Malcolm's eyes flash. "And they all went to take care of her."
I nod, throat tight.
"He told the investigators to leave, and then they—" My voice drops, humiliation burning. "They disappeared into her room. All of them. And I'm just here. Again. Waiting. Listening."
The words come out sharp with hurt I didn't realize had teeth.
"I don't even know what I'm supposed to do with myself. I don't want a new pack. Chase told Ragon I might be re-placed. I don't want anyone. I just want to be left alone."
The room is quiet except for my sniffles.
Malcolm's expression softens. "Come here."
His arms open.
Something inside me breaks wider—not fear this time, but need. I hesitate for only a second before my body moves on its own, folding into him like gravity.
The moment his arms wrap around me, warmth floods through me, deep and immediate. Malcolm's chest rumbles with a low, soothing sound—his alpha purr, loud enough that it vibrates against my cheek.
My omega instincts—quiet, suppressed, starved—rear up like they've been waiting for permission.
They surge forward, hungry for comfort.
I make a small sound I don't recognize as my own and press closer, clinging to him as if he's the only solid thing left in the world.
"Easy," Malcolm murmurs, purring again. "You're safe."
Safe.
The word soothes me like a balm.
Finn shifts closer, stroking my hair carefully, fingers combing through the strands in slow, grounding passes. His touch is steady and familiar, like a promise.
Alex sits on the other side of me, close enough that his heat reaches me too, a silent presence that doesn't demand anything.
"There you go," Finn whispers. "Just breathe."
I do, shuddering.
The blockers make everything harder. My instincts keep trying to scent them, to map safety through smell, but it's like reaching for something with numb fingers.
"I—" I swallow. "I wish I could smell you."
The words slip out without permission.
Finn's hand pauses in my hair for a second, then resumes, gentle. Malcolm's purr deepens slightly, like approval.
Alex chuckles softly, the sound warm. "Soon enough."
I blink, confused by the casual certainty in his voice, but I'm too overwhelmed to chase it.
Malcolm shifts carefully, easing me upright just enough to look at my face. His eyes are serious. "Do you want water?"
I nod weakly.
He squeezes my shoulder and stands. The loss of his warmth makes my body protest, but Alex shifts closer automatically, allowing me to move into his lap instead. His chest is solid, heat radiating through his shirt.
Finn stays near, still stroking my hair, murmuring soft reassurances.
