(Katelyn's POV)There was always something about Ryder... Some undeniable connection I felt with him that ran deeper than words. It was like we were tethered together by some invisible string of shared experiences.It was different with Tyler, not less, just... different. Tyler was my anchor, my certainty. But Ryder? Ryder was the reflection of all the chaos I carried inside. They were the balance in my life.Tyler was my always and forever and Ryder was my one in a million. The same, but different.I rolled over to face him, sighing deeply. My mind was racing with too many things... The Elders, the coffee cup, and the associated fears that simmered just beneath the surface."You good?" he asked softly, glancing over at me. He probably sensed the waves of dread that rolled off of me.I shrugged. "I mean, I guess as good as can be expected under the circumstances. I'm still trying to come to terms with the possibility that I might be blowing up coffee mugs in front of The Elders, you k
(Katelyn's POV)Playing Tekken turned out to be way more entertaining than I’d expected. Turns out that mashing buttons wildly was actually a pretty solid strategy and I managed to get a few impressive wins.."Alright, Kate,” Ryder muttered, a smirk spreading across his face as he leaned forward, focused. “You got lucky in the last round, but this time I'm playing with my favorite character.”I scoffed. “Should have played with him from the beginning if he's your favorite, don't you think?” I taunted, clutching the controller as he prepared to demolish me.He shook his head. "That's not my strategy."I won again."Well, I don't know what your strategy is exactly, but it's shit," I teased as he handed the remote over to Tyler with a frustrated groan and a look of disbelief.Tyler put me back in my place quickly though and then I watched the two of them battle it out.It was impressive. They knew all sorts of combo moves with all the different characters. I basically got lucky when I pr
(Katelyn's POV)As we headed downstairs, I breathed a sigh of relief. I honestly thought that David was going to give us some miserable news about The Elders or something, but instead, it had just been Liz congratulating us on finally sealing our mate bonds.I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. I felt like I fit in. Like I had a place in this family. Poor David and Liz still had preparations to attend to, but they told us to enjoy the rest of our evening, probably realizing that we might not be enjoying much once The Elders arrived.Ryder’s arm slipped around my waist as we stepped off the last stair, and he leaned over and kissed my temple. He seemed... I dunno. Proud? Relieved? I wasn't sure. Whatever it was he was feeling, it was clearly good because he was smiling.“Alright, Kate. I think it's time to put you back in your place. I don't want you getting a big head or anything," Ryder announced as we walked into the living room.I paused, giving him a puzzled look.He picked up one o
(Ryder's POV)Her lips crashed against mine and the world around us faded away. The music from the game, the flickering light from the TV screen, the sound of footsteps in the hallway...... The sound of footsteps in the hallway.I peeked my eyes open mid-kiss and briefly caught a glimpse of Tyler over Kate's shoulder.He hovered there with a drink in his hand, seemingly uncertain what to do.With one hand, I pulled Kate closer, my fingers settling in the nape of her neck. With the other hand, I urgently waved Tyler away, determined not to have him cock-block me here.He rolled his eyes and shook his head before retreating silently with an amused smile, allowing me to focus back on the moment again.With Tyler out of the picture, I let my mind be consumed with Kate once more. Kate and only Kate. The feel of her lips against mine, her fingers as they wound through my hair and clutched at my shirt, her warm breath against my skin, her quickening heartbeat...Kate pulled back for a moment
(Katelyn's POV)"I love you too," Ryder replied, watching me with an expression of complete adoration.It felt like I was going to melt into the bed as satisfaction and contentment flowed through my veins, spreading through me and leaving me so relaxed it almost felt like effort just to blink.His fingers grazed over my thighs gently, his lips planting soft kisses along my skin as my laboring heart searched for its old, steady rhythm."You alive?" he whispered softly, his breath warm on my skin."Barely," I managed to mumble, my voice sounding a little hoarse.He smiled, his eyes shining as he planted one more kiss on my thigh before sitting up abruptly and pulling his shirt up over his head to reveal his taut, lean body.Oh, God... Already? I was still riding my fucking high over here.I was about to protest, to tell him I needed more time, but before I could, he was on me again, his lips trailing a path of kisses along my body. He started at my knee, his lips moving slowly along my
(Ryder's POV)The room was silent, with only the faint sounds of our labored breathing filling the space as we lay together in the quiet aftermath.Kate lay on her back, her eyes closed with a tiny smile on her lips.I reached out, my fingers brushing over her cheek gently. I just needed to touch her, to feel her skin against mine, to prove to myself that this was all real.As I looked at her, watching the way her chest rose and fell, the way her smile lit up her face, I felt something I couldn’t name. Maybe it was peace. Maybe it was something more than that. All I knew was that I’d never felt anything like this, anything that even came close.This was the girl who’d shown up in my life and turned everything upside down. She'd made me question everything I'd thought I'd known. She'd complicated everything, but at the same time, made it all so much easier. I couldn't remember a time before her and I didn't want to.Every part of me felt settled, like some force inside me that was usua
(Katelyn's POV)The warmth of Ryder’s confession lingered. He’d stumbled through it, sure, but each word was raw and honest, like he was baring every corner of his soul to me and I couldn't ask for more than that.I appreciated that he didn’t try to mask the things he felt, even when it came out clumsy or unfiltered. We lay together for a while longer, wrapped up in each other, the world around us silent. My head rested on his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat an anchor to me as my fingers traced small circles over his shoulder. His hand reached up, brushing through my hair softly. “Guess I’m not so bad with words after all,” he murmured, a faint smile pulling at his lips.I laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far,” I teased lightheartedly.He gave a contented sigh, pressing a soft kiss against the top of my head. His lips lingered there and I could feel him breathing me in as his arms tightened around me ever so slightly.I had no regrets. I knew that this had been the right thing
(Katelyn's POV)Morning came and so did a blinding beam of light, assaulting me through a crack in the curtains and reminding me that all was not well. Yesterday was over and today was today... a day I had been dreading.I was instantly stressed, my stomach tying itself in knots as the reality set in. The Elders would arrive, maybe they were even here already, and I had no idea what they had planned for me.Dread settled over me and I wished I could just close my eyes and go back to sleep... Maybe I could sleep the day away. Maybe I could sleep their entire visit away. A ridiculous thought, I acknowledge that, but desperation breeds irrationality."Hey," a voice whispered beside me. Tyler."Hey," I replied, my heart hammering in my chest as I tried to swallow my rising panic."It'll be okay," he murmured, brushing a stray hair away from my face before his hand settled on my cheek, rubbing it gently with his thumb.I closed my eyes and tried to breathe through it. The fact that he inst