Katy lay in her bed, the soft pillows doing little to cushion the chaos in her mind. The pain medication had dulled the ache from her surgery, but it couldn't touch the raw, throbbing wound of betrayal and disbelief that the twins had inflicted. Her hand, almost unconsciously, went to her still-flat abdomen.
Baby or pup? The words echoed, a cruel taunt. She tried to picture it – a baby, a human baby, tiny and vulnerable, needing her. That was a concept she could grasp, though the circumstances of its conception were a nightmare. But then Jayden's voice, calm and resolute, sliced through her thoughts: "It will shift into a wolf just like we do, Katy."
Her stomach churned, a fresh wave of nausea that had nothing to do with pregnancy and everything to do with terror. A creature that could shift? Like them? This wasn't some fantasy novel; this was her life, her body, her baby. Or was it a pup? The very idea was grotesque, alien. She didn't want a pup. She wanted a normal baby, a normal life, a normal future.
They had known. That was the phrase that screamed loudest in her head. They had known. They knew she was a virgin, they knew their bodies would reject contraception, and they knew the intimate act would lead to this impossible pregnancy. They had taken that choice from her, replaced it with a "mate bond" and "fate." It felt like a violation of the deepest kind. Her body, her future, hijacked by some ancient, animalistic imperative she hadn't even known existed until minutes ago.
The phone vibrated again on the nightstand, its faint glow illuminating Jayden's name. She squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't talk to them. She couldn't even begin to process what they had told her. Were they truly wolves? Or were they just sick, manipulative men who had found a convenient, insane explanation for coercing her into this situation? Her mind reeled between the impossible truth and the terrifying lie.
She just wanted to disappear. To rewind time. To be the Katy who woke up that morning three months ago, blissfully unaware of golden eyes and sweet scents and the monstrous, fated claim that would shatter her world and leave her carrying a... pup. The thought brought fresh, silent tears to her eyes. This wasn't her life. This couldn't be her life.
Downstairs, Dave sat in the living room, the TV on low, his gaze unfocused. He had made Katy some light soup and toast earlier, which she'd barely touched. He kept glancing at the stairs, debating whether to go up and check on her again. He longed to talk to her, to understand, but the look on her face when she'd grumbled about the pregnancy had told him everything he needed to know about her current state of mind. He finally succumbed to the exhaustion of the day, dozing off on the couch, leaving the house bathed in the dim glow of the TV.
Upstairs, Katy eventually drifted into a fitful, shallow sleep, her dreams a kaleidoscope of shifting shadows, glowing eyes, and the chilling echoes of "mate" and "pup." Her body ached, but her mind was more tortured, reliving the twins' confessions, battling the sheer absurdity of it all.
The first hint of Tuesday morning light, thin and hesitant, seeped through Katy's curtains. She stirred, a dull ache throbbing in her side, and the lingering grogginess from the pain medication clung to her. For a fleeting moment, she hovered on the edge of oblivion, the world a hazy, uncomplicated place. Then, like a punch to the gut, the memories of the night before rushed back.
Wolves. The word hung heavy in the air of her room, echoing the twins' solemn voices. Mate bond. Pup. Her stomach clenched, not from nausea this time, but from a cold, creeping dread. It wasn't a dream. It was real. Or they were utterly insane. And either option left her future shattered.
She stared at the ceiling, tears pricking her eyes again. How could her life have spun so wildly out of control? She was just Katy, the library assistant. Now she was a pregnant... human who had supposedly conceived a pup with two men who claimed to be wolves, all because of some ancient, inescapable "mate bond." The sheer absurdity of it battled with the terrifying sincerity in Jayden and Jamie's golden eyes. They hadn't been joking. They really believed it.
The sound of soft footsteps on the stairs startled her. A moment later, her bedroom door creaked open. Dave, looking rumpled but awake, peered in.
"Morning, honey," he said, his voice quiet, his eyes filled with a familiar mix of worry and tenderness. He entered fully, his gaze sweeping over her, checking for any signs of distress. "How are you feeling? Any pain?"
Katy swallowed, the words catching in her throat. How could she tell him? How could she explain that the baby he was so concerned about wasn't just a baby, but something... else? That the "accident" wasn't an accident at all, but a predetermined consequence of an encounter with supernatural beings? She couldn't. Not yet. Maybe never.
"Just... tired, Dad," she managed, her voice barely above a whisper, pulling the blanket up higher around her. The weight of this impossible secret already felt suffocating.
Dave nodded, relief softening his features. "Okay, good. Just rest. The doctor said bed rest for a while, remember?" He walked over to her nightstand, picking up her phone. "You had a few calls last night. From a 'Jayden'?" He glanced at her, a question in his eyes.
Katy's heart leaped. She averted her gaze, staring fixedly at the wall. "Just... friends, Dad," she mumbled. "I don't feel like talking right now."
Dave put the phone back down, a faint frown creasing his brow at her dismissive tone, but he didn't press. "Alright, sweetie. I'll be downstairs if you need anything. Just call out." He lingered for a moment, then, with a sigh, quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.
Katy was alone again. She squeezed her eyes shut, a silent scream building in her chest. The world outside had moved on, but her world had been irrevocably cleaved in two. And she had no idea how to put it back together, or if she even wanted to.
She sighed, a sound heavy with exhaustion and reluctant concession. This bed rest thing is really sucking. Boredom, despite the overwhelming emotional chaos, was already setting in. Her hand, almost unconsciously, reached for her phone on the nightstand.
She unlocked it, her thumb hovering over the recent call log, then navigated to her contacts. Her gaze lingered on the names. Jayden. Then, just below it, Jamie.
With a hesitant breath, she pulled up Jamie's name in her contacts. Her fingers trembled slightly as she began to compose a message, the screen glowing faintly in the dim room. What could she even say? The fury was still there, a simmering ember, but beneath it was a desperate, terrifying need for answers that only they seemed to possess.
She sighed, a sound heavy with exhaustion and reluctant concession, and called upon her dad. A moment later, he finally entered the room, looking tired but alert. "What's up, honey?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
"Dad, can I borrow the car?" Katy asked, her voice quiet but firm.
Dave stared at her, as if she'd just asked for the moon. His eyes widened, a look of utter disbelief on his face. "Are you insane?" he almost blurted out. He gestured vaguely at her, still hooked up to monitors just hours ago, now on mandatory bed rest. "Katy, you just got home from the hospital! You almost died! You're on bed rest!" His voice rose with each point, a mixture of shock and parental alarm.
Dad, I'm feeling good and still going to take it easy," Katy insisted, her voice surprisingly firm despite her internal turmoil. "I just need to do something other than lay here in bed."
Dave ran a hand over his face. "I don't know, Katy..."
"Dad, I'll be sitting while driving," she reasoned, adding a quick, mental (not far I may add) to herself. She certainly didn't need him knowing her destination was the twins' house. "Where I'll be, I'll be sitting the whole time as well."
He sighed, a long, drawn-out sound of resignation. "Fine," he conceded, though his expression remained etched with worry. "But I want updates on how you're doing, and do not go far or do anything silly."
Katy's face brightened, a rare, genuine smile gracing her lips. "Thanks, Dad."
He helped her slowly down the stairs, each step a careful negotiation with her still-sore body. Outside, the cool morning air brushed against her. She was still wearing her oversized sleep shirt, a stark white hospital-issue garment, but she didn't care. This was an important visit, not a sex capade one. She slid into the driver's seat, the familiar feel of the steering wheel a small comfort in a world turned upside down. She needed answers, and she knew exactly where to get them.
Katy pulled up to the driveway of the twins' secluded house, the familiar, rustic facade looking strangely alien now. She cut the engine but remained in the car, gripping the steering wheel. A long, shaky sigh escaped her. This was a stupid idea. Her surgical incision gave a dull throb, reminding her of her fragile state. But the image of a 'pup' and the crushing weight of their deception spurred her on. She had to do this.
Her fingers, still trembling slightly, found her phone. She opened her texts to Jamie.
To: Jamie
Please come help me outside.
She barely had time to put the phone down before the front door burst open. Moments later, the twins ran to the car, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief. Jamie reached her door first, his golden eyes wide. Jayden was right behind him, a frantic worry etched on his features.
"Katy, what are you doing?" Jamie exclaimed, his voice laced with alarm as he yanked open her door.
"You're supposed to be resting!" Jayden added, his voice tight with concern, already reaching for her, as if she might collapse.
Katy pushed herself up, bracing a hand on the car door. A sharp wince of pain shot through her side as she put weight on her feet, but she grit her teeth, trying to hide it. "I'm fine! Stop with the babysitting me!" she snapped, her voice thin but furious, glaring at their worried faces. She hated feeling so weak, so dependent, especially on them.
Walking to the front door felt like torture for Katy. Each step sent a fresh wave of agony through her abdomen, and her legs felt like jelly. She was not ready to walk this far, not after surgery and bed rest. Her face must have betrayed her, despite her efforts to hide the pain.
Jayden, ever attuned to her, picked up on it. Without a word, or even a moment's hesitation, he carefully scooped her into his arms. The suddenness of it made Katy gasp, but she was too weak to protest beyond a small, indignant squeak. His arms were strong and steady beneath her, supporting her entirely, and a strange mix of humiliation and unwilling relief washed over her. He carried her effortlessly, like she weighed nothing at all.
beneath her, supporting her entirely, and a strange mix of humiliation and unwilling relief washed over her. He carried her effortlessly, like she weighed nothing at all.
He carried her directly into the house, past a stunned Jamie who had followed them, and into one of the bedrooms. It was spacious, with large windows and a heavy, masculine scent of pine and something subtly wild. Without ceremony, he gently placed her on his bed. The mattress was firm, covered in dark, soft linens.
Katy immediately recoiled, her voice weak but laced with renewed anger. "This is the last place I wanted to be!" she declared, trying to push herself up, her eyes wide with a mix of defiance and rising panic. Being in their bed, in their house, felt like a deeper trap.
Jamie, who had followed them, stepped forward, his expression earnest. "Katy, please," he said, his voice soft, almost pleading. "We know you're upset. But we saw you struggling outside. This is the closest and most comfortable place for you to rest. The doctor said bed rest, and, honestly, this bed is much better for your healing body and the pup." He gestured around the room, as if to emphasize its suitability.
Katy sank back against the pillows, the fight draining out of her as pain and exhaustion washed over her again. The mention of her "healing body" and "the pup" was a bitter pill, a reminder of the impossible situation she was in, tethered to them whether she liked it or not. She still hated it, hated them, but her body betrayed her, craving the rest it desperately needed.
Her gaze snapped to Jamie, a fresh wave of irritation stirring within her. "And can you please stop calling it a pup?" she demanded, her voice sharp despite its weakness. "It's not a pup. It's a baby. My baby." The word "pup" felt like a direct assault on her humanity, a constant, unwanted reminder of the unbelievable truth they had forced upon her.
Jayden and Jamie exchanged a quick, regretful glance. "Okay, Katy," Jayden said immediately, his voice gentle. "We understand. We won't call it that again if you don't want us to." Jamie nodded in agreement, his expression remorseful. They wouldn't push her on that, not now.
Jamie pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed, while Jayden leaned against the doorframe, both watching her intently, a mixture of concern and a desperate hope in their golden eyes. The anger emanating from Katy was almost palpable, yet she was there, in their house.
After a tense silence, Jayden finally broke it, his voice low and cautious. "So why are you here, Katy?" he asked, his gaze searching hers, trying to understand what prompted her to come to them after her fierce rejection at the hospital.
Katy met his gaze, her jaw set. The fear was still there, but her need for clarity was stronger. "I need to know if what you're saying is true... about being a wolf," she stated, her voice trembling slightly but resolute. Her eyes flickered between him and Jamie, demanding proof, demanding an end to the agonizing uncertainty.
"Yes," Jayden responded, his voice grave, making eye contact with Jamie who gave a subtle nod of assent. The time for hiding was over. This was the only way to move forward.
Katy's breath hitched. "Show me," she said, the single word a challenge and a plea, her eyes fixed on them, daring them to prove the unbelievable.
Jamie stood up, pushing his chair back. He walked to the window and drew the thick curtains closed, plunging the room into a softer, more intimate twilight. Jayden moved away from the door, giving them space. They both stood a few feet from the bed, facing Katy. The air in the room grew heavy, crackling with an unspoken tension.
Katy watched, her heart hammering against her ribs. What were they going to do? Magic? A trick? She had no idea what to expect, but a primal fear began to prickle at her skin, tightening her throat.
Jayden's golden eyes intensified, their irises seeming to glow. A low growl, deep and guttural, rumbled in his chest, vibrating through the floor. His muscles began to ripple under his shirt, expanding, tearing the fabric. Jamie, beside him, mirrored his transformation, his own body beginning to twist and elongate. Bones shifted with an audible crack, skin stretched, dark fur erupted over their enlarging forms.
Katy watched, horrified and mesmerized, as the men she knew morphed before her eyes. Their faces elongated into muzzles, sharp teeth gleaming. Their hands became powerful, clawed paws. In what felt like mere seconds, the two human men were gone, replaced by two massive, magnificent wolves. One was a deep, charcoal black, with eyes that still held Jayden's fierce intensity. The other, a rich, earthy brown, carried Jamie's quieter, watchful gaze.
They stood, silent and imposing, their powerful forms filling the room, their raw, wild scent suddenly overwhelming. Katy stared at them, her breath caught in her throat, every rational thought fleeing her mind. The impossibility was undeniable. It was terrifying. And it was real.