"Notice that," Arden says quietly, already writing. "Stay with it."
Jasper shifts closer, sitting beside me but leaving space. Our thighs don't touch. His scent is muted, controlled—distance and discipline layered together. It doesn't press at my instincts. It doesn't demand.
We try brief embraces next. Jasper asks before each one, arms careful, withdrawing the moment my breathing changes.
I don't flinch.
Side-by-side proximity is easier than I expect. I can breathe. My heart rate slows.
"Comfort level?" Arden asks.
"Okay," I say, surprised by how steady my voice sounds.
Jasper retreats immediately, giving me a respectful nod before returning to his chair.
Eli goes next.
He hesitates before moving, eyes searching my face like he's afraid to read something wrong. That hesitation sends a sharp ache through my chest.
"Are you sure?" he asks softly.
"Yes," I say, even though my fingers tighten again.
Eli sits beside me, closer than Jasper did. His scent wraps around me—warm, familiar, achingly gentle. Tea and clean linen andhim. The alpha who used to be my safe place.
My body reacts anyway.
My shoulders tense. My breath stutters once before I force it steady.
Eli notices immediately and stills. "I can stop."
"No. I'm okay."
Arden's pen pauses mid-stroke. "Vee, that wasn't a question. How does your body feel?"
I swallow. "Confused."
Eli's hand rests lightly on my forearm. The contact is soft, careful—but my muscles lock. A rush of memory surges up unbidden. Hands holding me down while I screamed. Eli's voice in my ear, steady, apologetic, telling meRagon says it's necessary.
I know he didn't have a choice. He can't stand up against his pack lead. Ragon's too dominant.
But my body doesn't understand.
Eli pulls back, guilt flaring off him in waves. "I'm sorry."
"I know," I whisper.
Arden makes a note. "That tracks."
Drake is next.
He tries to keep it light as he approaches, flashing me a familiar grin. "No pressure, okay?"
I nod, even as my heart picks up speed.
He sits close and slings an arm around my shoulders the way he used to—casual, affectionate, easy.
My body recoils.
