At night fall, the room was a mess of greasy pizza boxes, half eaten crusts and crumpled up napkins, the smell of cheese and sauce heavy in the air. Kurt and Marina were sprawled out on one of the beds, their legs tangled together as they spoke quietly with each other. Kurt's baseball cap was tipped backward, and his shirt was riding up, showing off a strip of toned stomach. Marina's fiery hair cascaded down her back like a wild tangle, and her amber eyes sparkled with amusement.
"Lone wolves, huh?" Marina said, her voice soft but with a sharp edge of interest. "I've never met anyone who grew up outside a pack."
Kurt shrugged, his fingers absently playing with the frayed edge of his baseball cap. "Yeah, my parents weren't exactly fans of pack politics. They wanted their own way, you know? They didn't agree with the Alpha's decisions."
Marina nodded slowly, her gaze dropping. "I… I can't even imagine what that's like. My father—" She stopped, her lips pressing together like she was trapping the words inside.
Kurt's expression softened, and he reached out to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "Free to make my own decisions. Maybe now I can. My father kept me away from everyone." Marina's eyes flicked up to his, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then she took a deep breath and said, "He kept me close. Really close. I wasn't allowed to leave the house, talk to anyone outside the family. He said I was dangerous, that the world had to kept safe from someone like me."
"Someone like you?" Kurt repeated, his voice low and thoughtful.
Marina's smile was small and self-deprecating. "Different. You know? He always said I was special, that I had to be protected even from myself. But … it felt more like a prison than protection."
Kurt's fingers lingered on her cheek, his touch light. "You're not in a prison anymore, Marina. You're here. With us. With me."
She looked at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, without warning, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. It was a soft, hesitant kiss, filled with hope.
Kurt froze for a split second, caught off guard by Marina's sudden move. Then he melted into the kiss, his hand sliding to cup the back of her neck. His baseball cap tumbled to the floor as he pulled her closer.
Marina's fingers tangled in Kurt's shirt, trying to decide between clinging to him for more or pushing him away. As they broke apart, breathless and wide-eyed, Kurt's heart hammered in his chest. "Wow," he breathed.
Marina's eyes fell towards the bed as cheeks flushed, and she bit her lip. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—" Her voice wavered, suddenly unsure of her impulsive action.
"No," Kurt cut her off as he reached up, softly cupping her chin and raising it allowing him to see her reddened cheeks. "Don't apologize. That was... unexpected but incredible." Kurt grinned, his fingers stroked her face. "I've been wanting to do that since the moment I saw you.".
A shy smile tugged at Marina's lips. "Yeah?" Marina laughed, a soft, melodic sound. "I guess I beat you to it.".
Across the small room, Liam sat on the floor, his back against the bed frame as he watched Selina work. The moonlight streamed through the single window casting an otherworldly glow over her, illuminating the dark blue strands of hair in her braid that cascaded down her back. She was cross-legged on the floor, the two pieces of silvery white parchment laid out in front of her.
Selina's movements were slow and deliberate, her fingers tracing the edges of the parchment with a thoughtful look. The material felt strange under her touch—smooth, almost velvety, but with a faint hum of energy that vibrated against her fingertips. It was a warm, powerful buzz, like the quiet thrum of a harp string plucked by an invisible hand.
As she tilted the parchment, the moonlight caught it, and for a moment, she could swear she saw a faint glow emanating from within. Her brow furrowed in concentration, her breath coming in slow, measured inhales as she rotated the piece, studying it from every angle.
Liam watched her with a calm, steady gaze, his deep purple eyes locked on her every moment. He didn't say anything, didn't need to. He knew better than to interrupt Selina when she was in this state—focused, driven by her instincts and intuition.
After a while, Selina finally looked up, her dark eyes meeting Liam's. For a moment, they just held the gaze, a silent words passing between them. Then Selina tilted her head slightly, a small, hopeful smile playing on her lips.
"I think I'm getting closer," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can feel it—like there's something just on the edge of my reach."
Liam nodded, his expression softening. "You'll get there, Selina. I know you will."
Across the room, Kurt and Marina were laughing now, their voices low and easy, the tension between them was gone. Selina glanced over at them, her gaze lingering for a moment before she turned back to the two pieces of parchment in her hands, tilting them slightly, attempting to match up the edges. The moonlight caught it, and for a moment, she thought she saw something—a flicker of golden light along the tear. But it was gone when she blinked.
"I saw that!" Liam exclaimed excitedly as he jumped up and crouched beside her, his movements fluid. "We have to put it back together."
Selina turned the parchment over, studying it. "That's what I was thinking. But I don't—"
"Wait," he said, cutting her off. He reached out, his fingers brushing hers as he took both pieces. "Let me give it a try."
She watched as he fitted the edges together, the torn sides aligning seamlessly. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a faint glow began to seep from the seam, like light bleeding through the cracks.
"See?" Liam said triumphantly. "We just have to match the torn seams perfectly."
Selina's breath caught as a bright golden light zig-zagged along the jagged edges, mending the break. Then blue glowing symbols became etched across the parchment. They pulsed with a soft familiar energy then vanished.