"Why?" he asked me, his voice ringing with concern and suspicion. "Because I need to talk to him. I left my phone in your car, I need to call him," I went on, taking long strides back the way we'd come as I wiped the tears from my cheeks. The rain was coming down harder now and I was drenched within moments after leaving the shelter of the dense pine tree. He chased after me, spinning me around by the shoulder. "Come on, Kate. Don't do anything stupid now," he said, giving me a searching look as he tried to figure out what I was thinking. I snatched my shoulder away. "I just want to talk to him," I insisted, walking on through the pouring rain, determined to somehow get to him. "Kate!" he called after me as I stalked through the forest. I heard his footsteps behind me, snapping twigs with just about every step he took until he overtook me this time, standing in front of me and blocking my path. "Please move," I murmured with a sniff. He shook his head. "Listen to me, I don't kn
He led me back to the house in silence, as the rain came down endlessly. We stopped briefly to get our clothes. I don't remember dressing, but when I arrived at the house, I was wearing everything I'd come in, save for my shoes and socks. Ryder ushered me down the hallway towards his room, opening the door for me then leading me into the bathroom. He turned the water on while I shivered relentlessly, then helped me undress and gently urged me beneath the spray of hot water. "I'll be right back. Will you be okay?" he asked. "Yeah," I replied flatly. Slowly, the warmth of the water began to permeate my skin, defrosting me more and more the longer I stood beneath the cascading stream. Gradually, my dark mood began to lift slightly as my body fought off the icy chill of the rain. "All okay?" Ryder's voice echoed through the steamy air. "All okay," I confirmed with a nod, even though he probably couldn't see me through the frosted glass door. I stood there for a long time, allowing
He sighed, his guard dropping as he nodded.With gentle fingers he reached out for me, grabbing a fistful of the hoodie I was wearing as he tugged me towards him.I went along without complaint, grateful when he wrapped his arms around me more tightly this time. I buried myself against his chest, listening to his heartbeat and finding comfort in it.At least I had him.We stood like that for a long time and I felt absolute relief that I'd somehow managed to navigate this near disaster. I couldn't imagine him rejecting me. It almost felt like a heartbreaking inevitability with Tyler, but with Ryder... I think he was right... we were meant to be.I yawned against his chest and he chuckled as I snuggled against him."Are you tired?" he asked as he pressed a kiss to the top of my damp head."A little," I admitted, feeling guilty about it. It felt like I spent most of our time together sleeping lately."What about hungry?" he probed."I could eat," I confessed, acknowledging that the crois
I regretted the words almost immediately. It was too soon to say shit like that. I was going to freak him out and I wasn't even sure I meant them.He looked taken aback, surprised by the revelation. Panic surged through me and I felt like I'd fucked everything up again.His look softened and he kissed me again before resting his head on my chest. I held him there, wondering what to do. Should I apologize? Should I pretend it never happened? Should we talk about it?The silence stretched on and I realized the same thoughts were probably running through his head. I wanted to die of embarrassment. He hadn't said it back, which was almost as bad as the fact that I had said it at all.My fingers absentmindedly wound their way through his hair, despite my humiliating slip-up. It was as if I was determined to provide him with unsolicited affection, but I couldn't stop myself.He sighed and looked up at me, his chin resting on my chest now."You still hungry?" he asked, presumably trying to c
His expression softened when he saw that my intention was not to explicitly hurt his brother, but he still seemed mildly upset."You know that's a terrible idea, right?" he pressed, seemingly still on the defensive."Maybe... I don't want to get into it now though," I said, which was code for, 'I don't want to talk to you about it'.He sighed and wiped his hand over his face with frustration, but he didn't push me for any further details."You'd better let your aunt know that you're staying," he suggested, probably understanding that I might be waiting for quite a while."Good idea. Do you know where I left my phone?" I asked, looking around and feeling where I usually had pockets to tuck it away."Fuck... I think you said you left it in the car. I'll go get it for you," Ryder offered, already heading towards the door.The moment he left I collapsed back on the couch, groaning with self-loathing as I covered my eyes, trying to block out the rest of the world.I kept replaying the mome
At the top of the staircase was a dining area of sorts, which backed onto an open-plan kitchen. My fingers clutched Ryder's desperately as my anxiety levels peaked the further we wandered into what felt like an out-of-bounds area. We walked through a large archway into a cozy room that appeared to be some kind of hybrid between an office and a lounge. There was a large wooden desk and chairs for work, but then there were two well-worn brown leather couches facing a stone fireplace that seemed more for leisure. Ryder's dad sat at the desk while his mom hovered over him, pointing at something on the laptop screen as she squinted. Their focus shifted to us as soon as we stepped into the room. "Ah! Katelyn! How's your arm?" David asked, his voice brimming with concern as Liz straightened up. "I... It's much better, thanks," I hesitated, feeling my stomach twisting in knots. "Don't you two look adorable in your matching outfits," Liz said with a bright smile as her gaze darted betwee
I snuggled into him, glad he seemed to be a little less upset now. After a moment's silence, I piped up, "What exactly happens at a Lunar Eclipse Celebration?" I asked. "You didn't have those in Colorado?" he probed, seemingly surprised. "Well, we did, but I hadn't shifted yet when I attended the last one, and I'm just wondering whether there's anything I should be prepared for," I replied. "And maybe it's different here anyway..." "There's eating, drinking, socializing. Then everyone waits for the eclipse, some people shift, some don't, your preference really. Some like to run through the forest, some don't... Kind of a free for all, really. Of course, my dad will give some kind of speech..." he trailed off. "Sounds pretty standard," I replied with a shrug, recalling similar events from back home. He nodded, looking dejected. Then his eyes drifted up and settled on me as a serious look grew on his face before he added, "And sex. That's obviously also part of the celebration. Mat
We spent the rest of the afternoon casually making out and watching some comedy show on the TV. I somehow even managed to forget about my little slip-up, and things between us seemed good. Better than good actually.Maybe he felt better after airing his grievances during our little argument earlier, maybe it was the fact that I had professed my love for him, or maybe he was just happy he'd have company in his misery at the upcoming Lunar Eclipse Celebration. Whatever it was, he seemed to be more relaxed and calm now and I was grateful for it.The evening wore on, and we ate some snacks in the kitchen while I waited for Tyler to get home, but by 9PM my energy levels were at an all-time low. Ryder noticed my fading energy, "You sure you want to wait up for Tyler? It could be pretty late."I nodded, stubbornly clinging to the idea. "I really need to talk to him," I mumbled, leaning against the kitchen counter, barely keeping my eyes open.He frowned, looking concerned. "You wanna sleep
(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