Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 301 - Chapitre 310

(Katelyn’s POV)The kitchen felt too quiet, even with the faint hum of the refrigerator in the background.The three of us sat at the kitchen island, my hands wrapped around a warm mug of coffee, trying to absorb some of its comfort. My mind was too restless for that though.Tyler and Ryder sat on either side of me, their faces tense as they each sipped at their own mugs. None of us had spoken much since the meeting with Alpha David, and the silence was becoming suffocating.I couldn’t stop thinking about what was going to happen tomorrow, about the arrival of The Elders’ representatives and what that might mean for me. It felt like a dark cloud looming over everything, like an inescapable weight that pressed down on me.The uncertainty was the worst part. I didn’t know what they would want from me or what I’d be expected to do. But I had a sinking feeling that whatever it was, I probably wasn't going to look back on this situation with fond memories.“I don’t want them to take me awa

(Katelyn’s POV)My tears flowed freely now, and I could feel the weight of everything pressing down on my chest. I knew Ryder was hurting too, but he was trying so hard to hide it from me. His arms tightened around me as if he could somehow shield me from my own guilt, but it was no use."Hey," he murmured softly, brushing his hand through my hair. "I was just thinking about the coffee mug thing, and I was wondering..." he hesitated.I sniffed and pulled back just enough to look up at him. "Yeah?" I said, my voice still shaky from crying.He gave me a small smile before continuing. "Well, I'm just a little concerned. Do I need to be worried about any other objects spontaneously exploding around me?" he teased, his eyebrows raised in mock concern.A laugh escaped my lips in spite of my tears and I shook my head. "I swear, I don't know how that happened," I replied, feeling confused about it. "I didn’t mean to do it...”He nodded thoughtfully, his hand still gently rubbing my back. "May

(Katelyn’s POV)The weight of uncertainty still lingered, but I had to try. I had to tell Ryder that I'd made a mistake.I realized I was running, as if the quicker I got to him, the less damage my words might do.I reached the front door, bursting through it without even closing it behind me as I rushed down the hallway, heading straight for the living room where I had left him earlier.Ryder was still there, still sitting on the sofa, his elbows resting on his knees and his face buried in his hands. The sight of him sitting there, looking so defeated, shattered my heart all over again."I fucked up," I blurted, startling him as I came to a stop in front of him. "I’m so sorry, Ryder. I made a mistake. I don’t want to do this without you. I don’t know what I was thinking... I was just scared and confused, but I’m here now. I’m so sorry."Ryder looked up at me, his brows furrowed in surprise and confusion."What...?" he mumbled, his voice raspy, as if he hadn’t spoken in hours.I stepp

(Katelyn’s POV)"Glad you could make it," Tyler said, giving Ryder an approving nod."So am I," Ryder replied with a relieved smile.I began to strip off my clothes while they spoke, eager to get this show on the road before something else could happen. A door-to-door salesman trying to sell us a vacuum cleaner... an earthquake... a fucking nuclear disaster... It felt like SOMETHING was going to happen to delay this whole thing and I was having none of it.This was happening no matter what."You in a hurry there?" Tyler asked with a chuckle, watching me curiously as I tugged my pants off."Last time we talked about this, Harlan decided it would be a great time to kidnap me. Forgive my sense of urgency here, but I don't want to deal with any interruptions this time," I replied, my voice laced with bitterness as I said Harlan's name.Tyler shrugged as he began to undress too. "Can't argue with that.""So... any plans as to how we're going to do this?" Ryder asked as he pulled his shirt

(Ryder’s POV)The clearing was bathed in sunlight, a perfect backdrop for what had just happened. The marking. The moment we had all been building toward for so long. Finally, it was done. Kate had marked me and Tyler, and we had marked her. I should have felt complete. I should have felt content. And I did, but there was something else... Something I couldn't quite put my finger on.It wasn’t the marking itself. That had felt incredible, like some kind of supernatural charge that flowed through me the second her teeth sank into my skin. The warmth, the connection, the euphoria, it was more than I could ever have anticipated. But then, after the initial surge faded, something else settled in its place.It was a hollow feeling, like an empty pit somewhere deep inside me. I tried to ignore it, standing there with Kate and Tyler, trying to feel what they were feeling. But that emptiness wouldn’t go away, no matter how much I smiled or kissed Kate or held her close. The bond between us wa