(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
(KAEL POV) Mom and Ezra had taken Nola and Huck, insisting we rest. "You all look like zombies," she said firmly. "The babies don't need to see you like this." I couldn't argue with her logic, but the thought of this becoming a recurring issue worried me. I didn't want my children to grow up under the same dark cloud I had. I was just starting to drift off, Skyla safely wrapped in my arms, feeling my brothers' hands resting on my shoulder and back. The happiness of being home without Burk's shadow looming over me was enormous. Suddenly, my dad's shouting shattered the peaceful silence. He burst into our room without even knocking. "Kael, get up! Come with me." Reluctantly, I untangled myself from Sky and my brothers. "Stay here. I'll handle this," I mumbled as I tucked Sky in Knox's arms. She rolled into him and buried her face in his chest. I knew what was coming as I made my way down the hall. When the door to his office closed, he was in my face, totally irate. "How could
(SKY POV) Laying in the backseat between Kael and Knox, the drive to the bayou felt heavy with the weight of everything we'd just learned. The revelation that they were supposed to be one person split into three had left Kael and Knox visibly upset. I could feel the tension radiating from both of them. Knox broke the silence first. "You have no idea how much this messes with my head. Knowing I was given pheromones then. It's like my whole sense of self was engineered." Ky nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and it's not just that we were split into three. It's everything that followed." Kael continued, his voice shaking with frustration. Knox growled in frustration. "Fletcher and Burk must have been giving me so much. I remember days when I... Fuck, when I masturbated like eight times. Eight damn times. I couldn't think of anything else. Those days, I ended up at the bar with the girls. Sometimes two. I was totally out of control, far worse than any of you know." He took a deep breat
(SKY POV) After a long, exhilarating day on the boat, catching fish and watching Teddy wrestle an alligator, we made our way to the Bayou Pack House. Today had been an eye-opener into the raw and wild side of Bayou life. As we approached the house, the laughter and music grew louder. The triplets, Cassy, and I were wide-eyed, taking in the chaotic scene. People were everywhere. Some were dancing, others were eating, and a surprising number were just lounging around completely naked. The amount of alcohol flowing freely was enough to make any frat party seem tame by comparison. We found a spot near the barbecue where Teddy was holding court, flipping pieces of gator meat on a makeshift grill made from old bathtubs. He greeted us with a wide grin, his face still smudged with dirt from the hunt. "Grab a plate, y'all! Plenty to go around!" he bellowed. Cassy was the first to dive in. Her enthusiasm was contagious. She was loving every minute here with this pack. I'm sure it w
(KNOX POV) The hot water washed over me, but it did little to cleanse away the filth I felt clinging to my skin. I replayed the day's events, the chaos at the Bayou Pack House, Phin's drunken antics, and the overwhelming pressure Teddy faced trying to keep things under control. I tried to help him to distract myself, but it was hard not to think about that asshole down where we killed him. The memories of Fletcher and Burk's manipulations overshadowed everything else. They had pumped us full of high-level pheromones, turning my body into a ticking time bomb of uncontrollable desire. The need to mate had been unbearable, pushing me to the brink of madness a few times. At the time, I didn't know what was happening to me. I thought it was just part of being an alpha, part of the raw, untamed power we were supposed to wield. I thought about the countless times I had to sneak away just to find some relief. During early morning training sessions, I would slip into the bathroom multip
(KNOX POV) The sensation was both a relief and the connection I desperately needed. As Sky wrapped her arms around me, I felt grounded for the first time in what seemed like ages. Her soft gasps and whispered encouragements drove me on, each movement bringing us closer and pulling me further away from those horrible thoughts.I could feel her soft skin against me, the gentle rise and fall of her breath as our bodies moved in sync.Each thrust seemed to have a purpose, a silent vow to love and protect her, to make up for all the times I felt I had failed. And I had failed so many times. Her hands traveled up my back, her nails lightly scraping my skin, making me tremble and want more. Her breathy moans echoed in my ears and urged me on. The fiery bliss built quickly, overwhelming the lingering shame and guilt. I focused on her, on the way her eyes fluttered closed, the way her lips parted with each deep thrust. She was it. She was my everything. "Knox," she whispered. "Don't sto
(SKY POV)After leaving the shower with Knox, I helped him to bed and tucked him in beside Ky in our giant bed. His anxiety over what happened had drained him. I kissed his forehead softly, whispering goodnight before leaving the room.I headed down the hallway to check on Kael and the twins. As I approached the living room, I couldn't help but smile. Kael and Nola were still racked out on the couch together, just as I had left them. Nola was resting on Kael's chest, her tiny arm stretched above her head, mimicking her father perfectly. They were so alike, even in sleep. I snapped a quick picture, capturing the sweet moment.Satisfied they were comfortable, I moved on to the nursery. Huck was still asleep in his crib, blissfully unaware of the earlier chaos. I gently brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. He was my peaceful little boy. He was happy away from all the crazy energy of the rest of the house. I lingered in the nursery, watching Huck sleep. The soft hum of the nightl
(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