Page 112 of Stream Heat
Callie’s face appeared on the video wall, nerves written in the pop of her bubblegum. “Are we ready for this?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I answered, eyes darting to the rising viewer count. “Looks like the audience is already here.”
“Okay, going live, now,” Callie’s voice shifted into streamer mode, bright and magnetic, “Hey everyone, tonight we’re doing something special. Kara Quinn is back, and she’s brought friends. We’re going to talk about support systems, healthy relationships, and what it means to have people at your back when things get difficult.”
The chat went off like a bomb.
PACK WRECKED!
this is going to be amazing
love seeing alpha support that’s actually supportive
here for the drama
how much are they paying you guys to be here
“Hi, everyone,” I said, letting my voice fall into the familiar cadence. Might as well lean into it now. “Thanks for joining us tonight. It’s been an intense week, and I wanted to address some questions directly.”
Callie started strong. “Let’s start with the obvious. The StreamWatch article dropped some major revelations. How are you holding up?”
“It’s been overwhelming,” I admitted, and I didn’t have to fake the relief in my voice. “Mostly in good ways. The support from other creators, viewers, people sharing their own stories, it’s…amazing. But it’s also hard, realizing just how deep this problem runs.”
“And you brought backup tonight,” Callie observed. “Pack Wrecked, want to introduce yourselves?”
Reid leaned forward. “I’m Reid. We’ve been friends and collaborators with Kara for a while. When she asked if we’d be here tonight, the answer was ‘absolutely.’”
Theo introduced himself with his trademark cocky energy, though there was something simmering beneath the surface that made me tense. “Theo. And for the record, we’re not here to speak for Kara or control her story. We’re here because friends show up.” The slight emphasis on the word friends wasn’t missed by the rest of the pack and I only hoped that the chat didn’t catch it.
Malik followed, calm and even. “Malik. I have some background in mental health, so I’m especially interested in talking about support systems in crisis.”
Jace didn’t bother with embellishment. “Jace.”
Ash, last to go, deadpanned, “Ash. I do tech support and moral support, in that order.” I couldn’t stop the grin that tugged at my lips.
they seem so genuine
love the way they support without taking over
this is the content we need
healthy alpha energy
Callie kept things moving. “Let’s talk about support systems. Kara, you went through your crisis pretty much out in the open. How important was it, having people in your corner?”
“Essential,” I said, no hesitation. “For a long time, I thought strength meant handling everything alone. But with suppressant withdrawal, heat cycles, the fallout from the article…I couldn’t survive it by myself. I needed people who cared enough to help without expecting something back.”
“Reid, what does healthy Alpha support look like from your perspective?” Callie asked, switching her focus.
He took a second before answering. “It’s about following her lead. Offering help, but respecting autonomy. Being there, but not smothering. Our job isn’t to fix her problems. It’s to support her while she handles them, her way.”
THIS. this is how it should work
wish more alphas understood this
taking notes
Callie turned to Theo, question sharp. “Pack Wrecked has gotten some criticism for ‘enabling’ Kara, or supposedly benefiting from her struggles. Thoughts?”
