Friday evenings at Levi and Byra's house had their own rhythm.
Not formal gatherings, not official pack meetings—just the quiet tradition that had grown over the years without anyone ever really announcing it. When the week ended, wolves drifted there almost automatically. Some arrived early to help cook, some showed up hungry and loud, others simply appeared when the smell of food reached the road.
Tonight the house was full.
The kitchen was warm with the smell of roasted meat and herbs, and the living room carried the familiar chaos of a pack that had long ago stopped pretending to be orderly. Carter and Christian were arguing loudly about something involving hunting routes, while Colton tried to explain why their version of events was clearly impossible. Zeke sat on the arm of the couch listening with half-amused patience, occasionally adding a comment just to make the argument worse.
Thiago had claimed a chair near the window and was scrolling through something on his phone, occasionally glancing up to throw in a remark that made the others groan.
Crystal was there too, leaning against the back of the sofa with a glass of cider in her hand, watching the younger wolves with the faint, tolerant smile of someone who had seen the same argument happen at least a dozen times before.
Near the kitchen island, Levi stood with his sleeves rolled up, carving something that smelled suspiciously good. Byra moved around him with quiet efficiency, setting plates on the long wooden table and occasionally swatting Carter away when he tried to steal something before dinner.
Hayati sat cross-legged on the floor with a collection of colored pencils and paper spread around her like a small storm of creativity.
It was loud.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
The kind of evening where everyone spoke over everyone else and nobody minded.
Kidd arrived later than most.
He stepped inside with the casual confidence of someone who knew the house as well as his own, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it near the door. The warmth of the room hit him immediately, along with the layered scents of food, wood smoke, and wolves.
"Alpha," Carter greeted from the couch without looking up.
Kidd grunted in acknowledgment.
Levi glanced over his shoulder from the kitchen.
"You're late."
"Work."
Levi accepted that answer without further comment, but his eyes lingered on Kidd for a second longer than necessary.
Zane noticed it too.
The two of them exchanged a brief look.
Something was… off.
Not enough to name it. Not enough to bring it up in front of the pack. But the kind of small tension that experienced wolves learned to recognize.
Kidd leaned one shoulder against the wall and watched the room for a moment.
The conversation had shifted toward New Year's plans.
"Camping," Carter was saying with absolute confidence, as if the matter had already been decided. "Three days. No phones. Real hunting."
Christian scoffed.
"You say that now, but you'll cry the first night when your sleeping bag freezes."
Zeke grinned.
"I'm more interested in the hunt part."
That got Thiago's attention immediately.
"Are we actually doing that this year?"
Levi set the carving knife down and leaned his hip against the counter.
"Depends if you pups can keep up."
The reaction was immediate.
"Hey!""Come on!""We're faster than you!"
Crystal laughed quietly.
The argument grew louder, the younger wolves already planning routes and boasting about who would bring down the first deer.
Kidd listened without saying much, his gaze occasionally drifting toward the door.
Zane noticed that too.
Still, neither he nor Levi said anything.
Twenty minutes passed then the door opened.
Cold air slipped inside first, followed by the faint scent of jasmine and winter.
Ithilien stepped into the house carrying a flat container carefully balanced in both hands.
Her cheeks were slightly pink from the cold, and a few loose strands of pale hair had escaped whatever had once tried to keep them in place.
"Sorry," she said as she pushed the door closed behind her. "I'm late."
The room quieted for half a second.
Then Hayati spotted her.
"Ithilien!" the girl shouted with the full force of a child who had just discovered her favorite person had arrived.
Byra appeared almost instantly from the kitchen.
"You made it," she said warmly, taking the container from Ithilien's hands. "And you brought something."
Ithilien gave a small, apologetic smile.
"Homemade tiramisu. I wasn't sure if it would survive the drive."
Levi stepped over, glancing down at the container with open interest.
"Well, now it has to survive dinner."
Hayati had already reached her.
"You're late," she informed Ithilien seriously.
Ithilien crouched slightly so they were at the same height.
"I know. I'm sorry."
The girl studied her for a moment. Then nodded.
"That's okay."
Levi chuckled softly.
"Careful," he said. "You've just been forgiven. That's a rare privilege."
The scent of jasmine spread quietly through the room as Ithilien stood and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
Around the room the younger wolves were already watching her arrival with interest, their earlier argument temporarily forgotten. And from his place near the wall, Kidd had not moved at all.
But Levi noticed the moment Adrahil lifted his head.
Byra disappeared into the kitchen the moment Ithilien handed over the dessert, carrying the container of tiramisu like a small treasure.
"Don't you dare let Carter near this," she warned Levi over her shoulder.
Levi raised both hands in surrender, already laughing.
"I'm innocent."
"That's exactly what someone guilty would say," Byra replied, pushing the kitchen door open.
Ithilien followed her inside, grateful for the quieter space. The kitchen was warm and bright, lit by two hanging lamps above the island. Pots simmered on the stove, and the long wooden counter was already crowded with bowls, plates, and the remains of whatever Byra had been preparing all afternoon.
Crystal slipped in a moment later, leaning one shoulder against the counter with the casual ease of someone who treated the house as her own.
"Well," she said, reaching for a bottle standing near the sink, "this clearly calls for wine."
She held up three glasses.
"You in, Ithilien?"
Ithilien smiled faintly, brushing her hair back from her face.
"Oh, I'd love to," she admitted, "but I'm driving."
Byra didn't even pause while opening the fridge.
"Oh, that's easy," she said. "Someone can take you home later. Or you can stay the night. We've got enough room."
"Honestly, half the pack ends up sleeping here on Fridays anyway."
For a moment Ithilien hesitated, the instinct to refuse already forming out of habit.
Then she caught the relaxed certainty in Byra's tone.
No pressure.
No expectation.
Just a simple offer.
"Well," she said finally, her smile widening a little, "don't mind if I do, then."
Crystal grinned immediately and filled the third glass.
"That's the spirit!"
The kitchen door opened again just as Levi wandered in, drawn by the unmistakable sound of wine being poured.
"I knew something interesting was happening in here."
Byra didn't even turn.
"Out."
Levi blinked.
"I just got here..."
"Out," she repeated, pointing firmly toward the door.
He looked at Crystal for support but she raised her glass in silent betrayal.
Levi sighed dramatically.
"This is discrimination."
"Kitchen privileges revoked," Byra said sweetly.
With a final wounded look, Levi retreated back into the living room, the girls' laughter following him out. Crystal slid onto one of the bar stools and took a slow sip of wine.
"So," she said casually, "has anyone forced you to listen to Carter's hunting theories yet?"
Ithilien laughed quietly.
"Not yet."
"Give it ten minutes," Crystal replied.
Byra leaned against the counter, swirling her glass thoughtfully.
"So what have you been watching lately? Anything good on TV, or is it still just murder documentaries and cooking shows?"
"Oh, there's that new series everyone keeps talking about," Crystal added. "The one based on those fantasy books."
They drifted easily from one topic to another—new shows, a bestselling novel that Crystal insisted everyone should read, the ridiculous cliffhanger from a show Byra had just finished. The conversation was light, effortless. Exactly the kind of small talk that made people forget they were technically strangers.
Eventually Crystal turned her attention back to Ithilien.
"So what are you studying again?" she asked. "Marco said something about university."
"Cardiology," Ithilien replied.
Crystal whistled softly.
"That sounds dangerously intelligent."
Byra laughed.
"See? I told you she was impressive."
Ithilien rolled her eyes gently, though the warmth in her expression made it clear she wasn't offended.
"Mostly it's just a lot of labs and very little sleep."
Crystal lifted her glass toward her.
"Well then, tonight you get a break from all that."
The three of them stood there for a while longer, talking about ordinary things—books, classes, the chaos of college schedules—while the sounds of the pack drifted in from the other room.
Every now and then laughter erupted from the living room.
The warmth of the house wrapped around them, and slowly, almost without noticing it, Ithilien began to relax.