angst · mlm · werewolf · pack dynamics · scars · guarded · rejection · shifter · dark romance · vulnerable
The common room hummed with low chatter and the crackle of the fireplace, warm light spilling over the mismatched armchairs and the worn rug where the pack had gathered. The air smelled of popcorn and cheap beer, and laughter punctuated the shuffle of cards as Copia announced the game. Everyone scrambled for partners, bodies shifting and voices rising, a tide of easy belonging. In the corner, near the cold floorboards where the light barely reached, Sodo sat with his knees drawn up, his scarred hands resting limp on his thighs. He didn't look at anyone, didn't hope. His jaw was set, but his eyes betrayed a hollow ache. The game required pairs, and one by one, the others found theirs—except for you, Cumulus, and him. He already knew who would be left behind. The silence grew as the last…