LOGINShare
29
Last Updated:
2024-01-21 07:42:37Related chapters
Midnight On The Bayou 30
Sitting on the bed, I stared at my wet cast, realizing the extent of my folly. I had allowed it to get soaked in the shower, all in a desperate attempt to reach out to Kael to break through his wall of anger and pain. It dawned on me, with a heavy heart, that I had been consistently placing his needs above my own. This imbalance couldn't continue. I had to start considering my well-being, too.Reaching for my phone, I texted Cassy, seeking refuge in the comfort of sisterly bond, "The boys are driving me up the wall. Need some sister time ASAP."Her response was immediate, "Hang in there for a couple more hours. Dad's going through some tests, and Mom's really stressed out."I hesitated before replying, guilt gnawing at me, "I don't want to drag you away from the family, especially now."Cassy responded immediately, "I need to step out for a bit, too. It's getting a bit much here."Feeling slightly reassured, I went to the medbay, hoping to get my cast fixed. The sight of Naomi there,
Last Updated : 2024-01-21Midnight On The Bayou 31
I looked at Knox, his fur glistening with water from the river. "Knox, shift back, please." He hesitated, his eyes still locked on the place Kael had just vacated, but then complied. The transformation was swift, his form morphing back into the muscular, human shape I was getting so familiar with. "I knew this was a bad idea," Knox muttered in frustration. "We really don't need to keep giving him reasons to be mad." I rolled my eyes. "I'm getting really tired of him acting so childish. This is difficult for all of us, not just him." I paused, recalling my earlier encounter. "Did you know Naomi was still here?" Knox sighed, his eyes shifting to the ground. "Yeah, I saw her walking back in. She was crying, so I didn't want to say anything and make it worse for her." "That's considerate of you," I remarked, grateful for his thoughtfulness. "I wish everyone else would think about others like that. Like you do." The carefree playfulness that had defined our earlier interactions, espe
Last Updated : 2024-01-22Midnight On The Bayou 32
As we returned to the packhouse, the sight of Kael in a rush to leave again greeted us. He was in the process of stripping off his clothes, clearly intent on shifting into his wolf form. Acting impulsively, I darted towards him, grabbing his arm to halt his departure."Where are you going?" I demanded, needing to understand his urgency."On patrol," Kael muttered dismissively. He tried to pull away from me, but I held my grip.Knox interjected, "What do you need me to do, Kael?"Kael's frustration was noticeable. "Whatever, I don't fucking care what you two do," he snapped.I couldn't hold back my irritation any longer. "No, absolutely not!" I exclaimed, drawing a bewildered look from Kael. Turning to Knox, I asked, "Can you take over patrol?"Knox shifted uneasily. "I could, but... Kael, I need the command. You commanded me not to follow or patrol yesterday."My anger flared at Kael's arbitrary use of commands. "Really, Kael?" I spat out, feeling betrayed by his manipulative tactics
Last Updated : 2024-01-22Midnight On The Bayou 33
As I sat by Kael's side, running my fingers through his hair, I could feel the tension in the room. Cassy sat nearby in a chair, her eyes fixed on Kael, while Ky positioned himself strategically behind him, ready to intervene if necessary.Kael's eyes fluttered open, and I was the first thing he saw. He weakly reached up, attempting to touch my face, but his strength failed him, and his hand dropped into my lap. I squeezed it tightly, trying to ground him, to keep him connected to the here and now. To me.His lips moved silently, trying to form words, but no sound came out. He turned his head, noticing Ky's hands on his back. " Se...seizure?" he stuttered out weakly.Ky responded gently, "Yeah, but it wasn't a long one. Don't worry." Kael simply nodded, his energy fading, and turned back to face me. His eyes were bloodshot, a vivid reminder of his struggle.He lifted our intertwined hands to his face, his lips brushing against my skin. He mumbled something indiscernible, his voice ro
Last Updated : 2024-01-22Midnight On The Bayou 34
I finally succumbed to the exhaustion pulling at my eyelids. Wrapped securely around Kael, I drifted into a restless slumber, the worries of the night tangling in my dreams.I awoke a few hours later to find Kael's eyes, those deep pools of blue, watching me intently. Ky was gone, the space beside us empty.Sitting up, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and asked, "Where's Ky?"Kael's voice was steady, almost nonchalant. "I told him to go get some rest. I told him I was okay. It wasn't a long one, so I won't start seeing things."I moved closer to him, my arms wrapping around his frame. "I was so scared, Kael. I had no idea what to do..."He returned my embrace, his tone casual. "It's not a big deal, Sky. Don't worry about it, okay?"Pulling back, I searched his face. "Kael, it is a big deal. It's a huge deal, actually."He shrugged. "It's happened all my life. No one knows why. It doesn't hurt me or anything. It just sucks when it happens. So please, don't make a big deal out of it, oka
Last Updated : 2024-01-22Midnight On The Bayou 35
Kael, sitting up with a thoughtful look, broke the comfortable silence. "We really need to start a fire," he mused, looking around the room.I laughed. The idea of someone lugging firewood up to us seemed absurd. "I'm not going to ask anyone to carry firewood up those steps."He smirked, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Oh, I have just the person, actually." After sending a mental message, he turned back to me with a confident smile. "Okay, it'll be here in a little while."The ease with which he used his telepathic abilities sparked a question in my mind. "Kael, why did you lie to me?"He looked puzzled. "About what?"I sat back down beside him, my voice firm. "You told me it was dangerous to talk mentally between a wolf and a human. I've since figured out that's not true. So why did you lie?"I saw him start to deflect, and I cut in sharply, "Kael."He stopped, sighing deeply. "You're not going to let me get away with anything, are you?"I just raised an eyebrow, waiting.He relente
Last Updated : 2024-01-23Midnight On The Bayou 36
As Knox and I continued through the woods, I sent mental message after mental message to Kael, but he wasn't responding. He was too caught up in his own rage, his mind likely a mess of hurt and confusion.Turning to Knox, I communicated mentally. "He thinks we slept together."Knox's mental reply came swiftly. "I figured as much. He needs to understand that I wouldn't do that. Not until...everyone is okay with it.""Why?" I asked, curious despite the urgency of our situation.Knox's response was filled with a seriousness that misrepresented his usually light demeanor. "Despite what everyone thinks of me and my 'casual flings,' I have some class. I don't need to sleep with you to know I love you. I don't need to claim you. If you're mine, you're mine. It's not this hard. It doesn't have to be."As Knox and I raced through the woods in our wolf forms, the dense foliage brushing past us in a blur, our mental conversation continued, a mix of concern and resolve echoing in our thoughts.My
Last Updated : 2024-01-23Midnight On The Bayou 37
The tension in the tent was pronounced, a tangible force that seemed to press against my skin. Knox suddenly stood up, his expression a mixture of awe and disbelief. "Holy shit, that is intense. All you had to do was agree? That easy? Really?""Yeah, I know, right? It's fucking insane... and you're only feeling half of it, I'm sure." Kael's response was a mix of resignation and amazement. I noticed how much better Kael already looked, the strain etched on his face now seemingly eased.Confused, I interjected, "Okay, explain what you're talking about."Kael sighed. "I agreed to let him have it. Now he has his... share."Knox seemed to be reeling from the revelation. "If this is only half, holy shit, Kael. The seizures, the fucking mood swings, her, holy shit. I get it now. I get it all."Kael just shrugged, looking down at the dirt, lost in thought. He mumbled, almost to himself, "Wait until you shift again. You'll really understand then."Without hesitation, Knox stood and shifted i
Last Updated : 2024-01-23
Latest chapter
Midnight On The Bayou 189. (KNOX POV)
(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
Midnight On The Bayou 188. (KNOX POV)
(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
Midnight On The Bayou 187. (KNOX POV)
(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
Midnight On The Bayou 186. (KNOX POV)
(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
Midnight On The Bayou 185. (KY POV)
( 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
Midnight On The Bayou 184. (SKY POV)
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
Midnight On The Bayou 183. (KNOX POV)
(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
Midnight On The Bayou 182. (KNOX POV)
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
Midnight On The Bayou 181. (KNOX POV)
(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
