16. MATEO

16

MATEO

The kitchen is dimly lit, shadows clinging to the edges of the cabinets, the hum of the refrigerator the only sound as Asani and I step inside. I lean against the counter, letting out a slow breath as I roll my shoulders, trying to shake off the tension clinging to me like a second skin.

Asani heads for the sink to pour himself a glass of water and I watch him silently, the weight of everything hanging heavy between us. The changes in Nepheline, the threat of another Alpha, the possibility of Locke being alive—it’s too much, too fast. And yet, here we are.

“You alright?” Asani breaks the silence as he sips from his glass.

I snort softly, shaking my head. “Not even close.”

He smirks, though the humor doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Didn’t think so.” He sets the glass down, leaning against the counter opposite me, his dark gaze steady. “You haven’t said much since the forest.”

The memory of earlier—of running with Remi and River, of feeling the wind in my fur, the bonds between us strong and alive—unfolds in my mind. For a little while, things were simple as we loved each other. We were free . Just us, just the quiet rhythm of paws on the earth and hearts beating in sync as I claimed my mates.

“It was good,” I admit. “Needed it. Remi especially. I think we all need a heavy dose of normalcy.”

Asani hums, pushing himself up to sit on the edge of the counter. His broad shoulders are relaxed, but there’s an edge to him, a coiled tension I can feel even from here. “It’s her, isn’t it?” he says quietly, and I don’t need to ask who he means. “Nepheline.”

I glance up at him, nodding slowly. “She’s changing. I see it every time I look at her.”

“Same,” Asani mutters, running a hand through his hair. “Staring into her eyes… it’s like staring into magic itself.”

“It is,” I admit. “She’s…” I trail off, searching for the right words. “She’s beautiful. Powerful. She doesn’t even realize it yet, but it’s there. I can feel it.”

Asani’s gaze sharpens, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “And terrifying,” he says softly.

I flinch slightly because he’s right . Nepheline is beautiful and powerful, but behind that beauty, there’s fear. I see it in the way her hands tremble when she thinks no one is watching. I hear it in her voice when she talks about Locke and the pack of the Forbidden. It’s happening too quickly for her to process.

“She’s terrified. I don’t blame her. Who could?”

The room feels smaller than it should, the kitchen shrinking with every unspoken word hanging between me and Asani. The tension is thick, a live wire crackling through the air as he sits across from me, his arms crossed over his broad chest.

“But she has all of us. Look, Mateo, if we’re not on the same page as a family first, nothing else is going to work, ” Asani says, his voice steady but sharp, like he’s trying to rein it in.

My wolf stirs immediately, pacing beneath my skin, the hairs on the back of my neck rising at his tone. I don’t know if he’s challenging me or something else entirely, but it cuts too close to the bone. My eyes narrow, the primal part of me inching closer to the surface. “We are on the same page,” I snap, my voice low, a dangerous edge curling around the words. “Or we wouldn’t still be standing here, would we?”

Asani shakes his head, frustration flickering in his dark eyes. “You’re hearing me, but you’re not listening, Mateo. I’m saying—”

“I am listening,” I growl, stepping closer, the dominance in my voice rising involuntarily. My wolf is pushing forward, restless, claws just beneath the surface.

Asani doesn’t back down. “Step down,” he says softly, the words calm but firm.

That’s all it takes.

A growl rips from my chest before I can stop it, the sound reverberating through the room. “ What did you say? ”

Asani’s face shifts almost immediately, regret flashing in his eyes. “Shit—” He lifts his hands slightly, his voice calmer now. “I overstepped. I didn’t mean it like that.”

But it’s too late. My wolf is clawing for control, furious at even the hint of a challenge, and I’m already crossing the room before I register moving. Asani doesn’t step back, doesn’t even flinch.

I pin him against the wall, my forearm pressed hard against his chest, teeth bared, growl still rumbling low in my throat. My wolf snarls for dominance, for submission, for something to satisfy the simmering rage. Asani meets my eyes, his breathing steady but fast, like he knows exactly what’s happening and doesn’t care. His calm only makes my wolf push harder.

“You think I don’t know what I’m doing?” I snarl, my face just inches from his. “You think I’m not putting this family first?”

His chest rises and falls beneath my arm, but Asani doesn’t fight me, doesn’t challenge me further. Instead, he moves slowly, deliberately, his fingers brushing against the side of my face.

The touch throws me off balance.

“Mateo,” Asani murmurs, like he’s talking me down. His thumb brushes against my jaw, his palm warm where it rests against my cheek. “I’m with you. I’m always with you. I just—”

His words blur as his gaze softens, pulling me back from the edge. My wolf hesitates, caught between the rage and something deeper, something softer. The tension in my body shifts, the growl tapering off as I lean into his touch without meaning to.

I don’t know if it’s instinct or desperation, but I crash my lips against his, the kiss rough, demanding— possessive. Asani freezes for half a second before he melts into it, his body going pliant against mine as he submits without hesitation.

The dominance I’d been chasing floods through me, calming my wolf as Asani yields beneath me, his hands sliding up to grip my shoulders. It’s raw, it’s rough, and it’s exactly what I need to feel like the world isn’t completely unraveling. I pull back, breathing hard, my forehead pressed against his as I try to steady myself. Asani looks up at me, a smirk curling at the corner of his mouth.

“Feel better?” he mutters, his voice breathless.

Before I can answer, slow clapping breaks the silence.

I whip my head around to find River leaning in the doorway, his lips curled into a shit-eating grin, his hands lazily applauding like he’s watching the best damn show of his life. “Well, damn,” River drawls, his voice dripping with amusement. “Never thought I’d see the day. You finally put Asani in his place. Took you long enough.”

Asani groans, his head thunking back against the wall. “You’re enjoying this too much.”

“I really am,” River laughs, his grin widening. “Carry on. Don’t let me stop you.”

I shake my head, the lingering heat and tension in my chest cooling slightly as I push off Asani, letting him breathe. My wolf settles just a little, satisfied, though Asani’s smirk isn’t helping.

“Shut up, River, before I find a reason to put you in your place,” I mutter, though I can’t stop the corner of my mouth from twitching.

River holds up his hands in mock surrender, still grinning like the idiot he is. “Hey, don’t mind me. I’m just here for the entertainment.”

Asani straightens, rolling his shoulders like he’s shaking off the whole ordeal. “You’re welcome,” he mutters, shooting me a sideways look that somehow manages to be both teasing and fond.

I shake my head again, exhaling a slow breath as the moment settles into something quieter. Something that feels almost like relief. We’re fraying at the edges, all of us. The weight of the pack, of Nepheline, of everything we can’t yet see—it’s pulling us tight, testing every seam. But standing here, with Asani and River and the lingering echoes of my wolf’s fury, I know this much—we’ll fight, we’ll snap, and we’ll heal.

Because that’s what we do.

And we’ll absolutely never bring up that kiss ever again.

My wolf liked it.

I’m torn.