I watched as Juno, Ash, and Cal made their way through the crowd toward the stage to set up. The energy in the club was electric and anticipation buzzed in the air.Ryder took the opportunity to wrap his arms around me from behind again, whispering in my ear, “I’m glad you came.”I turned my head slightly to look at him, feeling his warmth against me. “I’m glad too. I’m having a really good time,” I replied with a smile.He nodded with a satisfied grin on his face. “I’m going to the bar for another drink. Do you want one?”I shook my head. “No, thanks. I’m still working on this one.”Gizmo, who had been chatting with Ben, suddenly piped up. “I’m heading to the bathroom. Do you want to come, Kate?”“Sure, I’ll come,” I said, realizing that I'd better go now if I didn't want nature to call in the middle of Ash's set.Ryder and Ben headed off to the bar, and I followed Gizmo and Bailey to the bathroom. It was as one may have expected in a crowded nightclub. Grimey and unpleasant. But ne
The drive home seemed to go much faster than the drive there as Ryder and I laughed and joked together, talking about the gig and his friends as the energy from the evening still buzzed in the air between us."So," I began, unable to contain my curiosity any longer, "are Juno and Ash like a thing?" I asked.Ryder chuckled. "No, Juno is more into girls. She likes boys too. Mostly girls though."I was a little surprised. That definitely wasn't the answer I was anticipating, but it didn't faze me. She was cool regardless.I hesitated for a moment before asking the question that had really been burning in my mind. "So, what's the deal with Bailey? She didn't seem to be too pleased to meet me."Ryder sighed. "Uh... Bailey and I were together briefly, but nothing really came of it. It was a while ago."I nodded, having suspected as much but I was glad to hear it directly from him. It didn't change anything really.As we neared his house, I messaged my aunt to let her know that I was staying
(Ryder's POV)She'd agreed to stay over and I was brimming with excitement and anticipation.The drive back home was almost a blur, and the electricity between us lingered on, a sure sign that she'd forgiven me for being such a moron the night before."So," Kate began, her curiosity obvious, "are Juno and Ash like a thing?" she asked.I chuckled, glad for the distraction. "No, Juno is more into girls. She likes boys too, but mostly girls."Kate looked a little surprised initially, but she brushed it off quickly."So, what's the deal with Bailey? She didn't seem too pleased to meet me," she went on, her eyes focused on me as if she already knew the answer and just wanted to hear me admit it.I'd known the question was bound to pop up at some point. Bailey didn't exactly hide her feelings. She never had. We were what you might call 'friends with benefits', and there had been a time when there had been a lot of benefits, but she got clingy and possessive and I couldn't deal with it, so I
Morning came and for a moment, I hoped it had all been a bad dream. I was sorely disappointed when looked down and saw that I was still wearing the clothes I had worn the night before and felt that crusty, burning sensation of having slept with my makeup on. It was real. It had happened.I rolled over, pulling the covers over my head as I recalled the silent drive home with Tyler the night before. He'd been gentle and supportive, even though I had refused to tell him what was going on. He hadn't wanted to leave me, but I was pretty insistent, saying I just wanted to be alone.As I lay in my bed now, I listened to the birds chirping their happy little songs outside. I'd always found it difficult to come to terms with the fact that life went on for everyone else when you felt so depressed.I just wanted to stay in bed and sleep all day, but my bladder and grumbling stomach had other plans for me. I had to work myself up, giving myself a little pep talk to try and summon the energy neces
Me:Yeah, I'll answerAlmost immediately, my phone rang in my hand. A surge of panic flooded through me as I realized I now had to confront this situation with him."Hey," I answered, not sure what else to say really."Hey," he replied, sounding equally uncertain.There was a moment of silence that hung between us, heavy and uncomfortable.Finally, Ryder spoke up. "I'm really sorry about last night. That wasn't how I anticipated the evening going.""I can't say it met my expectations either," I agreed, my voice harsher than I had intended."I never meant to hurt you, Kate," he said, sounding genuinely regretful."You keep saying that but then you keep fucking up!" I blurted in frustration.There was silence for a moment."Are you home?" he asked, his tone sharp."Why?" I asked evasively."Are you home?" he repeated, firmer this time."Yes," I replied simply."I'm coming over," he said, dropping the call before I even had the chance to protest.As I waited for him to arrive, I paced ar
Ryder had left, but not before we made plans to hang out together the next day.Once he was gone, I grabbed my phone and messaged Tyler to let him know. He had been worried about me and I wanted to let him know that I was in a better frame of mind now.Me:Just wanted to let you know that Ryder came over and we talked and I think things are OK. I'm OK. Miss you ❤️Tyler:Glad to hear that. Let me know if you need anything, OK? Miss you too ❤️The rest of the week went by in a blur. Ryder and I spent every day hanging out together at his house again. It was like it had been before, but now that we both knew the boundaries, I think we both felt more comfortable. Neither of us pushed it, and in a way, it was a relief to have that understanding.Friday rolled around, and we were lounging in his recording studio. Ryder was sitting at his desk with his headphones on, working on a track, while I was curled up on the couch, reading a book. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable as we were
We remained at the stream a while longer and, at last, that feeling of belonging began to seep into me, diminishing some of the fear and anxiety that had been twisting in my stomach.I can't say I felt anything change between Ryder and I though. Nothing clicked into place like it had with Tyler and me. I wasn't sure if that meant something or if it was because Ryder and I were already pretty close.Eventually, Ryder nudged me, urging me up, saying he had to get back to work.I didn't want to leave the forest though. The peaceful tranquility I felt here was soothing to my soul and I wanted to stay a little longer."Can I stay for a while longer?" I asked."Sure," Ryder replied, giving me a curious look. "Will you be able to find your way back?"I nodded, then went into a bit of an explanation, feeling like it might help ease his curiosity. "I just feel more relaxed here and I don't want to leave yet. But I want to discuss this whole thing when Tyler is home. I'll be back before it gets
Tyler looked at me with a mixture of concern and determination. "So, what do you want to do about Mary?"I blinked in surprise. "What do you mean? Like, do you mean kill her?!" The shock in my voice was evident.Tyler chuckled, but Ryder's face remained serious. "I would if I could," he muttered darkly.Tyler shook his head, still smiling. "No, that punishment wouldn’t fit the crime. But we could maybe makean example of her at the Luna Eclipse Celebration."I bit my lip, feeling uncomfortable with the idea. "I don't know, Tyler. Public humiliation feels a little harsh, even if what she did was wrong."Tyler nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. There should be some repercussion, though.""Let me think about it a bit. Then we can talk again," I suggested, still unsure of what the right course of action would be.Tyler hesitated before making another suggestion. "Now, listen, I know you're not sold on the Luna thing, but if you started Luna training, it would probably also help to solidi
I adjusted my grip on the tiny, squirming bundle in my arms and smiled as a chorus of laughter echoed through the Valentine house."Could you hold her for a sec?" I asked Ryder, shifting Ava into a more comfortable position. "I forgot my phone downstairs.""Absolutely," he replied, his face lighting up as he took her from me.I had to admit, Ryder had surprised me. I’d always known Tyler would step up to fatherhood like it was his destiny, but Ryder… I thought he might need a little more coaxing along the way.To my relief, and, I'll be honest, surprise, that hadn’t been the case at all.Ryder had embraced fatherhood like a natural. Late-night feeds? He was right there with me. Diapers? No problem. Making sure I ate? He was relentless. And the way he loved our daughter, with every fiber of his being... God, it melted my heart daily.Tyler, on the other hand, was exactly the dad I’d known he’d be. He was steady, dependable, and endlessly patient. Where Ryder brought the energy and fun,
(Katelyn's POV)I nodded slowly, processing it all as I tried to picture it in my mind's eye."Oh! And get this!" Ryder piped up with an excited grin. "Michael, the guy you wrapped around the pillar? He's Simon's cousin!""What?! How do you know that?" I asked, confused.Tyler replied this time, "Well, when we were leaving, we bumped into Simon in one of those long, winding corridors. He started going off at us asking where we were going and if we had permission to leave, blah blah blah... But Helen shut him down. She told him that the decision had been made and instead of giving us a hard time he should probably go and check on his cousin because the last time she saw him, he didn't look so good.""You should have seen his face," Ryder smirked, chuckling to himself. "He just stood there for a moment, still blocking our path, but then I think something clicked in his head. He probably saw that we were all covered in blood and shit and realized that something was wrong and he practicall
(Katelyn's POV)The first thing I registered was the sound of hushed voices and the faint smell of lavender.My eyelids felt like they’d been superglued shut, but after what felt like an Olympic-level effort, I finally managed to pry them open.My vision swam, the room around me looking like a watercolor painting that someone had left out in the rain.Where was I? WHO was I? It felt like I had been asleep for a hundred years.I blinked repeatedly, willing my vision to focus, but when it finally did, nothing seemed familiar.It was dark, from what I could tell, and the only light was coming from a lamp somewhere on the other side of the room.I shifted onto my elbow, trying to sit up, but I instantly regretted it. Pain throbbed in my skull, my head spinning like I’d spent hours on some rotating carnival ride. A groan escaped me, and the low murmurs nearby stopped immediately.“Kate?” A voice cut through the haze... Familiar, warm, desperate.My gaze darted toward the sound, and there t
(Katelyn's POV)She was furious, but not with me. I could feel her... like a storm raging inside me, raw and untamed. I waited in the quiet shelter of my own mind, nothing more than an observer as I watched her wrath unfold. It was like witnessing a hurricane from the safety of a bunker, awe and terror warring inside me."We... We didn't know!" the iron-haired woman’s voice quivered, her arms raised defensively, as if they could shield her from the Goddess's divine fury."You didn't know?! You didn't know that you were exploiting them? Or you didn't know that I would care?" the Moon Goddes spoke through my lips, her words flowing like liquid thunder."I... We..." the woman stammered, her eyes darting around desperately, searching for someone, ANYONE, to come to her rescue. But no one did. No one dared to move. They were all frozen like statues in the face of the storm."You will—" the words spilled from my mouth, but I somehow managed to cut them off abruptly when I heard Tyler's angu
(Tyler's POV)"I don't know what to do," Kate whispered, her voice filled with helplessness as she looked up at me while I struggled against the attendants who held me in place."Let him go," she ordered, authority resonating through her voice in a way I'd never heard before.When they hesitated, she glanced toward the man she'd just sent flying through the air like a puppet as some kind of silent warning of her power.That seemed like enough for them to release me.The second I was free, I fell down beside her, desperate to stop the blood that was pouring from Ryder's neck. It was coming out so fast it was clear that they must have gotten an artery, the blood pulsating out of the wound in steady throbs."What do we do?" she whispered, looking to me for answers I didn't have.I reached out, holding my hand over hers in some futile attempt to stop the bleeding, but it was like trying to hold back a flood with a fucking paper towel.His neck was a mangled wreck. The flesh was torn open t
(Katelyn's POV)Tyler’s hand trembled as he held it in place over mine, trying desperately to stop the blood that continued to pulse out, albeit at a much slower pace now.His voice was a whisper and it wavered with desperation. "You’re going to be okay, Ryder. You hear me? Just hang on. Just—" he broke off, choking back a sob as his other hand found its way to Ryder’s blood-matted fur as he rubbed him affectionately.He looked at me, his face pale and his eyes swimming with tears that he tried uselessly to blink away.“Kate...” His voice cracked, barely audible above the rapid, shallow breaths of his brother. “The bleeding... it’s too much. He’s not healing fast enough.”His words struck me like a dagger to the chest. I'd thought it, but hearing him say it out loud made it real.“What are you saying?!” I cried, my voice raw and broken as I gripped Ryder’s limp paw, shaking it in hopes of some kind of reaction. My vision blurred as I let the tears spill down my cheeks. “Is he going to
(Katelyn's POV)Through a blur of tears, I found myself face to face with the broad-shouldered Elder, Michael."You're an abomination!" he snarled, his hands gripping my arms with a ferocity that promised bruises. "You're a curse! A witch! A temptress! Do you know how my family has suffered because of you?!" he spat as he shook me violently, his eyes filled with absolute rage."But... I..." I stammered, trying to form words into sentences, but my brain couldn't do it.All I could do was stare at him, still reeling from the fact that one second I had been kneeling beside Ryder, trying to help him, and the next, I was being violently shaken by a man who seemed to have gone full psycho."Katelyn?!" Tyler called out, realizing I was no longer at his side.Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him struggling against about three or four attendants who tried to hold him back.Suddenly, pain shot through my cheek and the world around me fell into a darkness that seemed to ebb and flow like the t
(Katelyn's POV)For a moment, the entire room froze and my ears rang with the word exterminated."We're leaving," Tyler said, his voice low as he snatched me by the wrist and tugged me toward the door.The attendants remained though, none of them making any move to unblock our path. Instead, they all looked toward the iron-haired woman as if waiting for her to give them some instruction."Move," Tyler demanded sharply as Ryder appeared on my other side."We aren't finished here," the iron-haired woman called out as three more attendants appeared to block our exit."She wants to leave," Ryder replied, his voice filled with venom as he turned to address her."We aren't finished," she repeated, her voice cold and sharp as steel."I thought you said this was a hearing," I shot back, glaring at her. "Was there some line in the invitation about being held against my will? Because if there was, I must’ve missed that part," I spat, trying to hide my growing fear with sarcasm.The room fell si
(Katelyn's POV)The iron-haired woman watched me, her grip on her notes tightening once more. Her restraint was evident as she took a deep breath before finally replying. “You have already been told, Miss Grey, that this meeting is for us to ascertain—”I cut her off, my own patience now unraveling fast. “God, you can’t even give me a straight answer! What are the potential outcomes here?!” I demanded. "Even criminals on trial know what potential penalties they'll be facing! Why can't I be afforded the same courtesy?! Are you going to impose some kind of limitations on me and my abilities? Or do you plan to lock me in a prison cell? Or maybe a tower in the middle of nowhere? Are you going to kill me? Seriously, what options are on the table here?!" I pressed, annoyed by how fucking evasive she was being.It felt like they had already made up their minds here. While a few of them did seem to be on my side, it's clear that many of them were not. And those who sat on the fence would likel