Evaline:
The flash of Ria's phone blinded me for the fifth time in less than ten minutes, and I forced a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes as she squealed, "Perfect! Another one for the memories!"
I nodded, my cheeks aching from holding the same expression. It was Friday noon, our little group's promised day to gather during the holidays, and this time we were in a quiet town nestled inside Kyros' pack. The restaurant buzzed faintly around us - clinking glasses, bursts of laughter from neighboring tables - but it all felt so far away.
Everyone was sharing how their week had gone. Noah had been traveling, Selene had gone back home to her grandparents, and Ria had spent most of her days shopping and meeting cousins. Mallory was busy dating, Kyros was helping at his family cafe, and Rowan... he was still trying to adjust to his new life where he no longer needed to participate in underground fightings.
