"Welcome home!" exclaimed Waltz, kissing and hugging me. "Your papa is awesome! I feel kinda bad for calling him an old man."

I giggled childishly and returned Waltz's tight hug. "Thanks, Alt."

Briar curled down to kiss me, then held me tightly for a moment and whispered, "I want to take you on a date, Ann."

I blushed. "O-okay, Bri."

He beamed and ruffled my hair. "We'll set a date, okay? And come hang out with me later, please. I want your opinions on a few things."

"Aye, aye, cap'n!" I replied with a happy grin.

Dian patted my head with a pleased smile. "You've gotten so tanned in just a week, Anwyll. Where did you spend your time with Alexandre?"

"At a beach!" I stated with a happy grin, then tugged down the waistband of my shorts. "Look, Daddy helped me tan everywhere."

Dian blushed and covered his face. "You've gotten so bold, Anwyll."

My cheeks warmed and I whispered, "W-well, Daddy had me do a lot of embarrassing things out in the open."

"Aww, my little wolf has gotten even cuter!" exclaimed Waltz, rubbing his face on my head. "How is this possible?"

Briar laughed and pecked my lips before he sauntered away. Angel scooped me up from Waltz's grasp, so I was kissed and cuddled immediately. Waltz pouted childishly, but he immediately hugged Dian and initiated a deep kiss that made me blush. Angel chuckled and mirrored Waltz to kiss me, so Dian and I were bright red from the open affection.

Angel pressed his lips to my cheeks and smiled happily when I gave him matching kisses. "I would love to bring you to work again soon, Anwyll. You are just too cute." he whispered, stroking his knuckles over my cheeks.

I beamed. "That would be great." I replied, then pecked his lips. "Love you, Ange."

Angel brightened thanks to the nickname I gave him, then he responded, "Love you too, sweetheart."

He set my feet on the ground and ruffled my hair, then strode out of the living room to go back to work in his room. Russet hugged me from behind a moment later, his cute brown curls brushing my face.

"Russ," I murmured, patting his head. "I've missed you."

Russet smiled and tucked his nose down. "I've missed you and your fluffy tail." he replied, trapping my tail between his legs.

I snorted, then smiled. "We'll hang out a bit later if you're not going on another date with Wally."

Russet blushed. "Well..." he trailed off, then giggled. "I am kinda busy."

"Then stay safe." I replied, poking his forehead and putting a special barrier around him. Russet blinked, then he kissed my cheek and hurried off a moment later.

Gavin and Zaire greeted me, then Blaine and Damon gave me kisses as well. Matteo picked me up and held me tightly, so I was relaxed while he lightly bounced my form.

Daddy had already gone back to work, but it was more for information collection after all of our discussions back on the island. He had told me that Uncle Andros had been also aiding in the information gathered about the Emerged and their status as hybrids, which I'd pointed out as an obvious statement. Apparently Daddy and Uncle Andros hadn't connected the dots until I'd told them.

Papa had gone home after the third day of Daddy's and my island vacation, which was to be expected. He did promise to come back another time and I said I'd go visit him soon, too.

And moments after Daddy had kissed me and set me down after we'd arrived home, Ambrose had stolen my lips and my attention for a short while for both feeding and affection. I was more than happy to provide.

So now it had been about about forty-five minutes after Daddy and I had landed on the back lawn inside the barrier. Matteo was rubbing his head on mine, sniffing and kissing my ears. I smiled tiredly and pressed gentle kisses to his left shoulder.

"Master," murmured Matteo, and I turned my head to press my nose against his left collarbone. "Are you sleepy?"

"Mm, a bit."

"Which room are you wanted at?"

I giggled and Matteo squeezed my body tighter. "Well, Briar asked for me first. But I do want to cuddle with you later, Mattie."

I leaned back and cupped his bearded cheeks, then firmly kissed his lips. Matteo's navy-blue eyes brightened, then immediately darkened when I gently licked his tongue.

"Master, are you aware of what you're doing to me?"

I cocked my head and my tail lifted, and Matteo swallowed thickly when my mischievous grin appeared. I deepened the next kiss, pushing my hands into his dark waves. Matteo groaned and changed his grip ever so slightly, then I loosely draped my arms over his shoulders and sank into him.

"M-Master?"

My lips had dropped off Matteo's own, my skin tingling from his beard burn. "What is it, Mattie?" I asked softly, sliding my fingers along his nape and into his hair again.

My back arched and my tail swished against it. Matteo blushed when he noticed my sultry expression.

"Are you sure you want to get into this right now?" asked Matteo, glancing around the living room.

"Yes, is now the proper time for such things?" pressed Briar, then he chuckled when Matteo and I blushed a bit. "I'm teasing. I can take him to my room, Matteo."

Matteo pouted, but he smiled when I gave him a quick peck and a promise to uphold my word to spend time with him later. Then I was delivered into Briar's arms; his slimmer, more catlike frame emanating his predatory nature as he strode back to his room. I hugged his neck and eyed his tail swishing behind him.

"Is something bothering you, Bri?"

"Hmm?" hummed Briar, then patted my head. "I just want to spend time with you. Other than Russ, the others have had much more than me as of late."

He opened his door and shut it behind him, then my eyes were soaked in the greens and shades of black in his room. Briar set my butt on the bed and pushed open his drapes. Light flooded the dark room and I shielded my eyes for a moment.

"So," started Briar, plopping down on his bed next to me. I looked up at him curiously. He blushed and continued, "I wanted to talk about our outing."

I searched his face for a moment. "Are you really planning on taking me to the places you last saw your mother alive?"

Briar swallowed thickly and clenched his fingers into fists. "Y-yeah, I need to confront my past somehow. Those memories aren't hurting me so much anymore, but they are clinging to my mind. I feel like I need to approach them head on and deal with them directly."

I placed my hands on top of his own and pushed up, dragging myself into his lap. I curled partially in his lap and rested my right cheek on his corresponding knee. Briar chuckled and petted my head. I moved my tail closer and he put his left hand on it.

"You're so cute, Ann. But you've probably heard that enough times." he grumbled, pushing his right hand's fingers through my silvery heather waves.

I rolled onto my back and grinned up at him. "Not enough from you, Bri. And besides, I haven't told you how cute you are enough times yet."

His tail curled and rested on top of mine. I rolled to my left a bit more and pressed my nose into the side of his torso. Briar started to purr when I clutched onto his hoodie pocket. I giggled because of it, but then I relaxed as Briar began moving his hands all over my body. His larger hands were firm and smooth, making me shiver a bit when he massaged my inner thighs a bit with his thumbs.

"Bri, I've been kind of curious, but what do you do when you leave our home?"

Briar blinked, then he chuckled. "I went out for a meeting recently."

My ears perked. "You work, too? Just like Angel?"

My black jaguar Emerged grinned and curled down to press his lips to my forehead. "Yes, Ann. Although I'm not anywhere near Angel in terms of wealth and networks, I do have my own little place that I run." he said softly. "Alexandre helped me set it up. I owe him a lot, and eventually I will be able to repay his kindness and faith in me."

"Wow," I breathed, and my tail wiggled when Briar's ears flicked forward again. "As I thought, you really are amazing, Bri!"

"What made you think I was 'amazing' before?" he asked, and I sat up to cup his cheeks and kiss his face.

Briar's tanned skin flushed and his slim yet fluffy tail curled around mine. My wolf ears flicked when Briar's teeth pricked my jawline while my lips moved over his face. I curled my arms around his neck and happily hummed, nosing my cute man's black hair and his ears. Briar purred, the vibrations in his body causing me to snuggle closer while his arms wrapped around my waist.

"Aren't you going to tell me or are you stalling, Ann?" teased Briar, his happy grin making me blush.

"I'm not stalling! I am engaging in things that make us both really happy, y'know?" I asked with a giggle, then Briar's emerald-green eyes darkened and his pupils formed slits. "B-Bri?"

"Ann, you are the most adorable creature on this planet."

"What about dwarf bunnies? I feel bad about their breedings, but they're super cute. And chinchillas!" I exclaimed, then laughed when Briar sighed and kissed my head.

"You are so much cuter and sweeter than little animals, Ann. I really do want to gobble you up, too. From what I've heard, it sounds like you're quite a lewd little wolf now." he purred, slipping his fingers between my legs.

"Ngh!" I grunted, then mewled when his short claw-tipped nails slid underneath my shorts. "B-Bri—!"

"I'm really curious, Ann, about your 'natural lube'." he uttered a deeper, more seductive voice.

My face burned and my entire body flushed with heat. "O-okay, hang on—!" I squeaked, just as my back hit the bed and my legs were on either side of his hips.

Briar smirked at me, his eyes gleaming gold for a moment. "What is it?" he asked in a low croon.

"I had and still have many reasons to believe why you're amazing," I said quickly, reaching up to cup his cheeks.

Briar lowered his face into my hands and smiled happily. "Oh?" he murmured. "Do tell me. I'm very curious to know why my cute little Ann admires me."

The warmth in my cheeks returned again and Briar clearly couldn't resist his desire to kiss me right after the deep redness settled across my face. His tongue was slightly rough since he was so turned on, but I liked the feeling of its roughness scraping against my tongue and wherever else Briar chose to lick.

"Well?"

I whined under my breath when my shorts were removed and tossed away, my underwear following them shortly. Briar's nose twitched and he moved to hover over me like a cat ready to devour his prized feast. His hands pressed into the bed above my head and next to my chest; his catlike, lithe musculature making him appear even more like his black jaguar side. Briar smirked at me when he noticed my sudden influx of arousal.

I decided on trying to distract myself while Briar teased my sensitive skin. Before I could even speak, his thumbs were rubbing my nipples. Any coherent thought left me and I stretched out, arching my back and moaning. Briar purred his pleasure, curling down to bite my shoulder and lick any areas he decided needed attention.

When I regained my wits, I finally answered: "U-um, I love and admire your patience, your kindness, your naughtiness and roughness, your sense of style, your blushes when I say stuff to you, and I really love it when your tail curls around mine. I admire your strength and perseverance, especially because you've already done so much with your life despite the hardships, the trauma, and the pain life and bad people dealt to you. I really am amazed and in awe of you, Briar."

I pressed my lips to his own before he could say something, then added with a grin, "Oh, and don't think that's all I love and adore about you too, Bri. There's so much more!"

Briar nodded and sniffled, laying down on top of me. I hugged his head and shoulders, gently kissing his crown. Briar snuggled closer and relaxed with a soft sigh. He nuzzled my chest and I bit back my noise of arousal, then nosed Briar's pitch-black hair.

"What was it you wanted my opinion on?" I asked quietly, and Briar hummed.

"It was to do with patterns and colors. We'll talk about that later, Ann. For now, I just want to be spoiled for a while."

I giggled happily and kissed his head. "Absolutely, Bri! I love you."

"I love you too, Ann, my beautiful little wolf." he murmured under his breath, curling tighter and hugging me closer with his left arm. I cuddled his head and kissed it once more before we had our nap.

@GayChristmas