As I lay in bed that evening, I hear a phone ring. I glance at my bedside table, intent on ignoring it, when I realize that the screen of my cell phone remains dark. Huh? Suddenly, I realize that the tinny ringing is the old-fashioned rotary phone that I use for sessions with Victor. Shit. I head t
“A weakness is a weakness,” he says, “it must be addressed and fixed –“ “But if all people have weaknesses, is it not best to have our weakness be someone who we trust completely? Who, even if they’re asserting their own needs, still has our best interest at heart? If she is your mate, and you trus
“Slumberrrrrrr Partyyyyy!” Ian yells, bursting in the back door of Victor’s house, a huge backpack of toys and pillows on his back. He spreads his arms out and zooms around the kitchen, pretending to be an airplane. Alvin follows his brother, laughing, his arms equally filled with supplies. Beta Ed
“I love it so much, daddy!” Ian says, climbing to the top bunk of the new bed, which is designed to look like a rocket ship. The rest of the room continues the space theme, with black walls decorated with glow-in-the-dark stickers that will light up in the shape of constellations overnight. “Thank
It’s two o’clock in the morning, and I can’t sleep. I sigh and sit up. I’ve tried everything I can think of – lavender oil, a glass of wine, counting sheep - but I just can’t do it. The house is too…quiet. Not that the boys have made much of a disturbance in their sleep since they were babies, but s
“Do you see him?” Ian whispers to Alvin, narrowing his eyes at the man talking to their mother downstairs. “I thought Beta Edgar was our friend,” Alvin replies. “But I don’t like the way he is talking to our mama.” The pair spy through the railings of the second floor. They knew the minute their m
The next morning, Victor fights his exhaustion, giving Annabeth Prath all his attention. “Listen, Victor,” she says, crossing her legs and sitting back in the chair in his office. “I understand that you’re working to bring a lot of…” she pauses, choosing her words, “great things…to our Pack. But,”
“You go ahead of me,” I say, nudging them back towards the stairs, “I’ll be right up. Let me finish talking to daddy.” They scamper off. “So,” I continue, gesturing at all of the party supplies. “What, really, is the deal with all of this? I was just here last night – like, fourteen hours ago, and
“Me me me,” he says, hardly able to contain his excitement. “My turn, mama. Please.” And he looks down, again, at his little girl. “Well,” I say, shifting her in my arms and leaning forward so Ian can better see her face. She frowns in her sleep, squirming a little and making me smile. “I was think
Several hours later, I’m changed and curled up more comfortably in my bed with Victor by my side, a baby in each of our arms, and our boys curled up like puppies at the end of the bed. Archie is on the bed too, cuddled between them. We sit quietly together, all still focused on the two little babie
“It’s all right, doctor,” I say, giving her a little smile and nodding towards the boys. “We found them.” “Oh my god,” she says, shaking her head and placing a hand over her heart. Then she frowns at them. “How did they…” “Window,” Victor says, gesturing towards it and sighing. “It’s all right. Th
“Come on, Evelyn,” the doctor says confidently as Victor squeezes my hand, his eyes darting between my face and the first baby, which the doula is now wrapping in her first swaddle. “One more push, and then you’ll be done, and you can hold your little girls.” “Okay,” I huff, sitting up and shifting
Slumped on the couch, Ian heaves a gigantic sigh. “What is taking so long,” he mutters, glaring angrily at the steps as if they’ve personally offended him. “You knew it would take a while,” Bridgette murmurs, running a hand over Ian’s soft brown hair and smiling fondly at her nephew. She sighs and
“Oh my god,” Victor gasps, instantly wide awake. “Oh my god,” he says again, grabbing my face and searching it like it has answers. “Are you – are you okay?” “Yes,” I say, nodding but then belying my answer with an immediate moan. I grit my teeth, my hand going to my stomach as I weather the contra
And between them, my three Alphas have kept me sane. Even though every other part of the end of this pregnancy has worked hard against that sanity. Very, very hard. Even though the TV is on, capturing both of our attention, Ian very suddenly turns his head towards my stomach, like a dog hearing a w
As it turns out…I cannot. I cannot spend 3 months in bed, waiting for my babies to be born. Two and a half months later, I’m basically climbing the walls, I’m going so crazy sitting here in this bedroom, waiting for my little girls to be born. I’ve done it this long, though. I’ve stayed in my bedr
“Why?” Victor asks, suddenly serious in the sea of merriment. “Evelyn, why aren’t you here? What’s wrong?” “Um…” she says, her eyes glancing away awkwardly. “Because…I went into early labor…and I’ve been put on bedrest…” The tablet cracks as it falls to the floor. Rafe gasps, reaching down for it