The drive home was quiet aside from Tyler's adamance that we talk to his father as soon as possible... as in, the second we got home. He seemed really concerned and I could feel the underlying tension radiating off of him as he stared ahead, frowning the whole way home.The thought filled me with trepidation. I agreed that we should tell Alpha David, but being in agreement with the idea hadn't suddenly filled me with the words I would need to articulate the issue to him.I mean, what was I going to say exactly? 'Hey Alpha David, I see weird things, but don't worry, I'm not crazy'?I frowned as I tried to think of a softer way to deliver the news and desperately hoped that a demonstration wouldn’t be necessary.As we walked into the house my anxiety only grew. We didn't even head to our rooms first. Tyler just dropped his bag in the entryway, then took me by the hand and led me upstairs in search of Alpha David. My heart raced with each step and my stomach twisted itself in knots.When
The room was thick with tension as I prepared to delve deeper into the revelations about my abilities. David and Liz’s expressions were a mixture of curiosity and skepticism, their gazes fixed intently on me.I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “Well, like I said, it all kind of started at the Lunar Eclipse Celebration,” I began, trying to keep my voice steady and matter-of-fact. “At first, I didn’t understand what was happening, and eventually decided it was maybe just some weird side effect of the Lunar Eclipse or something, but then, when it happened again, I figured there had to be more to it,” I explained.David stared at me wordlessly, waiting for me to continue, so I did. "That was when Ryder started to help me. He was like, a guinea pig, I guess. A willing test subject, if you will. He allowed me to practice with him while Tyler was in classes. I eventually got an idea of what I had to do to make it happen and got a better grasp on how it worked. I guess I'm stil
To my absolute relief, the doorbell rang announcing Shane's presence. I exhaled deeply, releasing a breath I had been holding for who even knows how long."I'll let him in," Tyler said, leaving the room once more.It felt like all eyes were on me. Staring at me and silently scrutinizing me.The room was beginning to feel uncomfortably quiet and when I heard footsteps approaching down the hallway, I was only too grateful for the opportunity to turn around, cutting off everyone's curious gazes as I awaited Shane's arrival.Hopefully he would be able to explain what I couldn't and convince David without me having to show him.To my surprise, when I turned around, Ryder had moved from the doorway and was standing just a little way behind me. His presence loomed, protective and comforting in spite of our difficulties, and I was grateful that David had called him in because I was beginning to feel like I was on some kind of trial now. Shane’s eyes scanned the room as he entered and he gave
David looked confused and a little annoyed."Just... Just try to clear your mind, okay?" I urged, not wanting him to think of anything he DIDN'T want me to see, which would likely result in me seeing exactly that.My hand trembled slightly as I reached out once more and I closed my eyes, desperately focussing on extracting a vision of MY choice. That would hopefully limit any potential awkwardness.I felt his fingers grasping mine and I took a deep breath before opening my eyes and looking into his.Falling backward through time, I tumbled through the void feeling heavy and weightless all at once. To my surprise, I found myself in the same room, only the furnishings were different.David stood beside me, his hand gripping mine tightly as his chest heaved and he looked around in confusion.The sound of a baby crying caught our attention and my eyes wandered over to a young Liz, sitting on a rocking chair near a sunny window. She looked exhausted with dark rings under her eyes and her h
We heard the door to the studio as it shut behind Ash and Ryder, leaving a stillness in its wake that seemed to amplify the weight of the evening’s revelations.Tyler sighed, his brow furrowed in a thoughtful frown as we remained hovering awkwardly in the entryway.“I feel bad for my mom,” he admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper.“Me too,” I agreed, the image of Luna Liz’s teary, exhausted face fresh in my mind.A heaviness settled over me like thick fog and I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe I had gone too far. I hadn't wanted to tell them and maybe I should have just listened to my gut for once.“I really feel like I shouldn’t have told you guys,” I confessed with a miserable frown, feeling responsible for the obvious uncertainty and pain that the twins were experiencing. My chest felt compressed by the weight of my guilt, making it difficult to breathe.Tyler shook his head and forced a reassuring smile, but I could see that it was just an act for my benefit. “No, it
Conciousness slowly began to ebb its way back to me and I reached out my hand, searching for Tyler's comforting presence. The space he usually occupied was cold and empty though.I opened a sleepy eye, sitting up to look for him. My body felt heavy and exhausted and I ached all over.As I scanned the room, a sense of disorientation settled in. This wasn’t Tyler’s room, but it was vaguely familiar. I tried to make sense of it, my mind still foggy with sleep, when a strange fluttering sensation in my stomach made me look down.I froze, my breath catching in my throat. I had a big, pregnant belly. Adrenaline coursed through me, banishing any remnants of sleepiness and panic filled me as I recognized the room from my vision.My heart raced, my breathing becoming short and ragged. “This can’t be real,” I whispered to myself, struggling to make sense of it.When I fell asleep, I didn’t look nine months pregnant. My mind whirled, trying to grasp at any logical explanation, but the panic clou
The realization filled me with relief, but I was still apprehensive. I didn’t know exactly what I had seen, but it had felt so real and so terrifying and I was struggling to come to terms with it.“Are you okay?” Tyler asked, reaching out to touch me in a gesture of support but I pulled away instinctively.“It’s okay,” Tyler murmured again, raising his hands to show me that he meant no harm as he tried to reassure me. “You had a bad dream,” he explained.It was a dream... Just a dream.I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves and calm my breathing.“Deep breaths,” Tyler encouraged me, taking a few of his own, hoping I would mimic him.I did, but it took a while to slow my frantic pace.“There you go,” he whispered reassuringly when I seemed to be calming down.I closed my eyes, leaning back against the headboard as I tried to focus on my breathing.“Better?” Tyler asked, his voice gentle.I kept my eyes closed but gave a small nod, willing myself to accept that none of it was
The seemingly offhanded comment shook me and I almost lost my grip on my mug of tea, but somehow managed to hold onto it as I turned around to face Ryder.I was just outside the doorway to the kitchen while he remained hovering near the kettle, watching me as intently as I was watching him.I hadn't told him about the dream about the black wolf, nor did I mention that my own wolf had somehow miraculously turned black. What did he know and how did he know it?“What black wolf?” I whispered, my eyes searching his for answers I wasn’t sure I wanted."The one that ran into the door," he replied tentatively, sounding a little unsure of himself now.The words sent a chill down my spine.“But that was just a dream,” I insisted, shaking my head in denial.Ryder's expression turned to one of awe. "Dream manipulation..." he whispered quietly, staring at me as if I was some kind of otherworldly being.I shook my head angrily. “I didn’t manipulate anything, okay?!" I stated defensively. "It was a
(Katelyn's POV)The doors swung open with a soft thud, revealing an amphitheater-style room with rows and rows of older men and women watching us from elevated seats.They were all Elders, each face lined with years of experience... decades, maybe even fucking centuries for all I knew. Here they sat, their faces stern and composed.It was almost surreal. There were about fifty of them, I might guess. Fifty people who were basically going to determine my future on my behalf.Can't say I liked the sound of that at all.Tyler, Ryder, and I stood at the center of the space, where a single wooden chair awaited me. Just one. Obviously they hadn't anticipated that I'd be bringing an entourage.My heart clenched in my chest and I swallowed hard, hoping I wouldn’t choke on my own nerves.In the front row, I spotted Helen, Roderick, and, much to my disappointment, Simon. Helen nodded and gave me a small smile in greeting, while Roderick kept his expression neutral, though I could see his eyes s
(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