Moonlit Bonds

Three shades of Fall

Slate was walking through the little mountain town that belonged to his pack with his twin little sisters, Jade and Sage, on either side of him. The air was crisp and cool, a sure sign that fall was just around the corner.

As they strolled through the town, they were laughing and joking with each other, their conversation light-hearted and carefree.

"I can't believe our names are so fall-themed," Jade said, grinning at Slate. "I mean, Jade and Sage? It's like we were destined to be born in October."

Slate rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "Yeah, well, at least our names aren't as ridiculous as some of the other werewolves in our pack."

Sage snorted. "Tell me about it. I overheard mom and dad talking about a wolf named Pumpkin Spice the other day."

The three of them laughed, their voices ringing through the quiet town. For a moment, Slate felt like everything was normal, like he was just a regular guy with his sisters, out for a walk on a beautiful day.

But then, just as suddenly, he felt a pang of anxiety. He always felt like this when he was with his sisters, like he was somehow less than they were. They were identical twins, smart and beautiful and funny, and he felt like he could never measure up to them.

Jade and Sage must have sensed his unease, because they both turned to him at the same time, their expressions full of concern.

"Hey, are you okay?" Jade asked, her hand reaching out to touch his arm.

Slate hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't know. I just...I feel like I'm not living up to my potential, you know?"

Sage nodded, her expression sympathetic. "You always get like this when the seasons start to change. It's like you're having an identity crisis."

Jade grinned. "Just like a werewolf getting all moody during the fall."

Slate couldn't help but laugh, the tension in his body easing slightly. He loved his sisters, loved the way they could always make him feel better.

But then he hesitated, a look of uncertainty crossing his face. "There's something else, too. Something I've been thinking about a lot."

Jade and Sage both looked at him, their expressions were curious. "What is it?" Sage asked.

Slate took a deep breath. "I...I think I might be bisexual."

Jade and Sage were quiet for a moment, but then they both burst out laughing. "What? No way!" Jade said, grinning.

Slate felt his cheeks flushing. "It's not funny."

Sage shook her head. "No, it's just...we know you, Slate. You're not bisexual. You're just going through one of your phases."

Jade nodded in agreement. "And even if you were, it wouldn't matter. Our family and our pack are super progressive and welcoming to all kinds of people. You're our brother, and we love you no matter what."

Slate felt a wave of gratitude wash over him. He was so lucky to have sisters like Jade and Sage, who always had his back, no matter what.

They continued walking through the town, their conversation turning to lighter topics again. Slate still felt a little uneasy, but he knew that he could always count on his sisters to make him feel better. They were his constant, his touchstone, and he knew that he was lucky to have them in his life.

Slate was sitting at the kitchen table, his math homework spread out in front of him. He had always struggled with math, and today was no different. He sighed in frustration, wishing he could just understand the formulas and equations like his twin sisters did.

Jade and Sage were working on their own homework, but they noticed their brother's struggles. They quickly finished their own work, then moved over to sit next to him.

"What's the problem?" Jade asked, peering over his shoulder.

Slate sighed again, gesturing to the page in front of him. "I just don't get it. None of these numbers make any sense to me."

Sage leaned with a determined expression on her face. "We'll help you, Slate. We're both really good at math, remember?"

Jade nodded. "Yeah, we can walk you through it. You'll get it, don't worry."

Slate felt a surge of gratitude towards his sisters. They were always so supportive, always willing to help him out. He felt a little better just knowing they were there.

They spent the next hour or so working through the math problems together. Jade and Sage explained the concepts to Slate, and he slowly began to understand. It was a slow process, but they were patient with him, never making him feel stupid or inadequate.

When they had finally finished with the math, Jade and Sage switched gears, starting to talk about girl things. They chattered on about their friends, their favorite clothes, and the latest gossip. Slate felt a little left out, but he didn't mind. He was just grateful to be there with them, to have their company and support.

After a while, Jade turned to him. "What about you, Slate? Do you have any crushes or anything?"

Slate felt his face flush a little, but he couldn't help but smile. He felt comfortable enough with his sisters, to be honest with them. "Actually, yeah. There's this girl in my history class... Her name is Emily. She's really smart and funny and...I don't know, I just think she's cool."

Jade and Sage both giggled. "Ooh, a crush!" Jade said.

Sage grinned. "Tell us more. What's she like?"

Slate shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious. "I don't know. We don't really talk that much. But...I don't know, I just like being around her."

Jade and Sage exchanged a look, then turned back to their brother. "Well, why don't you talk to her more?" Sage asked. "Maybe you can ask her to study together or something."

Slate felt a flicker of excitement at the idea. "Do you really think that would work?"

Jade nodded. "Sure. What's the worst that could happen?"

Slate thought about it for a moment, then smiled. "Yeah, you're right. I'll talk to her tomorrow."

Jade and Sage high-fived each other, then turned back to their homework. Slate felt a sense of warmth and happiness wash over him. He was lucky to have sisters like them, who were always willing to help and support him, no matter what. He felt like he could do anything with them by his side.

Slate was sitting in his class, watching Emily out of the corner of his eye. He had taken his sister's advice and mustered up the courage to ask Emily to come over to the pack house to do homework with him.

He felt his stomach twist with nerves as he turned to her. "Hey, Emily," he said.

Emily turned to him, her expression curious. "Yeah?"

"I was wondering...would you want to come over to the pack house and do homework with me sometime?"

Emily's eyebrows shot up, surprise written all over her face. "Sure, that sounds great."

Slate's heart leaped with excitement, but then she added, "But just so you know, I do have a boyfriend."

Slate felt his stomach drop. He had been so nervous about asking her out that he hadn't even considered the possibility that she might already be taken. "Oh, okay," he said, trying to hide his disappointment.

Emily seemed to sense his deflated mood, and she quickly added, "But I think it would still be cool to come over and hang out. I could use some help with math."

Slate brightened up at that, his heart lifting again. "Yeah, definitely. Math is my best subject. We could work on it together."

They spent the rest of the class talking about math and homework, and Slate found that he was actually having fun. Emily was really cool, and he could see why his sister had been so insistent that he talk to her.

After class, they walked to the pack house together, chatting and laughing the whole way. Slate was feeling much better about the whole situation, even though Emily had a boyfriend.

When they got to the pack house, they settled down at the kitchen table and pulled out their math textbooks. Slate found himself enjoying the homework, and he was surprised at how easy it was to talk to Emily. She was funny and smart, and he felt like they could be really good friends.

As they worked, Slate felt his nerves melting away, replaced by a sense of ease and comfort. He was just happy to be spending time with Emily, even if it was just as friends.

By the time they finished their homework, Slate was feeling much more confident. He realized that even if Emily had a boyfriend, it didn't mean they couldn't still be friends. He had a good feeling about her, and he was excited to see where their friendship would go.

"Thanks for helping me with math," Emily said, smiling at him.

"Anytime," Slate replied, grinning back. "And hey, if you ever need help with anything else, just let me know."

Emily's smile widened. "Thanks, Slate. I think I just might take you up on that."