I make it to my nest before the sobs start.
Huge, gasping things that shake my whole body. I bury my face in my pillow and let it all out—the anger, the shame, the bone-deep fear that I'm losing everything and there's nothing I can do to stop it.
I'm still crying when the door opens.
"Vee?"
Eli.
I don't lift my head. "Go away."
"Not a chance." The bed dips as he climbs into my nest. "Come here."
I resist for exactly three seconds before I'm crawling into his lap, face pressed to his shoulder, fingers clutching his shirt like he's the only solid thing in the world.
"I hate this," I sob. "I hate everything about this."
"I know." His arms band around me, tight and secure. "I know, sweetheart."
"She's taking over my space and Ragon doesn't even care. He just—he just lets her, and then I'm the bad guy when I try to push back."
"You're not the bad guy." Eli's hand strokes through my hair, gentle and repetitive. "But you can't scream at her, Vee. Not in front of the alphas. You know how that looks."
"Like I'm the problem."
"Like you're struggling." He pulls back enough to look at me, thumbs wiping at my tears. "Which you are. And that's okay. But you have to find better ways to handle it."
"I don't know how."
"Then we figure it out together." He kisses my forehead. "But first, you breathe. And you let me hold you until you don't feel like you're drowning."
So I do.
I curl into him and breathe and let him anchor me until the storm passes.
Later—much later, when my eyes are puffy and my throat is raw—Eli convinces me to come back downstairs.
"They're playing a board game," he says. "Low stakes. Easy distraction. You don't have to talk to Marie if you're not ready. Just... be present."
I don't want to.
But I also don't want to hide in my room all night like a child being punished.
So I let him lead me down to the living room.
They're all there. Ragon and Drake setting up the board. Jasper reading the rules with that focused intensityhe brings to everything. Marie perched on the couch, looking small and anxious.
When I walk in, she looks up. Our eyes meet.
I look away first.
"Vee!" Drake's voice is too bright. Forced cheerful. "You're just in time. We're playingTicket to Ride. You love trains."
"I don't love trains. I'm just good at this game."
"Same thing." He pats the floor beside him. "Come on. Be on my team."
I hesitate, then sink down next to Eli instead. Close enough that our thighs touch.
