Avery POV

The rest of the evening flowed seamlessly with Kai. Between my texts to Micah and Emette, we drifted through topics both trivial and profound—our favorite hobbies, colors, and dreams. Each exchange felt significant, like we were weaving an invisible thread that pulled us closer.

When he mentioned thunderstorms, a shadow flickered across his face.

"They make me anxious," he admitted, his voice almost a whisper. "I'm always a little afraid to be alone during one."

He shared a glimpse of his past, speaking of his mother with a sadness that settled heavily in the air.

"I was just a child, brought into this world only to be told I caused pain. Over time, I believed it. But I still love her. I can't imagine that ever changing." His eyes reflected a mixture of love and hurt. "She did her best through her grief, but it's hard. My father left like it meant nothing, and I wonder what I'd become if you and I parted ways like that."

Listening to him stirred something deep within me—anger for a mother who couldn't embrace her child's existence. I leaned closer, placing soft kisses on his shoulder, hoping to ease the weight of his sorrow.

"You can feel love and anger at the same time," I said gently. "You don't owe her any more of your life than you've already sacrificed. You're both adults now; it's time to prioritize your happiness."

Kai's hand trembled as he covered mine, his grip tight yet uncertain.

"I know you're right, Avery. But what if I lose her forever? If I stop supporting her and something happens, wouldn't it be my fault?"

Tears streamed down his cheeks, and I felt a surge of urgency to lighten the mood. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to. Remember, I'm your family now. You're not alone in this. Let's take a break from it all for now, okay?"

As if on cue, my stomach let out a loud growl, and embarrassment washed over me. But when I met Kai's eyes, laughter erupted between us, lightening the mood.

"We've been cooped up inside since yesterday evening, and it's dinner time," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "How about we take a shower and grab a bite? I just need to swing by my bar to sign some paperwork. It'll only take a minute, then we can eat anywhere you want."

The idea of going out with him filled me with excitement, especially now that I'd been marked. I felt a surge of pride at the thought of being seen with him, unbothered by others' pheromones. It was around 7:30 PM, so we both took quick showers. I dried my hair and pulled it into a high ponytail. As I glanced in the mirror, my fresh mark shone red, a bold reminder of our bond.

"You ready to go out to eat?" Kai asked, pulling me from my thoughts. He chuckled softly as I jolted around to face him.

"Let's head downstairs and get you situated on the motorcycle, okay?"

Hand in hand, we descended the flights of stairs to the tiny garage housing his bike. He opened the door and wheeled it out, the sleek machine gleaming under the dim light. As he helped me with the helmet, his fingers brushed my hair, careful not to mess it up. When he lifted me by the waist onto the back seat, I felt like I was being swept off my feet by a prince.

Once I was settled, he climbed onto the front, starting the bike with a roar. He reached back for my hands, pulling them tightly around him. His thumb rubbed over my fingers for a brief moment, sending a thrill through me, before we took off.

It was a quick ride to the bar, and as we pulled up, I spotted Micah's car parked out front.

"You don't have to go inside if you don't want to," Kai said, glancing at me. "I'll be in and out in about ten minutes, but it's getting cold out. The decision is yours."

"I'd like to go in, but I'm not twenty-one yet, so I can't enter the bar."

"Don't be silly. I own the place, and we won't serve you alcohol. If you want to come inside, I promise it won't be a problem."

With a mix of excitement and nerves, I followed Kai inside. The bar had just opened for the night, and the absence of customers gave me a perfect opportunity to talk to Micah. Yet, I felt a pang of disappointment at the lack of an excuse to delay this conversation.

"Avery! What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" Micah's voice was laced with concern as he wiped down the counter.

I walked up and asked for a glass of water, then sat at the bar top. How could I sugarcoat it?

"Sorry, just really thirsty. I came here with Kai; he needed to sign some documents before dinner. I figured I'd come in and talk to you if you weren't busy."

"Ah, I see. Luckily, the rush hasn't started yet, so I'm all yours for the next few minutes. What did you need to talk about that you couldn't say over text?"

Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself that no matter how he reacted, it wouldn't change my situation. The only thing I could do was hope for the best.

"Well, I know I asked for your help introducing Kai to the family, but… there's something I didn't mention. The biggest reason I want to get everyone together as soon as possible is because…"

This was the first time I would say it out loud. Back at Kai's apartment, I felt proud and excited to be marked, eager to show him off. But with Micah, my best friend, my big brother, it felt different. I wanted to believe he wouldn't be upset, but fear gripped me.

"Avery, whatever you have to say, just spit it out. I can handle it."

"Kai… went into a rut last night. I chose to spend it with him. He marked me. We're mated. That's why I want to introduce him to everyone."

Micah paled, freezing as if trying to process the information caused him to short-circuit.

"Micah… please say something. Get angry, get happy—just anything. The silence is worse than any reaction you could have."

"I… I… What? How—why? It's so sudden! You guys barely— it's only been a week, dammit!"

If the situation weren't so serious, I might have laughed at his stuttering confusion. He was trying so hard to form a complete thought but couldn't quite manage it.

"We don't know why his rut came on so quickly. He didn't want to spend it with me unless I was sure, but I wanted to, and so we did. And now here we are. I don't really know how else to explain it. We haven't seen a doctor yet, but we're both fine. We'll get checked out soon; new mates can have pheromone imbalances. I decided to spend my life with him the moment I told him he didn't need to take suppressants. I was already in love with him from the first moment I saw him. I know it's fast… but here we are. I need to tell Mom and Dad, Omari, Emette, and Everette. I know we're moving fast, but we don't plan on slowing down…"

The words spilled out faster than I realized. When I finished, Micah exhaled as if he had been holding his breath. He walked around the bar and hugged me tightly.

"I will always love and support you. You are my little brother. I was shocked, but knowing Kai and what kind of guy he is, I think you look good together. I'll do whatever I can to manage damage control with everyone else."

Relief washed over me, and I started to laugh, suddenly feeling foolish for doubting Micah at all.

Kai finished up whatever he needed to do just as Micah and I wrapped up our conversation. He walked over, a wide smile on his face, but it faded slightly when he noticed Micah. Still, he seemed genuinely happy to see him.

"I take it Avery has told you what happened?" he asked, glancing between us.

"Yeah, he did. I have to say, I'm a little surprised. However, I knew about him imprinting on you before he told you. That's why I gave him your number—I had a hunch things would go in this direction. I just didn't think it would be so… sudden."

"I'm surprised at myself, too," Kai admitted, his tone sincere. "We still have a lot to learn about each other, but I'm happy. I plan to do everything I can to make Avery as happy as possible."

Micah raised an eyebrow, a teasing smirk creeping onto his face. "You do know that I'm not the one you need to seek a blessing from, right?"

Kai chuckled softly, and I couldn't help but nod in agreement. The warm words were comforting, but the reality was that the real challenges lay ahead with the rest of the family.

"I know," Kai replied, his smile returning. "But I still wanted to tell you. One Hansley down, just five more to go."

"Kai… you know it's going to be harder than this, right?"

Kai's enthusiasm shifted to sympathy.

"I know, Avery. But whatever happens, it will be okay. For now, let's go out and enjoy a delicious dinner. Then we can go back to our cozy home, lay in our comfy bed, and hopefully by tomorrow, Emette will have made the reservation you asked for. Everything will be sorted out."

He made it sound so simple, as if we were just checking boxes off a simple list. His calm demeanor eased my nerves, and we enjoyed a pleasant dinner filled with laughter and dessert before heading back to his apartment to wind down for the night.