Valko watched with a hard gaze as Ylva cut through the water, her body disappearing beneath the black glass. He felt a swell in his chest as she rose from beneath the gentle waves of the river, her hair damp, sleek, and dark, slicked back like ribbons of shiny silk. He was grateful his scent was swallowed by the river; he imagined his interest bled from his pores in a heady musk, strong and unmistakable.<i>She's been through enough</i>, he thought, frowning slightly.<i>Think of her. Not the hunger. </i>The beast inside of him growled in protest, eager to get closer, to smell her again. “I'm glad you are pleased,” he offered in response, his tone genuine yet measured. He worried if he let his mouth open too wide somehow it would find her throat, and this wild yearning both excited and unnerved the young alpha.<br/><br/>Her words fell on his ears gently, though he couldn't decide if she was offering an explanation or a warning. Valko's experience with alpha females was limited. There were none in his pack after the passing his of mother, and he'd kept his sexual dalliances to females who simply smelled nice and ached for the opportunity to provide him with pups, though he did not give them much opportunity. The alpha had little desire to father any bastard children and had yet to finish a single one of his sexual encounters the proper way, leaving many she-wolves satisfied by his vigorous lovemaking but disappointed at the anti-climactic results.<br/><br/>Valko hardly knew what he wanted now, other than to taste the freshness of Ylva's skin as the filth sloughed off of her. “I will not require you to bow to me,” he replied, slowly moving through the water, closing the distance between them. He stared at her intently, following the delicate curve of her shoulders as they disappeared beneath the surface of the water. “An alpha who demands subservience from his pack without merit is not one worthy of the title. I'm sure this is another nuance of leadership<i>Alpha Antony</i>fails to comprehend.” Valko had spit the damned wolf's name out as if it were laced with poison, bitter and unpleasant on the tongue. He breathed in deeply, finding comfort in the easy nature of the river as it continued to push the two wolves closer together.<br/><br/>“I can assure you, Ylva, if you chose to bow to me it will be because you want it, not because I make you. I don't force my females down on their knees.” He was close enough to touch her now, to reach out beneath the water and find the smooth skin. The lean alpha towered over her, but as he caught her eyes he did not feel as though he were looking down at her, but rather that he was falling into the gaze of an entity as powerful and willful as himself. This sense of equality called to him, intrigued him, and he wondered if meeting all unmated alpha females would elicit such a feeling of raw need inside him or if it was just<i>her</i>. Just Ylva.<br/><br/>“I... I am glad you'll stay,” he said gently, shivering lightly as the cool breeze kissed his wet skin. “You're arrival was unexpected, so I do not have a proper home prepared for you but I'm sure one of my she-wolves would be happy to take you in until we have something ready.” He paused, clearing his throat before offering a second solution. “You're also welcome to stay with me, if you like. As a mateless alpha I have more room than I know what to do with.”