Alexei decided to take the first watch, letting Zubair soak up the contentment that was Sera. He watched silently as the others gravitated around her like planets around the sun.
It was fitting, after all, since that was exactly how he saw her… as his sun… giving hope in the middle of a cold winter.
The house dimmed as the movie credits ended and the television went dark.
Sera had drifted sideways on the couch, pulling the blanket up to her chest as Oogie Boogie settled into the curve of her arm. Zubair shifted immediately, taking the floor beside the couch so he could rest within arm's reach of her, one knee bent in silent guard.
Lachlan stretched out near Luci at her feet, the wolf's head resting on his thigh as if anchoring the pack in place, and Aerenyx sat on the rug near her shoulder, posture still and watchful, the faint glow of the streetlight reflecting in his black eyes.
