I had fallen asleep wearing Ryan’s shirt, his scent wrapping around me like a warm blanket. For the first time in a long time, I felt safe enough to drift off without waking from nightmares. When I finally stirred, the sun was already sinking. I blinked at the clock—2:13 p.m. How had I slept that long?

Sitting up quickly, I felt good—really good—until the events of last night came rushing back. The warmth I felt from Ryan’s scent was replaced by a heavy sadness. I ran my fingers over the hem of the oversized shirt and sighed. He gave me this shirt out of care, but no gift could fix the storm brewing inside me.

I forced myself out of bed and headed to the shower, letting the scalding water cleanse my mind as well as my body. Once clean, I dressed in my usual training gear. After two days without any physical exertion, my body was restless, itching for movement.

I slipped out of the house as quietly as possible, not wanting to run into anyone. If the guys were around, dealing with them today would be too much. Avoiding them was going to take effort, but it was the only way to keep the emotional distance I needed.

The gym was quieter than usual, only a handful of people scattered around the equipment. I placed my headphones, phone, and water bottle on a nearby bench and set up for my warm-up. The familiar weight of the barbell in my hands steadied me, but nearby conversations caught my attention.

"Did you hear about the elite warrior trials?" a guy from my advanced class said, adjusting his grip on a dumbbell.

“Yeah," his friend chimed in. "They’re opening it up to juniors and seniors this year. Apparently, the Alpha King himself might come to some of the trials."

My heart skipped. This is my chance. I only needed to survive one more year of school. If I performed well enough, I could leave early—no more waiting, no more enduring this life a second longer than necessary. The idea of leaving this place felt like the first real breath of fresh air I’d had in years.

I powered through my workout, pushing my muscles to failure. I needed to be better. Stronger. If I wanted to stand out at those trials, I couldn’t just be good—I had to be exceptional. My future depended on it.

When I got back home around 6:30 p.m., I headed straight for the kitchen. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me I hadn’t eaten much all day. But before I could make myself a proper meal, a familiar growl came from behind me.

"Where have you been? We eat dinner at six," my father barked from the table. I jumped, clutching the counter for support.

"Oh, sh*t!" My heart pounded in my chest as I turned to see him and Leo sitting together at the kitchen table. They never ate in here—something was definitely off.

“You’re never to miss family dinner again. Do you understand?" Dad’s voice was stern, but he couldn’t even look at me as he spoke, keeping his eyes on his plate.

My stomach twisted. It didn’t take a genius to know what was happening—this wasn’t about me. This was Leo’s doing. I knew it from the way my brother sat there, looking at me with a blank expression, as if willing me to just go along with it.

This isn’t real, I reminded myself. My father wasn’t trying to reconnect with me—he was trying to appease Leo.

“Sir,” I said, struggling to keep my voice even, “I don’t understand. You’ve never wanted me at dinner before.”

His jaw clenched. “You will join us from now on. Six o'clock. Every night. That’s an order.”

The words cut deeper than I wanted to admit. I could see through it—it was just another obligation, another thing forced on me to make everyone else feel better. My blood boiled. I took a deep breath, steadying myself.

“Unfortunately, I have training every night at that time. I’ve had training at six for the past two years, and no one cared before. So, no offense, but I’m going to stick to my schedule.”

I turned and walked out of the kitchen, ignoring the gnawing ache in my chest. I wanted to scream, but instead, I kept walking. Footsteps followed—Leo’s.

“Shorty, wait.” His voice was soft, almost playful, as he grabbed my elbow.

I let him stop me, but I didn’t turn around.

“He’s trying,” Leo said quietly. “He even waited until 6:15 to start eating, just so you’d show.”

“No.” My voice cracked, and I took a deep breath, forcing the tears back. “You’re trying. Don’t force something that isn’t there, Leo. He will never love me the way I need him to, and I’m finally starting to accept that.”

Leo’s grip on my elbow tightened slightly, but I pulled away, wrapping my arms around myself. “I’m the living reminder of what he lost. He and I are both counting the days until I leave.” I gave him a sad smile, the kind that hurts more than crying. “I asked you not to try and fix this.”

“Selene...” His voice broke.

“Goodnight, Leo.” I didn’t look back as I walked into my room and shut the door behind me. The shower was the only thing that could drown out the ache.

The next morning, I woke early. There was no point in avoiding the guys forever—it would take too much energy. But I could at least put some space between us. No more unnecessary rides, no lingering after classes, and no more relying on Kylie.

By the time I reached the training grounds, the sun was barely up. It was peaceful, just me and the track. I started running laps, the rhythm of my feet pounding against the ground helping me keep my thoughts in check.

“Seriously? Now you’re beating me to morning training?” Delta Kyle’s booming voice startled me out of my thoughts. I slowed, breathing hard, as he approached with a grin.

“I wanted to ask you something before the others got here,” I said, hoping he wouldn’t question why I was really here so early. “Is it true the elite warrior program is holding trials?”

Kyle crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. “Where’d you hear that?”

“I overheard some guys at the gym,” I admitted. “Is it true?”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah. They’re thinking about lowering the age requirements, too—letting juniors and seniors try out.”

My heart soared. This is it.

Before I could ask more, the others started trickling into the arena. I grabbed my water bottle, bracing myself.

Kylie appeared by my side, her arm hooking around mine. She dragged me over to where Leo, Ethan, Ryan, Aaron, and Devin were waiting in the corner, all of them watching me like wounded puppies.

“You didn’t wait for us,” Devin pouted.

“I’m not mad,” I muttered, rubbing my temples. “But it’s going to take time. I’ve been alone for so long... you guys are just a lot to handle.” I shrugged, avoiding their eyes. “So don’t freak out if I need some space. And don’t expect me to tell you why every time.”

They exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of guilt and determination.

“We’ll figure this out, Selene,” Leo said softly. “We’re not giving up on you.”

I bit my lip, trying not to let the warmth in his voice get to me. I wasn’t ready to believe them yet—but maybe, just maybe, I didn’t have to walk away completely. Not yet.