"Blaze Vega." His thumb brushes across my knuckles, a touch so brief it might be accidental. "Official blade-dancer and fire-starter of the pack. Also apparently the designated 'kiss-of-life' guy now, so if anyone else needs emergency mouth-to-mouth, I'm your man."
A laugh escapes—small, surprised, genuine.
Not the manic giggle.
Just... humor.
Just a moment of lightness in a conversation that could have been heavy.
"Good to know," I manage. "I'll keep that in mind next time I'm dying."
"Please don't make it a habit. Kai gets cranky when people almost die on his watch."
"Kai gets cranky when peopleexiston his watch, from what I've seen."
Blaze snorts.
"Yeah, that tracks."
We stand there for a moment, hands still loosely clasped, and something shifts in the air between us. Not romantic—not exactly—butsignificant. Like we've crossed some invisible line from strangers to... something else.
"What was the meeting about?" he asks, releasing my hand and falling into step beside me as I start walking. "The one with..." He gestures vaguely toward the office I just left.
"Ms. Chen," I supply. "She's the dance advisor. One of the only faculty members who doesn't treat me like I'm contagious."
"Dance advisor." He nods like this confirms something. "Sage mentioned you're a dancer. Said you move like violence given form."
The description makes my chest tight.
Violence given form.
It's not wrong.
But it's not the only thing I am.
"The meeting was about you guys adopting me," I say, deflecting from the emotional spiral threatening to pull me under. "Apparently the paperwork went through overnight. I'm officially pack-claimed now."
Blaze chuckles.
"Adoption. Is that what we're calling it?"
"Well, yeah." I glance at him, feeling suddenly defensive. "Since it's temporary, right? That's the deal. Alliance until Kaihandles his father situation, and then we go back to being... whatever we were before."
Enemies.
Strangers.
People who have every reason to hate each other but somehow ended up on the same side.
Blaze is quiet for a moment.
We walk in silence, our footsteps echoing off the institutional walls, passing clusters of students who stare openly at the unusual sight—an Omega walking alongside an Alpha who isn't keeping her two steps behind.
Equal.
Side by side.
It's such a small thing.
