**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: CALM BEFORE THE STORM**
The weekend arrived with a sun-drenched warmth that melted the tension from the Raven Blood pack like spring thawing the last touch of winter. The shadows of strange happenings, stalkers, and hidden motives seemed to momentarily lift, giving everyone a much-needed breath of peace.
Koda stirred awake on Saturday to the sound of laughter echoing through the packhouse. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming. The light filtering through the curtains was golden, warm. Safe.
Nova had already burst into his room by the time he got out of bed, dragging Zara in behind her. "It's a movie marathon day!" Nova declared, throwing popcorn bags at his head. "No excuses!"
Koda raised a brow. "Is that a rule now?"
"It's law," Zara confirmed with mock seriousness. "Delta-approved."
Koda blinked. "What's a Delta?"
Nova grinned. "You'll learn. For now—popcorn."
Tristian had transformed the lounge into a fortress of blankets, pillows, and snacks. Orion had even strung up fairy lights across the ceiling, humming some ridiculous tune as he went. When Koda walked in, Orion handed him a fuzzy blanket shaped like a dragon. "Every warrior needs armor," he said with a wink.
By mid-morning, the whole pack was sprawled across the room. Kairo and Tala sat on one end of the couch, engaged in a debate about which movie hero had the best transformation scene. Nova kept switching the movie halfway through just to see people yell at her. Zara leaned against her shoulder, smiling more than usual.
Orion stole the show with his terrible impressions of every actor on screen, getting everyone to laugh—even Koda, whose sides hurt by the time lunch rolled around.
---
After movies, they transitioned to a pool party behind the packhouse. The backyard sparkled with turquoise water and sun-drenched tiles. Koda hesitated at first, self-conscious, but Orion was the first to toss him in.
He surfaced to wild laughter and cheers.
"Now it's a real party!" Orion grinned, launching himself into the pool with a splash.
Even Tristian joined in, pulling off his shirt and diving in with graceful ease. Koda's eyes lingered longer than he meant to, heat rising to his cheeks. They raced laps, played chicken fights, and by late afternoon, lounged lazily in the sun with popsicles.
Later, they gathered for a cookout. Kairo manned the grill with surprising skill, Orion teasing him the whole time. "Didn't take you for a spatula warrior."
"I'm a man of many talents," Kairo replied coolly.
Orion raised a brow. "Name three."
"Tracking. Fighting. Grilling."
"Damn. Can't argue with that."
---
Saturday night turned into a pajama party. They all dressed in ridiculous onesies—Orion's was a giant banana, which he wore proudly. Koda wore a plain blue set, but Tristian showed up in a black wolf hoodie that made Koda's heart stutter.
They played board games, card games, and told embarrassing stories. Orion's tale about getting stuck in a window trying to sneak back into his house had everyone howling.
By the end of the night, they were curled up like a pile of sleepy pups. Koda found himself between Zara and Tristian. He wasn't sure when it happened, but at some point, Tristian's fingers found his.
He didn't let go.
---
Sunday was study day, or at least that was the plan. Books were cracked open and highlighters scattered, but focus was fleeting.
Koda glanced at the pages, frowning. "You guys actually study on weekends?"
"Unfortunately," Nova muttered. "Being smart is exhausting."
"You wouldn't know," Zara teased, poking her with a pen.
"Excuse me, I'm setting a chaotic academic curve."
"Uh-huh. And failing on purpose is totally part of the plan?"
"Absolutely. It makes Koda feel better."
"Wow. Such sacrifice."
Even Tristian sat with them, surprisingly patient as he helped Koda through his notes. His explanations were clear, his tone soft. Koda found himself listening more to Tristian's voice than the actual words.
They took breaks to bake cookies, and Orion accidentally used salt instead of sugar. They ate them anyway, wincing and laughing between bites. Orion declared them "gourmet fail cuisine," earning a round of applause.
As they cleaned up, Koda caught Orion slipping an extra cookie into Zara's hand with a wink. She rolled her eyes but smiled, and Nova didn't miss it.
"I think the banana's got a crush," she whispered to Koda.
"He's too much," Koda replied, but he couldn't help smiling either.
---
That night, just before lights out, Tristian pulled Koda aside.
"Hey," he said softly. "Today was good."
"Yeah," Koda nodded. "It was."
Tristian hesitated, then reached out and gently touched Koda's cheek. "You matter to us. To me."
Koda's heart fluttered. He opened his mouth, but no words came. Instead, he leaned forward—and their lips met.
It was soft. Deep. Real.
Somewhere in the packhouse, someone whistled.
When they pulled apart, Koda was breathless. Tristian smiled, a rare, private expression meant only for him.
---
Everyone gathered in the living room afterward, one last movie playing softly in the background. They were tangled in blankets, full of warmth and cookies and something sweeter.
As the credits rolled, Orion said, "This right here—this is what life's about."
No one argued.
Outside, the wind shifted. A tree branch tapped against the window with eerie rhythm. Somewhere deep in the woods, a figure crouched beneath the shadows, eyes glowing faintly. Watching. Waiting.
Inside, laughter continued—blissfully unaware.
**TO BE CONTINUED.**