“Everything is fine,” I cut in, sharper than I intended. “Don’t overthink it, Levi. Handle the files for now. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

My eyes grew heavy, my body easing against the mattress as sleep crept in. The steady rhythm of her breathing lulled me, grounding me more than any words ever could.

“Lennox, I have to go… I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said, sounding as casual as I could so he wouldn’t pick up on the strain in my voice.

“Nothing you’d want to hear right now,” I said carefully, keeping my words short so he wouldn’t sense the unease behind them. “But she’s angry with you and Levi.”

But then–Olivia gasped.

“Louis… are you okay?” His voice was quieter than I expected, curious.

There was a pause, then Levi’s voice cut back, laced with disbelief. “A contact? Since when? Why don’t I know about this? What’s going on, Louis?”

Lennox was silent for a moment before he said, “Okay… be careful.” With that, he ended the link.

It was Levi’s voice on the other end, calm and curious. For a moment, I froze. My throat tightened, and a dozen excuses rushed through my mind. I thought of telling him the truth–that I was with Olivia–but the idea died before it could leave my lips. Things between us were already strained, and throwing this into the fire would only make the tension worse.

I rolled my eyes, though he couldn’t see it. “Yeah, Lennox. I got it.”

Before he could press further, I severed the mind link, shutting out his presence. The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating.

Her body jolted in my arms, stiffening as though struck by something unseen. My wolf snapped awake instantly, claws scraping at the edges of my control as panic surged through me.

But I knew it didn’t come from doubt. It came from care. From love. They weren’t trying to control me because they thought I was weak–they did it because they were older by a few minutes and felt it was their duty to protect me, even if I didn’t need it. “What did she say exactly?” he asked, softer this time, more bothered than defensive. I exhaled and leaned back against the headrest, but peace didn’t last long. Another tug pulled at my mind, more forceful this time. Lennox.

“I had to check on a contact,” I said finally, keeping my tone as calm as I could.

I inhaled deeply, letting the weight of the silence settle in me. With the link finally severed, all I had left was Olivia–warm, soft, curled into my chest. I tightened my arms around her, pulling her closer, and pressed my nose into her hair. Her scent filled me, calming the storm still tugging at my mind.

“Tomorrow?” Suspicion colored his tone again. “Louis, what are you–”

The silence on the line stretched uncomfortably, heavy with suspicion. I could almost feel his frown through the mind link, his mind racing to piece together the lie. My heart thudded against my ribs, but I kept my emotions intact.

“Olivia, what’s wrong?” I demanded, my heart slamming against my ribs as fear coiled in my stomach.

My chest tightened, but my voice stayed calm. I wanted to lie and say no… but if I did, he’d only keep worrying, and I didn’t want that. “Yes. I just spoke to her a few minutes ago,” I said, careful to keep it short. “Through the mind link.”

The tension from Levi’s questions, from Lennox’s steady worry, from all the lies I’d had to string together—it all faded the longer I held her. In this moment, she was mine, and I wasn’t letting go.

Her hands clutched at me, trembling.

Silence filled the room again, but my chest was heavy. That was Lennox–always trying to shoulder everyone’s burdens, always treating me like I needed looking after. And Levi? He was no different, always questioning, always digging.

“When are you coming back home?” Levi finally asked, his voice clipped, businesslike now. “I need your signature on some files.”

“Okay… if anything, you contact us. Alright?” Lennox’s voice carried that steady, older–brother tone–the one he always used when he was worried.

I hummed in response and looked down at Olivia, sleeping peacefully in my arms. I inhaled deeply. It was a good thing they couldn’t feel us having sex… that would have been awkward, especially with all the tension between us.

The moment I felt him, I knew Levi had already run to him. Of course he had. They always did this–double–teamed me like I was the reckless one, like they needed to watch me closer. As if being born a few minutes after them made me incapable of making my own decisions.

Still… growing up in their shadow had shaped me. Being on the receiving end of Lennox’s constant protectiveness and Levi’s endless scrutiny lit something inside me early. I wanted to take charge of my own life. I wanted to lead myself. To prove I wasn’t someone who needed to be carried.

I overheard Lennox exhale over the bond.

I clenched my jaw, forcing my voice to stay relaxed. “Not everything I do has to run through you, Levi. This one’s… personal. It came up last minute.”

“Olivia?” I whispered sharply, my grip tightening around her waist as I pushed myself upright. Her chest rose and fell too quickly, her eyes fluttering open wide, panic gleaming in them.

I drew a slow breath, forcing the tension in my shoulders to ease. “Yes,” I answered simply, steady. “I’m fine.”

That desire to step forward instead of being pulled along–that’s what made me the way I am now. A man who takes control even in bed. It’s one of the reasons I became a dominant. Not the entire reason, just one of the factors.

There was a pause, then his voice returned, strained and worried. “I’ll talk to Levi tonight… before we go to bed. We’ll sort this out. Whatever it takes.”

My teeth ground together, annoyance rising. I hated it–how they treated me like a kid brother who couldn’t be trusted, when in truth I was no different from them. Just a few minutes younger, yet somehow that made all the difference in their eyes.

Louis’s POV

I pinched the bridge of my nose, shutting my eyes for a moment. “Tomorrow,” I said. My voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

After the pause, his tone shifted, frustration creeping back in. “Have you talked to Olivia? She’s refusing to speak to me. No matter how many times I try to reach her through the link, she shuts me out.”