{Chapter: 373 Morning After the Storm}
The first golden ray of sunlight crept over the glistening sea, casting a warm glow over the shoreline. The gentle waves lapped at the sand, as if trying to hush the memory of last night's wild passion.
Two large beds lay nestled in the soft white sands of the private beach. On one, Jane Foster and Lady Sif lay undisturbed, their bodies still curled peacefully in sleep. The other bed, however, was a tangle of bare limbs and tousled hair — a chaotic yet strangely harmonious portrait of intimacy.
William lay at the center, fully naked and relaxed, with Ada nestled against his left shoulder and Alice curled up under his right arm. Pepper Potts, wrapped in nothing but a thin blanket, lay sprawled across his chest, her breath soft and even.
The moment was the very definition of indulgence — the kind of morning that made the world seem distant, problems small, and life exquisite.
"Yawn..." William stirred slightly, his eyes fluttering open as he sneezed once and blinked against the sunlight.
What greeted him first wasn't the crashing waves or a seagull's cry — but a certain sharp-eyed L*l¡ standing over him with a sprig of grass twirling between her fingers.
"Well, well... Sleeping Beauty's finally up," the White Queen smirked, her white outfit as pristine as ever despite the beach setting.
William gave her a slow, playful grin, eyes gleaming with mischief. "You're here early. Want to join me in bed? We could scoot over — there's always room for a feisty queen."
"Pervert," she scoffed, though the slight upward twitch of her lips betrayed amusement. "You wish. You've had more than your fair share last night, lover boy."
"I've still got some energy left," William muttered, closing his eyes again dramatically, "Wake me only if you're joining the cuddle pile."
"Oh no, you don't!" she said, slapping his cheeks lightly with both hands. "You think I came here to watch you snore after playing beast king all night?"
"Mmm… depends," William teased, his voice drowsy and rich with charm. "Jealous you weren't in my arms last night, my Empress?"
White Queen narrowed her eyes, but her tone was dry with sarcasm. "I'm more concerned about the damage done to local wildlife. You were howling like a pack of wolves."
Just then, Pepper began to stir. She rubbed her eyes, then blinked — and let out a sharp yelp.
"Aahh—!" "Ah, it hurts..." A scream of pain rang out on the island.
"Woo woo, bastard, you lied, you're not gentle at all, I won't come..."
William chuckled lowly, tightening his arm around her waist. "Now, now, you weren't this shy when you were begging me not to slow down, Pepper."
Pepper's cheeks flamed crimson. "I-I don't remember anything."
"Oh, come on," White Queen snorted. "You sang an opera last night. Whole flocks of birds dropped into the sea from the trauma."
Pepper groaned and buried her face into William's chest. "Please… just let me die here…"
"Don't be so dramatic," Alice chimed in with a sly smile, stretching like a satisfied cat. "We all had fun."
"Speak for yourself," Pepper grumbled, shifting slightly and then wincing in pain. "Ow…"
Ada raised an eyebrow knowingly. "Ah… soreness in the lower regions. Diagnosis: someone went bull mode."
"You brute," Pepper pouted, slapping William's chest weakly. "You're just... so much. No gentleness, no mercy…"
William turned to her and cupped her face lovingly, his fingers brushing her hair. "I can't help it, Pepper. You're irresistible. You looked like a dream under the moonlight — I lost control."
"Hmph," she mumbled, but the corners of her lips curled upward. "Sweet talk won't save you."
"I'll take care of you today," he whispered, brushing his lips against her forehead, "You're mine now… and I take responsibility. Especially for those sore hips."
White Queen smirked as she motioned toward the water. "Take a look over there."
Ada and Alice squinted at the ocean, spotting several lifeless seabirds floating on the tide.
"You're joking," Ada said.
"Nope. Killed by pleasure shockwaves," White Queen replied, completely serious. "Your masterpiece, last night, I almost thought you were going to sink the island, too powerful, shouting all night, many birds on the island were scared to death and fell into the sea." White Queen said with a wicked smile.
"That's an exaggeration," Pepper muttered.
"Oh? Want me to play the sound recording?" White Queen pulled out a small device.
"Stop!" Pepper shouted, her face going full tomato. "You recorded it?!"
Alice shook her head, "White Queen, your bad taste is here again."
"Purely for scientific study," White Queen said sweetly. "What? This is just material for studying human sex. I just do it for research and science. You won't understand." White Queen looked like they didn't understand.
Ada laughed, brushing her hair back. "You and your experiments."
"Unlike some people," White Queen huffed, "I didn't get to test the mattress."
Jane suddenly groaned from the other bed. "Ugh… my head…"
White Queen walked over, handing her a chilled bottle of mineral water with a smile. "Here. Hydrate. You'll need it."
Jane accepted it without thinking. "Thanks."
She took a sip, then paused. Her eyes traveled slowly from the bottle to the unfamiliar — and strikingly beautiful — young blonde girl offering it.
"…Wait. Who are you?"
The blonde tilted her head slightly, smiling with both sweetness and a spark of mischief in her gaze. Her silvery-white hair shimmered under the early sun.
White Queen gave a small wave. "Good morning. I'm the White Queen. And you, Dr. Jane Foster, are a guest in my beachside theater of moans and madness."
Jane blinked. "…I'm sorry, what now?"
Ada stretched out luxuriously on the pillows, her skin still glistening faintly from last night's activities. "Mmm… What a morning."
"Best way to start the day," William said dreamily, planting soft kisses along Pepper's shoulder and arm. "Good company, warm sunlight, and the scent of salt and skin in the air…"
Jane grimaced, not even looking or identifying the voices around her. "Ugh. That's… not something you say out loud. Ever."
"You'll get used to it," Alice teased, sitting up and casually pushing back her tousled hair. "Or maybe you won't. But either way, it happens."
"White Queen... That name sounds familiar," Jane muttered, trying to place it. "William mentioned it, I think. Wait, where is William?"
White Queen grinned and gestured toward the nearby bed. "Oh, no need to introduce that shameless scoundrel. Nor Pepper. You already know them. But allow me to welcome you to the morning aftermath."
Jane sat bolt upright and looked over — and instantly wished she hadn't. "Um. Is that… are they…?"
On the bed across from her, William reclined shirtless — Pepper lying beside him, her red hair a tangled halo across his chest. Alice was perched beside them, casually adjusting the strap of her bra. Ada lay sprawled like a cat who had stolen the cream her body hidden inside thin quilt.
Pepper gave a sheepish little wave and winced as she pinched William's waist under the sheets. "Morning… Jane."
Jane stared. "Pepper?"
"I'm Alice," Alice said calmly, lifting a hand in greeting. "You'll see me around. A lot, I suspect."
"I'm Ada Wong," Ada added, barely fazed. "Nice to finally meet. Call me Ada."
Jane blinked between the four naked or barely dressed bodies on the bed and forced a painfully polite smile. "Right. Um. This is… special. So special. Just how I imagined meeting all of you. Totally normal."
Internally, she was screaming: William, you damn lunatic!
"'Special,' huh?" White Queen smirked, settling beside her. "You'll get used to it. Happens often around here. At some point, modesty just gives up."
William sat up, his grin a bit too pleased with himself. "Hey, Jane. Morning. I know it's a lot. But… you'll get used to it."
Jane's jaw clenched. "Cover yourself, you shameless perv!"
She threw her hands over her eyes, visibly flustered.
White Queen nodded solemnly. "He has no shame. Never did. You insult the noble concept of 'face' by asking him to feel any."
"Let's get dressed, ladies. We're scarring the innocent." Alice stretched and stood gracefully, unbothered by Jane's sputtering.
"I was waiting for someone to say that," Ada agreed, sliding off the bed.
"I wanted to get dressed an hour ago," Pepper groaned. She made a sudden motion — and yelped. "Ow! Ugh… William!"
"You moved too fast," he said gently, scooping her up. "Come on, let me help."
"I can do it myself—!"
"Nope," he insisted, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek as he reached for her clothes. "You're in pain. And adorable. And mine. So, behave."
Pepper flushed, clearly flustered, but didn't stop him.
Jane, wide-eyed, watched this all play out with a mix of confusion and secondhand embarrassment. "I… can't believe what I'm seeing…"
"Believe it," White Queen said cheerfully, leaning closer like a conspirator. "And if you're worried about your chest size… don't be. They'll grow if you rub them against that beast William."
Jane choked on air. "I—I beg your pardon?!"
White Queen simply shrugged, calm as ever. "It's science. Possibly."
Meanwhile, Ada and Alice were already dressed, brushing sand off their clothes and exchanging smirks. William was still slowly, meticulously helping Pepper slip into her underwear, pausing to sneak kisses between steps.
"I said I could do it myself!" Pepper whined, squirming with a mixture of protest and fluster.
"I know," William murmured. "But I like taking care of you."
Jane finally gave up. "You're incorrigible, all of you."
At that moment, a low moan escaped from the bed beside her. Sif stirred under her blankets, one hand clutching her forehead. "Ugh… my head…"
White Queen nodded solemnly. "She's waking. May the gods help you William."