I hesitated, knowing this was the moment I'd been waiting for. My organic opportunity to open up and tell him a little more about my home life. I hadn't expected it to present itself so quickly and was a little annoyed as a result."No," I began slowly. "I would have loved to have gone, but I was never included. When I was younger, they would send me to these shitty camps while they were away. As I got older, I started insisting they just let me stay home because the camps were so terrible. Of course, in my later years, that's when Jenna and I would get up to the most mischief," I recalled with a nostalgic smile.Tyler's eyes opened as he regarded me with a frown. "So, what? Did your parents just dump you and your sister at these camps and then head off on their own little amazing holiday?" he asked, clearly unimpressed at the thought."No," I replied, trying to sound casual. "My sister went with them. It was only me who stayed behind," I explained.He looked confused."We didn't get
(Ryder’s POV)The silence in the house was deafening. Tyler and Katelyn had left on their trip, and all I could think about was how badly I needed to see her, to try and make things right again. The emptiness gnawed at me, a constant reminder of the mess I had created.Earlier that morning, I had gone to the therapist my mom had recommended. I hated the idea of seeing a therapist, but I couldn't think of any other way to show Katelyn that I was serious about changing.Surprisingly, even though it was just the first session, I felt like there was some progress. The therapist, Dr. Henderson, had a way of making me feel understood, and I started to see why people might recommend therapy. It was a step in the right direction, a step toward becoming the person Katelyn deserved.I sat behind my desk with my headphones on, just blankly staring at the screen while my mind ran the same laps over and over as I asked myself why I'd been so determined to hurt her. Suddenly Ash walked into the stu
(Katelyn’s POV)The days with Tyler had flown by, filled with sunshine and laughter. We’d spent most of our time lounging on the beach, wading in the waves, and at night, we would watch the stars from our balcony. We indulged in a romantic and relaxing couples massage on one day, and then on another, we took a trip to the nearby farmers market with the hotel's sous chef where we explored the vibrant stalls and even got a chance to taste some of the fresh, local produce.Now, on our last night at the hotel, I finally had the chance to soak in the bathtub I’d been eyeing out since we'd arrived. I ran the water adding a generous amount of bubble bath, and lit myself a candle that smelled like cinnamon buns.I was so ready for the warm relaxing embrace of the water and couldn't think of a better way to round off our trip.The golden glow from the candle flickered against the tiled walls, while the scent of warm cinnamon buns wafted through the air. The room felt like my own private spa an
The next morning, Tyler and I ate a quick breakfast in the restaurant before packing our bags. The peaceful days we’d spent together already felt like a distant memory as the weight of reality loomed over us.We checked out early, as we'd planned the night before, in hopes that we'd get an opportunity to discuss our little issue with Alpha David before the commencement of the Lunar Eclipse Celebration that evening.The drive back went far quicker than the drive there, and before I knew it, we were already back at Tyler's house.I should have been feeling positive and well-rested after our trip, but instead, I felt miserable and uncertain.Tyler reached over and squeezed my hand as we sat in his car in the driveway, apparently both procrastinating, not wanting to head inside just yet. "We'll handle this, okay?" he assured me.I nodded and tried to force a smile, but I couldn't muster the strength to even fake it.Tyler carried our bags as we headed inside, both looking despondent as we
The three of us left Alpha David's office and headed back downstairs. Tyler held my hand, offering his silent support, while Ryder trailed behind a little. His looming presence was a constant reminder of the unresolved tension between us.As we reached the bottom of the stairs, Ryder finally spoke up, his voice hesitant. "Kate, can we talk?"I shook my head. "I don't know what there is left to say, Ryder," I replied, not slowing down as I headed toward my room."Please," he persisted, "I just want to explain things to you. You don't have to say anything, just listen."Tyler stopped and stepped between us, acting as a barrier. "She said no, Ryder. Just leave it." His voice was firm, but not unkind, which I was grateful for.I didn't want another fight on my hands. At least the remnants of bruising were gone from both of their faces now, otherwise, that may have raised some eyebrows at the Celebration."Five minutes, Kate. That's all I'm asking for," Ryder begged, desperation creeping i
Afternoon wore on to evening, and I eventually decided it was time to shower and get ready for the Lunar Eclipse Celebration. The anticipation of the event had my nerves frayed, and the feeling of my heart racing in my chest had become normal to me by that point.With a groan, I reluctantly pulled myself off of Tyler's bed and headed back to my room. I took a long, hot shower, hoping to wash away some of the anxiety that had built up inside me, but when I got out, I felt exactly the same as I had when I got in.My dress was hanging on my bathroom door, waiting for me to slip it on. I eyed it out with a smile.I'd bought it from a small boutique store in Colorado where they sold clothes made by student designers. The second I saw it, I fell in love with it. The fabric was soft, flimsy and feminine and the skirt had a flattering flare to it. The straps were thin and dainty and crossed over at the back where you would then tie them together in a bow.I'd had it for at least a year but ha
"Tyler!" I heard a man's voice calling out.I looked around, trying to find the source, when a guy about our age with light brown hair began walking towards us from the tables that were being set up.Tyler's face lit up in a smile as he approached."Hey!" Tyler greeted him as he neared, then they shared a brotherly hug."You must be Katelyn," the stranger said, wrapping his arms around me in an unexpected hug now too. I hugged him back awkwardly, feeling like I should probably know him, but if I did, I couldn't remember where from.“Kate, this is my best friend, Kyle,” Tyler introduced him.“Oh, Kyle!,” I exclaimed, registering at last. "Nice to meet you," I added with a friendly smile.“Tyler talks about you all the time. I feel like I know you already," he said, giving Tyler a teasing look. "Glad to finally put a face to the name.”I continued to watch the setup while the guys chatted. Listening with half an ear, I overheard Kyle saying that his dad had been aimless without Tyler ar
More and more pack members began to arrive, and Tyler kept introducing me to new people. Eventually, the names and faces began to blur together as darkness settled over the clearing.Alpha David made his way up onto the stage as I watched. It felt like time stood still. My heart was racing, my ears were ringing, I was sweating, it felt like I had pins and needles in my toes and fingertips. I couldn't remember the last time I had inhaled and I began to feel momentarily faint."You okay?" Tyler asked with concern.I nodded, unable to speak."Good evening!" Alpha David called out, his voice carrying through the air with purpose and authority.Silently, Ryder emerged through the throng of people with Ash at his side. Ash gave me a warm smile and a small wave in greeting as David continued, "I'd like to welcome you all to our Lunar Eclipse Celebration."The world seemed to blur in and out of focus for a moment. Alpha David was talking, but he sounded so far away I couldn't make out what h
(Katelyn's POV)The cab pulled up outside a weathered, ivy-clad building on a quiet street in New Haven, Connecticut. From the outside, it looked like an old academic institute. Just the type of place someone might come to pore over dusty manuscripts or discuss obscure theories with professors who wore tweed jackets. But I knew better.This was The Council’s headquarters, masquerading as the “Institute for Cultural Anthropology” to the human world. I'd heard about it, but I never thought I would actually get to see it in the flesh.My stomach churned as I stepped out onto the sidewalk. The air was crisp, carrying a hint of autumn even though it wasn’t quite the season yet.Behind me, Tyler and Ryder followed closely, their postures tense and alert, flanking me like a pair of protective bodyguards. It was an odd comfort, knowing I wasn’t walking into this alone. But the weight of what lay ahead pressed down on me like a lead blanket.“Looks normal enough,” Ryder muttered, eyeing the st
(Katelyn's POV)"You're okay," Tyler whispered over and over again, but I wasn't sure whether he was talking to me or to himself.“What the fuck was that, Kate?!” Ryder's voice demanded.I shook my head, against Tyler's chest, still trying to come to terms with where I was and what was going on here."I... I just..." I tried to reply, but my voice was weak and hoarse.Tyler kissed the top of my head, his own breathing uneven as he gently stroked my hair, still holding me against him in a death grip. "Sshhh... Sshhh..." he hushed me, shaking his head as he rocked me back and forth."Never again. Never a-fucking-gain. Okay? You're never doing that again, Katelyn," Ryder's voice was sharp and firm, leaving no room for argument or debate. "Never again..." he repeated, sounding more exhausted now.It took a few minutes for me to regain my bearings as Tyler continued to whisper soft reassurances in my ear, rocking me back and forth against his chest like a child.I heard the sound of footst
(Katelyn's POV)The airplane’s engines droned softly as I stared out the window, the world below reduced to quilted patches of green and brown earth divided by winding roads.New Haven, Connecticut... The Council Headquarters. We were still a few hours away, but the gravity of what awaited me felt like a noose around my neck.I adjusted my seatbelt for what felt like the hundredth time and closed my eyes, leaning back into my seat and letting my thoughts drift back over the last two days at home. The two days I’d spent trying, and failing, to harness my telekinesis. The two days that had left me feeling more exhausted, more frustrated, and more anxious than before.I’d wanted so badly to figure it all out before I faced The Council. I’d tried everything I could think of. At first, I tried to recreate the conditions of those emotional surges, thinking maybe I could trick my mind into somehow flipping that internal switch. I thought about arguments. About fear. About sadness. But nothin
(Katelyn's POV)The next day started off like any other, but with the new weight and responsibility of pregnancy pressing down on me. I'd made a call to Dr Connors's offices to try and get a better idea of how far along I was and we managed to gauge that I was about three weeks in. She said they would be able to confirm by checking measurements and all that stuff at my first scan, but for now, I was three weeks in. Three out of forty. It somehow felt like too much and not enough at the same time.Shortly after the call, Alpha David's voice called from upstairs. My blood went cold and the twins and I exchanged worried glances."Jesus, do you think he overheard that?" I asked, feeling like a deer caught in the headlights.Tyler shook his head. "I doubt it..." but still, he looked as concerned as I felt.The fact that David had bothered to call us upstairs personally, rather than sending Tyler a message like he usually did, didn’t escape me. This time, he’d taken the effort to personally
(Katelyn's POV)Ryder's hand lingered on my stomach for a moment, but then he sighed and dropped it."So... What do we do now? I mean, I guess this thing is happening. Do we have to start picking names and shit?" he asked, his eyes filled with fear and uncertainty.I shook my head. "I don't really know. Can't say this has ever happened to me before. I don't even know how far along I am... I kinda freaked out and left the doctor's office before she got to tell me..." I admitted."Well, you should probably find out," Tyler suggested, slipping his hand into mine and giving it a squeeze. "A timeline might be helpful here."I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll try get hold of the doctor's office tomorrow to see if she can give me more details. She said something about an OBGYN. I think she gave me a referral or something. Maybe Jen knows more of the details. My brain was all over the place," I explained, feeling a little stupid for not paying more attention to something so fucking
(Katelyn's POV)Ryder fell into silence, not finishing his thought as his jaw tightened and his hands balled into fists.Tyler’s hand rested reassuringly on mine, his presence a steadying force, but Ryder’s tense silence was killing me. He looked like a caged animal, his eyes filled with fear and uncertainty.“I…” Ryder started, but his voice faltered. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as frustration flashed across his face. “How am I supposed to do this?!” he suddenly blurted, his voice sharp and rising with each word. “For fuck’s sake! I’ve just agreed to take on the role of Alpha! Now I need to play dad too?! When is it going to stop?! When is it going to be enough?!”He stood up again and began pacing, his movements erratic and tense. “I can’t! I can’t do all of this at the same time! It’s too much! How the fuck am I supposed to deal with this?!”His words hit me like a slap, leaving me momentarily stunned. The fear and uncertainty I had been feeling all day were
(Katelyn's POV)The drive home had felt too short. Jenna and I had spent lunch talking in circles, and I knew she was just trying to distract me, to lighten the load, but there was no amount of banter or brainstorming that could make this easier.When she’d suggested checking out some stores for the twins’ birthday gifts, I’d briefly considered it, but ultimately, I'd ended up saying no. I was way too distracted to focus and it felt like it would be a total waste of time. So, instead, she called the Uber, and we headed home.The drive was quiet, my thoughts too loud to leave room for conversation. All I could think about the entire way was what I was going to say, rehearsing it in my mind and trying to come up with the right words, but I guess there are only so many ways you can say, 'I'm pregnant', right?When the Uber pulled up outside the house, Jenna gave me a tight hug. “You’ll be fine,” she murmured, her hands gripping my shoulders as she looked me in the eye. “You’re going to t
(Katelyn's POV)"You can tell them the truth, babe," Jenna said with a reassuring smile. "I mean, that's what I'd recommend.""What if... What if I can't do this? What if... What if I don't want this life?" I whispered softly, ashamed to be saying the words out loud.Jenna squeezed my hand. "Well, that's something you need to think about. It's not a decision to make on a whim. But if that's what you decide, I'll be there for you every step of the way. I'll hold your hand in the appointment and tell you that everything is going to be okay. I would never let you do this on your own, okay? Never," she assured me, looking into my eyes with a fierceness that told me she wasn't kidding."Do you want to think it over for a while before you talk to the twins about it?" she suggested, her hand still clutching mine across the table.I shook my head. "No. I can't keep this from them. Even if I wanted to, I know I wouldn't be able to.""Babe, I'm sure they're going to be super supportive," she ins
(Katelyn's POV)The words echoed in my ears, bouncing around my skull but refusing to settle into anything coherent.“No,” I whispered, shaking my head as tears began to well up in my eyes. “I can't... That can't... This wasn’t...” but the words evaporated into thin air as I tried to reason this out.Dr Connors watched me carefully. “I know this might be a lot to take in,” she said, keeping her tone professional but supportive. “But you have options, Katelyn. You don’t need to make any decisions right now. Perhaps you should just take some time to process this.”“Options?” I repeated numbly, the word tasting foreign on my tongue.Her meaning was clear, but I couldn’t focus on it. I couldn’t focus on anything. The tears spilled over, sliding down my cheeks as my chest heaved with quiet sobs.Jenna was at my side instantly, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. “It’s okay, babe,” she murmured. “We’ll figure this out, okay? You’re not alone in this. I'm here with you.”I couldn’t even bri