"Wait up, Shorty," Leo murmurs as he caught up behind me, wrapping his strong arms around me from the back. He pressed a kiss to the crown of my head, just like he had the other night. Before I could react, Devin and Ethan appeared on either side of me, placing kisses on my temples in sync, leaving me dazed and warm inside.

Kylie, of course, walked by with a smug grin. “They can’t even leave you alone long enough to sleep.” She gave my arm a teasing squeeze. "I need to get out of this dress and into some PJ’s. I’ll see you when they’re done smothering you."

The guys chuckled, unbothered, and eventually peeled away toward their rooms, leaving just me, Aaron, and Ryan standing in the hallway.

The twins stood side by side, their shirts untucked, hands stuffed casually into their pockets. They looked relaxed, but their expressions carried a certain intensity, like they had more to say but were holding back. Their dark, messy hair and slightly disheveled clothes only added to their magnetic appeal.

I shifted on my feet, suddenly feeling the weight of their attention. When they didn’t say anything, I decided to stir the pot.

“What? No goodnight kiss from my future Alphas?” I teased, tilting my head with a mischievous grin. “I’m a little disappointed.”

They exchanged a glance, their lips curling into matching smirks. Then, without a word, they both moved toward me in unison, closing the short distance between us with a quiet, predatory grace.

Aaron stood directly in front of me, while Ryan took his place behind me. Their combined presence was overwhelming—so close I could’ve lifted my feet off the ground and still been supported between them.

Aaron leaned in first, his lips brushing against my ear. “When we kiss you…”

Ryan’s warm breath ghosted across the back of my neck as he finished, “...it won’t be on your forehead.”

Before I could comprehend the meaning behind their words, both of them dipped their heads at the same time. Their noses grazed along the sensitive skin of my neck, tracing slow paths from my shoulders back to my ears in perfect sync. The gentle touch sent chills down my spine, leaving me frozen and breathless.

I gasped quietly, my heart pounding in my chest. My hands—acting of their own accord—had latched onto their wrists, one hand gripping each twin without me even realizing it.

“Breathe, Selene,” one of them whispered—though I couldn’t tell which. My mind was too fogged, too disoriented to focus. I forced a breath in, my chest rising and falling in deep, jagged movements.

“You’ll have to let go if you want us to leave,” Ryan added, his low voice rough and teasing.

Embarrassed and slightly dizzy, I slowly loosened my grip, letting their wrists slip from my trembling hands. They stepped back just as smoothly as they had approached, retreating toward Aaron’s room. Their hands stayed buried in their pockets, as if they hadn't just set me on fire without even touching me.

"If you have trouble sleeping,” Ryan called over his shoulder with a playful wink, “you know where to find us.”

I stood rooted to the spot, my pulse racing as I stared after them, unable to respond.

When I turned back toward my room, Kylie was waiting at the door with the biggest grin plastered across her face. She grabbed my arm and yanked me inside, slamming the door behind us.

“That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” she squealed, barely able to contain her excitement. “And they didn’t even lay a hand on you! What exactly did they say?”

“They said…” I hesitated, still dazed. “They said that when they kiss me, it won’t be on my forehead. Or... in the hallway.”

Kylie practically swooned. “Oh my Goddess, they’ve got it bad for you. No wonder they’ve been acting like jealous cavemen all night.”

“No,” I said quickly, my face heating. “We’re just friends. It’d be weird if something happened between us.”

She gave me a knowing look. “Right. And that whole thing just now? Totally friendly behavior.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the memory of their lips grazing my skin made me shiver. I hated to admit it, but Kylie wasn’t wrong—it had excited me. And worse, the thought of the twins flirting with someone else made my stomach twist uncomfortably.

"Let’s be real," Kylie continued with a teasing grin. "I’ve never seen them flirt like that with anyone else. They’ve got it bad, Selene."

I rolled my eyes, but a tiny part of me wondered if she was right. I didn’t fully understand what was happening between me and the guys, but it was impossible to deny the electric tension that lingered between us now.

We crawled under the comforter, and Kylie spent the next half hour giving me a crash course on boy behavior. I wasn’t sure I understood half of what she said, but it was fun to talk about something other than training or school for a change.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like an ordinary girl, just laughing and gossiping with her best friend. It was... nice.

Unexpected Comfort

I woke hours later, rolling over and stretching lazily. The sky outside my window was still dark, and my internal clock told me it was around 4 a.m.—my usual wake-up time. I wandered around my new room for a bit, restless.

This place was mine now. Mine. And while I appreciated the space, my heart ached with restlessness. I missed the sense of connection I felt with the others.

Their words from earlier echoed in my mind. If you can’t sleep, you know where to find us.

I hesitated for only a second before slipping out the door and padding silently down the hall toward Aaron’s room. My heart pounded as I turned the handle, the door creaking open just enough for me to slip inside.

In the soft light from the hallway, I saw them sprawled across the massive bed, looking every bit like two halves of the same whole.

Ryan was on his stomach, one arm tucked under his head, his back muscles rippling even in rest. Aaron lay on his back, one arm draped over his face, the other resting across his stomach with his thumb tucked casually into the waistband of his shorts.

They were beautiful—both of them. Identical, yet distinct in ways only someone close to them would notice.

I hesitated at the foot of the bed for a moment, feeling foolish. But the warmth radiating from them, the familiar scent of citrus and cinnamon, soothed my nerves. Without overthinking it, I crawled over the comforter, settling between them.

As soon as I lay down, they stirred. Ryan shifted behind me, wrapping an arm over my waist and pulling me against his chest, his nose nuzzling into my hair.

Aaron turned toward me, his large hand sliding down my side to rest on my hip, his fingertips brushing the curve of my back. His lips grazed my forehead in the lightest of touches, sending a wave of calm through me.

In that moment, everything felt... right. Safe.

Wrapped between them, I drifted off into the deepest sleep I’d had in years, lulled by the steady rhythm of their breathing and the warmth of their touch.