By the end of the week, the entire settlement smelled like smoke, roasted meat, and bad decisions.
Which apparently meant the pack was healing.
Nancy stood near the bonfire watching wolves move through the clearing carrying lanterns, food, and enough alcohol to concern several responsible adults.
Unfortunately—
there were no responsible adults here.
Leo was currently attempting to hang decorations while standing on someone's shoulders.
"This feels unsafe," Nancy said.
"It is," Kai replied calmly beside her.
Right on cue, Leo lost balance and crashed directly into a table.
The entire clearing erupted into laughter.
Leo pointed accusingly from the ground.
"The tree moved."
"The tree is rooted," someone shouted back.
"Suspiciously."
Nancy laughed softly, warmth spreading through her chest.
The celebration had started as a small rebuilding dinner.
Then someone added music.
Then someone else added drinks.
Now half the pack was dancing around the fire while the other half loudly argued about who survived the most ridiculous moment during the Veil war.
"One time Leo got trapped in a storage shed for three hours," Kai offered helpfully.
Leo looked horrified.
"WHY WOULD YOU TELL PEOPLE THAT?"
"You cried."
"There were spiders!"
Nancy nearly choked laughing.
The bond pulsed brightly across the clearing, threaded through dozens of happy emotions now.
No fear.
No panic.
Just life.
It still felt unreal sometimes.
Kai leaned slightly closer beside her.
"You're doing it again."
"What?"
"That look."
Nancy frowned.
"What look?"
"The 'I can't believe this is real' look."
She looked away immediately.
"I do not have a look."
"You absolutely do."
Nancy opened her mouth to argue—
then paused.
Because maybe he was right.
The firelight reflected across the pack gathered around them.
Children chasing each other between cabins.
Wolves laughing loudly.
Music drifting through the night air.
Peace.
Actual peace.
Nancy swallowed unexpectedly against the emotion rising in her chest.
Kai noticed instantly.
Again.
It was honestly annoying how often he noticed.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
She nodded once.
Then admitted:
"I think I forgot people could live like this."
His expression softened.
Before he could answer, someone grabbed Nancy's arm dramatically.
"Guardian."
Nancy turned.
An older wolf stood there holding two cups and looking deeply offended.
"You haven't danced once."
"Oh, absolutely not."
"That was not a request."
Kai stepped backward immediately.
"I support this completely."
Traitor.
Nancy glared at him while being dragged toward the center of the clearing anyway.
The music picked up around her as wolves clapped along loudly.
"This feels targeted," she informed Leo while passing him.
"It is," he confirmed happily.
Nancy tried resisting for approximately thirty seconds before realizing two important things:
One:
The pack was not letting her escape.
Two:
Kai was watching her with entirely too much amusement.
Which unfortunately made her competitive.
"Fine," she declared.
"If I embarrass myself, all of you are suffering with me."
"That's the spirit!" Leo yelled.
Several drinks later—
the bonfire became significantly louder.
Nancy sat on a log near the fire trying to catch her breath after being forced into three consecutive dances she did not emotionally prepare for.
Kai dropped beside her holding two cups.
"You survived."
"Barely."
He handed her one drink carefully.
Their fingers brushed.
The bond warmed instantly.
Nancy looked toward the flames to avoid staring at him too long.
Bad strategy.
Because now she was very aware of him beside her instead.
The warmth of his shoulder near hers.
The soft gold glow in his eyes from the firelight.
The fact that he looked relaxed for the first time in months.
"You're staring now," Kai murmured.
Nancy almost inhaled her drink.
"I was not."
"You absolutely were."
"That sounds made up."
Kai laughed quietly.
The sound settled warmly beneath her ribs.
The music softened nearby as couples drifted closer to the fire.
Nancy watched them silently for a moment.
Then Kai stood and held out his hand.
Her heart immediately forgot how to function properly.
"…What are you doing?"
"Inviting you to dance."
"I already danced."
"With them," he corrected.
"Not with me."
Oh.
That felt significantly more dangerous.
Nancy eyed his hand suspiciously.
"I feel like this is a setup."
"You fought cosmic horrors but fear dancing with me?"
"Yes."
"That's devastating for my self-esteem."
Nancy snorted despite herself.
Then slowly—
she placed her hand in his.
The bond flared warm and bright instantly.
Kai pulled her gently toward the center of the clearing as the fire crackled around them.
The music slowed.
Too much.
Nancy immediately regretted every decision she ever made.
"This is intimate," she informed him.
"That's generally how slow dancing works."
"You could've warned me."
"You would've run away."
Valid.
Kai's hand settled carefully at her waist.
Nancy's breath caught slightly.
The rest of the world blurred softly around them.
For once, neither of them joked.
Neither looked away.
The firelight reflected in Kai's eyes as he looked down at her like she was something precious.
Nancy's chest tightened painfully with affection.
"You know," Kai said softly,
"this is probably the longest we've gone without almost dying."
"Don't jinx it."
He smiled.
Then his gaze dropped briefly toward her lips again.
Nancy stopped breathing.
The bond pulsed once.
Warm.
Certain.
Closer.
Kai leaned down slightly—
"IF YOU TWO KISS RIGHT NOW I'M JUMPING INTO THE FIRE."
Both of them jerked apart violently.
Leo stood nearby looking emotionally exhausted already.
"I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN."
The entire clearing exploded into laughter.
Nancy covered her face instantly.
Kai looked personally betrayed.
And somewhere deep in the bond—
even Nyra sounded amused.