The boys carried us upstairs like we were luggage, and as ridiculous as it was, I couldn’t help but laugh. Aaron stopped at a keypad near the hidden staircase leading to the third floor and typed in a code, pressing his thumb down to unlock it. A soft beep signaled access granted.

“Why do you have James Bond level security?” Kylie asked from Leo’s shoulder, voicing exactly what I was thinking.

Aaron turned, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. “We’ve had... incidents.”

“Translation,” Devin added with a smirk, “too many stalker girls thought a one-night stand meant lifetime access.”

Kylie snorted, balancing herself by planting her hands on Leo’s backside. “Gross. You guys are disgusting.”

Ryan grinned and opened the door, leading the way up the staircase. “For the record, we don’t bring girls up here. And even if we did, the rooms are cleaned. Regularly.”

“Relax,” Aaron added as we trudged single file up the steps. “We’re going to the media room, not our bedrooms.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled to myself, trying not to imagine how chaotic it must get with the twins being literal chick magnets. When Devin finally set me down at the top of the stairs, I found myself standing in a massive open space.

The entryway had a sitting area similar to the Alpha and Luna’s floor, but this one felt like a cozy cabin. Dark browns, greens, and earthy tones filled the room, making it feel grounded and intimate. A leather couch faced a fireplace with thick wooden beams across the ceiling. It smelled faintly of pine and firewood, with the lingering scent of the boys' cologne mixed in.

Beyond the sitting room, a wall of glass led to a small balcony overlooking the forest. The sun was setting, setting the tops of the trees ablaze in warm golds and oranges. I felt drawn toward it, mesmerized by the view.

“You can stare at the sunset later, Shorty.” Leo’s arm wrapped around my neck, pulling me into a playful headlock. “It’s movie night.”

“Do you have to drag me?” I grumbled as he hauled me down the hallway, half laughing, half protesting.

Leo dumped me onto the couch like a rag doll, sweeping my legs out from under me with a grin. I landed with a soft thump in the center of the huge U-shaped sectional, sinking into the deep cushions.

“Ugh! Was that necessary?” I groaned.

“Completely,” Leo smirked. “If I left you out there any longer, you would’ve disappeared onto the balcony or into the bookshelf.”

He wasn’t wrong.

The room around me was perfect for movie night—navy-blue walls, marbled gray carpet, and black-out curtains lining the windows to block out all light. There was even a fully stocked bar at the back with stools lined up beneath a sleek counter. It was impossible not to be impressed.

"Hey!" Ryan called from across the room. "No hoarding the girls!"

“You snooze, you lose!” Devin shouted, shoving Ryan backward as they launched into an all-out wrestling match over who got to sit next to us.

Kylie and I scrambled to the corners of the couch, giggling as the boys tackled each other, rolling across the cushions like oversized toddlers. Arms and legs flew in every direction, followed by a symphony of laughter and grunts.

“What are they even trying to accomplish?” I asked Kylie, laughing so hard I could barely breathe.

“No idea. But they look like idiots,” she wheezed, watching the chaos unfold with pure delight.

Leo tried to escape to my side, but Aaron snagged his ankle, dragging him to the floor. Ethan had Ryan in a headlock, while Devin pinned Aaron under him with a triumphant grin. It was like watching wild puppies fight—completely uncoordinated, but endlessly entertaining.

“Okay, okay,” I called out between giggles. “How about a truce? What’s the plan here?”

Ethan, still holding Ryan in a headlock, grinned at me. “Who do you want to sit next to, Bite Size?”

Oh no. I knew a trap when I saw one. “I’m sitting with Kylie,” I declared, crossing my arms. “The rest of you can fight it out.”

Kylie shot me a smug grin. “See? I am better than all of you combined.”

“Not happening!” Devin shouted, scrambling to his feet. He grabbed Kylie around the waist and hauled her onto his lap, plopping her into the corner of the couch.

The others quickly reorganized, dragging me into the fray once more. I landed in the center of the couch, with Aaron settling to my right and Kylie tucked beside him. On my left, Ethan claimed the spot beside me, with Leo taking the other corner. Ryan, still pouting, flopped onto the floor with his head resting against my knees.

“This feels... cozy,” I muttered, my cheeks burning as Aaron draped his arm along the back of the couch behind me.

Ryan leaned his head back onto my lap, shooting me a mischievous grin. “Comfy, Smalls?”

I tried to shift my legs to get comfortable, but Aaron leaned down and whispered, “Stop wiggling, Tiny, or you’re going to cause problems you won’t want to deal with.” His voice was low and teasing, but it sent a shiver down my spine.

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. They couldn’t hear it, could they? No way.

Ryan’s soft chuckle from the floor told me otherwise.

“Breathe, Selene,” he whispered, amusement clear in his voice.

Trying to relax, I settled back into the cushions, surrounded by their warmth. The movie started, but I had no idea what it was about. Between the exhaustion from training and the comfort of being cocooned between my friends, I felt myself drifting off almost immediately.

Sometime later, I woke with a start, disoriented by the darkness. For a brief moment, I panicked—until the familiar scent of pine, citrus, and the boys' cologne grounded me.

I was sprawled across Aaron’s lap, with one of Ethan’s arms draped over my legs. My lower limbs were pinned under his grip, his head resting on my thigh like I was a pillow. There was no escape from this tangle of limbs, not that I really wanted to move.

Ryan was still curled on the floor at my feet, his head resting against my knee. As if sensing I was awake, he let out a soft hum, and I absently ran my fingers through his dark hair.

To my surprise, he made a low, satisfied noise—almost like a purr—and the vibration traveled through his whole body.

A smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. This... this felt right.

For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel like I was on the outside looking in. I was exactly where I belonged. And as my eyes fluttered closed again, I let that warmth wrap around me, holding onto the hope that maybe—just maybe—I wouldn’t have to let it go.