Rind.

The next day, Kellan was up before Gustin woke, picking quietly at the wood carving table and rearranging some of the furs. Gustin rubbed his eyes, sat up in bed. His head hurt. He hadn't slept well.
"What are you doing?"
Kellan pricked his ears at Gustin's voice, looking just a bit startled. Gustin ran a hand through his hair and blinked at him.
"Cleaning." he said gruffly, dropping the furs where they were and wandering over to the carving bench.
"I cleaned yesterday." Gustin laid back down, rolled over to face the wall. "How early is it?"
"Midmorning."
"You going out?" his voice was muffled by the furs.
"No."
Gustin was suddenly completely awake. He sat up again.
"Is it - "
"No."
"Oh."
He dropped back down.
"My head hurts and I'm cold. Come lay down."
Kellan felt a rise at the invitation.
"No!" he answered, with perhaps more force than necessary. The human hadn't meant anything by it, he knew, but he'd felt the pull of temptation, and the power of his season always surprised him. He hated being out of control. Gustin didn't respond to the harshness in his wolfe's tone, just wriggled and nestled down further into the fur bed. Kellan had a sudden vision of climbing into that bed, pushing Gustin onto his hands and knees, and sliding his dripping cock into the human; tasting his fear, his pleasure and submission and feeling the indescribable pleasure that comes with taking a new mate. He would be gentle at first, delighting in his mate's moans and whimpers, until the sensation overwhelmed him and the wolfe rose up, begging him, urging him to take Gustin in the way a mate should be taken - roughly and giving no quarter.
He tasted blood in his mouth and realized he'd been biting his own tongue. Feeling foolish and once again disturbed, he scoffed at himself and stalked off into the bathing room.
When he reemerged, Gustin was up, getting his firstmeal, and dressed for indoors.
"Put more on."
Gustin looked over at him, perplexed.
"Why? The fires are all in."
Kellan shook his head.
"We're going outside."
Gustin felt his stomach do six flips and a somersault.
"Why - why are we going outside?"
He was afraid, honestly afraid, because outside was strange and cold and most of all, it was the place where humans got traded. He didn't want to go outside. He wanted to sit here and eat his soup.
It was in this realization that Gustin found an abrupt and unanticipated moment of clarity. He didn't want to go outside. He wanted to stay here, with Kellan. If he went outside, he was obligated to run, and if he ran, then he had to keep running, perhaps for the rest of his life. How long could he make it? He'd run for twenty-seven years now. He kind of wanted to sit down. Kellan was staring at him, equally perplexed.
"Why not?"
Gustin put down his spoon.
"I don't want to leave."
Kellan snorted, made a face.
"I'm serious, wolfe - don't trade me!"
Kellan stared warily at him.
"I don't know what game this is, human, but - "
"No game, wolfe. I...don't want to leave. At least not that way. At least not yet."
Kellan understood.
"I am not trading you, human. The caravan's nowhere near these parts. Now put another layer on - we need to go outside."

~:~

Kellan had made it seem urgent, but outside, he acted as if he had all the time in the world. He kept a close eye on Gustin though, and after only three or four minutes, insisted that they go back in. Gustin, who was, despite six layers of clothing, bitten through with cold, begged for just another minute more. Kellan allowed it, but after a few seconds, cleared his throat and swallowed.
"Trading you is no longer an option, human."
Gustin looked at him, squinting against the sun, bright snow reflection, and cold. Kellan refused to meet his eyes.
"My heat comes tonight."
Gustin stared at the wolfe for a moment, then he understood. He turned back to the blank white landscape, took the wolfe's hand in his. Kellan didn't resist.
Before they went back in, Gustin took one more look at the sun.

~:~