[--Kaiser Volkov--]I fell asleep with the twin babies on my chest, their small bodies nestled against mine as I lay uncomfortably on the couch. Was it comfortable? Absolutely not. My back ached from the awkward position, and my neck felt stiff from the angle at which my head had been resting. I would have given anything to be in my own bed, sprawled out with a pillow that didn’t dig into my spine. But I was trying not to be the douchebag who complains about a couple of infants. After all, they didn’t ask to be here, and it wasn’t their fault that I’d been roped into this makeshift bed-sharing arrangement.Somewhere in the dark, I awoke, blinking groggily as I tried to remember where I was. The house was silent except for the faint hum of the refrigerator in the next room. I shot a glance down at the babies still resting on my chest. They were adorable—I’ll give them that much, even if I wasn’t particularly fond of children. Elijah, the boy, was sucking on his pacifier, his eyes tight
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I showered quickly, or at least I tried to. The warm water cascading against my skin felt like a recipe for relaxation, melting away the tension from my muscles the moment it touched me. I had intended for it to be a fast rinse, but the sensation of the heat working its way into my body made that impossible. It was like my body needed this—more than I’d realized. As the steam began to fill the bathroom, swirling around me in gentle, hazy clouds, I tilted my head back and let the water pour down my face, soaking my hair completely until the curls grew heavy with the weight of the water. I could feel my breathing slow as the tension ebbed from my shoulders, the constant buzz of stress that had lingered in my chest now dissolving, little by little, into the heat.I reached for the shampoo, squeezing a generous amount into my palm. I massaged it into my scalp, working it into my tangled curls, feeling the lather thicken as it spread through each strand. The sensation of
[--Esmarie Cruz--]“Marie, wake up."The voice broke through the fog of sleep, pulling at the edges of my consciousness, but I groaned softly and rolled over, burying my face deeper into the pillow. It was a voice I recognized, one that had haunted me for years, but I was too exhausted to let it pull me from the fragile comfort of sleep. I could hear the steady rhythm of my own breathing, and feel the weight of the blankets cocooning me, and all I wanted was to stay there, wrapped in the momentary illusion of peace."Marie, wake the fuck up! Did you really think you could keep my children from me?!"Before I could even process the words fully, I felt rough hands yanking me up with brutal force, tearing me away from my dreams and sending me crashing to the cold, unforgiving floor. Pain shot through my body as my elbows and knees hit the hard surface, the jolt ripping a gasp from my throat.My eyes flew open, wide with shock and terror, as reality slammed back into me. I was sprawled on
[--Esmarie Cruz--]I thought I was fine with the phone call for a good fifteen minutes after what should have been peace. I turned into a snarky person.This isn’t jealousy. It’s pure, unfiltered anger. A rage that simmers just below the surface, threatening to boil over with every second that passes. Why does he get to live his life at all? Why does he get to move freely, without the weight of guilt or consequences dragging him down? He walks through the world as if nothing matters, as if no one else's pain is real, as if the destruction he's left behind is nothing more than a faint memory. And me? I'm trapped here, stuck with the aftermath of everything—everything he and his brother did.Because I was so mad, and the twins could feel it, I had to devote my whole day to taking care of my twins-- extra style. The cutest babies in the world, and they're mine. I played with them, fed them, changed them, rocked them to sleep, and put them down for naps twice. Twice! Let me tell you, the
[--Kaiser Volkov--][FLASHBACK]I sat down by the riverbank, the familiar hum of the water flowing gently in the background, the kind of peaceful sound that usually helped clear my head. But today, it felt like nothing could drown out the noise in my mind. My gaze dropped to the bruise on my wrist, dark and fading, but still there, a stubborn reminder of everything I’d been through. The skin around it felt tender, and as I scratched at it absently, a dull ache shot through my arm. The pain was nothing new—too familiar, too constant. I sighed, letting my hand fall back into my lap, staring at the water without really seeing it."Hey!"The sudden sound of Esmarie’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. My heart skipped a beat, the kind of reflexive reaction that always hit me when I heard her. Esmarie. Damn. I panicked for a second, hastily tugging the sleeve of my shirt down over my wrist to cover the bruise. The last thing I wanted was for her to see that and start asking questions. I p
[--Kasier Volkov--]I marched into her bedroom, and she abruptly ended the call.“What are you doing here? Don’t you know how to knock?” she scowls at me.“You’re talking to Elias. In this pack, he’s an enemy. I’m gonna need you to not do that.”Her eyes roll, and she drops into the plump pink chair next to her bed. “You cannot tell me what to do. And for the record, sleeping with a guy’s fiancee is crazy. That’s a low even for a whore like you.”I didn’t let the anger show on my face. Instead, I let it go. She wants to talk to Elias. Let her. Elias is a good alpha. Just like me. We’re alike in many ways. He doesn’t know my dirty secrets, but I know enough of his. I stepped back and left her room.Continuing my path to the kitchen when I heard her footsteps following me. I pulled out a plate, and some ingredients so I could prepare a nice meal for my breakfast.“That’s it? You’re just going to walk away, you don’t want to defend yourself?”“Why? You don’t like me, you seem comfortable
[--Kaiser Volkov--]It was twelve midnight, the kind of hour when most people are nestled comfortably in their beds, lost in the embrace of sleep. The world outside is quiet, with only the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant hum of a passing car to remind you that life continues, even in the dead of night. Normal people would be doing something sensible, like resting, and recharging for the day ahead. Too bad I’ve never been one of those people.I woke abruptly, the familiar feeling of unease settling in my chest, the kind that told me something was not right. My arm felt heavy, weighed down by something warm and unfamiliar. As I blinked the sleep from my eyes, the irritation set in almost immediately. I wasn’t alone in my bed. That realization hit me like a cold splash of water, and I tensed, instinctively pulling my arm out from under the weight that pinned it down.Sitting up, I scanned the room, my gaze landing on the unmistakable figure of a girl, half-covered in my sheets
[--Esmarie Cruz--]“Barry I’m sorry.”“You’re sorry? You’re fucking sorry? You think because you’re pregnant I won’t beat some sense into you?” to make his point clear, he swung his hand at me. The force made the backhanded slap feel twice as bad. I clutched my belly as I stumbled to my feet. Barry slammed his foot into my back, and I shouted in pain. His parents watched. Neither of them offered me a hand or a voice. I was carrying his children for goodness' sake.Where is the sympathy? I sobbed, pain coursed through my body. Pain, so much pain.“You better not pull such a stupid move again. Telling me who I can and cannot be with. You better remember that you were abandoned. My brother left you, your father left you and your mother swears your birth was her biggest regret.” he shoved a hand into my scalp and yanked it. Pulling my head back. “Once you have those babies, know that I’m kicking you out and bringing in my woman. I have no use after the children.”I managed to croak out a