The mood turned tense, the energy shifting the moment we left the bonfire. The guys walked beside us in silence, their postures relaxed but alert. Stacey’s shrill voice and desperate antics still lingered like a bad aftertaste.

“Damn, that was brutal,” Devin muttered under his breath once we were far enough away from the clearing. “Don’t get me wrong—the two-girl body shot was a highlight, and we’ll definitely revisit that situation. But did anyone else feel the whole night tank the moment the party got crowded?”

Ryan snorted. “Facts. Soon as the princess brigade showed up, everything went to hell.”

Leo shook his head, his jaw tight. “Yeah, that was… off. It’s not usually that weird.” He shot me a sideways glance but didn’t say more. The guys had fallen into a rhythm of speaking in vague shorthand. I knew exactly who they were talking about—Stacey and her minions. But what surprised me was how bothered they seemed by it. I just didn’t know why.

The twins walked us to the back patio, the firelight fading behind us. Ryan grinned. “We’ll drive everyone to training tomorrow. Six sharp—don’t be late.” He glanced at me and added, “That includes you, Selene.”

His invitation caught me off guard, and I nodded dumbly, unsure what to make of it. Me? Included in their plans?

We split off at the front of the pack house, Leo and I heading toward our side while Ethan veered off toward his house. Over his shoulder, he called, “See you at six, no stragglers—no matter how long some people take to say goodnight.”

The implication was clear, and I laughed out loud at Devin’s startled expression.

Kylie shot me a wink, grabbing Devin’s arm as they continued down the path toward her house. “Goodnight, Selene!” she called over her shoulder.

When Leo and I reached home, he shrugged off his jacket at the door, looking more relaxed than I’d seen him in years. Meanwhile, I made a beeline for the kitchen, craving a snack. All I’d had all night was water, and I was starving.

I flipped on the light over the sink, the dim glow casting long shadows across the room.

“Where the hell have you been?”

The growled words came out of nowhere, and I jumped, nearly knocking over a chair as my heart leapt into my throat.

Leo was at my side in an instant, pulling me behind him, his muscles tense as he scanned the room for danger. His body relaxed slightly when he spotted our dad sitting at the kitchen table, an empty glass clutched in his hand.

I took a calming breath, forcing my heart rate down as irritation replaced fear. Great. Just what I needed—Dad in one of his moods.

“I was with Kylie and the guys,” I said, stepping out from behind Leo. “We went to the bonfire, then came back when we realized we had training in the morning.”

Dad’s cold gaze settled on Leo. “Is that true?”

I clenched my fists, fighting back the growl building in my chest. He’ll believe Leo but not me? Of course.

“Yes, sir,” Leo answered evenly. “She’s been with us the whole time.”

Dad leaned back, assessing us both with a look that made my skin crawl. “And you’re really going to training tomorrow?” His words were directed at Leo, as if I wasn’t even standing there.

I snapped before I could stop myself. “I go to training every day. Delta Kyle sends you my progress reports every week. You’d know that if you paid attention.” My voice was sharp, my wolf stirring restlessly at the disrespect.

I turned on my heel, heading for the stairs before Dad could respond.

Behind me, I heard the scrape of a chair—Dad standing, ready to chase me down and lecture me for my “backtalk.” But Leo cut him off.

“Leave her alone,” Leo said, his voice low but firm. “She convinced us all that we need to start going to weekend trainings. In fact, she’s leading the charge tomorrow. We’re following her lead.”

There was a long, tense pause before Dad finally spoke again. “We’ve been trying to get you boys to attend weekend training for years. Why now?”

Leo’s voice was cold. “I guess she’s just better at convincing us than you are.”

He turned away, his boots thudding against the stairs as he caught up to me. When we reached the landing, he threw an arm over my shoulders and pressed a kiss to my temple, a rare and unexpected gesture.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I can’t pretend like the way he treats you is okay anymore. It was never okay. I should’ve stepped up a long time ago.”

The warmth in his voice hit me harder than I expected, and I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat.

“You don’t have to do it alone anymore, Selene. I’ve got your back.” He gave my shoulder a squeeze before heading into his room across the hall.

“Thank you, Leo,” I whispered, knowing he’d hear me.

For the first time in a long time, I cried. Silent, messy tears. I hadn’t cried after the countless beatings from Stacey and her friends. I hadn’t cried over the years of neglect from Dad. But this—Leo’s apology, the glimpse of the brother I’d missed—broke something open inside me.

It was just one night, one small moment. But it gave me hope that maybe things could change. Maybe we could be close again.

The morning came quickly, and by four a.m., I gave up on sleep and decided to go for a run. My wolf was restless, and the cool air and forest trails were exactly what I needed to clear my head. The quiet peace of the woods always put things into perspective.

When I returned home at five, the house was still quiet. I went straight to the kitchen to start breakfast. It was a weekend tradition—I made breakfast every Saturday and Sunday. No one ever thanked me for it, but the food always disappeared, so I figured that meant something.

Once the food was ready and plated, I went to Leo’s room, knocking softly on his door.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty, you up?” I called, poking my head in. “If you don’t get moving, we’re going to be late, and I don’t know what Ethan does to latecomers—but I’d rather not find out.”

Leo groaned, his face buried in his pillow. “Why are you so chipper?”

“Because you love me, obviously.” I grinned. “Now, get up! I made breakfast and coffee.”

He cracked one eye open, groaning again. “How long have you been up?”

“A while. Went for a run, made breakfast—you know, the usual.”

He rolled out of bed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Wait, you make breakfast? Since when?”

“Every weekend. Gretchen takes weekends off.”

Leo blinked at me, something shifting in his expression. “You’ve been doing this... all this time? I thought Gretchen made breakfast before spending the day with her family.” He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “I feel so useless.”

I smiled softly. “You’re not useless, Beta. But you do need to shower. We’ve got ten minutes before we meet the guys.”

Leo groaned again but shuffled toward the bathroom.

As I walked out of his room, a small, unexpected warmth bloomed in my chest. Maybe things really are changing. Even if it was just temporary, it felt good to have Leo back in my corner.

For the first time in years, I felt like I wasn’t invisible. Maybe, just maybe, I didn’t have to face everything alone anymore.