(Third-person’s POV)

In the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains, Matthew couldn’t see Olivia clearly. He pressed down on her hand as she unbuttoned his shirt, unable to suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth.

He was pleased by her proactive passion, but wished she would be more open with him about her fears. He controlled the kiss, not allowing her to deepen it.

“It’s toote, get some rest,” he said gently. “I have pack matters to handle.” He tucked her into bed, hisrge hand patting her backfortingly. But Olivia couldn’t sleep.

She feigned sleep, growing increasingly annoyed by his restraint. She pushed his hand away and turned her back to him, her wolf bristling with frustration.

I trail off, unsure how to finish that sentence without epting the ache that thought brings with it. I might not particrly like Remy right now, but the idea of never getting a chance with him hurts in ways I didn’t expect.

Callen doesn’t push. He doesn’t try to convince me or offer empty reassurances. Instead, he reaches out andys his hand gently over mine. “If he walks away, we’ll reassess together.”

His words bring a strange sense of peace, and for now, that feels like enough.

“You can’t tell him that, though. I don’t want it to be the reason he gives me a chance,” I add.

Callen nods. “Of course. I wouldn’t want that. When hees around, and he will, I don’t want you to have any doubts about the reason why.”

We sit there in the quiet, our hands still joined, when the soft thud of footsteps draws our attention to the stairs. Ryder appears at the bottom, shirtless and half-asleep, hair tousled from sleep and his eyes still heavy with exhaustion.

“Well, this is a cosy little scene,” he says, his voice still rough with sleep but warm with amusement as his gaze settles on our joined hands. “You two going to invite me to the coffee party, or should I go back upstairs and pretend I didn’t see anything?” Callen rolls his eyes but smiles. “There’s a fresh pot in the kitchen. Knock yourself out.”

He walks into the room, picks up Callen’s cup from the coffee table and knocks it back, before leaning over to kiss the top of my head.

“You’re such an ass sometimes, Rye,” Callen huffs.

“Half a tepid cup of coffee is not much to take after the amount of blood I’ve had to give you this week,” Ryder grins, and Cal throws a cushion at him. “Who wants a refill?”

“Thanks.” I hold out my almost empty cup, and he takes it before turning towards the kitchen.

“Where’s Jax?” he asks over his shoulder.

“Still sleeping,” Callen answers, getting up to follow him in.

I get up too, moving to the kitchen ind as Rye takes another mug from the cupboard. “Good. That gives me time to prepare before he demands cereal and a full reenactment of yesterday’s cartoon episode.”

“You love it,” I tease, watching the way his mouth stretches into a smile.

“Of course I do,” he mutters, pouring his coffee.

And just like that, all the heaviness fromst night starts to ease. My confusion and fears are still there, but they’re softened now by the warm, real presence of these men around me.

“It’s not that I don’t understand,” I say. “Or that I don’t want you to be happy. I think I’m still trying to wrap my head around all of this. You, Remy, Ryder, Parker. This whole new life, and then there’s this history between you and Remy, and the bond between us… it’s a lot. I don’t want to make promises I don’t fully understand yet.”

He nods once. “That’s fair.”

“But,” I continue, and his head lifts slightly, turning to look at me with hope flickering in his eyes. “For now… yes. I think I’m okay with it. I want to be okay with it. I’m just not sure how I’ll feel if Remy ultimately decides he doesn’t want to be part of this group, part of us. If he walks awaypletely…”

Do I have a right to tell them no when I’m the oneing into an already-established rtionship?

There are so many questions, and none of them that I have a simple answer for.

I stare at the half-empty mug in my hands, wishing it had some answers for me or the right words to give Callen. My heart feels tight, tangled up in too many conflicting feelings to make sense of.

“I don’t know,” I admit quietly. “I wish I had a clear answer for you, but I don’t.”

Callen stills, the bounce of his leg stopping mid-motion. I see the tension in his shoulders, the way he braces himself for the worst, and it makes me want to reach out and ease it, but I still don’t know how.

I blow out a breath and lean back against the back of the couch, watching Callen as he bounces one leg. How do I answer this? Am I okay with him and Remy having a romantic rtionship?

Would it even be fair to say no when I have four mates?

Callen shifts beside me, suddenly looking ufortable. When he speaks, he seems hesitant, nervous even. “There was something else I wanted to talk to you about, because we never really rified any boundaries. I know all this is new, this idea of sharing, and that what you saw between me and Remy confused you. I wanted to see if you were actually okay with it, though. If you are okay with me and Remy being together.”

I tuck my face into his neck and breathe him in. “I can’t stand the thought of anyone getting hurt. After seeing what they did to you…” My words cut off with a choking sob.

“Hey, don’t think like that. I was out there alone with no warning. This is totally different. We are ready for them. Do you hear all that movement out there? That’s our enforcers mobilising. They’re highly trained fighters. Those hunters made a mistake tonight.”

Tense minutes tick by before Callen suddenly tenses and curses.

“What? What is it?”

“Hunters are pressing toward the east. Ryder’s hurt but moving. He’s outnumbered; he needs me.’

The breath whooshes out of me. “Hurt? How bad?”

“

“Not bad enough to keep him down.” But there’s a flicker in his eyes that tells me it’s worse than he’s letting on.

“I’ming,” I start, moving off the bed.

“No.” His voice is all alphamand now. “You stay in the house with Jaxon.”

The way he says it makes my stomach twist. He’s worried about my son too.

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