(KAEL POV) The first few days with Nola and Huckley were a mess of emotions. The hospital room, with its sterile walls and constant hum of medical equipment, had become our temporary home. Sky and I sat on the narrow bed, cradling our newborns, while Knox and Ky hovered close by, their faces alight with wonder and exhaustion. Nola was a bundle of energy, her tiny fists waving and her cries demanding immediate attention. She seemed to have inherited Sky's fiery spirit and my intensity. Every squirm and every wail felt like a declaration that she was ready to take on the world, even from her first moments. Huck, in contrast, was calm and serene. He slept more, his little face often crinkled in a peaceful expression, his needs communicated with soft coos rather than urgent cries. Watching the two of them, it was clear that Nola would lead the charge while Huckley would bring balance and tranquility to their lives. Sky looked at me, her eyes tired but shining with love. "The
(KAEL POV)She looked at me like I was a monster. I was her father, that much I was sure of, and she thought I was a monster. My heart shattered into a million pieces. Knox burst into the room. I handed Nola to him, my hands trembling uncontrollably. I was really thankful I didn't drop her in the process. "I can't do this, Knox. I'm hurting her now. I can't even hold her. I can't even hold my own child because I'm that dangerous.""You weren't hurting her," Knox insisted, cradling Nola, who was cooing softly. "You were just scared. It's okay. Look at her, Kael. She is totally fine."His attempts to reassure me did nothing. Literally nothing. I was too far gone.Nola's terrified face was etched into my mind. I couldn't shake the guilt or the fear that I was a danger to my own children. The mere thought of causing them harm was unbearable. I would burn down the entire fucking world to stop something from hurting them. I would kill myself before I hurt them.After that night, I stop
(SKY POV) The next day, I sat with Missy and Cassy in the living room. The twins were each holding a baby and feeding them bottles. We were all on edge, trying to stay calm and not give in to panic. All the guys were out searching for Kael. Gerald, Knox, Kyran, Fabian, and even Teddy and Phin had joined the search. They had been gone for about six hours. "So, they can eat from you and a bottle? Does it hurt when they... when you..." Koda asked with a strange look on his face. I smiled gently. "Breastfeed? You can say it. There's nothing bad or taboo about it. It's how people have fed their babies since the world began. And to answer your question, yes, sometimes it hurts." Missy chimed in, "But as a mom, we don't even notice." I glanced over at her, a little skeptical. The babies were alphas, and it was clear in everything they did. They were even aggressive when feeding. Maybe she didn't notice, but I suspected she didn't get the chance to breastfeed the triplets. "Mis
(KAEL POV)Sitting in the hollow of an old, gnarled tree, I tore into the rabbit, savoring the raw meat. Blood smeared my fur. I was not too fond of the sensation, but hunger clawed at my insides. This wasn't the worst of it. At least I'd found a rabbit this time. I'd resorted to rats a few times and threw them up the second I reverted to human. At least I had a place to go now. I'd settled on the edge of the bayou land in the rogue territory once I realized any attempt to distance myself would create more issues with Burk. I dug until I had created a cave of earth and roots that now twisted above my head. It was my sanctuary now. This was my exile. I shifted back to human, flinging the remains against the dirt wall where Burk's ghost loomed. The bastard smirked at me. "Never liked rabbit myself. Bet it's even worse tasting it with human senses," Burk sneered. "Go to hell," I snarled. "Get out of my head." "Not possible, son. You're stuck with me. How's that
(SKY POV)I sprawled across the pillow nest Knox and Kyran had made in the nursery. The babies sensed Kael's absence and were restless, fidgeting, and crying more than usual. We practically lived in the nursery for the last two weeks before Kael returned. Knox sat in the rocking chair with Huck asleep on his chest while Kyran lay on the floor, eyes closed, holding Nola's hand through the crib bars as she babbled away. Nola never seemed to sleep. They were six weeks old now and had found their voices. Nola never slept, and she never stopped babbling. It was almost like she had something to say and would keep talking until we started understanding her. Cassy burst into the room, urgency waking everyone. "Wake up! Teddy smells Kael. He's on the bayou land!"My heart skipped a beat. "What should we do?"Cassy's eyes glazed over for a second as she mind-linked with Teddy. "He says he's bringing Kael to his house. Everyone needs to stay calm. He's fine, skinny, but fine. We can go see
(SKY POV) Knox left and then quickly returned inside, a bag of clothes in hand. "These should make you feel a little better," he said, handing them over. Kael nodded and took the bag, heading to the bedroom to change out of Teddy's borrowed clothes. I followed, carrying Nola. Knox and Kyran took Huck outside to play with Cassy and Teddy, who were on the porch sorting crawfish for an event the bayou pack was having tonight. I sat down on the bed, watching Kael as he changed. He'd lost so much weight. His muscles had faded, and bruises covered his skin from head to toe. His clothes hung loosely. "You're not healing," I whispered. He paused, looking over his shoulder at me. "I stayed off Monroe land. As soon as we go back, it'll get better." My heart ached at the sight of him. His condition was a glaring sign of his suffering. "Kael, you did this to yourself. It scares me. How could you let yourself get like this?" I started sobbing. Nola started fussing at me, clearly upset
(SKY POV) Returning to Monroe Land with Kael felt like a miracle. After a month without him, it was like breathing again. Missy took the twins and told us to enjoy the night. Kael suggested we go to the tower, and we all agreed. Climbing the stairs, we each grabbed wood for the fire. Kael's shivering reminded us of the cold he endured. The fire crackled to life as Knox quickly worked to stoke it. Kael sat closest, his eyes locked on the flames. "The further I got from the bayou, the stronger Burk's ghost became," Kael began, staring into the fire. "By the time I reached the Canadian border, it felt like he was right there about to hurt me. I couldn't escape him, not even in my dreams." Ky sat on the other side of him. He wrapped his arm around him as he spoke. Kael continued, his voice distant as his eyes remained locked on the flames. "The cold up north was unbearable. I went to sleep as a wolf and woke up human, shivering and disoriented. A few times, I thought I wouldn't
(SKY POV) It was the first playfulness I'd seen in him, and I laughed softly. "Uh, no," I said, quickly shifting off him and taking him into my mouth. His moan turned into a growl, and he grabbed my hair, his hips bucking. "Oh shit, Sky," he gasped, exploding in my mouth. I put my hands on his hips to keep him from hurting me as the intensity overwhelmed him. Afterward, I pulled the blanket back tightly around us. "I missed you so much," I whispered. Kael hugged me tightly. "You'll never have to again," he promised. Tracing patterns in the new hair on Kael's chest and stomach, I couldn't help but smile as I "erased" them and started again. His laugh vibrated through his body as he pulled the blanket over our heads to watch me. "I'll get it all shaved off soon," he said. "I don't know, I kinda like it," I replied with a grin. He snorted. "Well, tell one of the other two because I've been dreaming of a razor since I saw the one in Teddy's shower." "Okay, okay, remind me to
(KNOX POV)Teddy called later that day. I could hear the hesitation in his voice, which was rare for him. "Knox, I just heard Essie's been seen near the old rogue housing units by the beach. They said she is staying in the stray house near the edge," he told me. He didn't have to say more. I knew exactly where he meant.It was the same place I had taken her before when things were spiraling out of control.I didn't want to bring anyone with me, especially not Sky. The memories of how deep I had fallen, how Burk and Fletcher manipulated me into that dark pit of sex addiction, were too raw. She didn't need to see that side of me. No one did. This was something I had to face alone.The truck's engine roared to life, the same one I'd driven that night years ago. I prayed she'd recognize the truck, which would trigger something in her or at least make her talk to me about that night.As I pulled up to the house, my heart pounded against my ribs. The place looked as rundown as ever. I sa
(KNOX POV)Sitting at the kitchen table, my phone buzzed with a notification. It was a message from the pediatrician's office about Oxxy's upcoming surgery. They asked about insurance information and the final payment arrangements. I didn't hesitate to respond that I'd pay cash. Money wasn't an issue when it came to Oxxy's well-being.The reply came almost immediately, but it wasn't what I expected. They mentioned needing some papers signed and, since I wasn't the custodial parent, they would need his mom's signature to proceed.My heart sank. I stared at the message, trying not to panic. The thought of needing Essie's involvement made my stomach twist. She had been out of the picture after running away from the rehab, and now they were saying we needed her? It felt like a slap in the face.Sky entered the room and noticed the strain in my posture. "What's wrong?" I didn't say anything, just handed her the phone. After reading the message, she sighed and ran her fingers through my
(KNOX POV)"We found him."The delta's voice crackled over the radio, and everything around me seemed to freeze. Still, I couldn't fully relax. I needed to see him with my own eyes. Needed to know he was safe."Where?" I shouted into the radio, desperation pushing my voice louder than intended."By the pond," came the reply. "He's just sitting there, Knox. You need to get down here."I didn't wait for more information. I shifted and sprinted through the woods, driven by the overwhelming need to reach him. My heart raced, thoughts spiraling through every possible scenario. The idea of him being out there all alone and the what-could-have-happened scenarios if we hadn't found him made me sick to my stomach.Seeing him nearly brought me to my knees as I reached the pond. He was perched on a large rock, his little legs swinging back and forth like he hadn't just scared us all half to death. Relief hit me so hard that I almost stumbled, but I kept moving."Oxxy!" I called out, rushing tow
(KNOX POV)As soon as I returned to the house, the pressure hit me like a physical force. Something was wrong. Really wrong. The packhouse was eerily quiet. I barely had time to process the change from dead still to chaos before Ky rushed up to me, panic radiating off him."Knox, we lost Oxxy."That knocked the wind out of me. My heart started pounding so hard it felt like it might burst. "What do you mean you lost him? How could you let him out of your sight?" The panic in my voice was undeniable, but I couldn't help it. The fear was already taking over, squeezing at my chest like a vise.Ky's eyes were wide with fear. "I'm sorry, I just... I turned around for a second, and he was gone. I thought he was just running back to the house, but he's nowhere Knox. We can't find him. Where the hell could he have gone? It was less than a minute."The blood drained from my face as the reality of what he was saying hit me. Oxxy was missing. I immediately jumped to the worst possible scenari
( KY POV )I watched Cassy practically force Teddy into his truck after she tossed Phin in the back seat. I stepped toward her, hoping to say something that might calm her down. Before I could say anything, she spun around. "Before you lecture me, you need to go talk to your two lookalikes inside before I kill them!" she yelled.She quickly caught herself and apologized. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, Ky. It's just... They need to get their shit together. This isn't the time to act like kids."I sighed, taking a few deep breaths before heading inside. If I was being honest, I was tired of it too. We had three kids now, and this constant chaos couldn't keep happening. We had to figure out how to handle this before it tore us apart. Or they had to grow up in the kinds of messes we did. As I made my way to the packhouse, my thoughts drifted back to Naomi. I had been in love with her for nearly a decade. We were marked and bonded, and I was ready to spend my life with her. But then she
SKY POVI was doing everything I could to help Knox handle Oxxy, but it felt like trying to put a band-aid on a gaping wound. Knox was beyond frustrated with himself for allowing Oxxy to see the fight and hear everything accidentally. After sending Oxxy to his room to gather his cars so they could play together on the porch, he paced the room."I can't believe I let him see that, Sky," Knox muttered. "He's just a kid. He shouldn't have to deal with this damn mess."I watched as he tried to pull himself together, knowing how much this was tearing him apart. I reached out, taking his hand. "We'll make it right, Knox. We'll make sure Oxxy knows he's safe with us. He seemed okay?"Before he could respond, the door opened, and Kael stormed in. "What the hell happened?"Knox didn't hesitate. "Phin said his Dad used black magic to block finding out who Oxxy's father is. We got into it. Cassy left to drive Phin and Teddy back to the Bayou land.""She drove them back? Alone? As volatile as the
(KNOX POV)We returned from the run, but what we needed to do was still heavy on my mind. As we approached the packhouse, I braced myself for the conversation with Cassy. I knew she wouldn't want to hear anything about Teddy's past, especially when it involved someone else, but we couldn't avoid it any longer.When we walked into the living room, Cassy was already on edge. I could see how she held herself, tense and ready for a fight. "Cassy, we need to talk," I started, trying to ease into it.She didn't give me an inch. "About what?" she asked, her arms crossed defensively."It's about Oxxy… and Teddy, and everything that happened," I said, knowing this wouldn't go well no matter how I worded it."I don't want to talk about Teddy being with someone else, Knox. I can't.""I get it, Cass," I stated. "But we need to figure this out for Oxxy's sake. Wouldn't you want to know if he was the... Wouldn't you care?"She stared at me, anger flashing in her eyes as she started to pace. "You th
KNOX POVSky found me asleep on the floor in Oxxy's room, curled up beside his bed like a helpless puppy guarding his toy. I had one arm draped over his small body, trying to offer comfort. Probably more for me than him. He was content, totally unaware of my messy thoughts. I hoped it would always remain that way. He'd been through enough already to have to also handle adults with big emotions.Oxxy was snuggled up in his bed, his tiny malnourished body barely taking up any space, his breathing even and calm. I didn't know how long I'd been there, but it must've been a while because the hard floor beneath me was making my back scream."Knox," Sky whispered as she knelt beside me. "Do you want to go for a run? I think it will do you some good."I blinked awake, my eyes heavy with exhaustion. I knew she was right. I needed to clear my head. "Yeah," I muttered, rubbing my eyes. "Let's go. But don't wake the other two." The last thing I wanted was for Kael and Ky to join us. I needed to
(KNOX POV)Cassy sat across from me, twisting around a loose thread on the couch. "Teddy's convinced Oxxy isn't yours," she finally said. "He thinks Oxxy's actually Ferdinand's."I stared at her, struggling to process what she was saying. "What? That's impossible.""They found out after that Ferdinand was also sleeping with her," she continued, not looking at me."Who's 'they'?" I asked."Essie and Phin were involved. Pretty intensely, from what I've gathered. And I'm pretty sure Teddy was in on it too, even though he won't admit it outright."I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me."There's no way Oxxy isn't mine, Cassy."Cassy sighed, finally looking at me. "Knox, they were all pretty close. Maybe too close. I don't think they were trying to hide it. Teddy told me that Essie and Ferdinand were... well, let's just say they weren't just friends."I shook my head, refusing to accept what she was saying. "Oxxy looks like me. If he were Ferdinand's, he wouldn't have bl