I slipped out of the party to grab some water, taking a deep breath in the cool, quiet kitchen as I guzzled it down. The energy out there was almost too much, and I needed a break. As I lowered the bottle, voices drifted in from the hallway behind me.

“I just don’t understand why she keeps it a secret. If I were her, I’d want everyone to know,” Marnie’s voice carried easily through the silence.

“Yeah, and what about that whole story about being mated to the twins?” Jeanie asked. “You think she’d lie about something that big?”

I froze, realizing they were talking about Stacey, who had been trying to claim the twins as hers since practically elementary school. They’d never given her the time of day, but she was determined, calling herself “future Luna” as if it were her birthright. I leaned closer, feigning interest in the fridge as they walked into the kitchen, oblivious to me.

“Well, even if it’s all for show, I’m not going to be the one to burst her bubble,” Marnie said with a cruel little laugh. “If she’s this unbearable without any real power, imagine her as Luna. It’d be a nightmare. The Moon Goddess would never make us suffer that much.”

Jeanie snickered in agreement, and I waited until they were gone before I slipped outside again. Their conversation was still buzzing in my mind, like the faint, bitter aftertaste of burnt coffee. Stacey’s delusion of being the twins’ mate had always been amusing to me—until now. It felt… different. I felt the prickling sensation of unease in the pit of my stomach, which was even more ridiculous. I didn’t care about titles or competition; I wasn’t interested in the Luna position or in being some “mate,” but hearing others talk about Stacey’s fake claims made it feel strangely real.

Suddenly, Devin caught my hand and pulled me into the fray as "Just the Way You Are" started playing. He laughed, pulling both Kylie and me into the center as the song played, singing along in his wonderfully off-key voice, and the others quickly surrounded us. Ryan, Leo, Ethan, and Aaron took turns dramatically serenading us both, pulling us close for slow, silly dances. It was the kind of playful warmth that melted the lingering bitterness from Marnie and Jeanie’s conversation. Surrounded by my friends, I felt safe, happy, and normal.

When the song ended, I gave each of them a hug before I turned to Kylie. “I’m exhausted; I’ll see you in the morning. Stay here if you want.” I winked at her, adding in a whisper, “We can gossip about these guys later.”

Devin smirked, overhearing me. “So, that invite for a sleepover extends to all of us, right?”

“Nice try,” I rolled my eyes, trying to sidestep, but Ethan stepped in front of me.

“Wait up, I’ll walk you,” he said with a tone that didn’t leave room for argument. I crossed my arms, giving him a look. “I fought at least a hundred different people over the last two days. What’s one walk upstairs?”

“True,” he said, smiling faintly, “but after the scene with Mitch earlier, my wolf has other ideas. Just let me walk you; he’ll calm down.”

I sighed, giving in as we headed to the staircase. “Does this happen often, your wolf being… territorial?”

He glanced down at me, his dark eyes softening as he nodded. “Only with you, Selene. It’s like a switch gets flipped. I don’t feel this with anyone else. You make me calm, centered—like family, but not quite. Hard to explain.”

I glanced away, feeling a little warm as I smiled. “I know what you mean. I feel that way around you too. You’re like my other half, not in a romantic way, but… it’s just this calming presence.”

Ethan stopped on the steps, his face breaking into a full grin, one I rarely saw from him. “That smile of yours is trouble,” I teased. “When you find your mate, she’s going to be wrapped around your finger in a heartbeat.”

He chuckled, his usual brooding demeanor replaced by something open and unguarded. “Noted. But for now, it’s just for you, Bite Size.”

We reached the third-floor door, and he let me punch in the code, his hand hovering behind me as if to catch me if I tripped. I turned back to him, still feeling the buzz of laughter from earlier. “Thanks, Ethan, really. I’d say you’re a pretty amazing bodyguard and brother.”

I hugged him, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath my cheek as he held me close, his hand gently resting on my back. “Night, Selene,” he murmured as he stepped back, waiting until I was inside before heading back downstairs.

The Morning After

I woke up disoriented, the sunlight streaming in through my window. Shifting, I noticed something—or rather, someone—solid pressed against my back, and the familiar scent of citrus and cinnamon washed over me. I froze, cracking one eye open to find Aaron's face inches from mine, his arm draped casually around my waist. My legs were tangled in the blankets, and something else—no, someone else—was pressed firmly against my back.

“Tiny, I thought we talked about this,” Aaron mumbled, his sleepy voice making the morning haze almost dreamlike. “You don’t want to be moving around this early.”

“I need to pee, and you’re both making it impossible,” I whispered back, trying not to laugh.

Aaron’s deep voice chuckled in my ear. “You’ve got three minutes before I come looking.”

I wiggled a bit more, trying to untangle myself, which woke Ryan, who groaned and murmured something about “showing me something hard” if I didn’t stop moving. Finally, I managed to extricate myself, stepping over a blanket on the floor—until I stumbled and landed squarely on top of a very awake Ethan.

“What the—” He sat up, his eyes wide with confusion as he gripped my arms to steady me.

I huffed, giving him a bemused smile. “What are you doing on my floor?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” he admitted, rubbing his eyes. “My wolf kept giving me some weird vibe until I got in here.” He stretched back out, closing his eyes like this was perfectly normal.

“Right,” I muttered, looking around and noticing Ryan’s feet sticking out from the end of the bed. My eyes widened when I spotted Devin and Kylie curled up together in a blanket by the fireplace.

“What happened last night?” I mumbled, hoping no one could hear the exasperation in my voice.