The party gradually settled down as the night wore on. Avla, balancing the roles of mother and Luna, took Ashleigh, Avery, and Liam inside, leaving the men to handle the remnants of the celebration.Tanner, usually the life of any gathering, was noticeably subdued. His friends, including Gideon, tried to lighten his mood, but his internal struggle was apparent.Gideon, always observant, approached Hattie and shared Avery's earlier revelation. Hattie's face lit up with excitement, but Gideon's concern was evident. "Tanner isn't taking it well," he confessed.With a knowing smile, Hattie approached Tanner. "How about showing me your house? I haven't seen it yet," she suggested, dismissing the others with a wave of her hand. Tanner hesitated but obliged, leading her to his place.Once there, they settled onto the porch, the quiet of the night surrounding them. "It's not a bad thing that Avery knows her destiny. She needs it," Hattie began, her voice gentle yet firm.Tanner sighed, "But i
Over the following weeks, the serene atmosphere of the pack house was shattered by Ashleigh's relentless cries. The once calm and orderly home turned into a realm of sleepless nights and weary days. By the fifth day, Gideon and Avla resembled nothing more than walking shadows, their movements sluggish and mechanical, their eyes reflecting the profound exhaustion of caring for a constantly crying child.Ashleigh seemed inconsolable. No matter what Avla or Gideon tried, her cries pierced the walls of the pack house, creating a tension that hung in the air like a thick fog. Ashleigh's small face was often scrunched in discomfort. Her tiny fists clenched as if grappling with an unseen adversary. Despite their best efforts, soothing her seemed an almost impossible task.Amid this chaos, Avery's world was turning upside down. The once cheerful and playful child became increasingly clingy, her bright eyes often filled with confusion and distress at the unending cries of her new sibling. Whe
Gideon sat on the porch, the gentle motion of the rocking chair soothing the restless two-week-old Ashleigh in his arms. He held her carefully, feeding her with a bottle, his eyes often drifting to the playful antics of Liam and Avery in the front yard. Tanner sat on the steps, casually talking to him, both of them enjoying the simple joys of a peaceful afternoon. In the distance, the ongoing construction at the pack land buzzed with activity. New homes were being built, signaling a new beginning for many pack members. Avla, Gideon's partner, was away at Hattie's for a post-pregnancy check-up, leaving him to relish these quiet moments with his daughter. The serenity was shattered by an explosion from one of the nearby building sites. The sound was deafening, a shockwave rippling through the air. Marcus, another pack member, appeared at the door. Without a word, Gideon handed Ashleigh to him, his instincts kicking in. In a fluid motion, he transformed into his wolf form and bounded o
Avla sat by Gideon's side, her chair pulled close to his bed. The soft beep of the heart monitor provided a constant, yet unsettling background noise. Gideon lay still, a network of IVs and tubes connected to his body, his breathing assisted by a ventilator. He was in a deep coma, far removed from the vibrant man she loved.Avla's fingers gently traced invisible shapes on his arm, moving softly through his hair, seeking some form of connection, however small. Her heart ached at the sight of him so vulnerable, so distant from her reach.The door creaked open, and the doctor entered, his expression one of cautious optimism. Avla looked up, her eyes searching his for any sign of hope. "How long do you think he'll be like this?" she asked.The doctor sighed, his professional demeanor offering little comfort. "We really don't know," he admitted. "But he's already showing some improvements. The best thing you can do is talk to him, stay with him, support him, okay?"Avla nodded, clinging to
Tanner was struggling. The role of Alpha, thrust upon him in Gideon's absence, felt like a mantle too heavy to bear. His days were a constant battle, not just against the threats lurking beyond their territory, but also against the surge of power that now flowed through him, unbidden and often overwhelming. While a gift to most, this power felt like a curse to him, igniting frequent outbursts over trivial matters. Tanner didn't feel ready for this responsibility, but the power within him seemed to have a will of its own, refusing to be tamed. During one particularly tense patrol with Thomas, Tanner was convinced he could smell something sinister in the air. It was a scent he couldn't place, something he described as evil, lurking just out of sight. Despite their efforts, they found no source for this ominous presence, but the sensation of being watched and hunted clung to them with every step they took through the woods. Returning to the pack house, frustration and exhaustion et
Tanner woke up the next day to the scent of breakfast being prepared. Jorge had taken it upon himself to prepare a meal for the kids and Tanner in Tanner's kitchen, a small gesture of normalcy during their chaotic lives. Tanner descended the stairs with Avery in his arms, handing her over to Liam before excusing himself to take a shower. The sound of his phone ringing incessantly cut through the noise of the water. Frustration mounting, Tanner finally stepped out of the shower, water dripping from his body, and walked into the bedroom to grab his phone. The messages waiting for him made his heart sink. Avla's texts flooded his screen, each one more urgent than the last. Yorgan had shown up at the hospital that morning, suspected of an overdose, and after being released from the ER, he made his way to the ICU and caused a scene. Though he fled before he could be apprehended, the incident left Avla shaken, warning Tanner of the danger now looming over pack land. But what truly sent a
Avery, with a hint of reluctance, began to move Tanner's bedding from her room to the couch in Avla and Gideon's room. Tanner watched quietly as she also placed one of her own pillows on the couch but chose not to comment. Deep down, he knew Avery would likely end up with him on the couch every night, but it was important to him that she at least started the night in her own bed and made the effort to stay there. Avery asked, "Who are the bad people trying to hurt us?" Tanner momentarily questioned his decision to share the reality of their situation with her, wondering if Meave might have been right in suggesting Avery was too young for such burdens. However, the question was already posed, and he felt compelled to answer. "Do you remember your old dad? Before you came to live with us?" Tanner gently probed, treading carefully around the delicate subject. Avery looked puzzled for a moment before asking, "You mean the dad that was Mom's dad too?" "Yes, him... his name is Yorgan. Re
Tanner awoke the following day to find the situation precisely as anticipated: Avery was curled up on his chest, fast asleep. Her hair was spread across his face, a nightly occurrence that seemed to defy his awareness. He pondered how she managed this stealthy migration every night without him noticing. Part of him wondered if, deep down, he allowed it because he, too, sought that closeness. Yet, he recognized the importance of setting boundaries, not just for Avery but for himself as well. The last thing he wanted was to mishandle the delicate balance of their relationship.Carefully not to wake her, Tanner extricated himself from under Avery and left her to sleep peacefully, wrapped in his bedding. He headed for Gideon's bathroom to shower, his thoughts inevitably drifting to Gideon, lying in a coma in the hospital, and Avla, who must be exhausted from the constant vigil. Tanner resolved that he needed to visit the hospital soon, despite the insistence from others that he remain on