Chapter Text
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Winter’s Return
Claudia didn’t ask Cloud to speak.
No one had.
She brought him inside with one arm around his shoulders and settled him into the old armchair before making quick work of lighting the hearth.
Her boy had been caught in a storm without so much as a shirt. That stranger-alpha could have claimed him, or worse.
Gods above, she could’ve lost him.
And the General, he’d been like Odin’s storm, barely held back. Fear, anger, and possessiveness had rolled from him so fiercely that she had been relieved when he walked away, even after seeing what it did to Cloud.
Her eyes found her son again. His scent had vanished beneath winter rain that did not belong to Sephiroth, and his gaze remained fixed on the floor.
He was too quiet.
Oh, Stormcloud.
“Let’s get you warmed up, all right?”
Cloud nodded once, water dripping from his hair.
“Wait here, sweetheart. I’ll bring you a towel and something warm to wear.”
Cloud remained in the armchair where his alpha had slept. It was the same chair Sephiroth had occupied when Cloud stood between his knees and kissed him. The memory made his eyes burn because now he’d ruined everything.
His alpha had walked away.
Sephiroth couldn’t bear the stranger’s scent on Cloud’s skin.
He couldn’t bear Cloud.
Wrong.
Cloud stared into the flames and listened for some sign of his omega, a push behind his ribs, even just the faintest whisper but nothing answered.
Only silence.
~
Genesis gripped Claudia’s porch railing until the damp wood creaked beneath his hand.
The rain had softened into mist, though winter rain still flooded the path towards the inn, harsh with ozone and mako.
Sephiroth’s alpha had surfaced.
He’d believed their little bird claimed by another. Fear had turned to anger, then gave way to possession.
Cloud’s omega had seen only rejection.
“Genesis?”
A broad hand settled upon his shoulder.
“Yes, beloved?”
Angeal moved beside him, his eyes still mako-bright. Behind them, Zack paced, repeatedly pushing his hands through his rain-damp hair.
“He hasn’t looked at any of us,” Zack said. “I can’t even find his scent, Gen. It’s like he disappeared.”
Apple and cinnamon curled around him, softening the edges of his distress.
“Calm yourself, love. Cloud needs your comfort, not your panic.”
Zack swallowed and stopped pacing, though restless energy still rolled from him.
Angeal followed Genesis’ gaze towards the path Sephiroth had taken. “No, Gen.”
Genesis pressed his lips together. “I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.” Angeal kept his hand on Genesis’ shoulder. “Not while Seph’s alpha is like this. You could get hurt.”
“I am his bonded omega.”
“I know.”
“Then remove your hand, Ange.”
Angeal didn’t. He wasn’t restraining Genesis, only holding on because he couldn’t stand to see another packmate hurt tonight.
Genesis’ expression softened, gloved fingers brushing Angeal’s cheek.
“You know I can help him.”
“I know. But right now, he is fear with teeth.”
“Which is why he cannot be allowed near Cloud.” Genesis met his eyes. “Our little bird has endured enough cruelty from alphas. He will not be made responsible for soothing one while his own omega is hiding.”
Angeal’s mouth trembled.
Gods, he knew.
“Stay with Cloud,” Genesis said gently, stepping away. “Comfort him where he allows it but let Claudia reach him first. He needs his mother.”
“Hang on.” Zack moved after him. “I’ll come with you.”
“No, Puppy. Our silver general will only see another alpha as a challenge.”
Zack stared towards the inn. Winter rain still carried through the air.
“I will return when Sephiroth is safe around Cloud.”
Genesis crossed the road through the mist. By the time he reached the inn, he’d already unfastened his red leather coat.
He pushed open the door and somewhere above, the floorboards creaked.
Genesis lifted his chin.
“Sephiroth,” he called, voice silk over steel.
The floorboards fell silent, and winter rain stilled. Genesis smiled too brightly as he shrugged off his coat. Climbing the stairs, he undid the first buttons of his shirt, revealing the pale line of his throat and the faded mark left by his alpha. The room upstairs was unlocked. That alone told him enough. Sephiroth stood near the far wall with one hand braced against the plaster, silver hair loose over his shoulders. His coat lay across the dressing chair, one black glove torn where it had fallen to the floor.
Genesis stepped inside and closed the door.
Sephiroth didn’t turn. “You should not have come.”
“No, love,” Genesis said softly, unfastening another button. “I really think I should.”
Sephiroth looked at him, pupils blown wide, mako bright around their edges. His alpha still saw Vincent’s hands on Cloud and another alpha too close to his throat. Genesis undid the final button. The fabric parted over his chest, and Sephiroth’s eyes found the mark at his throat.
Mark.
Mate.
Mine.
“Do not,” Sephiroth warned.
Genesis gave him a humourless smile. “I am not Cloud.”
Sephiroth flinched.
Good.
“I need to see him. I need to know he is safe.”
“You will not go to him like this. You will not make a frightened omega teach your alpha restraint while he is still trying to understand why you left.”
Sephiroth headed for the door, but Genesis blocked his path.
“Move.”
“No.”
Sephiroth’s alpha stopped seeing his mate and saw only an obstacle.
A thrill ran down Genesis’ spine.
Not fear.
He had always enjoyed the fight and the chase. Their earliest days had been filled with fire and steel, long before Sephiroth learned Genesis would never bow easily.
Sephiroth moved too quickly for Genesis to react. One hand caught him at the waist while the other struck the door beside his head. He hit the wood with a satisfying thud as winter rain filled the space between them.
“Alpha,” Genesis breathed, tipping back his head.
Sephiroth’s eyes returned to the exposed edge of his bond mark.
“Genesis.”
“I am choosing this.”
Sephiroth met his eyes. His hand trembled at Genesis’ waist before moving with careful restraint. It was the language they had always shared, built on trust and consent. He eased Genesis’ shirt from one shoulder, then the other until apple and cinnamon filled the space between them. His palm came to rest over Genesis’ sternum, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing.
Through touch, he remembered.
Genesis went still as Sephiroth’s thumb brushed the fading bond mark, and a quiet sound escaped him. When Sephiroth’s control wavered, Genesis cupped his face.
“With me,” he whispered. “Stay here.”
The bond held him there. Sephiroth lowered his forehead to Genesis’ throat. His mouth found the old mark, and warmth bloomed beneath Genesis’ skin as the bond stirred awake. His teeth pressed against it, not deeply enough to break the skin. Genesis slid one hand into Sephiroth’s hair and kept him close.
Sephiroth wasn’t Hojo’s experiment, nor was he a monster defined by Vincent, Lucrecia, or his instincts.
He was Sephiroth.
His alpha.
His lover.
“Breathe, beloved.”
Sephiroth drew one breath, then another, while winter rain softened around them.
For now, that was enough.
~#~
Claudia placed a folded set of clean clothes into Cloud’s hands.
He recognised her old cardigan immediately. Her familiar scent threaded through every garment, warm and comforting.
“Thank you, Mama.”
“I’ll make some tea,” she said with more kindness than he deserved. “Then I think some soup is in order.”
Cloud nodded, not trusting his voice. The front door closed behind them, followed by heavy boots in the hallway.
Panic hit him. He didn’t want them to see him like this.
“Bathroom,” he murmured.
“Stormcloud?”
“I need to change.”
Clutching the clothes against his chest, Cloud kept his gaze lowered as he passed Angeal and Zack. He didn’t see Zack’s pale face or Angeal’s hand twitch towards him.
The bathroom door clicked shut behind him. The room was small, with a basin cracked along one edge and no hot water. That had always been a luxury they couldn’t afford. He stood there in his wet clothes, Vincent’s scent still clinging to his skin. Then he kicked off his shoes and socks, peeled the soaked shirt from his body, and threw everything tainted into a pile on the floor. He soaked a washcloth in cold water, worked lavender soap into it, and scrubbed the wrong winter rain from his neck, jaw, shoulders, and wrists.
His skin reddened beneath the pressure, causing the bruises over his glands to throb, yet rain, dust, and the stale scent of the coffin still clung to him.
Alpha.
A broken sound escaped Cloud as he scrubbed harder.
A knock came at the door.
“Cloud.”
Angeal.
He opened his mouth, but the answer wouldn’t come. When the silence stretched too long, the handle turned.
“Cloud,” Angeal said, keeping his voice steady. “I need you to answer me.”
Cloud backed away.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine.”
“I’m fine.” Cloud dragged the cloth across his throat until it burned.
“Cloud, you’re hurting yourself. I’m going to open the door, but I won’t touch you.”
“No, don’t. Please.”
Angeal was silent for a moment, then spoke quietly. “Pup, you’re hurting yourself.”
Cloud looked properly at his reflection. His skin was raw, dark bruises rising beneath the angry marks left by the cloth.
“I’m not.”
The lock clicked as Angeal eased the door open. Cloud grabbed the nearest towel and held it across his chest. He wasn’t trying to hide the bruises. He just needed something between himself and another alpha. Vincent had already put his hands on him. He couldn’t let Angeal think he welcomed that from anyone.
Angeal stopped in the doorway. His gaze swept briefly over the wet clothing, the raw skin at Cloud’s throat, and the bruising reflected in the mirror.
Then he looked towards the wall.
He understood.
Cloud wasn’t concealing the damage.
He was asking not to be looked at.
“I know, pup,” Angeal said softly. “I know you’re not.”
Cloud tightened his grip on the towel.
“I was trying to get the scent off. I don’t want it there.”
“Vincent’s?”
Cloud nodded.
“All right.”
Angeal didn’t move closer or reach for him as Cloud had reached for him in the kitchen during the storm. Cedar and warm bread didn’t wrap around him, though some desperate part of him wanted that comfort badly enough to ache.
Of course Angeal wouldn’t offer it now.
“The soap isn’t enough,” he whispered.
Angeal was still one of Cloud’s alphas.
Safe.
Pack.
“Can you…”
Cloud couldn’t make himself ask for his scent. His omega didn’t rise to help him.
Angeal remained by the door, neither guessing nor pushing. After a moment, he said, “I can heal the bruising.”
“No.” Cloud hadn’t meant for the refusal to sound so harsh, but the bruises were proof that he’d fought. “They’re nothing.”
“They are not nothing,” Angeal said. “But they belong to you, and you said no. I won’t heal them without your permission.”
That only made the hollow feeling worse. Angeal was trying to be careful, but Cloud didn’t know how to ask for what he needed.
Genesis would understand.
“Genesis.”
The name came out more desperate than he intended. Genesis was an omega. He knew how to comfort Cloud without making him feel weak or ashamed. After Rufus, when Sephiroth’s command had trapped Cloud within his own body, Genesis had been the one to release him. He’d scented Cloud until his omega rose instead of recoiling.
“Can Genesis come?” Cloud asked. “Please. I just need…”
He stopped when Angeal looked away. “Genesis isn’t here.”
Cloud went still, the towel slipping before he caught it.
“What?”
“He went after Sephiroth. Seph’s alpha had taken over, so Genesis went to calm him before he hurt himself or frightened you further.”
Cloud understood. Genesis was Sephiroth’s bonded mate, strong enough to face an apex and give him what he needed.
Cloud’s own omega had reached for Sephiroth and watched him walk away.
Genesis could help. Cloud only caused problems.
Of course he would choose their bond.
Something inside Cloud closed in on itself. “Oh,” he said faintly. “Okay.”
Angeal’s expression changed.
“Cloud.”
“No, that makes sense. I understand.”
“It’s not because he doesn’t want to be here.”
Cloud nodded. They all had their reasons.
Sephiroth had walked away, and Genesis had followed.
His eyes burned. Tears gathered despite his efforts to blink them away.
Humiliating.
“Okay,” he whispered.
Angeal took half a step forward before stopping himself. Cloud saw the hesitation and tightened his grip on the towel.
“Could I have some privacy, please?” The pile of wet clothes beside his feet still carried Vincent’s scent beneath the lavender soap. “I need to get dressed.”
Angeal swallowed.
“Of course.” He stepped into the hallway. “I’ll be right outside.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know,” he said. “I’ll be there anyway.”
He left the door slightly open so Cloud would not feel shut in.
Cloud turned towards the mirror.
His gaze moved over the cut at his throat, the bruising across his shoulder, and the fingerprints darkening the glands at his wrist.
Used.
Weak.
Wrong.
He drew the towel around himself, as though it could preserve what little dignity he had left. Cloud waited for the familiar pull beneath his ribs, for the instincts that wanted pack and Sephiroth. His omega didn’t answer. He reached for the clothes his mother had left and dressed slowly. The cardigan came last, its sleeves long enough to hide the bruises.
Mama’s scent anchored him.
It always had.
Her love was unconditional, but soon Midgar would take him from that too.
Cloud pulled the tie from his hair and let the damp strands fall around his face, hiding the mark at his throat.
Too pretty.
Too easy to hurt.
When Cloud stepped into the hallway, his gaze remained lowered.
Angeal’s expression broke, but Cloud didn’t see it. He moved aside to let him pass.
“Come and sit by the hearth,” Angeal said quietly. “You need to warm up.”
Cloud nodded once.
He followed without speaking, silent and obedient, while something inside him remained empty.
~#~
The hearth crackled softly while Cloud held a bowl of hot soup between both hands.
He’d chosen a place on the floor near the flames, far enough away not to disturb the others at the table but close enough for the woodsmoke to mask what remained of Vincent’s scent.
It felt safer there.
Angeal had placed a small blanket over his shoulders. Cedar and citrus clung to the fabric, offered either from pity or to keep him stable for the journey back to Midgar.
If Sephiroth still intended to keep him.
Gods.
Whenever Cloud closed his eyes, he saw mako-bright eyes filled with disgust.
Anger he could’ve endured. Sephiroth had every right to be angry after Cloud disobeyed him.
But disgust?
His alpha had walked away while Cloud’s omega reached for him. He didn’t deserve the comfort of the pack after what he’d done.
He lifted a spoonful of soup to his mouth. It was rich and hot, soothing the ache in his throat. Behind him, Angeal sat at the kitchen table with his attention fixed upon Cloud. Zack sat in the chair beside him, one foot tapping until Angeal rested a hand upon his thigh.
The tapping stopped.
Claudia watched them with a mother’s careful eye. The alphas were desperate to comfort her son, but neither knew whether their touch would be welcome. Every hesitation only encouraged Cloud to make himself smaller. His scent remained buried beneath the wrong winter rain.
Her Stormcloud believed the General had rejected him.
Cloud flinched at the knock, and Claudia rose before anyone else could move.
Winter rain met her at the door, calmer than before. Threaded through it was something warm and unmistakably sweet.
So she’d been right.
Genesis was an omega.
Only a trace of smoke remained.
Claudia released a quiet breath and opened the door.
Genesis stood on the porch without his usual smile. He looked calmer, and the quiet contentment of the renewed bond was clear in his expression.
Caught beneath Claudia’s gaze, he lifted his chin. “Ms Strife, I can ex—”
“Claudia,” she corrected. “You can come out of the rain and have some hot soup.”
Her gaze shifted to Sephiroth.
“Both of you.”
Genesis blinked. For once, even he seemed at a loss for words. Sephiroth remained still as Genesis stepped inside.
“Thank you,” Genesis said quietly.
Claudia’s respect for him deepened. Another omega had placed himself in danger to protect her son.
Sephiroth followed, every movement carefully controlled.
Claudia kept her voice low. “Thank you for walking away. You hurt him,” she said. “But it could have been worse.”
He lowered his head.
“Yes.”
Claudia nodded once and closed the door.
~
Cloud stayed on the floor, bowl cooling between his hands.
He’d scented them before Mama opened the door.
Winter rain.
His winter rain.
Perhaps not anymore.
Apple and cinnamon were woven through it, intimate in a way Cloud didn’t yet have the words to name. Genesis had brought Sephiroth back from the edge because he was his bonded mate.
Everything Cloud wasn’t.
Genesis appeared at the edge of the kitchen, watching him. A moment later, Sephiroth entered the sitting room. Cloud’s hands trembled as he set the bowl on the floor and kept his gaze fixed on the approaching boots.
“Cloud.”
At the sound of Sephiroth’s low voice, Cloud stood too quickly. The blanket slipped from his shoulders, taking its cedar, citrus, and warmth with it.
“Yes, sir?”
Winter rain recoiled, and the room fell silent. “Do not call me that.”
Cloud curled his fingers into the sleeves of his mother’s cardigan.
“I won’t go near the manor again.”
Sephiroth closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. “That is not why I came.”
“I’m sorry. I won’t go near it again. I won’t go anywhere.”
A wounded sound escaped Zack. Genesis shut his eyes.
“Cloud.” Sephiroth’s voice faltered. “Do not apologise for being afraid.”
“I’m not afraid.”
It was a lie.
Cloud was terrified Sephiroth would withdraw his protection and leave him to Rufus.
Or Hojo.
“My omega pulled me there,” Cloud said.
“To the manor?”
Cloud nodded. “At first, I decided not to go. I was going to turn back. Then something inside me seemed to know the way. It kept whispering.”
He couldn’t lift his eyes. “Kin. Find.”
No one spoke.
“I’m not using that as an excuse.”
“Cloud—”
“I knew where I was eventually,” he continued. “I knew I was inside the manor, and I knew you had told me not to go.”
Sephiroth’s alpha stirred.
Protect.
“I could have turned back then.” Cloud’s voice thinned. “I didn’t. So I was still wrong.”
At the table, Angeal folded his arms across his chest, fingers digging into his sleeves.
“I’m tired,” Cloud said, already retreating towards the hallway.
“Stormcloud,” Claudia called gently.
Cloud stepped around Sephiroth and passed Genesis. Apple and cinnamon brushed over him. He wanted to stop, bury his face against Genesis’ chest, and let another omega tell him what to do with all the wrongness beneath his skin.
But Genesis had already been needed elsewhere.
Cloud continued towards the bedroom and stopped with one hand on the doorframe.
“I’m sorry for putting the pack at risk,” he whispered. “And I’m sorry another alpha touched me.”
He drew an unsteady breath.
“I’m sorry you were disgusted.”
Winter rain burst through the house, cold and violent, before Sephiroth dragged it back under control.
“I tried to stop him,” Cloud said. “I wanted you to know that.”
He left the soup beside the hearth.
The blanket remained where it had fallen.
Cloud bowed his head and stepped into the bedroom, closing the door with a quiet click.
~#~
Dinner ended without Cloud, although no one ate much.
His bowl remained beside the hearth, the soup long cold. The scented blanket lay crumpled beside it, and his bedroom door stayed shut.
Not a sound came from behind it.
Zack stared down the hallway. “This is stupid.”
Angeal sighed. “Zack.”
“No.” Zack’s hands curled at his sides. “He’s in there thinking we don’t want him. He thinks Seph was disgusted, Gen chose Seph, and that I stood there and watched him walk away.”
The sweetness of Genesis’ scent gave way to smoke. Sephiroth remained near the hearth, his winter rain held so tightly in check that Claudia could barely detect it.
“He’s hurting,” Zack said. “And we’re doing nothing.”
Claudia crossed the room. “Sweetheart.”
Zack’s eyes widened. For an instant, he looked much younger.
“He needs space.”
“Claudia—”
“I know my Stormcloud. If you go to him frightened and guilty, he will try to soothe you. He will make himself smaller so you do not have to sit with what happened.”
Zack’s mouth closed.
“He has done it his entire life.” Her gaze shifted towards the bedroom door. “I will not allow anyone to ask that of him tonight. Not while he is apologising for being assaulted.”
The anger drained from Zack’s face. “I should have reached for him.”
“It will mean more if you are still here when he is ready to reach for you.”
Zack nodded and sat in the nearest chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Claudia turned towards Sephiroth, who remained near the hearth with the rigid posture of a soldier holding himself together through discipline alone.
Despite their rank and strength, they were all still painfully young.
“Sephiroth.”
He blinked slowly. It was the first time she had addressed him by name.
“Ms Strife.”
“Mend this with my son.” Her voice remained quiet.
Sephiroth swallowed. “I intend to.”
“He is eighteen and frightened by instincts he doesn’t understand. He learned far too young what it means to be vulnerable before an alpha.”
Claudia held his gaze. “I will not allow him to learn abandonment from you.”
A chair shifted behind them.
“I know what it is to be young and left alone,” she continued. “I know what silence becomes after someone walks away.”
“I left because I feared what I would do.”
“I know. I thanked you for it.” Her expression softened, though her voice kept its steel edge. “But Cloud doesn’t know that. All he knows is that he reached for you, and you turned away.”
Winter rain shuddered.
“Do not let him return to Midgar believing you rejected him.”
“I understand, Ms Strife.”
“It’s Claudia.”
Surprise briefly broke through his composure before he bowed his head.
“Claudia.”
The PHS in his pocket began to vibrate. Sephiroth checked the untraceable number, then answered on the third ring.
“Tseng.”
The Turk’s voice came through low and measured. “General. The President has requested direct contact.”
Every head turned.
“Now is not an ideal time.”
“I am aware. Before I connect you, I advise keeping this conversation strictly within the filed record.”
Sephiroth understood the warning.
“What has been reported?”
“There was an incident at Shinra Manor. Cloud Strife entered the property, and Vincent Valentine was discovered alive.”
“And?”
“Valentine has not agreed to cooperate with Shinra.”
“Tseng.”
“I am no longer alone on this line.”
A second voice entered, smooth and far too pleased with itself.
“General Sephiroth. I trust Nibelheim has been eventful.”
Claudia glanced towards the hallway. Cloud’s door remained closed.
Thank the gods.
“President,” Sephiroth said.
“A formal greeting. How ominous.”
“What do you want?”
Rufus laughed quietly. “Vincent Valentine is a liability if left uncontained.”
“He is already free.”
“So I have been informed.”
Angeal and Genesis exchanged a look.
“And Cloud Strife?” Rufus asked.
“What of him?”
“He is unharmed, I assume?”
Claudia’s hands curled into fists.
Unharmed. As though only injuries Shinra could document mattered.
“He is resting,” Sephiroth said.
“Valentine may possess information concerning Professor Hojo’s research, Lucrecia Crescent, and perhaps even Strife’s presentation.”
“Cloud is not a matter for discussion.”
“I disagree. He is a sponsored omega under Shinra protection.”
Genesis released a humourless laugh.
“His entering restricted property, discovering an undocumented former Turk, and returning marked by that individual presents complications.”
Claudia’s blood turned cold.
“I assume I need not remind you how many departments would find those complications interesting.”
Zack growled, but Angeal caught his arm. Genesis rose, apple and cinnamon spreading through the room.
“You will not threaten him,” Sephiroth said.
“I am explaining the consequences.”
“You are threatening my pack.”
“Only if Valentine refuses to cooperate.” Rufus’s voice softened. “If he returns voluntarily, the matter remains contained. A former Turk recovered. A classified asset secured. A young omega frightened after entering somewhere he should not have been.”
Claudia felt sick.
“And if Valentine refuses?” Sephiroth asked.
“Then I must examine why Cloud Strife was drawn to him at all. Whether there is a biological connection worth studying.”
The room went still.
“There was also an incident in the square. According to the official report, Mayor Lockhart simply lost his footing.” Rufus laughed softly. “Tseng has always known how to keep his reports concise. Research and Development, however, tends to take a greater interest in unexplained incidents.”
Sephiroth’s scent darkened, and his gaze snapped towards Cloud’s room.
“You will not send him to Hojo.”
“Then persuade Valentine.”
“He is not yours.”
“No,” Rufus said. “But Cloud Strife is under Shinra sponsorship, and unlike Valentine, he remains within my reach.”
Tears burned Claudia’s eyes as Genesis moved beside her, their shoulders touching.
“You have until fourteen hundred hours tomorrow to secure Valentine’s voluntary cooperation,” Rufus continued. “I would hate to make a spectacle of Nibelheim.”
“How generous,” Genesis muttered.
“Commander Rhapsodos. I wondered when you would grace me with your presence.”
“I prefer to enter once the threats have finished disguising themselves as policy.”
“Still dramatic, I see.”
“Still mistaking vulnerable omegas for bargaining pieces, I see.”
Rufus was silent.
Sephiroth glanced at Genesis, both warning and gratitude in his expression.
“You are very attached,” Rufus said at last.
“Yes, Rufus. That is generally the purpose of a pack.”
“Then secure Valentine’s cooperation before departure.”
“If he agrees?” Sephiroth asked.
“Cloud remains with his sponsors. Research and Development receives a heavily redacted report, and I continue pretending not to notice how crowded Ms Strife’s home has become.”
Angeal and Zack exchanged a grim look.
“I suggest you succeed, General.”
The line went dead.
Sephiroth held the PHS beside his ear before slowly lowering it.
“Then Vincent will cooperate,” he said.
Angeal and Zack rose without hesitation.
“He threatened my boy,” Claudia said, fury making her voice quiet. “No one else touches him. No one else hurts him.”
“You have my word.” Sephiroth bowed his head, both in respect and vow.
Behind his ribs, his alpha whispered.
Mine to protect.
~#~
No one returned to the inn to sleep that night.
The pack remained close to their youngest omega, settling into Claudia’s small sitting room.
Genesis rested in the armchair with his legs tucked beneath him and his eyes closed, though only a fool would’ve assumed he slept. Angeal and Zack lay among the cushions and blankets before the hearth. Zack slept restlessly with one hand gripping Angeal’s shirt, and Angeal held him closer whenever he stirred.
Sephiroth didn’t join them by the fire. He sat in the dark hallway beside Cloud’s bedroom door, his back against the plaster and one knee drawn towards his chest. From there, he could hear Cloud breathing.
Safe.
For now.
Sleep didn’t come.
Bringing Vincent Valentine to Midgar remained Sephiroth’s priority. He would not place his pack in further danger while the former Turk’s true strength remained unknown. The red eyes suggested Hojo’s interference.
No.
He would go alone.
Sephiroth rose only after the breathing in the sitting room had slowed. He paused beside Cloud’s closed door, every instinct urging him to enter and say what should have been spoken hours ago.
He had not been disgusted.
He had walked away because he feared what he might do.
Cloud had reached for him, and Sephiroth had stayed away long enough for restraint to feel like abandonment.
But the closed door was a boundary, and Claudia had warned him not to make Cloud carry his guilt. Sephiroth stepped away, collected his coat, and passed silently through the sitting room. Genesis didn’t open his eyes. Angeal’s breathing remained steady, while Zack slept with one hand tangled in his shirt.
Sephiroth left the house and disappeared into the cold.
Reno and Rude remained stationed nearby, ensuring no one approached Claudia’s home. Reno crossed Sephiroth’s path, a cigarette burning low between his fingers.
“Doin’ the whole solo act?”
“Yes.” Sephiroth didn’t slow. “See that nothing comes near Claudia’s house.”
“First-name basis, huh?” Reno smirked. “Guess ya growin’ on her.”
Sephiroth released a quiet huff that almost sounded like laughter.
“I will return by first light.”
“Got it. I’ll make sure Blondie stays out of trouble.”
Sephiroth fixed him with a look.
Reno raised both hands. “Respectfully. From a distance. I won’t touch the door, breathe too loudly, or look at him funny.” His expression sobered then. “He’s safe here, General.”
“See that he remains so.”
“Will do.”
Sephiroth turned towards the inn.
~
After retrieving Masamune, Sephiroth paused outside the ground-floor bedroom.
Cloud’s nest remained untouched, filled with the mingled scents of cedar, citrus, apple, cinnamon, winter rain, and the sweetness of berries.
Then he noticed the black leather gloves tucked beneath Cloud’s pillow, and his grip tightened around the sword.
He would not fail him again.
When he opened the front door, apple and cinnamon met him in the cold air.
“I thought dramatic exits were my particular talent, love.”
Genesis leaned against the exterior wall, mako-blue eyes fixed upon him.
“Genesis.”
“Sephiroth.”
“Return to the house. I am going to Vincent alone.”
“Yes,” Genesis said, his smile sharpening. “I gathered that from the sword, the brooding, and the complete absence of sensible decision-making.”
Sephiroth’s expression remained unchanged.
Genesis’ smile faded. “You are not returning to that house alone.”
“I will not place you in danger.”
Genesis pushed away from the wall. “I bonded myself to dangerous men. I am capable of protecting myself.”
“I have not forgotten.”
Genesis stepped closer. “You are not protecting me by leaving me behind. You are deciding which risks I am permitted to take for the people I love.”
Sephiroth looked away.
“Let me stand with you,” Genesis said softly.
Sephiroth was silent for a moment before he relented. “Stay behind me.”
Genesis arched a brow. “Try again.”
Sephiroth closed his eyes briefly. “Stay beside me.”
Genesis smiled, small and victorious.
“Better.”
~
The iron gate groaned as Sephiroth and Genesis entered the manor grounds.
The building stood beneath the vines, its upper windows dark.
“What will you do if Valentine refuses?” Genesis asked.
Sephiroth pushed open the heavy doors, sending dust through the entrance hall.
“If reason and force both fail, Rufus will learn the limits of his reach.”
“That sounds remarkably like treason.”
“Not treason,” Sephiroth said. “A promise.”
Their footsteps echoed down the spiral staircase. Vincent’s chamber door stood partially open, old winter rain thick with grief drifting through the gap. Sephiroth entered without knocking. Genesis remained beside him as they approached the coffin.
“Valentine.”
No answer came.
Genesis tilted his head. “Perhaps he finally committed to the role and died.”
The coffin lid shifted. Vincent rose slowly, torn crimson fabric falling around him, his black hair framing a pale face. His eyes found Sephiroth.
“No.”
“You do not know what I came to ask.”
“I know enough. Shinra wants me.”
“Yes.”
“And they sent you.”
Sephiroth stopped several feet away. “Rufus Shinra has ordered your return. Refusal carries consequences.”
“For you?”
“For Cloud.”
The air shifted.
“Explain.”
“If you refuse to come to Midgar, Cloud will be punished in your place. Rufus considers his disobedience useful only if it results in your cooperation.”
Sephiroth held his gaze. “If you agree, Cloud’s actions become an asset. If you refuse, he becomes the easiest person to make an example of.”
Water dripped somewhere in the darkness.
“And you allowed this,” Vincent said.
“I came to prevent it.”
Smoke crept into Genesis’ sweet scent, drawing Vincent’s attention.
“Choose your next words carefully,” Genesis said.
Recognition crossed Vincent’s face. “Omega.”
Sephiroth moved between Genesis and the golden claw at the other alpha’s side.
“The scent on him is yours,” Vincent said.
“Yes.”
“You are bonded.”
“Yes.”
“And yet you intend to bond the younger omega as well.”
Genesis leaned around Sephiroth’s shoulder. “Bold judgement from an alpha who has spent decades napping in a coffin.”
Vincent ignored him. “One omega already carries your mark, and now you would place another beneath your protection.”
“My protection is not diminished by being shared.”
“No?”
“No.”
Vincent regarded him with the severity of an interrogator. “Dividing your protection does not make you devoted. It makes you careless.”
Genesis opened his mouth, but Vincent continued.
“And you still failed to stop the younger omega from entering this house alone.”
Winter rain surged through the chamber, and Genesis saw Sephiroth’s control falter.
“Cloud’s instincts drew him here,” Sephiroth said. “His omega told him to seek kin. Something in him recognised your scent because it resembles mine.”
“That does not excuse the danger.”
“No. It explains it.”
Something in Vincent’s expression softened. “That does not make me safe.”
“No,” Sephiroth said. “It makes you necessary.”
“Shinra always knew where to apply pressure.” Vincent lowered his gaze. “I will not return. I have no intention of being displayed in Midgar or spending the rest of my life restrained in another laboratory.”
Genesis’ expression hardened. “And Cloud?” Vincent didn’t answer so Genesis stepped forward. “Cloud is eighteen and newly presented. He has spent his life surviving the consequences of choices made by other people. Now you would make him bear yours.”
“The boy should never have entered this house.”
“No. He should never have been made the price of your refusal.”
Neither omega nor alpha looked away.
“I will not return,” Vincent repeated.
Sephiroth’s alpha prowled behind his ribs.
Kin.
Betrayal.
Wrong.
Sephiroth tightened his grip on Masamune, and Genesis placed a hand over his.
Not like this.
Sephiroth forced his grip to loosen.
Vincent owed him nothing. He was not Sephiroth’s father by blood, and Hojo had denied Sephiroth family, loyalty, and choice.
Still, the ache beneath his ribs refused to quiet.
He inclined his head. “Then I have my answer.”
Genesis turned sharply.
“Sephiroth—”
“No. He has refused.”
Vincent watched in silence as Sephiroth walked to the door. He paused at the threshold without looking back.
“Hojo is alive. If Rufus attempts to surrender Cloud to him, I will become unreasonable.”
The chamber fell silent.
“When Cloud is safe, I will return.”
Sephiroth glanced over his shoulder, mako meeting crimson.
“Then we will discover whether you truly are my kin.”
Genesis studied Vincent for a moment, then followed Sephiroth from the chamber without another word.
Their footsteps echoed up the spiral staircase. Failure settled beneath Sephiroth’s ribs and the certainty that Rufus would not accept them empty-handed.
~#~
Cloud arrived at the inn with his mama beside him just after first light.
He’d woken to find the house empty.
After disobeying Sephiroth and returning marked by another alpha, the pack had no reason to remain crowded into Claudia’s sitting room.
Sephiroth had already walked away.
It made sense that the others would follow.
Claudia noticed Cloud’s hand clench and took it without comment as they crossed the road.
Inside the inn, warmth carried the scents of toast, eggs, and coffee. Angeal sat at the table with both hands around an untouched mug, while Zack’s foot tapped beneath it.
Cloud noticed the abandoned coffee and the strain beneath cedar and citrus.
Something was wrong.
He lowered his gaze before either alpha caught him watching. All he had to do was eat and pack his duffel without causing anymore trouble.
Zack looked up first, his smile too bright despite the relief in his eyes.
“Morning, Cloudy.”
“Morning, Zack.”
Cloud gave him a small smile.
Angeal set a plate before the empty chair beside him. “Sit. Breakfast first.”
Cloud obeyed. He reached for a slice of toast, grateful for something to do with his hands. As long as he focused on buttering the bread, he didn’t have to meet Zack’s eyes or Angeal’s gaze.
The absence of winter rain and apple cinnamon was harder to ignore.
Cloud lowered the toast. “Where are Sephiroth and Genesis?”
Zack’s fork clattered against his plate as Angeal exchanged a glance with Claudia.
“We believe they returned to the manor before dawn to speak with Vincent.”
“Why?”
“Rufus called last night,” Angeal said. “He ordered Sephiroth to bring Vincent back to Midgar.”
“And made it clear there would be consequences if Vincent refused,” Zack added.
Consequences.
Cloud knew what that word meant when Rufus Shinra used it.
“You’re worried about Vincent’s answer.” Cloud looked between them. “Not because of what will happen to Vincent.”
Their silence was answer enough, and his heart sank. “It’s because of me.”
He’d entered Shinra Manor after being ordered to stay away. He’d given Rufus exactly the leverage he needed.
“I should finish packing.”
“Cloud,” Claudia said softly.
“It’s all right.” He stood and forced a smile that convinced no one. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”
Zack pushed back his chair. “Cloud—”
Cloud had already left the table, his toast untouched.
~
The ground-floor room remained exactly as he’d left it.
The nest held the scents of pack and Mama. His sketchbook rested upon the side table, and his duffel lay open beside the blankets.
Cloud began with the borrowed clothing, folding each garment with military precision.
His hand paused beneath the pillow.
Sephiroth’s gloves were still there.
Cloud held the black leather between his fingers before placing them carefully on top of the folded clothes.
He would return everything before they left.
None of it belonged to him.
Maybe not even the home waiting in Midgar.
He changed into loose jeans and a sweater that concealed his glands. When he lifted his gaze towards the vanity mirror, a stranger looked back.
Soft features.
Wide blue eyes.
Golden hair pulled into the short ponytail.
Too soft.
Too pretty.
Brian had looked at him and found something to punish. Vincent had found someone he could pin against a wall.
Sephiroth had looked at him and walked away.
Perhaps the problem had never been the alphas.
Perhaps it had always been him.
Cloud opened the drawer and found a sewing kit tucked near the back. Beside the thread and needles lay a pair of scissors.
The metal was cold against his fingers.
The ponytail made him look fragile, like someone who needed protection or invited danger simply by being seen. Cloud gathered it in one hand and pulled it taut. The scissors caught at first, then cut through. Pale strands fell onto the dresser.
Another cut freed the ponytail, leaving the ends uneven against his neck.
Cloud stared at his reflection.
Less soft.
Less pretty.
Maybe less omega.
Raised voices sounded from the front of the inn.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Zack demanded.
“You should have woken us,” Angeal added.
“I made that point before we reached the gate,” Genesis answered dryly.
“And?” Zack asked.
No one replied.
He knew Vincent had refused. He placed the scissors on the dresser as heavy footsteps crossed the inn. Winter rain followed them and stopped outside his door.
“Cloud,” Sephiroth said. “May I come in?”
Cloud glanced at the jagged ends of his hair and the strands concealing the mark at his throat.
“Yes.”
Sephiroth entered, his gaze going first to Cloud before settling on the hair, scissors, and severed ponytail scattered across the dresser.
Winter rain faltered but Sephiroth said nothing.
Cloud was grateful for that much. “Vincent refused?”
“Yes.”
Cloud nodded and turned towards the duffel. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologise for.”
“I disobeyed you.”
“Cloud—”
“You told me not to go near the manor.” He refolded an already-neat shirt. “I went anyway. Rufus knows, and now Vincent has refused.”
“Vincent refused because he will not surrender himself to Shinra.”
Cloud smoothed the same crease beneath trembling fingers.
“What happens now?”
“I will answer Rufus.”
“Will they take me when we return to Midgar?”
Winter rain went still.
“I’d rather know before we leave,” Cloud continued. “Then I can say goodbye to Mama properly.” His gaze shifted towards Sephiroth’s gloves. “And return your things.”
“Who do you believe will take you?”
Cloud swallowed. “Research and Development.”
Sephiroth crossed half the room before forcing himself to stop but Cloud flinched anyway.
“No,” Sephiroth said.
“Rufus said there would be consequences.”
“He threatened you to secure my obedience.”
“And you couldn’t make Vincent agree.”
“No.”
Cloud’s hands shook. “Then Rufus will revoke the sponsorship, and Hojo will—”
Grief crossed Sephiroth’s face.
“You believe I would surrender you to Hojo.”
Cloud looked away. “I don’t know what you’re going to do. You walked away and looked at me like I was…”
He couldn’t finish.
“I understand if you don’t want the bond anymore. Genesis knows how to help you. I don’t.”
“Cloud.”
“If you keep me, I can stay out of your way until after my heat. After that, you can tell me where I should go.”
“I will not surrender you to anyone.” Sephiroth held Cloud’s gaze. “Your place in this pack will not be revoked. Your sponsorship may carry Shinra’s seal, but your place with us does not depend on it.”
Cloud’s eyes burned.
“I still desire the bond,” Sephiroth said. “If you still choose it.”
Behind Cloud’s ribs, his omega stirred.
Not yet awake.
Listening.
Cloud wanted desperately to believe him, but the older, wrong winter rain still clung to his skin. “Can you make it go away?”
“The pain?”
“The scent. I scrubbed until my skin hurt, but it’s still there.”
Sephiroth hesitated, and Cloud mistook the silence. Heat rushed into his face.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said quickly. “I know you don’t want that with me anymore.”
“Cloud.”
“I only meant your scent makes me feel safe.” His throat tightened. “Made me feel safe.”
Cloud lowered his gaze.
Something in Sephiroth broke.
“May I come closer?”
“…Yes.”
Sephiroth approached until he stood within arm’s reach, his winter rain settling between them.
“May I touch you?”
Cloud nodded.
Sephiroth rested his fingers against the sleeve of his sweater. Warmth seeped through the fabric, raising goosebumps along Cloud’s arm and drawing a sharp breath from him.
“Does that hurt?”
“No. It only…”
“I will stop whenever you ask.”
Sephiroth’s hand travelled slowly along his arm, avoiding the bruised glands and never reaching for his throat. Winter rain washed gently against the edges of the older scent.
He saw the bruises and resisted the urge to heal them.
That choice belonged to Cloud.
Cloud leaned forward before he could stop himself and rested his forehead against Sephiroth’s chest. “Why did you leave?” He whispered.
Sephiroth’s hand settled carefully against the back of his head. “I saw Vincent’s hands on you and his scent covering yours. My alpha believed you had been claimed.”
Cloud’s fingers curled into his coat.
“For a moment, I thought I had reached you too late.” His hand drifted gently through Cloud’s shortened hair. “I wanted to take you away from him, cover every trace of his scent, and mark you so no one could ever mistake where you belonged. That is why I left.”
“Because you wanted me?”
“You needed safety. My alpha wanted possession.”
Cloud’s omega stirred again. “I thought you were dis—”
“Nothing about you could ever disgust me.” Sephiroth’s voice was low and certain. “I left because I was afraid I might make it worse.”
“Can you make the rest go away?”
“Yes,” Sephiroth whispered. “If you’ll let me.”
Cloud nodded. Sephiroth lowered his face to his hair and breathed him in as winter rain settled gently around them.
He sagged against Sephiroth’s chest, and an arm came around his waist, holding him exactly where he had chosen to be. Cloud buried his face against Sephiroth’s throat and breathed until the older scent began to fade.
Safe.
Wanted.
Chosen.
Winter rain belonged to winter again.
~#~
Only a few hours remained before Rufus demanded an answer.
No one needed to say it aloud.
Angeal checked and rechecked their supplies while Zack paced between the dining room and the common room. Claudia sat beside Genesis near the hearth, where the glow of the fire softened his features. Cloud eventually emerged from the ground-floor room with his duffel in hand and Sephiroth’s winter rain resting softly around him. Genesis smiled, but the expression faltered when he noticed Cloud’s uneven hair. He crossed the room and gently touched the jagged ends near his nape while Cloud stood still.
“I can neaten the back later, if you wish.”
Genesis’ hand moved from Cloud’s hair to his cheek, and Cloud leaned into the touch as their eyes met.
“All right.”
Claudia’s heart ached.
Cloud had cut away his hair to punish himself, but Genesis’ gentleness had spared him further embarrassment or shame. Omega to omega, he understood what Cloud needed.
Sephiroth had also done as Claudia asked. Cloud’s scent remained quiet and guarded, but he no longer believed Sephiroth had rejected him.
Claudia decided she liked Sephiroth a little more.
Only a little.
Reno’s voice carried from outside the inn.
“General!”
Sephiroth was on his feet before the second call. Even through the closed door, he could detect old winter rain.
“We’ve got company!”
Cloud moved towards the door, but Sephiroth turned to him.
“Stay here until I know why he has come.”
The words were firm, but Sephiroth held his gaze and waited rather than commanding him. Cloud’s omega recognised the difference.
He nodded.
Some of the tension eased from Sephiroth’s expression before he followed the others towards the entrance.
Claudia stopped beside Cloud. “Stay where you can see us, sweetheart. No hiding.”
“Yes, Mama.”
The front door opened, allowing cold air into the inn. Beyond the porch, cigarette smoke mixed with damp earth and old winter rain.
Vincent Valentine stood near the water tower, his red cloak shifting in the breeze.
Reno remained several feet away, a forgotten cigarette between his fingers. Rude stood nearby, one hand hovering near his weapon.
Sephiroth descended to the foot of the porch. Masamune remained sheathed, though within reach.
“You refused.”
Vincent’s crimson eyes met his. “I did.”
“Then why are you here?”
Vincent looked beyond Sephiroth towards the inn doorway.
Towards Cloud.
Zack stepped immediately into his line of sight.
“I did not come to harm him,” Vincent said.
“How reassuring,” Genesis replied.
Claudia moved in front of Cloud as well. She would not allow the alpha near her son, particularly while her rifle remained at home.
Vincent’s gaze lingered upon her before returning to Sephiroth.
“I will return to Midgar.”
“Under what terms?”
“My own.”
“Rufus will insist.”
“Rufus Shinra may insist upon many things. Whether he receives them is another matter.”
Genesis lifted a brow in approval.
Vincent looked towards the doorway, where Cloud watched with wide blue eyes beneath Sephiroth’s winter rain.
“I will go for the boy,” he said. “And because I have unfinished business in Midgar.”
Sephiroth’s attention fixed on him. “With Hojo?”
Vincent’s eyes turned cold. “Yes.”
Reno cleared his throat. “So you’re volunteering to return to the place where they’ll probably try to imprison or dissect ya?”
“I was a Turk long before you were born.”
Reno blinked. “Ouch. Yeah, you’ll fit right in.”
He approached and stopped beside Sephiroth, his red eyes settling on Cloud.
“I have been dead long enough.”