(Katelyn's POV)As we reached David’s office door, Tyler knocked, and my breath hitched, bracing myself for whatever news lay beyond. When David’s calm voice called for us to enter, the door swung open, and I was met with an unexpected sight.His office was empty. It was just David, sitting there alone behind his desk, just as he usually was.A wave of relief washed over me, but it was quickly overshadowed by the uncomfortable realization that this only delayed the inevitable. The Elders were still coming. This was just a temporary reprieve.“Good morning,” David said in greeting, looking at each of us in turn before his eyes settled on me. He gave a small nod, his lips curling into the faintest hint of a smile. “How are you holding up, Kate?”Clearly my anxiety was etched all over my face. I took a deep breath and tried to look braver than I felt, straightening up my shoulders as I replied, “I’m okay.” My voice sounded confident enough, but his knowing look told me he wasn’t buying it
(Katelyn's POV)I paced back and forth, my bare feet padding quietly against the hardwood floor. Two hours. That was all I had left of this quiet before the storm.The thought made me scoff at myself. 'Quiet'... Yeah, sure, the house was quiet, but my mind was in a state of absolute chaos. The world around me was still, but inside, my thoughts were a tumultuous mess and no matter what I tried to do, I couldn't calm them.It felt like I was waiting for my execution. Like every minute that ticked by brought me one step closer to my doom.I'd tried to talk myself out of it... I'd tried to consider the possibility that maybe they would be really nice. I'd told myself that The Elders were still just people at the end of the day. I'd told myself that I hadn't actually done anything wrong. I reminded myself that Harlan was the one who had abducted me and I was actually the victim in all of this, but still, while I knew that it was all true, it still felt like it was somehow my fault. Like I
(Katelyn's POV)What did she want? Why was my 'mom' messaging me?Mom:You’ve destroyed this family, Katelyn. You've tarnished our family name and you've destroyed your father's reputation. You've been nothing but a burden to this family since the second they shoved you into our lives. I hope you're happy.I stared at the screen, my mind going blank as the words seared into my brain. I read them again, then again, but they never made any more sense than they had the first time.The words should have meant nothing to me. They shouldn't have hurt. But they did.I felt the phone slip from my hand as my body sagged against the wall, the familiar ache of rejection and shame unfurling in my chest like some all-consuming dark shadow.“Kate?” Tyler’s voice broke through the haze, his hand touching my shoulder gently. "You okay?”I couldn’t answer. I just looked at him, the world blurring around me as tears prickled in my eyes.It felt like I had been sucker-punched.Ryder appeared on my other
(Tyler's POV)“Why don’t you call your aunt?” I suggested, hoping maybe a familiar voice might help soothe her. “Or maybe even Jenna? See how her and Ash are doing, though I'm sure we can all guess how that’s going...” I teased, knowing that if the last time we saw them was anything to go by, they probably hadn't moved from Ash's room, let alone house.Kate looked up, her brows knitting together in thought. “Maybe,” she finally said, though she didn’t sound convinced. She glanced over at me, and I could tell she was still wrestling with a million different anxieties in her mind. "Do you have my phone?" she asked softly.“Shit…” I cursed, feeling stupid. “Yes, I do. Sorry. I meant to give it back to you. Things have just been... a little crazy, I guess. Hang on.” I said, hurrying out toward my bedroom to get it for her.I'd turned it off, but made sure it was charged for when she came back, so she would be able to use it immediately. I was glad I'd thought ahead because it really felt
(Katelyn's POV)I stared at my reflection, adjusting the hem of my dress with a sigh. It was as if the weight of the day had settled into the fabric itself, leaving it as creased and as tired-looking as I felt.Alpha David’s message that The Elders had arrived still echoed in my mind, fueling the anxiety that simmered below the surface. They were here now, close enough that I could almost feel their looming presence... Like an apocalyptic storm in the distance.When Tyler had recited the message to us, panic had clawed its way up, threatening to spill over. But somehow, I’d managed to push it down, accepting that there was no changing what was about to happen. Now that they were here, the dread had dulled, only to be replaced by a heavy feeling of resignation.I couldn’t stop this, couldn’t control this. All I could do was step forward and face it.With a deep breath, I turned back to my closet, figuring I'd have to find something more suitable for dinner. It was a little annoying see
(Katelyn's POV)Tyler held up a couple of shirts against his chest, one a purplish blue and the other a crisp white. "Which one?" he asked, giving me a questioning look."That one," I said, pointing to the blue one. I felt like it suited him better and I'm obviously a sucker for purple.Smiling, he nodded in agreement and slipped the shirt on.I tried to steady my breathing, to keep the anxiety at bay. But the thoughts kept creeping in, thoughts of questions I wouldn’t know how to answer, or worse, questions I hadn’t even thought to consider.I had to make a good first impression. I couldn’t let them see my fear, couldn’t let them doubt me. And I had to remind myself, over and over, that I wasn’t lying to them. I hadn’t done anything wrong. All I had to do was be honest and hold it together.Tyler’s voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. “Kate, it’s going to be okay,” he said, as if sensing my spiraling thoughts. “We’ll all be right there with you. Just... be
(Katelyn's POV)The echo of my footsteps on the stairs seemed louder than it should, amplifying the drumbeat of my heart. The twins each held one of my hands. Their silent support helped, but the truth was, I still felt like I was walking towards my doom. I forced myself to breathe, to push away the chaotic storm of thoughts swirling in my mind, but nothing could fully quiet the underlying dread.Just as we reached the top of the stairs, I gave Tyler’s hand a quick tug, halting him in his tracks.“I just need a second,” I explained, feeling nervous and overwhelmed.He turned, his expression softening as he caught my eye. “It’s going to be fine,” he murmured, squeezing my hand gently and bringing it to his lips. His reassuring smile helped anchor me, though only a little.I closed my eyes, letting a deep breath fill my lungs as I did my best to push down the anxiety that clawed at me.“Okay,” I whispered, exhaling slowly and opening my eyes.I did my best to put on a mask of calm. Of
(Katelyn's POV)I wrapped my arm around Tyler’s waist, holding him close as I glanced up at him. “It was a long time coming,” I replied, my tone steady as I gave Tyler a sweet smile.I wasn’t going to let Simon sow any seeds of doubt in anyone's mind. Sure, I had maybe dragged it out a bit and taken my time, but it was complicated and I wanted to be sure. I had two mates! This wasn't exactly standard!Just then, Ryder returned, handing Tyler a drink and taking a sip of his own. I looked at him, raising an eyebrow as if to silently ask, “Where’s mine?” Ryder raised his eyebrows right back, feigning innocence as he leaned in closer.“How old are you again?” he teased, his voice low. I scoffed, firing right back at him without missing a beat. “How old are YOU?” “Old enough,” he replied, a mischievous smirk on his lips as he took another sip of his drink, clearly taunting me. Leaning even closer, he whispered in my ear, “Not a fuck I’m doing this sober. But you’re doing great,” he added