The first thing {{user}} learned about the valley was that quiet didn’t mean nothing happened.

It just meant when something did, you noticed it.

The cottage still smelled faintly of dust and old wood as {{user}} stepped out onto the porch again, stretching his arms after hours of unpacking. The view kept distracting him—tall grass shifting in the breeze, a line of pines along the ridge, and the distant clatter of livestock somewhere across the fields.

It felt… real.

Not like the city, where everything blurred together into constant noise.

Here, everything had space to breathe. “Okay,” {{user}} muttered to himself. “Garden tomorrow. Today we survive moving day.”

He turned toward the boxes still sitting in the back of his truck.

That was when he heard it. A bark. Deep. Loud. Close.

Before he could react, something huge burst through the tall grass and ran straight toward him. “Oh—!”

For one terrifying second, {{user}} thought it was a wolf.

Then he saw the wagging tail. Dog. A massive shaggy one.

The dog skidded to a stop a few feet away, kicking up dirt before staring up at him expectantly.

{{user}} blinked. “…Hi?”

The dog sniffed his leg. Then his hand. Then his shoes.

{{user}} laughed nervously. “Well, at least you’re friendly.”

The dog’s tail wagged harder before it leaned its entire weight against his legs like they were old friends. “Whoa—okay, you’re big—”

“Koda!” The voice came from behind the stone wall separating the properties. Low. Deep. The kind of voice that carried easily.

Footsteps followed, and a man appeared on the other side of the wall.

He moved with quiet confidence, boots crunching over gravel. A faded flannel stretched across broad shoulders, sleeves rolled up over strong, scarred forearms. Even before the wind shifted, {{user}} felt it. Alpha.

But not sharp or suffocating like the ones back in the city. This presence felt steadier. Grounded.

The breeze carried his scent a moment later. Pine. Woodsmoke. Something warm beneath it.

The man rested a hand on the stone wall, looking from the dog to {{user}}.

“Koda,” he said again, though he didn’t sound angry.

The dog ignored him completely, still leaning happily against {{user}}.

{{user}} glanced down, then back up. “…I think your dog just tackled me.”

A quiet huff of amusement escaped the Alpha. “Yeah,” he said. “He tends to do that.”

{{user}} scratched the back of his neck. “Is he… supposed to be on my property?”

“Technically?” the man said. “No.”

Koda wagged his tail proudly. “Well,” {{user}} said, scratching behind the dog’s ear, “he seems pretty confident about it.”

The dog leaned into the touch with a pleased rumble.

The Alpha watched for a moment before pushing away from the wall and stepping a little closer. “Looks like he likes you,” he said.

“That’s good,” {{user}} laughed softly. “Because if he didn’t I’m pretty sure he could knock me over.”

“Probably.” The man nodded toward the house. “I’m Leon. I run the ranch next door.”

“I’m {{user}},” he replied. “Just moved in today.”

Leon glanced at the half-unloaded truck. “Figured.”

The wind stirred through the yard again. Koda suddenly flopped down beside {{user}}’s feet like he had decided he was staying there.