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
Aunt Mara could probably see that I was, or at least had been, having a bit of an internal struggle. She stood up and walked over to me, wrapping me in a big hug. "You're a big girl, Kate. You need to take control of your own life now. All I want is for you to be happy."I hugged her tightly, feeling a mixture of emotions. Relief, excitement, and a touch of sadness at the thought of leaving her and the home I'd grown so comfortable in."I'll miss you," I whispered.She pulled back and looked at me with an encouraging smile. "I'll miss you too, hun, but this is a good step for you. You're starting a new chapter in your life. I'm proud of you."We spent the rest of the evening chatting aimlessly and I told her all about the setup at the twin's house and how I would have my own room. She agreed that that was probably a good idea due to our unique circumstances.She went on to share stories from her own past, offering wisdom and advice that made me feel more supported in my decision, and
When we arrived at the Valentine house, Ryder carried my suitcase in, while Tyler helped me out of the car. As we walked into the home I realized that my heart was thumping furiously in my chest and the hand that Tyler wasn't holding was trembling ever so slightly. I was clearly nervous, but I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.Everything would be fine. This was a fresh beginning with my mates and so long as I had them, I would be fine.The smell of flowers hit me as soon as I entered my new room and I saw a vase of beautiful fresh flowers on the dresser opposite the bed. They were a mixture of vibrant colors that instantly perked me up."Well, I guess welcome to your new home," Tyler said, giving my hand a gentle squeeze as we loitered in the entryway.I saw Ryder had placed my suitcase on the bed and he returned now from the en suite bathroom, declaring that I should have everything I need."But if there's anything else you need, just let us know, okay? We want you to be
The evening passed by in a blur of exhaustion. After dinner, I volunteered to clear the dishes, seeing as the twins had cooked.It was easygoing because all I really had to do was pack the dishwasher, and I was grateful because I was absolutely exhausted.After I had loaded the last plate away, I turned to the boys and told them, "I think I'm going to head to bed. Sorry guys, it's been a crazy day and I'm really tired."Both Tyler and Ryder looked disappointed."You don't want to just chill and watch a movie with us?" Tyler asked hopefully.I shook my head as I stifled a yawn. "Any other day I would have said yes, but right now I really just want to get into bed. I'm sorry.""I suppose it has been a pretty crazy day for you. We can do movies another night," Tyler suggested with a reassuring smile before Ryder grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me towards him."See you in the morning," he murmured before kissing me goodnight. Nothing too raunchy, thank God.No doubt he just wanted to b
I took a deep breath and began, "Harlan, the Alpha's son at my previous pack, hit me, so I hit him back," I explained, trying to keep my tone measured as the memories of the incident began to stir up anger and resentment inside me. "Obviously that's an offense," I went on, "and the punishment would usually be death or exile, but I wasn't 18 yet, and fortunately a few people stood up for me and told them I was provoked. So I got lucky and no punishment was ordered."Tyler was still glaring at me, waiting for me to go on."My family is quite prominent in the pack because my father is the Beta, so, of course, they were horrified and appalled by my actions. They didn't care why I did it, only that I had done it. I got the whole, 'You're no child of ours' speech and got to hear how disappointed they were in me after all that they had done for me. So, needless to say, as far as they were concerned, when I turned 18 I was no longer their problem, they wanted me out," I went on to explain, fe
Tyler looked at me intently, his eyes searching mine for any signs of hesitation or dishonesty. "Is there anything else you want to tell me, Kate?" he asked, his tone serious.I shook my head. "No, that's it," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.He frowned slightly. "Are you sure? We can't have secrets between us.""I promise, Tyler. There's nothing else," I assured him, feeling guilty. I hated keeping things from him, but there truly was nothing left to reveal.Tyler sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I need to think about this a little more. We need to come up with a solution before this becomes an even bigger problem."I felt a lump form in my throat. "I'm really sorry, Tyler. I didn't mean for it to blow up like this. I honestly thought no one here would ever find out."He stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. "It'll be okay. We'll figure it out," he murmured as he kissed the top of my head.I nodded against his chest, taking comfort in his arms.After a moment,