We spent the rest of the day inside, neglecting the daily chores in favor of basking in our newfound closeness. We cuddled, we kissed, and we talked for hours, both about our pasts and the future. 

I learned that when Elio and Zale had first come to the cabin almost four years prior, they hadn't come alone. They had arrived with a third mate, a wolf beastman named Jasper, and it was his clothes that I had been wearing all this time. 

The three of them had been inseparable since childhood, all raised in the same orphanage in the east. They fell in love at an early age and because they were bonded, the beast army had allowed them to accept their posting together. Rangers was what they were called, living on the outskirts of the beast territory, keeping watch over the border with the wildlands.   

Jasper had been out on a routine patrol of the area and was caught unaware by a group of monsters, frost zombies, judging by the state he was found in. Frost zombies, despite their name, were very much alive. Vile creatures from beyond the impassable mountains, devoid of warmth and driven solely by their hunger for living flesh. 

I’d once seen the remains of a unit that crossed paths with a group of frost zombies. It was a sight that haunted me still. I couldn’t begin to imagine the horror of losing someone I loved to those things.

At the time, Elio had nearly gone feral from the grief. Unable to accept the loss of their mate, he abandoned Zale and fled into the forest, disappearing for over a moon cycle. While he was gone, Elio said he remained exclusively in his animal form, desperately trying to leave his human emotions behind. He claimed it was the only way he could survive the pain. 

Zale, on the other hand, had been left at the cabin alone, forced to endure the pain of losing their mate on his own. He admitted that, for a time, it felt like he had lost both of his mates at once. My heart ached for him. I couldn’t imagine carrying that kind of grief alone, with no one to hold onto in the aftermath.

Then one day, Elio was roaming the woods near the borderland and he came across a group of human soldiers. Mistaking him for a real fox, they tried to hunt him, thinking his pelt would make a good coat. Elio managed to escape them, but his face would always bear the scar from that encounter. Now, he said he wore it with pride, a reminder of what he had lost.  

It was Elio’s near-death experience with the hunters that brought them back together. Not knowing where else to turn, he returned to the cabin, covered in blood and shaking with fear. Zale took him in without hesitation and tended to his wounds as best he could. The time they spent together while Elio recovered was enough to begin mending the rift between them that Jasper’s death had created. Elio slowly learned to carry his grief instead of being consumed by it, and Zale got one of his mates back.

But as time passed, they realized that it wasn’t just Jasper they missed. It was the bond the three of them had shared. The dynamic. The balance. Zale and Elio loved each other deeply, but they were two very different people, each longing for that missing piece that once bridged the gap between them. 

And that was what Elio had meant when he said that I fit. He thought I could be that piece, the person who could make their two halves whole again. 

To be honest, at first I was concerned that they were looking to me as some kind of replacement for Jasper, and it wasn't a good feeling. But as they told me more about their deceased mate, I quickly realized we were nothing alike. 

If not for his animal features, it sounded like Jasper could have passed for a Royal, silver haired with sky blue eyes, whereas I had black hair and grey eyes, colors typical of a northeastern noble. Our personalities were nothing alike either. They said he was cold and often abrasive, struggled to connect with others, and only ever showed his softer side to them. In fact, the only thing we had in common was our clothing size.

They assured me that no one could ever replace Jasper, nor would they want them to. Their interest in me wasn't about replicating the past, but creating a new future. I fit because of how we interacted, not because I reminded them of someone they lost.    

After they told me about Jasper, I told them about my life as the youngest son of a low ranking baron. In the world of Vraynian nobility, I was barely a step above a commoner, something that I had no problems with. The north was built on the cooperation between commoner and noble, as the monsters didn't care about your blood.

I had three older brothers and two older sisters, all of whom had either been married off or joined the Northern Army. I'd never taken a lover, nor had I traveled unless it was on a mission. My only exciting stories came from my time in the army, many of which Zale had already heard.

As midday turned to late afternoon and eventually evening, we discussed the future. We all agreed that we wanted that future to be together, but none of us knew how to make it happen. 

I knew, without a doubt that if I wanted to be with them, I would have to leave my life in Vrayna behind. Even without the war, our relationship would be a target for hatred and bigotry, no matter where in Vrayna we settled. It was something I was willing to do, but Elio and Zale expressed concern that I would come to resent them for it. Only time would tell for sure, but I felt confident that I could never resent them. 

After a late dinner, we drank the last of their cider, and I retreated to my bed by the fire.

“I hope you weren’t planning to sleep there,” Elio commented as I adjusted the blankets.

I paused for a moment, then awkwardly replied, “I, um… We didn’t really discuss sleeping arrangements, so…”

“Oh, my sweet human,” Elio purred, “You’ll be sleeping in our bed from now on. Though, honestly, I wasn’t planning on letting you sleep at all tonight. I’ve been thinking about claiming my new mate all day.”

“Elio,” Zale cut in, his voice stern, “There's no need to rush. That’s a much bigger step for him than it is for you.”

It suddenly hit me what Elio was suggesting. Of course, I’d known that accepting them would mean more than just cuddles and kisses, but I hadn’t really thought about what that would entail. However, I wasn’t opposed to finding out.  

“I…” I started, but trailed off, not knowing how to express myself. 

“It’s okay,” Zale reassured me, “Don’t feel like you have to do anything you’re not comfortable with. Elio needs to learn some patience.”

“Um, I... Maybe… Would you help me figure out what I’m comfortable with?” I blurted out, the tips of my ears burning. 

Zale’s eyes widened at my unexpected response, then his lips curled up into a smile that made my knees feel weak. 

“We can definitely do that,” Zale breathed, his expression darkening into something more intense.

“We’ll help you get comfortable with a lot of things, my sweet,” Elio murmured in a low, seductive voice. “Come to bed with us, and we’ll make you so comfortable that you won’t be able to sit properly tomorrow.”

Oh, so that was how it worked. It made sense when I thought about it. I probably should have felt apprehensive, given the position I was about to be in, but all I felt was anticipation. 

Elio held out his hand to me, his eyes burning with expectation and desire. Showing uncharacteristic restraint, he waited patiently for me to accept it.