Page 85 of Stream Heat
I yanked up the tags myself. It was true. Not just my story, but hundreds, maybe thousands, pouring in. Streamers, content creators, influencers from every dark corner of the internet, talking about designation and the toll of shaping yourself to survive.
"It’s not just you anymore," Callie said. "It’s a fucking movement. Safety in numbers, right?"
The momentum was dizzying. It felt less like a ripple and more like a dam breaking.
“It’s what we wanted,” Callie added. “Enough people that they can’t brush us off or call us troublemakers.”
The door opened. Reid slipped in, drawn and tired, but locked on me instantly. I let him see I was alright.
“Victoria called,” I said, filling both him and Callie in. “Tried bribing me with more suppressants, then threatened to sue me.”
“Typical.” Callie sounded unimpressed. “They try the sugar before the stick.”
“She said she’s got dozens of other kids on the same stuff,” I told them. “We have to find them.”
Already in motion. “We’re building an anonymous reporting channel,” Callie said. “Legal and medical support, too. Malik’s tapped some pros.”
“I want to help,” I said.
“Your post already did,” Callie replied, laughing. “But if you’re up for it, we’re organizing a multi-stream tonight. Designation Truth Summit. Every big name that’s willing to talk about the problem, no filters.”
I glanced at Reid. He nodded without hesitation.
“Count me in. The whole pack, if you want us.”
“Perfect. Details coming your way. Get some rest, Quinn. You’re about to be busier than ever.”
After the call, I sat there, phone in my lap, trying to get my bearings. Twenty-four hours ago, I’d thought it was all over for me. Now the machine was running full-throttle and, somehow, I’d become its engine.
“You okay?” Reid asked, sitting down on the bed beside me.
“Yeah,” I said. “It’s just…I didn’t expect it to become something bigger than my own situation.”
“That’s how these things start,” he replied. “One person’s last straw becomes everyone’s tipping point.”
Ash shut down his laptop, stretched his huge arms overhead. “I’ll fill the others in about Victoria. Legal might escalate fast.”
He left. Reid watched him go, then looked back at me.
“He was here all night,” I told Reid. “Didn’t leave my side.”
“Not surprised,” he said. “We took shifts. Theo was supposed to tag in, but Ash wouldn’t let up.”
It clicked then. “These bonds. It’s not just me, is it? The pack instincts.”
“They’ve always been there,” Reid said. “Just didn’t call it what it was until now.”
It felt good, hearing it said out loud. That I wasn’t just a problem to be solved. That these attachments mattered both ways.
“Victoria tried to convince me the pack would leave the second I wasn’t helpless,” I admitted. “That this was all temporary.”
He didn’t seem fazed. “She doesn’t understand. This is family. The real kind.”
The word landed, perfect and final.
“I’ve never had that,” I said. “Not for real.”
“You do now,” Reid told me. “And we’re not going anywhere.”
