“WHERE IS SHE?! IF SHE LEFT WITHOUT US, I SWEAR I’M GOING TO KILL HER!”

The door to the twins’ room banged open, and I jolted awake, gasping for air. It took me a second to figure out where I was—Aaron and Ryan’s bed. Oh Goddess. I was still here.

What the hell had I been thinking, crawling into bed with the twins last night?

Before I could fully process how mortifying this was, I heard Aaron’s deep, gravelly voice vibrate against the top of my head.

“Are you sure you checked everywhere?” he asked, clearly enjoying himself. I felt the heat of his breath move the baby hairs around my forehead.

Footsteps paced across the room in frustration. “Yes, I checked everywhere!” Leo snapped. “Her room’s empty, she’s not downstairs, not in the kitchen, not in the Luna’s office. If she’s gone to the trials without us—”

“She hasn’t gone anywhere,” Ryan chuckled from behind me, his chest rumbling against my back. I could feel him grinning as he buried his face in my hair, savoring the torment they were causing my brother.

“Relax, Leo. Take a deep breath.”

There was a pause, then—

“Wait…” Leo’s voice dropped to a dangerous growl, the pieces clicking into place.

The twins erupted into quiet laughter, still lazily pressed against me on both sides, as if they had no intention of moving anytime soon.

“Okay,” I whispered, struggling to keep my own giggles at bay, “you’ve had your fun. I need to pee. Let me up.”

Aaron huffed out a soft laugh, his hand flexing against my hip as if debating whether to release me. But I was already pushing off his chest, trying not to dwell on how solid and warm he felt beneath me.

I climbed off the bed as gracefully as I could and slipped between them, avoiding everyone’s gaze as I padded toward my room. I refused to look at Leo—I could feel his eyes burning into me—and I definitely didn’t need to see Kylie’s smug grin. I knew Ethan would look confused as hell, and Devin... Well, Devin was probably ready to throw a parade.

I shut myself in my bathroom, hoping the cool water on my face would calm the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

When I finally emerged twenty minutes later—dressed in black leggings, a sports bra, and a high-neck tank top—I found them all waiting in the sitting area, already dressed and ready to go. No one said a word about where they found me this morning. They didn’t have to. The unspoken energy between us said everything.

We descended the stairs and headed to the kitchen for breakfast, moving as one seamless group, as always.

“You seven really do travel as a pack, don’t you?”

“Good morning, Alpha Reggie,” I greeted, giving him a polite nod before turning to the others. “Good morning, Luna Anne. Prince Andrew.”

The prince looked up from his coffee and gave me a warm smile, though I noticed his gaze lingered on me a little longer than necessary. I ignored the flutter of unease in my stomach and followed Aaron and Ryan to the long kitchen table by the patio windows.

We slid into our usual chairs, falling into an easy rhythm of eating and chatting.

“Are you really doing the trials today?” Andrew asked, his brow furrowed in concern. “They’re brutal.”

“Yep.” I stabbed a piece of bacon with more force than necessary. “I’m too young to officially join, but I’ll gain experience for when I’m eligible.”

He looked genuinely worried. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to watch.”

Why was he acting like this? We barely knew each other. I gave him a polite smile, though it felt strained.

“Now, now, son,” Alpha Reggie interjected with a chuckle. “No giving anything away. We can’t show favoritism.” He winked at me, but something in his tone made my stomach twist.

Suddenly, I wasn’t so hungry anymore. I forced down a few more bites, knowing I’d need the energy, but the unease lingered.

At 9 a.m., I stood abruptly, unable to sit still any longer. “Alright, I’ve waited long enough. I need to go, or I’m going to crawl out of my skin.”

Just as I turned toward the door, I felt strong hands wrap around my waist. With a laugh, I was tossed over a shoulder.

“Seriously, Ethan?” I giggled, recognizing his familiar honey scent. “Caveman-ing me? Again?”

“You didn’t think we’d let you go alone, did you?” His voice was low, but there was something tender beneath the teasing. “We’re sticking with you as far as they’ll let us.”

“Fine,” I grinned. “But I’d rather ride upright. I’ll climb on your back.”

Without setting me down, Ethan adjusted his grip, and I scrambled onto his back, wrapping my arms around his neck. He locked his hands under my thighs to keep me steady, and I rested my chin on his shoulder.

“Jealous much?” I whispered, catching the faintest flicker of something in his expression.

He glanced at me, his lips twitching into a small, rare smile. “Maybe.”

We moved as one unit through the forest toward the training grounds, the rest of the guys giving us space while still close enough to form our usual protective formation.

After a long silence, Ethan spoke again, his voice low and deliberate. “Look, Selene... We don’t know exactly what’s going on, but we all feel it. We’re drawn to you. We don’t know why, but it’s intense. I just know I feel better when you’re near.”

My heart skipped a beat at the raw honesty in his words.

He continued, “It’s not just... brotherly, but it’s not romantic either. You keep us grounded, even when you drive us crazy.” He let out a breath, as if confessing something he didn’t fully understand himself. “When we thought you’d left without us this morning... I thought I’d lose it.”

My throat tightened. I had no idea what to say to that, so I did the only thing I could—I hugged him tighter, pressing my nose into the crook of his neck.

“Thank you for telling me,” I whispered, feeling his body shiver slightly under my touch.

Just then, Devin bounded up beside us, his grin wide. “Alright, lovebirds! Time to let go. We’ve got a badass girl to cheer on.”

I slipped off Ethan’s back, giving him one last squeeze before I wrapped my arms around Devin’s waist. He kissed the top of my head, and Leo joined, pulling me into his arms for a quick but tight hug.

Ryan and Aaron were last, pulling me into their twin embrace, sandwiching me between them just like last night.

“Do us proud, Tiny,” Aaron whispered, his nose brushing my ear.

“We’ll be watching,” Ryan added, rubbing his cheek against mine, leaving a hint of his scent on my skin.

At the gates of the arena, I steeled myself, preparing to dive into the trials. But just as I found my focus, a grating, high-pitched voice cut through the air.

“Boys! I’m so glad you waited for me!” Stacey cooed, flipping her hair dramatically. “It’s so sweet of you.”

Kylie stepped forward, her voice sharp and confident. “Not today, Stacey. Run along. You weren’t invited to the Alpha’s box, and you won’t be sitting with us.”

I fought the urge to laugh, grateful beyond words for my best friend’s fierce loyalty.

As Stacey fumed and stormed off, I turned back toward the arena, ready for whatever the trials would throw at me.

“Go show them what you’re made of,” Kylie whispered with a grin. “And don’t forget—we’ve got your back.”

I smiled, my nerves settling. With one last look at my friends—my guys—I stepped through the gates, determined to leave everything on that battlefield.