Rhea

I was not prepared for four Alphas in my bedroom.

Correction: I was not prepared for four Alphas in my bedroom carrying a garment bag that looked like it belonged in a royal treasury vault instead of my walk-in closet.

“Uh…” I blinked at them, perched on the edge of my bed with my hair still damp from my shower. “Please tell me you didn’t just raid a bridal boutique.”

Seth grinned, dimples cutting deep as he tossed himself down onto my pillows like he owned them. “Better. We raided three.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Callum said smoothly, laying the bag across my dresser with reverence that made my stomach tighten. “We chose this one for you.”

I frowned, tugging at the hem of my sweater. “For me? You—you bought me a dress?”

“Not just any dress,” Rory said, flopping into the chair at my desk. He spun it lazily, watching me with eyes too bright, too knowing. “Your dress. For tonight.”

Tonight. Lila’s dinner. The celebration-slash-political-show where I’d be expected to show up as their Luna-in-progress and not look like a feral scholarship kid who got lost on her way to etiquette class.

I swallowed hard. “How the hell do you even know my size?”

Jaxon smirked from where he leaned against the door, arms crossed. “Sunshine, we know everything.” His voice was silk over steel. Promise and threat in one.

My pulse jumped.

They couldn’t know everything. Could they?

Callum unzipped the bag. The sound was sharp, final, like a blade leaving its sheath.

And then—oh Goddess.

The dress inside shimmered like liquid starlight. Midnight blue, long enough to brush the floor, with delicate silver threading curling across the bodice like constellations. Off-the-shoulder sleeves. A neckline that was both scandalous and elegant. It was breathtaking.

My jaw dropped. “That’s… you didn’t… That’s insane.”

Seth rolled onto his side, propping his head up with his hand. “Insanely perfect for our snowflake.”

I shook my head, clutching at my blanket. “I can’t accept this. I—I don’t need something this expensive.”

“You deserve it,” Callum said, his tone calm but absolute. “And you’ll wear it.”

Rory grinned like a cat who’d caught a canary. “And you’ll love it. Don’t even try to fight me, Princess.”

My heart hammered. My brain scrambled. I wanted to argue, to tell them this was too much, too fast, too everything. But the truth was, the dress was beautiful. It was me, in a way I’d never let myself imagine.

Jaxon’s voice broke the silence, low and sharp. “Put it on.”

My head snapped toward him. “What?”

His green eyes glittered dark. “Try it. Now. We didn’t drag this across the city to leave it hanging.”

My mouth went dry. “You—you want me to change? In front of you?”

Seth’s grin turned wicked. “Oh, we’d love that. But no. Not yet.” He winked. “We’ll wait outside. For now.”

Heat climbed my neck as I snatched the bag, practically shoving them toward the hall. “Out. All of you. Now.”

Their chuckles echoed as the door clicked shut.

I stood there for a beat, clutching the midnight fabric, trying to breathe past the thundering in my chest. What was I doing? Why was I letting them get to me like this?

But when I slipped the dress over my head, when the silk whispered against my skin and the bodice hugged me like it had been made for me… I forgot to breathe altogether.

It was perfect. Too perfect.

When I opened the door, they were waiting, lined up like a wall of danger and devotion.

Seth whistled. “Fuck me.”

“Working on it,” Rory muttered, eyes gleaming.

Jaxon didn’t say a word. Just stared, his jaw tight, hands curled into fists like if he didn’t hold them still, he’d rip the world apart.

Callum stepped forward, his gaze steady, reverent. “You look like a queen.”

I laughed nervously, tugging at the skirt. “I look like I’m about to faint.”

Rory tilted his head, smirk tugging his mouth. “That too, Princess.”

They surrounded me, not touching, but close enough that the bond sang between us, a web of sparks threading my skin. Too much. Too fast. Too real.

I took a shaky breath. “Why? Why do all this for me?”

Seth pushed off the wall, closing the gap until his shoulder brushed mine. “Because you’re ours, snowflake. And tomorrow, the whole damn pack gets reminded of that.”

My heart cracked a little more. Just enough to let the warmth in.

I turned, looking at all of them. “I told you I’d try. I am trying. But you have to understand… I still don’t know if I’m ready. The bond, the resonance, the way it feels—” I shook my head. “It’s terrifying.”

Callum’s voice softened, though it lost none of its certainty. “We’re terrified too.”

That startled me.

He met my gaze steadily. “The resonance—ten out of ten. It’s never happened before. Not even with the Supreme Alphas well they don’t have mates yet but still. The only explanation is that our bond is… different. Stronger. Maybe because there are four of us. Maybe because of who we are.”

“Second only to the Supreme Alphas,” Rory added, his grin slipping for once. “And they answer directly to the Lycan triplets. Kings of Lycandra. If anyone understands bonds, it’s them. And they don’t even know what the fuck to make of this.”

I stared, stunned. They were just as lost in this as I was. Just as shaken. Somehow, that helped.

“I don’t want to be crushed under this,” I whispered. “I don’t want to disappear.”

“You won’t,” Jaxon said, his voice rough, certain. “We’ll never let you.”

And for once, I almost believed him.

The moment stretched, thick and hot with something unspoken.

Rory broke it first, leaning in close, lips brushing my ear. “You know, Princess… you put that dress on for us tonight and the whole pack will see it. But only we’ll know how easy it’ll be to rip it off.”

Seth chuckled low, wicked. “Better hope the Goddess herself keeps us in check, snowflake. Because after that dinner? That dress won’t survive the night.”

Jaxon’s eyes burned as he finally spoke, voice a velvet-coated threat. “And when it comes off, sunshine? You’re not leaving our bed until you can’t remember anyone else’s name but ours.”

My entire body flushed scarlet.

Callum just watched me, storm-grey eyes steady, his words soft but no less explicit. “Tonight, little Luna. One night. And then you’ll understand—this bond isn’t something to fear. It’s something to surrender to.”

The four of them turned, leaving me swaying in the doorway, breath stolen, heart racing.

And the worst part?

The bond didn’t scare me quite as much as it had yesterday.