Chapter 5

Seven years later…

The early morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft, golden glow over the small room.

 I stretched, careful not to wake the two small bodies nestled on either side of me. 

My twins, Finn and Luna, slept soundly, their little faces peaceful in the morning light. 

Watching them, I couldn’t help but smile. 

Life was different now. 

It had to be.

 After that night, the night I left everything behind, I promised myself that I would never look back.

And for seven years, I hadn’t. I had built a life here, in the Lycan territory, far away from the pain of the past. I was no longer the broken woman who had stumbled into that motel room. I was Briar Ashford—mother, therapist, survivor.

“Mama,” a small voice murmured, breaking into my thoughts. Luna, her big brown eyes still heavy with sleep, reached out to me. 

Her tiny hand clutched at my shirt as she blinked up at me with a smile that could light up the darkest day.

“Morning, sweetheart,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Did you sleep well?”

“Mmm-hmm,” she hummed, snuggling closer. “Where’s Finn?”

I chuckled softly, nodding to the other side of the bed where her brother lay, sprawled out like a starfish. “Right there, taking up all the space as usual.”

She giggled, the sound like music to my ears, and wiggled closer to Finn, wrapping her small arms around him. Finn, in response, let out a sleepy grunt, but didn’t wake. Luna looked back at me, grinning. 

“Mama, can we have pancakes for breakfast?”

“Pancakes, huh?” I pretended to consider it, tapping my chin. “I don’t know... that sounds like a lot of work.”

“Please?” she pleaded, her bottom lip jutting out in a perfect pout. “With extra syrup?”

I smiled, unable to resist her charm. “Alright, pancakes it is. But only if you promise to help.”

“Yay!” Luna whispered excitedly, careful not to wake Finn, before slipping out of bed and racing to the kitchen. I followed her with a smile, feeling a warmth in my chest that only my children could bring.

In the small kitchen, we worked together to make breakfast. Luna stood on a chair, stirring the batter with all the seriousness a six-year-old could muster. I watched her, marveling at how much she had grown, how much both of them had grown. 

I had thought that might was a dream, but no it was a blessing. They were my world, my everything, and I would do anything to protect them.

As the pancakes sizzled on the stove, I thought about how much my life had changed. 

I had built something here—a home, a career, a life for my children. I had become a therapist, helping others heal from their own wounds, and in doing so, I had started to heal myself. 

The Lycan territory had become a sanctuary for me, no one cared if I was an omega unlike the werewolves were hierarchy was everything. 

Lizbella had also helped, starting a life here as well. Co-partnering with me to start our own care home. 

No one here knew about my past, and that was the way I intended to keep it. My clients knew me as Briar Ashford, the therapist who had a way of understanding people, of helping them through their pain. 

They didn’t know about the nightmares that still haunted me, or the scars that still ached when the weather turned cold.

But those scars were a part of me, and they had made me stronger. Strong enough to raise two incredible children on my own, to build a life that I could be proud of.

“Mama, the pancakes are burning!” Luna’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I quickly turned back to the stove, flipping the pancakes just in time.

“Oops, sorry about that,” I said with a sheepish smile. “I guess I got a little distracted.”

Luna giggled, shaking her head in that way that made her look far too grown-up for her age. “You’re silly, Mama.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I replied, setting the pancakes on a plate and drizzling them with syrup. “But I make up for it with these, right?”

“Right!” she agreed, hopping down from the chair and grabbing a plate. “Can I wake up Finn?”

“Go ahead,” I said, watching as she ran back to the bedroom, her excitement contagious. Moments later, she returned with a groggy Finn in tow, his hair sticking up in all directions.

“Pancakes?” he asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

“Yup, your favorite,” I said, ruffling his hair as he climbed into his chair at the table.

We ate breakfast together, the twins chatting excitedly about their plans for the day. 

They were full of energy, their laughter filling the small kitchen, and for a moment, I allowed myself to forget about the worries that often plagued me. For a moment, everything was perfect.

After breakfast, I cleaned up while the twins played in the living room. I could hear their voices drifting down the hall as they built elaborate forts out of blankets and pillows. They were so full of life, so innocent, and I was determined to keep it that way.

I had just finished washing the dishes when I heard a knock at the door. My heart skipped a beat—unexpected visitors were rare in the Lycan territory, especially for someone like me who kept to herself.

 I quickly dried my hands and walked to the door, glancing back at the twins, who were oblivious to the interruption.

When I opened the door, I found myself staring up at three men—no, not just men. Lycans.

 I could feel the power radiating off them. I gulped. 

They were tall, muscular, and devastatingly handsome, with an air of authority that made it clear they were used to being obeyed. 

The one in the center, with dark hair and blue eyes, and damn, a perfect jawline, stepped forward, his gaze locking onto mine. 

“Briar Ashford?”

“Yes,” I replied, my voice steadier than I felt. “Can I help you?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, his eyes swept over me, taking in every detail as if he were committing me to memory. It was unsettling, to say the least.

“I’m Kai Moonstone,” he finally said, his voice deep and commanding. “These are my brothers, Kylan and Kieran.”

I glanced at the other two men, who were identical to Kai in every way except for the color of their eyes. Kylan’s were a striking green, while Kieran’s were a stormy gray.

 They stood behind Kai, their expressions unreadable.

“What do you want?” I asked, forcing myself to hold Kai’s gaze.

“We need to talk,” Kai said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “May we come in?”

I hesitated, my instincts screaming at me to shut the door, to keep them out. But something in Kai’s eyes—something familiar, yet terrifying—kept me rooted in place.

“We can talk out here. What is this about?” I asked, my voice wavering slightly.

“It’s about your children,” Kylan spoke up, his voice softer, but no less intense.

My heart stuttered in my chest, a cold

fear wrapping around me like a vice. “What about my children?”

Kai took a step closer. “We believe they’re ours.”