Eila squared her shoulders, refusing to let the twins rattle her. She wasn't nervous. At least, that's what she kept telling herself. But the way Lukas and Zois studied her, the way their sharp eyes traced every small reaction—they knew.
Their intense presence was unsettling, and she was too aware of the way her wolf, Sera, stirred inside her.
"I'm not nervous," she said finally, keeping her voice even.
Lukas smirked again, slow and knowing. "Of course not," he mused, as if humoring her.
Zois tilted his head slightly, still watching her too closely. "Leonard must be thrilled."
The statement caught her off guard.
Leonard was many things—powerful, enigmatic, and undeniably possessive—but she wasn't sure if "thrilled" was the right word. He had claimed her, yes, but he was still holding back.
She frowned slightly. "He's… protective."
Lukas chuckled under his breath. "That's one way to put it."
Before she could question what he meant, Luna Priscilla sighed dramatically. "Enough, boys. You'll scare the poor girl off before she even has time to get used to you."
Get used to them?
Eila wasn't sure she liked the sound of that.
But before she could dwell on it, a sudden shift in the air made the hairs on the back of her neck rise. A presence—cold, powerful—filled the space behind her.
Leonard.
His scent, dark and unmistakable, washed over her a second before his hand rested lightly on the small of her back. Not possessive, not demanding—just there.
Still, the effect was instant.
Lukas and Zois straightened subtly, their expressions unreadable. They weren't intimidated, but they understood the silent message Leonard was sending.
"She's waiting for me," Leonard said smoothly, his tone calm but firm. Unyielding.
It was not a request.
Eila barely had time to react before he gently guided her forward, away from the twins and toward the entrance of the pack house. As they walked, she stole a glance up at him.
His face was unreadable, his icy blue eyes fixed ahead, but his fingers flexed slightly against her back—as if he was resisting the urge to hold her tighter.
Something about that small detail sent warmth curling in her chest.
They stepped into the cool night air, the scent of pine and earth filling her lungs. Leonard led her down the stone steps, his presence a shield against the lingering intensity of the encounter.
Eila finally exhaled. "You didn't have to do that."
Leonard glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Do what?"
"Interrupt."
His lips curled slightly, but there was no amusement in his eyes. "They were enjoying making you uncomfortable."
She frowned. "I wasn't uncomfortable."
A pause. Then, softly, "Lying doesn't suit you."
She had no response to that.
Leonard guided her toward the edge of the pack house grounds, where the path led toward her neighborhood. The silence between them wasn't awkward, but it was charged with something unspoken.
Eila finally dared to ask, "You know them well?"
Leonard's gaze remained forward. "Since they were children."
She hesitated. "They seemed… surprised about us."
This time, Leonard did smirk, but it was brief. "I don't let people speculate about my personal life."
Eila bit her lip. That made sense. The Beta of the pack had always been an enigma—unapproachable, distant. No one would have ever expected him to accept a mate, let alone bring her into his world so quickly.
But he had.
And as they walked in silence, with his hand still resting lightly on her back, she realized something:
She wasn't alone in this anymore.