Talon and Cade were both in the kitchen, dishtowels slung over their shoulders, working in tandem to prepare lunch.
Cade heard my stomach growling and looked up, catching me squirming on his brother’s lap.
“Killian, let Rowan sit in her own seat. She needs some personal space. You two have had enough contact for one day.”
“I never thought those words would come out ofyourmouth, Cade,” I said with a grin, sliding off Killian’s lap into my own chair.
Cade sighed and went back to flipping food in the pan. He muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like “brat.”
“What’s for lunch?” I asked excitedly, practically drooling over the savory smell. I had certainly worked up a voracious appetite.
Talon brought my plate over, setting a grilled sandwich in front of me. He had piled it high with juicy tomatoes, avocado slices, spinach, fresh mozzarella, shredded chicken, and some type of condiment.
“Yum,” I said, looking up at him with a grin. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” he replied, taking a seat beside me. “There’s stew on the stove for dinner. Figured it’d be good for the cold weather. I'm glad you're finally getting to try my cooking.”
Cade brought Killian’s plate over, and Ryker sauntered out a few minutes later, grabbing his from the counter before taking the last open seat.
We were all together. The whole pack. Sharing a meal.
Something about the simplicity warmed me. Ryker had picked all the vegetables off his sandwich, leaving neat little piles on the edge of his plate. Killian barely breathed as he swallowed his in two bites. Cade and Talon chatted back and forth, both shooting Ryker an irritated look when he started humming while he chewed.
It was peaceful, predictable, and domestic in a way I never imagined my life could be again. These men had become familiar; their little habits and quirks were easy to read. Despite how all of this had begun, my escape attempt and my refusal to accept this new reality, I felt momentarily content.
Everything had gone sideways since I’d joined the unit, so much chaos and uncertainty. But here, in this still moment,surrounded by these men, I realized perhaps happiness wasn’t impossible.
I’d gotten a taste of what it was like to belong when I was part of my band. But even then, my secrets had kept me on the outside. With these men, there were no secrets. No walls left to hide behind.
For the first time, I felt like I might actually belong somewhere.
For the first time, I wanted to be part of this unit.
Once our stomachs were full, Cade began the pack meeting. It was the first pack meeting they had included me in, and that warmed something in me.
“First order of business. Rowan will attend another science visitation tomorrow at 0800. Killian and I will chaperone her, while you two are on patrol,” he said, pointing to Ryker and Talon.
“What? Why? I already—”
“Rowan, I don’t know,” Cade cut in, giving me a stern look that told me not to interrupt again. “I’d tell you if I did. But weekly visitations with the Border Front’s chief science officer was my father’s only condition for approving our transfer. Your escape attempt and shift forced my hand. I had to agree.”
Killian’s nostrils flared, and his fists slammed against the table, the sound sharp enough to make me jump. He started signing to Cade too fast for me to follow. My heart pounded, sweat beading on my forehead. The mention of the appointment sent me spiraling, and once again my wolf surged forward, pushing against the confines of her cage.
My last appointment with Dr. Zolkos had unsettled me more than I admitted at the time. Back then, I didn't know I was a shifter. I had no context for the questions he asked or the wayhis attention lingered.
Now I did. And I understood exactly what it meant.
Arca could never find out I had shifted. The risk was too great. And this new appointment made one thing painfully clear. Someone was still interested and watching me. I knew enough now to be afraid.
Cade was still talking when Talon’s sharp voice cut through the noise. “The pills,” he said urgently, nodding toward me.
Cade reached into his pocket, pulling out one of my “chill pills,” as Ryker liked to call them, and dropped it into my palm. I swallowed without complaint. The medication worked fast, and within minutes I could feel my volatile emotions smoothing out, the edge of panic dulling as my wolf receded.
“Rowan, are you feeling calmer?” Cade asked. “If you can’t stay present for this conversation, it’s okay. We can discuss it and fill you in once your emotions are more stable.”
“I’m fine, Cade!” I said, a little more sharply than I intended. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap. I’m just… scared. I don’t want to end up in a cage, getting poked and prodded like some test animal.”
“That will not happen,” Talon said, his tone firm, like it was a fact.
