Her Mates

32

The soft hum of conversation and the clinking of silverware filled the dining room, but my mind was elsewhere. My fingers traced the rim of my glass absentmindedly as I tried to shake off the lingering tension from earlier.

Lena's words still sat in the back of my mind like a thorn I couldn't quite pull free. I knew my mates weren't perfect—hell, none of us were—but I also knew that trust wasn't something I could keep dancing around. If I wanted to fully be with them, I had to stop letting people like Lena dictate my fears.

A warm hand covered mine, grounding me. I looked up to see Dorian watching me closely, his silver eyes filled with quiet concern.

"You've barely touched your food, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice low enough for only me to hear. "Everything okay?"

I nodded automatically, but the slight arch of his brow told me he wasn't buying it. Before he could press further, Yuri—who had been deep in conversation with Emilia and Killian—shifted his attention to me.

"We're going out tonight," Yuri announced, his voice carrying easily over the table. "Some of us have been cooped up in our heads for too long." His eyes flicked toward me knowingly.

I narrowed my gaze. "Define 'going out.'"

"Something fun," Emilia said, grinning. "A bonfire at the lake. Music, drinks, maybe a little swimming."

Zac smirked. "Or skinny dipping, if you're feeling brave."

I rolled my eyes, but the idea of getting out, letting loose, and being with them all without overthinking every interaction was... tempting.

"Claire and Benji are coming too," Emilia added, reading my hesitation. "It'll be a good mix of pack and friends."

That sealed the deal. I had spent so much time tangled in the complexities of my bond with my mates that I'd barely seen my friends lately. This could be exactly what I needed—to remind myself that I wasn't just Maeve, their mate. I was also Maeve, their friend, and Maeve, the girl who still had a life outside of all this.

"Alright," I said, finally picking up my fork. "I'm in."

The satisfied glances exchanged between my mates didn't go unnoticed, but I chose to ignore them, focusing instead on finishing my meal.

Tonight, I'd let go. Tonight, I'd just be Maeve.

The ride to the lake was filled with easy conversation and music blasting through the speakers. Claire and Benji had met us at the house, squeezing into the SUV with excited grins. It felt normal, comfortable—like how things used to be before my life turned upside down.

When we arrived, the scent of burning wood mixed with the crisp night air, the bonfire already crackling as a few pack members milled around. Logs and blankets were set up in a loose circle, and someone had dragged a speaker out, the bass thrumming softly beneath the laughter and conversation.

I inhaled deeply, letting the atmosphere settle into me. The stars stretched across the sky in a breathtaking display, and for the first time in a while, I felt... light.

Zac had wasted no time stripping off his shirt, winking at me before diving into the lake. The splash sent water spraying across the dock, making Claire shriek and scold him playfully. Yuri was leaning against a tree, talking quietly with Dorian, while Emilia rummaged through a cooler for drinks.

I sat on a blanket near the fire, watching as Benji tugged his boyfriend, Liam, toward the water. Claire plopped down beside me, bumping my shoulder with hers.

"You seem... less broody," she teased.

I snorted. "Thanks?"

She grinned. "I mean it. You've been stuck in your own head lately."

I sighed, picking at a loose thread on my jeans. "Yeah... just a lot on my mind."

Claire studied me for a moment before nudging me again. "You trust them, don't you?"

I froze for a second before exhaling. "I want to."

"Then stop thinking so much," she said simply, tossing a marshmallow into the fire. "Trust isn't about waiting for someone to prove you wrong. It's about believing they won't."

I chewed on her words, staring at the flames. Maybe she was right.

A shadow fell over me, and I looked up to see Yuri holding out a drink. "Come on, Moonbeam. Time to have some fun."

I rolled my eyes at the nickname but took the cup, the warmth of his fingers lingering on mine for a beat too long.

As the night stretched on, the tension I'd been holding onto slowly melted away. I laughed, I drank, and for the first time in a while, I just let myself be.

Then, of course, things took a turn.

"Truth or dare?" Hunter  asked, his voice full of mischief as he plopped down beside me.

A chorus of groans and cheers rang out.

"Oh, we are not doing this," Claire said, shaking her head.

"Oh, we absolutely are," Zac countered, his smirk wicked.

My mates exchanged looks—some amused, some wary—but no one backed down.

The game started off harmless. Silly dares, embarrassing truths. But then Dorian turned to me.

"Maeve," he drawled, eyes glinting with challenge. "Truth or dare?"

I hesitated, knowing exactly what he was doing. But maybe a little recklessness was what I needed.

"... Dare."

His grin widened. "I dare you to kiss one of your mates."

The group erupted into cheers and whistles, and I groaned, hiding my face. "You are so predictable."

"I live to serve," he said with a mock bow.

I peeked at my mates, heat creeping up my neck. Dorian's gaze was unreadable, but there was a flicker of something dark and wanting beneath the surface. Yuri was smirking, arms crossed, while Emilia raised a brow as if daring me to choose her.

I swallowed hard. The tension between us had been growing for weeks. Maybe it was time I stopped running from it.

So I turned to Emilia.

And kissed her.

Her sharp inhale was the only warning I got before her hand cupped my jaw, deepening the kiss. It was slow, teasing, but the second I opened up for her, it turned hungry. Heat exploded through me, and my fingers curled into her hoodie, pulling her closer.

Someone—Juri, probably—let out a low curse, but I barely registered it.

When we finally pulled apart, Emilia's lips were slightly swollen, her eyes dark with something I wasn't quite ready to name.

The fire crackled. The air was thick with tension.