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Office Wolf - Chapter 10 - The Moon and It’s Shadow

There was a chirping noise like that of birds that roused Ash from his slumber. He huffed out in exasperation and pulled his pillow to his chest, rubbing his face into it and trying to shut out the noise. Those damn birds, they always seemed to land on his car in the early hours, skittering around and chirping. Looking in through the windows to see the wolf sleeping within. Once, one of them had been brazen enough to hop through the open window and try to pluck out some of his fur, the damned thing. He breathed in deep through his nose, a black pepper smell tickling his sinuses before it was overwhelmed by the dusty moss, pine, and tobacco scent that reminded him of home. His head felt muzzy and warm, like he’d been in a deep and dreamless sleep last night. It had been a while since he slept like that. He felt safe here, nested into his pillow in the back seat of his car as the birds chirped. He almost imagined he could hear Dan snoring. He tried to return to slumber, sighing and thinking of home once more.

He could almost smell his family, as if he were in bed back home and they had been in his room recently to check on him. Actually, Dan’s scent was really strong, like he had laid on Ash’s bed for a while. Or like when Ash had stolen a blanket from Dan’s nest. His brother had come in search of the blanket and took him with it, carrying him bridal style back to his room as he tickled a giggling Ash. His mother had smiled at them from her chair at the end of the hallway, happy to see her boys. The thought made Ash smile into his pillow, thoughts wandering as he fell back asleep. He was almost successful when an actual alarm started to blare behind him. It was curious, he didn’t set an alarm. Definitely not when sleeping in his car. Now that he thought about it, why was it behind him? He also didn’t normally get to sleep on his side like this because his back seat was too small, nor did he typically have a pillow to hug. This didn’t make a lick of sense, but yet he was so comfortable. More comfortable and more sleepy than he had been in ages.

There was snoring behind him that told him it was another lazy day at home with his pack. It sounded like his brother Dan snoring loudly in his bed across the hall, they'd probably both left their doors open again. Ash grumbled, licking his lips at the thought that Mom was probably cooking in the kitchen. Images of pancakes and bacon danced in his head. Then he felt a shift in his arms, did the pillow just move? Wait… was his pillow breathing? He cracked an eye open and saw his muzzle was buried into long, soft black tipped fur. Fur? That wasn’t his pillow, who’s fur was this? Suddenly a warm soft paw patted his arm, rubbing up and down gently as he breathed on their neck. Blue eyes looked back at him over the shoulder in front of him, a soft smile tugging at their lips. A tail thumped by his leg and Ash swallowed as the memories of last night came rushing down on him like a hammer to an anvil.

~~~~~~

Ash looked at the address the Private Investigator had given him and the small house it had led to. The thought of seeing his brother after so long made his stomach churn. There was no car in the drive but he knocked on the door for a long while. Figuring the home was empty for the moment, he waited in his car hoping for someone to show up. He was tired though and hadn't slept in ages. Despite how nerve wracking it was, the idea of finding his brother was such a relief . Would he be angry? Sad? As he leaned back in his seat, he tried to imagine what Dan would say.

Ash woke up to the sound of feet scuffling on gravel and pavement and nearly pissed himself in joy when he looked out the window to see his brother. Then he really did let loose a few drops from the terror as large white paws pulled him out of his car. His brother just stood there, looking at him with a confusing range of emotion ranging across his face. Then that thread gradually grew darker, a storm cloud brewing on Dan’ face. Sound began to fade away into a ringing that had been there ever since… ever since he woke up in the hospital.

Ash?” asked the stranger. Hearing his name called by the stranger caused a spark of joy to ignite within. Maybe there was hope.

“Hello big brother,” he said quietly. His tail thumped against his car. His brother's response was a momentary whine that was followed by steadily growing low growl.

“You have a lot of nerve showing up here, Ashford.”

Everything seemed to dim around him as his brother's fangs came into view.

“What… I don’t know what you mean,” tumbled out before he could think.

“Don’t play stupid brother. Getting me kicked out of the pack wasn’t good enough? What more do you want from me? You have it all.”

Ash felt cold. So cold, pins and needles all over his body. It was getting harder to breathe.

“Dan….” he whined, “big brother, please. I didn’t do anyth–”

“Sixty seconds, little brother. You get sixty seconds to explain why you’re here. If I’m not satisfied you leave,” Dan growled through clenched teeth. The anger on Dan’s face as he licked his fangs made him look like a white fur visage of his black furred father. He shivered at the thought.

“Brother, please–”

“Why did you do it, Ash? Why did you rat me out to Father? Did you want to be Alpha that bad? I would have told him in my own time, you were never meant to see what you–”

Is that what his brother thought he did? That he ran to their Dad with glee to seize the future alpha role from him? The brother he idolized? A sliver of anger strengthened his spine.

“Rat you out? No!” Ash said, stepping towards Dan. Suddenly the strange dog stepped in front of him and a fire lit in his belly. This interloper who was interfering, interrupting, between him and the only real family he had left. How it made his seeth. Ash growled down at him, lips pulling up to show teeth.

“But out Dog,” he spat, trying to scare him away. Suddenly Dan was snapping his teeth at him from over Zach’s shoulder in response. When Dan pulled the husky to his chest, Ash knew he made a mistake.

He… he has a mate! The sight made him want to howl and weep. I need him to make him understand quickly.

“Big Brother, I would never rat–”

“I’m not going back, Ash. I have no interest in being Alpha or continuing our bloodline. It’s all yours, you can have it. 40 seconds.”

I don’t want you to go back, never! He doesn’t understand, he’s not listening. I need him to listen!

“Brother, I don't want that.”

“Is that why you’re here, then? To ask me to come back, so you don’t have to be Alpha? What is your game?”

Alpha? Me? Not in a million years, brother. Not so long as you're alive, and even then.

“No game!” Ash whined, pleading.

“He cut me out of the family like I was a cancer and tossed me to the side. Like I was nothing. Like I was just a defective part he could throw away.”

Ash couldn’t content the whimpering or the tears welling his eyes.

“Big Brother, I’m sorry!” he howled in anguish. ”I never wanted that to happen!”

“Then what did you want to happen, Ash?” Dan growled.

And then the husky placed a hand gently on the arm wrapped around his chest, stopping his big brother. And then he spoke and the sense of relief he felt at being recognized was immeasurable.

“Dan, look at his ear. Look, a piece… it's missing.”

Yes! Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you! Brother look, I’m too without a pack. I’m alone, but we don’t have to be!

“I didn’t rat you out!” Ash whined. He bared his throat in submission as tears ran down his face and began to speak the awful truth. Words spilled out from him like guts, opening his scars for his brother to see, reliving the horrible nightmare. As he informed Dan of the awful truth, of the same secret that took Dan from him. Ash was overwhelmed with sorrow as it buried him within his head. All the while, sympathetic blue gems watched near his brother as he confessed the secret that cost him his family.

Those same inescapable blue pools were there once more as the husky set a bowl down in front of him just as his stomach clawed at the back of his spine. Ash was embarrassed by how much he salivated. When his stomach had growled still, the husky fed him to bursting. They even made him a space in his brother’s home. This soft natured “coworker” had been directing his brother around in his own home, tempering the wolf’s anger, and checking on Ash. Ash was certain they were mates, but it was curious the way his brother deferred to him. Dan was constantly hovering behind the husky, his nose sniffing in the direction when he thought the husky wasn’t looking, tail wagging. It was cute.

Later, his nightmare had consumed him and rendered him helpless to the painful memory of the day his father took away everything from him. Beat him. Left him broken and terrified. The pain was so great, he lashed out to bite at the hand that hit him and was met with a snarl in his face. The black furred visage of his father suddenly morphed into that of his brother snarling down at him in furry, then worry, as he protectively held back that soft eyed sympathetic husky. The grief he felt at almost having hurt him made him want to weep. But the husky held no ill will, even still, and instead held him as he stroked his chin as his mother once did. Oh, how it had felt like home. Or a facsimile that was close enough. Those warm and sympathetic azure pools watching him all the while. They were watching him. They were watching him and stroking his arm, and smiling back at him. Suddenly he realized his nudity and their proximity, that curly tail wagging against his abdomen, his back pressed against his chest. And Ash panicked, jerking back in alarm and distancing himself from the smaller male as he scooted back in bed.

He bumped into something large and warm behind him, realizing it was his brother. He was still coming to terms with where he was when a large arm threw itself over his chest and pulled him close. His brother’s large and expansive chest pressed against his shoulder blades moments before a sizable sheath pressed against the base of his tail. Ash’s mouth fell open in shock as Dan shifted, pushing the rest of the large fleshy tube between his cheeks and up against his tail base. The smaller wolf was so stunned that he couldn’t even speak up to stop his brother, instead looking at the husky for help. Dan then threw a leg over Ash and pushed his muzzle deep into his neck ruff, nibbling there as his nose twitched in short breaths. The larger wolf grumbled happily before those large hips drew back and thrust against him.

“Zach, can’t we snooze just 5 more minutes?” Dan asked, breathing into his Neck.

Ash shuddered as his big brother ground his sheath between his cheeks for a couple of thrusts, Dan humping him in his sleepy stupor. It wasn’t the first time this had happened but they had been much younger then, hormonal teenages both. The sheathed member felt bigger than a can of Arizona tea and he felt heat in his face. Then he felt his brother’s nose wrinkle as he realized he wasn’t holding the husky, the big wolf freezing mid thrust. His sheath had skinned back and his member throbbing between Ash’s buttocks and coating it with pre as it dripped against his hole. With a burst of movement, the weight and warmth lifted off him in a loud bark of alarm. Ash rolled over, looking up at the muscular figure of his brother and feeling hot as a string of pre landed on his leg. Ash wanted to whine, as the dog covered his mouth with a raucous laugh.

“Not funny!” his brother grumbled, rolling off Ash and stomping into the bathroom. Ash was staring at the slimy string of pre stuck to his fur and feeling the others rapidly cooling on his backside, unsure of what to do about it. Would it be weird to rub it off onto the nest? If he did, they’d be stuck smelling it. Instead The husky crawled over on his hands and knees, looking at Ash like a feral wolf with those blue eyes sparkling at him in mischief. His nose dipped down, hot breath ticking the fur of his inner thigh. It was overstimulating.

“I believe that was meant for me,” he said, leaning down to lick the mess off his leg. Zach made eye contact the entire time as his tongue pressed flat and hot there. That long pink tongue unfurling from his muzzle and leaving a warm slick of saliva as it removed the offending precum and trailed slowly up. Ash’s throat bobbed in a dry swallow as feelings warred within him, shivering with tension. The touch to his thigh was intense and the memory of a fat sheath on his rear had been nothing like he imagined. The fact that he would experience that from his big brother short circuited his wolfy brain. And little breaths were tickling the fur of this thigh still as this beautiful male leaned between his legs, licking up the mess his brother had left.

The mess his brother made. On him. On his younger brother. Dan hadn't known and yet, it made Ash shiver. Could he… with his brother? Would he? His brother had been so passionate before he knew it was him and it made his heart flutter. Ash had always craved being embraced like, by a bigger male. But his fantasies had always been of anonymous canines online or of the hot jocks of his school, never Dan. And then there was Zach, the husky looking at him from between his legs. There was no question how the husky had felt in his arms, his rear pressed against his sheath just so. It had stirred something in Ash, something he hadn’t thought capable of. The thought of raising that curly tail and planting his knot there… it wasn’t something he had thought about previously. He preferred to receive. Visions of biting that ruff, of pushing him down, of taking… his brothers fuck toy. It made him throb hard in his sheath. Back and forth his mind went, from the warmth of the larger wolf pressed against his ear to the heat of the husky against his front. Ash swallowed down a mouth full of nervous saliva and found the husky was still looking at him, waiting for him to look before swallowing with a possessive glint in his eye.

“That is so gross,” Ash lied, trying to be calm. He just couldn’t get a grip of the feelings in his head. The husky flicked his gaze down and back up, smiling wickedly. Ash’s sheath had betrayed him, swollen and full sheath twitching and drooling on its own for the husky to see.

“Liar,” Zach responded. And then he did the last thing Ash expected of his brother’s mate. He brought finger tracing up Ash’s sheathed manhood, teasing him and causing him to throb free of his sheath. He couldn’t stop the whimper that crawled out his throat as the husky smirked. Ash stared as his traitorous member as the husky backed his way off the bed and followed Dan into the bathroom with a wag of his tail. Those pert white buns and black flanks disappearing behind the door. The temptation to take care of his needs while they showered was strong. Should he? It had been weeks since he had the energy or the mental fortitude to take care of his own desires and last night had been difficult to deal with, his brother’s pheromones mixing with Zach’s as they eye fucked eachother. All it would take would be to lift his leg and bend down. His eyes darted to the bathroom door and back down to his sheath. Most of his member had slipped out leaving only his knot concealed, a jet of pre shot across his abs at the thought of Zach between his legs once again, and then a cold drop of pre dripped down on his tail hole and his ears flicked back in embarrassment.

I should just get up and make coffee.

His paw reached down to squeeze below his knot, causing his muzzle to drop open in a silent moan. His head swiveled to the bathroom door as he listened carefully to the sound of running water. His own scent was close enough to Dan’s, could he get away with it? It was his brother’s bed he was laying in, the thought was seedy and it made him shiver. His tail felt sticky and it made him blush hotly. He reached down a finger between his cheeks and brought back a small sample of the sticky stuff. He sniffed tentatively at it, rubbing it between his fingers and shivering involuntarily as a flood of pheromones tickled his nose. A hard throb went though his cock and his tail end clenched, his cock pushing back its sheath unbidden.

I can be quick.

He reached down with the preslicked digit and inserted it into his sheath, stifling a moan as he used his brother’s precum for lube as he felt up his knot. He bit a finger on his free hand as his ears strained to ensure that there were no signs of the water stopping. He pulled his finger free with a slurp and brought it to his muzzle, inhaling the scent there. He whined lowly as his nostrils filled with a mixture of his concentrated scent and his brother’s pheromones. Ash hadn't had an opportunity to clean himself in days let alone have a nice shower so the scent of wolf was pungent and manly. He blushed hotly before flicking out his long tongue to lick his finger to clean it of the slickness. He knew his brother’s pre was mixed in and could not control the groan of pleasure that crawled out at the taste and how filthy it was to have his brother’s precume on his tongue.

Why am I doing this? Why… Why am I licking Big Brother's pre? Or using it as lube!? This is wrong. So wrong. But fuck if this doesn’t feel hot! Big Brother, so muscular and strong humping down onto me in bed, claiming me as… Wait, what?

Ash’s ears flatted in confusion, feeling torn regarding the thread in his head as he sucked on the digit in his muzzle. He tried not to think of his brother and instead focused on the husky, visualizing him worshiping his handpaw instead. Those blue eyes that had peered at him, seen into him for who he was just the day before. Those eyes would be lidded in lust as he swirled his tongue around the digit in his black and white muzzle. Ash sucked harder and deeper on the finger in his mouth, imagining the husky plunging down on the finger instead. He reached down with his free hand to wrap it firmly around his shaft, squeezing his knot and feeling a thick drop of pre roll down the side of his cock and onto his hand. A whimper crawled out around the digit in his mouth as he smeared the fluid into his cock, watching in his mind's eye as the husky sat between his open legs and stroked up and down his length, smiling at him. Kissing and licking his shaft even. His own hand mirrored his imagination as he shuddered.

His paw stroked up to the tip where he pressed this tumb to his pointer finger and stroked it back down. The husky smiled mischievously as he leaned forward and licked at Ash’s plump, swollen jewels. Ash groaned as he used his paws to do as he imagined Zach playing with his swollen nuts. Ears up, he could hear the water splashing still and sighed through his nose in relief. Had… had he heard a moan? He shuddered at the thought of his big brother pinning the husky to the wall. Ash swirled his tongue around the digit in his mouth once more, imagining it as the husky’s cock instead, unsure of what had sparked the thought. Ash pushed the saliva slicked digit in and out, allowing himself to imagine sucking on the husky’s maleness as he smiled up at him from his crotch as he kissed his shaft. It made Ash shiver, hackles rising as he imagined himself in a 69 with Zach. He felt the ghostly sensation of a paw rubbing his muzzle, pushing his head down far enough for it to tickle his throat around Zack’s throbbing shaft.

Oh fuck! Ash thought as he groaned out around the digit, feeling his orgasm rapidly approaching. It felt like a semi truck barreling down the hill, unstoppable, and inevitable as it thundered closer and closer. As he throbbed into his paw, he was unable to tell if the pleasure was from his cock or at the thought of servicing the husky Zach. Ash let his palm graze over his knot and prepared himself to finish. He no longer cared about the mess it would make, he would revel in it. He would guzzle down Zach’s load and then smear the remainder along his muzzle. He would put a palm on the back of the husky’s head and hold him there as he throbbed down the back of his throat. As he throbbed he could feel the cold and sticky sensation of his brother’s pre across his tail hole and stopped. His tail hole flexed involuntarily and he shuddered at the sticky feeling.

He pulled the digit from his muzzle and turned his head to the door. He could hear the splashing of water but couldn’t determine how much longer they would be. One hand remained on his shaft as he brought the saliva soaked digit down to his rear and probed against the puckered flesh. His brother’s pre was thick and slick, contrasting his hot saliva soaked finger. He pushed gently, testing the flesh there. He’d never had the opportunity to buy a toy or use anything back there, never even thought about it. He shivered at the sensation as electricity ran up his spine and caused his hackles to raise as he gave a great shuddering gasp. He froze again, head turned to the closed door. Still no sign of the shower stopping.

Ash tried to relax, eyes on the door as he pushed the finger against his wrinkled flesh with growing pressure. The sensation was unlike anything he had felt before, his breath coming quicker and quicker from his nostrils. His muzzle fell open as the combination of the slick pre and saliva allowed the digit to breach his depths. It didn’t feel good nor did it feel bad but the intensity of the sensation was overwhelming. He closed his eyes, once again imagining the husky being the individual to be probing him like his. He whimpered in pleasure as his claw found the firm muscle of his prostate and caused a long stream of precum to jump from the tip of his cock, feeling it matt down his bushy pubic fur. He drew the digit out slowly and pushed it back in, watching the husky do the same. That smile was so soft as the delicate fingers danced along his shaft and worked away at his rear, hot breath tickling the fur on his sack. That digit stroked against his prostate again and again, causing a river of pre to flow from his cock as it throbbed.

As he turned his head to the side the scent of his brother was strong in nose and the visual in his head Dan was suddenly learning down at him near his head, stroking his cock lazily as a hand traced gently against his jaw. Zach was watching from between his legs as Dan’s thick fingers gripped his jaw and parted his teeth. He placed his cock on Ash’s tongue as the smaller wolf held his breath. Those fingers would wrap around his jaw and Dan would thrust forward with a moan. All the while, Zach watched Dan sink himself deeper into his brother. Ash whimpered as the tip poked him in the back of his throat and coated it with pre. The smaller wolf panicked as a good poke against his prostate made him throb, about to cum and…

From the other room, Ash heard the water stop and a shower curtain pull back as he froze. The surge of panic stole his orgasm from him as a bitter taste of anxiety overtook him. He removed the finger from his muzzle and cursed quietly, his erection throbbing urgently as he rolled away from the door and panted with wild eyes. He licked his lips nervously, unsure of what to do. He could smell his arousal, sure, but where he sat with his head against the bed, that scent was overwhelmed with the scent of his older brother. The older brother who was going to come through that door in a moment. Would he be dressed? Would he be naked? Would Ash get a glace at the weapon of a shaft he carried in that pendulous sheath?

The line of thought caused Ash to practically leap from the bed, walking quickly to the living room. He found his shorts and pulled them on, blushing at the sensation of pre matting down his crotch, and stepping quickly to the kitchen sink. He didn’t even bother with a cup as he turned on the water and stuck his head beneath the faucet. He stuck his tongue into the flow and gulped at the water. He then filled his mouth, swishing and spitting as best he could. He could still taste his own sheath on his tongue, mixed with the taste of his brother’s pre. He began to scrape his tongue clean with the hand that hadn’t been in his sheath, but the taste remained. He pulled back and grabbed the soap, applying it liberally to his paws as he paid special attention to wash the offending digit that had been inside him. There was the quiet click of claws on the floor as someone stepped from his brother’s room.

“Good morning little brother,” rumbled Dan from behind. Ash could smell the woody scent of body soap and damp fur and hesitated before turning around. Would his erection have diminished enough or would it be apparent what he had been doing? As he spun on his heel, he sighed in relief when he saw his brother wearing slacks and a loosely buttoned dress shirt. He looked just as handsome as Ash remembered growing up, his big brother’s fur much longer and than his as it poked out from his collar. He looked exhausted as he strode silently to the coffee maker, muzzle open in a large yawn. His tongue arched as he scratched his chest and groggily added coffee grounds to the machine before he turned it on.

“Good morning, big brother,” Ash mumbled. He felt a dribble of precum drip from his sheath and into his shorts making him blush red under his fur. His brother looked at him curiously, looking at him in just his shorts. His eyes lingered on the bump in Ash’s muzzle. Dan’s muzzle opened but Zach walked in, distracting the wolf as he pulled on his shirt.

“Good morning Ash, feeling better?” The husky was radiant and his brother’s tail had begun to swish.

Other than the worst case of blue balls I’ve ever had or the existential crisis of imagining riding my brother’s cock? Ash thought to himself, swallowing thickly.

“Yeah,” he breathed out after a breath pause. “I do feel better.”

“Good! Great! After last night, I was worried. Did you have any more… I mean I didn’t hear any…” Zach said, trailing off.

“Nightmares?” Ash sighed, smiling at the dog. “No, none. I… I actually dreamed that I was… home. In my bed at home, rather,” Ash chuckled. “Thank you, Zach.” Ash was now holding his arm nervously, paw rubbing nervously up and down through his fur. Talk about emotional whiplash. He had just brought himself near enough to a mind numbing orgasm thinking about this husky and yet now he was consumed by a shyness he hadn’t felt since he was a pup. Zach had such beautiful eyes.

“For being your body pillow?” Zach laughed, curly tail wagging happily as Dan watched from across the kitchen. “You’re welcome, Ash. Though you were a pretty good little spoon yourself,” Zach said as he stepped closer into Ash’s personal space. The tip of Ash’s tail began to twitch as a bashful expression overtook his face.

“Little brother always did like being the little spoon,” Dan chuckled, reaching over to tussle his brother's head fur.

“Can I… hug you?” Zach asked suddenly, looking up at Ash with big blue eyes. Ash wanted to kiss him, lean down and press his muzzle forward. Instead, the wolf nodded jerkily, blushing furiously as he opened his arms. The husky leaned in and wrapped his arms around Ash’s torso, pressing his face against his chest. Ash looked at his brother with wide eyes, unsure of how he would react. His brother had always been possessive, would he be upset? What would he think?

He was surprised when his brother merely nodded his approval back, encouraging Ash to wrap his arms around the husky. Ash did as his brother directed, wrapping arms around the smaller dog and nuzzling down into his fur. The warm embrace caused his eyes to flutter shut, a needy whine crawling out of his throat. The urge to mingle scents with the people closest to him became uncontrollable as he leaned down further, deepening the embrace to rub his face against Zach’s neck. The husky chuckled and returned the gesture, pressing back into the soft fur of Ash’s neck ruff. Ash couldn’t help himself as he straightened and brought a paw to the back of Zach’s head, pressing Zach’s face against his bare chest. He also leaned down, rubbing his chin over the top of Zach’s head as he positively dug his chin into the husky's pelt. Large white paws also roamed across his torso, placing scent on Zach’s body as a pack member would.

There was a low rumble from behind him that caused him to shiver as a shadow loomed over him. Was Dan angry at him? Ash whimpered as he looked at his brother out of the corner of his eye. Was scent marking Zach a step too far? Instead of hitting him, snapping at him, or hauling him away by the nape of his neck, his brother instead approached behind him and wrapped his arms around the two of them. He then leaned down to rub his face along the crook of Ash’s neck, pleased to be hugging his brother like this after so long apart. His long white muzzle rubbed up along the side of his face and on top of his head before he pulled back and sneezed on the back of Ash’s head.

“Brother, you stink,” Dan chuckled, patting him on the shoulder.

“He does,” the husky laughed, squeezing his arms around Ash’s torso. Ash’s ears flattened in shame. “I kinda like it, though. He smells kinda like one of your jockstraps.”

“Does he?” Dan chuckled, sniffing through Ash’s neck fur. It caused Ash to whine in embarrassment, this whole situation was absurd and his ears couldn’t decide whether to be flat or erect in interest. He did the only thing that felt right and laughed. It started as a small thing but it quickly evolved into a deep belly laugh that brought tears to his eyes before they turned to actual tears. His brother held them both up with silent grace while the husky who he had only just met poured warmth into him. This stranger had shown him the same kindness and affection he had only received from his mother or sisters. Sure, Dan loved him but it was the love of a protective brother and a future alpha, oscillating between clingy and an arms length away.

His father and his other relatives had only ever shown him the love of the alpha’s son and never the love of the individual known as Ash. It had always been the conditional love one might show an item or a possession. A trophy even. But the affection he was currently receiving from Zach was for who he was as a being and a person, wholly dispossessed of privilege and pride of being an alpha’s son. It was several moments before the tears stopped but Zach still held him until he patted the husky on his back.

“Thank you,” Ash whispered, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“Always,” Zach replied with a quivering smile, putting a hand on Ash’s shoulder. The stood there, the mood haven taken a somber turn. Dan was the one to break the silence with a kiss to the back of his brother’s head, followed by the ruffle of his head fur.

“I missed you, Little Shadow.”

“I missed you too, Moon,” Ash replied with a little twitch of his tail.

“Little Shadow? Moon? There’s a story I’m missing,” Zach replied with a curious glance to the two wolves.

“It’s self explanatory, Sir. Coffee?” Dan asked them both, taking down a few paper cups from a cabinet above the coffee maker.

“MMmm, yes please. But don’t think you’re getting out of this so easily,” Zach replied in a bright tone. He took down some bowls near the sink as Dan chuffed.

“Ashford… got into trouble a lot. Got hurt too. You already know about the umbrella parachute, Sir.”

“You told him that!?”

“Of course. I tell him everything.”

“Unbelievable,” Ash grumped, crossing his arms.

“Anyway, after… he got better, he was always following me wherever I went. He was my little shadow, following me everywhere he could. And sometimes where he shouldn't.”

“It was a game, big brother!”

“And you played it so very well, Ashford.”

“And Moon?” Zach asked with a quirked eyebrow. Ash smiled softly as he looked at the floor.

“You can’t tell where a shadow ends without a source of light.”

“And the Moon is that source? Why not the sun?”

“I always found the sun harsh, but never the moon. When you’re the alpha’s son, people treat you more like a trophy or toy. Big Brother… he was always kind. And I was just a pup, his fur was white, it made sense then,” he said with a shrug.

“That’s adorable, Ash. I’m… I’m glad you’re here with us.”

“Me too,” Dan rumbled with a swish of his tail.

“Do either of you want Breakfast?” Asked the husky.

“I think I’ll pass,” Ash replied with the wave of his hand.. His brother and Zach both looked at him curiously. “I haven’t been one for breakfast the last few months given… things. I would very much like some coffee though.”

“Your coffee, Sir,” Dan said, setting the cup down in front of Zach. There was a pause as they smiled at each other, noses inches from kissing each other.

“You can kiss, I don’t mind. You don’t have to hide… whatever this is… from me,” Ash said demurely. Dan looked at him with a raised eyebrow, gaze passing from him to the husky.

“It’s complicated,” Zach began before Dan leaned him and kissed him on the lips. He held the kiss for a beat before pulling away. Zach looked up at Dan with eyes wide in shock. Dan pulled back and rumbled, pleased with himself as he licked his lips. He remained focused on Zach as he spoke.

“Sir, outside of work it isn’t complicated. Ash, Zach is my Supervisor.”

“Your super– supervisor? Brother, are you banging your boss?!” Ash responded, his muzzle falling open.

“A discussion for another time, maybe–” Zach started.

“Yes,” Dan said simply, causing the husky to balk at the big wolf. He was still smiling at Zach.

“Oh well, would you look at the time! Dan, we need to go or we’ll be late,” Zach mumbled, face turning red as he left the kitchen.

“Sir, what about your breakfast?” Dan called from the kitchen, tail wagging as he looked to Ash with a mischievous smirk.

“I’ll get one while we’re there!”

Dan chuffed and smiled before turning to face Ash, hands on his hips. The turn look he was now receiving made him swallow nervously.

“Brother, if you need to leave there is a spare key around back. It’s taped to the lid of the power outlet, not under the mat. The one under the mat is just a decoy. We’ll be back in a few hours, after which we will talk more.”

“Yeah. We’ll go get dinner when we get done with the gym. Sound good Ash?”

“Yeah,” Ash replied with a long sigh. “Yeah, sounds good.”

“Awe Dan, he looks like a kicked puppy.”

“He really does, doesn’t he.”

“Should we take today off?”

“Do you… think we should… Sir?” Dan asked back, unsure of what choice to make. He looked torn, looking between Zach and Ash. The husky bit his lip and thought to himself quietly for a moment.

“Ash, give me your phone. I’ll give you my number and if you need us, you call. You call and we’ll come running. Okay?”

“Okay,” Ash replied, eyes going misty once more. The husky was so earnest, innocent, and caring. The smaller dog grabbed his muzzle and pulled it down to his height before touching noses with Ash.

“It will be okay Ash, we’ll be back before you know it.”

“Clean towels are on the shelf next to the shower in my bathroom, brother. Make use of them today, before we get back. Toss your clothes in the hamper or wash them. You can borrow anything from my closet. Understood?”

“Yes, brother.”

“Good boy,” Zach said, petting Ash’s head fur. The wolf was unable to stop his tail from wagging as he leaned into the touch. His brother smirked at him and patted him on the shoulder before pulling the door shut. It continued to wag until he heard his brother’s truck rumble away.