Page 46 of Lone Wolf

The tension in the room suddenly breaks, a surprised laugh escaping Scarlett. Even Hadria’s mouth twitches with what might almost be amusement.

“You’re dismissed,” she says.

As we turn to leave, I can’t help but think that the real reason Lyssa isn’t joining the therapy sessions is that she’s already accepted her demons—and besides, even Hadria couldn’t make the Wolf do something she doesn’t want to do.

We exit the war room in silence, the heavy doors closing behind us with a solid thud that feels both final and somehow like a beginning. Ariadne walks ahead of me, her back straight, and I hurry to catch up.

“What just happened in there?” I whisper once we’re far enough down the corridor.

Ariadne glances at me, something unreadable in her eyes. “They’re giving us both a second chance.” She pauses, pulls me in so that my forehead is pressed against hers and adds quietly, “Let’s not waste it.”

“We won’t,” I agree, fierce and strong, and I’m rewarded with a genuine smile from Ariadne…and a kiss.

CHAPTER 17

Sunny

The dining hallat Elysium is busiest in the mornings—the night shift coming off duty, the day shift fueling up, and those of us caught somewhere in between. The air is thick with the smell of coffee, bacon, and conversations that drop to whispers when certain people walk by.

People like Ariadne and me.

The morning after our second chance, which we celebrated loudly with more orgasms in Ariadne’s dorm room last night, I slide into the seat across from her, setting down my tray loaded with pancakes, fruit, and enough syrup to drown a small village. Ariadne has her usual—protein-heavy, no carbs, nothing that could slow her down in a fight. I tried to get her to live a little, but she’s still treating her body like it’s a weapon that needs constant maintenance.

“You’re staring,” she says without looking up from her eggs.

“Yeah,” I admit, grinning. “I like the view.”

A tiny furrow appears between her brows, but the corners of her mouth twitch upward ever so slightly. It’s barely a smile bynormal standards, but for Ariadne? It’s practically a declaration of joy.

I dig into my pancakes, savoring the sweetness. After everything that’s happened—the warehouse, the meeting with Hadria, the night with Ariadne—I’ve learned to appreciate the small pleasures more than ever.

Vanessa and Enzo walk by our table, their whispers barely audible but their side-eyes unmistakable.

“…kept everyone up, fucking all night like a couple of…”

“…can’t believe she’d go for that crazy…”

I see Ariadne’s shoulders tense fractionally, the only sign that she’s heard them too. A wave of protectiveness washes over me. Here we all are, all of us recruits—survivors of unimaginable trauma, trying to figure out how to be human again, and yet these assholes think they have the right to judge.

I lean across the table, close enough to smell the clean scent of Ariadne’s soap. “Let’s give them something to really blow their minds, huh?” I murmur. “Kiss me.”

Ariadne freezes, her fork halfway to her mouth. “Right here and now?”

I nod, holding her gaze. “Why not? Unless you’rescared…”

Something flickers in her eyes—challenge accepted. She sets down her fork deliberately, a tiny smile playing at the corner of her mouth, and gives me a slight nod.

I reach for her, my fingers finding the fabric of her t-shirt, and pull her toward me. Her lips meet mine halfway, cool and soft and tasting faintly of coffee. The kiss is brief—just enough tomake a point—and there’s a gentleness to it that makes my heart skip.

When we pull apart, the dining hall has gone silent. I can feel dozens of eyes on us, but the only ones I care about are Ariadne’s, watching me with a mixture of surprise and…something warmer.

Then Elijah, bless him, lets out a whoop and starts clapping from where he’s sitting a little further down on our table. Laughter ripples through the room, and just like that, the moment of tension breaks. Conversations resume, people return to their food, and the world continues spinning.

“Well,” Ariadne says, picking up her fork again with composure, “that was effective.”

I laugh, the sound bubbling up from somewhere light and giddy inside me. “Told you. Nothing like giving them what they want to take all the fun out of their gossip.”

She takes a bite of eggs, chewing thoughtfully. “Is that your strategy for everything? Lean into it until it loses power?”

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