The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the school courtyard as students milled about, chatting and enjoying the break between classes. Opal stood near the old oak tree with her friends—Lucy, a tall girl with a sharp wit, and Maya, whose laugh was as contagious as her smile. They laughed together as Lucy animatedly recounted a story from their last class.
"And then Mr. Thompson tripped over his own feet," Lucy said, throwing her hands in the air. "Trying to impress the class with his 'dynamic presentation.'"
Maya giggled. "I wish I'd seen it. He always acts like he's running some high-stakes TED Talk."
Opal smiled, her violet eyes crinkling at the corners. "He does have a flair for embarrassing himself."
As they chatted, a group of male pack members approached. Their arrival was marked by the low murmur of their voices and the confident swagger that seemed to carry them across the courtyard. At the center of the group was Gavin, a towering figure at 6'7", with broad shoulders and a smirk that practically oozed arrogance. His usual sidekicks, Derek and Marcus, followed close behind, their postures relaxed but their eyes sharp.
"Well, well," Gavin drawled as they came to a stop near the girls. "If it isn't Opal and her lovely friends."
Opal's smile faltered slightly, but she kept her expression neutral. "Gavin."
"Enjoying the afternoon?" Gavin asked, ignoring the curt tone in her voice.
"We were," Lucy replied, crossing her arms, her expression unimpressed. "Until now."
Gavin chuckled, entirely unfazed. "No need to be hostile, Lucy. We're just being friendly." His gaze slid to Opal, lingering with an unwelcome intensity. "You know, Opal, with your eighteenth birthday coming up, there's a chance you might find out you're destined to be with someone... exciting."
Opal's violet eyes sharpened, but she didn't respond immediately. Instead, she crossed her arms, her body language calm but firm. "What's your point, Gavin?"
"I'm just saying," he continued, his smirk widening, "imagine if you ended up with someone like me. I could show you how a real alpha handles things."
Maya rolled her eyes. "Gavin, please. In what world do you think that's going to happen?"
Gavin ignored her, stepping closer to Opal. "You'd be lucky, you know. If the Moon Goddess pairs you with me, you'd have a mate who knows how to take charge. And of course, you'd have to listen to me. That's how it works."
Opal's jaw tightened. "Listen to you?" she said, her voice cold. "That's not how it works, Gavin. Not with me."
Derek and Marcus snickered behind him, their laughter making the moment feel even more insufferable.
"You'd learn to listen," Gavin said, his tone dripping with condescension. "After all, someone your size needs a strong mate to protect her."
Before Opal could respond, her brothers arrived, their presence commanding immediate attention. Ash led the group, his silver eyes locking onto Gavin with a mix of annoyance and challenge. Forrest, Brooks, and Ridge followed closely, their postures relaxed but their expressions sharp.
"Is there a problem here?" Ash asked, his voice calm but carrying an undertone of warning.
Gavin turned to face them, his smirk faltering slightly under Ash's gaze. "No problem. Just a friendly chat."
Forrest stepped up beside Ash, his green eyes twinkling mischievously. "Didn't look too friendly from over there."
Gavin shrugged, his usual bravado returning. "We were just discussing how lucky Opal is to have four big brothers. Someone that tiny needs all the protection she can get."
Opal's eyes narrowed as she glanced at her brothers. Ash raised an eyebrow, and Forrest gave her a questioning look. Ridge tilted his head ever so slightly, as if to say, *Do you want us to handle this, or do you?*
Opal squared her shoulders, a silent message passing between them. She stepped forward, her expression calm but her eyes blazing. "Gavin, do you think I need protecting?"
He chuckled, oblivious to the storm brewing in her gaze. "You're what—five feet tall? Of course you do."
Opal's hand moved before anyone could react. Her small fist connected squarely with Gavin's jaw, the sharp crack of the impact cutting through the air. His smirk vanished as he stumbled backward, his legs tangling beneath him. He landed on the ground with a thud, flat on his back, his eyes wide with shock.
The courtyard fell silent for a heartbeat, the nearby students staring in disbelief. Then Forrest burst into laughter, clutching his sides.
"Oh, that was beautiful!" he exclaimed. "Absolutely beautiful!"
Brooks smirked, his blue eyes glinting. "Looks like Opal doesn't need anyone protecting her."
Ridge stepped closer to Gavin, crouching down slightly. "Need a hand?" he asked, his tone polite but his expression amused.
Gavin scowled, his face flushing red. "She sucker-punched me!"
Ash crossed his arms, his silver eyes hard. "Didn't look like a sucker punch to me. Looked like you underestimated her."
Opal stood over Gavin, her violet eyes steady and unyielding. "Let me make one thing clear, Gavin. I don't need you, or anyone else, to protect me. And I certainly won't be listening to you—or anyone who thinks they can talk to me like that."
Gavin scrambled to his feet, glaring at her but wisely choosing not to retaliate. "You'll regret that," he muttered, his voice low.
Ash's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Was that a threat?"
Gavin hesitated, glancing between Ash and Opal. "No," he muttered, backing away. Derek and Marcus followed, their earlier amusement replaced with unease.
As soon as they were gone, Lucy let out a cheer. "Opal, that was amazing!"
Maya grinned, her eyes wide with excitement. "You dropped him like a sack of potatoes!"
Opal relaxed, the tension leaving her shoulders. "He had it coming."
Forrest slung an arm around her shoulders, his grin wide. "Damn right, he did. That was a solid punch. Remind me never to get on your bad side."
Brooks nodded, his smirk still in place. "She doesn't need us to protect her. Gavin figured that out the hard way."
Ridge gave her a small nod, pride evident in his amber eyes. "You handled it perfectly."
Ash placed a hand on her other shoulder, his voice firm but warm. "We'll always have your back, Opal. But it's clear you don't need anyone to fight your battles."
Opal smiled, her confidence bolstered by their support. "Thanks. But I think he got the message."
As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, the quintuplets and their friends made their way back inside. For Opal, the moment felt like a victory—not just over Gavin, but over her own doubts. She might be small, but her strength was undeniable, and with her brothers by her side, she knew she could face whatever challenges lay ahead.
The quintuplets sat together at their usual table. Opal was trying to finish her mashed potatoes without wondering what percentage of it was actually potato. Ash sat at the end, silently scanning the room like he was expecting an uprising. Brooks had a book balanced on his knee and a fork halfway to his mouth. Ridge was halfway through his third tray. And Forrest?
Forrest was smiling.
And that was always the first sign.
Opal glanced at him. "What did you do?"
"What makes you think I did anything?" he asked, all innocent green eyes and feigned confusion.
"You're smiling like you've already framed someone."
"I'm insulted," he said, clutching his chest.
"Spit it out," Ash said, not looking up from his tray. "What's about to happen?"
Forrest opened his mouth to respond when—
BOOOOOOM.
A sharp bang echoed through the cafeteria, followed by a plume of multicolored smoke bursting from the far end of the room like someone had set off a glitter cannon powered by bad decisions and a flair for drama.
Students screamed. Lunch trays flew. A soda fountain short-circuited and began spraying lemon-lime everywhere with the force of a fire hydrant.
The fire alarm blared.
Chaos erupted.
Forrest blinked, utterly calm in the eye of the storm. "Huh. That happened faster than I expected."
"What. Did. You. Do." Ash's voice was low, deadly calm.
Forrest grinned. "Remember last week when I said the school needed more color?"
Opal groaned. "Please tell me you didn't paint bomb the vents."
"Okay, first of all," Forrest said, dodging a flying Jell-O cup, "I enhanced the vents with biodegradable color powder. It's art."
"It's a safety hazard," Brooks muttered, shielding his book from a sudden downpour of purple foam that had begun dripping from the ceiling.
"I prefer the term interactive installation," Forrest replied.
Principal Rowan's voice crackled over the intercom. "All students and staff are to immediately evacuate the building. This is not a drill. Repeat—not a drill."
Forrest stood and dusted glitter off his shoulders like he'd just returned from battle. "And that, dear siblings, is how you add a little spice to cafeteria spaghetti day."
"I didn't even get to finish my garlic bread," Ridge said mournfully, looking back at the tray he was forced to abandon.
"You realize you've shut down the entire school?" Opal said as the fire doors opened and wolves began filing outside, coughing and covered in streaks of color.
Forrest beamed. "You're welcome."
Ash ran both hands down his face. "I swear, one day I'm going to handcuff you to a chair."
"Hot," Forrest quipped.
Brooks just stared at him. "Did you do this alone?"
"I had help," Forrest admitted.
"Who in their right mind helped you?"
"Two freshmen. Great kids. Smart. One has surprisingly good aim with powdered dye packs."
Ridge looked over his shoulder as another puff of smoke spiraled up from the cafeteria. "You know they're going to call Dad, right?"
"I'm counting on it," Forrest said proudly. "It's not art until someone in a position of power is angry about it."
Outside, the student body gathered on the lawn as the fire department arrived.
The doors to the school burst open as Principal Rowan stormed out, covered in streaks of neon orange and carrying a fire extinguisher like a club.
"Forrest!" he bellowed. "You are banned from school property until further notice!"
Forrest waved from the crowd. "That's fair."
Ash grabbed Forrest's arm and started dragging him toward the fire truck. "You are going to explain everything, and if the words 'performance piece' come out of your mouth, I swear—"
"Performance-adjacent," Forrest offered. "Cafeteria meets chaos. It's very avant-garde."
Ridge let out a long sigh as he licked neon pink powder off his sleeve. "It wasn't even the worst prank he's pulled."
Brooks nodded. "But definitely top five. Somehow dad will make it so he can come back to school. He doesn't want to deal with his chaos."
Opal just laughed, folding her arms and watching the chaos unfold like she was watching her own personal sitcom.
Because yes—witches might be watching her from the shadows.
Yes—her fate was tangled with magic and mating bonds and ancient wars.
But right now?
Right now, her brother had accidentally evacuated an entire school with colored dust and a questionable sense of timing.
And honestly?
It was the most normal thing that had happened all week.