Big Salmon Lake [m] My Hearts In Pieces

@Althaia whenever you wanna jump in

 

Harley went right from the scene down to the lake, but with the slow, sluggish slink he walked with, it took him until sunset to pick his way down the mountain and across the wilds. He came to a rest on the far side of it, closer to the ticket of Bramblepoint than Moonspear. He didn't know how long it would take for Althaia to come to him, but he was planning on spending the night here anyways. Seeing @Charon atop his mate, while the wolfdog still awaited the rush of anger, had rather broken his heart and crumbled his spirit. 
What if she got pregnant? By CHARON's pups.
If that were true, he couldn't stay, and he couldn't be her mate. 
But what if he were to add to it? Would she have more puppies, from both? Was that possible? And what if it was too late, and he didn't? He still worried if his mate would even tell him. 
Did Althaia even want him anymore? Surely Amekaze would be pissed, plans for revenge already brewed in the hybrids mind so it wasn't like Charon could take Thai as a mate. A thrall, yes, but that didn't mean the alphas mate will be happy. Perhaps Harley would have to talk with @Amekaze when he went back to the mountain tomorrow.

After her encounter with the pale alpha, Althaia didn't know what to do. She had been driven by her own raging hormones, and still, the scent radiated from her body. She did not bother to clean Charon's scent from her body, she would not hide anything from her mate. She doubted that Charon would do the same, and then thought of how much Amekaze would have reason to hate her now, should she find out. This whole thing was a mess, and she travelled toward the lake with a heavy heart. 

The sky above was dark, stars shining through what seemed like tiny rips in it's surface when she found Harley. She emitted a strangled whine and paced to his side, face burning with shame. She said nothing, only stopped and waited for him to notice her, face twisted into guilt and something resembling fear. Would he abandon her now? He had every right to.

Her scent told Harley she was approaching, and as he saw her pale coat come into view the man had to prepare himself. While Charon's scent was thick on her, and while it was a harsh reminder of what had happened today, it relieved him that she didn't seem to be hiding it. Had he worried for naught?
She paced directly to his side, carrying both the scent and looks of shame. She felt bad, and with that realization he felt his heart twinge with sympathy. So it HAD been her hormones leading her. Or, a new thought that came, perhaps Charon had threatened her. It sure looked like they were both being faily gentle, so his mind was settled on the first option. 
A long, long silence enveloped them, and there was a palpable tension in the air that Harley was first to break. It was only one word, toned so quiet even Harley wasn't sure he actually spoke, but laced with the heartbreak and bitterness he felt. Even on that one word, his voice trembled and broke. 
                          "Why?"

His single word made her cringe, and her gaze met the ground. A slight tremor went through her, and she spoke after a brief hesitation, not wishing for a tense silence like the one that had just unfolded. In truth, the events were still a little hazy. Why had she done it? That too was a little hazy, it seemed. But she begun anyway, and though her words were garbled, they were sincere. "I...I don't know, Harley. This, this heat, it changes how i feel about things. And I didn't want to...I didn't want to upset Charon. And I felt...it was like..."

But she had no excuse, did she? Sure the heat had filled her with feelings and emotions that didn't seem her own, Charon was her alpha, and she had been so full of emotion she could burst, but she could have done something. The fact was, she didn't, and she didn't feel the amount of regret she thought she out to feel. "Harley, I'm...I'm sorry." She lapsed into silence, sitting in order to stop spreading her scent further and in exhaustion.

Harley could feel her hurt as thick as his own, and the sorrow in her voice told him she really was sorry. Much as he wished to stay mad, to cast her away and to leave forever, he simply couldn't. He loved her. Finally, Thai apologized, and the wolfdog found himself already beginning to forgive her. 
The fog of hurt lifted a little, and it was enough for him to finally scent the heat writhing around him. Perhaps it was to blame for his easy feelings towards her, but suddenly there were no more words jumbling around in his broad mind. 
Turning his head towards her, he ever so slightly began to preen the fur of her shoulders and neck. Once he started, though, it was hard for him to stay gentle with her. She was his, and what was his was drenched in the scent of the man who'd taken his mate as if she was HIS. 
Maybe it was then that anger began to flutter in his belly, and though he hated feelings like posession and anger ruling the first time he ever mated, it didn't slow his advances. 
He moved down to her chest and, with a soft whine of need, turned his amber eyes to meet her green ones. It was soon after her mating with Charon, and he knew she was likely tired, but his own hormones drove him forward still. The rest, well, the rest could be handled when he wasn't throbbing and aching in need.

He stepped forward, and her heart lifted. She hummed, a happy sound, as his muzzle found her fur and begun to gently preen it. His ministrations became not as gentle, and he moved down to her chest, causing her to rumble lowly in her chest and stand, leaning against him in the slightest. This felt good; she felt no guilt, no fear, only relief, and happiness. She lashed her tail from side to side, spreading her scent further, and leaning forward to nibble at his ears with her honed fangs, still humming softly, as she thoughtlessly sashayed her hips and nibbled at his ear, his neck, whatever she could reach. Until she broke away, and simply leaned onto his touch.

She accepted his touches, further spurring him forwards and increasing his affections upon her. She stood, and so did he, and when she nipped at his ears and waved her tail, well, he damn near lost it. His mate wiggled around him, wreathed with the lengthening shadows of dusk, leaning into his muscled body and covered him with attention. 
It was, in a word, intoxicating. After a few more nips back and forth, Harley shifted back, licking and nibbling his way down her shaded side to her flank, where the milk colored man waited behind her for permission as he aimed his gentle teeth at her flanks, hips, and tail. Another whine, this one louder and more needy, loosed from his throat, and he nudged her flank gently, as if asking please. Though he couldn't push Charon completely from his mind, especally lathered as Althaia was in his scent, the effects of hormones were effectivley pushing most of those thoughts, and all others, away.

Harley cast a trail of nips and licks through her fur, moving from her chest backwards. He soon reached her tail, gently nipping her flanks, tail, and hips. She did not stop her humming, but growled playfully, lightly, and sashayed her hips, lifting her tail clear out of the way and settling her weight more evenly on her paws. Now she knew what was to come, and did not worry, but waited patiently under Harley's touch. Her message was clear, with her saying hips and raised tail, and she felt as if heat were radiating from her pelt. She growled lightly again, a short, light sound, eyes gleaming.

Harley had to admit, this was turning out more fun than he'd imagined, and it definatley seemed more affectionate, more passion driven than lust, than the way she and Charon had interacted. 
She growled at him, a playful, light sound, and moved her tail for him. The pale woman wiggled her hips again, and the hybrid planted a few firm licks before moving forward. At first, he was hesitant. He was much bigger than she, stronger, but eventually the hormones were too much to deny. Reaching forward with one paw to hook it around her hip, Harley rose to his hind legs and used the other forepaw to grasp her other side. For a moment, there was no other movement, and he steadied himself before starting to thrust his hips, slowly. It took another few moments, a few long, antagonizing moments in which Harley quickly gew frustrated, and quite a little bit of moving around and positioning, but eventually he hit his mark and stopped with a soft gasp where he was. That felt GOOD. This was the Quinzel's first time, of course, and though he had no idea what to do this seemed easy enough. Soon, he was rocking gently against her with shaking restraint, and took a few gentle snaps at her scruff before holding on for leverage. It was still a little awkward, but he was building rhythm and experience all at once.

He cradled her smaller body with his forepaws, as Charon had done. However, unlike Charon, there was a few moments of awkwardness as Harley shifted and wiggled, until, finally, he found his mark. She gave a happy little huff and matched his rhythm, arching her back under his and spreading her forepaws to more evenly distribute his weight. As time stretched on, they seemed to find a rhythm together, and the moments previous awkwardness melted away as the met in a dance, ancient and primeval, under the dying sun's light. 

At this moment, with Harley, she thought naught about consequences or any such things, but only about the moment, and delighting in it. This felt different than it had with Charon, very. At this moment, she was carefree, in love, and brimming with emotion. She let out the odd growl or hum as they moved, gradually building up tempo.

Great as this was, it wasn't long before the Gamma was huffing and puffing. He kept steady though, rocking his hips against hers as gently as his lust-driven hormones would allow, but based off the growls and movements she was making, she loved it. He'd turned away too soon to realize that things were going differently that with Charon, but at this point all thoughts of anything but the moment were washed away. 
Even the fact that she would likely be pregnant, what with not one but two breeding sessions. Plus, who said there wouldn't be more? Harley grabbed her scruff a little more firmly as he felt a new sensation building up inside of him, and with a few soft whines and another burst of rougher, harder thrusts, the wolfdog was gripped with the best thing he'd ever felt. 
Coupled with the most awkward, he had to admit, as he twisted around and found himself stuck. One hind leg was still draped over her hips, but locked as they were he could do no better than stand behind her and, well, look like he might've been peeing on her. Did this happen everytime? Thank goodness he had the smarts to not pull, for that would surely hurt both of them. 
Trembling, panting hard, Harley turned his soft amber eyes to her with a tiny smile playing on his lips. Yes, he'd forgotten-or rather let go of- about everything for now, but it wasn't a talk to have now, right? Perhaps after they were separated, or even back at their den at home. 
Charon would never pull them apart again, and that was a promise. Next time, he would rip out the males throat and ruin every plan ever than let her be underneath him again. 
                        "I-I love you, Althaia."
His words were shaky again, but it was clear by the more gentle, steady tone that it was only because of what'd just went on. It did have a tone of uncertainty, like he was afraid it wouldn't be returned, but nonetheless he meant it.

She felt a surge within her, and with a gasp, she felt a tidal wave of feeling wash over her. She felt invigorated, excited...but also tired. Very much so. She arched her back against his, until he stopped, and her fiery passion waned a little with every breath. They were connected now, and this was something she did not find quite as awkward having been through it before. She expected him to slump over her too, and prepared herself, but to her relief, he simply slid to the side.  

It was after a few shaky moments that he did speak, a few words that set the femme's heart on fire. Without hesitating, she returned the words. "I love you, Harley."

They stood together a few moments longer, until Althaia felt a release and stepped forward, breaking their connection. She gave a happy sigh, feeling fulfilled, and collapsed on the ground on her side. She offered a smile to Harley, eyes gleaming in the dark. She was tired, exhausted, and she wished for a few more minutes with him before the long journey home. She motioned beside her in invitation, chuffing softly.

They did, to Harley's relief, come unstuck rather soon, but he found himself unsure of what to do after. She layed down before him, motioning his his company, and with only slight hesitance the milk colored man placed himself behind her. Making sure he was situated to that she could lay on him like a pillow, resting his own head utop his paws, there was another long point of silence. This one wasn't as thick, as painful, as the last one, but the wolfdog was still raw from the days experience. With a sigh, keeping his amber eyes on the lake, he whispered faintly to her. 
                  "What are we going to do?"
Would they stay here? COULD they? Did Harley even want to anymore? Had Harley just gotten himself into exactly what his father had? Would he do as well in raising  his own brood? Even worse, what if he had to raise the bastard litter of CHARON?
                                 "You know you're probably pregnant, right?"
An idea though, since Charon got to her first and there was no proof that Harley had.... They couldn't get kicked from the pack for this. Not when everyone would think it was the alpha that sired her litter and the alpha who accepted her as a thrall.

His words broke the silence, brought back to the surface thoughts she had ben trying to suppress. What were they to do now? She remained silent, turning over the question in her mind. They could speak to Charon and Amekaze, beg forgiveness, or they could go. Simply up and go, and try to be quick about it. But before she could reply, another question left her mate's lips. They would hae to go, for the pups. She would not condemn them, even if they were mere possibilities, bits of cells at the moment, to the life of thrall, here.

But before she said this, she looked at Harley, expression blunt. This was the tipping point...he had promised so much, lived up to so many of those promises, but now she had yo ask him something, something big. "Harley...will you stay with me, should I have pups? Even if they're...Charon's?" Her voice quivered and faded a bit at the end of her settence, nervous. She needed his answer now, and if he chose to leave...so be it. She loved him, so much it hurt her heart, but should he chose to stay she would leave, alone. But she sincerely hoped that the latter would not come to pass.

There was a silence between them where Althaia seemed to think things over, and Harley was fine to watch the lake before them. Already plans were being spun in his mind to leave, but not before he let Amekaze know what her mate had done. It was fair, right? Charon would deny it all, no doubt, but at least she would have had the truth before her. It was up to the alpha to decide what she did with it. 
Finally, his wife looked to him. She looked sure this talk wouldn't go over well, and she asked what he feared: If they were Charon's, would he stay?
Another long silence enveloped the couple and it was the hybrids turn to think. Would he? Was he ready for pups? It was a hard thing to consiter, especially knowing that NONE of these babes could be his or they all could. 
            "I will. The pups will be mine... And we will raise them together."
He smiled at her, reached out to kiss her cheek, but the firmness lacing his words almost seemed like he was trying to convince himself that they would be his. Without a doubt, though, he loved her. Hormones were a hell of a thing, and while that didn't make it okay, maybe it made it a little better. 
                            "I told you I love you and I meant it. I'm never going to leave anyone I love."

His words, though they sparked a bit or worry in her a first, calmed her, and she found herself so very tired. She rested her muzzle on his side looking, emitting a small, content sigh. "I love you, Harley." she mumbled tiredly. This night felt right, perfect, and she narrowed her eyes to slits, feeling totally at ease in this moment. She would rest here, just for a bit...by the lake, with her mate, on this perfect night.