(Ryder's POV)Kate had fallen asleep beside me on the sofa, her breathing calm and steady.I meant what I had said earlier. No one was going to take her anywhere she didn’t want to go. She might have these crazy abilities, she might be tied to the Elysian Line in ways I couldn't fully understand, but she was still a person. Her own person. She deserved to have control over her life.Just because someone has the talent or the ability to do something doesn’t mean they’re obligated to follow that path. And just because she was born into something didn’t mean that has to be her entire future.If Kate wanted something else, she should be free to pursue whatever was going to make her happy.I looked down at her, resting against my chest. I ran my fingers through her hair, grateful to have her back. She looked so peaceful, so innocent in that moment. But there was so much weight resting on her shoulders. It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair. The Elysian Line, Harlan, The Elders... all these
(Katelyn’s POV)I woke slowly, feeling Ryder's warm body next to mine as my eyes fluttered open. I had missed this... I had missed just hanging out with him. I had missed his easy company.His arm was wrapped around me, holding me close, his breathing slow and steady, the gentle rise and fall of his chest making it clear he’d fallen asleep too. I lay there for a minute, savoring the comfort of being back. Being with him and with Tyler. I guess this was home and I had missed it and everything that went along with it.I glanced around the room, taking in the soft glow of the TV that cast flickering shadows on the walls. Ash and Jenna were sitting together on the other sofa, their heads close together as they watched some movie.It must have been late. The windows were dark and I saw a few stars twinkling in the night sky. The world outside felt still and quiet.I shifted slightly, trying not to wake Ryder as I snuggled closer to him, feeling so warm and content in his presence. After ev
(Katelyn’s POV)A hand shook my shoulder gently, and I opened my eyes to see Tyler leaning over me, his face hovering over me with a mixture of urgency and anxiety."Kate," he whispered, his voice low but insistent. "Wake up, we need to get upstairs. Dad says he needs to talk to you."I blinked my eyes, still groggy with sleep as I tried to piece together what was happening. It took a moment, but Tyler’s words slowly began to register and tension immediately began to set into my muscles.“Talk to me?” I echoed, pushing myself up on one elbow. “Do you think it's The Elders?” I asked, already having come to the conclusion in my own mind.“I don’t know... He just said he needs to talk to you as soon as you wake up,” Tyler replied, rubbing a hand through his hair, his expression tense. "I mean, maybe I should have let you sleep," he admitted, sounding a little sheepish now, "but it just felt like it was kinda urgent," he went on, guilt lacing his words."No, it's fine," I assured him, hav
(Katelyn’s POV)The kitchen felt too quiet, even with the faint hum of the refrigerator in the background.The three of us sat at the kitchen island, my hands wrapped around a warm mug of coffee, trying to absorb some of its comfort. My mind was too restless for that though.Tyler and Ryder sat on either side of me, their faces tense as they each sipped at their own mugs. None of us had spoken much since the meeting with Alpha David, and the silence was becoming suffocating.I couldn’t stop thinking about what was going to happen tomorrow, about the arrival of The Elders’ representatives and what that might mean for me. It felt like a dark cloud looming over everything, like an inescapable weight that pressed down on me.The uncertainty was the worst part. I didn’t know what they would want from me or what I’d be expected to do. But I had a sinking feeling that whatever it was, I probably wasn't going to look back on this situation with fond memories.“I don’t want them to take me awa
(Katelyn’s POV)The morning sun filtered through the kitchen windows, casting a warm glow across the room. We had finished cleaning up the broken mug, and the tension from the argument was still hanging in the air, unspoken but still heavy. I had so much on my mind... Things I needed to start dealing with if The Elders were coming tomorrow.Ryder leaned against the counter and sighed deeply while I watched him with wary eyes. I needed to talk to him, I'd been putting it off, but there just wasn't any more time.I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “Ryder?” I began hesitantly, my voice soft. He turned his gaze toward me, his brow furrowing slightly. “Yeah?” “Can we talk?” I asked, glancing over at Tyler, who had just cleared up the final fragments of the broken mug from the counter and thrown them into the trash. Ryder nodded, pushing himself away from the counter. “Sure,” he said, "You mean alone?" he asked, wanting clarity.I nodded, trying to swallow my nerves."U
(Katelyn’s POV)My tears flowed freely now, and I could feel the weight of everything pressing down on my chest. I knew Ryder was hurting too, but he was trying so hard to hide it from me. His arms tightened around me as if he could somehow shield me from my own guilt, but it was no use."Hey," he murmured softly, brushing his hand through my hair. "I was just thinking about the coffee mug thing, and I was wondering..." he hesitated.I sniffed and pulled back just enough to look up at him. "Yeah?" I said, my voice still shaky from crying.He gave me a small smile before continuing. "Well, I'm just a little concerned. Do I need to be worried about any other objects spontaneously exploding around me?" he teased, his eyebrows raised in mock concern.A laugh escaped my lips in spite of my tears and I shook my head. "I swear, I don't know how that happened," I replied, feeling confused about it. "I didn’t mean to do it...”He nodded thoughtfully, his hand still gently rubbing my back. "May
(Katelyn’s POV)"What about Ryder?" Tyler asked after our kiss broke, his brow furrowed as he studied my face.I shook my head and looked down at the floor. “No... I just spoke to him,” I explained quietly. “I… I told him that I didn't feel ready…”That guilty feeling sat firmly on my chest and I took a deep breath, hoping to alleviate some of the pressure in my lungs, but it didn't work.Tyler nodded slowly, processing what I was saying. “Oh... okay...” he replied, his expression unreadable.I gave a small shrug. “He said he understood,” I added, feeling the need to justify myself, to explain why I’d said what I did even though it didn’t make me feel any better.Even now, I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, the guilt clawing its way up my throat.Tyler’s hand found mine, squeezing it gently. "I mean, I guess it's up to you, Kate. You know how you feel better than anyone else. If you don't feel ready, then you don't feel ready."He took a breath, as if he wanted to say more, but
(Katelyn’s POV)The weight of uncertainty still lingered, but I had to try. I had to tell Ryder that I'd made a mistake.I realized I was running, as if the quicker I got to him, the less damage my words might do.I reached the front door, bursting through it without even closing it behind me as I rushed down the hallway, heading straight for the living room where I had left him earlier.Ryder was still there, still sitting on the sofa, his elbows resting on his knees and his face buried in his hands. The sight of him sitting there, looking so defeated, shattered my heart all over again."I fucked up," I blurted, startling him as I came to a stop in front of him. "I’m so sorry, Ryder. I made a mistake. I don’t want to do this without you. I don’t know what I was thinking... I was just scared and confused, but I’m here now. I’m so sorry."Ryder looked up at me, his brows furrowed in surprise and confusion."What...?" he mumbled, his voice raspy, as if he hadn’t spoken in hours.I stepp