Scarred Wolf Queen Chapter 31

**Briony's POV**

The entrance area caught me by surprise. Instead of the sleek modern style I'd seen throughout the rest of the pack house, this space felt almost... homey. Warm earth tones dominated everything from the oak floors to the leather couches. Old-fashioned wall lights cast a golden glow across handcrafted decorations bearing ancient pack symbols.

"Like what you see?" Noah noticed me staring.

"It's different than I expected," I admitted.

"Yeah, not exactly the cold bachelor pad vibe, right?" He laughed. "The triplets are big softies when it comes to decorating."

Laughter echoed from around the corner where Ethan was showing Layla around. The whole place smelled like pine, cinnamon, and leather - like someone had bottled the essence of "cozy hideaway" and sprayed it everywhere.

I spotted a floor-to-ceiling window on the far wall. "What's out there?"

"Just our deck," Maxwell said from behind me, pride warming his voice. "Best place to watch the sunset over Silver Pines."

He stepped closer, his breath tickling my ear. "We could check it out together tonight."

My heart did a weird little jump that I pretended not to notice. I turned to Christopher instead. "Didn't you mention something about entertainment?"

"Gaming!" Christopher's whole face lit up. "C'mon, Lightning, let me blow your mind."

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me down a hallway. I heard Maxwell's quiet sigh behind us but decided to ignore it. Christopher pushed open a set of double black doors, and my jaw almost hit the floor.

This wasn't just an entertainment room - it was practically a movie theater. A massive U-shaped couch faced a deep blue wall that clearly doubled as a projection screen. Hidden speakers lined the walls, and the thick carpet felt like walking on a cloud.

"Pretty sweet, huh?" Christopher smirked. "Our secret lair. Even Isabella barely comes in here."

"So it's basically a giant man cave," I teased. "Where are the bikini posters?"

"Please." Christopher flashed me a grin. "We've got better taste. Though I'm liking where your mind's at."

Before I could respond, he swooped in, wrapped his arms around my waist, and tossed me over the back of the couch. I yelped as I bounced on the cushions.

"Seriously?" I glared up at him, fighting a smile. "Is this how you treat everyone who visits?"

"Visits?" His smile softened in a way I'd never seen before. "Lightning, you're not a visitor. You're one of us now."

Benjamin appeared from the bar area. "Want something to drink?" he asked, his voice gentler than usual.

"What do you have?" I asked, trying to ignore how my heart was suddenly racing.

"Pine needle juice, blueberry fizz, water," he listed. "And Adam's special brew, but that's off-limits tonight."

"Pine needle juice sounds good." I was surprised Benjamin was playing bartender - definitely not his usual style.

"Got you covered, Tiny!" Ethan materialized beside me, vaulting over the couch with an already-open bottle. "Premium stuff, stocked just for you."

The couch could easily fit ten people, but Ethan pressed right against me. Noah took my other side, and Layla squeezed in between me and Ethan. We were all bunched up in one tiny corner of this massive sofa.

Maxwell stood in front of us, eyebrow raised. "There's like fifty square feet of couch. What's with the sardine impression?"

"You snooze, you lose," Ethan grinned, casually draping his arm over Layla's shoulders. "The cold spots are all yours."

Maxwell's knuckles cracked as his hand tightened into a fist. In one quick move, he shoved Ethan's head sideways. Ethan immediately shoved back - and suddenly they were wrestling. Christopher and Benjamin dove into the pile while Layla and I scrambled to safety.

"Are they actually fighting over seats?" Layla whispered, her eyes sparkling.

"Just burning off energy," I said, but something warm spread through my chest. Nobody had ever fought to sit next to me before.

"Or maybe certain people are finally showing their cards," she murmured, so quietly only I could hear.

I avoided her knowing look and focused on the chaos instead. Noah tried to stay neutral until Christopher grabbed his ankle and yanked him into the pile. Within minutes, they were all tangled up on the floor, panting and laughing.

"So, Bri," Christopher looked up at me, face flushed. "Who gets to sit next to you? Your call."

The question caught me off guard, especially with five pairs of eyes staring at me expectantly.

"I'm sitting with Layla," I dodged smoothly. "You guys can let the Moon Goddess decide the rest."

"Done!" Ethan jumped up and grabbed Layla's waist. "The Moon Goddess speaks through me!"

Layla laughed but settled comfortably against him. I made a mental note to ask her about that later.

After some shuffling, I ended up in the middle with Maxwell on my right and Benjamin on my left. Christopher squeezed in next to Benjamin, while Noah sat on a cushion on the floor, his back against my legs.

"Chill out, Little Lightning," Noah smiled up at me. "Tonight's just about hanging out."

Christopher turned on the game - some battle royale with supernatural characters. Even though I was exhausted, the vivid colors and fluid movements pulled me in. I was so focused on the screen that I didn't immediately notice Maxwell's shoulder pressing against mine, or Benjamin's arm touching mine. The heat from their bodies seeped through my borrowed clothes. It felt strange but... good. Safe, somehow. I didn't move away.

As the night went on, my eyelids got heavier. Between training all day and the emotional whiplash of the past few hours, I was completely drained. I fought to stay awake but eventually lost the battle...

I woke up disoriented. Somehow I'd shifted positions - my head was on Maxwell's lap, and Christopher was using my legs as a pillow, his arms wrapped around my calves like I might disappear. I couldn't move at all.

In the faint light from the bar, I could see Benjamin curled up at the other end of the couch, his face softer than I'd ever seen it. Noah was still leaning against my knee.

I reached out carefully and ran my fingers through Christopher's hair. It was silky against my skin. He made a low rumbling sound that vibrated through my legs, and I couldn't help smiling as I drifted back to sleep.

When I woke again, I was in a strange bed. The sheets smelled like cinnamon and pine - Christopher's scent. Gray morning light filtered through the curtains as I sat up, curious about the bedroom of the supposedly carefree future Alpha.

It was surprisingly tidy. A king-sized bed with cloud-soft gray-blue sheets dominated the room. Black nightstands flanked it - one holding a lamp and photo frame, the other with some books and a watch. Warm gray walls, floor-to-ceiling windows with beige curtains, and built-in oak cabinets with trophies on glass shelves completed the space. The whole room felt unexpectedly mature, nothing like Christopher's public persona.

The photo frame caught my eye. I picked it up - it was us around the hot spring on my birthday night, faces smeared with cake frosting, all smiling. I was in the center, surrounded by the boys, looking completely at ease. There was no trace of my emotional breakdown from later that night.

The wooden frame was clearly handcrafted, each edge carefully sanded. A confusing warmth spread through me. Why would he keep this by his bed? And how had he gotten it framed so quickly?

I set it down, climbed out of bed, and headed for the door.