The moment they returned—
Everything snapped.
Rowan saw it instantly.
The shift.
The distance between them.
Too controlled.
Too careful.
And that was all it took.
"What happened?"
His voice cut through the room like a blade.
Kyle didn't answer.
Azriel's gaze flickered between them, sharp, observant—but silent.
Lyra felt the tension immediately, her chest tightening as the bond reacted to the sudden spike in emotion.
"Nothing," she said quickly.
Rowan didn't even look at her.
His eyes were locked on Kyle.
"Don't lie," he growled.
Kyle's expression didn't change, but something in his posture hardened.
"I don't answer to you."
That did it.
Rowan stepped forward, his amber eyes blazing. "You think I didn't feel it? The bond doesn't just *hide things*, Kyle."
Azriel exhaled slowly, already sensing where this was going. "Rowan—"
"Stay out of it," Rowan snapped.
But Azriel didn't move away.
If anything—
He stepped closer.
"Not this time."
The air thickened instantly.
Lyra's pulse spiked.
"Stop," she said, her voice firm—but it barely made a dent.
Rowan's gaze flicked to her briefly, softening for a second—
Before snapping back to Kyle.
"What did you do?" he demanded.
Kyle took a step forward.
Not backing down.
Not even slightly.
"What I should've done from the beginning."
The words hit like a spark to dry flame.
Rowan laughed—but there was no humor in it.
"Of course you did."
Azriel's golden eyes narrowed. "Kyle—"
"No," Kyle cut in, his voice colder now. "You don't get to act like you're innocent either."
That—
That caught Rowan's attention.
His gaze shifted.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
"To him?" Rowan said, his voice dropping. "What does he have to do with this?"
Silence.
For half a second too long.
And that was enough.
Rowan's eyes darkened.
"Oh."
The realization hit.
Hard.
Lyra's breath caught.
"Rowan, it's not—" she started.
But he was already moving.
Fast.
Too fast.
He grabbed Azriel by the collar, shoving him back slightly.
"You too?" Rowan snarled. "Seriously?"
Azriel didn't fight back immediately.
But his eyes—
His eyes sharpened.
"Let go."
Rowan tightened his grip instead.
"You think I didn't notice? The way you look at her?"
Kyle stepped forward instantly. "Get your hands off him."
Rowan didn't even glance at him.
"You both think you can just—what? Take turns?" he snapped. "Act like I'm not even part of this?"
"That's not what this is," Azriel said, his voice low—but controlled.
"Then what is it?" Rowan demanded.
Silence.
Heavy.
Tense.
Lyra stepped forward, her heart pounding.
"Stop it, all of you," she said, louder this time.
The bond surged.
But it wasn't enough.
Not yet.
Rowan released Azriel—but only to turn toward her.
"And you," he said, his voice rougher now. "You're just going to stand there and pretend you don't feel it too?"
Lyra froze.
Because that—
That hit too close.
"I don't know what I feel," she admitted.
And that honesty—
That broke something.
Rowan let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. That's the problem, isn't it?"
Kyle's jaw tightened. "Don't put this on her."
"I'm not," Rowan shot back. "I'm putting it on all of us."
Azriel stepped forward now, his voice quieter—but somehow heavier.
"We're losing control."
No one argued.
Because it was true.
The bond wasn't just connecting them anymore.
It was pulling them.
Forcing emotions to the surface.
Amplifying everything.
Desire.
Jealousy.
Possession.
Fear.
Lyra's chest tightened as she looked between them.
"This isn't what I wanted," she said softly.
And for the first time—
All three of them went still.
Not because of power.
Not because of dominance.
But because of her.
Kyle stepped closer, his voice softer now. "Then what do you want?"
Rowan didn't speak.
Azriel didn't interrupt.
They all waited.
Lyra swallowed hard.
Her heart racing.
"I want time," she said finally. "To figure this out. To understand what this bond even means."
Her gaze flickered between them.
"I can't choose right now."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Painful.
But real.
Kyle exhaled slowly, nodding once. "Then we wait."
Rowan looked away, his jaw tight—but he didn't argue.
Azriel's gaze lingered on her, softer now. "We give you time."
But even as they said it—
Everyone in that room knew the truth.
Waiting wouldn't make it easier.
Because the bond wasn't weakening.
It was growing.
And the longer it pulled them together—
The harder it would be to hold back.
And next time—
They might not.