Suddenly, Victor is by my side, frowning up at them. I raise my eyebrow at him, surprised. Is he…jealous? “Come down now,” Victor says, and both Edgar and Ian swing down from the branches. Victor moves beneath Ian just as he hangs from the lowest branch, tickling him under the armpit so that Ian fa
I watch Victor and the boys disappear into the forest, wringing my hands. Of course, I always knew the day would come when they went out into the darkness and explored their identities as wolves but…well, they’re very young. I thought I had years left. “They’ll be fine,” Edgar says, putting a hand
I laugh at that, truly laugh, and blush a little. “With Edgar? Oh geeze, I don’t know…” “Come on, Evelyn,” Amelia leans forward, giving me a real smile and laughing with me. “We’re girlfriends now, after all.” I laugh with her and shrug, bashful. “It’s going…I mean, great, I suppose. It’s really n
“MAMAAAA!” I lurch to my feet out of a straight sleep when I hear my son’s voice calling to me. Edgar next to me shudders awake, though he manages to stay in bed. “What’s happening?” He murmurs, staring around bleerily. “They’re back,” I say, pulling a blanket around my shoulders and ducking out t
“She was!” I say, laughing as a Beta hands me a plate with eggs and toast. I murmur my thanks. “So by that,” Victor says, “you mean that you spent all night with Edgar and she hung out by herself, texting all her diva friends.” “One,” I say, pointing at him with my fork, “she didn’t have cell rece
Victor wakes with a start as the van pulls into the driveway, sucking in a deep breath. The boys, Alvin tucked in beside him and Ian stretched across his stomach, shift with the disturbance. “Are we home?” Ian asks, blearily blinking awake. “Yes, baby,” Evelyn says, peeling Ian off Victor and pull
“Excellent!” Willard says, pleased with the deal and sounding a little bit surprised at the ease with which it was completed. “I’ll do just that. You stay in touch now, my boy,” he says kindly, and then hangs up the phone. Victor sits back in his seat, wondering how he got so played. Usually, this
Victor’s car pulls along the gravel drive of the Walsh family home, a palatial estate in the British Georgian theme. The wheels of the car crunch to a stop and Victor’s Beta steps out first, surveying the scene and checking for threats. Seeing none, he signals Victor to come forward. Victor steps o
“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