Heart Bound

Rules to Live By

Kyrie's POV

The moment between Cal and me in art class was on everyone’s lips the next day. Whispers followed me down the hallways, giggles and stolen glances reminding me of what had happened—the way he’d leaned in, the heat in his gaze, the words he’d left lingering in my mind. It felt like every pair of eyes in the school was watching me, sizing me up, wondering if the human girl had actually caught the attention of Cal Lockwood. And if the rumors swirling around school weren’t enough, Hannah’s death glares certainly were. Every time I saw her, her gaze burned with something icy and fierce, like she was daring me to stay out of her territory.

But when I got home, any thrill I might have felt from the attention faded the second I walked through the door. Mom was back, and there was something unnerving about her presence. She seemed overly cheerful, her every movement precise and perfect, as if she’d been practicing for a role she was playing. She hugged me a little too tightly, her smile fixed and brittle.

“Hi, sweetie,” she said, her voice sickly sweet. “Did you have a good day?”

“Uh, yeah…” I said, raising an eyebrow at her. “It was fine.”

“That’s wonderful!” she replied, her tone too bright, her eyes not quite meeting mine. “Listen, Kyrie. I want you to come straight home every day this week, okay? No talking to anyone, no after-school activities. Just right home.” She gripped my shoulders, her gaze intense. “And we’ll go back to normal… after your birthday.”

I frowned, taken aback by her sudden fixation. “What? Why? I was planning to study with Channing today—”

“No,” she cut in sharply, her smile faltering for just a moment. “No study dates. Not until after your birthday.”

My chest tightened as I looked up at her, catching a glimpse of something almost frantic behind her eyes. It was as if she was afraid of something, but hiding it beneath that plastered-on smile. “Mom… are you okay?”

She blinked, her smile snapping back in place as if nothing had happened. “Of course, sweetheart. I just… I want everything to be perfect for your birthday. That’s all.”

But as I watched her, a part of me knew it was more than that. Something about this week, about my birthday, was making her act strange. And it didn’t seem like I’d be getting any answers from her, not when she was clinging so desperately to this Stepford-like version of herself.

After a few more strained exchanges, I managed to slip out the door and head over to Channing’s house. I figured a little distance from home—and from Mom’s bizarre behavior—might help me make sense of things.

Channing’s house was a complete contrast to mine. His family lived on the far side of town, close to the Timberclaw Pack’s territory, where life was more about family hierarchy than suburban comfort. When I knocked on the door, it was opened by his twin sister, Chassidy, who shot me a quick smile before calling out, “Channing! Your friend’s here!”

The Timberclaw Pack was tight-knit, but within Channing’s family, the dynamics were… intense, to say the least. Channing’s father, Axel, was a beta with high expectations for his sons, especially Kyan, Channing’s older brother, who was as different from Channing as night and day. Kyan was tall, muscular, and looked like he could break someone’s nose with a single punch—a fitting image for a Timberclaw beta-in-training. He often ignored me, like I was beneath his notice, though he always managed a gruff nod for Channing, as if to remind him of the gap in their rank and responsibilities.

Then there was Chassidy, who was just as sharp and confident as her brother Kyan, but with a playful side. She was competitive, strong, and determined to prove herself, often challenging Channing to friendly matches just to show she could keep up.

And then there was Channing, the youngest and smallest in the family, considered the “runt” of the litter. It didn’t help that he was also an omega, something that only added to the family’s treatment of him. His mother, Cherish, babied him incessantly, doting on him one moment and giving him errands and chores the next. In some ways, it was as if she couldn’t decide if he was a child to be pampered or a servant to do her bidding. He was loved, of course, but in the strict world of his pack, being the omega meant he’d never quite hold the same respect as his siblings.

Channing appeared at the top of the stairs, his face lighting up as he saw me. “Hey! Come on up.”

I followed him to his room, dodging past Kyan, who gave us a dismissive glance, and Cherish, who was fussing over a basket of laundry. “Channing, dear, make sure you’re back downstairs in time to help with dinner,” she called out as we disappeared into his room.

“Got it, Mom,” he replied, though I could tell he was eager to escape her endless list of chores.

Once we were settled in his room, I pulled out my math textbook, trying to focus on studying for our upcoming test. But my mind kept drifting back to everything that had happened over the weekend, the conversation I’d overheard, and my mom’s strange behavior.

Channing must have noticed my distraction, because he nudged me gently. “You okay? You seem a little… out of it.”

I sighed, looking up at him. “It’s just… everything’s been so strange lately. My mom’s acting weird, and then there was that dream I told you about. And now, out of nowhere, she’s telling me I have to come straight home every day this week. Like, no socializing, no studying, nothing.”

Channing frowned, his brow furrowing. “She’s being that strict about it?”

“Yeah,” I said, leaning back against the wall. “And it’s like she’s hiding something. She’s never acted this way before. And when I tried to ask her what was going on, she got all… Stepford-wifey, if that makes sense.”

Channing tilted his head, considering. “Do you think it has something to do with your birthday?”

“Maybe,” I murmured, though the thought only made me more uneasy. “She keeps saying we’ll ‘go back to normal’ after my birthday. Like it’s some big event.”

He leaned back, crossing his arms thoughtfully. “Well, your birthday is coming up on the Silver Moon, right? That’s supposed to be powerful for supernaturals. Maybe it’s connected?”

I shrugged, glancing down at my notes. “Maybe. But I’m just… human. I don’t see how it would matter.”

Channing didn’t reply, but I could see the uncertainty in his eyes, like he wasn’t entirely convinced either. We spent the next hour studying, trying to focus on formulas and equations, though my mind kept drifting back to the shadow over my family and what it might mean.

As evening crept closer, I gathered my things, heading out before Cherish could rope Channing into any more household duties. He walked me to the door, his gaze lingering as he handed me my bag.

“Stay safe, okay?” he said quietly, his expression unusually serious. “And if anything feels off… call me. Anytime.”

I nodded, feeling a warmth at his words. “Thanks, Channing. I’ll be fine.”

But as I walked home, alone in the growing dusk, I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were far from fine. I kept glancing over my shoulder, half-expecting to see a shadow lurking behind me, a reminder of the strange turn my life had taken.

And when I finally reached my house, stepping inside to find my mom waiting with that same brittle smile, I knew the sense of unease wasn’t going away anytime soon.