{~~Avery Sterling~~}No one asked me to come into work after getting shot, in fact, I was dismissed but I still wanted to work on the LDS case. Logan said I could take the week off as the CMO insisted, but I wanted to help. I know staying at home would mess with my mind. Especially since the press- foreign and local newstations- were packed around the hospital entrance wanting to get a look at the horrid monster who did this.They’d called me Ava at first but quickly realized it was a mistake. I wasn’t pregnant. I just hate this whole thing. I wish I could get away but I won’t be driven away from my new life simply because my sister decided to shack up with a bloody murderer.Everyone in the hospital was busy, so I was left alone in the basement lab. With two of the beta squad members. I was reviewing Martin’s tox screen report. A tox screen, short for toxicology screen, is a test that detects the presence of drugs, alcohol, or other toxic substances in a person's body. It is often us
{~~Avery Sterling~~}“Avery, who is Darren?”I turned away from the scope and moved aside so he could check it. Then I grabbed my note from where I’d left it and started to jot down my findings.“Remember that date you took me on? The guy who came up to our table, Ava’s ex said I was finally hot enough. An ex-boyfriend of mine as well. I found it so strange that Rex would develop an obsession for me. But he’s not obsessed with me, he blames me for him being in prison. If there’s anyone who could be obsessed it would be somebody I dated. Someone I was in the same math class with. Someone who despite fighting so hard to get a mark that would make him a nurse, got a bland color which meant he was forced into the food business. I don’t think Darren created the LDS. I think people in the olden days did. They used it to confirm their beliefs. If they said a man was going mad, they’d probably infect him and he’d go crazy over years so people would have to believe them. I think Darren put all
{~~Ava Sterling~~}When I left this dump, I fully expected it to crash and burn without me. I pictured the chaos, the people falling to the ground in despair, sobbing, begging for me to come back and restore order. Rex was supposed to be my sure thing—my lover, my partner, my everything. We were happy at the start, a whole nine months of bliss, but it didn't take long for things to start shifting. I was just trying to chase happiness, and for a while, I thought I’d found it with him. Don’t I deserve that much? To be happy?But of course, life had other plans. My fucking twin, who’s never had anything good happen to her, is suddenly swimming in all this attention—and it’s all because of me. All because I couldn’t just settle with Logan. He was steady, reliable, and probably the best choice, but no—I had to go after Rex, thinking he was my true love, the one who’d complete me. How fucking naive. The only thing true about what Rex feels for me is how he uses me. The women around us—they
{~~Avery Sterling~~}After lunch with Logan, I headed up to the room where Ava was being held, so I could get this conversation out of the way. I was nervous when I first opened the door until I saw her. Pitiful. This girl used to bully me? How? I have two degrees, and I can work under any medic alpha in the world. Why in the name of god did I let that bully me?"Go away. I don’t wanna see you."She raised an eyebrow and took me in- i was doing the exact same thing to her but while I’m sure she could see me being my best self... she didn’t look just as good as I remember her. Her gaze sharp and assessing, lingering on me with an intensity would have made me squirm if she wasn’t as pale as a ghost. I mirrored her, my eyes raking over her in return. Has she really changed this much in the last six years? She used to be so confident, so striking. But now… Now, she’s a shadow of what she once was. Her hair, once thick and lustrous, now hangs limp, as if life has drained out of it. Her onc
{~~Avery Sterling~~}After Gareth applied some ice to his genital area, I took him to my office so he could sit.“I’m so sorry for that. I get scared easily these days.”“I get it. I would be the same way if something that bad had happened to me.”I nodded, sitting behind my desk. “um, may I ask why you’re here? I think logan is in surgery.” Gareth shook his head, then he lifted the brown back he had on his shoulder and placed it on the table.“Ryan and the tech team did a deep dive on the locations you sent for some factory. It’s not a factory anymore. That place has been turned into a homeless shelter, which Ryan says the owner of the factory said he didn’t sell it. We haven’t gone to ask or interrogate the person who runs this shelter. Ryan doesn’t want to spook them. But he has people watching them. And the wolf king’s guards are arriving tonight. So after meeting with them, he’ll decide on what to do. But every pregnant woman that has been admitted to this hospital is under hot w
{~~Logan Grey~~}Work ended at seven pm for me. I addressed the staff and told everyone to take protection in the form of anything but a gun. So if they’re attacked they’d be able to defend themselves. We’ve upped the cameras. Now all I need is for Avery to come with me. We’re not going home this time. I mean, we are. But I’m taking her out to dinner. A nice place, so I can woo her.I dug my fingers into my pockets, calming the feelings roaring within me. The deal with our world is our lack of reliance on our wolves. But that is different for the people are the north, and the wolf king. Guns? No, why would they use any of those when they can shift and use their animals?I feel like that plays a role in why he’s still king, and his people are strong. We have built a dynamic, placed everyone into a particular box and just told ourselves that this is the only way to go.I’m saying this due to Darren’s situation, and the lack of mating rituals in our lives. To be fair, not all werewolves
{~~Logan Grey~~}I waited for her to speak but she was quiet until we got into the car."Love is tricky," she began, her voice soft yet weighted with the complexities of the subject. The very mention of love sent a pang through my chest, a sensation that only deepened as she continued. "Holding a person, or even two people, down to a mating bond... it's a concept that dances on the edge of what some might consider twisted." I could feel my heart sink as she spoke, a heaviness settling in my gut that was impossible to ignore."Mates," she said, the word hanging in the air like a delicate thread, "means two people the gods themselves have deemed to be perfect for one another, two souls intertwined in a way that transcends mortal understanding. It's a connection that is said to be forged in the heavens, an unbreakable bond that pulls these two individuals together across time and space, across lifetimes. It’s a love that is supposed to be pure, untainted by the world's harsh realities. B
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I drank some coffee and dressed in long black tights, a fitted long shirt, and some high-heeled sneakers. Logan said we were connecting with nature, it’s dark but a full moon is out and I’m eager to be under it. Shifting into my wolf, and hunting. Not animals, oh god no. Hunting.... okay, so maybe animals like deer. But since we don’t live in an area where they migrate then perhaps we’ll hunt whatever we see.I don’t know how this works, but I’m super excited. We’re driving to the park where the event is being held and spending the night in one of the cabins. We’ll return tomorrow morning. We packed clothes for the next day, pajamas and more. Have I mentioned I’m excited? Can you believe what we’ll be doing?Incredible.A couple’s event. Once we arrived I took in the view of the campsite. Gosh, only twenty couples are allowed each night. They don’t allow you to stay for more than two days unless you pay the premium. How did Logan get us in on short notice?He prob
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The waterfall is majestic and stunning. Logan suggested we go in naked since we’re the only ones here. I’ll admit, trusting a radically vegan hippie to plan my honeymoon was a bold and disturbing choice. Third year in college she lugged me off to the rain forest where we camped for six weeks so we could connect with the gods who brought us here.It was my worst summer vacation. Six long weeks. But I got so much work done that I felt like I came back even smarter. I love Agatha, but my goodness, her ideas of fun are always nature-like. The lack of wifi is going to kill me, but thank god I got another honeymoon present from Logan’s parents as an apology for the way they acted at the start of my marriage to their son.And that one is for two months on a cruise. We’ll be leaving for that after a week of getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.The water is cold, and the view is even better. I talk alot of crap about Agatha but the woman is far more connected to this world t
{~~Logan Grey~~}My honeymoon is not at all what I expected. It’s one of those situations where you step back and think, How did I not see this coming? But I guess that’s what happens when you go with the flow and don’t plan out every last detail, just trusting that things will fall into place. We decided not to bring Hope with us, even though part of me wanted her to be here. She’s spending the week with my parents—her grandparents—which feels like a huge milestone, not just for her, but for me too. Avery and I wanted this time to ourselves, to really celebrate our marriage without any distractions, to focus on us for a change.We’re an odd pair to most people, and I know some didn’t expect us to last, but we’ve made it work in ways that surprise even me sometimes. Over the last year, we’ve settled into this rhythm that’s become second nature. It’s a good rhythm, one that’s brought us closer, and made us stronger. It’s funny—when you think about it, but it feels like so much longer.
\One Year Later/{~~Avery Sterling~~}So, you know how little girls always dream about their wedding day? It’s supposed to be this big, magical event, where everything falls perfectly into place, and for some, it’s the pinnacle of their dreams, right? But not me. I never had those kinds of dreams. You know how my life was, how crappy my sister and parents treated me. There was never much room in my head for fantasies like that. Growing up, I couldn’t even imagine what marriage would feel like because I was too busy surviving and getting through the mess of my family. But, okay, maybe deep down, I had some dreams. Everyone does, right? I just never thought they’d come true.And marrying Logan Grey—that’s a whole different thing altogether. I mean, when we started planning the wedding, I was so overwhelmed. There were just so many details, and so many decisions, and with everything I’ve been through, I just didn’t have the energy to care about floral arrangements or seating charts. So, I
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The almost-car accident shakes me up more than I expected, but Logan is fine, and I’m fine. It all happened so fast, and yet I can still feel the pulse of my heartbeat in my throat when I think about it. That truck had come out of nowhere. The driver didn’t even slow down. Had I not tripped over that stone while I was looking for a signal on my phone and he’d come to check on me... logan would have died a painful death before my eyes.So of course I was a fucking mess. That driver is crazy. Did he not see the car? Why did the car even stop? What was wrong with the engine? I have like six million questions!He called Ryan to come get us. I was in his arms on the side of the road, watching as other cars drove around the wreckage. They don’t stop but look on surprised at the mess. Whoever that driver was I hope to god his truck breaks down and he’s fired. Because what the hell?He should have at least stopped. Panic fills me but so does anger. The panic wins though.
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Logan and I had left Hope in the hospital. The tiny bundle of life—so fragile, yet resilient—was resting safely in the nursery, surrounded by the quiet hum of machines and the gentle presence of nurses. We’d return tomorrow, once we were sure they’d had time to scan her brain and ensure she was truly safe for release. My heart ached to leave her, but it was necessary. Thank goodness she was a baby, still too young to understand fear in the way that we did. She wouldn’t know the anxiety, the sleepless nights, the never-ending worry. All she knew was warmth and the safety of sleep, cocooned in blankets too big for her tiny form.The snow had started falling again, soft and silent, covering the world in a layer of purity that felt both soothing and unsettling. Logan drove carefully through the winding streets, the heater on low, warming our chilled fingers. We didn’t speak much, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that sat between two peo
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I’m back in this beautiful pack, surrounded by familiar faces, and yet it feels so foreign after everything we’ve been through. the rain stopped while I was away and now we have a new season. The landscape is stunning, especially now, with the first snowfall of the season transforming the dense forest and the lake into a quiet, white wonderland. The snow blankets the ground in thick, untouched layers, making the whole world seem calm and serene, but cold—bitingly cold. It's as if the snow carries the weight of my worries. The weather has shifted dramatically over the past few days, moving from endless, gloomy rain to this sudden onset of winter. So, congratulations on freezing my butt off, even with all the layers I'm bundled in.Logan and I had spent last night at the lake house, a place of solace for us, trying to reconnect after everything that’s been thrown at us. It was bittersweet, those quiet moments by the fire, the crackling logs filling the air with warm
{~~Logan Grey~~}Avery is coming home today. Avery is coming home today. I’ve been repeating that sentence in my head for the past 48 hours, counting down the seconds like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. The excitement, the anticipation—it’s all bubbling up inside me, and I can barely sit still. I glance at the clock on my phone for what feels like the hundredth time, knowing it hasn't moved much since the last time I looked but somehow hoping the hands of time have sped up. It's been far too long since I’ve seen her.The air in the terminal is thick with the usual airport chaos—people rushing by, announcements echoing through the speakers, kids whining in the background—but it all fades into the background noise. I’m laser-focused, my heart pounding in sync with the roaring engines of planes outside. She’s been gone for weeks, and though it wasn’t that long, it feels like an eternity. We’ve been working tirelessly on the cure—sleepless nights, constant research, trial and error.
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Agatha and I had been at it for hours, possibly days, though the passage of time had become something of a blur in the dim, candlelit room. The air was thick with the scent of dried herbs and burning incense, their heady aromas mixing in a way that both calmed and invigorated me. I had never spent so much time in the presence of a witch doctor before—not like this, not in such an intimate setting where every movement, every word, every breath was part of a delicate and complex dance of life and death.I’d seen witchcraft before. In university, we had a professor who dabbled in the ancient arts, using it to enhance her knowledge of medicinal plants and natural remedies. It’s why i wished I’d been chosen to be a doctor, it would be so nice to be able to do so much than what a nurse can. But even she had never worked with the sheer precision and raw power that Agatha wielded. It was... mesmerizing. I couldn’t help but be drawn in, watching her every move, the way her
{~~Logan Grey~~}Two days without Avery isn't an eternity, but it sure feels like a long time. I’m surviving, or at least I think I am. Tonight, I’m having dinner at my parents' place, and the whole family is here to celebrate the newborns. Felix’s child, Marley, and my daughter, Hope. It feels good to be around everyone, even if my mind keeps drifting to Avery. The house is buzzing with laughter and chatter. The babies are in their playpen, tapping at toys, oblivious to the joyful chaos around them. My parents are practically glowing as they fawn over their grandkids, doting on every little coo and babbling like they’re treasures.I sit back in a rocking chair, watching the scene play out before me. My brothers are in the kitchen, joking around while they cook, and their wives are on the couch, chatting and laughing. And Ronan’s children are lying on the floor coloring something. It’s one of those moments that feels picture-perfect, like a scene out of some old family movie. Even Rya