**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE WEEKEND OF LAUGHTER AND LOVE**
The days following the emotional whirlwind settled like golden dust in a beam of sunlight—warm, soft, and just what they needed. The pack declared the weekend a time for rest and connection. For once, there were no growls, no battle drills, no tension pressing on anyone's chest. Just peace.
Koda, now fully recovered from his mysterious collapse, was finally smiling again. Not just polite smiles—but real ones, the kind that made the corners of his eyes crinkle and made people like Orion ruffle his hair every chance he got.
They began with a pajama party at the pack house. Blankets piled on the floor, fairy lights strung across the walls, and bowls of snacks that would put a movie theater to shame. Orion insisted on a double-feature marathon: an intense horror movie followed by the silliest rom-com they could find. Koda hid behind a pillow during most of the horror, while Tristian smugly didn't flinch once—except for the one jump scare that made everyone scream. Nova laughed so hard she cried.
Later, they played games—board games that turned into drinking games (juice for Koda, spiked punch for the older wolves), then video games, then random made-up games involving pillows and dares.
Study sessions followed the next day. Books open, pens scribbling, the group sprawled across the living room in a kind of organized chaos. Koda stared at his algebra homework with a frown.
"I thought people like you wouldn't need algebra," he muttered.
Nova snorted. "Only the dumb ones don't."
Zara gave her a look. "So you're saying you failed last term on purpose?"
"I was setting a low bar for Koda so he wouldn't feel bad."
"Wow. Such sacrifice."
Even Tristian helped out, surprisingly patient as he guided Koda through the maze of equations. It was strange and domestic and sweet.
In between study breaks, they baked cookies. Orion accidentally used salt instead of sugar. They still ate them, laughing at every horrible bite. Even Tristian smiled through the disaster batch.
Swimming followed. The pack's hidden waterfall basin turned into a splash zone. Koda hesitated at first, nervous to take off his shirt, but the cheers from his friends and Tristian's quiet, supportive nod pushed him forward. He dove in, and they all applauded like he'd won Olympic gold.
Later, lounging in hammocks and grassy clearings, stories were told. Pack history. Old memories. Funny first-shift stories. But something Nova said made Koda pause.
"…Delta Axel once told me I had Alpha-level sass. Too bad I'm just a Gamma."
Koda blinked. "What's a Delta?"
There was a beat of silence.
Tristian gently changed the subject.
Koda didn't press, but the seed of curiosity had been planted.
And that night, as they all snuggled in blankets to watch the stars—Orion teasing Tristian for being too stiff, Nova falling asleep on Zara's shoulder, and Tristian brushing a thumb over Koda's hand—it truly felt like a family.
One glowing, strange, beautiful family.
But even in the laughter and joy, the shadows at the edges of their peace lingered. And one of them, lying awake while the others slept, stared at the stars and whispered:
"They're not ready."