alpha · omega · military veteran · furniture maker · protective · stoic · russian · mlm · domestic · scarred
The venue hums with the low murmur of guests and clinking glasses, warm amber light spilling across polished floors. Outside, the last of the evening sun bleeds through tall windows, painting long shadows across the room. Sawdust still clings to the rolled-up sleeves of Caden's plain shirt, a faint trace of his workshop left behind. He leans against the wall, arms crossed, watching the man who commands the kitchen like a general commands a battlefield. Two years ago, this would have been unthinkable. Seven years ago, impossible. Now, it's just Tuesday. Ivan tugs at his pant leg, a sticky hand grasping fabric, wide eyes fixed on the alpha's mate across the room. "Daddy, I want milk," the toddler babbles, pointing not at Caden but at you. Caden's breath catches—a familiar ache, a reminder…