“Selene! It’s so nice to see you! Are you joining the boys for their bonfire?”

Speak of the devil.

I glance up to see Luna Ava sitting on the back patio, smiling warmly at us. I suddenly feel awkward, not sure how these things work. I’ve never been invited to a party, let alone walked into one right under the Luna’s nose.

“Hi, Luna Ava! How are you?” I ask, trying not to sound nervous. “The guys invited us... if that’s okay?” I fidget with the hem of my coat, feeling like I’m breaking some unknown rule.

“This is my friend Kylie,” I continue quickly, “She’s staying with Robert and Stephanie for the year. She’s in the same grade as Leo and the twins.”

Why am I rambling? Luna Ava has been the closest thing to a mother figure I’ve ever had, yet here I am, suddenly babbling like an idiot.

“Hello, Kylie. It’s nice to meet you,” Luna Ava says warmly. “You must be the one who sparred with Selene this morning. You both are the talk of the warriors today, aren’t they, dear?” She glances over her shoulder with a knowing smile, one that implies more than she’s saying.

I follow her gaze—and feel my stomach twist. I hadn’t even noticed Alpha Lucas lounging beside her. How did I miss that? My observation skills are seriously failing tonight.

“You’ve got that right,” the Alpha rumbles with a gruff laugh, sitting up straighter. His thick eyebrows and naturally stern expression soften into a grin. “None of my warriors could beat your takedown time, not even Delta Kyle or Gamma Brett. Trust me—they spent three hours trying, switching up partners and everything. Some bruised egos are getting nursed tonight.” He chuckles, clearly enjoying the memory.

Kylie laughs beside me. “That’s amazing!” She beams at him. “Thank you again, Alpha and Luna, for letting me stay this year. I really appreciate it.”

“Not a problem, dear. It’s clearly the right fit,” Luna Ava says, her eyes twinkling. “But you’d better get going, or all the good seats by the fire will be taken.” She waggles her eyebrows at us in a way I don’t quite understand, but Kylie clearly does.

“Come on, let’s go,” Kylie whispers, grabbing my arm and dragging me down the path.

We follow the twinkling lights strung through the trees, winding deeper into the woods. After about ten minutes, we spot the warm glow of the fire and hear voices drifting through the night air. As we step closer, I realize the crowd is smaller than I expected—only about thirty people, mostly upperclassmen. It’s still early, maybe? Or maybe this is just how these things go.

Kylie leads us around the large bonfire with purpose, as if she’s on a mission. And then I see where she’s taking us—straight to the far side of the clearing, where Leo and his friends are camped out, casually guarding several coolers.

The moment we come into view, Devin shouts, “You made it! Finally! We’ve been waiting forever.”

The other guys snap their heads toward us, drawing curious glances from the surrounding crowd. I shift uncomfortably. I’m definitely out of place here. Kylie, however, either doesn’t notice or simply doesn’t care.

“Hello, boys,” Kylie says cheerfully as we approach. “We’re right on time—don’t be dramatic, Devin.”

“Wow! You both look great!” Devin practically bounces on his feet. “Do you want a drink? We’ve got water, soda, beer—take your pick.” His eagerness is oddly adorable.

“I’ll start with water. What about you, Selene?” Kylie asks, throwing me a wink, as if to say, I’ve got your back.

“Water for me too, please,” I say softly. Devin immediately springs into action, kicking some poor kid off the farthest cooler to grab two bottles of water. He jogs back just as we reach the guys.

“Seriously, though—what took you so long?” Devin pouts, handing us the water. “Your car was back the same time we were. You don’t live that far.”

Kylie laughs and cups Devin’s face, running her thumb along his lower lip. His eyes widen, and if this were a cartoon, little hearts would be popping out of his eyes while his tongue rolled down the path into the forest.

“Tuck that lip in, sugar,” Kylie says sweetly. “Save it for girls who fall for it. Perfection like this takes time—and it’s never rushed.” She winks at me again. I can’t help but giggle. I should be taking notes.

Devin looks completely smitten, his dazed expression drawing amused chuckles from Ryan and Aaron.

“She’s right,” Ryan says, his eyes lingering on me a little too long. “Definitely worth the wait.”

I break eye contact, my cheeks heating. But when I glance away, I catch Aaron nodding in agreement, his gaze thoughtful. Even Ethan, normally stoic, is hiding a small smile behind his beer bottle.

Aaron tilts his head, studying me. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen your hair up before. It looks good, Selene.”

“Yeah, Tiny,” Ryan chimes in with a playful grin. “Who’d you get all dressed up for?”

I scoff, trying to ignore the way my heart flips. “Who are you calling Tiny? And for the record, I had no say in this. This entire look is courtesy of Kylie.”

Kylie, still laughing at something Devin said, turns and chimes in, “It wasn’t a hostage situation—I was just being a good friend. I merely highlighted all of Selene’s best features.”

I roll my eyes at her, but she’s not wrong. The blue coat she picked makes the grey in my eyes stand out, and the light makeup she applied somehow makes them shimmer like silver. My high ponytail with soft curls gives me a more confident look, even though I’m still in the same jeans, t-shirt, and combat boots I wore all day. It’s a subtle change, but I feel... different.

As we talk, I notice the guys are giving me their full attention—something I’ve never experienced before. Even Leo seems genuinely engaged in the conversation.

Ethan surprises me with his love for math, and we end up in a long discussion that flies over everyone else’s heads. It’s nice to talk to someone who actually enjoys school—it makes me feel a little less weird. Meanwhile, Aaron and Ryan share stories about the challenges of becoming co-Alphas, while Leo opens up about the pressure Dad puts on him to be the perfect Beta. For once, it feels like I’m part of the conversation instead of a background character.

At one point, Ryan returns from the cooler with another beer. As he passes me, he stops and leans down, his towering frame making me tilt my head all the way back to meet his gaze.

“You really are tiny, Tiny,” he says with a grin. “What happened? Did Leo take all the height genes for himself?”

Cameron, standing just behind me, chuckles. “Yeah, Smalls. What gives?”

Despite being boxed in by two towering boys, I don’t feel the least bit intimidated—just safe.

I channel Kylie’s confidence and smile up at them. “I guess some of us didn’t need as much time to reach perfection. Some of you are still working out the rough edges.”

Ryan throws his head back, laughing, while Aaron smirks. “Like a fine wine, Little Bit,” Devin adds, “we only get better with age.” He wraps an arm around Kylie, who giggles as she leans into him.

For the first time in a long time, I feel like I belong. And as we laugh together under the stars, I realize... maybe tonight won’t be so bad after all.