ASTRID smiled, his chest still warm. Watching Wulfric fidget on the other end of the call, looking like a kid waiting for approval, made something in Astrid’s chest squeeze tight. The man was ridiculous. Endearing in a way that made no sense at all for someone with his reputation. Astrid felt helpless against the fondness building inside him.

"How can I not like it?" he mumbled.

Wulfric’s entire face lit up at those words. It was like watching a puppy’s ears perk up after hearing a treat bag rattle. His shoulders relaxed and a wide grin spread across his face, bright and almost boyish.

"Really? Then from now on, I’ll call you my star," he said, the words coming out fast like he could not wait any longer to say them.

Astrid chuckled. "Just don’t call me that all the time, or I’ll start missing hearing you say ’Aster’."

Wulfric paused, thinking it over. Aster had a point. He could not just stop calling him ’Aster’. "Okay," he said after a moment, a small smile returning. "My star."

It should have felt a little embarrassing. But Astrid only felt a flutter in his stomach as if there were butterflies gliding there. He shook his head at himself. He really had it bad for this man. Maybe he should return the favor. So he smiled and said, "Thank you, my dear wolf."

Wulfric’s eyes went wide. Then his face turned red, from his neck all the way to his ears. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. For a few seconds, he just sat there, frozen. The confident man who could stare down anyone looked as though he had just been hit by a truck. Astrid found it both funny and adorable.

"Am I your wolf?" Wulfric asked, his voice coming out softer than usual. His eyes were still locked on Astrid, and the red on his face had not faded one bit.

Astrid felt his chest tighten in the best way at the question. "You’re my only wolf."

Wulfric felt like someone had knocked the air out of him. His only wolf. Not just a wolf. His only one. He stared at Aster, not sure what to say. His heart was beating too fast, and his face was still warm. He wanted to say something smooth, something clever, but nothing came out. So he just sat there, looking at Aster on his screen, feeling like the luckiest person alive.

With his brain still a bit fuzzy, he just heard himself ask, "Can I be your only wolf for the rest of your life?"

Aster blinked, then let out a soft laugh. "I don’t think I’ll ever meet another wolf like you for the rest of my life, so that shouldn’t be hard to agree to." The teasing edge in his voice faded, replaced by something gentler. "Yes, you’ll be my only wolf. Forever."

Now Wulfric felt like his heart might actually give out. It was beating so fast he could feel it in his throat. Could a person die from being too happy? He would not be surprised if he just keeled over right there in his chair. He cleared his throat, hoping it would cover up how flustered he was.

"By the way, I told Snow and Kiran about us," Aster said, changing the subject. "I’m also planning to tell Reas and Lauren, and probably Casey and Thomas too." He paused for a moment. "Oh, and I already told Ellis. I’m going to call my parents tonight and let them know as well."

Wulfric, still riding the high from their earlier exchange, took a moment to understand what Aster was saying. His brow furrowed at first, trying to catch up. Then it hit him. Aster had told his friends. He was going to tell his family, and had even informed his agent. He felt a jolt of surprise, followed by something warm settling in his gut.

Aster was not keeping them a secret. He was letting people important to him know about them. It made everything feel real. More than real. It felt official. Wulfric could not help the smile that spread across his face.

He wondered if he should tell his captains, too. Leland already knew, more or less. If Hildred had been at the base, he would have figured it out the second he saw Wulfric’s face. That bastard noticed everything. Slade would not care either way, and Edmund was too oblivious to even guess that Wulfric was in a relationship. And then there was his brother. Cynric. That would be a conversation on its own.

As he was thinking it over, something else popped into his head. Astrid had said he planned to tell his parents about them tonight. An idea formed in his mind, and once it was there, he could not shake it.

"Can I tell your parents with you?" he asked. "We could set up a group video call."

Astrid blinked, surprised by the request. "Are you sure about that?"

Wulfric had to know that his parents would not take this news easily. It was not just because they were protective of him. It was because of who Wulfric was and everything that came with him.

"Yes," Wulfric said without missing a beat. "I mean, it’s already not ideal that you’re telling them over a video call instead of in person. The least I can do is be there with you when you do."

Astrid suddenly thought of how Reas had introduced Lauren to their parents. He understood what Wulfric was getting at. For a moment, he wondered if he should wait to tell them in person instead. But he pushed the thought aside. His parents would feel hurt if they found out about him and Wulfric later than everyone else. And Astrid did not want that.

"Okay," he said finally. "If you’re ready, I can set it up right now."

Wulfric let out a dry laugh. "I’ll never be ready. But I also know we need to get it over with. So go ahead."

Astrid chuckled at the look on Wulfric’s face, like a man walking to his own execution. He shook his head and reached over to turn off the stove where his pasta sauce had been simmering. Then he called his mother.

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