Scarred Wolf Queen Chapter 44

**Briony's POV**

The triplets exchanged shocked looks while Layla struggled to hide her amusement. I rubbed my temple, genuinely confused by their reaction.

"Why is this such a big deal? It's literally as simple as telling different flowers apart." I sighed. "Look, I really need a shower. Give me five minutes."

Their whispered conversation followed me as I walked to my room, but honestly, I was too exhausted from the Sentinel tests to care about their weird behavior.

The hot shower felt like heaven, my muscles finally relaxing under the spray. I finished quickly, knowing those impatient boys would probably break down the door if I took too long.

Coming out of the bathroom, I found two outfit options laid on the bed - Layla's work, obviously. One was a silver-blue backless dress with a hemline way too short for my comfort. The other was dark jeans paired with a navy off-shoulder sweater with silver threads woven through it. Black ankle boots waited by the bed.

She'd even matched the underwear to my wolf's fur color. Typical Layla - thoughtful and over-the-top all at once.

I grabbed the jeans outfit without hesitation. If she thought I'd voluntarily wear a dress to a backyard gathering, she was delusional. Though I suspected the dress was just there to make the sweater seem like the more casual option. Sneaky.

"You done yet?" Layla called through the door.

"Almost. Just getting dressed."

"Put those clothes on and I'll do your hair."

"We can't take forever," I reminded her. "Or they'll just barge in and carry us down. I'd rather walk on my own, thanks."

"It'll be quick," she promised. "You don't even need makeup - all that training gave you a natural glow."

True to her word, she fixed my hair with a deep side part and secured it with moonstone clips in under five minutes. I smiled at my reflection - she always managed to make me look both pretty and comfortable.

"We should go. They're about to knock."

"How do you know?" Layla looked surprised.

"I can smell them. Benjamin and Maxwell are right outside, Christopher's across the hall, and Noah and Ethan are further down."

I pulled the door open just as Maxwell raised his hand to knock. All three looked stunned.

"Holy crap!" Layla exclaimed behind me. "You knew exactly where each one was standing! Were you guys moving around?"

They nodded. "Just testing something," Maxwell admitted, still staring at me.

"What exactly are you trying to prove?" I frowned.

"Besides our parents, you're the only person who can tell us apart when we're dressed the same with no hints."

"It's not rocket science," I shrugged. "Your scents are completely different. Your eyes too. Plus, you all stand and move differently. Your proportions aren't even identical. There's like a million things that make each of you unique."

"We'll explore this later," Maxwell smiled. "Mom's getting impatient. We should head down."

I took his offered hand and followed him downstairs, letting go when someone called out to us at the second-floor landing. In just fifteen minutes, the place had filled up. Most surprising was how many people actually engaged me in conversation - this kind of positive attention felt completely foreign.

We split up into different conversation groups. With the guys being so tall, I could easily spot them anywhere in the crowd. As I scanned the room, a guy I barely recognized approached, gushing about the selection tests.

He talked fast, jumping topics while I struggled to keep up. Then I felt his fingers trace the back of my hand. I glanced down to confirm I wasn't imagining it, then back up to find him standing uncomfortably close.

"How about we continue this somewhere quieter?" His voice dropped, clearly aiming for charm but landing on creepy. His hand traveled up my arm, stopping to squeeze my bicep. "You seem like someone who enjoys a challenge."

I stepped back, raising an eyebrow. His grip tightened.

"No thanks. I'm good here."

"I've heard spending time with you is quite the experience." His tone carried gross implications. "Watching you in testing today was... exciting. I wonder how long you can last before reaching your limit."

Anger flared through my shock. "Let go of me." My voice was firm despite my internal turmoil. I wouldn't cause a scene at Isabella's gathering, but this guy was seriously crossing lines.

"Not happening." He grabbed for my arm again, clearly underestimating my strength. "I intend to get what I was promised."

I yanked my arm back, but instead of releasing me, he used the momentum to move closer. "See, I knew you couldn't resist me."

As he whispered in my ear, a low growl sounded behind me. Benjamin's heat radiated against my back.

"Let go before I break your wrist," Benjamin's arm slid around my waist, pulling me against his chest. His voice could've frozen fire. "When a lady says no, it means no. Walk away while you still can." He turned to me. "Mother's looking for you."

He kept his arm firmly around my waist as we navigated through the crowd. Only when we reached Isabella, Adam, and the others did he release me, practically depositing me between Isabella and Layla before retreating to Noah's side.

From Noah's expression, I could tell the mind link was buzzing. Maxwell and Christopher were actually growling from Adam's other side.

*Whatever you're saying through the mind link, stop it. Everyone's watching.* I warned.

*He touched you without permission and continued after you said no,* Maxwell's voice filled my head, his anger palpable.

*We've been through this before. Benjamin handled it. Now drop it - Isabella's about to speak.*

"I need details later," Layla whispered.

"It's nothing. The boys are being dramatic."

"Honestly," she smirked, "you've got five full-time bodyguards now. And that's not just protection - the energy they're putting out right now is intense. If they were fully developed leaders, everyone here would be on their knees." She snorted, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

Isabella cleared her throat as she and Adam stood, immediately capturing everyone's attention.

"First, we wish to thank Alpha King Nathan, Luna Queen Selena, and their son Prince Derek for gracing our Sentinel selection tests." 

Then Adam said, "And we're honored to host you. Our young warriors have gained valuable experience from your elites, and they're all eager to apply these techniques in practice. Our future leaders will enter a new phase of training. After the Mating Ball, they'll leave us to attend this summer's special training. Good luck to them."

After the formal speeches from them, people began mingling freely. Conversation and laughter filled the air. For once, I wasn't watching from the sidelines but actually part of this joyful scene. The strange feeling of belonging made me smile involuntarily.

"Briony! Come sit with us," Isabella called warmly. "We'd love to hear about the selection tests. I was thrilled to see your wolf in action. She's definitely grown stronger!"