High-gloss marble floors acted like dark mirrors, reflecting the sharp black uniforms of the staff as they huddled in the space between the living room and the grand staircase. With the masters of the house away, the usual professional silence had dissolved into the low, sharp buzz of a rumor mill in full gear.
"The Beta is definitely back," one of the maids whispered, leaning in so close her breath misted on the polished wood of a nearby console. "He's already meeting with the Alpha. I heard the Alpha sent him out specifically to trail the Council."
"So soon?" another replied, her brow furrowing as she smoothed her apron. "If he's back already, they must have found her. They'll be announcing a new Queen any day now."
The butler stood among them, his posture casual but his eyes sharp as he weighed in. "Either they found her, or it has something to do with the defectives. The punishments have been increasing lately. He might have been called back to handle the enforcement."
"Imagine," the first maid murmured, her eyes wide with the thrill of the hunt, "being the first to know the Queen has been found while the rest of the pack is still guessing."
BANG.
The front doors flew open, the heavy wood rebounding against the walls with a jarring force that made the staff jump in unison. The gossiping circle broke instantly.
Skip charged in first, his chest heaving with heavy, ragged breaths. He carried a girl over his shoulder; she was limp and unconscious, her head hanging down his back like a broken doll. Right behind him, Trinity, Alana, and Kale swept into the house. Their faces were grim masks of urgency as they moved with a hurried, frantic pace.
The maids stood paralyzed, clutching their trays and duster cloths in stunned silence. The transition from quiet gossip to this chaotic, blood-warm arrival was jarring.
The butler was the first to recover. He shifted his weight instantly, adopting a mask of stern authority as if he had been supervising their labor the entire time rather than participating in the chatter. He shot a pointed, warning look at the maids.
"Back to your duties!" he snapped, waving them off toward the side halls. "Now! There is work to be done."
The maids scrambled to disappear, trying to look busy as the group hurried past them toward the center of the home.
"Get out!" Trinity shouted, her voice echoing off the high ceilings and halting the maids in their tracks. "You're done for today!"
The staff looked at one another in confusion, their feet rooting to the marble. They were unsure if they should listen to the Beta family's daughter; she had never given them orders before. Their eyes shifted instinctively to Alana.
"Leave!" Alana's voice was hard and cold, vibrating with the absolute authority she had wielded over them for years.
Like ants, they scurried in every direction. They abandoned their brooms, mops, and rags where they stood, rushing for the exits. None of them required a third command.
"Why did you bring her here? Who is she?" Alana asked, her eyes flashing with irritation as she glared at Skip. They had just eliminated one problem; she saw no reason to gain a second.
"She..." Skip started, catching himself just as he was about to explain the girl's identity to Alana. His rational mind kicked in, and his eyes shifted cautiously toward Trinity.
"Just put her on the couch," Trinity groaned, rubbing her temples. She didn't even know what this particular mess was about yet.
Just then, Boris entered through the back doors. He frowned, watching a line of maids and the house butler vacating the premises in a notable rush. He made his way inside, Raven following closely behind him. The sound of bickering voices met his ears as he stepped into the front entryway, and he couldn't help the smile that broke across his face at the sight of his family. It didn't matter that the Warriors were there or that an unconscious woman was sprawled on the furniture—he was simply glad to be home.
"Alana!" Boris rushed over to his mate, scooping her into a hug and pressing a firm kiss to her forehead. To him, it felt like years since they had been together. They rarely spent more than a few days apart, and this absence had felt significant. No matter what they went through or how disjointed they were regarding Trinity, the mate-bond refused to be ignored. With Alana still tucked into his side, he looked over at Trinity and extended a hand.
"Come on!" he said happily, letting out a short chuckle and waving her over.
Trinity couldn't help but smile back. Boris brought a different type of energy to the room, a warmth that had definitely been missed. "I'm glad you're back safe," she said, though she stayed where she was.
Boris wouldn't have it. Stepping closer, he reached out and pulled her in by her shoulders, crushing her to his chest in a massive bear hug. He stood there, looking completely content with the two most important women in his life buried against him. He rested his head on top of Trinity's, ignoring the fact that her arms remained limp at her sides. He knew she had missed him.
Trinity groaned softly, trying to pull her head back to get some air, when she spotted a disheveled-looking woman standing behind Boris. "Who are you?" Trinity wondered aloud.
"Oh—" Boris's smile never dropped as he pulled away, gesturing for Raven to come forward. "This is Raven. She's joining our pack. While she's getting settled in, she's going to stay here with us."
Trinity couldn't care less who stayed in the house; it wasn't as if she were sleeping there herself. "Hi, I'm Trinity," she said, giving a polite, if somewhat awkward, wave.
"Raven," the woman replied. Her voice was low and hollow, but she spoke. In that moment, the fact that she spoke at all was enough to keep any judgment at bay.
"And her?" Alana interjected, pointing a sharp finger toward the unconscious woman on the couch.
"Neve," Kale said. His eyes held a palpable, electric energy—an intensity that only the Warriors and Boris seemed to truly understand.
Boris nodded crisply, his expression shifting into one of understanding. "Skip, take the two young women upstairs. Find them a room," he ordered. He looked around at the empty foyer, his eyes darkening slightly. Since the house staff had been sent away, they finally had the privacy they needed. "We all need to have a talk."