ASTRID   I squint against the sunlight spilling in through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the hallway as I step out of my bedroom, stretching my limbs. It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day in Denver, but I can’t fully appreciate it until I get my morning coffee. And speaking of, I can already smell it brewing. I breathe deeply as I pad barefoot down the long hallway, following my nose to the packhouse kitchen. “Good morning!” I chirp as step through the doorway, finding my brother Cole and his beta Sam, perched in their usual seats at the table closest to the coffee pot. I reach up to sweep my unruly curls into a messy bun as I approach them, securing my hair atop my head with an elastic. Upon my entry, Sam shoots up from his chair, tossing a smile my way as he heads for the coffee pot on the counter and starts pouring me a cup. By the time I reach the table, he’s back, holding the mug out in my direction.

ASTRID   When my brother said he was sending me up here, he conveniently forgot to mention how fucking hot the guys who run the security team are. I’m talking breath stealing, heart stopping, reality defying hotness- when I got dropped off here, I had no idea I was practically stepping into a Chippendale’s calendar. Sure, I might’ve been a little resistant about leaving Denver and missing out on battle preparations there, but now that I know I’m going to be shacking up with a Jason Momoa lookalike for the next few weeks? I’m suddenly okay with it. I just met Brock, but I can already tell that he’s the strong silent type. I try to make conversation on the ride over to Riverton, but all he gives me in return are grunts and one-word answers. It doesn’t bother me, though- we don’t really know each other yet, and I’m sure he’ll warm up eventually. I’ll just kill him with kindness until he does. We arrive at the packhouse in R

ASTRID   “So this is the hub,” Quinn says as she leads me into a large room full of desks and computers. “I’ve heard that ours is puny compared to Denver’s, but what we lack in size we make up for in heart.” She spins around, a goofy smile on her face. “That was really fucking corny, wasn’t it?” “Nah,” I laugh, waving her off. “I liked it.” “Astrid!” Brooke calls, beckoning me from the back of the room. Her glasses slide down the bridge of her nose and she pushes them up with a finger. “C’mon.” Quinn spins back around, leading me toward Brooke. I was grateful when she found me on the practice field this morning- as much as I’m enjoying this little push and pull with my broody roommate, it’s nice to talk to someone who will actually talk back. Training with the squad was a lot of fun, and I even learned a couple of new moves from Fallon. I’m no stranger to combat training; we start young in Denver, so I’ve

ASTRID   “Good morning, Alpha!” I greet cheerfully as I spot Brock descending the stairs. He looks up at me as he hits the bottom step, grunting something muffled and barely audible in his typical response. It’s only my third morning at the Riverton packhouse, but one of these days I’m going to get a solid ‘good morning’ in response, damnit. I feel like I’ve already fallen into a routine here- instead of my morning coffee with Cole and Sam, it’s morning coffee with Jared and Brent every day before catching a ride with Brock up to the squad complex. Then it’s training with the six-pack’s security squad in the morning followed by afternoons with IT. That routine changes today, though, because the first evacuees from Denver are set to arrive and I’ll be welcoming them.    “Coffee?” Jared asks as Brock enters the kitchen. “Please,” he growls, running his hands through his hair. The man’s ha

ASTRID I’m sinking a spoon into a container of yogurt when I feel it- the full-body tingles that have started hitting me more and more frequently when Brock’s around. I’ve never had my intuition be so persistent about a feeling before, like it won’t give up until I’m able to work out what it means. I usually pick up my ‘intuitive’ feelings about people when I touch them or when I’m right in front of them, and they don’t typically repeat whenever I’m in their proximity. With Brock though, it’s like the rules have suddenly changed- I don’t know what to expect from my intuition anymore, and it’s making me wonder whether my gift has gone haywire.I spin around, peering through the dark toward the staircase. I still have the refrigerator door propped open with my hip, and it’s giving off enough soft light to cut through the darkness and illuminate the