Kyler waltzed into the dining room the next morning for breakfast, humming under his breath as he sat down beside his brother. Taking a piece of toast and spreading butter on it before putting it in his mouth.
"Kyler, you look quite happy today," His mother, commented with a small smile, pouring a glass of water before pushing it towards Kyler. "Did something happen?"
"No mom, I just had a really relaxing sleep tonight," His mother nodded her head, happy that his son isn't throwing tantrums about being locked inside his room anymore.
"You sure it's nothing at all?" His father inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes dad, what will I even do?" Kyler shrugged, not really making any kind of eyecontact with his father, rather focusing on the toast in his hands.
Kayden gave him side glances, but he could not say anything, if he did, his own night escapade will be revealed, hence he opted to keep his mouth shut.
Once the breakfast was done, Kyler was ready to bee-line back to his room, but was interrupted by his father.
"Where do you think you're going?
"Uh, my room..?" It was an answer but came out more like a question.
"You're coming with us, there's a meeting for the betterment of your pack, even if you won't lead the pack, you should atleast know all this stuff." His father left no room for Kyler to argue as he turned amd walked away, leaving Kyler no choice.
"Come on, it isn't that bad," Kayden tried to cheer his younger brother up, but it didn't quite worked.
"Yeah, for you."
Nevertheless, Kyler followed his parents and brother to a conference room in their house, where the important betas and omegas sat around a large table, leaving space around the front for their family.
"Ladies, gentlemen, My younger son will be joining us for the day, do welcome him," His father announced, turning every ounce of attention towards the awkward Kyler.
"Hi.." He greeted with a trembling smile stretched on his lips he sat down beside his mother.
"It'll be over soon," His mother kept a hand over his and whispered, leaning towards him.
Kyler appreciated his mother looking out for him, but it didn't really changed the fact that he's stuck in this meeting while everyone talked about stuff he couldn't care less about.
While he waited for it to end, his eyes caught the sight of a pen laying around and a paper in front of him, which was basically to take notes, but who says you can't take notes in a picture form?
"Kyler, I'm so happy today," His father patted his shoulder once the meeting was finished.
"Huh?" What is there to be so happy about? Especially with Kyler?
"You listened with such interest, and even took notes, I'm proud of you for actually taking interest in these meetings,"
Oh, does he means the time Kyler concentrated on his papers to draw the perfect other eye, or the times when he subconsciously stared at people while trying to think about the details he could add on the drawing.
"Oh— oh yeah!" His mother bit her lips to not to blow her son's cover, since she was beside him and saw the exact kind of notes he took.
"Well done," His father appreciated once more before dragging Kayden out to talk to him about something.
"Amazing notes you took there," His mother teased, making him chuckle.
"As long as he's happy," Kyler shrugged.
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At night, Kyler waited by the tree for the girl to show up, most of the time, he was the one who reached late, they seemed to have changed roles now.
"Hey," Eris popped out from the dense forest, almost giving Kyler a heart attack.
"Oh my— hey," Kyler pushed himself away from the tree's trunk and stood properly. Eris' eyes immediately bringing the memories back from the last night.
Eris tilted her head in confusion when she saw Kyler avoiding eye contact with her, she smirked to herself, how could her rival be this cute? This isn't fair.
She slowly put a hand on his right cheek and made him face her before getting on her tip toes and planting a small kiss on his lips.
"I thought this will be normal between us now," She whispered against Kyler's lips, making the boy breath out heavily before he connected their lips in a sweet and passionate kiss once again.
Kyler sat against the tree with Eris resting on his lap, both admiring the beauty of the forest and the nightly sky filled with stars.
"How the heck did we ended up like this?" Eris wondered out loud, still staring at the sky.
"Fate, how else will two rivals come together," Kyler whispered, sniffing Eris' neck, it was a comforting scent to him.
"Never thought of you as someone who believes in fate,"
"Why not?"
"Just because, you always seem so carefree that I never thought you'll think that,"
Kyler chuckled, "Many people makes assumption about me," He started, "Thinking I don't care just because I mess around,"
"I never said you don't care!—" Kyler cut her off as Eris tried to explain herself.
"I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about the elders in my pack, they weren't very pleased when they saw me at the meeting today,"
"Elders are just like that, they don't know about others and have fun in gossiping about anyone they could find, you shouldn't take their actions to heart, Kyler," Eris turned to face Kyler and held his face in her hands as if it was something really precious.
Kyler smiled sadly and held Eris' wrist, leaning his head on her palm, "I've always ignored them, but it becomes too much sometimes.. those dirty looks, those whispers, they sometimes forget I'm a werewolf too, I can hear them,"
Eris' free hand slowly made it's way into Kyler's hair, gently scratching his head, making him let out a small satisfied noise. "These always calmed me down,"
"My dad said he's proud of me today, even though I wasn't doing what he thought I was,"
"Then what were you doing?"
"I pretended to take notes while I actually was drawing," Eris let out a chuckle, that seemed like something Kyler would do.
"Oh! That reminds me," Eris stopped rubbing his head as Kyler picked out a paper from his back pocket.
"I drew this for you," Eris quickly unfolded the paper, not really expecting something much, but eyes went wide once she saw her own drawing made with a simple blue ball point pen.
"Kyler.." She let out.
"Is it that bad?"
"Bad? It's freaking amazing! I don't even look that good in real life!" She chirped, the drawing wasn't like anything she has seen before.
"You.. like it?" Kyler stared at her with expectant eyes.
"Like? I love it! Thank you so much Kyler!" She pecked Kyler's lips once more before going back to admiring the drawing.