“Mama?” The boys come tottering down the stairs.Too soon, just…too soon.Still kneeling on the floor, I raise my shaking hands to my eyes, working to wipe away the tears, but they’re still coming.Shit, shit – no part of me wants my boys to see me cry, but I just can’t stop –Two little arms wrap a
“Mama,” Ian says carefully. “We know that this is not a trip.” Alvin nods next to him.I let my face fall and stare down at the floor. I love them, but god damnit, for one minute can my kids not be genius twins who see through my every lie? Can’t they just fall for it?“We don’t want to go,” Alvin s
That afternoon, Victor runs through the woods of the encampment. When he had originally purchased the land, it was all wooded with trees like these, but he’d had most of them cut down, repurposing the wood to build parts of the encampment and the barracks.But these acres of woods he left for Betas
When she had been ejected from her father’s pack, she had gone back to school to build a career for herself. When she had discovered she was pregnant, she had done everything she could – changed her name, gone into hiding – to keep those boys secret from the world.She had always known that no one c
Evelyn glances over at Ian as he fiddles with the car’s radio controls, trying to find a station that he likes. She can’t help but smile at him a little bit. When did he get old enough to have tastes in music? It was so strange, raising a child, watching them grow into a full person.He is technical
Headed for the beach.When they arrived, a few hours later, Evelyn could tell that Ian was pleased.“Woww,” he said, pressing his nose against the window. “Mama, I can see the ocean.”“Roll down the window,” Evelyn said, “can you taste the salt on the air?”Ian had done as he was told, letting the o
“What,” I say, my mouth hanging open as I stare between these two women – both incredibly important people in my life, but people I thought lived in completely separate worlds. “How the hell –““Come in,” Emma says, getting to her feet. “Let’s close the door,” she murmurs, peering outside to see if
Not exactly news I needed on today, of all days. “It’s true,” Emma says, beginning to wring her hands. “I wasn’t really surprised when you and Delia clicked – a little jealous, of course.” She pauses for a moment. “I would have given…anything. To be out of my house. Living that life with the two of