Tyler and I stepped out into the cool night air. A fresh breeze was blowing through the trees and I was grateful I'd brought a jacket.The street was quiet and dark without a soul in sight, but Tyler held my hand and led the way. I didn't know if he had some predetermined destination in mind or whether he was just winging it. To be honest, it didn't matter.The air was fresh and my mind began to focus on my surroundings rather than thoughts of Ryder. Perhaps this had been just what I needed."You know," Tyler began, breaking the silence, "I understand that you don't want to discuss Ryder with me, and I get it. I respect that and I understand your reasons, but I just want you to know, that from my side, you can. I'll listen and do my best to remain impartial. I just want you to know that. That you don't have to deal with everything alone."I know he meant well, and I was grateful for the offer, but this was something I was pretty steadfast on. There was no way I could tell him. The cha
When I woke up, I could tell I had slept in. Sunlight streamed through a crack in my curtains, casting a warm glow over my room. The house was eerily quiet, which meant Aunt Mara had already left for work. With a yawn, I stretched and reached out for my phone on the bedside table.There were two messages from Tyler and one from Aunt Mara. Nothing from Ryder...I opened Tyler’s first.Tyler:Sorry I couldn't stay longer, I wish I could. Hope you're feeling a bit better now. Have sweet dreams ❤️ I love youGood morning ☀️ Did you sleep okay? I miss you like crazy ❤️His sweet messages brought a smile to my face as I typed back a response.Me:Morning 🙂 I slept much later than I planned to. Only just woke up now. I miss you too ❤️ What are you doing today?Love you ❤️ Next, I opened the message from Aunt Mara.Aunt Mara:Morning, honey. I didn't want to wake you, I know you had a rough night. Just wanted to let you know that I'm here if you want to talk. I love you.She was so sweet an
There was an awkwardness that hung in the air between us. A lingering tension that neither of us knew how to address.Trying to gloss over it, I offered him something to drink. "Want a soda?" I asked, heading toward the kitchen as he hovered in the entryway."Yeah, sure," he replied, his eyes glancing over at the TV, which was still on."What are you watching?" he asked, walking toward the TV now."Just some show about conspiracy theories," I said, grabbing two sodas from the fridge.He chuckled. "Are you into that kind of thing?""Some of it is interesting," I admitted, handing him his soda. "I like hearing the theories. Obviously, I don't agree with everything they say, but some topics make me think, and I like that. What about you?" I asked as I took a swig of my drink."Not really my thing," he said, taking a sip. "I've got enough problems in my own life to worry about. Spending time wondering whether the government is listening in on our phone calls on top of that is just a littl
As I looked at Ryder, I could see the sincerity in his eyes. From what I could gauge, he genuinely seemed to want to fix things, and despite my lingering anger towards him, I couldn't deny that I still cared deeply for him.I decided to change the subject, not wanting to talk about my parents anymore."So, what are you up to today?" I asked, trying to sound casual as I brushed the final remnants of my tears away with the back of my hand.Ryder seemed to relax a bit, grateful for the shift in conversation. "Nothing really. Figured I'd clear my calendar to spend the day begging for forgiveness," he replied, his tone lighter now.We chatted for a while, catching up on lighter topics, until Ryder's phone rang.He glanced at the screen. "It's Ash. Do you mind if I take it?""Sure," I replied.I could hear the muffled voice on the other end, sounding urgent. Ryder listened for a moment before replying, "I'm kinda busy right now."The voice continued, the tone rising slightly. "Can't it wait
The club was dark and smelled like stale beer. I had no idea where I was or where I was going, but Ryder seemed to know his way around, ushering me down a long narrow passage.We emerged in yet another dark room, this one was also filled with the smell of stale beer, but also smoke and the floor felt sticky beneath my feet. Ryder urged me ahead towards the lights of the bar, before making a slight detour to one of the empty tables nearby."I'm going to go to the bathroom quick then I'm going to see if I can find Ash. You'll be okay, right?" he asked turning to go before I could even reply.I watched as he disappeared through the crowd that hovered at the bar with a feeling of dismay. Looking around, I felt a little out of my depth. I'd snuck into clubs with Jenna before, but when I was with her I felt invincible. Standing here at the table on my own in a room full of total strangers felt different. Alien.I stripped off my jacket, placing it on the table beside my purse as I fumbled f
Ryder’s friends exchanged confused glances at my introduction, but they greeted me in a friendly enough manner. One girl in particular, Juno, seemed especially interested in me. She greeted me with enthusiasm, her British accent adding a charming lilt to her words.“Oh, I absolutely love your hair!” Juno exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.She had a wild, edgy look with cropped black hair, beautiful blue eyes and pale skin. She reminded me of Jenna in spirit, if not in appearance.“Thank you!” I replied, smiling at her as I absentmindedly ran my fingers through my hair.Ryder returned to the table, handing Ash and me our drinks as he addressed the rest of the group. “Hey guys, I guess you’ve all met Kate then.”They all nodded and Juno chimed in, “Yeah, Ash took care of the introductions. Just curious to know why you never mentioned her before?” There was no malice in her words, only curiosity.Ryder grinned, standing behind me and wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “Because
I watched as Juno, Ash, and Cal made their way through the crowd toward the stage to set up. The energy in the club was electric and anticipation buzzed in the air.Ryder took the opportunity to wrap his arms around me from behind again, whispering in my ear, “I’m glad you came.”I turned my head slightly to look at him, feeling his warmth against me. “I’m glad too. I’m having a really good time,” I replied with a smile.He nodded with a satisfied grin on his face. “I’m going to the bar for another drink. Do you want one?”I shook my head. “No, thanks. I’m still working on this one.”Gizmo, who had been chatting with Ben, suddenly piped up. “I’m heading to the bathroom. Do you want to come, Kate?”“Sure, I’ll come,” I said, realizing that I'd better go now if I didn't want nature to call in the middle of Ash's set.Ryder and Ben headed off to the bar, and I followed Gizmo and Bailey to the bathroom. It was as one may have expected in a crowded nightclub. Grimey and unpleasant. But ne
The drive home seemed to go much faster than the drive there as Ryder and I laughed and joked together, talking about the gig and his friends as the energy from the evening still buzzed in the air between us."So," I began, unable to contain my curiosity any longer, "are Juno and Ash like a thing?" I asked.Ryder chuckled. "No, Juno is more into girls. She likes boys too. Mostly girls though."I was a little surprised. That definitely wasn't the answer I was anticipating, but it didn't faze me. She was cool regardless.I hesitated for a moment before asking the question that had really been burning in my mind. "So, what's the deal with Bailey? She didn't seem to be too pleased to meet me."Ryder sighed. "Uh... Bailey and I were together briefly, but nothing really came of it. It was a while ago."I nodded, having suspected as much but I was glad to hear it directly from him. It didn't change anything really.As we neared his house, I messaged my aunt to let her know that I was staying
(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