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I imagine they have that effect wherever they go. They’re so good looking and striking.

It’s weird that they’re ‘mine’, but we’ve not done anything. Well, anything more than that amazing kiss and…you know…with Xar…

“Oh my god,” she gasps, her voice high with excitement. “You’re – wait – are you—?” She pauses, blinking at them. And then her eyes widen even more. “You’rethem! You’re—oh my god, this is crazy! I can’t believe it. I’m such a huge fan!”

I freeze, my stomach dropping.There’s no way this girl can know who I am.Right?

The fan starts gushing, excitement practically vibrating off her. “I’ve been to every one of your shows!”

Hold on…my shows? I don’t do shows. Does she mean the livestreams? Has she somehow figured out that I’m Honey?

How?

My breath catches in my throat, and my pulse is pounding in my ears. I want to shrink into myself, to hide behind the nearest shelf, to disappear. The walls are closing in around me again, and I feel the all-too-familiar urge to retreat.

I turn slightly, trying to keep my face hidden behind the cart, hoping the fan won’t notice. But of course, she does.

I want to sink into the floor. I can’t breathe, my chest tight, like I’m suffocating under the weight of her words. All I want is to disappear. The thought ofbeing seenlike this, in front of the guys, in front of her – it makes everything feel so wrong. I feel small, invisible, exposed, and I’m shaking from head to toe.

I can’t do this.

“Wait, are you with them?” she asks, her eyes flitting from Blaise to me, her smile growing even wider. “Oh my god, you’re theiromega, aren’t you?”

Wait, what? She doesn’t recognise me? Then who is she talking…

Oh.

It hits me.

I have no idea who these guys are.

But clearly,shedoes.

“Wow, this is amazing. You’re so lucky! Can I get a picture? Can you guys sign something for me?”

I think I’m on the verge of passing out, my breath coming in sharp snatches that don’t seem to be offering any sort of relief, my vision darkening at the edges when a hand lands on my shoulder.

It’s warm, gentle, and strong.

Xar’s voice is soft, a steady anchor in the storm. “Eviana,” he says, looking at me with concern, “It’s okay. You don’t have to do anything. Just breathe. She’s not asking you for anything. We’re used to this.”

I nod, but my breath is still shallow. I can’t shake the panic. I feel my whole body wanting to retreat, but Xar doesn’t let go of my shoulder. His presence is grounding, even as the world feels like it’s spiralling.

The fan doesn’t seem to notice my distress, too caught up in the excitement and Blaise is doing a fantastic job of distracting her taking selfies. But Xar gently pulls me closer to the counter, leading me back to the task at hand. “We’re just here for the goods,” Dane says lightly, trying to keep things casual. “Gotta get back before the storm gets much worse.”

I manage a weak smile, still dizzy with the rush of emotions, but their steady presence keeps me from slipping. As the transaction wraps up, I feel a small sense of relief. We’re moving on. We’re leaving. But the weight of the interaction lingers.

The fan’s excitement still hangs in the air as we move through the checkout line. My chest tightens with every word she speaks, her gushing admiration for theguysswirling around me, a reminder of how little I know about them and the wider world outside of my little farmhouse. I can barely keep up witheverything happening around me, my mind spinning faster than I can process.

Blaise stays close, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder, grounding me. “It’s okay, Eviana,” he says softly. “You were wonderful. Now we can go.”

But even as I nod, trying to catch my breath, the unease lingers. My body is still shaking slightly, the weight of the fan’s recognition and the thought of being soseenunsettling me. The whole experience feels like I’ve stepped into someone else’s world, and I’m struggling to keep my footing.

“Thank you for keeping me together,” I whisper, my voice barely a breath.

Blaise flashes me an easy smile, his presence a steadying force. “Anytime, honeybee. I know we keep saying it, but we’ll keep repeating it until you believe us: you don’t have to do this alone.”

But as we head out of the store, a new question nags at me.Why was she so excited?