"Leashed by the Deer"

Chapter 1: Beginning

Solar had been lonely for a long time.

He lived in a small apartment on the edge of the city, the kind with thin walls and a window that never quite closed right. Most evenings he stayed curled on the couch in an oversized hoodie, white femboy socks pulled up to his calves, tail wrapped around himself like a blanket. The scars on his hips - pale reminders of the wild forest he had left behind years ago - stayed hidden under soft fabric. As a feline Omega, his scent was naturally soft and sweet, but he kept it carefully muted with suppressants. He rarely let anyone close enough to notice it.

He had tried dating apps before. The conversations always died after a few messages. Most Alphas wanted someone louder, bolder, less nervous. Someone who didn't get flustered just from a compliment or the faintest trace of dominant scent.
One quiet Thursday night, after too much time spent staring at the ceiling, Solar opened the app again. He updated his photos: one in the grey hoodie, one with the hood down so his black-and-white fur and blue eyes were clear, and one careful mirror picture that showed the white socks. In the bio he wrote the truth, even though it made his ears burn.

18. Feline Omega. Femboy. Panromantic. Mostly bottom. Looking for a patient Alpha.

He almost deleted it three times before hitting save.
Across the city, Ren sat on his own couch with a half-finished cappuccino cooling on the table. The deer Alpha scrolled with the same calm expression he wore most of the time. His own scent - warm, woody, and quietly commanding - was naturally restrained, but it still carried the weight of someone used to being in control. He wasn't desperate. He simply knew what he liked: soft Omegas, a little shy, the kind who needed someone steady to hold the leash - literally or not.

When Solar's profile appeared, Ren stopped scrolling.
Cute. Nervous-looking. Honest bio. The white socks in the last photo made the corner of his mouth lift. Even through the screen he could almost imagine the soft feline Omega scent that would cling to that fur.

He sent the first message.

Ren: Those socks are dangerous.
Ren: I'm Ren. 18. Deer Alpha. I prefer to take the lead, but I like going slow when it matters. Want to grab a cappuccino sometime?

Solar's phone buzzed. He stared at the screen for a full minute, heart thumping, before he typed back with slightly shaking paws. Even the words "Deer Alpha" made something low in his stomach twist.

Solar: Hi... I'm Solar.
Solar: Cappuccino sounds nice. I'm free this weekend if you are?

Ren's reply came less than a minute later.
Ren: Saturday. 3 pm. I'll find a quiet place.
Ren: Looking forward to meeting you, Solar.

Solar locked his phone and pressed it against his chest, ears still hot, tail flicking against the couch cushions. His suppressants suddenly felt a little too light.

He didn't know it yet, but the Alpha on the other side of the screen already planned to keep him.