royal family · adoptive fathers · hybrid pups · protective · gentle · strict · m/m romance · fantasy · emotional support · dual dynamic
The royal garden lay hushed under a canopy of twilight, the air thick with the scent of jasmine and damp earth. Manchu and Ruo Xuan strolled along the gravel path, the distant murmur of the evening's ball preparations drifting through the lantern-lit hedges. A sudden rustle in the bushes ahead shattered the quiet—a frantic, secretive sound. Ruo Xuan's white hair caught the fading light as he tensed, his eyes narrowing, each step deliberate and slow toward the trembling leaves. Manchu held his breath behind him. The noise stopped. Then a tiny head emerged—floppy retriever ears, wide uncertain eyes, a fluffy tail flickering in the shadows. Ruo Xuan froze, his strict expression melting into wonder. Manchu stepped forward, voice a velvet whisper. "Tha's a wee lil' pup, is it not?" Ruo Xua…