If bad decisions had a face,it would be this.

I heldthe steering wheel tight and looked up at the familiar roads ahead like they were the gates of hell. Five years. Five years of deliberately avoiding this place, and here I was now, driving myselfback into the nonsense.

“Deep breaths,Naomi,” I told myself. “You are older andwiser and hotter — okay, maybe not wiser, but definitely hotter. You’ve got this."

Lies. All of it.

Because noamount of pep talk was going to fix the reality that I’d be returning to the place that had witnessed me at my very lowest. The place where my mate —my one and only soulmate I was attractive to — stared me down and pushed me away like clearance sale items nobody wanted.

But today wasn’t about him. It wasfor my little brother, Theo. The one person overthe years who had consistently tried to emotionally blackmail me every time I spoke to them.

"Mom and Dad miss you. I miss you. How long are you goingto keep pretending to be a runaway criminal?”

I had tried to escape this trip, but Theowas relentless. He even threw in the guilt-tripspecial:

“What if somethinghappens to them while you’re gone? You’d regret that you didn’t comeback.”

So here I was. Back in Silvercrest. Back where my heartwas stomped on like a cockroach at a fast-food joint.

I rolled my shoulders as Ipulled up to the pack entrance, attempting to shake off the tension. There was a new guy at the security post, and he looked at me theway you look at a suspicious package at an airport.

I rolled down my window. “Hey, I’m Naomi Carter. Theo’s sister. Just heading home.”

The guy folded his arms. “Theo Carterhas exactly one sibling. And she left five years ago.”

I blinked. “Yeah. That would be me. The long-lostsister who comes back for a very dramatic homecoming.”

He looked at me quizzically, clearlynot buying it. “Got any ID?”

I groaned. “Seriously? Do I look like a threat?”

“Youlook like you’re trying too hard to be convincing.”

I was ready to startan argument until a familiar voice that boomed cut me off.

“NAOMICARTER, YOU LITTLE TRAITOR! IS THAT REALLY YOU?! ”

I turned just as Marcus Henderson, my childhood best friend, ran at me as ifI were the last donut in a bakery.

“Oh no,” I muttered. “Here we go.”

Before I waseven able to respond, Marcus nearly dragged me out of the car and enveloped me in a hug.

“Dude,personal space,” I gasped. “And also, maybe lay off the gym, becauseyou just broke my back.”

Marcus laughed, taking a step back yet still grinning likean idiot. “I thought you were dead! Or worse —in some sad city apartment with fifty cats.”

“First of all, rude. Second, I have one cat, and she’sthriving.”

The security guyseemed confused as hell. “So… she’s legit?”

Marcus scoffed. “Duh. She’s Naomi freaking Carter. “You are looking at thebiggest pain in my ass the last 10 years.”

I smirked, crossing my arms as I looked up at him. “Aww, you missed me.”

Marcus snorted, rolling his eyes. “I missed roasting you. My life has been far too tranquil without you here.”

I gasped in mock offense. “You say that, and yet here you are, nearly tackling me in broad daylight.”

“Shut up.”

I laughed, shaking my head. Some things never changed. No matter how much time passed, Marcus would always be the same—sarcastic, insufferable, and secretly just as happy to see me as I was to see him.

The easy banter made it feel like I’d never left, like I hadn’t spent so many months away, trying to carve out a new life in the city. But reality had a way of creeping in, reminding me why I was back in the first place.

I exhaled, stretching my arms. “Alright, let me get going. I have emotional trauma to wreak on my brother.”

Marcus smirked, shaking his head. “How’s that thriving city life? Looking forward to hearing all about it.”

I shot him a grin as I pulled open my car door. “Oh, believe me, I have stories.”

With that, I slid into the driver’s seat and pulled onto the road, leaving Marcus behind in my rearview mirror.

But as soon as my family house appeared on the horizon, my stomach twisted.

The sight of it—so unchanged, so familiar—sent a wave of emotions crashing over me. The white villa stood proudly at the end of the driveway, just as pristine as I remembered. The flower beds my mother had obsessively tended were still overflowing with color, each bloom meticulously arranged like a living piece of art. The porch, the one I used to sit on for hours, staring at the stars, remained exactly the same.

Everything looked identical.

And yet, I felt like a stranger coming home to a place I no longer belonged

Andwho is standing right at the entrance? My parents.

The instant I got out of the car, my momgasped. “Oh my god.”

Next thing I knew, she was squeezingme so tightly I almost lost my footing. My dad came insecond, strong arms around us both.

“I’m sorry,” Ibreathed, my voice breaking. “I should havereturned sooner.”

My dad kissed me on thetop of the head. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”

I stepped back,wiping my eyes. Mymom shot me a once-over and frowned. “You’ve lost weight. Are you eating properly?”

“Oh my god, Mom. Please don’t start.”

“You have lost weight,”my dad seconded, ever the co-conspirator. “Perhaps we oughtto feed you first.”

Perfect timing:My stomach growled.

Theo’s voice camefrom the back. “Well, well, well. “Look who finallyshowed up after half a decade.”

I turned around to see my little brother propped against the porch, arms crossed, smirking like the little menace hewas.

“Theo!” I ran over to him, enveloping him inan over-the-top hug. “My favorite sibling!”

“I’m your only sibling,” hesaid dryly.

“Exactly! And look at you! You’re taller than me now? Rude.”

He rolled his eyes. “You just realized? Damn, sis. Maybe if our visits weren’tonce every five years—”

“Alright, alright. I get it. I’m trash. Let’s move on now beforemy self-esteem as a writer dies.”

Theo grinned. “We’re never moving on. I’m going to squeezethis for years.”

Before I could protest, my momclapped her hands. “Enough bickering! Lunch is ready.”

I sighed dreamily. “Music to my ears.”

Theo laughed, slingingan arm around my shoulders. “Come on, exile. Time to remind you what realfood tastes like.”

I followedhim inside, warmth blossoming in my chest. Maybereturning here wasn’t too bad after all.

And then—

A voice I wasn’t prepared to hear sliced through theair.

“Well, well. Well, if it isn’t thegreat Naomi Carter. Back from the dead.”

My entire body stiffened.

I knew that voice.

I knew it way too well.

And suddenly my past came crashing right back atme.