Serenya's POV

My eyes feel heavy, like something has been pressing on them for days. I force them open but the light stings a little. The ceiling above me is gray and white. For a few seconds, I don’t understand where I am. The room is quiet except for the faint hum of machines.

Where the hell am I?

I close my eyes again, trying to remember. Then it hits me—Jade. My fiancé. The man I thought loved me. The man who stabbed me. My stomach twists. I remember the pain, the blood, the betrayal. My hand moves on instinct to my belly. It’s flat, wrapped in several bandages.

My throat tightens, I try to sit up, anger pushing me, but my body is weak. My arm shakes halfway up before I hear a woman’s voice.

“You might want to rest a bit more before going to fight off some ass,” she says.

Her tone is cold and calm but another footsteps approach. A younger woman in uniform enters as well and places a tray on a table near me and quietly leaves. I look toward the speaker. She walks in with slow steady steps, wearing a white suit that fits her perfectly. Her face is familiar. I know that face. I just can’t place where I’ve seen it.

“Who are you?” I ask, my voice rough.

She gives a faint smile. “Nice to meet you, Serenya. I’m Rosabelle Hyacinth.”

The name echoes in my head. Rosabelle Hyacinth. I know that name. I’ve seen her face on TV, in interviews, on the covers of business magazines. The woman who owns half of Chicago’s ice rinks. The one people call untouchable. I stare at her, speechless. Is this really her? I froze.

She's the woman who built the largest private ice empire in the United States, who dominated a sport ruled by men, whose name was glued into Chicago like fire. CEO of Hyacinth Ice Dominion, owner of The Chicago Vortex, billionaire with a reputation colder than her rinks.

I remember hearing rumors about Rosabelle’s team. They said she had three of the best hockey players in the country under her employ. No one really knew their names because they never showed up on social media, never gave interviews.

People only talked about them in hushed tones like legends

Except that wherever Rosabelle went, they followed. All I know is that they answer to Rosabelle and that’s enough to make me nervous.

“That's her?,” I breathed.

She sits on the edge of the my bed and looks at me, her expression calm but stern.

“What a cruel world,” she says quietly. “Giving your man your all only for him to betray you in the worst possible way.”

I blink, unsure how to respond. “Why did you save me?”

Rosabelle leans back slightly. “Because it’s a win-win for both of us. Don’t worry, it isn’t for free.”

Her tone is sharp but not unkind.

She continues, “Although If I had saved you earlier, you would’ve gone running back to that bastard again. You needed to see what he’s capable of, sometimes pain is the only way people learn.”

Her eyes soften a little. “I’m sorry about your baby. You lost it. But experience is the best teacher, don’t you agree?”

My chest tightens. I swallow hard but I don’t answer.

“What do you want from me?” I finally ask.

Rosabelle studies my face for a long moment. Her gaze moves slowly from my eyes to my hands, to my bandaged stomach, then back to my face.

“You really do look like her,” she says.

I frown. “Look like who?”

“My long-lost daughter,” she replies simply.

I freeze. “You… you had a daughter?”

“Yes.” She nods once. Her expression changes, soft but distant. “She was the best thing that ever happened to me. But I was careless, and I lost her.” Her voice breaks slightly before she straightens again.

“And your daughter looks like me?” I ask quietly.

“Very much. Too much resemblance. Except for one thing—you don’t have the birthmark she had on her neck.”

I sit there, trying to process that. “So, you saved me because I look like your daughter?”

“That’s part of it,” she says. “The other part is because I’m going to make a deal with you. I don’t like it when I see young women broken and left with nothing.”

She crosses her legs and leans slightly forward. “I want a lot, actually. But first, are you willing to get back at your ex?”

Her question cuts through the silence.

I think of Jade again. The lies. The other woman. The stabbing and my baby. I remember running away from my pack four years ago only for me to be with him believing he would be my future husband and hiding my identity. He found out what I was and he still killed me.

“Yes,” I say quietly at first then louder. “I want him to pay for everything.”

Rosabelle nods. “Then you’ll have to change from who you are to who you need to become.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you’re no longer going to be Serenya Lopes,” she says. “The change will start with your name.”

“My name?” I blink, clearly confused. “What are you saying?”

“Instead of Serenya Lopes, you’ll be Reese Hyacinth.”

“What?”

“Yes.” She says as she reaches into her blazer and takes out a folded document. “This is the contract terms. Read it.”

She hands it to me. My fingers tremble a little as I take it. The paper feels thick and official. I open it and read.

CONTRACT AGREEMENT

Party A: Serenya Lopes

Party B: Rosabelle Hyacinth, CEO of Hyacinth Ice Dominion

Terms and Conditions:

1. Party A agrees to assume a new identity as

Reese Hyacinth, under the guardianship and mentorship of Party B.

2. Party A will undergo three months of physical, psychological, and professional training at a private facility in Minnesota.

3. Upon completion, Party A will be appointed as an assistant coach under the Hyacinth Ice Division, with the responsibility of managing and coordinating training schedules for the elite hockey team known as *The Chicago Vortex*.

4. Party A will live under the Hyacinth family name and will be recognized publicly as an adopted member of the Hyacinth household.

5. Party A will maintain confidentiality regarding her past identity, events prior to this agreement, and any personal association with Party B’s family prior to this contract.

6. Party A must show loyalty, discipline, and obedience to the directives given by Party B.

7. Party A will act as a caretaker and personal assistant to Party B’s sons when required, ensuring their physical and emotional well-being within reasonable boundaries.

8. Any breach of confidentiality or loyalty will result in immediate termination of this contract and legal consequences under the Hyacinth Corporation’s protection law.

9. Upon successful completion of this agreement, Party A will receive full financial independence, personal security, and permanent legal documentation as *Reese Hyacinth*.

**Signed:**

Party A: ___________________

Party B: Rosabelle Hyacinth

My hand shakes as I finish reading. I look up at her. “You have sons?”

“Yes,” she says calmly. “You’ll meet them soon. But not yet. First, you’ll train. You’ll become what I want you to become.”

She reaches into her pocket again, pulls out a pen, and holds it toward me. “Here.”

I stare at the pen. My name is right there—Serenya Lopes. The name Jade used to call me. The name that no longer means anything. My throat feels dry.

“What happens if I don’t sign it?” I ask quietly.

Rosabelle’s expression doesn’t change. “You’ll go back to nothing. Back to pain. Back to running. And next time, there might not be anyone to save you.”

Her words are calm but final.

I look down at the contract again. The letters blur a little as my eyes sting. This is it. If I sign this, Serenya dies for good. Maybe that’s what I need. Maybe the only way to survive is to stop being her.

I take the pen. My fingers are cold. I press it down and sign *Serenya Lopes*.

Rosabelle takes the paper, folds it neatly, and slips it back into her blazer.

“That finalizes it,” she says, standing up. “After your treatment, you’ll leave for Minnesota. Welcome to the Hyacinth family, Reese.”

I watch her move to the door. Her voice is calm but there’s an aura to it like she’s already decided my future for me.

When she leaves, the room feels different. I stare at the door long after it closes.

My name is gone. My baby is gone. My past is gone. All that’s left is what she’s turning me into.

I lie back, staring at the gray and white ceiling again.

---

The next day, doctors come in to check my wounds. Rosabelle’s people handle everything with precision. No one speaks much. Every face is professional, distant. When they’re done, a woman named Clara brings me a set of documents and a new phone.

“This is your ID,” she says. “Reese Hyacinth. Date of birth adjusted. Background verified. You’re officially part of the family now.”

I look at the ID. My new name looks strange. I don’t recognize the woman in the photo. My hair is slightly darker, my eyes edited to look colder.

“Rosabelle doesn’t waste time,” Clara says, setting the phone on the table. “You leave in two days.”

I nod slowly. “And Minnesota?”

“Private facility. No press, no visitors. You’ll have a schedule waiting when you arrive.”

Clara leaves and I’m alone again. I stare at the ID for a long time. Reese Hyacinth.

It feels strange, but maybe that’s the point.

I hear a knock on the door and just then Rosabelle returns. She walks in and stands by the window, her hands in her pockets.

“Do you regret signing it?” she asks.

I shake my head. “No.”

“Good. Regret wastes time. You’ll have a lot to learn. The training won’t be an easy one.”

“I don’t care. I just want to move forward.”

She looks at me for a moment, studying my face. “That’s what I like to hear.”

There’s silence between us that feels almost comfortable.

“Why me?” I ask finally. “Out of everyone, why did you choose me?”

She sighs. “Because you remind me of who I used to be. And maybe… because I see so

mething in you that’s worth saving.”

Her honesty surprises me. For a second, I almost forget who she is.

She turns to leave but stops at the door. “Rest well enough Reese. You’ll need your strength.”

When she’s gone, I sit up slowly and look out of at the window. I murmur to myself, “Reese Hyacinth.”

The name still feels foreign but something about it clicks in my chest. Maybe this is what I needed. A new start. A new name. A new war to fight.

Cole's POV

The cold from the rink hits the back of my neck as I skate across the ice, the sound of blades cutting sharp against the surface. Practice has been Cole's POV

The cold from the rink hits the back of my neck as I skate across the ice, the sound of blades cutting sharp against the surface. Practice has been going for an hour, and we’re already drenched in sweat.

Knox is at the goal, calm and cold as usual, blocking shot after shot like a machine. Nolan keeps circling, trying to distract him with that smug grin he never loses while Finn is beside me, too loud, too competitive, the same as always.

I pull back, line up and send the puck flying. It hits the top corner, just brushing Knox’s glove. He doesn’t react and just stares at me with those gray eyes like I barely exist.

“Still emotionless, huh?” I call out, skating closer. “You’d think one goal would piss you off.”

Knox doesn’t answer. He never does. He just leans down, grabs the puck, and sends it back my way with a flick that makes my wrist sting when I catch it.

Finn laughs behind me. “He’s waiting for you to actually *score*, Cole.”

I roll my eyes. “I did score. He just doesn’t like acknowledging talent.”

“Right,” Nolan mutters as he glides past, spinning the stick in his hand. “Talent, arrogance—same thing with you.”

I grin. “At least I have both.”

We’ve been like this since we could walk. Competing, arguing, pushing each other until something breaks. It’s what makes us the best. People talk about us like we’re a rumor and ghosts on the ice. The Hyacinth Brothers. No one ever sees our faces, no one ever interviews us. They just see the records we break and the trophies we collect.

And that’s how we like it.

I slow down, circling to the side of the rink where Finn’s adjusting his gloves. “So,” I start, wiping sweat off my face with my sleeve, “I heard something interesting this morning.”

Finn looks up. “What?”

“The new coach Rosabelle is bringing.”

Nolan skates over, already curious. “Rose is really hiring again?”

“Yeah.” I shrug. “Heard it’s a woman this time.”

Finn snorts. “A woman? You’re kidding right?”

“Nope. Straight from the staff meeting,” I say. “Rose really knows how to gamble with us”

Finn smirks, leaning on his stick. “She wouldn’t last a week. You’d think Rose would learn we don’t need anyone bossing us around.”

Nolan chuckles under his breath. “She probably just wants to prove we can take orders. Which we can’t.”

I tilt my head. “Maybe she just wants to see if anyone can survive us more than the ones we've drove out.”

Finn grins wide. “Or maybe she’s hoping she’ll find one of us interesting.”

“Not happening,” Knox says quietly from the goal, voice deep and steady.

We all turn to him. He’s standing there, expression blank like the conversation bores him.

I skate closer. “Come on, little brother. You’re not curious who she is?”

“No,” he says flatly, sending the puck flying toward the wall.

Finn sighs. “Godd, you're so....always so cold.”

Nolan laughs. “He’s not cold, just focused.”

I raise a brow. “Focused on what? Glowering the rest of his life?”

Knox ignores me. He’s already back in position.

Finn shakes his head. “I’m giving her three days before she quits.”

“Bo Two,” Nolan laughs.

“One,” I counter it.

“Bet?”

I grin. “Always.”

We keep skating, pushing harder, moving faster. Every pass is perfect. Every shot has precision. This is what we were built for. No one outside this rink knows the truth, but every move we make carries the control we learned from hiding what we are.

We are werewolves. Four of us. Brothers bound by blood and that one secret.

To the world, we’re just players that are untouchable, unbeatable. But under the skin, there’s more. Every hit of the puck, every shift of our bodies, hides the strength that no human should have. We’ve learned to hold back, to make it look human enough not to raise questions.

I love the sound of the ice under me. It’s clean, sharp, real. The only place that quiets the noise in my head.

Finn crashes into Nolan, trying to steal the puck. Nolan pushes back, their sticks clashing. Knox catches the rebound and passes it cleanly toward me, and I take the shot. Straight through the gap.

Goal!

Finn groans. “You’re lucky, Cole.”

I laugh. “I’m always lucky.”

We’re still laughing when the air changes. It’s not something normal people would notice, but we’re not normal. The connection hums under my skin before it happens.

A voice slips through the mindlink that ties us to Rosabelle.

[ *You all should come pick her up at the airport. She’ll begin training soon.*]

Then she cuts off. No emotion, no explanation. Just orders.

Finn sighs. “She’s serious about this coach thing, really serious.”

Nolan skates to the edge, grabs his bag. “Guess we’re chauffeurs now.”

I shrug, grabbing my jacket from the bench. “Perhaps, it could be fun.”

Knox’s voice is calm but firm. “We’re wasting time.”

We leave the rink immediately , the cold replaced by the dry air of the arena hallway. Our assistant nods as we pass, but no one dares stop us. Outside, the cars are waiting—black SUVs lined up like soldiers.

I take the driver’s seat. Finn claims shotgun beside me, Nolan slides into the back and Knox takes the far corner, silent as usual.

The drive is quiet at first, the hum of the road filling the space.

Finn scrolls through his phone. “So, any guesses who this mystery coach is?”

“No idea,” I say. “But if Rose picked her, she’s either brave or stupid.”

Nolan chuckles. “Probably both.”

“Maybe she’s one of those motivational types,” Finn says. “You know, the ones that talk too much and think yelling fixes everything.”

“Won’t last,” Knox mutters, staring out of the window.

“You keep saying that,” I reply. “One of these days, you’ll have to give someone a chance.” I say

But he doesn’t answer.

We reach the airport within minutes. The city looks the same as always busy, bright and too loud. We pull up to the private terminal, step out, and wait near the entrance. The cold air bites, but it feels good against my skin.

Then something shifts inside me It’s subtle at first, a scent, warm and unfamiliar, drifting on the wind and then stronger.

My chest tightens as I glance at my brothers. Nolan’s posture changes instantly. Finn freezes mid-step. Knox’s hand burls into a fist.

We all look at each other at the same time.

“MATE,” we say together.

The word vibrates in the air, raw and instinctive.

Finn’s eyes flash briefly gold before he blinks it away. Nolan looks like he’s trying not to grin.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter.

Knox’s voice is low. “She’s close, I can feel it.”

We turn toward the terminal just as the automatic doors slide open.

A woman steps out, slow and unsure, her hair pulled back, dressed simple but sharp. She doesn’t look like a coach. She looks like someone who’s been through hell and came back colder.

For a moment, none of us move.

Finn whistles under his breath. “Well, damn.”

Nolan’s tone drops lower. “Didn’t expect that.”

Knox says nothing. His eyes are fixed on her blankly.

I can’t stop staring. There’s something in her face that's familiar, something that pulls me in. I don’t know her, but I feel her.

Rosabelle steps out behind her, phone in hand. She spots us and nods once. “Boys,” she says. “Meet your new coach.”

for an hour, and we’re already drenched in sweat.

Knox is at the goal, calm and cold as usual, blocking shot after shot like a machine. Nolan keeps circling, trying to distract him with that smug grin he never loses while Finn is beside me, too loud, too competitive, the same as always.

I pull back, line up and send the puck flying. It hits the top corner, just brushing Knox’s glove. He doesn’t react and just stares at me with those gray eyes like I barely exist.

“Still emotionless, huh?” I call out, skating closer. “You’d think one goal would piss you off.”

Knox doesn’t answer. He never does. He just leans down, grabs the puck, and sends it back my way with a flick that makes my wrist sting when I catch it.

Finn laughs behind me. “He’s waiting for you to actually *score*, Cole.”

I roll my eyes. “I did score. He just doesn’t like acknowledging talent.”

“Right,” Nolan mutters as he glides past, spinning the stick in his hand. “Talent, arrogance—same thing with you.”

I grin. “At least I have both.”

We’ve been like this since we could walk. Competing, arguing, pushing each other until something breaks. It’s what makes us the best. People talk about us like we’re a rumor and ghosts on the ice. The Hyacinth Brothers. No one ever sees our faces, no one ever interviews us. They just see the records we break and the trophies we collect.

And that’s how we like it.

I slow down, circling to the side of the rink where Finn’s adjusting his gloves. “So,” I start, wiping sweat off my face with my sleeve, “I heard something interesting this morning.”

Finn looks up. “What?”

“The new coach Rosabelle is bringing.”

Nolan skates over, already curious. “Rose is really hiring again?”

“Yeah.” I shrug. “Heard it’s a woman this time.”

Finn snorts. “A woman? You’re kidding right?”

“Nope. Straight from the staff meeting,” I say. “Rose really knows how to gamble with us”

Finn smirks, leaning on his stick. “She wouldn’t last a week. You’d think Rose would learn we don’t need anyone bossing us around.”

Nolan chuckles under his breath. “She probably just wants to prove we can take orders. Which we can’t.”

I tilt my head. “Maybe she just wants to see if anyone can survive us more than the ones we've drove out.”

Finn grins wide. “Or maybe she’s hoping she’ll find one of us interesting.”

“Not happening,” Knox says quietly from the goal, voice deep and steady.

We all turn to him. He’s standing there, expression blank like the conversation bores him.

I skate closer. “Come on, little brother. You’re not curious who she is?”

“No,” he says flatly, sending the puck flying toward the wall.

Finn sighs. “Godd, you're so....always so cold.”

Nolan laughs. “He’s not cold, just focused.”

I raise a brow. “Focused on what? Glowering the rest of his life?”

Knox ignores me. He’s already back in position.

Finn shakes his head. “I’m giving her three days before she quits.”

“Bo Two,” Nolan laughs.

“One,” I counter it.

“Bet?”

I grin. “Always.”

We keep skating, pushing harder, moving faster. Every pass is perfect. Every shot has precision. This is what we were built for. No one outside this rink knows the truth, but every move we make carries the control we learned from hiding what we are.

We are werewolves. Four of us. Brothers bound by blood and that one secret.

To the world, we’re just players that are untouchable, unbeatable. But under the skin, there’s more. Every hit of the puck, every shift of our bodies, hides the strength that no human should have. We’ve learned to hold back, to make it look human enough not to raise questions.

I love the sound of the ice under me. It’s clean, sharp, real. The only place that quiets the noise in my head.

Finn crashes into Nolan, trying to steal the puck. Nolan pushes back, their sticks clashing. Knox catches the rebound and passes it cleanly toward me, and I take the shot. Straight through the gap.

Goal!

Finn groans. “You’re lucky, Cole.”

I laugh. “I’m always lucky.”

We’re still laughing when the air changes. It’s not something normal people would notice, but we’re not normal. The connection hums under my skin before it happens.

A voice slips through the mindlink that ties us to Rosabelle.

[ *You all should come pick her up at the airport. She’ll begin training soon.*]

Then she cuts off. No emotion, no explanation. Just orders.

Finn sighs. “She’s serious about this coach thing, really serious.”

Nolan skates to the edge, grabs his bag. “Guess we’re chauffeurs now.”

I shrug, grabbing my jacket from the bench. “Perhaps, it could be fun.”

Knox’s voice is calm but firm. “We’re wasting time.”

We leave the rink immediately , the cold replaced by the dry air of the arena hallway. Our assistant nods as we pass, but no one dares stop us. Outside, the cars are waiting—black SUVs lined up like soldiers.

I take the driver’s seat. Finn claims shotgun beside me, Nolan slides into the back and Knox takes the far corner, silent as usual.

The drive is quiet at first, the hum of the road filling the space.

Finn scrolls through his phone. “So, any guesses who this mystery coach is?”

“No idea,” I say. “But if Rose picked her, she’s either brave or stupid.”

Nolan chuckles. “Probably both.”

“Maybe she’s one of those motivational types,” Finn says. “You know, the ones that talk too much and think yelling fixes everything.”

“Won’t last,” Knox mutters, staring out of the window.

“You keep saying that,” I reply. “One of these days, you’ll have to give someone a chance.” I say

But he doesn’t answer.

We reach the airport within minutes. The city looks the same as always busy, bright and too loud. We pull up to the private terminal, step out, and wait near the entrance. The cold air bites, but it feels good against my skin.

Then something shifts inside me It’s subtle at first, a scent, warm and unfamiliar, drifting on the wind and then stronger.

My chest tightens as I glance at my brothers. Nolan’s posture changes instantly. Finn freezes mid-step. Knox’s hand burls into a fist.

We all look at each other at the same time.

“MATE,” we say together.

The word vibrates in the air, raw and instinctive.

Finn’s eyes flash briefly gold before he blinks it away. Nolan looks like he’s trying not to grin.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter.

Knox’s voice is low. “She’s close, I can feel it.”

We turn toward the terminal just as the automatic doors slide open.

A woman steps out, slow and unsure, her hair pulled back, dressed simple but sharp. She doesn’t look like a coach. She looks like someone who’s been through hell and came back colder.

For a moment, none of us move.

Finn whistles under his breath. “Well, damn.”

Nolan’s tone drops lower. “Didn’t expect that.”

Knox says nothing. His eyes are fixed on her blankly.

I can’t stop staring. There’s something in her face that's familiar, something that pulls me in. I don’t know her, but I feel her.

Rosabelle steps out behind her, phone in hand. She spots us and nods once. “Boys,” she says. “Meet your new coach.”

Cole's POV

Rosabelle steps forward, phone in hand, her tone calm but commanding.

“Boys,” she says, her eyes moving across the four of us. “Meet your new coach. Reese Hyacinth. She’s family now. Training begins tomorrow.”

We all look at her, then at each other.

Family?

Coach?

Tomorrow?

No one speaks, not even Knox, who usually says something sharp when he’s annoyed.

Rosabelle’s gaze doesn’t waver. “Play nice,” she adds, then turns, her heels clicking on the pavement as she gets into her car. The engine starts, and she’s gone—just like that.

For a few seconds, no one says a word.

Then Nolan laughs first, hands in his pockets. “You really don’t look like a coach,” he says, staring straight at her. “Maybe you should rethink this whole thing now. There’s no way you can handle four grown men. Especially four who happen to be hot as hell.”

Finn smirks. “You should know better, sweetheart. Why accept a job that’s going to eat you alive? Did you think you could actually deal with four men who don’t like rules?”

Reese turns to us then slowly. Her expression doesn’t change. Her voice is firm. “I’ll simply make you follow them.”

That shuts Finn up for a moment.

Knox walks forward without a word and pulls the car door open. “Get in,” he says flatly.

She nods once and steps inside. No hesitation. We all follow, sliding in after her.

I take the passenger seat beside Knox while Finn and Nolan sit in the back with her.

The air in the car feels stranger and tight.

My wolf stirs beneath my skin, restless and alert. I know my brothers feel it too. Their eyes glint faintly glowing gold for a second before fading. We don’t need to speak to know what we’re all thinking.

Why now?

Why her?

Why at the height of everything we’ve built?

Our team is on top of the world—undefeated, untouchable, and feared by everyone in the league.

And now, this… this human woman is supposed to coach us?

Worse, our wolves are reacting to her like—

No.

I refuse to finish that thought.

I glance at my brothers. Finn’s pretending to be relaxed, one arm thrown over the back seat, but his eyes are fixed on her reflection in the window.

Nolan’s quiet too, which isn’t like him. His jaw tightens, and that’s how I know he feels it too.

Even Knox, who rarely shows anything, grips the steering wheel tighter.

The silence stretches all the way to the mansion.

When we pull up into the estate, the gates slide open automatically. The lights of the driveway cast long shadows on the pavement as we roll to a stop.

Miss Lana, our assistant, is already waiting near the door. She bows slightly as we step out.

“Welcome back,” she says, her voice calm as always. Then she turns to Reese. “Miss Hyacinth, it’s an honor. I’ll take your luggage.”

Reese doesn’t say much but just a nod. She looks around, her eyes scanning the huge glass windows, the stone columns, the wide steps leading to the front doors. No awe, no fear, just quiet focus.

She walks inside behind Lana, her posture straight, her movements careful but confident.

We follow her in. The place is silent except for our footsteps echoing across the tiled floor. The air smells faintly of oil..

In the living room, Reese stands by the couch, watching as Lana drags her luggage toward the stairs. This woman doesn’t smile, doesn’t even fidget, she just waits and watches everything.

And damn, she’s hot.

Too hot for a coach.

Too hot to be standing here in our space.

Her dark hair’s tied back, strands falling loose at the sides of her face. Her lips are pale but full, her eyes sharp enough to cut through anyone’s bullshit. She looks small next to us, but there’s something in her that screams she’s not someone to underestimate.

I released a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. So do my brother because the tension in the room feels alive.

There’s no way she’s our mate. No way the Moon Goddess would pull something like that.

But the scent is there. Subtle but impossible to ignore. It hitches to her skin like warmth. It’s real.

Nolan glances at me, his expression uneasy as he opened the mindlink “You feel that too?”

“Yeah,” I mutter back in my head. My throat’s dry. “It’s real.”

Finn runs a hand through his hair, pacing. “No. No way. The Goddess must be losing her mind this time.”

Knox stands near the window, silent. His reflection looks like a shadow but I knew better what was going through his head.

I turn to them. “You know what this means. Second chance mates can’t be rejected.”

The words hang there.

Finn lets out a sharp laugh, bitter. “Can’t be rejected? Don’t even remind me. Do you remember what happened last time with our last mate, no one knew she was a hunter”

We all go quiet. Of course he was right.

Remembering her name alone is enough to make the air heavy.

Finn swears under his breath. “She nearly ruined us. Nearly exposed us.”

Nolan nods slowly. “She used all of us, and we didn’t even see it coming.”

“If not for Rosabelle,” I say quietly, “we’d have been dead.”

Knox turns from the window finally, eyes dark. “And now the Goddess throws this human into our path again? Another risk?”

Finn’s jaw tightens. “What if she finds out what we are? What happens then?”

I shake my head. “We keep our distance. Keep control. That’s what happens.”

Nolan lets out a dry laugh. “You sure about that? Because from where I’m standing, that control’s already slipping.”

He’s right. My wolf hasn’t settled once since she stepped into that car.

Lana appears again at the top of the stairs. “Your room is ready,” she says softly.

Reese nods, grabs her bag, and follows her up. She doesn’t even look back.

We stand there in silence, watching her disappear down the hallway.

Her steps are soft as the door shuts behind her.

Finn drops onto the couch, hands in his hair. “I can’t believe this.”

Nolan leans against the wall, arms crossed. “You’d better. Because it’s happening whether we like it or not.”

Knox doesn’t move. He just stares up the stairs like he’s trying to figure something out that doesn’t make sense.

I look between them. “We stay calm. We figure out what she’s doing here. And we don’t let her get close.”

Finn scoffs. “You’re saying that like it's going to be easy.”

“Then make it easy,” I snap back.

He raises a brow. “Getting defensive already, huh?”

“Shut up, Finn.”

Nolan steps between us before it can escalate.“Enough. We’re not going to lose our heads over a coach.”

Knox finally turns. “You mean over a mate.”

No one responds to that.

The word floats in the air between us, raw and unwanted but the brutal truth.

Finn looks away, muttering under his breath. “The Moon Goddess must really be playing with us this time.”

I don’t disagree.

Because as much as I want to deny it, every instinct inside me screams the same thing:

Reese Hyacinth isn’t just our new coach. She’s the destruction we didn’t see coming and I must never let that happen, not until every single hunter in this city goes down

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