I feel the eyes of Victor’s troops on us as we move. They are a silent mass, but I can almost feel their sadness, their worry, their support. Victor has done so much for them, for these members of his pack. Given them jobs, livelihoods, purpose. He would never, ever abandon them as my father was pre
Sixteen hours later, we’re still in the hospital, waiting for news.My head hangs, my chin almost touching my chest as I listen to the clock in our private waiting room click. And click. And click. The seconds trip slowly by.Ian leans against me, Alvin sprawled across my lap. Both, thankfully, are
The doctor looks out at the rest of us then. “If I were you, I would be praying for a miracle. And if not then…for peace.”I can’t help the tears that begin to drip down my cheeks at this news. I don’t even try to stop them. I hear my boys start to cry next to me, devastated.They’ve just barely got
On the morning of the fifth day, my eyes fly open when I hear a hiss.Victor has his eyes pressed shut, his jaw clenched together. The tube was removed from his throat yesterday and he can breathe on his own now, but he’s been sleeping the entire time I’ve been here.“Oh my god,” I say, leaning for
The doctor comes in then, his face sunny. He greets Victor, looking him over, listening to his pulse, measuring some vitals and checking the machines. I watch Victor closely as he responds to the doctor’s questions. His mind and spirit are clearly intact, but his face, his skin…He’s clammy and an a
When we come back to the house, everyone is on the porch waiting for us.My mother, Emma, and Delia are standing there, the boys in front of them. Huge bright smiles light Alvin and Ian’s faces – they’re so, so excited to see their dad.I can’t help but laugh when I take them in, and Victor works to
The paramedic says a stern word to Ian about jostling his father and Ian just bares his teeth at him. Victor laughs, and so do I. The paramedic just shakes his head and keeps pushing, settling Victor into the living room where I’ve cleared a space. I follow Victor into the room and my mother and si
Rafe carefully places Victor on his side of the bed while I pull back the sheets. The two brothers cheerfully joke about the battle and the siege, about what happened next and how poor Rafe had to clean up Victor’s mess while Victor had what Rafe calls a “nice four-day nap.” Victor laughs at this an
“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