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My mind races. If I were them, I’d be waiting for a cordial, shy greeting from the human. Kind, gentle, but unimpressive. Even now, the males looking at me are mostly impatient. There are maybe one or two regarding me with open curiosity, but most, like Alaric, aren’t trying to hide their obvious disdain.

Based on their reaction to Alaric’s question, they aren’t happy that I’m human.

Well, fortunately for them, I’m not human. And even if I were, they’d simply need to come to terms with it. I’m fighting enough battles on what feel like dozens of fronts. This is one battle I don’t have to fight. Their opinion doesn’t matter, because Fate has already spoken.

More importantly, I made my choice days ago. And I choose Soren.

Bolstered by the strength of my decision, I decide the best way to respond to these males is to go with my gut.

They’re expecting a polite greeting, but that feels disingenuous. Cool indifference does as well—that’s simply not who I am. It might give off an air of bravery, but sooner than later it’ll become clear that it was nothing more than a front. They’ll see me as wildly inauthentic.

What is authentic, however, is the gratitude I feel for these males.

This isn’t my home, but I am living here for now. More importantly, so are my Mates. And these males have spent the last week guarding the perimeter of our home. They’ve given up their comforts to live, work, and sleep in the forest.

The least I can do is thank them. Nothing grandiose. The last thing I want is to come off as self-important.

Fates, I hope I’m not making the wrong choice.

My hands curl into fists at my sides, and I lift my chin, scanning the group of males standing before me.

“I want you to know that I’m grateful for the extra security you’ve provided,” I tell them solemnly. “No one could have foreseen what happened this morning. Soren’s told me how incredibly proud he is of his pack, and I can see why. I have no doubt you’ve all done your jobs well.”

To my shock, two of the males stand a bit taller. Soren’s grip tightens around my neck, and he sends a surge of fierce pride down the Bond.

At some point, Daxen must have wandered into the forest. The sound of his footfalls as he jogs back pulls everyone’s attention and, thankfully, puts an end to my introduction.

I send a quick prayer to the Fates, thanking them for the interruption.

Daxen comes to a stop in front of us, shooting troubled glances over his shoulder back toward the trees. His mouth is pressed into a grim line.

“Another disturbance.”

No one seems shocked. After all, the whole world seems to be under some kind of supernatural attack.

Even still…

“Why here?” I murmur, recalling the hours I’ve spent watching report after report on the news. How convenient for this to happen just moments after I finally discover what’s going on in the rest of the world.

Maybe I’m looking too far into it, but something doesn’t sit right with me.

Dax frowns. “Do you know just how many disturbances have taken place within thirty miles of HQ over the last two weeks? Starting the night Caelan was taken⁠—”

I cut him off with a growl. It’s a pitiful Omega growl. One that escapes before I even realize just how angry his words have made me.

But Fates, I am angry.

No. I’m furious.

I am so sick and tired of Daxen ignoring that I was a victim that night as well. It was one thing when Caelan was still in a coma and everyone “thought” I was lying.

But Caelan’s been awake for days. They know better. Daxen, specifically, knows better. And after spending weeks being accused of lying, I’ve officially had it with his willingness to ignore my pain.

“The night I was taken,” I snap, correcting him before he can say anything. “Or, if you’d like, the night Caelan and I were taken. Either way, you don’t get to keep ignoring what happened to me that night. Especially when we both know the next thing out of your mouth is going to be an implication that I’m the reason for all these disturbances. And don’t say it wasn’t.”

He opens his mouth, eyes wide, but I raise my hand, forestalling him.

“I said, don’t say it. Don’t think you can accuse me of being the mastermind behind the destruction of villages in Alaska and churches in Italy and the electrical grid of the entire state of freaking Idaho! Not if you’re going to turn around and imply that I’m too blind to know that’s what’s about to happen. Like I’m too stupid to pick up on repeated patterns!”