He crosses the room with his cane in hand, his stride steady but not smooth. There’s a slight hitch when he puts weight on his bad leg, a momentary pause that most people would miss if they weren’t looking for it. I notice it because I always do. He adjusts without breaking pace, shoulders squared, posture controlled, like it’s another thing he’s learned to live with.
He opens the door, and I take two big steps forward, stopping right next to Tansy.
Her whole family fills the entryway.
Cass offers his hand without hesitation. “Cassian.”
“William,” an older alpha with silver-white hair says. “I appreciate you welcoming us.”
He’s broad through the shoulders with a barrel chest, dressed in a dark jacket and green tie. His eyes are sharp as they meet Cass’s, looking him up and down the way pack alphas do.
“Welcome to our home,” Cass replies evenly.
William nods once, then shifts slightly to the side as he starts the introductions. “This is Daniel,” he says, gesturing to the alpha behind him.
Daniel is tall and bald. His posture is relaxed for the most part, but he stays alert, eyes already taking in the room and everyone in it. He gives Cass a respectful nod before looking right at Tansy. But he doesn’t go to her. He waits.
“Our omega, Renee,” William continues, motioning to the tiny woman next to Daniel.
She’s incredibly small—which is surprising given Tansy’s height—but she stands like she’s ready to command a battalion of soldiers. Her back is straight, shoulders squared, and her chestnut hair is pulled into a tight twist at the nape of her neck, silver threading through the strands at her temples.
Her gaze moves over Cass, eyes lingering on his cane.
But she doesn’t say anything.
She doesn’t look at Tansy or thank anyone for the invitation. She just continues to stare at Cass’s legs, like she’s trying to figure out what’s wrong with him.
“And this is Ken,” William finishes.
Ken moves in with an easy smile that feels warm on contact. He’s tall, handsome in a way that looks effortless rather than worked at, his suit fitting him perfectly. His posture is loose, open, inviting.
Beside me, Tansy goes still.
She doesn’t tense or react otherwise. She looks… empty.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cassian.” Ken extends his hand to Cass, shaking it with a warm smile.
Cass returns the greeting, then he introduces us. We each nod as he says our names. Warren even steps forward and shakes William’s hand. I stay put next to Tansy, not wanting to leave her side for a second.
Her scent is…odd.
It’s faint, but I catch it anyway. The warm sweetness she usually carries has thinned out, replaced by something sharp and flat, like her body has slammed on the brakes.
Cass steps aside and gestures them in with an open hand. “Please,” he says. “Come in.”
They move past him, and I brace myself, waiting for the rush for them to get to Tansy.
It doesn’t come.
Daniel is the first to step toward our omega. He smiles at her, soft and genuine, then leans in to press a quick kiss to her cheek. “You look good, kiddo,” he says quietly, like that’s all he wants to say right now.
She beams up at him, a bright smile that looks real, not forced, and my shoulders ease a fraction.
William comes next. He doesn’t crowd her either. He reaches out and squeezes her hand, firm and grounding. “It’s good to see you,” he says.
“Yeah,” she says, still smiling. “It really is.”
Then Renee steps forward.
