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Jason looked toward the others, entirely unbothered by the glare I sent him. “I can leave the room right now if someone promises to text me the important parts.”

“Watch your video, Jason,” I said.

He grinned, returning his attention to the screen, though I noted the volume indicator on his device remained firmly muted so he wouldn’t miss a single word.

Julie folded her hands, her expression settling into a very specific, maternal brand of determination. “I asked a very simple question, Hudson.”

“It wasn’t simple, and you know it.”

Julie just waited, refusing to fill the silence. I was all too familiar with that exact look. It was a soft, gentle patience that carried absolutely no intention of allowing me to escape the conversation until she got an honest inventory of my head.

“I like her,” I admitted, the confession feeling heavy and incredibly real now that it was out in the open.

Julie’s face softened immediately, a warm, satisfied smile breaking through her analytical expression. “I know you do.”

“Then why give me the third degree?”

“Because liking someone and choosing to act on it are two entirely different things, Hudson.”

“I’ve been incredibly busy with the ridge property logistics,” I said, my posture stiffening. “Between the fence repairs and the equipment deliveries, I haven’t exactly had a surplus of personal time.”

“You’ve always been busy, Hudson,” she said, her tone turning more tender. “You’ve been busy since you were twelve years old.”

I rubbed a hand over the back of my neck. “That isn’t likely to change anytime soon. The pack demands a lot of upkeep.”

“Then your grand plan is to simply avoid relationships indefinitely?”

“I didn’t say that, Julie.”

“You imply it every single time someone brings up the concept of you having a life outside of your pack responsibilities.”

Mom finally gave up on reading her notes. “He absolutely does plan on avoiding relationships.”

Great. I was outnumbered. “You’re actively participating in the ambush now?”

“I’m simply correcting the official record,” Mom said.

Julie reached over and placed her hand on mine, stopping my fingers from tapping on the counter. “What are you actually afraid of, Hudson?”

The question caught me completely off guard, making me lean back into the frame of my stool. The word felt entirely foreign applied to me. I was the one who handled the heavy lifting. I didn’t do panic.

“I’m not afraid of anything,” I said, though my chest felt tighter than it had a minute ago.

Mom and Julie exchanged a long, silent look, a perfect telepathic conversation passing between them that told me they weren’t buying a single word I said. I disliked when they communicated without words in my presence. It usually meant they’d already had the discussion.

“I don’t have time for a relationship,” I said. “Between work, the pack, council obligations, and helping Mom prepare for whatever comes next, I can barely keep my own schedule straight.”

“You found time to walk with Sloane for an hour after movie night,” Julie pointed out.

“That was different.”

“How?”

I didn’t have a useful answer. It hadn’t felt like time taken from anything else. The walk had given something back. I had returned to the hall tired, disappointed, hopeful, and more relaxed than I had been all week.

“I don’t want to make a promise I can’t keep,” I said.

Julie’s thumb moved across the back of my hand. “Asking someone to dinner is not a lifetime contract.”