As the parents left us to our own devices, the evening settled into a comfortable rhythm. It was just me, Kylie, and the guys gathered around the patio table, finishing off the last bites of dessert. Laughter drifted through the air, accompanied by the occasional sound of the adults chatting inside the house.

“So, I get to pick my birthday cake every year, Devin? This was amazing!” I teased, laughing as he puffed out his chest with pride, practically preening under the compliment.

“Well, obviously. You’re welcome, Little Bit. I have exquisite taste.” Devin grinned, radiating that playful, cocky charm he always wore like a badge of honor.

Before I could reply, Aaron stood up, stretching with a lazy smile. “Alright, time for the last tradition of the night.”

Without another word, he peeled off his shirt, revealing a torso carved with lean muscle.

I immediately looked away, my face burning, only to realize the rest of the guys were following suit—shirts flying off, leaving them in nothing but boxer briefs.

“What the—” I stammered, desperately trying to keep my gaze somewhere, anywhere, safe. But there was no escaping it. I was surrounded by six ridiculously attractive, half-naked future Alphas and Betas, all of them chiseled and smirking. Every movement highlighted taut muscles, abs flexing as they tossed clothes aside, and that damn ‘V’ at their hips teased me mercilessly. The heat of embarrassment crawled up my neck.

“Like what you see, Tiny?” Aaron teased, catching me mid-stare.

My eyes widened, and my brain decided to abandon me entirely. “Uh...”

Devin, of course, couldn’t resist making things worse. “Feel free to join us—if it makes you more comfortable.” He gave me a wink that made my face go nuclear.

“Knock it off, Devin.” Leo smacked the back of his head, making him yelp. “Who’s doing the honors? Anyone but Devin.”

“Honors?” I echoed, confused, glancing between them.

Ryan grinned wickedly. “Me!”

Before I could protest, he scooped me up, and instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his waist and clung to his neck. My heart hammered in my chest—whether from the sudden lift or the overwhelming awareness of how much skin I was touching, I wasn’t sure.

“Ryan, what are you—”

Before I could finish my question, Ryan jumped into the pool, taking me with him. The warm water enveloped us, and bubbles swirled around as I tightened my grip instinctively. When we surfaced, I heard Kylie’s scream as Devin launched her into the pool right after us, followed by a series of splashes as the others jumped in too.

“What was that for?” I gasped, wiping water from my face.

Ryan grinned, water dripping from his curls. “It’s tradition. After dessert, we swim until midnight. Birthday rules.”

“You could have told me that!” I grumbled, trying to look annoyed, though I couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my lips.

Ryan glanced down at where my legs were still wrapped around his waist, his grin turning smug. “Would you have held on like this if I told you first?”

Before I could respond, Aaron swam over and hooked an arm around my waist, gently pulling me away from Ryan. “My turn.”

I leaned back into him, tucking my face into his neck as he hugged me from behind.

“Did you have a good day?” he asked softly, his breath warm against my ear.

“I did. Thank you.” I smiled, feeling content in a way I hadn’t in a long time.

Ethan swam over next, and I didn’t hesitate to wrap my arms around his neck. He lifted me easily, and I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. “Thank you for today, Ethan. It really means a lot.”

His expression softened, a rare smile gracing his lips. On impulse, I slid my hand to the back of his neck, my fingers tangling in his hair, and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. His sharp inhale was audible, his hands tightening on my waist as his breath hitched.

“Sh*t, Little Bit,” he muttered, his voice dropping a note deeper. “That was—”

“Does that mean the rest of us get one too?” Ryan asked, hopeful.

I smirked, enjoying the rare moment of control. “Of course.”

I swam over to Ryan, wrapping my hands in his curls and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. Then I turned to Aaron and did the same.

By the time I finished, all four of them were staring at me, wide-eyed, as if I’d short-circuited their brains. Even Leo, usually so composed, looked stunned.

Kylie burst out laughing. “I think you broke them.”

She grinned mischievously, wrapping her arms around me in mock jealousy. “My turn!” She planted exaggerated kisses on both of my cheeks before glancing back at the guys. “Oh no, the Skylar orgy continues. Girl-on-girl action—what are they going to do?”

I cringed and dissolved into laughter, hugging her tightly. “Thank you for today, Kylie. I mean it. This has been the best birthday.”

“You deserve it.” She winked. “Now let’s see if we can get these idiots to play volleyball.”

We pulled the net across the pool and lazily started volleying the ball back and forth. It didn’t take long—within minutes, Devin swam over to spike the ball over Kylie’s head, and soon enough, it was two-on-two, then all-out chaos as the twins and Leo joined in.

Of course, the game quickly devolved into a full-contact splash war. Ryan dunked me under the water at least three times, and every time I tried to swim away, someone would catch me. My clothes dragged me down, making it nearly impossible to escape their grasp.

“You could just strip down to your underwear like Kylie,” Devin suggested, grinning as he splashed water my way.

“Absolutely not,” I shot back, spluttering.

Despite the teasing, I was careful—keeping my scars hidden had become second nature. Even with all the activities, I made sure no one got a glimpse of what lay beneath the surface.

Finally, gasping for air, I clambered out of the pool, water streaming off me. “I need a break!” I called, grabbing a towel and standing at the edge of the pool.

That’s when I heard Leo’s voice, sharp and angry.

“What the fck is that?!*”

The words hit me like a punch, and for a moment, I froze. My heart plummeted as I realized what he was looking at.