Page 103 of Scrum Heat

“No one’s saying youhaveto do anything,” Evie replies. “We’re saying the OSC has teeth, and the last thing you want is for them to decide what’s best for you.”

Tom closes his laptop with quiet finality. “Because if you don’t define what you are—someone else will.”

The room goes silent, and Evie moves to stand, adjusting her blazer.

“We’ll draft a statement in case this leaks further,” she says crisply. “But Frankie?”

I look up and meet her unreadable gaze.

“Whatever you decide—make sure you’re doing it onyourterms.”

Then she’s gone, heels clicking down the hall. Tom watches her go, then lingers at the door for a moment.

“You’re not the first pack to deal with OSC scrutiny. But the ones who survive it?” He looks between us. “They’re the ones who act like a packbeforethe paperwork.”

And then he’s gone, too.

The silence left behind buzzes loud in my ears.

Theo lets out a low whistle. “Well.Thatescalated.”

I don’t laugh.

Finn exhales slowly. “So. Just to recap. Some loser alpha with an inferiority complex and a historic family rivalry with yours has probably sicced the OSC on us, and now our choices are either to bond up, or risk state-mandated separation?”

“Well, I mean… there’s no way they canmakeus do anything, right?” Theo says, but his voice is too loud, too casual. “I’m just saying—negotiating with pheromone-sniffing bureaucrats? Isn’t that, like, the golden rule of things wedon’tdo?”

Nobody responds.

“I’ll speak to my dad,” Theo says as he leans back in his chair, tossing an arm across the back of the seat. “See what can be done. We’ve got people. There’s probably a loophole, a clause, some ancient dusty legislation about communal scent bowls or something—”

“Theo,” I say gently.

He looks over at me. He’s still smirking—still trying to play it off—but his eyes are sharp and serious underneath all the bravado.

“I don’t want you calling in favors,” I say. “Or putting pressure on yourselves. Not for me.”

“You’reinthis now, sweetheart,” he says. “Of course we’re gonna fight for you.”

“I know,” I say. “But what if this isn’t a fight?”

They all turn to look at me.

“I wanted to be part of this pack,” I say, quiet but clear. “Even before I knew youwerea pack. Before I knew anything.”

Theo shifts, and I shoot him a look.

“From the moment I walked into that building and passed out after seeingyouin compression shorts.”

“I mean, I would say it was more of a dramatic collapse,” Theo grins. “Youreachedfor me. There were arms.”

“Please.I blacked out from pheromone overload,” I deadpan. “Let me have this.”

The others snort quietly. Finn’s hand curls tighter around mine, and though Jax doesn’t move, his whole body is tense. But the bond I have with him is there, steady and silent beneath my skin, thrumming through my chest like a grounding pulse. It keeps me calm, keeps mesteady.

Rory’s jaw is locked, his eyes unreadable; and Theo’s smile is gone now—replaced by something older, something almost vulnerable.

“So… why not make it official?” I ask.

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