#g1arc2

Jero had stayed to help clean up, clearly taking his new role as interim leader to heart.

“It’s the example it sets, I need to do things right now.” He was saying to Idrina in the conservatory.

“Are you now?” Rin teased, getting closer to him.

“This isn’t going to end well” Isidora said to Nellie.

The blond nodded, turning away.

“Until now, she kept busy. First revenge, then on the renovation. Now she has nothing left to think of and… Jero is a nice target for her wandering mind.” A pause. “Since he’s always had the biggest crush on her.”

Isi turned to her, a smile blooming. “Say more.”

She grabbed the coffee she’d been offered as a thanks for helping to tidy up and let Nellie decide how much gossiping she was going to do.

“I can’t really say any more. Nowadays, I never know if my insights on people are coming from my degree or from the prey in me overthinking things.”

Isi tried to remember the times she’d seen them interact. How he always seemed keen to give Rin everything she asked for, as quickly as possible. But then, he was like that with everyone.

She hopped down her perch. “I think you can trust yourself on that one.”

Nellie nodded, deep in thought.

Then: “Rin and I will finish to clean up ourselves, thanks for your help.”

“No problem! Let me just go say goodbye!” Isi smiled, heading to where her sister was still tormenting Jero.

“Don’t lie, you know you like the idea. We could go up to my bedroom just now.” Her voice was a murmur.

In a quick movement to straighten up, Rin lost her balance. She ended up on the ground, giggling to herself. Jero looked away.

“Your mer’s showing.” Isidora let herself comment, her sister glaring at her. “Anyway, we’re off home, then leaving early in the morning. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

As they left, Isi heard Rin grunt to her housemate: “I’m not doing anything she wouldn’t anyway, this is straight out of 𝘩𝘦𝘳 playbook.”

Nellie hummed. “Which is maybe why it’s concerning to her?”

Rory just sighed, walking away from it all: “So glad I don’t have to be here to untangle 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 mess…”

Once home, Isi taking her makeup off and Rory fixing the bathtub for the fifth time that month, Isi took her phone off silent. Hopefully, her mother was done trying to call for the day, now that night had fallen.

But, of course, she was proven wrong when her phone started vibrating again.

Isidora let it go to voicemail.

“Are you going to answer that?” Rory asked, looking at her in the mirror.

“No. My mum’s trying to get us to visit, so she can convince us to adopt a child she’s heard of from a colleague.”

“Adop-”

“Yeah. She gets these ideas sometimes… Just gotta ignore her for bit.”

“Are you okay?” Rory asked, her voice gentle, knowing the subject couldn’t be easy for her.

Isi just shrugged.

“Sort of. She sent me pictures.”

“Well that’s fucked.”

“I guess.” She took a breath, trying not to think about it too much. “I’ve not been able to stop looking at that kid though.”

They changed into their pyjamas and settled on the bed, the silence between them heavy…

“I want you to be a mother so badly…” Isidora whispered.

“We’ll get there.” Rory promised. “I’m sure the stars would agree.”

A minute later, they were next to their new telescope, courtesy of Wolfgang.

“Well? What’s the verdict?” Rory joked after a few minutes of Isidora watching the stars in silence.

“I see nothing related to kids… But there’s something about unplanned meetings coming to us soon?”

Rory let out a deep sigh. “I don’t think I should ever make plans anymore, they 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 change.”

They both let out a small laugh, recognising how chaotic their lives had been.

“What’s your mantra again?” Isi asked, turning away from the telescope. “Expect chaos-”

But she was cut off by Rory’s lips on hers.

They would simply never get enough of each other, would they?

Later that night, back in their bed, Isi watched as Rory slowly fell asleep.

“Thanks for not making a big deal out of today” The alpha whispered as she closed her eyes.

“I still do have one thing for you. You can have it tomorrow morning so that it doesn’t count as a birthday present.”

Rory grunted.

Isi’s heart squeezed at the idea of many more years like this, trying to be respectful of Rory’s disdain for her birthday, while still making her feel special and appreciated…

And the next morning, the last bit of Isi’s plan had arrived.

“Why does it smell like petrol?!”

“You know the building won’t survive another fire, dove!” Rory protested, her eyes still covered.

Isi couldn’t hold the laugh in. “Don’t worry, the house will be fine. Remember that dream we shared a while ago, with the bike?”

Rory went completely still. “You did NOT.”

Isi lifted her hand, letting her partner take in the gift in front of them.

“I did.”

For a little longer than expected, Rory didn’t breathe.

Then, when she finally did, she ran her hands onto every single part of the motorbike. Mounted it immediately, looking back at Isi with a smirk:

“I hope you know you’re now my second favourite thing in the world. This 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 has taken the crown.”

“I was never one for crowns!” Isi laughed.

“And just in time for our road trip, too!” Rory sounded like a child on Winterfest morning.

She pulled Isidora into a side hug, while still checking every piece of metal and gear.

“Ready, darling? Say goodbye to Moonwood for now, we’ve got some sights to see.”

“Let’s do it.”

“Hey, everything okay?” Isi asked, a couple of hours later, walking into Nellie’s bedroom, where Rory had isolated herself for a few minutes.

“Yeah, just trying to understand how you convinced me to do this.”

Isidora’s heart stopped. “If you don’t want to, I’m not forcing you…”

“I just thought-”

Rory turned to her, a soft smile on her face.

“I know angel. Come on, let’s go tell them.”

But Isi didn’t follow. She let her doubts come out:

“Maybe it is a bad idea? It’s definitely not something you would have come up with no your own.”

“Which is exactly why we’re doing it.”

Rory’s voice was a mixture of excitement and anticipation.

“This is why I need you by my side, butterfly. I need a taste of those purple wings you wrote about. The ones that freed you from the expectations that were put on you. I’ve been pinned down for too long.”

Isidora’s heart fluttered.

“Positive?”

“Yes. There are so many things we need to do, just the two of us. Without our misfits in the way. I need out of my comfort zone for a reason other than fighting bad guys. Take me away, baby.”

She captured Isi’s lips in a kiss full of meaning. Of promise. Of need. Of thank yous.

Penny said her goodbyes.

The door hadn’t closed when Ender grabbed his dad’s arm: “Why you looks sad?”

“Because he knows he was rash when he officialised with the vampire.” Marcel answered first.

“That’s not true!” Lou protested.

“You must have known there would be frictions?” Lily asked, empathetic.

“Please, I didn’t think 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬 was the kind to discriminate! I was a bad boyfriend to Celene, I’m not about to disappoint a partner again.”

“Boy, you know I love you like a son, but this is bull-” Marcel started as Nellie tried to distract everyone with ice cream.

“Enough.” Rory called.

Everyone calmed down at once, even Wolfgang who had just came back from the bathroom and looked ready to give everyone a lecture.

Instead, they all turned to Rory and Isidora.

“We’re going on a road trip.” A shiver of curiosity went through the pack. “Just Rory and I. To go see her grandmother.”

“While I’m away” Rory took over, her voice carrying an extra weight “Jero will be the one in charge of any heat of the moment decisions.”

They all nodded, accepting the decision easily. Trusting their alpha’s judgement.

Then the door slammed open again: “Louis. Howell. You little S-H-I-T!”

“I was gonna tell you!” He immediately justified himself.

Ender giggled: “Maa!!!”

Celene smiled at their son before staring Lou down again: “You know she's my ultimate celebrity crush and you MARRIED HER? You are so lucky my wife is the coolest woman in the world or I would have kicked your A-S-S!”

“So there won’t be any cake then?” Rory asked, still suspicious, as Isidora knocked on the door.

Idrina and Elinor had finally deemed the house ready to be seen.

“Cherry, I promise we’re not celebrating your birthday, this is a housewarming party the girls are throwing as a thank you for your help.”

Walking into the house, Isidora couldn’t help smiling. She’d seen some of the process, but it was still an impressive change. Thanks to Rory, they’d renovated and added a floor to the house that had belonged to Lux.

Isi expected her sister ecstatic. Instead, Rin was frowning: “I don’t get it.”

The smile didn’t fade as Isi noticed everyone in the pack was now very used to Idrina’s temper, continuing on with their own activities.

Nellie, bless her heart, stayed as calm as possible while explaining again: “They need your ID to check that you’re who you say you are, Rin.”

Rory squeezed Isi’s hand before letting go and finding Ender, who was checking if he was finally taller than the cat. As always, she’d brought the toddler a gift.

“Why wouldn’t I be?!” Rin grunted through her teeth.

Isi knew how to help Nellie: “ID cards are the human equivalent of conch echoes.”

“Oh!” Rin exclaimed. “Why didn’t you just say that? I get it!”

Half of the room let out a chuckle. Wolfgang got up, clearly interested in learning more about how Merfolk proved their identity.

And, through the archway to the conservatory, everyone heard Ade screech: “Come on Jero, we’ll get them!”

Rory headed to the side of the house that used to be the kitchen and now held a natural pool.

“YESSSSS!” Adelyn’s scream of victory echoed in the glass room.

“You know you don’t need an appointment to talk to me.” The alpha said, watching Penny fall from Lou’s shoulders.

In an instant, her former beta was out of the water and letting out a relieved sigh.

“Oh good, I thought a week would be long enough but I-”

“Not you.” Rory snarked, pushing him back in the pool.

Ade came out of the water next. “I know, I was just worried about forgetting! Did you find my note then?”

“I did. Did you also remember to use the fridge you left it on? Have breakfast, all that?”

The young woman simply squeezed her alpha and housemate. “Of course I did. Now, onto the important business: who’s Maura?”

Rory stopped in her steps. “Why?”

“She called the house last night. Said she knew you and you could vouch for her.”

Rory planted her feet on the ground, trying to stay neutral. “Why was she calling?”

“Well, originally, to talk to you, apparently. But then when she heard my name, she asked about buying some of my drinks!”

Adelyn’s excitement was so clear. “Says she owns an occult parlor and wants to try some of my specials for her bars?”

Hands on her shoulders, Rory chose honesty: “I’m not vouching for her. She’s sly. Only looks out for herself. But in a way, that’s a testament of how great you’re doing.”

Meanwhile, the youngest wolf of the pack was watching Isidora struggle to be serious with Jero:

“I’m not joking, you can’t be trying to be the hero here. If you fuck up, she’ll 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 even consider you for Beta. You’ll have to pull every few brain cells you have together.”

Until then, his face had been as serious as ever. He finally cracked a smile.

“My limited brain cannot comprehend why you suddenly 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 me to become Beta, Iz’? If I’m not in the run anymore, you’ll get the job!”

She looked at her hands. “I’d much rather that if it means Rory gets what she needs.”

“And that’s?” Jero asked.

“Healing.” Isi whispered.

Before she could tell Jero once more how important this was, Marcel chimed in:

“I’ll keep an eye on him. I helped Rory become the Alpha she is today, I can help him keep the lunatics in line.”

Something in Isidora settled. “Thank you Marc.”

“Plenty!” Isi answered, not caring that the tone hadn’t been one of a question. “Want me to list all your accomplishments? I can!”

Rory sighed, seemingly not interested. This had been a trend, lately. Never in public, only when they were alone. It was hard to find the right words to ask about it.

Silence took over. The alpha snuggled closer, burying her head in Isidora’s shoulder.

Then, finally, in a whisper: “I love the pack. All of them, dearly. But sometimes I just wish it was just the two of us… Then maybe I wouldn’t have as many things to do. Days wouldn’t have to feel so… long.”

Isidora took in the confession. Stroked Rory’s arm for a long time in a slow and steady rhythm. There was something in that last sentence…

Morning found them still entangled.

“Hey you. How are you feeling?”

“Rays of sun are directed straight at your ass, honey. What can I say other than ‘great’?”

Isi chuckled, running a hand through Rory’s hair, before insisting: “Seriously, feel better now that the sun is out?”

“I do. Sleeping also helped.”

She did look less tired.

“I’m glad.” Isidora reached for a kiss. For a few seconds, the world melted away.

Until someone knocked loudly on their window.

“I’m going to kick 𝘩𝘪𝘴 ass!” Isi laughed into the kiss.

Everyone usually made sure to wait until Rory had had a shower and Isi, a coffee, before coming to the house in the morning. Unless it was an emergency.

“So what’s the emergency?” Rory asked as they welcomed Lou and Penny inside.

“Big news!”

Impatient as always, Penny shoved a shiny ring in front of Isi’s face.

“We’re married!”

Isi had to stop time for a minute to take it all in.

The band was beautiful. Decorated with something akin to a butterfly, three simple stones creating its body, the wings a darker gold than Penny’s usual pallet.

Something deep in Isidora contracted and she tried to ignore the twinge of jealousy. That ring looked so perfect.

She released her hold on time, she felt Rory take a step back.

“How?” Isi asked. That felt nicer than ‘why’.

“Last night, Penny found the ring I’d been hiding for-”

Lou paused, ungluing himself from his 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞 and turning to his alpha.

“It wasn’t planned, I didn’t think-”

But Rory wasn’t listening anymore. She got a few words out: “Stop. I… Just remembered I need to talk to Nellie.”

Then, she bolted out of the house.

The storm was now raging outside and Isi thought that, maybe, Rory had gone to check on Adelyn’s sheep. She could still feel her presence nearby.

After a few false alarms and excessive worrying, Isidora had learned to focus on that bond between them to reason with herself. She got ready for bed.

Yet when she came back to the bedroom again, the alpha was still missing from it. Her heartbeat quickened a little more, starting from an already controlled pace.

𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺… 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦.

And she was. At least physically…

Isi found her curled up in a ball, in the most unexpected room in the house: the extra bathroom where they’d set up the laundry machine.

“Hey. What’s wrong Cherry?” No response apart a heavy sigh. There was a pause, Isi wondering if she should just leave her alone.

But even with all the work she’d done on herself to learn to respect others’ boundaries and not overstep, this didn’t feel like a situation she could turn her back on.

“Can I sit with you?”

“Of course.” Rory’s voice was quiet, probably inaudible to a human.

Isi hesitated, unsure about touching her.

The urge to provide some comfort eventually won. She let her hand, then her arm, drape over Rory’s shoulders.

“What triggered it?” She asked, recognising the shaky breaths for what they were.

“The rain. It’s so loud tonight… Every drop landing on the roof. It sounds like…”

Isi realised too late: “Oh!”

“I’m sorry!” She breathed out.

Rory was right. Isi could hear how similar the sound of the rain hitting the metal was to hundreds of spider legs echoing underground.

“It’s not your fault, dove.”

Maybe not, but it hurt all the same. They needed a distraction.

“What did Nellie say we should do?”

“She said I have to think of happy things. Distract myself, if possible.”

Isidora nodded. She knew that already, but it was better to ask than to tell. “So, any good memory coming to mind?”

Rory looked down.

“The first time I saw you. In this very spot…”

“What?” The question was genuine this time.

“Why do you think I rebuilt this building after the fire almost erased it from Moonwood, angel?” Rory’s voice was louder now, on the verge of amusement.

“I don’t know! Something about a house purified with fire seemed like the right choice for you. I didn’t question it!”

Their eyes found each other.

Isi let her head rest on the metal as she studied the smirk on her partner’s lips. The glint in her eyes.

“You did it because it’s where we first met?” She was astonished. “But you were working on it even when we were broken up!”

Rory reached for her hair, the caress gentle. Isi leaned into it.

“I can’t believe it! A first meeting in a motel laundry room, complete with a freakishly intense static shock? That’s what did it for you?”

Isi brushed a thumb to her cheek, hoping the touch would be light enough not to trigger her. It must have been fine because Rory leaned in for a soft kiss.

“You’ll always impress me.” Isi said as she got up.

But she saw Rory hesitate. She reached for her cheek again: “Come on, we can find a more comfortable spot. I’m not leaving you alone.”

“Keep an eye on him for me, will you?” Amani asked Isi, half of the pack staying inside.

“Of course.”

“I didn’t even get to ask my question!” Lou was running to get ahead, Jero following after him.

“What was it?”

“Why he delivers pizza?!”

Koroosh laughed at the front of the cohort.

“It helped with finding occults. And I liked it.”

Lou huffed but didn’t question further.

“Now if your alpha’s ready…”

“Please don’t make my heart stop Cherry” Isi asked as Rory cupped her face in her hands.

“I do that anyway.”

The other wolves cheered, ready for a show, making bets.

“It’s twilight so neither of us are at their prime. I don’t have the sun and you don’t have the moon. Shall we agree on a no supernatural powers rule?”

Rory laughed, wholeheartedly.

“Sure.”

And they threw themselves into a sparring match, both of them smiling throughout. And after it was over, too.

A couple of hours later, Lou knocked on the glass panels of the front door.

“Express delivery! I’m late, Penny’s waiting!”

Ender threw himself into Rory’s arms as soon as he saw her.

“Could you also cut his nails again? They grow so fast and he won’t let me do it. Says you’re the only one allowed.”

They had pizza, which Rory craved since Koroosh had mentioned it and settled in front of a movie. Ender was already half asleep anyway so he just listened, sprawled over Rory.

The evening was short and sweet, all three of them snoozing as rain started pouring outside. A thunderstorm was coming.

Isi offered to bring Ender to his bed and let out a relieved sigh when she realised that, although the sound of the rain hitting the roof was louder upstairs, the little boy seemed not to be bothered by it. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Only when she got back downstairs, she couldn’t find Rory.

It must have taken some guts to walk into a room filled with ten of your natural enemies. But Koroosh didn’t seem to mind. Amani, on the other hand, wore her worries on her face as the door to Wolfgang’s office closed behind them.

Isi wondered if there was anything she could say to help.

“And then there was Celene, Lavina-” Lou was counting something on his fingers, a few other conversations floating here and there.

Until Rory cleared her throat.

They’d settled in a chair opposite the pack members and now formed a half circle. They all turned their attention to the djinn and demdji.

Koroosh spoke first, looking like he was ready for this step to be over already.

“I heard you all had questions for me?”

A wave of interest passed through the wolves. A few of them craving information, the rest fascinated by the feeling they got, facing a djinn for the first time.

“No question about my magic or my kind allowed. Otherwise, I’m here to clarify and shed light on the shadows in the story you’ve heard.”

A few nods.

Rory kicked off the interrogation: “Are you still chained to this 𝙎𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮?”

“No.”

“Are you afraid of me?” She allowed herself a second question.

“Yes.” He looked straight into her eyes. “Can I return the question?”

Rory smiled, wider than before. Everyone in the room shifted.

“Next question” she called.

Jero didn’t miss a beat: “They let you go, just like that? Didn’t put up a fight?”

Both Amani and Koroosh looked unsettled “Not yet anyway.”

Lily spoke up, her curiosity about the experiments taking over: “What did they want from the occult you were kidnapping?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know.” He admitted guiltily.

“Do you know who’s DNA I have?” Elinor asked, her voice trailing off as if she already regretted it.

“I’m not sure…”

He continued, maybe wanting to give her more: “If I had to make an educated guess, I would say the djinn who was hired by the council to follow me. They caught her last winter. We have no news of her. Not even Paige knows where she is.”

Wolfgang piped up at that: “Can I have the Keeper’s number?”

Rory let out a low chuckle and a whispered, tone full of irony: “Seki’ll be delighted.”

Isi lifted an eyebrow, but all she got was a small shake of the head. 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳.

Idrina, who was standing close to Nellie, spoke next: “You seem familiar. Have I threatened you before?”

Koroosh paused for a second.

Then he seemed to remember: “Yes!!! You kicked me to the curb the first time I tried to go after Isidora in Del Sol Valley!”

Tension filled the room again. Rory’s back had straightened. Only Idrina seemed more relaxed.

“Why were you and the blond djinni after me in the first place?”

“Those were my orders. They wanted me to follow you, see if you’d lead me to other occults. I found Amani through you. But I did all I could to ignore her, until they put an end to it.”

Adelyn had put her phone away. Her voice trembled a bit as she asked: “Is Nyon dead?”

“We couldn’t save him.”

“How much did the bite hurt?” Marcel was staring at Amani.

“Enough to let me know I would die from it.” She answered, chin up.

With that, it seemed the interrogation part of the day was over. Everyone started moving, including Rory who stared the djinni down. Isi checked her grip on her time power.

“You.” She pointed at Koroosh. “Fancy a rematch?!”

Isi’s heart stuttered.

“No lethal injuries?” He answered, the corners of his lips twitching up.

“I promise.”

Idrina cackled. “Maybe I can have a turn too!”

Amani rolled her eyes and Isidora tried her best to chill out. They were all friends now, right?!

“I’m not coming to see it.” Amani stated, immediately pulled aside by Wolfgang, who had already found more questions to ask.

“I am.” Isi countered.

Rory turned to her. “You don’t trust me to play nice?”

Lou teased: “No one does. And remember you’re babysitting tonight, you can’t be covered in wounds!”

Multiple voice messages and texts had apparently not prepared Isidora and Amani to be in each other’s presence again. Sure, their respective partners had agreed they should meet on their own first, but… how did you strike up a conversation with your estranged best friend when so much had happened?

Isi decided it was her responsibility.

“I’m really sorry we didn’t even try to hear you out last time…” She said, as softly as possible. Then, as Amani simply fiddled with her hair in silence, Isi asked: “Are you okay?”

That got her old friend to turn to her: “You asked that last time, too!”

“Why is that your first question?! You know I was never able to answer that truthfully!” Her tone wasn’t exactly angry, more… frustrated.

Isi tried not to raise her voice as she answered: “Because I know how hard it is to be thrown into this world! I figured maybe you’d want to talk about it…”

“I know you too well to ask how your body feels.”

Amani dropped her head. A minute passed.

“How can you be struggling with it if you grew up aware of all this?”

Isi forced a laugh out. “Well… Denial doesn’t work anymore after you’re admitted into a whole wolf pack.” A disbelieving chuckle answered.

“No, seriously Am. They had me up in the early hours of the morning, 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜? Not even a coffee beforehand?!”

Amani’s eyes were lighter. She teased: “No coffee?! I don’t believe it.”

“Honestly, I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t believe it either, had I not been there to 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘵.”

“That’s pretty much how I feel about everything that’s happened to me.”

A confession. Yet Isidora decided to keep the tone light. There’d be plenty of time for deep conversations now that they both existed in this world.

“Hey, at least you got a hot djinni out of it!”

Amani smiled. “He is hot.”

“I noticed. And he can back it up, too? 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 you and all.” Isi chuckled.

“You PERV! I knew you wouldn’t skip that bit!!”

“Am, you 𝙜𝙖𝙫𝙚 me your diary to read, I figured it was safe!”

“Fair, I guess.” Amani laughed.

Isi couldn’t resist hugging her friend. “It’s so good to have you back…”

Amani hummed to agree, before she demanded Isidora’s phone.

“Are you trying to get back at me by reading my dirty texts?”

“No, babes, I’m giving you Zek’s 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 name. He asked me to, as a token of trust.”

“Wow. That’s a big deal, isn’t it?” Isi was surprised.

“Yes. So it’s pronounced: Boo-”

“WAIT!”

“I should try?” Isi asked after removing her hand from Amani’s mouth.

Her friend nodded and she slowly read out the long name.

And without any noise, the djinni appeared. Looking as neutral as one could. Had he been expecting it?

“So he never reacts to these things?” Isi whispered.

“Rarely.”

Walking out of the house, Isi’s heart raced. It always did when she saw Rory, but that day there was an extra reason.

“By the way, Zek’s wearing your old merch on purpose. He’s become quite a fan since he started listening to your music.” Amani made small talk, probably anticipating the meet, too.

“I’m sure you’re the reason he’s wearing it!” Isi countered. He still hadn’t said a word, apart from hello.

Amani didn’t reply. Instead, she focused her attention ahead. “Hi! Rory, right?”

It seemed Isi wasn’t the only one anxious about their partners actually communicating for the first time.

At first, there was no answer. Instead, Rory pulled Isi closer, kissing her cheek. Probably grounding herself, too, considering the extra second she spent still.

“We’ve met a few times.” Amani pushed, frowning a little.

“Yeah, I remember the time I bit you.” Rory smirked, barely turning to her.

Amani was about to reply, most likely with snark, when Zek murmured: “Remember I have my faults too.”

And just like that, somehow, everyone relaxed a little.

Rory still kept an arm around Isi as they led the way inside. “She’s fun, the pack’ll like her.”

Ah, yes.