Chapter 8 Bloom

The atmosphere around the table grew noticeably heavier.

"I already told you about the camping trip," I said quietly. "It was something my family did together all the time. That night... everything happened so fast." My voice caught in my throat.

"All I remember are these huge... shadowy figures. I was seventeen. My parents shoved me behind a boulder and told me, 'No matter what happens, don't look.' I'll never forget how determined they sounded." I swallowed hard. "They... they gave their lives to save mine. Ever since then, every time I hear those savage growls..." My chest tightened. "It feels like there's this empty hole inside me."

Kai lowered his head, genuine sympathy filling his expression. "That's an unbearable weight to carry, Bloom. No seventeen-year-old should have to go through something like that." His voice was gentle, without a trace of pity. "You must've been incredibly brave."

"No." I shook my head. "You don't understand." The words escaped before I could stop them. "I could fight. My dad was an Alpha. We didn't have a pack anymore, but he trained me my whole life. I could've helped them." My fingers curled into my lap. "But he wasn't just my father... he was my Alpha."

My throat burned. "He gave me a direct Alpha command. I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything." The memories came rushing back.

"I just stood there... until everything went quiet." I closed my eyes. "They died because of me."

"Bloom..." Ivy whispered. When I looked up, her eyes were already shimmering.

"Anyone would've broken in that situation," she said softly. "But none of it was your fault. No wolf can disobey an Alpha command." She reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "You survived. Maybe that's exactly what they wanted. Maybe the reason you're still standing is because they gave everything to make sure you could."

Her smile was small but warm. "You carry their courage with you, even if you don't realize it."

Kai nodded immediately. "I agree."

Across the table, Cassian remained silent. He hadn't interrupted once. But when I glanced at him, I realized something had changed. The icy expression he'd worn after the incident with the waitress was gone. His pale blue eyes weren't cold anymore. They were simply... watching me.

Studying me with an intensity I couldn't quite understand. In the middle of that heavy silence, I felt something brush against my leg beneath the table. Cassian's knee. It rested lightly against mine. Not by accident. It stayed there, touching me in a slow, steady rhythm.

It wasn't threatening. It wasn't possessive. It almost felt like he was trying to build an invisible wall between me and everything that had ever hurt me. Then something even stranger happened.

I reached for my coffee at the same moment he rested his large hand on the table, close enough that the warmth from his fingers drifted across the back of mine as he grabbed his own mug.

He never looked at me. Never said a word. But somehow his quiet presence seemed to say... You don't have to carry that night alone anymore.

While Ivy and Kai continued talking about the attack, Cassian glanced at me again. For just a heartbeat... The sharpness in his gaze softened. He silently nudged his glass farther toward the center of the table, giving me a little more room without making it obvious.

It was such a tiny gesture. Almost meaningless. And yet it felt like he'd quietly placed himself between me and the rest of the world. Without saying a single word.

The emptiness inside my chest...

For the first time in years...

Didn't hurt quite as much. Maybe it was Ivy's warmth. Maybe it was Kai's sincerity. Or maybe it was Cassian's strange, silent protectiveness. Whatever it was...

For the first time since meeting these complete strangers... I felt safe. The moment didn't last long.

"I know you can fight," Ivy suddenly said with a grin. "I saw it with my own eyes in the forest."

She leaned forward. "What I don't understand is... why didn't you shift?" She tilted her head. "I can smell the wolf blood in you. But I can't sense your wolf."

I closed my eyes. Should I really tell them? "I don't know if I should say this." I took a slow breath. "I barely know any of you."

Then I laughed quietly. "But you can already smell what I am." I shrugged. "So I guess it'll come out eventually anyway."

Kai smiled reassuringly. "Bloom, I know our word doesn't mean much right now. Trust isn't built in one conversation." He rested his elbows on the table. "If you're not comfortable talking about it yet, we can leave it alone. There's absolutely no pressure."

"It's okay." I looked between all three of them. "Like I said you'll find out eventually."

"My dad was an Alpha. Before he met my mom, he actually led a pack." The memories came easier this time. "My mom was human." I smiled faintly. "No one knows how it happened, but she turned out to be his fated mate."

All three of them straightened.

"The pack refused to accept her because she was human. So my dad gave up everything. His title... his responsibilities... all of it."

"He left with my mom, and they built a new life here."

Ivy blinked. "So..." Her voice was careful. "You're a hybrid."

I nodded.

"Did I get that right?"

"Yes." She frowned slightly.

"Your scent definitely proves you inherited your father's wolf blood..." Her eyes flickered toward Kai before briefly meeting Cassian's. "...but that still doesn't explain why none of us can sense your wolf."

I inhaled slowly. Then let it out. "Because..." I closed my eyes. "I don't have one."

Silence.

A tear escaped before I could stop it. I wiped it away with the back of my hand almost immediately. When I looked back at Ivy, I held her gaze without flinching.

"I'm used to this." My voice was calm again. "I don't know why, but even without a wolf, my senses developed like a werewolf's. My dad tested everything growing up."

"I can hear well."

"I can smell well."

"I can fight well."

"I have every physical ability a wolf has while staying in human form."

My eyes narrowed slightly. "So please..." I gave her a tired smile. "Don't give me that look. I already know what it means. "I don't need anyone feeling sorry for me."

Kai answered before Ivy could. "Of course you don't." His smile was warm. "Honestly, after everything you've told us today, it's pretty obvious you're one of the toughest people I've ever met." Then he winked.

"But even strong people are allowed to lean on someone once in a while." His smile softened. "It doesn't have to be us."

"But... I hope someday it can be."

I couldn't help smiling a little. "You two act like you've rehearsed this." I looked between him and Ivy. "I thought you didn't know each other."

"So should I be reading into all these 'we' statements?"

Kai opened his mouth—

But Cassian beat him to it.

He shot both of them a brief warning look before turning toward me. "I think what they're trying to say..." he said evenly, "...is that you don't have to be alone."

His voice remained calm. "Everyone needs someone eventually. It's nothing unusual."

I looked down at my coffee. "Thanks. But I'll be okay."

"I've managed just fine on my own for the past three years." I took another sip. "Enough about me." I pointed toward the three of them. "Your turn."

"Where are you from? What brought you here? Do you have a pack? If you do... did you come here with them, or did you leave them behind?"

Cassian let out a slow sigh and rolled his eyes. "One question at a time."

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "We're not close enough for me to memorize an entire interrogation."

Well...

So much for the warm moment we'd just shared. I folded my arms. "Easy there, tiger."

His eyebrow lifted.

"I just told you one of the most important stories of my life." I tilted my head. "Getting to know people is supposed to go both ways."

I smiled sweetly. "Or was all that 'you'll trust us eventually' stuff just for show?"

Kai immediately covered his face with one hand. Ivy quietly took another sip of coffee. Cassian's eyes narrowed. "Little Fox." His voice dropped. "Be careful. I've overlooked a lot today because we just met. But don't push your luck."

I frowned. "What are you even talking about? And stop calling me Little Fox."

"I'll call you whatever I want." The corner of his mouth twitched. "Your last name suits you. You're exactly like a little fox."

I snorted. "I'm not even going to respond to that because I know you're just changing the subject." I leaned back in my chair. "If you don't want to answer, that's fine. You don't have to trust me. I was just trying to have an actual conversation."

I looked around the table. "Isn't that why you sat with us in the first place? If all you wanted was to hear a life story, I'd recommend audiobooks." I smiled politely. "So, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to spend time with the one person here who actually seems interested in getting to know each other."

I glanced toward Ivy. "Or..." I looked back at the boys. "...you could actually tell me something."

A beat of silence. "We could start with an easy one." I smiled. "Do you have a pack?"

Ivy grabbed her coffee mug so quickly it was almost suspicious. Kai looked sideways at Cassian. His jaw tightened with that familiar stubborn expression. He held my gaze for several long seconds. Then he exhaled.

"...Fine." His voice was quieter this time. "You're right." He leaned back in his chair. "We can answer some of your questions."

A brief pause. "Yes." Another. "We came here with our pack..."