Katelyn Grey, an 18-year-old girl with a feisty spirit and an iron will, finds herself caught up in a destiny she never desired. After being thrown out of her Colorado home, where she lived under her sister’s shadow and was a constant source of disappointment and irritation for her parents, she ends up in Oregon at the River Gorge Pack. This was supposed to be a new start for her, a chance to spread her wings and be herself without constantly feeling like a failure to her family, but life has other plans in store for her. She arrives just in time for the Annual Mating Celebration, but Katelyn refuses to attend, viewing the practice as outdated and a violation of one's freewill. Fate has other plans in store for her though. While nursing a broken heart, she unintentionally meets her mate, Tyler, causing Katelyn to question her preconceived notions and wonder whether she was the one who had been naive. Tyler Valentine is the future Alpha of the River Gorge Pack, which would make Katelyn the future Luna, a title she isn't eager to accept. But as if that wasn't enough, fate has a cruel twist in store for Katelyn, and she discovers that she is also mated to Tyler's twin brother, Ryder. Ryder is the chaos that cuts through the calm. While Tyler is thoughtful and composed, Ryder is reckless and impulsive, leaving Katelyn to navigate the complexities of these two very different men. While trying to come to terms with this new reality, Katelyn discovers her own hidden strengths, but this only adds another layer of complication to an already complicated situation. Then, just as she feels like she's starting to get some kind of control of her life once more, her past comes calling.
View More(Tyler's POV)The Fortress was as busy as ever. People milled around the gym, sparring, chatting, working out, the usual. The faint smell of sweat mingled with disinfectant hung in the air.I scanned the room, hoping to see Ryder beating the shit out of a punching bag or leaning against the wall, smirking at someone’s terrible form, but there was no sign of him.He didn't come here often, so my hopes weren't high to start with, but it was still disappointing when he was nowhere to be seen.If he wasn't in the gym, he didn't really have much reason to be here otherwise. But even so, I figured I may as well make the most of it and do a thorough check of the building.Making my way down the hallway that led to all the meeting rooms and classrooms, I peeked into a few of the rooms where I knew I wouldn't be interrupting anything important. Along the way, I ran into a few familiar faces, but no one I asked had seen him around.With no sign of him here and no solid leads, I stepped back out
(Katelyn's POV)Two days had passed since The Elders had left, and the weight of their impending decision hung over us like a miserable storm cloud. Everyone seemed to be carrying it differently. Tyler busied himself with pack matters, his steady demeanor a calm anchor amidst the uncertainty. Liz had thrown herself into the house, preparing meals and cleaning each and every nook and cranny as if that might somehow scrub away the tension that had been building. David had been quieter than usual, which was its own kind of unsettling.And Ryder? Ryder had been... absent.At first, I didn't think much of it. Ryder wasn't one to stick to predictable routines. He moved at his own pace and showed up where and when he wanted, usually with some sarcastic comment or mischievous grin.But today was different. I hadn't seen him since the morning when he'd looked a little out of it and had just told me he had a lot on his mind. That was it. That was the last time I had seen him. It was late afterno
(Katelyn's POV)I stared at Helen, my mind spinning with her words. Each revelation felt like a hammer blow, shattering any illusions I’d clung to about where this was going.“So, then what’s the point?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. “What’s the point of learning to control my abilities if it won’t make any difference? If they’re just going to see me as some kind of… resource?” The word tasted bitter in my mouth.Helen sighed, her gaze softening as she looked at me. “It’s not that simple, Katelyn. I won’t lie to you, there will always be those who see you as a means to an end. A 'resource', as you put it. That’s not going to change overnight. But that being said, things are changing. Times are changing and so is the way people think.”“Yeah, not fast enough,” I sneered, the frustration bubbling inside me.“No,” Helen admitted, nodding. “Not fast enough. But they ARE changing. And people like you? People like us? We’re the ones who will push those changes forward. We're th
(Katelyn's POV)I heard the vague sound of hurried footsteps approaching us, but I made no attempt to lift my head from Ryder's chest to see who it was. In my mind, I had pictured Liz coming to offer me some comfort, but when Ryder spoke, I realized my assumption must have been off."I don't think she wants to talk to you," he said, his voice firm and protective as he still clutched me tightly."Please," Helen's voice begged, "I just need a minute. I just want to explain—"But Tyler cut her off. "Listen, Helen, we appreciate how you've tried to assist with Simon and all that, but I think she just needs some space right now. There's nothing you can say that's going to fix this. It seems pretty obvious that the Council of Elders has their own agenda here," he stated, trying to keep his words firm without coming across as hostile."Katelyn," Helen tried again, refusing to give up, but Ryder simply rotated me away from her, standing as a barrier between us with his back towards her.I hea
(Katelyn's POV)The heavy doors of The Fortress loomed ahead, the rain tapping against their dark metal surface. I stood between Ryder and Tyler, with Liz and David just behind us. The soft drizzle felt like icy pinpricks against my skin, but I barely noticed it, too preoccupied by the weight that pressed down on my chest. We stepped into the gym, which seemed a little busier than usual, reminding me that life went on as normal for everyone else. For me... This all felt anything but normal. I still felt like I'd been living in this weird state of limbo for the past couple of weeks. I hated it. It felt like I had no stability, no sense of certainty about anything.I was still in some kind of daze as Tyler and Ryder led me down the hallway to the meeting room. I felt my chest tightening more and more, the anxiety mounting with each step that led me closer to my fate.We stepped into the all too familiar oppressive atmosphere that seemed to accompany every meeting here. Helen stood a
(Katelyn's POV)The scenery blurred past my window, a mixture of towering evergreens and the dull gray of an overcast sky. My forehead rested against the cool glass, and I barely noticed the low hum of the radio in the background. Tyler drove while Ryder sat beside him in the front seat, and David and Liz followed behind us in David's truck.They had been so sweet and reassuring, promising us that they were on our side and whatever happened today, we would all get through it together.Despite the anxiety coiling inside my chest, it felt good to know that they were with us... that they supported us. This was what family was and it felt good to be a part of it.I'd tuned out of the world around me, focusing only on the thoughts that swirled through my head as the rhythmic motion of the car lulled me deeper into some weird kind of trance.My nerves were on edge. Today was the day. The day that the Elders would deliver their final decision. As I sat there, barely conscious of the fact t
(Katelyn's POV)I left the meeting room with my pulse thundering and my whole body shaking with rage. I knew storming out hadn’t been the most professional choice, but I couldn’t stand another second under Simon’s hateful scrutiny.His sharp words kept echoing in my mind, cutting deep, stinging like they’d left invisible scars.I made my way down the corridor, every step I took matching the furious beat of my heart. I headed straight back to the gym where Ryder and Tyler were waiting. The second they saw me they both straightened up, obviously sensing something was off.“We’re leaving,” I announced, jaw set and fists clenched.Tyler raised an eyebrow. “Are you done?”“They might not be done, but I am,” I said, my voice still brimming with anger.Ryder’s eyes narrowed with concern. “What happened?”“Fucking Simon, that’s what happened!” I shot back, barely able to contain the fury in my voice. “He wanted a 'demonstration'. He said they need to ‘figure out what to do with me,’ like I’m
(Katelyn's POV)When I returned to the meeting room it was just as cold and clinical as it had been when I left it. Simon's inescapable black aura continued to fill the room and I was more desperate than ever to get this over with now. This was so draining.My break hadn't felt like much of a break at all. I'd just spent the time sitting with Tyler and Ryder in the gym, bitching about Simon while I ate snacks from the vending machine. They had both been very encouraging, which I was grateful for, but now that I was back in this room, it was like none of that mattered anymore. It was like it had never even happened as I slipped back into the unease of the room."Welcome back," Helen greeted me with a nod. "Are you ready to continue?" she asked, picking her papers up and tapping them on the desk in front of her to align them better."I guess," I replied with an unenthusiastic shrug before I took my seat once more.The crack in the table still stared up at me, but I chose to ignore it, w
(Katelyn's POV)“Interesting,” Simon murmured, tapping his pen against the table. “So, just to be clear, you’re saying that every sign of affection, every ‘thank you’, every touch, everything he describes... it was all just part of your… performance?”I felt the words clawing their way up my throat, bitter and furious. “Yes, Simon. Every smile, every ‘thank you,’ every ‘gesture’ was nothing but a lie. I was playing a part. I was playing it for my survival. If you can’t understand that then it's clear to me that you've never been desperate enough," I spat, wondering how he had even managed to be included on this Council in the first place.His mouth twisted into a smirk. “Or maybe it’s just a convenient excuse.”Helen snapped, her voice sharper now. “Enough, Simon!” But I wasn't quite ready to let this go."Why are you here, Simon?! Whose agenda are you trying to force?! It's clear to me that you don't c—" but Roderick cut me off."I think that's enough from both of you. Simon, as we'v
I stomped along the deserted pavement, my mood as dark and brooding as the fast approaching storm clouds overhead. The library had been my escape from the overhyped Mating Celebration, but even the quiet rustle of pages and the familiar smell of old books hadn’t been enough to calm my irritation. The pack's obsession with this archaic tradition grated on me more than I cared to explain. That, and the fact that my family had booted me out of my home in Colorado and shipped me off to stay with my aunt here in Oregon almost a week ago now.The distant sounds of laughter and music from the celebration drifted through the air. It annoyed me. I couldn’t understand why everyone put so much stock in finding their 'destined mate.' The whole concept felt oppressive, like we were all just pawns in some preordained plan. The idea of 'mates' meant that there was no room for freewill, and that was something that just never sat well with me.My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me out of my thought
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