"Let’s have 1 hour to ourselves, and then we can go back to our normal daily lives," Princess said to her girlfriend. She leaned her weight into the omega, her arms locking around Faye’s waist as she rested her chin right on her shoulder. Her breath came out warm and heavy, smelling faintly of the club’s sweet drinks, her chest rising and falling in a slow, desperate rhythm.

She hugged Faye tightly, not wanting to let her go. Her fingers dug slightly into the hoodie, pulling her as close as possible as if she were trying to melt their bodies together right there in the gravel parking lot.

"Let’s go home first. And where exactly do you want to have this time to ourselves?" Faye asked. She didn’t push her away this time, but her hands stayed flat against Princess’s ribs, her fingers twitching as she tried to maintain some kind of authority.

"The Kings Hotel is nearby. I have my room key in the car. Just 1 hour, please..." Princess begged.

"I really need to see my pups. I haven’t seen or touched them since yesterday morning. Princess..." Faye sighed, her lungs expanding with a heavy breath as she looked toward the highway.

"I’ll let you do whatever you want to me," Princess offered. She pulled her head back, her eyes locking onto Faye’s with a sudden, intense focus that made the air in Faye’s throat freeze completely.

"Princess?" Faye blinked, her jaw going slack as she stared at her alpha’s flushed, serious face.

"You can be on top."

"Okay, it’s just 1 hour, right? Let’s go." Faye didn’t even hesitate.

The moment Faye agreed to the negotiation, Princess practically lit up. A wide, brilliant smile broke across her face, the heavy, brooding energy that had surrounded her all morning completely vanishing in a split second.

It was a rare opportunity.

Princess allowing Faye to be in control was a very expensive bargain.

When they reached the car, Faye remembered that Malo was still asleep inside. She stopped right by the passenger door, her hand freezing on the handle as she looked through the glass.

She didn’t want to wake him up, but the stakes were too high. She couldn’t let her best friend ruin the 1 hour she had just won from her crazy girlfriend.

She opened the door quietly, reaching inside to press her fingers against the fabric of his jacket, shaking him just enough to break his slumber.

The boy raised his head, his eyes heavy with sleep. He blinked against the bright light, rubbing his face with his hand as he looked around in confusion at the steering wheel and the dashboard.

"Go ride with Beam and Peamah. They’ll take you home," Faye said. She kept her voice flat and rushed, already taking a step back to give him room to move.

"Okay." Malo mumbled.

The boy hadn’t fully processed what she had said until he stepped out of the car and Faye was already pressing the button to lock it.

Malo blinked. He shook his head, his vision clearing up as the exhaust fumes hit his nose.

Then the words finally sank in.

Beam and Peamah.

"Wait, wait, wait! Faye, please take me with you. I promise I’ll be a good boy," Malo pleaded. He lunged forward, his hands slapping against the glass of the passenger window as he stared at his best friend with absolute panic in his eyes. Her chest rose and fell in quick, shallow gasps as he realized who he was being left with.

"We’re not going home yet. Don’t worry, they won’t do anything to you," Faye assured him. She rolled the window down just an inch, giving him a small, apologetic smile that did absolutely nothing to calm his nerves.

"How are you sure? One sibling looks like a Hulk, and the other is a ticking time bomb. Take me wherever you two are going. I won’t utter a word. Or order a ride for me. Anything. Just don’t make me ride with the Frost siblings." Malo’s voice rose a notch, his fingers gripping the window frame as he looked over his shoulder at the two massive figures waiting by the other car.

"I’m sorry, Malo. Squeeze in with them, just for today. See you later," Faye said.

"Welcome back, MG. Smile ya later," Princess added.

The car disappeared, leaving Malo alone with the two people he feared most in the entire school. He stood frozen in the middle of the empty lot, his hands still shaped like he was holding onto a window as the silence settled around him.

"Don’t worry. You can drive," Beam said, tossing him the keys.

Malo looked at the car and immediately realized it was Sasha’s Porsche.

"Is Sasha inside the car?" he asked, despite clearly seeing that nobody was inside. He cleared his throat, his eyes darting toward the tinted windows.

He was desperately hoping someone else would be there. Anyone to break the terrifying tension stretching between the siblings.

"No. She’s with your siblings," Beam replied. She walked past him without another word, her jacket rustling as she slid into the back seat and pulled the door shut with a solid thud.

"Ohhh..." Malo’s shoulders slumped.

"Get in the car, Griffin. I need to go home," Peamah said as he climbed into the passenger seat.

The three of them drove home in silence. Malo gripped the steering wheel so tightly, his eyes glued to the road as he kept his breathing as quiet as possible. Every time Peamah shifted in his seat, Malo’s stomach did a nervous flip, but neither sibling said a single word during the entire ride.

When they arrived, Malo quickly headed for his house while the Frost siblings disappeared almost immediately.

Beam climbed onto her bike and rode away.

Peamah simply walked home. He stuffed his hands deep into his pockets, his head tilting down as he took the path toward his own house.

Only then did Malo finally breathe. He let out a long, shuddering gasp, his ribs expanding as the tight knot of fear in his chest finally unraveled.

He had survived.

The Frost siblings were just too unpredictable, and he had no interest in becoming one of their victims.

The moment Malo stepped inside the house...

"Big Brother is back!" one of his siblings shouted. The high-pitched voice cut through the quiet interior like a bell.

The announcement echoed through the home.

Everyone came rushing downstairs. The sound of dozens of feet pounding against the steps filled the hallway, a chaotic, wonderful noise that made Malo’s chest swell with instant relief.

Joy filled their hearts knowing that their big brother was finally home.

They all threw themselves at him at once, wrapping him in a giant group hug. Small arms locked around his waist and legs, burying their faces into his jacket as they all squeezed him at the exact same time, their happy chatter filling the entire living room.

Sasha and Haley watched with smiles on their faces as their family reunited. They stood near the doorway, their expressions soft and warm as they watched the boy get completely swallowed by the pile of kids.

Haley was holding Charlie.

She gently handed the little girl to Malo. She stepped into the crowd, carefully transferring the warm weight into his arms.

Malo looked down at his little sister, his chest rising with a deep, emotional breath as he tucked her close to his heart.

Finally, the Griffin family was under one roof again.