“Do either of you have a variation on ‘short’ you’d like to throw in for good measure?” I asked, glancing at Ethan and my brother, Leo.

Ethan chuckled and leaned back casually. “Let me get back to you, Bite Size. I’ll come up with something clever.”

I rolled my eyes, and beside me, Kylie burst into laughter.

“And you?” I looked at Leo, narrowing my eyes.

He grinned, the easy kind of grin I didn’t see from him often. “Right now, Shorty, all I can call you is the takedown champ. Dad’s never gonna let us live that one down.”

Everyone chuckled, sharing the memory of this morning’s sparring session. Leo surprised me by wrapping an arm around my neck, pulling me into a playful headlock. It wasn’t tight or aggressive, just a brotherly gesture I wasn’t used to.

Leo had never been the touchy type, and his sudden protectiveness was both confusing and comforting. Maybe the beer loosened him up—or maybe, just maybe, this shift between us had been coming for a while, hidden beneath the layers of distance we’d built.

The others didn’t seem to notice the moment between Leo and me. Conversations about training resumed as we made our way closer to the fire. Leo didn’t let go of me until we found a seat on the log, where I leaned against the rough bark. Kylie plopped down beside me, and Devin immediately followed, sliding behind her and pulling her between his legs with ease.

Leo took the spot on my other side, leaving Ethan, Ryan, and Aaron on the log angled toward us.

“Don’t remind me,” Kylie groaned dramatically. “I was on the receiving end of that takedown this morning.”

I turned toward her, a little worried she might still be irritated about it. But instead of annoyance, her expression was full of amusement. The guys laughed at her mock complaint, and I exhaled a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, letting myself join in the laughter.

Had that really only been this morning? It felt like a lifetime ago.

As I looked around, I noticed more people had arrived—upperclassmen mostly, hanging out in small groups around the fire. Sam was right; people drifted in whenever they wanted, staying as long as they liked. Despite the growing crowd, I felt surprisingly... comfortable. Warmed by the crackling fire and the easy banter between our little group.

“The Alpha told us the warriors tried all afternoon to beat Selene’s takedown time,” Kylie said, sipping her beer. “And not a single one managed to do it. Even your dads couldn’t pull it off.” She added the last part with a mischievous grin, clearly enjoying rubbing it in.

“Seriously? Even our dads?” Devin groaned, but there was more admiration than frustration in his voice. “Well, that makes me feel a little better.”

Ethan, ever the quiet observer, leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes narrowing in thought. “How many training sessions do you go to, Selene?” he asked, his voice low and curious. “I know you’re at all the mandatory ones, and I’ve seen you in the advanced sessions with Luna Ava. But what else?”

I shrugged, trying to downplay it. “All of them.”

Ethan paused, processing my answer. “All of them?” He blinked in disbelief, setting his beer down. “Like... all of them?”

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the fire, uncomfortable with the sudden attention. “Yeah. The morning ones, the advanced ones, and I help Delta Kyle with basic, patrol, and pup training when I can.”

Ethan choked on his beer, causing the others to burst into laughter. “Wait—so you’re training almost 30 hours a week? On top of school?”

“I guess.” I shrugged again, feeling exposed under their stunned gazes. I shifted in place, wishing I could disappear into the warmth of the fire. Why did I say that out loud?

“You’re at the top of your class too, right?” Aaron asked, studying me as if seeing me for the first time.

“And you’re in advanced classes with us,” Ryan added. “You’re in my English class for sure.”

I wanted to crawl into a hole. “Okay, okay, we get it. She’s amazing,” Kylie said with a playful grin, sensing my discomfort. She wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close. “Now stop making it weird.”

The guys chuckled, and I couldn’t help but laugh a little too, though I kept my gaze low, focused on the fire.

“I think we just got a collective ego smackdown,” Devin joked, leaning back and pulling Kylie closer. “We thought we were hot sh*t.”

“Speak for yourself,” Ethan muttered with a smirk.

Devin snorted. “Yeah, right. I bet you’ll be at every training next week, trying to hit 30 hours.”

Ethan took a long sip from his beer, his silence confirming Devin’s suspicion.

I glanced at Ethan and felt a strange mix of emotions. Part of me liked the idea of seeing more of him at training, but another part of me—the part that had spent years being invisible—was uneasy about the sudden change. Training was my safe space. If these guys started showing up, it wouldn’t be the same.

We settled into a comfortable rhythm after that, small conversations flowing between the group. I mostly listened, grateful for the warmth of the fire and the sense of calm that settled over me.

This isn’t so bad. It wasn’t the wild, chaotic high school party I’d imagined. There were no drunk kids dancing on tables or blaring music. Just friends—well, almost-friends—gathered around a fire, sharing stories.

I should have known it was too good to last.

Just as I started to relax, a shrill voice pierced the quiet night.

“Oh. My. God! Babes! Your favorite girls are here—now the real party can start!”

Stacey’s high-pitched squeal echoed across the clearing, followed closely by the familiar giggles of Jeanie and Marnie.

The firelight cast shadows over their perfectly styled hair and too-tight clothes as they sauntered into the clearing like they owned the place.

I tensed instinctively, every muscle in my body preparing for whatever game Stacey was about to play.

Kylie leaned over, her breath warm in my ear. “Look who’s here. The infamous Stacey.”

“Yep,” I whispered back, forcing a tight smile. “Welcome to my nightmare.”

Kylie grinned, her eyes flashing with mischief. “This should be fun.”