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If I thought Kai looked thoroughly kissed after his encounters with Caleb and Derek, that was nothing compared to his current state. His shirt was a disaster, his neck looked like he’d lost a fight with a vampire (or won one, depending on your perspective), and he could barely walk straight. Marcus’ steadying hand on his back looked less like support and more like a victory lap.

I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing.

“Don’t even start,” Kai warned, failing miserably at fixing his destroyed hair.

“I wasn’t going to say anything,” I said with perfect innocence, though I could feel three sets of satisfied alpha eyes on us. “However, you might want to borrow a scarf. Or three.”

The air… changed.

Marcus’ head snapped up, his satisfied smirk vanishing as the Blackwood brothers broke away from their discussion with the council and stalked toward our group. They moved with that same predatory grace I’d experienced moments ago, but now their playful seduction had shifted to something more deliberately provocative.

“Marcus Stone.” Xander’s aristocratic voice somehow carried perfectly despite the festival noise. “How… territorial of you to mark your mate so publicly.”

Kai stiffened beside me, and I felt the exact moment the Stonebrothers shifted from relaxed to lethal. Derek and Caleb materialized on either side of us, the dogs moving into defensive positions with suspicious efficiency.

“Blackwood.” Marcus’ voice was pure ice. “I wasn’t aware your pack had permission to enter Cedar Grove territory.”

“The festival is open to all,” James drawled, his fighter’s frame coiled with dangerous energy. “Though we can see why you’d want to keep this one private.”

His eyes swept over Kai with obvious interest, and I swear the temperature dropped ten degrees. Marcus’ hand tightened possessively on Kai’s waist.

“Alexander Blackwood,” Xander introduced himself to Kai with a devastating smile, ignoring the way Derek actually growled. “These are my brothers, James and Liam. We’re… old friends of the Stone Pack.”

“That’s a creative interpretation of history,” Caleb said.

Liam’s laugh was pure sin. “Now, now. We’re all civilized wolves here.” His tech-mogul confidence somehow made him more dangerous, not less. “Just introducing ourselves to the newest member of Cedar Grove’s… unique community.”

The way the Blackwoods moved was fascinating—like they were performing a dance only they knew the steps to. Each subtle shift brought them closer to Kai and me, while the Stone brothers adjusted their positions with matching precision.

“How rude of us not to properly welcome you both,” Xander continued smoothly. His ice-blue eyes flickered between Kai and me with predatory interest. “Though Luke and I have already had the pleasure of meeting.”

Marcus’ head snapped toward me, and I tried very hard to look innocent. Judging by Kai’s raised eyebrow, I failed spectacularly.

“Yes, quite the memorable café encounter,” I said sweetly. “Though I’m still waiting for those stalking technique lessons you promised.”

James’ laugh was startlingly genuine. “I like this one.”

“You’ll have to excuse us,” Marcus cut in, his voice carrying that alpha timbre that seemed to vibrate in my chest. “We were just leaving.”

“So soon?” Liam’s smile was sharp. “But we haven’t even discussed the council’s concerns about unregistered quarter-wolves in pack territory. Or the fascinating energy readings coming from certain… unexpected sources.”

His gaze lingered on me in a way that made my skin tingle, and not entirely unpleasantly. The Stone brothers tensed further, if that was even possible.

“Those discussions can wait for proper channels,” Marcus said with deadly politeness. “Caleb, take Kai and Luke home.”

“Running away, Stone?” James taunted softly.

“Protecting what’s ours, Blackwood,” Derek growled.

The air crackled with supernatural tension. Around us, festivalgoers suddenly found urgent reasons to be elsewhere, creating a bubble of space around our little standoff.

“It was lovely meeting you both,” Xander said, his perfect manners somehow making him more threatening. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of each other.”

“Looking forward to it,” I said, earning myself four different variations of alpha glares.

Kai squeezed my arm in what was probably supposed to be a warning, but I caught his lips twitching. The Blackwoods noticed too, their smiles turning predatory in a way that had the Stone brothers shifting closer.

“Come on,” Caleb said, his hand gentle but firm on Kai’s back.