Sugar crash

Back at the pack house, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Del was sitting quietly on the couch, her fingers nervously twisting the edge of her shirt. Rae, still flushed from the confrontation, was sitting nearby, her eyes sharp but tired.

Elijah finally broke the silence, his voice low but cutting through the stillness. “Are we really not going to talk about what just happened with Rae? Are we sure she’s human?”

Will and Trey exchanged uneasy looks. Remi stepped closer, her gaze steady. “Rae’s human. But she’s not just any human. She’s the sharpest damn tech mind I’ve ever met, and she fights like a wolf.”

Elijah shook his head slowly. “Still, what she did back there… moved faster than any human I’ve seen. Maybe there’s more going on than we understand.”

Rae gave a wry smile, reaching down to pet Aspen, who was settled at her feet. “Trust me, I’m as human as it gets. Just one hell of a stubborn survivor.”

Del gave Rae a reassuring look. “We’ve got your back, no matter what.”

The room settled into a wary calm, but the unspoken question hung in the air—just how far was Rae willing to go to protect them all?

As the pack gathered around the table, strategizing their next moves with intense focus, Del and Rae found themselves quietly drifting off on the couch, exhaustion finally catching up with them. The soft glow of the room and the murmurs of planning faded into a gentle hum.

Hours later, Aspen stirred beside Rae, nudging her gently at first. Rae’s eyes fluttered but didn’t open. Concerned, Aspen gave a sharp, alerting bark.

That bark cut through the quiet room like a siren. Will, Remi, Trey, Elijah, and Del snapped their heads toward the sound. Remi rushed over as Aspen pawed at Rae, who remained unresponsive.

Remi quickly checked Rae’s Dexcom—her blood sugar was dangerously low.

“Rae! Come on, wake up!” Remi urged, grabbing a juice box and carefully lifting Rae’s head.

Slowly, Rae’s eyes blinked open, confusion clouding her gaze. “Aspen…” she murmured.

Will exhaled in relief. “That was close. You passed out because your sugar crashed.”

Del, sitting nearby, immediately fetched a protein bar. “Here, eat this. You need to stabilize.”

Rae took the snack weakly but managed a grateful smile. Aspen rested her head on Rae’s lap, eyes calm but watchful.

Remi sighed, looking around the room. “We need to keep a closer eye on her—this whole stress thing is going to wreck her if we’re not careful.”

Will nodded. “We’ll handle it. No more surprises.”

The group returned to their planning, now even more determined to end the threats against them — and to protect Rae, who was proving to be their fiercest and most vulnerable ally.

Once Rae felt better, she rejoined the group just as Remi paused the meeting, eyes narrowing with that unmistakable mix of authority and care.

“Listen up,” Remi said firmly, crossing her arms. “You’re diabetic, Rae. I don’t care how important this is — you’re going to eat properly, drink enough, and rest when you need to. No buts. No excuses. Or I’ll tie you to the damn couch myself.”

Rae grumbled, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. “Okay, Doctor Mom… but just so you know, I’m not happy about it.”