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“I feel like I’m…burning inside,” I whisper. Hushed, tentative, confessional. “Like my skin’s too tight and my heart’s too full and I don’t know what to do with all of it.”

Xar leans closer, his forehead brushing mine so lightly I almost miss it.

“That’s your omega waking up,” he says quietly. “Finally being seen. She’s been locked down so long she doesn’t know how to stretch without shaking.”

I let that settle.Let it hurt, in a way that makes room for healing.

“Every time I’m near you,” I say, “I feel like I’m going to fly apart.”

“You’re not,” he murmurs. “You’re just falling into place.”

My breath catches again – because I believe him. Just for a moment, I believe him.

His hand trails down to my jaw, fingertips ghosting along my throat before pulling back. Not because he wants to. Because he’s letting me choose.

And god help me, I almost ask him to stay.

But instead, I whisper, “Thank you,” and lean into his touch just a second longer before pulling away.

The silence is warm, not broken.

“I’ll wait,” Xar says simply. “However long you need. The others will too, Evie. There’s no pressure. We just want what’s best for you.”

Then he slips from the room, leaving the door open behind him, and me, standing there, breathless – but not braced anymore.

By the time I’m composed enough to get dressed, dry my hair and make it back downstairs, the power is out again. I feel bad. I shouldn’t have taken so long. I should have offered the guys showers first.

I’m a terrible host.

When I walk past the kitchen, I peek inside but it’s empty. Everything has been returned to how it was before: the table wiped down, the chairs pushed under, the washing up has been dried and put away, and the floor’s even been swept. A warmth spreads through my chest at the thoughtfulness as I follow the sounds of the guys talking into the lounge.

As I enter, Xar stands, the movement purposeful, as if he’s made up his mind. He glances over at me, his gaze soft, but there’s a quiet intensity there that I can’t ignore. “We need to get out of here, Eviana,” he says, his voice calm but edged with concern. “It’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

I blink at him, confusion clouding my thoughts. “What do you mean? The storm? Go where? What do we need to do?”

Dane pushes himself up from his seat, his gaze intense as he steps toward me. “We need to stock up on supplies, firewood, and whatever we can get to fortify the house before the storm really hits its peak. It’s not that bad yet, not really. We broughtsome stuff with us but I’m worried it’s not enough. We don’t know how long the power might be out for, or how often this is going to happen, and we need to make sure you’re safe.”

I nod, slowly processing his words. It makes sense – I don’t want to be stuck here without essentials. “Okay,” I murmur, still feeling the tight knot in my chest, the lingering panic threatening to resurface.

I hate going into town unless it’s absolutely necessary, but I guess in this instance it is.

“Good,” Blaise says with a grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll grab the list of things we need. Let’s get it sorted.” He moves to the door to grab his coat, and I take a breath, realising how much of the situation I’m not fully processing.

I didn’t think he meant we need to goright now.Obviously we don’t have days to wait, or possibly even hours, but I need a little time to process leaving the house…it’s a huge deal for me.

But then something shifts, something in the way they’re looking at me.This isn’t just about supplies.I can see it in their eyes, the tension in the set of their shoulders, the way they’re not quite meeting my gaze...And though I can’t quite put my finger on it, there’s a sense of purpose in the way they move.

I hesitate, the weight of everything pressing in on me again. I can step outside my front door, no problem, but getting in a car to go into town? That’s…huge.

“Come on,” Xar urges softly, giving me a brief, reassuring look. “You’ll feel better once we get everything in place.” He gestures for me to follow.

I look over at Blaise and Dane. There’s a quiet certainty in the way they both stand, watching me with their boots and coats already on, as if they’re waiting for something. They don’t rush me, but there’s an unspoken message in the way they stand guard, close but giving me the space to make my decision.

I’m not ready for this, but the storm outside is relentless. The idea of staying here alone with this new tension hanging between us feels more unbearable than stepping into whatever they’re planning next. Maybe I’ll feel better once we get everything set up, maybe the fresh air will clear my head.

Maybe venturing out with three burly alphas to protect me won’t be so bad.

I take a deep breath, slip my feet into my shoes and my arms into my thin jacket, and follow Xar out into the storm, Blaise muttering about my inappropriate clothing choices behind me as he locks up.