Evelyn sits in a comfortable, slightly musty old armchair pulled close to the fire with one arm wrapped around Alvin. With her other hand, she idly breaks one of those delicious muffins into pieces, occasionally raising a chunk to her mouth to chew. Alvin naps peacefully against her chest and Evely
He brings her mouth to his, then, kissing her soundly with an intensity that makes clear everything he learned about himself out in the woods today. No doubts at all. Not a single one. Ian looks up at his parents kissing for a moment and then grimaces. “Ewww,” he murmurs, catching Alvin’s eye. “Y
Victor pulls his face away from me for a moment, still holding him close against him, looking down at me intently. A low growl builds in his chest.And I want him, too, desperately. Want to tear his dirty shirt from his body and throw it to the forest floor – want – “Where,” I hear myself ask, my m
“I don’t know,” I say, shrugging and then mimicking the twin’s little pinging gestures in the air. “The magic brought it.”“Amazing,” he says, shaking his head. “Eat!” I say, giving him a little nudge. “You’ve got to be starving.”“Is it,” he asks, glancing at me. “Is it safe?”I shrug again. “Who
“Come on,” Victor urges, giving my rear an encouraging little pat. I grimace, suddenly anxious. It was so nice in this little cottage for a moment. Couldn’t we stay here a little longer, just being together?But as if in answer, the last little magic mote floats out of the house. No, it calls to me
Victor laughs out loud at this, leaning down to press a warm kiss to my mouth. We linger like that for a moment before turning towards the door of the cottage. And then, together, we step out into the forest. The magic is waiting, of course. Right at the head of a path that hadn’t been there an hou
“So, what do we do now?” I ask, sighing and looking up at Victor. He shoots me a little look that says, plainly enough, how the hell should I know. I just grimace and tuck the note into my own back pocket, taking his hand. “Well,” I mutter, trying to lean into the hopeful state that the day in the
“Oh, you’re on top,” he says, ignoring my unbuttoning and sitting up again. He folds his legs beneath me so that I’m now seated comfortably in his lap, my legs wrapped around his waist. “How convenient for you…” I smile coyly as he runs his hands up my thighs, stopping at my waist to untuck the shi
“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