Tobias's POV
I watch as Aiden leads Zahra out of the atrium, heading back toward the Beta residence.
She looks fucking glorious in that dress.
All night, I have struggled to keep my eyes off her. She is breath-taking. Completely, maddeningly breath-taking.
Thor has not stopped drooling over her in my head, pacing and growling, making it impossible to focus on anything else while she sat beside me. I thought I was going to have to rip Isaac’s eyes out of his head with the way he was looking at her earlier, but thankfully, Zach made himself very clear. The message landed. Isaac backed off.
The doors to the garden stand open, letting the warm evening air drift through the atrium. The scent of jasmine and lavender rolls in on the breeze, mixing with the faint smoke of the torches flickering outside. My glass of whiskey
Max's POVI wake slowly, warmth wrapping around me like a cocoon. The mattress beneath me is unbelievably soft, a luxurious contrast to the stiff bunk back at camp. Xander's legs are still tangled with mine, his body relaxed, breathing steady in sleep. I let my eyes trace over his face, his dark lashes brushing against high cheekbones, the shadow of stubble along his jaw catching the faint morning light. Goddess, he’s fucking beautiful.Last night plays vividly in my mind. Each time we’re together, it feels less like a guilty secret and more like something real. Something that belongs only to us. Xander seems more at ease now, more certain about whatever this is. But what exactly it is remains undefined, hanging between us like smoke. We haven’t talked about it—not since we called things off in the spring—but camp has made it impossible to ignore. I just hope that when we go home, whateve
Tobias's POVWhen I wake in the morning, I lie still for a moment, letting my mind settle. The light in the room is soft, muted by the thick curtains drawn over the windows. The silence feels heavier after last night, but not unpleasant.I reach for my new connection to Zahra. The one I have yet to explain or fully understand.She feels content. Calm. I get the sense she is already awake, probably getting herself ready for the day. The quiet hum of her steady emotions grounds me. I allow myself a small exhale of relief before dragging myself out of bed.The shower helps. The hot water scalds away the lingering haze from last night's wine and whiskey. It takes a lot to get me drunk, but I had enough to leave me buzzed, just foggy enough that I appreciate the sharp clarity returning as the steam fills the space.Once I am
Tobias's POVI watch as Aiden leads Zahra out of the atrium, heading back toward the Beta residence.She looks fucking glorious in that dress.All night, I have struggled to keep my eyes off her. She is breath-taking. Completely, maddeningly breath-taking.Thor has not stopped drooling over her in my head, pacing and growling, making it impossible to focus on anything else while she sat beside me. I thought I was going to have to rip Isaac’s eyes out of his head with the way he was looking at her earlier, but thankfully, Zach made himself very clear. The message landed. Isaac backed off.The doors to the garden stand open, letting the warm evening air drift through the atrium. The scent of jasmine and lavender rolls in on the breeze, mixing with the faint smoke of the torches flickering outside. My glass of whiskey
Zahra's POVThe air shifts like he just dropped a live grenade into the middle of the room. Isaac and Jackson stare, both visibly blindsided. My own jaw slackens in disbelief. I am not sure my brain fully processes what he has just suggested. This is unheard of. Ranked positions passed outside the primary bloodlines? Without a direct challenge? It goes against everything we are taught about pack structure. My mind scrambles to catch up, but Tobias continues, unbothered by the shock surrounding him.“We’ve reviewed your files and genealogies.” His voice is smooth, steady, completely in control. “You both descend from some of the strongest and oldest lines in any of the packs. You are formidable and would make excellent ranked members. Moreover, you’re the same age as Lincoln and Sam. If you’re interested, we’d like to invite you to join us for the remainder of the summer camp, to see if you get along and determine whether you can envision yourselves working together.”The silence that
Zahra's POVThere is a steady buzz of conversation as servers move around the table, pouring drinks and delivering the first course. I glance down at the startlingly bright green soup placed in front of me, blinking at the almost neon colour. What the hell is this? I exchange a worried glance with Brant, beside me, and we both laugh at the same time.He leans in slightly, wearing that mischievous grin that always seems to make him look like he knows a secret. “You know, Zahra, I wasn’t exaggerating earlier. I was seriously impressed. Taking on two Elites? That’s no small thing. And they weren’t exactly taking it easy on you.”I press a hand lightly against my ribs and giggle. “Don’t I know it. My bruise can attest to that.” The ache beneath my finger’s pulses, but it is the kind of pain I almost feel proud of.
Xander's POVI blink like an idiot for half a second, trying to reconcile the girl I see with the girl I know. The dress hugs her curves in a way that should be illegal. I swear she grew overnight. Her skin glows in the golden light, the navy satin clinging to her waist and hips perfectly, while the silver streak catches every flicker of light like liquid moonlight. Whatever Alice did around her eyes, it makes those sapphire-blue irises shine like cut gemstones. And her hair. Goddess above, her hair falls in loose curls over one shoulder, looking like it belongs in a damn magazine.I am frozen for a beat too long. My jaw actually clenches as Tobias moves first, his face lighting up as he strides toward her. He leans in to speak quietly, grinning like an idiot, and something hot flares in my stomach. Not anger, exactly, but something sharp. Jealousy. I grit my teeth as my feet move of their own accord, needing to be closer to her. My wolf, Atlas, growls impatiently in my head.Zach bea