Walking into the Alpha’s suite felt surreal, like stepping into an entirely different world. The top floor of the pack house was nothing like the rest of the house—this was their inner sanctuary, and now I was here, invited into the very heart of it. The elevator doors opened into a cozy sitting room, where a crackling fireplace was framed by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Two oversized chairs faced the hearth, begging me to sink into them with a good book and never leave.

The room was bright and airy—white walls, dark wood beams, and floors polished to a warm sheen. Subtle accents of forest green and navy added just the right amount of contrast. I felt a strange sense of calm, as though the space itself had been designed to make you forget your worries.

Luna Ava rested her hand on my shoulder with a soft laugh, sensing my awe.
“I knew you’d like it,” she said warmly. “If you ever need a break, you’re welcome in the library downstairs anytime.” She gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze before moving ahead of us into the open living area.

The suite was breathtaking. A large, white L-shaped couch faced another fireplace with a beautiful abstract painting mounted above it. Beyond that, a small but elegant kitchen filled the far end of the room, continuing the same clean, minimalist theme. The white cabinets and soft gray countertops gleamed under the natural light filtering in from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

To the right, I caught sight of a king-sized bed draped in fluffy white comforters, so soft it looked like a cloud. Just beyond, double doors opened into a bathroom that rivaled the size of my entire bedroom back home.
"Oh wow, this place is insane," Kylie murmured, already making herself at home. She strolled into the bathroom, her voice echoing. "This bathroom is bigger than my living room!"

Without missing a beat, she started stripping off her clothes right in front of me.
"What are you doing?" I yelped, turning away in shock.

Kylie just shrugged. "Relax, we’ve got the same parts. Besides, the Luna and I have already seen your scars. No big deal." She grinned mischievously. "There are four shower heads, so we’ll each take a side. No point wasting time—I’m starving, and I want to sit by that fireplace."

I hesitated, feeling weird about the whole communal shower situation. "This is... strange," I muttered, keeping my back to her as I quickly undressed and stepped into the other side of the massive shower.

Kylie just laughed. "You won’t think it’s weird when it’s you and your mates."

That made me freeze. "What? Mates? Plural?" I stammered, but she only smirked, leaving the bathroom without answering. I hurried through my shower, her words lingering uncomfortably in my mind.

When I stepped out, wrapped in a plush towel, I found two sets of clothes waiting on the bed. Oddly, they weren’t Luna Ava’s clothes—they were the guys’. Kylie grabbed a set that clearly belonged to Devin, judging by the scent, and started getting dressed without hesitation. I sighed and reached for the other set.

The tank top—far too large—smelled like Ryan. The sweatpants were my brother Leo’s, and the oversized sweatshirt belonged to Aaron. Even the shorts smelled like Ethan. It was strange, wearing something from each of them, but I didn’t think too much about it. At least I had layers since, apparently, underwear wasn’t included in the Luna’s plan.

We sat at the kitchen island, snacking on the spread Luna Ava had left for us. The food was delicious, but my mind drifted as I mentally prepared for what came next—facing the guys again. No matter how much I wanted to avoid them, it was becoming harder by the second. And with Stacey lurking around, things were bound to get worse.

As if on cue, Luna Ava breezed back into the room, her smile warm but knowing.
"Alright, girls, the boys are finished setting up outside. Let’s join them by the pool."

I hesitated, but Luna Ava gave my shoulder another reassuring squeeze. "Selene, I know what you’re thinking. It’s okay to be part of this, even if it’s temporary." Her words were soft but firm. I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.

We followed her outside, and the familiar scene from my birthday greeted us. The backyard had been transformed again, the long table filled with food and surrounded by warriors and pack members. The Alpha’s presence was quiet but commanding as he manned the grill with Beta Daniel. Across the table, Warrior Nickolas was deep in conversation with Delta Kyle, while the rest of the guys—my brother and his friends—laughed and talked like they didn’t have a care in the world.

"Over here, Smalls."

Ryan’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. He appeared at my side, taking my plate from my hands before I could protest. "C’mon, let’s sit."

Aaron had dragged over a long bench, and before I knew it, they’d pulled me into the small space between them.

"Seriously?" I huffed, glaring at them. But they just grinned.

Ryan tugged me down until I was half-sitting on his lap, half on Aaron’s. Their combined warmth was impossible to ignore. They wrapped their arms loosely over my legs, effectively trapping me between them.

"Why do you guys always do this?" I muttered, feeling my cheeks flush.

"You love it," Aaron whispered in my ear, low enough that only Ryan and I could hear. His voice sent a shiver down my spine, and I tried to shift forward to escape the weird tension.

But Aaron’s hand slid to my knee, stopping me. "Careful, Tiny," he murmured, his voice laced with amusement. "If you keep squirming, we’ll have a problem you don’t want to deal with."

Ryan chuckled under his breath, clearly enjoying my discomfort. My heart pounded against my ribs, and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. It didn’t help that they were both impossibly close, their bodies solid and warm against mine.

"Breathe, Selene," Ryan whispered, his tone softer this time.

I forced myself to take a breath, trying desperately to calm my racing heart. As I focused on the conversations around me, I found it easier to relax—at least a little.

Midway through dinner, Ethan leaned over, eyeing my untouched plate.
"You okay, Selene? You haven’t eaten much."

Before I could respond, Warrior Nickolas spoke from across the table. "How long have you all been training together?" His sharp gaze flicked between us. "You move like a team—better than most squads I’ve seen."

"Since we were kids," Ryan answered. "But Selene and Kylie officially joined us in November."

Nickolas raised a brow. "You’re telling me these two just joined your group? You’d never know. The way you move together—it takes years to build that kind of trust."

Kylie snorted. "We didn’t just start training," she corrected him. "Selene’s been training harder than any of these guys for years. She’s the only one who went two rounds today—and handed both Aaron and Leo their asses."

The table erupted in laughter, and I flushed under the sudden attention.

"Don’t let her size fool you," Kylie added with a grin. "Selene’s the toughest one here. She trains like she’s preparing for the apocalypse."

I buried my face in my hands, wishing I could disappear. The attention was overwhelming, but at the same time, a strange warmth settled in my chest. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t standing on the outside looking in.