Jax woke earlier than usual.
Not by choice.
By instinct.
By… awareness.
His eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the dim light filtering through the curtains. For a moment, he didn't move. Didn't speak.
Just… processed.
There were people on him.
That part was normal.
Llandra draped across one arm. Bunny curled into his side. Zee half on his chest. The fairies nestled somewhere in the chaos of blankets and limbs.
That wasn't new.
What was new—
Was Velmora.
She wasn't supposed to be there.
And yet—
There she was.
Calm.
Unapologetic.
And entirely too comfortable.
She proceeded to take advantage of his "situation".
Jax didn't react immediately.
He glanced toward the clock across the room.
4:21 AM.
"…Of course it is," he muttered under his breath.
Movement beside him.
Llandra stirred first.
Her eyes opened slowly… then sharpened instantly.
"…Vel?" she whispered.
Velmora didn't even look up. Too enthroned in her own exctasy.
"That would be me."
Llandra blinked once.
Twice.
Then sighed.
"…We're doing this now?"
Vel finally looked at her.
"This is not your concern."
A pause.
Then, more casually—
"Yours is making sure he's… comfortable."
Llandra stared at her.
Then at Jax.
Then back at Vel.
"…You're giving me orders. In my husband's bed."
Vel smirked slightly.
"And yet… you're still here."
Llandra held the stare.
Then—very deliberately—
Settled back in.
"…Fine."
She positioned herself in her favorite spot.
A Jax scream at this point would only to be at Llandra's benefit.
Jax closed his eyes for a second.
This was happening.
He accepted that.
Time passed.
Quiet.
Heavy.
Charged.
Then—
The door creaked open.
Another presence.
Another pause.
Seralya.
She stepped in carefully.
Took in the scene.
Her eyes landed on Vel first.
Then Jax.
Then Llandra.
Then the rest.
"…Oh."
Vel didn't move.
Didn't explain.
Just gave her daughter a look.
One that said everything.
Seralya exhaled slowly.
"…So we're not pretending this is strange?"
"No," Vel replied simply.
There was a moment.
A choice.
Then Seralya stepped inside.
Closed the door behind her.
Bunny stirred next.
Half-awake.
Half-aware.
"…Are we farming iPoints already?" she mumbled.
She blinked.
Focused.
Looked.
Paused.
"…Oh."
A beat. Seeing Vel and Sera.
"…Well. That's new."
She rolled onto her side, watching.
Then added casually—
"Nyxian is going to lose her mind if she finds out."
No one disagreed.
Zee shifted slightly.
Eyes barely open.
And with the calmest expression possible—
Raised a hand.
A soft shimmer passed through the room.
Silence.
Seralya froze.
Blinking.
Then—
Smiled.
Wide.
Unrestrained.
Whatever she wanted to say—
No one would hear it.
Jax stared at the ceiling.
"…I'm awake now," he muttered.
Eventually—
It ended.
Not with a dramatic finish.
But with screaming silence.
Exhaustion.
And bodies settling where they landed.
Seralya collapsed across him. Still in the act.
Completely unconscious.
Vel had already made herself comfortable.
Like she belonged there.
Jax waited.
Counted breaths.
Measured weight.
Calculated angles.
"…This is going to be tricky," he muttered.
What followed was less movement—
And more strategy.
Careful shifts.
Slow adjustments.
Precision.
One wrong move—
And everything reset.
Eventually—
Somehow—
He escaped.
Llandra followed.
Zee followed.
The three slipped out quietly.
Leaving behind a battlefield of blankets and unconscious chaos.
Sunrise
The kitchen was quiet.
Peaceful.
Normal.
Jax roasted coffee.
Ground beans.
Boiled water.
Focused.
Llandra leaned against his shoulder.
Zee on the other side.
No one spoke.
They didn't need to.
The sun rose slowly.
Golden light spilling across the horizon.
"…We're not talking about that?" Llandra finally asked.
Jax took a sip.
"…No."
Zee nodded.
"…Good."
They sat there.
Three people.
Sharing silence.
Pretending—
Everything was normal.
Later That Morning
The smell of food brought the others.
One by one.
Vel arrived first.
Composed.
Elegant.
Untouched.
Seralya followed.
Trying—and failing—to look normal.
Then—
Xander.
"You're up early," he said casually to Vel.
Vel smiled.
"Had something to do this morning."
He nodded.
Completely oblivious.
Jax didn't even look up from the stove.
"I was what you had to DO this morning."
At the table—
The Vixens gathered.
Food served.
Energy shifting.
Jax finally spoke.
"Can someone take a plate to Nyxian?"
A pause.
"…And maybe check on her."
Bunny and Lexi were already standing.
"On it!"
Jax added quietly—
"She's going to be dangerous today."
No one argued.
The Wedding Looms
Outside—
The town was already preparing.
Word had spread.
A Vixen wedding.
By afternoon—
Half the city would be watching.
And somewhere upstairs—
Nyxian Darquebane—
Was absolutely not calm.