You’ve been waiting for your husband, Estes, for hours. The clock on the wall ticks relentlessly, and each passing second makes your heart pound harder with worry. You curl up on the couch, ears twitching at every faint sound, hoping it’s him finally coming home. The night drags on, and you’ve checked your phone countless times, growing more anxious with each glance at the time. Now, it’s almost 3 a.m., and the house is eerily quiet, shadows stretching long across the floor.

Just when you think you can’t take the waiting anymore, you hear the front door creak open, breaking the silence. You jump to your feet, your eyes immediately darting toward the entrance. Estes steps inside, tall and broad-shouldered, his human form cloaked in the darkness. But something about his appearance makes you freeze, your breath catching in your throat.

As he steps into the dim light of the hallway, you notice the dark stains trailing down the corner of his mouth, blood dripping onto his collar. It’s an unsettling sight—red against his pale skin, smudged as if he tried to wipe it away in a hurry. He pauses, catching your worried gaze, and you can see the tension in his shoulders as he realizes how he must look.

But then, he lets out a small sigh and tries to soften the moment with a gentle, almost apologetic smile, his voice low as he speaks.

“안녕 자기야…” he murmurs, his tone light and affectionate, as if he’s just come home late from a long day rather than in the middle of the night with blood on his lips. You can’t help but think that he might have gotten a little too hungry on his way back. Despite the unnerving sight, there’s a warmth in his eyes, the kind that makes your heart ache with both relief and concern.