon replied with a nod, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he watched both Zarion and Alden relax a little.

Alden, still struggling with the weight of everything, hesitated before asking, “Can I remove this womb… and just become a normal man?” His voice trembled with uncertainty, the nervousness clear in his tone.

Zarion’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Why would you want to do that?”

Before Alden could answer, Kieran’s voice cut in sharply. “You are not removing your womb,” he stated firmly, his eyes locking onto Alden’s with an intensity that left no room for argument.

“I’d die for the chance to have one, to carry Akalon’s child. You are not doing anything like that just to fit in with our parents or society—people who can’t even see it as the blessing that it is.” Kieran huffed, the protectiveness in his words clear as he made it clear to Alden that this decision was not up for debate.

“If you don’t want to carry his child, Zarion won’t make you pregnant, Alden,” Akalon said, his voice steady and commanding, grabbing everyone’s attention.

“But don’t even think about removing the womb. Your health would deteriorate faster than normal, and we don’t want that.”

Alden’s attention snapped to Akalon, and the seriousness of the situation seemed to settle in.

“If that’s the case, Alden, don’t even think about it,” Zarion added, his tone heavy with worry. His eyes searched Alden’s face, waiting for some kind of response. But Alden’s expression only confused him.

“I understand,” Alden replied quietly, closing the subject.

I don’t understand why my brother said he’d die to have Akalon’s children, Alden wondered, a shy smile creeping onto his lips.

Are they in love with each other? His gaze flickered between Kieran and Akalon.

I’m saying something serious, so why is he looking at Akalon like that — and blushing? Zarion’s thoughts raced. He shook his head, trying to push away his overthinking. Not the time for this.

“But…” Kaelith interrupted, his calm demeanor faltering as he couldn’t hold back his curiosity.

“What is Embera and Regal?” His voice was shaky, still intimidated by Zarion’s true form. He raised one hand hesitantly, like a student asking a question in front of a strict teacher.

“Oh!” Zarion exclaimed, caught off guard by the sudden question. It snapped him out of his spiral of jealous overthinking.

“Well… I’m not sure. I just blurt them out—they seem to fit, I guess.”

“Well,” Akalon began, then continued, “Embera is the one who can carry children, symbolizing warmth and life. Regal is the one who can make Embera conceive.”

He explained it nonchalantly, as if he were simply sharing a casual piece of information, unaffected by the weight it might carry for the others.

Despite all the mysteries unfolding before him, Alden’s attention remained elsewhere, distant, unfocused. He didn’t fully grasp the weight of Akalon’s words… or perhaps he simply didn’t care to.