Sold to the Yiling Patriarch ✔️(a Yizhan Omegaverse AU Fanfic)

Lesson 15: Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

At the higher altitude, snowflakes dotted the air and swirled around the entrance to the cave Zhan had teleported them into.

Yibo looked around to get his bearings and saw that this wasn't just any cave. Behind them, the floor was covered with a rug, and there were pillows and books scattered around.

"You come here a lot?" he asked.

"Not a lot," Zhan said. "But it's the only place I have that no one else knows about. I tend to come here more when the moon is full and I feel the need to be outside." He stepped away and put some distance between them. "Can you shift?"

Yibo closed his eyes and inhaled the cold, damp air. Inside, his wolf was ready. "I can," he said. Then he realized he'd never seen Zhan's wolf form. "You first?"

Zhan nodded, stripped, and the next instant, Yibo found himself staring at a magnificent, enormous, black and silver wolf. It's red eyes and rippling musculature made its alpha status apparent.

"Wow," he said. "You're beautiful."

Zhan's wolf sat down on its haunches and tilted its head as if puzzled. 

Yibo smiled and walked over to caress his head. "It's true. You're magnificent." 

Zhan nuzzled against his hand and then rubbed his head against Yibo's chest. 

"Okay, let's go," Yibo said, stepping back and shifting into his own wolf form.

He let Zhan lead the way, and they ran for hours through the cold and the snow, chasing birds, deer, each other, and generally doing nothing except enjoying the forest and the moonlight.

***

Hours later, they returned to the cave, both still in their wolf forms. Zhan quickly switched back and slipped his dark jeans on. 

"Stay here," he said. "I'll get some wood for a fire. You'll be warmer if you don't shift yet."

Yibo lay down and waited, feeling strange lying on a rug while still in his wolf form.

He must have drowsed because when he opened his eyes there was a small fire lit near the mouth of the cave, the moon was high in the sky, and Zhan stood silhouetted against its light.

Inside him, his wolf woke and spoke one word:  Mate.

Yibo's breath caught, and he must have made some sort of noise because Zhan turned with a look of concern on his face.

It took two seconds for that look of concern to change to one of shock. He strode back in, walking straight through the lit fire.

"Zhan!" Yibo shifted and cried out. He tried to kneel to put out the embers on Zhan's pants legs, but Zhan had gripped him by the arms.

"Is it you?" he asked, eyes wider than Yibo had ever seen. "Are you--" His voice dropped to a pained whisper. "You're my mate?"

Yibo nodded. "I... yes."

Zhan closed his eyes and dropped to his knees. He started shaking his head. "I thought... I mean... I never...."

Yibo put his hands on Zhan's shoulders. "What's wrong, Zhan? Are you not happy?"

Zhan looked up at him, eyes glassy with unshed tears. "I've waited so long for you," he choked out. "I'd given up thinking there would be a mate for me. I thought I was...defective. Or just too much vampire."

"But you wanted one?" Yibo asked. "You want me?"

"God, yes," Zhan said, dropping his head to rest over Yibo's hip. "I want you so much. I want you, Lan Yibo. I'd already decided I wanted you around for as long as I could keep you. If you're my mate..." He shuddered. "Then I want you as my mate, without a doubt. I want you."