As we entered the restaurant, Ky was motionless at a back booth, his eyes fixed on the table. He was lost in deep thought. I approached him, sliding into the booth beside him, while Kael took the seat across.Ky, without lifting his eyes, voiced his fear. "I think she's gone. I... I think he killed her or something because I woke up, and it was all gone."Kael tried to offer some reassurance. "That doesn't always mean anything, Ky."Ky was adamant, "No, you don't understand. Everything was gone... Everything." He then pulled open his collar to reveal his neck, void of any mark.Trying to piece things together, Kael indicated, "Ky, I don't think you had it last night either."Ky confirmed, "No, I didn't, and I was feeling her detangling from me. That's why I kept complaining about my stomach."The pieces began to fall into place for me. "It kind of makes sense now, but Ky, I had just learned you marked her. I didn't know if she had marked you. I'm sorry."Ky sighed, resigning to his fa
We returned to the house to find Knox waiting on the porch. Without a word to Knox, Ky stormed past him, muttering, "I don't want to talk about it." Confused, Knox murmured, "Okay... not sure what that was about."Ky's agitation was unmistakable inside as he punched a wall and hurled objects across the room. This wasn't like him at all.Kael attempted to intervene. "Man, you need to lay down and get some rest." Ky's response was sharp, a near shout. "That's easy for you to say. Few things left could calm me down enough to make me sleep right now." Tension mounted, and it looked like Kael and Ky might come to blows, Ky's frustration boiling over. Knox, observing the escalating situation, leaned in and quietly shared with me, "I don't think he's slept since being made Alpha," If that was true, then no wonder Ky was melting down like this. Stepping between them, I placed my hands on their chests, feeling the rage pulsating through them. "You two have to stop. Kael, he needs to slee
Kyran's collapse beside me was almost as intense as the moments that led up to it. His heavy breathing was a sweet symphony to my ears, the heat of his body comforting as he curled up next to me, his face buried in my hair. The vibrations radiating from his body almost made it feel like he was purring, mixed with moans and sighs. It vividly depicted his bliss, an emotional wave he was happily riding. It was endearing, witnessing this side of him, so raw and unguarded. The differences between Kyran and Kael's post-intimacy behaviors were like comparing night and day. Kael became unexpectedly joyful and playful, while Ky seemed to savor the afterglow, clinging to our shared connection even as the physical intensity waned. "Ky... I'm a mess, you know..." I broke the comfortable silence, only half complaining. With a smile, he kissed my ear, his whisper sending shivers down my spine. "I know. Give me a minute more, and I'll help." True to his word, I nudged him again after another min
I paused, the words teetering on the brink of confession, but something held me back. Instead, I forced a small smile, shaking my head slightly. "It's nothing, just the usual fears about how we're all managing this...circumstance," I lied, brushing off the truth of what lay heavy on my heart.Knox searched my face momentarily, trying to decipher the words I hadn't said. Finally, nodding, he offered a gentle, "If you ever need to talk, you know I'm here, right?" His offer of support, even in the face of my clear evasion, was a testament to his kindness and the strength of our bond.Choosing not to reveal what had transpired between Kyran and me felt like a betrayal of the trust we shared, yet the fear of disrupting the fragile balance between us was a powerful deterrent. Kyran's unexpected entrance into the bathroom, still groggy and mumbling about a bad dream, broke the tense atmosphere like a sudden clap of thunder. His eyes, clouded with the remnants of sleep and the unease of his
After Kyran left, I found myself alone with the weight of our situation, tears streaming down my face as I lay on the bed. The emotional frenzy was overwhelming, a mix of fear, love, and uncertainty about the future. I cried for what felt like an eternity, the room echoing with the sound of my sobs and the heavy silence that followed. The door burst open, shattering the silence. One of the triplets stormed past me, his anger noticeable even without words. He headed straight for the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. The rapid sequence of actions left me stunned, trying to piece together which of the brothers had just entered. Peeking into the bathroom, I could see him already in the shower, the water cascading over him, his hair too wet to identify him immediately. However, something about his posture, build, and the set of his shoulders made me think it was Knox. "Knox? Can I..." My voice trailed off, hesitant, filled with concern and a desperate need to understand, to help i
Knox and I walked out into the main house, where the omegas were scurrying about cleaning under Cassy's supervision. It struck me then that the reality of my new role intertwined with theirs, a responsibility I was still adjusting to. Cassy was doing my job because I was too busy attempting to contain her brothers. They were a full-time job themselves. Cassy caught my eye with an expression I couldn't quite decipher, her gaze quickly diverting whenever it met mine. It was unusual, unsettling even, and I pondered the cause of her discomfort. Seizing a moment when she passed by the hall, I pulled her aside. "Cassy, what's wrong?" I asked. She glanced around nervously before ushering me into the pantry, the small space feeling even more confined as the door clicked shut behind us. We fumbled briefly in the dim light before it flickered on, illuminating her worried face. "Well, I went to check on you and Ky after they left, and... it seemed you were napping together. Except, it was cl
Knox caught his pants, his expression hardening as he shifted into action. I watched, suddenly feeling very exposed and small, as they prepared to face whatever awaited us. The moment had passed, the bubble had burst, and now it was time to face the reality of our lives once again.I couldn't just sit there, frozen in the aftermath of what had happened. So, I got up and began to dress, my movements automatic, my mind racing. Kael stood there, visibly shaking, the tremors running through his body a testament to the rage he was barely keeping in check. It was a side of him I knew existed but had never been directed at me like this.Compelled by a need to soothe, to mend what had been broken, I reached out to him, only for him to sharply pull away. "No, do not touch me right now," he all but screamed at me. His rejection stung, but I understood. This was not the time or place for comfort.Knox, looking equally lost, caught my eye, his expression one of uncertainty. He was also struggling
Ky surrendered to his grief. He lay on his old bed. His sobs cut through the silence, raw and unguarded, a testament to the depth of his pain.I snuggled close to him. My body curved around his. My arms tightened around him, a silent promise that he wasn't alone in his sorrow. Knox joined us, an unwavering presence in the face of our shared despair. He sat on the bed, his hand resting on Ky's shoulder.Ky's voice broke through his sobs, a single question that carried the weight of a thousand words, "Where's Kael?""Handling everything...and he knows, Ky. About us," I whispered. Ky's question came between sobs, his voice raising an octave. "He knows? How does he know?"I took a deep breath, steadying myself for the confession. "I told him."His response was immediate, a mix of disbelief and hurt coloring his words. "Why did you do that? Right now, no less?"Knox intervened."He sort of forced it out of her. You know how he is."Kael's return to the house was anything but peaceful. The
(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