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“We arenotfriends.”

Well. That told me then, didn’t it? I bite back a grin. How do I tell her that I’d like to be friends – maybe more than friends – when she won’t open up to us at all? Why are her walls built so high? Why is she so guarded? So alone?

I try again.

“Our apologies, Miss Eviana. We didn’t mean to disrupt you again, but we’re having a few issues with our house.”

Xar jumps in before I can continue. “The plumbing’s acting up, and there’s – well, we’re not sure what’s going on, but we thought maybe you’d had similar problems. Your place is…old, and we thought we could ask you for advice.”

Her eyes flick to each of us, sizing us up, and I know she’s not buying it. The hesitation is clear on her face. She crosses her arms tighter, and I can see her jaw clenching, fighting back something.

“Problems with the house?” she asks, her voice a little strained. “That’s…convenient.”

I’m already bracing for her to shut the door in our faces, but Xar doesn’t back down. “Look, we just need a little guidance. We don’t want to cause you any more trouble, but we’re a bit lost out here. We’re not from around here, and we thought maybe you’ve dealt with the same kind of stuff before or have a number for a local tradesperson perhaps.”

She glances away for a moment, her eyes flicking to the side of the house like she’s contemplating it. There’s a faint line between her brows, the same worried look that was there yesterday.

“I’m not a plumber,” she says, the edge in her voice unmistakable. “And I don’t know what kind of help you think I can offer. You should probably just call a professional. You can Google a number, I’m sure. Big, strong alphas like yourselves can usually manage simple tasks like that with some guidance.”

It’s a firm rejection, but there’s a crack in her tone that tells me she’s not as cold as she’s pretending to be. She’s trying to push us away, but something’s lingering there. And she has a sense of humour. Dry, like mine, and I really really like that.

I look over at Xar, who’s still trying to keep the conversation going. “I get it,” he says quickly, his voice softening. “We don’t mean to bother you. We just…wanted to ask, you know?”

Her gaze softens just slightly as she stands there, looking at us, but it doesn’t last. She shakes her head, steps back, and closes the door just a fraction. “I can’t help. You’re better off calling someone who knows what they’re doing. Good luck. Especially this close to the holidays and with a storm on the way.”

The door clicks shut before any of us can say anything more.

We stand there for a beat, the silence heavy, before Blaise sighs, shaking his head. “Well, that went well.”

“Great job, Xar,” I mutter, though there’s no real anger behind it. Just frustration. We came all this way, and she’s not buying it. I knew she wouldn’t and I’m taking my frustration out on him, which isn’t fair. But what else can I do? For some reason this terrified little omega has decided she wants nothing to do with us, won’t even give us the time of day to get to know her, and yet the alpha inside me isdemandingwe don’t give up.

Xar turns back to the car, shoulders slumped slightly. “I don’t know what else to say.”

“Maybe stop going back,” Blaise mutters under his breath. Rich coming from him, no oneforcedhim to join us.

We walk back to the car, the rain picking up again as we settle in, all of us silently stewing in the discomfort. I feel the tension between us, each of us trying to shake off the nagging feeling that we’re not done yet.

I glance over at Xar, who’s gripping the steering wheel tightly again. He’s not ready to let this go either, but I don’t know what more we can do.

The drive back to the cottage is quiet, the weight of our failed attempt hanging over us, and somehow that makes the journey feel even longer this time. The rain’s turned heavier, the windshield wipers working overtime to clear the mist and drops. There’s a weight in the car, the kind that’s too thick to ignore. No one’s speaking, but the tension is palpable. I can feel it pressing in from all sides – Xar’s frustration, Blaise’s irritation, and my own simmering dissatisfaction.

But even in the silence, I can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t the last time we’ll see her.

I refuse to let it be.

I glance out the window, trying to distract myself, but it doesn’t work. All I can think about is the way she’d shut the door on us. On me.

She was scared. That much is obvious. But I can’t stop thinking about the part of her I saw hidden behind those walls – the way she hesitated for just a second before she closed the door. We weren’t just a nuisance to her. Something about us – about the way we are – affects her. I know it does.

And that’s what’s making me lose my focus. Making me question everything.

The silence in the car is almost suffocating now, so I try to break it.

“Well, that was a waste of time,” I mutter, but it feels like I’m just stating the obvious. I know it won’t make anything better. “She’s not going to let us in. At least not like this.”

Blaise huffs, his fingers tapping against his knee in the quiet of the car. “Shocker. You didn’t actually think it’d be that easy, did you?”

I glance at him, meeting his eyes for just a second. “I thought we’d at least make some progress. But she’s completely shutting us out.”