—Alexia—
Kaia didn't knock. She just shouldered the door open, a duffel bag on one arm, coffee in the other, Zeus trotting behind her with a wagging tail like he'd been waiting for this moment.
"Home sweet chaos cave!" she declared, dropping her bag with a thud.
"I'm not sure I agreed to this," I muttered, but the smile wouldn't leave my face.
"You didn't have to," she said, grinning. "Orders from on high, remember?"
She kicked off her boots and flopped onto the bed like she owned the place, ignoring Zeus scrambling up beside her. Her hair was damp, and she smelled like lavender soap and cheap chocolate. A soft knock interrupted us. Finn peeked in, then Jasper who didn't wait for permission, and Soren lingered by the door.
"Making yourself comfortable, Cathcart?" Jasper drawled, flipping his coin.
Kaia smirked. "Making myself necessary."
Finn's eyes found mine, warm and soft. "You doing okay, Lex?"
"Define okay," I said, rubbing my neck. The memory of the flame still burned in my veins.
"She didn't blow up the training hall," Kaia said. "I'd call that progress."
"High bar," Jasper said, tossing his coin with a wink.
Soren's gaze was calm. "You were steady today. That matters."
I let out a shaky breath. "Felt like I was holding back a hurricane."
"You were," Soren said simply. "And you held it."
I twisted my fingers. "Don't know if I can keep doing it."
"You will," Finn said, taking my hand gently. "One day at a time."
Zeus rested his head on Kaia's leg. She scratched behind his ears. "We'll keep her in line, won't we, buddy?"
Jasper glanced at my cluttered desk. "You could at least pretend to organize your apocalypse cave now that you have company."
"Shut up." I tossed a crumpled paper at him. He caught it, smirking.
The door opened again. Asher stepped in, arms folded, eyes flicking over Kaia, the boys, and Zeus snoring.
"Well," he said sharply, "glad to see the babysitting committee's thriving."
Kaia rolled her eyes. "Relax, wolf boy. No one's asking you to braid her hair."
Asher's jaw twitched. "Just remember why you're here. She's still dangerous."
I flinched, but Kaia's eyes flashed. "She's also still a person."
Asher's lip curled. "Don't get comfortable. One slip and it won't be coffee and jokes."
He left, the door clicking shut behind him.
Silence settled. Jasper whistled low. "He's a delight."
"Ignore him," Finn said, squeezing my hand.
Kaia grabbed my other hand. "Hey. Look at me."
I did.
"You're not going to lose control. And if you do, I'm stubborn enough to drag your ass back."
I laughed shakily. "Thanks."
Soren set a small paper bag on my desk. "Food. Eat before you fall asleep."
"Did you bring me snacks?" Kaia asked, perking up.
"No," Soren said, lips twitching.
Kaia pouted but elbowed me. "Guess we're stuck with each other, chaos queen."
That night, after the boys left—Finn lingering longest, pressing a soft kiss to my temple—I lay awake. Zeus curled between us, a warm, furry divider. Kaia scrolled on her phone, mumbling about terrible campus WiFi.
The glow of her screen lit her face as she finally broke the silence. "So. You and Finn."
I blinked, rolling to squint at her. "What about me and Finn?"
She smirked. "Don't 'what about' me. The way he looks at you? The way all of them look at you? Girl, you're living a supernatural soap opera."
Heat rushed my cheeks. "It's not like that."
"Oh, it is," Kaia said, turning her phone off and tossing it aside. "Vampire prince trying not to hover, wolf boy glowering every time Finn's hand moves near you..."
I groaned, burying my face in my pillow. "Please stop."
Kaia cackled, flicking my shoulder. "You can't hide forever, chaos queen."
The room was soft and quiet, the streetlight painting gold at the edges of Kaia's hair.
"Think it'll always be like this?" I whispered. "The fear. The fire. The... everything."
Kaia's smile faded but her eyes held warmth. "No. I don't think so."
"You sound sure."
"I am." She tucked hair behind her ear. "You've survived this far. Now you've got me. You've got them. Even if you light the room on fire, you won't be alone in the ashes."
My throat tightened. "What if I hurt someone?"
"You won't," Kaia said firmly. "And if you do, we'll figure it out. Together."
I blinked back tears. Kaia swatted Zeus away and pulled me close.
"Hey," she said softly, "you're allowed to be scared. But not allowed to give up."
I laughed, shaky. "I hate that you're good at this."
Kaia grinned. "Can't let the boys be the only emotionally competent ones."
Zeus shifted, wedging himself between us.
"Move, you furry loaf," Kaia sighed.
"Leave him," I mumbled. "He's comforting."
Kaia gave me a look but pulled the blanket over us both. "Fine. But if he farts, he sleeps with Asher."
I laughed—real this time.
"Thanks, Kaia."
She closed her eyes, already drifting off. "Anytime, chaos queen."
As I stared at the ceiling, I caught the faintest flicker in Kaia's eyes—like she was hiding something.
"Got secrets, huh?" I whispered.
She smiled in the dark. "Maybe. But that's a story for another night."
For the first time in forever, I closed my eyes and didn't see fire. Just warmth—and the soft, steady breathing of someone who wouldn't let me face the dark alone.