Mia found out three days after the fallout.
Which, frankly, was three days too late for her liking.
She didn't hear it from Cassian. Or Avery. Or even Rick. It slipped out of Clara during a casual afternoon tea, wrapped in a sentence that should not have been alarming—and yet absolutely was.
"They haven't spoken since that night."
Mia froze mid-stir.
"…What night?"
That was all it took.
By evening, a plan was already in motion.
If Cassian and Avery were going to be stubborn idiots, then she would simply remove the opportunity for them to continue being so.
So Mia organized a gathering at her house.
Not a boys' night.
Not a casual hangout.
A full invitation—husbands included, food prepared, music ready.
Everyone came.
Clara and Wren arrived together. Mason came with Jury, already complaining about traffic. Clara and jury helped Mia in the kitchen, exchanging knowing looks.
Only two people were missing.
Cassian.
Avery.
Mia checked the clock for the third time, lips twitching in satisfaction.
She had given them different times.
A neat little half-hour gap.
Just enough.
"They'll arrive separately," Mia said confidently, smoothing her dress. "They'll be forced to acknowledge each other."
Clara smiled faintly. "Or kill each other."
"Not under my roof," Mia said firmly.
The doorbell rang.
Mia's eyes lit up. "That must be—"
The door opened.
Cassian walked in.
And right beside him—
Avery.
They were mid-conversation.
"…I told you, the board will survive without you micromanaging it," Avery was saying casually.
Cassian huffed. "You say that like you don't know how incompetent they can be."
Avery smiled. Actually smiled.
"You exaggerate."
The room went dead silent.
Every head turned.
Every expression froze somewhere between shock and disbelief.
Mason's mouth slowly fell open.
Rick blinked twice.
Clara visibly choked on air.
Mia stared at them like she'd been personally betrayed by fate.
Avery glanced around, brow lifting. "Wow. You're all early."
Cassian followed his gaze, then frowned slightly. "What's with the faces?"
Mia snapped out of it. "What faces?!"
She marched toward them. "Didn't you two have a full-blown cold war going on?!"
Avery tilted his head, genuinely confused.
"Cold war?" he repeated. Then shrugged. "That's for couples not for us."
Rick made a strangled sound.
Mason slapped a hand over his mouth to stop laughing.
Cassian, completely unfazed, spoke calmly, "I already apologized."
The room collectively leaned in.
Cassian turned toward Avery, expression serious. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have spoken the way I did that night."
Then, without hesitation, "Let me say it again. Avery—I'm sorry."
Silence.
Avery blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then straightened, chin lifting with unmistakable pride. "It's fine."
Clara coughed pointedly.
Very pointedly.
Avery stiffened.
An invisible pressure swept the room—sharp, dangerous, unmistakable.
Cassian hadn't moved.
But his presence had.
Avery felt it immediately. Goosebumps rose along his arms.
"…I mean," Avery added quickly, clearing his throat, "I'm sorry too. For saying what I said."
The pressure eased.
Mia stared between them, scandalized. "That's it?!"
Cassian shrugged. "We're adults."
Avery nodded. "We disagreed. We talked. It's done."
Mason muttered, "I want whatever communication skills you two are hiding."
The tension dissolved like it had never existed.
Music started. Glasses clinked. Conversations resumed.
Cassian and Avery sat across from each other, like nothing had ever broken between them.
Mia watched them for a long moment.
Then sighed.
"…I wasted a perfectly good scheme."
Clara smiled. "At least they're fine."
Mia crossed her arms, still unconvinced. "They're too fine."
From across the room, Avery laughed at something Cassian said.
Avery glanced around the living room once more, his eyes instinctively searching corners and hallways. After a moment, he turned to Mia.
"By the way," he asked casually, "where's Annie?" Annie is the alpha daughter of mia and Rick carlen , 2 years old.
Mia paused mid-sip, then smiled softly. "Ah—she's with my mother-in-law tonight."
Avery blinked. "Really? I didn't see her last time either."
"She falls asleep early," Mia explained. "Too much noise here would disturb her. It's better this way."
Clara nodded in agreement from the couch. "That's actually good. Alpha babies need proper rest."
Mason, who had been half-listening while stealing snacks, suddenly perked up.
"Well then," he said dramatically, sliding an arm around Jury's waist, pulling him close, "maybe we should have one too."
Jury stiffened.
"Mason—" he hissed, ears turning red.
Mason leaned down, shameless, whispering right into his ear. "An alpha baby would be cute, don't you think?"
Jury swallowed, flustered, then muttered back, barely audible, "It's… it's too early."
His face was fully red now.
Rick snorted from across the room. Clara covered her smile with her hand.
Mason laughed, clearly pleased with himself, but finally loosened his grip. "Alright, alright."
Jury immediately escaped his arms. "I—I'll help Mia in the kitchen," he said quickly, already moving away.
Mia smiled knowingly. "Perfect timing. I do need help."
As they disappeared into the kitchen, Mason watched them go, grinning.
"…Worth it," he murmured.