The door clicked shut behind them, muffling the hallway noise.
Mira dropped her bag on the floor, stretching, letting out a faint, controlled sigh.
"Rooms are small, but comfortable. You'll survive."
Elara sank onto the edge of the bed, arms crossed, eyes flicking to Lunara.
The girl lingered near the corner, coat zipped tight, beanie pulled low, hands stuffed into her pockets.
Tail flicking once, tense, unreadable.
"You really have to hide under all that?" Elara asked softly, voice careful.
Lunara's ears twitched. "Humans are annoying. Especially curious ones."
Elara's jaw tightened.
She didn't push, though—she stayed close to Mira, a protective presence.
Her eyes never left Lunara.
Mira perched neatly on the chair near the window, tilting her head.
"Relax," she said lightly, though her eyes swept over Lunara, trying to gauge her reaction.
"I don't bite. Not yet, anyway."
Lunara's gaze flicked up, sharp, calculating.
A low rumble of amusement—or maybe irritation—vibrated from her chest. "I don't care."
Elara exhaled quietly, tension coiling in her shoulders. "She doesn't care about people,"
she murmured, more to herself than anyone.
Mira's lips curved faintly, eyes glinting.
"Except for the ones that interest her," she said softly, almost teasing, then glanced at her phone, fingers moving quickly, eyes flicking to Lunara.
Always calculating.
The room was tight, charged, layered with quiet energy.
Lunara stayed in the corner, tail curling around her legs, sharp ears twitching.
Elara leaned a little closer to Mira, protective and alert, a subtle shield.
"You're quiet," Mira said finally, voice calm. "I like that. But… don't think you can sneak anything past me."
Lunara's ears twitched again, a low growl in her throat. "I'm not trying."
Elara's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, right. You just like making everyone uncomfortable."
Mira's smile was faint, amused. "Maybe a little. But it keeps you on your toes."
Lunara's corner of the mouth twitched—an almost-smirk she wouldn't admit to.
Tail flicked once more.
She could follow the rules… for now.
Elara's hand brushed against Mira's arm gently, coaxing.
"Hey… come sit on the bed," she said softly. "You'll sleep better there. Lunara… she'll relax too."
Mira tilted her head, eyebrows raised. "Really? You think she'd—"
"Trust me," Elara interrupted, voice firm but calm. "She just… wants to feel safe. That means letting go of the coat and beanie I mean she always wears them. She won't bite. I promise."
Mira studied her, then nodded slowly, sliding onto the bed.
She kicked off her shoes, curling slightly into the blankets.
Lunara's ears twitched violently for a fraction of a second before she sagged slightly, unzipping her coat and tugging off her beanie, letting her hair fall freely.
Elara let out a quiet sigh of relief, settling near Mira, her watchful gaze still flicking to Lunara.
"See? Not so bad," she murmured.
Lunara's tail flicked, brushing lightly against the floor.
She didn't speak, didn't move much, just observed.
But the tension eased slightly—the human didn't know, and for now, that was enough.
Mira leaned back, phone down, voice soft. "Good. Then we'll all get some sleep. Big day tomorrow. Try to rest… if you can."
The room shifted into a quieter rhythm.
The wolf, the human, and the protector coexisted, uneasy but measured.
Outside, Ashfall City pressed on, unaware.
Inside, there was calm—ready, watchful, waiting.
------
Morning came quietly. Too quietly.
Leon was awake before the city even thought about it.
Gray light crept through the hotel curtains, settling over the tangled mess on the bed.
Rex was still asleep—dead asleep—legs somehow twisted around Leon's like a vine trap, arms loose, mouth slightly open.
Not a single thought behind those eyes.
Leon stared at him for a long second.
"…Of course," he muttered.
He carefully pried Rex's leg off his own, inch by inch. Rex only grunted, rolling over and hugging the pillow like it owed him money.
Leon slipped off the bed and turned to the real problem.
Theo and Eliot.
Theo was half upside-down, blanket twisted around his waist, hair sticking up in every direction.
Eliot was curled tight beside him, face buried in the pillow, glasses crooked, breathing slow and stubborn.
Leon clapped once. Sharp.
"Up."
Nothing.
He sighed, walked over, and did what he had perfected over years of chaos.
He sat them up.
Theo blinked once. "…Why is the room moving."
Eliot's head immediately tipped forward. Leon caught him before he face-planted.
"Nope," Leon said calmly. "Eyes open. Vertical position achieved. Don't ruin it."
Theo slumped against Eliot. "Leon… it's too early to be alive."
Leon grabbed towels. "Bathroom. Now."
Somehow—through sheer force of will—he herded them down the hall. Theo shuffled like a ghost. Eliot leaned entirely on Leon's arm, mumbling something about warm beds and injustice.
Rex, of course, did not help.
He wandered in halfway through, yawning, shirt crooked. "Wow," he said lazily. "They look… tragic."
"Do something," Leon said flatly.
Rex smiled—and immediately made it worse.
He scooped Eliot up, letting the boy rest fully against his chest. Eliot instantly relaxed, eyes closing again.
"Oh no," Leon snapped. "Put him down."
Theo slid to the floor and curled up against the wall. "If I sleep here… I won't feel pain anymore."
Rex laughed. "See? Problem solved."
Leon stared at him. Long. Deadly.
"You're useless," Leon said.
"Emotionally supportive," Rex corrected.
Baths happened. Eventually. Somehow.
Afterward, before seven in the morning, the four of them sat on the edge of the bed. Theo and Eliot swayed slightly, heads dipping, snapping back up, losing the fight every few seconds.
Leon stood behind them with a towel, drying Eliot's hair carefully. Rex worked on Theo's, aggressively ruffling it like a dog.
Theo squinted. "I'm awake."
His head immediately dropped.
Rex laughed. "Liar."
Leon finished, then rested his hands lightly on both their shoulders. His voice shifted—calm, grounded, serious without being heavy.
"Listen," he said. "This mission—forced or not—is important. The wolf is important. And so are you."
Theo blinked up at him. Eliot managed to focus.
"We stick together," Leon continued. "No splitting up. No acting tough alone. We protect each other. Always."
Eliot nodded sleepily. "Forever?"
Leon's mouth softened. "Forever."
Theo yawned. "Can forever include a nap."
Rex slung an arm around both of them. "Absolutely."
Leon shook his head, but he was smiling.
Morning chaos.Tiny humans.One useless giant.One exhausted leader.
And somehow—they were ready.