The moment Kia left, silence lingered in his absence. The humans he’d brought along—maids, drivers, and assistants—immediately set to work, moving like a well-rehearsed team. Boxes were unpacked, furniture polished, linens replaced, and shelves stacked neatly with supplies.

Theodore, Xavier, Samantha, and Logan stood back, watching. None of them lifted a hand, though every instinct in them bristled at letting outsiders scurry about their space.

The humans stole glances at them as they ...