Tristan takes a step toward the door, then stops abruptly. His hands clench at his sides, and I can see the tension in his shoulders as if he is fighting against some invisible force.
“I can’t,” he says through gritted teeth, his voice strained. “Fuck, I can’t leave.”
Diego moves toward the door next, but the same thing happens. He gets three steps before his entire body goes rigid, like he’s hit an invisible wall.
“Neither can I,” he admits, and the words sound like they were dragged over gravel. “My alpha won’t let me.”
Dane hasn’t even attempted to move. He just shakes his head.
Rett’s eyes narrow, his gaze sweeping over his immobilized brothers. A muscle jumps in his jaw. He doesn’t believe it. He’s the pack alpha; his will is law.
“Fine,” he says, his voice a low growl. “I’ll show you.”
He turns on his heel, his movements sharp and decisive, and strides toward the door. He makes it all the way to the threshold. His hand is on the frame. And then he stops.
His entire body goes rigid. His knuckles are white where hegrips the doorframe, his shoulders bunched so tight I think his shirt might rip. He lets out a harsh, ragged breath, like he’s just run a marathon. He tries to take another step, into the hallway, but he can’t. He’s physically incapable of it.
Then, all at once, the fight seems to go out of him. His shoulders, which had been ramrod straight, slump forward.
“The bond,” Dane says quietly into the charged silence. “It’s too new. Too raw. Her scream triggered a threat response. Now, none of us can leave her.”
Rett leans his forehead against the doorframe, his back still to us, and I hear him mutter a single, defeated word. “Fuck.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I protest, even as my own body seems to confirm his words. The thought of them leaving the room makes something deep in my chest clench with panic. “You can’t just... claim you’re physically unable to leave.”
“It’s not a claim,” Rett says, his voice rough. “It’s biology. The claiming bond is still settling. You screamed. Our alphas panicked.Wepanicked. Now they won’t let us go far from you.”
“How far is far?” I ask, dreading the answer.
“Right now?” Tristan runs a hand through his hair, looking as frustrated as I feel. “Maybe the living room. If we’re lucky.”
“The living room,” I repeat. “Okay, that’s... that’s reasonable. You can sleep on the couches.”
But even as I say it, I can see them all tense up. Diego actually takes a step back toward me, like the mere suggestion of distance is painful.
“Too far,” Dane confirms. “We need to stay close.”
“Define close.”
“This room,” Rett says bluntly. “We need to stay in this room.”
I stare at them, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “All night?”
“All night,” he confirms.
“That’s...” I struggle for words. “That’s completely insane.”
“Welcome to claiming bonds,” Tristan says. “They don’t exactly come with an instruction manual.”
I sink down into the bed, partially hiding under the covers. “So you’re telling me that all four of you have to sleep in here. With me.”
“Unless you want us to pace the hallway like caged animals,” Diego says gently. “Which we will do if you insist, but none of us will actually rest.”
The thought of them suffering because of me sends an unexpected pang through my chest. Which is ridiculous, because this entire situation is their fault to begin with.
I study them for a moment.
“Alright,” I say finally. “But you’re sleeping on the floor.”
