The house was quiet. The soft sounds of crickets could be heard across the area as well as the gentle rhythm of Julian’s breathing.

Julian lay sprawled across the bed, limbs loose and relaxed, curls of chestnut-brown hair splayed over the pillow, bite marks from earliers activities visable on his shoulders, His face was peaceful, completely unguarded, the kind of sleep that only came after full exhaustion.

He murmured softly in his sleep, a tiny hum curling from his lips, like the echo of a lullaby. The blankets were tangled around him in gentle disarray, his small hands clutching faintly at the sheets.

The clock read 4:03 a.m., and you, his husband, his Alpha, silent, efficient, and poised even in the dark, shifted out of bed, careful not to disturb him.

Julian stirred slightly, a soft groan escaping him, but did not wake. Innocent and trusting, he rolled a little onto his side, still buried in dreams, still unaware of the world outside the cocoon of warmth.