Page 26 of Stream Heat
"Thanks," I managed, hating how awkward I suddenly felt. These were the same guys I'd trash-talked for months. The same alphas I'd dismissed as ego-driven knot-heads. Now they were cooking me soup and setting up my equipment, and I had no idea how to process it.
"So," I said, desperate to establish some normalcy, "when do we start this content charade?"
Reid exchanged glances with the others before answering. "Tomorrow, if you're up for it. Nothing major, just a short stream announcing our new... arrangement."
"Our 'friends to enemies to reluctant packmates' arc," Theo added with a grin. "Chat's going to lose their minds."
"We were never friends," I pointed out.
"Details, details." He waved a dismissive hand. "The point is, people love a redemption story. Bad blood turned good content."
"And what's our official story? How are we explaining my sudden relocation to the House of Knots?” The truth was not an option, and they all knew it.
Theo snorted at my joke.
"That's up to you," Reid said, echoing our earlier conversation. "But we were thinking something close to the truth. You had a medical emergency, we offered support, and we're exploring a content partnership while you recover."
"No mention of the suppressants," Malik added. "No details about your health beyond what you're comfortable sharing. You decide what gets aired and what doesn’t."
It was reasonable. More than reasonable. But something about their careful consideration made me even more determined to maintain emotional distance.
"Fine," I said, pushing away my half-finished soup. "Show me where you've set up my equipment. I need to check my socials, see what damage control I'm facing."
"You should finish eating first," Malik suggested.
"I'm fine," I insisted, standing too quickly. The kitchen spun, my knees buckling. I bit the inside of my cheek and grabbed the counter.
Five Alphas tensed simultaneously, ready to catch me if I fell. The collective wave of protective pheromones hit my system like a drug, making my knees weak and my skin prickle for entirely different reasons.
"I'm fine," I repeated through gritted teeth, hating my body's response. "Just stood up too fast."
"Your room's this way," Reid said after a moment, gesturing down a hallway opposite from where I'd emerged. "We put you on the east side, away from the main streaming area to minimize noise interference."
I followed him on unsteady legs, acutely aware of the others watching me go. The hallway opened into another wing of the house, this one quieter and more private.
"This is your space," Reid said, stopping at an open door. "Scent-neutral as possible, though in a house with five Alphas, there's only so much we can do."
The room was larger than my entire apartment, spacious, bright, with a dedicated alcove for my streaming setup. My PC glowed softly in the corner, monitors arranged precisely as I liked them, keyboard and mouse positioned just right.
"How did you know how I organize my setup?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"We watched your streams," he admitted. "Ash is particularly observant about technical details."
I ignored the way that made me feel and went straight to the windows. The backyard was all woods. No neighbors, just green and sky. I could almost trick myself into thinking this wasn’t a prison sentence.
"This place is... not what I expected."
"What did you expect? Alpha cave drawings and protein powder scattered everywhere?"
"Something like that," I admitted. "Maybe a few more trophy walls and fewer actual livable spaces."
He leaned against the doorframe, careful to maintain distance. "We do our posturing on stream, Quinn. No need to bring it home."
I turned to face him, suddenly needing to understand. "Why this room? Why so far from everything else?"
"You value your independence. We wanted to respect that." He shrugged, the gesture casual but his eyes watchful. "Plus, it's the most scent-isolated room in the house. We thought you'd be more comfortable."
Another consideration I hadn't expected. "And where are you all?"
