"What do you mean you aren't going to be Alpha? You're twins, right? Shouldn't you like, share the title or something?" I asked, surprised by his revelation.He shook his head vehemently. "No way. That might be Tyler's dream, but it sure as shit isn't mine," he explained, bitterness lacing his voice.It all seemed to suddenly make sense. This was the reason he was such a huge disappointment to his parents, why he had a far more flexible schedule than Tyler. I stared at him in surprise for a moment as it all fell into place."So, sorry to disappoint you, but you're mated to one future Alpha... and me," he finished, the bitterness morphing into disdain as he gestured toward himself.He seemed annoyed and was suddenly staring at me as if waiting for my reaction, his eyes burning with defiance.I looked at him, my own eyes wide and filled with worry as I whispered, "I don't want to be Luna," shaking my head slightly as I revealed the truth to him.His expression softened. "Does Tyler know
Ryder and I spent most of the day chatting in the kitchen and getting to know one another better. After telling him about my relationship with my parents, he seemed to have dropped his guard a little more, and the conversation was filled with fewer jokes and less sarcasm. Instead, it was replaced with more honesty and vulnerability. I was just telling Ryder about the time Skylar had sabotaged my dress for a school dance by slashing the skirt, when Tyler appeared in the doorway, taking me by surprise. I jumped off the chair I'd been perched on beside Ryder and stood there like I'd been caught in some compromising position. Tyler chuckled and headed to the fridge. "Hey, guys. Sorry to interrupt," he apologized, taking a soda out and snapping it open. Looking like a deer caught in the headlights, I went on to say, in a rather surprised and accusing tone, "What are you doing here? You aren't supposed to be here." "It's kind of my house..." he reminded me with a chuckle. "But you sai
I looked up at him, my heart racing and my eyes begging him for more. He released my hand, his fingers now cradling my cheek tenderly as he kissed me. His touch sent a rush of pleasure through me as a wave of goosebumps rippled throughout my body. My hands had a mind of their own as they trailed their way up his arms and over his shoulders before they wrapped around the back of his neck. The kiss grew more fervent and his hands wandered down the curves of my body before settling on my butt. He began to trail hungry kisses down my neck as his hands pulled my hips closer to him possessively. I leaned my head back, giving him all the access he needed as he nipped and kissed along my neck and collarbone. His fingers began a desperate ascent once more, feeling their way over my body like a man lost in the darkness. They wandered up under my top, his touch warm against my skin as he wrapped a hand around my waist, anchoring me in place against him as he kissed me once more. With one hand
To my own astonishment, I actually considered his request very seriously. Under normal circumstances, I would probably have dismissed it immediately, but in truth, I didn't want to be away from him either. I wanted to stay. I wanted to feel like this forever. I wanted to see where this would go. But I knew where this would go... And while there wasn't much point in delaying the inevitable, I also felt that there wasn't much point in rushing it either. "I can't," I whispered, the words hard to say as I fought between two conflicting parts of myself. There was logical Katelyn, who liked to plan everything out, and then impulsive Katelyn, who liked to take chances and let the chips fall where they may."Yeah, you can. It's getting late anyway. Just stay, Kate. We have loads of spare bedrooms. Nothing has to happen. Just stay here with me," he repeated. He didn't sound desperate, but there was an underlying neediness that rang through. "I can't, Ryder. I don't..." I hesitated, uncertai
I'm not sure why I did it. I don't know why I asked her if she wanted to see the studio. Now that she was here I felt like an idiot. This was the kind of thing I pulled when I wanted to impress a girl, but Katelyn was different... I didn't want her to be impressed. I wanted her to be interested.In most cases, I would invite a girl here with the sole intention of getting laid. I don't know if it was the music shit or the lighting, but something about the room seemed to seal the deal almost every single time."Pretty Cool," she said as her eyes scanned the room.I headed to the back of the room, sitting at my desk as I watched her wandering around the dimly lit room. She explored the various musical instruments that I probably should have packed away a little more neatly the last time I was in here.Her fingers skimmed the strings of an acoustic guitar I'd been messing around on the night before and she turned to look at me. "Do you play?" she asked, looking up at me with curiosity.My
She was perfect... It was like she was made for me. Like we were two pieces of a puzzle that just fit. I started to wonder whether I deserved her. She was sweet and caring and pretty while I was just an asshole who happened to get born into a powerful family.I pushed the intrusive thought to the back of my mind and kissed her harder as I tried to drown it out. My fingers raked over her body as they made their way down to her ass. I squeezed her pert little cheeks and pulled her in closer so that I could kiss her neck.The sound of her breathing began to speed up and she closed her eyes as she tilted her head back further while I worked my way down to her collarbone. It was clear that she loved it and that made me love it. I wanted more of her... I wanted all of her.My fingers traced her silhouette, finding their way up beneath her hoodie. My hoodie. She was wearing my clothes and it made me feel like I held some kind of ownership over her. Her waist felt small and dainty as I grippe
I scrambled inside, escaping the cool air and taking comfort in the smell of Aunt Mara's cooking. "You're home earlier than I expected," she announced as she poured herself a glass of wine in the kitchen. "And I didn't tell you I would be home for dinner..." I said glumly as my stomach rumbled. "Well, it's your lucky day. I'm making chicken pot pie and it's probably impossible to make it in a single serving," she explained with a smile as she took a sip from her glass. I was filled with gratitude as I kicked off my shoes, leaving them neatly at the front door. Aunt Mara went to settle in on the sofa and I headed over and took a seat beside her. "How was your day?" I asked as I slumped back in my seat, staring at some cooking gameshow that played on the TV. "It was fine," she sighed, sounding exhausted. "I had to deal with a Karen so that kinda sucked. But I think I managed to get her to see reason eventually," she explained, her tone one of relief. "Oh yeah? What did she do?" I a
My phone buzzed again and I saw that it was Tyler this time. I smiled like an idiot as I opened his message.Tyler: I've had such a crazy day and it still isn't over. They've started me on Physical Training classes at night too, so that's where I'm going now. I wish I could have seen you for longer today. I smiled a sad smile wishing the same thing. I couldn't wait for the weekend so that I could see more of him. Thinking about it, I figured that maybe it was kind of better this way. If I could see either of them any time, I'd probably feel guilty having to pick, but because their schedules were predetermined and very strict, Tyler's in particular, I was forced to see them based on their availability. I didn't get to pick favorites, I had to take what I could get. Despite the realization, it still sucked. "Sorry, I got distracted. What were you saying?" I asked Aunt Mara as she set the plates down on the table. I got up and grabbed a napkin for each of us from the holder on the c
(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
(Katelyn's POV)The silence in the room was unbearable as Dr. Connors studied the test. My heart pounded, each beat feeling sharper than the last and I could feel sweat beginning to pool at the base of my spine.“It’s positive,” Dr. Connors said, looking down at the test on the desk in front of her.My stomach flipped violently. “What?!” I blurted, my voice echoing in the hollow room.“It’s positive,” she repeated, looking at me with a measured expression.I blinked at her, my mind scrambling to process the information. “No, no, no,” I stammered, shaking my head furiously. “That can’t be right. How many stripes should it have?" I demanded to know, certain that she must be mistaken."One stripe is negative, two is positive," she explained, pushing the test toward me for verification."Well then you're wrong, when I—" The words died on my lips as I looked down at the test in front of me. Two stripes. One was faint, but very clearly a stripe.My mouth went dry, my lungs forgot how to wo