Hi! Back with a new chapter! I also already started the next one, so there should be less of a wait this time around. Any feedback would be amazing, as usual. And this is where the story really starts steamrolling. So enjoy!

Aeiron awoke before him in the early hours of the morning. The sun had yet to rise above Whiterun, and she could feel the chill in the air where her skin was exposed. Vilkas' body warmth seeped in through her back where his chest rested and through the arm that held her close to him. He was sleeping soundly.

She rolled over to look at him, propping her head up and digging her fingers into her thick hair. He looked relaxed, something Aeiron realized she hadn't seen him as in days, the last time being their stay at Sky Haven Temple and Blackreach before that. She still felt awkward in Vilkas' company. The last few weeks had been a blur, something she wouldn't be surprised was a dream and she would wake up in the near future. It was impossible. Vilkas of all people professing his love for her.

"Like what you see?" Vilkas asked. His voice was heavy with sleep. It made the insides of Aeiron's stomach flutter.

She flushed. Had she been staring this entire time?

As if to make things worse, one of Vilkas' silver eyes opened and he grinned up at her. Aeiron pursed her lips and rolled back over, her back facing him. "No, I don't!" she protested.

"Mhmm," Vilkas' voice rumbled behind her. The arm that had been wrapped around her tightened. "Very convincing." He buried his face in her mane.

"Go back to sleep, Grumpy." She tried to forget how awkward she had felt about him getting into her bed last night, how he seemed completely fine with her trying to help him undress, about the closeness. Her heart was beating loudly in her ears and there was a warmth deep in her gut she couldn't chase out. Even worse, she found herself liking it.

"Aeiron," he called her name with less of a slur to his voice.

Aeiron was reluctant at first, but she looked over her shoulder at him. His eyes were open and there was a small crease of a frown to his face. She let him pull her close, bodies facing each other, almost touching. He buried a hand in her thick mane and gripped the back of her neck with a lithe touch. She swallowed to try and calm her nerves. She found herself relaxing as he rubbed the back of her neck.

Then she felt his lips on hers. It was gentle, as if he felt no hurry, as if there were no reason to rush. Aeiron felt herself melting into the warmth of his touch and into the warmth of the bed. The anxiety was sapped from her bones with one simple action that left her mind reeling. Wose yet, she found herself wanting when Vilkas pulled away.

He stared at her with warm silver eyes. They were molten liquid under a forge with the way the candlelight flickered in them, a thousand stars beneath the Tamriel sky, a brightness she didn't know she needed until now. The last few weeks raced past her in a blur of her finding herself oddly drawn to him, to their fighting each other, to fighting side by side, and now, this. Maybe it was her monthly bleed that made her so wrought with emotion, but she couldn't help it. Her eyes began to bubble up with hot tears. She mumbled so quietly she was sure he didn't hear, but he did. He was a werewolf, afterall.

Vilkas eyed her, the soft look in his eye fading. He stared in surprise. "Say it again," he commanded softly.

"Vilkas, I―" Aeiron started.

Vilkas' hand went to her cheek, his thumb brushing away the one tear that had managed to trickle down her face. He heard her the first time, why did he need her to say it louder?

"Say it again," he repeated.

Aeiron nodded, blinked more hot liquid from her eyes. "I love you," she said. Aeiron cried more at the way his eyes widened. "Please don't leave."

Vilkas kissed her again, hard this time. He kissed her as a man drowning would greedily swallow up air with her pressed against him and it never completely being enough. He rolled on top of her, smothering her with his mouth, still. Aeiron ran her hands through his hair, just as hungry as he was.

He trailed light kisses down her jaw, down her neck. Aeiron whimpered when he found her pulse point. He pushed back some of her hair that had been there for better access. Her nails lightly skimmed his back. The warmth inside her was growing more and making her dizzier. She found it hard to breathe as his hands roamed over her body.

"Aeiron," Vilkas called her name as he pulled away from her neck. She stared up at him, face flushed and eyes wide. She unknowingly licked her lips, and the sight of it went straight to Vilkas' groin.

Vilkas was about to kiss her again when there was a loud rumbling noise. He paused, poised above her. Aeiron flushed even more and covered her face with her hands. "Why are you covering your face?" he asked her. Aeiron shook her head and groaned out of embarassment. The rumbling happened again and Vilkas couldn't help the laughter that left him.

"Seems like someone forgot to eat last night," Vilkas mused.

"Shh!" Aeiron hissed. She looked away from him, if only to save herself from further embarassment. Her stomach gurgled again.

Vilkas pulled her hands away from her face with a smile. "Don't worry, Love. I'll fix us up something to eat." He punctuated the statement with a peck on her nose. Aeiron hissed at him. He laughed again, this time at how adorable she looked while trying to be intimidating.

He moved to get off of her and out of the bed, wearing nothing but a pair of trousers that Aeiron couldn't help but stare at him in for a brief moment. Vilkas turned to her with a knowing look. "Easy, Little Lioness, I fear what might happen were I to try and best you while you were starving."

Aeiron's face turned beat red and she picked up one of the pillows on her bed. She hurled it through the air at Vilkas, who managed to slip behind the bedroom door just in time, laughing all the while. The pillow dully hit the floor as the door was pulled close. Damn him.

Aeiron heaved a sigh and rubbed her eyes and tiredly ran a hand through her hair. It was too early for this. And she was too hungry to put up with his antics. One more smart comment from him and she would skewer him over the hearth, she decided. But later. She was tired, and she finally had the bed to herself again. And even though she wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, she would soak up the heat from where Vilkas had slept, because his side of the bed smelled better and it was a welcome distration to what they were doing only a few minutes ago.

Her head spun as she remembered the last few days. She had finally found her father. After all these years. She hadn't been crazy. Maybe now she would finally rest from her hectic life, if only for a little while. No more Imperials or Thalmor, no more dragons, no more Hircine...Hircine.

She sat up abruptly, hand groping around her chest. Where had she put that amulet?

"Everything comes at a price."

Aeiron shot out of bed and tore into the nightstand that had been on Vilkas' side of the bed. Sure enough, it was there. Blood-red and titanium gleaming wickedly in the candlelight as she held it in her hand. The daedric letters etched into the pentagon-shaped frame were neatly carved. This looked like a gift, but it was anything else.

Aeiron wanted to throw it away as the cool metal sat in her hand. She wanted to hurl it off of the Throat of the World and watch it plummit into the ground below. Maybe it would get caught in the mountain somewhere on its way down and lie there, forgotten for milenia, or perhaps, for eras.

She felt a chill wrap around her and clung to herself as it embraced her. She remembered that night in the grotto where Hircine had been. Gods, she wanted to forget it.

She threw the amulet in the nightstand and slammed the drawer shut. Aeiron nearly ran as she exited the room. She paused as she stood outside the bedroom.

Something smells good.

She tiptoed down the stairs, silent as she made her way down. Vilkas was bent over the cooking pot, intently at work with making… Clam chowder?

"You have such a vast selection of ingredients," Vilkas called over his shoulder. "I'm almost jealous."

Aeiron stared for a moment as she stood on the second to last stair. How did he…? Oh, right. She was bleeding. "Almost?" she asked.

Vilkas shot her a smirk. "Considering how often I plan on coming over, I won't be letting any of this go to waste," he said, making a broad gesture towards the kitchen area.

Aeiron smiled and arched an eyebrow at him. "Is that so?"

"Aye, it is, Woman," Vilkas said.

"And if I refuse to let you back in?" she asked.

Vilkas stopped stirring the pot of clam chowder and looked at her. "You won't. Especially once I have my way with you in that bed of yours."

The blush returned to Aeiron's face in full force. She pursed her lips and swallowed. She was finding the idea more and more inviting the longer she was in his company. Perhaps maybe it wouldn't be so bad, after all.

"A shame I think you'll sorely disappoint," Aeiron said, regaining her composure. She brushed her nails off to give her something to look at. If she saw the smoldering look in his eye now, it would be over. She would cave.

"Oh, really?" Vilkas asked. He put down the spoon across the mouth of the pot and turned to face her, crossing his arms. "And where did you get a notion like that from?"

Aeiron bit her lip to keep a straight face. "Your brother." She failed to stop herself from giggling afterwords, especially with the way she saw Vilkas' face sour out of the corner of her eye. "He told me you like to approach women and ask 'Is there something a 'strong man can do for you this fine day?'." she mocked him by placing her hands on her hips and puffing her chest out with a fake scowl on her face. Aeiron made the mistake of glancing at him and broke out into a fit of giggles.

"Uh huh," Vilkas said, clearly unamused. He approached the staircase and looked up at her, now being only a few inches shorter than her. "Clearly you forget about how I made you scream loud enough for the Greybeards to hear you at High Hrothgar, and that was only with my mouth and my hand."

"Well, that was right before my bleed," Aeiron countered. "I was a more wanton than normal. You'll have to forgive me for my unladylike behaviour, there." She tried making her way down the last two steps and passing him when he stopped her by standing in front of her.

Vilkas offered a wolfish grin at that. "I rather enjoyed it." He leaned his head to the side when he saw her look away, pursing her lips again as a flush colored her cheeks once more. He gently took her hand and rubbed his thumb along the back of it. "Like I said before, you have needs, too. And I would be honored to be able to satisfy you."

Aeiron looked up at him, eyeing him increduloudly at the sincerity in his voice.

"We can go as slowly or as quickly as you like," Vilkas continued. "It can be the day I am eighty winters old and I still would be a happy man."

Aeiron felt her throat go dry and swallowed. "You mean that?"

"I do," he said. There was only the hint of a smile splayed across his features, but his gaze was unwavering. "I'm not leaving."

Aerion bowed her head, smiling nervously. "Seriously, Vilkas," she started. "You have all of Whiterun to choose from. There's Ysolda. I've seen the way Ria looks at you, she's also a good pick. Carmella already has a daughter, so you would have a family already if you chose her. And then there're are so many better options for you in the other eight holds. Like Mjoll from Riften. She's a lioness, too."

"Aeiron."

"Hmm?" she looked up at him.

"I know you find it hard to believe you are someone's first choice, but you are mine," Vilkas said softly. He pulled her into a tight hug, burying his face in her hair. "I meant what I said last night. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here now." He inhaled her scent deeply. "You're a smart woman, Aeiron. Stop lying to yourself."

She nodded her head and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you," she mumbled into his chest.

Vilkas placed his lips at her forehead and held them there for a moment. He pulled back and looked down at her. "Come now," he gently guided her towards one of the seats by the hearth, the one she had been sitting in the previous night. "We should eat."

Aeiron nodded and sat down. Vilkas handed her a hot bowl with a spoon and sat down in the other chair. The chowder was hot, almost piping hot. Aeiron felt the heat stinging her eyes. The aroma made her tempted to dig in right away. She blew on it for a bit before shoving a spoonful into her mouth. Her face lit up with delight.

"Vilkas!" she yelled.

He looked at her, eyebrow raised.

"This is delicious!" Aerion began digging in, remembering her hunger. Vilkas watched her for a moment before shaking his head.

"You're worse than my brother," Vilkas remarked. "Even he waits for it to cool off a bit first."

Aeiron swallowed a mouthful and looked at him again. "You don't get it. This is better than Lydia's! And she makes a meeeeean clam chowder."

"Is that so?" Vilkas asked.

Aeiron nodded her head like a child would before digging in again.

They ate in a comfortable silence after that.

"Lucia never came home last night?" Aeiron asked. They had finished their meal a while ago, now, and suddenly realized she was still not accounted for. Normally, the girl would be up by now as the sun was starting to rise.

"She left early to sleep at the Bannered Mare," Vilkas said. "She told me she didn't wish to disturb you and said that she would sleep there for the night."

Aeiron hanged her head and mentally cursed herself. "Damnit."

Vilkas looked at her. "You have enough room here for her, why not just stop paying for her room at the inn?"

Aeiron turned to look at him. "You know how I can get, Vilkas. I don't want her here until I can get a grip on my senses."

Vilkas nodded his head. "I feel the same way sometimes," he said. "This beast blood drives me mad."

"I told you we can do it, Vilkas," Aeiron turned in her chair to look at him. "I know how."

Vilkas tossed his hands in the air, as though admitting defeat. "I spoke with Kodlak. The curse we have is...different than typical lycanthropes. One of the previous Harbingers made a pact with the Glenmoril Witches for the beast blood."

Aeiron's eyes went wide. "Witches made you lycanthropes?"

"Aye," said Vilkas. "Which is why your method won't work."

Aeiron pursed her lips and gripped the hem of her tunic in her hands. "There may still be another way."

"Perhaps," Vilkas said, staring at the door with little interest. "I'm in no rush at this point."

"How so?" Aeiron asked, confused.

He turned to her and smiled. "Because you keep that damnable wolf in my head quiet. I don't hear it howl when I'm in your company."

She blinked her eyes at him, wide-eyed. Thoughts raced through her head, and they all came to one possible conclusion. Aeiron looked away and stared at the hearth. "And Lydia?"

Vilkas shook his head. "As far as I know, she stayed behind at Jorrvaskr with Farkas."

"Oh," Aeiron went quiet. She laughed a moment later. "About time, then. I don't think I would've been able to handle Farkas' puppy eyes any longer!"

Vilkas snorted at that. "He follows her around like a lost pup and you can see his tail wagging when he sees her."

"Makes me wonder if your tail wags when you see me," Aeiron said smiling. Vilkas gave her a look that made her laugh again. "Come now, Sir Grump, there's no need for such a sour face after that delicious meal."

Aeiron got up out of her seat and walked over to where Vilkas sat. He eyed her boorishly, almost as if he were already tired of her antics. She started scratching behind his ear. "Who's a good boy?" she asked. "Who's a good boy?"

"You are ridiculous, Woman."

Aeiron beamed a smile at him and placed her hand on his cheek. "So are you," she said. "For choosing the maddening job of putting up with me." She gave his cheek a few pats before walking over to one of the front windows. Sunlight was beginning to pour in through the dull glass. A shadow blurred by, one that made Aeiron immediately feel uneasy.

Vilkas must have picked up on it, too. His eyes darkened and he shot up out of his seat. He rushed over by her side. "What is it?" he asked.

Aeiron reached over to the weapons rack on the opposite side of the door and pulled her battle axe out. The titanium glinted dangerously in the firelight. "Laas!"

She nodded her head and looked up at him. "We've got company." She ran up the stairs and retreated to the bedroom for a moment.

"How many?" he asked. When she reemerged, she was holding his sheathed greatsword in her other hand. Aeiron tossed it towards him as he approached the bottom of the stairs. He caught it in one hand and used the other to pull it from its scabbard.

Aeiron trotted back down the stairs and marched back to the door. "Two I think."

"You think?" Vilkas asked.

"Something's off with their auras," she explained. "They've been tainted by something not from this world."

Vilkas sniffed the air. His eyes glowed amber for a moment. "Daedra," he confirmed.

Aeiron glared at the door. "Great." She gripped the door handle and swung it open. Outside the door stood a pair of figures wearing white, stone masks with swirls for where the eyes should be.