Moonspear like a star that can't wait for night

Jarilo seemed to process things for a bit, which made sense. Charon was glad that he was giving it some good thought. Though he considered his daughters headstrong enough to find men who would not rob their names or identities as princesses of the mountains from them, Jarilo was a different thing altogether. And he was a man, which made it easier somehow to not have his name taken and replaced, but instead for him to share his name with a mate -- and pups.

It seemed Jarilo had another question. A tricky one, honestly. How did anyone ever know that something was love? His and Amekaze's had started as a practical partnership and honestly, it had only turned to love because they were both Alphas and Charon felt that it was right to become mates, too, reproduce so they may fill the world with strong children and leave a legacy. He hadn't loved her at first; even the first time they had mated had been rather loveless and he had proclaimed her his then, not told her he loved her. But such was also her way, he often felt, and over the years and through raising their children and facing many hardships, their relation had turned into love.

We were Alphas together first, he began. Then as spring and summer rolled around, it felt like the natural thing to do because we were Alphas of this mountain and knew we would make good, strong partners for each other, so we became mates. I simply knew when I looked at your mother that she would make me only stronger, as would I her, so it made sense. His love story was perhaps not the typical love story and perhaps that was also why he advised Jarilo so pragmatically.