Anna huffed as she turned her phone to silent before placing it in her bag. The frustration from receiving numerous calls from her father, mother, and spoiled, furious sister, were too much.She wanted to distance herself from them for now, at least until this scandal died down.Already she had gotten several messages asking about why Sophie’s engagement suddenly ended, and Anna didn’t feel the need to respond to them. It would only compound issues for her.Jacob, at least, had been nice to keep most of the reasons for the engagement being broken off out of the public eye. It had been only a few hours since the engagement party and already damage control had been done. Problem was that news in the elite circles travelled a million light years faster than normal news. It was bound to happen.Anna brushed those thoughts from her mind and focused on her twins, who were sitting peacefully in the cab that she had gotten to take her to work.At least she still had them, she thought.But onl
Anna sighed to herself as she disembarked from the taxi, before turning to hand the driver the fare.She waited for her change, staring over her shoulder at the windows of her parents' home that looked out onto the street. It was already 9pm, and Anna had left her twins for a little while at home so she could do the one thing that Jacob asked her to. That, and to see if talking to her parents was worth doing.As she walked in, she was surprised to find her father seated on the couch, a burnt out cigarette stub in his hand. She had never seen him smoke before.“Dad.” She got his attention, and immediately he stood up and walked over to her.“Where have you been? We’ve been calling you for ages now.”“I’ve been at work, dad.” She sighed, looking around. “Where is mum?”“Inside,” he gestured up the stairs. “Talking to your sister.”Anna’s eyes widened and she immediately looked up the stairs to check if her sister wasn’t about to come down and attack her. Sophie had looked that way last
“Can we go out to eat this time, mom?” Were the first words that Andrew said to Anna as she stepped into the house.“Where’s Andrea?” She asked him instead of answering his questions, turning this way and that to make sure the house was still the same way she had left it.“Here.” The little voice of her daughter made her smile and she looked at those two adorable faces. “I want pizza and chips, mommy. Can we?”“Yeah, can we?”Anna sighed; being a mom, she usually didn’t treat them to takeout and fast food all the time, preferring to meal prep as much as possible.But since they asked so nicely…“Alright, get your jackets. We can go out to eat tonight.” She said to the loud cheers of the twins.…..Ethan snarled to himself as he walked out of the bar. Human girls were quite the frustrating breed. Fragile yet loud mouthed. And most of them seemed to have little to no respect for themselves. None of them had been able to hold his interest this night, for his tastes were… specific, to say
The fear that Anna felt wasn’t for herself but her children.So long as she could get them to safety, she would be okay, she reasoned to herself.But there was no one on this street. Unfortunately Anna had the worst luck right then, for not a soul had passed by.What would happen now?She took a good look at Sophie under the glare of the streetlights, trying to figure out whether she could convince her to let Andrea and Andrew go. But her sister looked like a few chocolate chips short of a cookie.Just as she was about to open her mouth to possibly damn herself and her children, another voice interrupted.“Excuse me.” Sophie’s gaze moved over Anna’s shoulder as a deep baritone voice was heard.Anna didn’t move - the pocket knife looked pretty sharp and Sophie was still brandishing it in her face.“What?!“ Sophie snapped at the man that Anna couldn’t see.“You shouldn’t be threatening people in public like that.” The man said, and Anna felt a shiver run down her spine as he brushed pas
This was surreal, but in a pleasant way.Ethan’s hands stilled as he finally got to the address in question.Anna got out of the car and began to gently shake her children awake while Ethan still sat in the driver’s seat, thinking to himself how it could be that this woman knew his brother so closely.Unless…Did William have another family outside the pack that no one knew about? Was that why he rejected the engagement?Ethan smirked inwardly.Well whatever it was, he would have to find out immediately.With that thought, he opened his car door and stepped out.Anna was already at the door of her house, unlocking it while placing a hand on her son’s shoulder.“Alright, go inside and brush your teeth, okay?” Anna was telling the twins as she held the front door open. The children mumbled in the affirmative, and she watched them enter their bedrooms through the door before she turned to Ethan who was standing right next to her.What could she say to him? Should she invite him in or not
Of course, you’d say such a thing, William couldn’t help but think in his head.“You should consider yourself lucky that you have a willing bride at your side,” William snapped at his younger brother. “Instead of complaining so fucking much.”“Why, I didn’t know that you cared, brother. I only am the younger brother of the Alpha after all. What right do I have to even speak up for myself?” The sarcasm in Ethan’s voice was enough to wake the dead. “Give me the girl and I’ll deal with her the same way I do my other girls. And this time, she won’t be able to escape.”William growled and stood up, walking over to his brother. Ethan may have been tall but William still rather towered over his brother, both in muscle bulk and in height.“You will watch your tongue,” William advised Ethan not as cruelly as he wanted to. His voice was low and promising. “And if you hate the thought of getting married to her, then maybe I can take her off your hands.”William wouldn’t admit it, but the thought
William felt a red hot burning in his chest. His eyes couldn’t move from the bruise on her face. And of course, his nose was sharp enough to pick up the scent of blood on her arm.Anna nervously stared at him, unsure of what to say.Just him saying her name like that felt like a loaded gun was placed on her temple.“Come into my office,” William finally said as looked away, entering back into his office but leaving the door ajar for her to follow. She did so, feeling her heart pounding.Was he going to get angry?Or was he worried?She thought that she could read his expressions easier but there were still things about her elusive boss slash baby daddy that she didn’t know.As soon as she entered the office, she looked around for William as she didn’t see him anywhere.“Sit.”She turned and saw him exiting from what looked to be his private bathroom, and he was carrying a small first aid kit in his hands.Oh.He was worried for her?She did as he asked dumbly, unable to articulate in
The silence that reigned after William stepped away from Anna was so thick with tension it could be cut by a knife. Anna shifted on the couch and slowly stood up.“Sir, I should be going to the hospital now. To check on this.” She pointed to the wound on her arm.William cleared his throat and nodded before suggesting. “Perhaps you should go to the company clinic. It’s part of your employee benefits, after all.She blinked slowly.She had forgotten.Another reason the Hayes company worked well for her as an employee was the employee benefits. How had she forgotten that bit of information?“Oh, I didn’t think of that!” She breathed. “That’s a lot easier than waiting to be seen at the hospital… especially with the twins, and all.”William tilted his head at her, trying not to appear too interested.He had to remind himself of how he couldn’t have her… even when she looked so beautiful and her scent called out to him in this way. He couldn’t have her.She was married with children.“I’m
Lily couldn’t contain her smirk as she saw Anna’s wide-eyed stare aimed at her. It had taken the work of a couple of her connections for her to figure out William’s whereabouts.It had just been her luck that she had a standing reservation here.The Alpha growled lowly under his breath as she turned to look at him. “What a surprise,” Lily remarked with sarcasm dripping from her voice. Then she turned to Anna, the redhead whom she glared venomously at. She blamed the formerly human woman for ruining her life, and her future with William. “Don’t tell me you two are on a little date.“What are you doing here, Lily?” The emerald eyed Alpha demanded.“What? You didn’t think you’re the only one that can step out on a nice night like this?” She scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. “You know, I was just wondering how you two could be here having a good time when you both have caused so much chaos. You, especially, Anna.” She spat out the redhead’s name with such venom that Anna coul
It was an hour later when Anna arrived at her parent’s place.She knocked meekly on the door, and was startled when the door was flung open.“Anna?” Her father was the one who answered it and she could have nearly cried at the relief in his eyes. He pulled her close into a hug and she closed her eyes briefly from the warmth.“Where have you been?” He asked her, curiosity in his voice. “And how are the twins?”“I had to travel for a bit. For work,” she clarified, the lie that she had come up with left her lips so easily. “The kids are okay as well.”She stepped into the house that she had lived in all her childhood.…Anna woke up from the bed of her childhood room early the next morning. Sleep hadn’t come easily but she eventually drifted off. After an hour of tossing and turning, she got up for a jog and had breakfast.“Good morning mum, dad,” she greeted her parents as she returned for breakfast.Her mother eyed her in silence, and Anna could sense questions on her mind. Having lied
“Of course,” William said in an imperious voice. “My brother saw fit to take his anger out on human girls and murdered ten of them in one night. There is even news to prove that, and he has confessed it to me.”Gasps left the lips of all who had no idea, and Camille’s face turned pale as she processed that.“T-this cant be true-““It is the truth,” William turned to say to his mother unabashedly. His eyes pierced hers with a look of certainty on his face. “And it will always be the truth. That is why,” he continued, turning to his brother. “From now henceforth, I cut all our ties to him.”There was a wave of confusion in the air and Alpha Drake seethed silently.“You are banishing him from your pack?” The Alpha of the Eclipse pack asked and William nodded in the affirmative.“Now that you have seen the truth of what caused the Hunters to come into the city, you have no right to hold these charges over my mate’s head. And you will release her at once. Council, your decision?”The Elder
The next morning, as sunlight streamed in through the windows and bathed the room with a warm glow, William stirred first.Anna slept soundly in his arms, both of them half-naked. The memories of the full moon the previous night made him smile. It had been better than he had expected. Luckily his Beta had fulfilled most of the duties William delegated to him, so the Aloha was free to enjoy the night with his family.“Hey,” Anna woke up with a small whisper leaving her lips. She felt his warmth all around her and she felt safe.It had been a long time coming, she thought, and she didn’t want to leave the bed anytime soon.“Sleep well?” He smirked down at her as she pressed her body against his.“Too well,” her voice was akin to a purr as she spoke. “Anyway, I think it’s nearly last breakfast. I’ll have to get ready to go into the city soon.”Ah yes, that.William’s mood soured and she noticed it quickly.“Will,” she sighed and leaned into him. “Please. You know this is necessary.”“I k
Anna was surprised to find Ethan approaching them.“Ethan?” Camille also sounded stunned to see her younger son there, and coming to Anna’s defense.“Mother, enough of this,” Ethan said in a calm tone, not showing any signs of anger.“B-but-“ Camille’s face reddened, out of anger or embarrassment or both… she didn’t know.“Focus on the festival. Stop with this,” he told her. “Focus on the festival.”“Focus on the festival? What about the Eclipse pack, and our relations with them? What about Alpha Drake?”“Everything is being taken care of,” Was all Ethan said before turning to glance at a stupefied Anna.She looked away, not wanting to show emotion to him of all people.She noticed the twins were staring at them from afar with curiosity in their faces.Camille was shocked at her younger son.“Ethan, I had never expected you of all people to defend her after all she has done,” she vehemently said.“And I am not,” Ethan sighed; his mother was hard to dissuade when she fixated on certain
“This is so cool!” Andrew jumped atop the picnic blanket in an excited manner that Anna couldn’t help but smile.There was a buzz of excitement in the air.As Anna played the snacks and fruits out for the twins to eat, there was the sound of a throat clearing that made her and William turn to see who it was.“Alpha,” it was a guard who bowed deeply. “There are some delegates from the Grey Hills Pack and the Moonlight Pack here. They wish to see you.”William refrained from giving into the urge to pinch his nose and only let oit a small sigh, and nodded.“Very well. I will be there in a bit. Have them wait for me in the study,” he ordered the guard and dismissed him with a wave. The guard bowed and left, before William turned to his mate, meeting her gaze.Before he could say anything, she spoke, “It’s alright, Will. I’ll handle things here for the time being.After William left - but not before giving her and the twins kisses each - she sat and enjoyed the snacks while they watched m
Ethan wasn’t surprised about his brother wanting to spend time with his family, and he kept his opinions on that to himself - being the one who never saw the point in all that, he wouldn’t even touch that topic with a fucking ten foot pole.However, he did have a point to make.“It’s easy to forget your duties if you focus too much on your family, brother,” he crossed his arms as William’s glare increased. “Alpha Drake will come for blood soon enough. I don’t think we’re ready for that in any way.”“Let me worry about that, Ethan. And focus on enjoying the rest of the day. The festival is just starting, you wouldn’t want to miss it. And afterward, Ethan, then we will have much to discuss.”William’s words made Ethan’s brows furrowed in confusion. Why did his brother have that tone, as if he had some plan he had kept under his sleeve? It couldn’t be could it? The Alpha had never shown any indication in the past day of strategizing.However he couldn’t outright question the Alpha now.“
Anna didn’t know what to say after William was done talking. She had not expected to hear that sort of thing coming from him. He used to be so stone cold towards her, at least on the surface… and now things had changed. For the better or for worse, she didn't know just yet, but she was pleased and warmed by it.“Will…” she began to say only for him to continue.“Anna, all you have to do is promise me that, and I won't have a problem with anything else. No matter what, don’t forget you're my mate and you are my top priority. You and our children, and our family. It matters more to me than anything.”The honesty wasn’t one thing he expected either to come from himself, especially with her. He had once prided himself on being unruffled by shows of love and affection that most other 5 men his age seemed to fall under the thrall of. William particularly recalled an occasion in which a VIP client spoke fondly of his wife and daughters and asked William if he had any himself to which the Alp
The sight of her two children writhing in pain on their beds made her heart beat faster and she rushed towards them, frantic.“Andrea? Andrew?” She pressed her hand atop their foreheads to check their temperatures and found, to her dismay, they were feverish.The sight of their pale, withdrawn faces even in their sleep was heart wrenching. Anna felt helpless. What could have been wrong with them? They were fine yesterday!As though some supreme power had read her mind, the door opened and William walked in, his lips moving.“Good morning-” his words were cut off as he took in the look on his mate’s face. She looked incredible, her hair down to the blue dress she wore, but it was the display of terror in her eyes that stopped him in his tracks.“What’s going on?” he asked, and she rushed to him, tugging him to their children’s beds.“They were like this when I found them. Will, what could have happened? Maybe they ate something or… or-”The emerald-eyed Alpha grabbed his mate’s hands a