JaneI don’t think I can handle any more emergency phone calls notifying me that my pup is in grave danger. This is the second time it’s happened in a single week, and I already feel like my nerves are completely raw. I’m becoming afraid of hearing the phone ring, just one shrill chime is enough to send me jumping out of my skin. When I arrive at the scene of the accident, it takes me a moment to find Paisley. I see Ethan first, talking with a law enforcement officer and looking very grave indeed. I run up to him, asking, “What happened?” but almost as soon as the words are out of my mouth, I finally catch sight of Paisley. She’s sitting in the back of an ambulance, looking shaken but mostly unharmed as an EMT picked shards of glass from her clothing. I start to change directions, but Ethan catches me first.“Eve was taking her for ice cream and she says the brakes went out on her car.” He explains swiftly. “Eve?” I repeat, righteous indignation swelling in my chest, “You trusted Ev
EthanIn my time as Alpha, I’ve witnessed plenty of wild news stories, and even been at the center of a few. However nothing is as alarming as seeing Eve touted as my future Luna on every channel for 24 hours straight. Now that I know who she truly is and what she’s done to my daughter, the idea of even being in the same room with her makes me sick to my stomach. After Paisley was discharged from the hospital I took her to our country cabin to recuperate, not wanting her in the penthouse with reporters camped outside the front door waiting for a glimpse of us. At first I thought I’d let the story run its course and die down on its own, but then the calls started coming in. Everyone wanted my comment on whether I truly was planning to marry Eve, and when I began to do some investigating of my own, I discovered that all these stories had been paid for by a mysterious benefactor. Someone had bribed the news stations to cover the car accident and promote Eve this way, and I have a fairly
3rd PersonAfter almost a full month sharing a bedroom in Linda’s apartment, Jane was finally able to move herself and the pups into their own apartment. Of course, she had no idea that making this change would open the door for her children to hatch a new scheme with their sister.Little did any of the adults know that on their last visit to the hospital, they’d exchanged walkie talkies so they could stay in contact with one another. Of course, Linda’s apartment was much too far away from the Alpha’s penthouse for the devices to connect to one another, but Jane’s new apartment was only a block away. It hadn’t been her first choice, but it was the best she could get on such short notice. It took a few days of trying since Ethan initially took Paisley to his country house to avoid the media circus, but on the fifth day of trying to reach their long lost sister, Ryder, Parker and Riley finally made contact. “Paisley, come in, over.” Parker said into the speaker, holding down the talk
Only concern for his daughter could distract the Alpha from his line of questioning. He’d felt, at long last, like he was on the verge of understanding something which had eluded him for years, only to have it yanked out of reach at the last moment. Nonetheless, Ethan followed Jane’s line of sight, watching the pups race through the indoor playground with unrestrained glee. Despite Jane’s fears, he couldn’t recall seeing Paisley ever looking so healthy, and he nodded happily, “Look at her, she’s glowing.”Jane smiled, realizing Ethan was exactly right. Paisley did look better than she’d ever seen her, despite everything she’d been through these last few weeks. All the pups looked happier than she could recall seeing them in quite some time. Of course, what Ethan and Jane did not know was that Riley and Paisley had switched places at the very first opportunity available to them. Trading out clothes in the ball pit while the grown ups were distracted, the sisters seamlessly took up each
Truly crying now, Riley nodded. “Okay.” As Eve retreated, searching the apartment for her phone and cackling to herself over crushing a small child’s feelings, Riley couldn’t help but think she and her brothers couldn’t have planned this better if they’d tried. Riley wasn’t as talented with technology as Ryder, but she knew how to send a text message easily enough. Quickly copying every contact in Eve’s address book, she sent the voice memo off with a rush of triumph. The next part of the plan took on new meaning with Eve’s parting advice. Riley had always planned on returning home once her task was complete. She, Paisley and the boys would get to enjoy some quality time together and could relax knowing they were all safe. However once her conversation with Eve was received by Ethan, Jane, Petra, and all the various contacts Eve used to leverage her position in the pack, when Ethan came home to find Paisley missing he’d naturally assume the little girl had run away at Eve’s instructi
JaneIt takes a moment for Ethan’s words to sink in, especially with him holding me so tenderly. I want to surrender to the comforting warmth, however when his announcement does sink in, I quickly untangle myself from his embrace and look up at him in horror. “Missing? But you said…” I stutter helplessly, searching for any kind of logic in this madness. “You said Frank wouldn’t take his eyes off her.”Ethan frowns deeply, gesturing for the guard in question to remove Eve from the room. As the mewling woman is dragged out, my ex explains, “He was making her lunch - the cameras in the lobby show her running out on her own.”The room is positively spinning. I can’t even begin to process this after everything we’ve already been through lately. My mind whirrs, trying to sort out a plan of action. I need to find Paisley as soon as possible, I need to make sure she’s safe, but my anger is getting the better of me. More than all my fear and despair, I’m completely outraged that this happened
JaneI think I’m having a stroke. My kids really are too smart for their own goods. Not only did they figure out my deepest darkest secret, but they’ve clearly been scheming behind my back. I’m used to Ryder and Parker trying to switch places on me, but I never dreamed it would happen before I ever told the girls they were related. Honestly, most four year olds are still just trying to master tying their shoes, mine are masterminding intricate plots and fooling fully grown adults along the way. My heart is beating so quickly and so loudly that I can’t even hear myself think. “What?” I utter inanely, needing Parker to repeat his words just to make sure I didn’t imagine it. When he does I sink onto the couch in defeat, staring at their hopeful faces in complete shock. “How long have you known?”“Since the restraunt.” Riley answers happily. “I…” I squeak helplessly. “I don’t know what to say.”“Why didn’ you tell us ‘bout Paisley?” Ryder asks, and though there’s not an ounce of accus
Ethan“Ethan please!” Eve wails, still huddled on the floor and sobbing like an actress in a soap opera.If I’d been angry before, my fight with Jane had pushed me completely over the edge. Her words cut me incredibly deep, mostly because I know they were true. This was all my fault. Yes, Eve is clearly an unforgivably cruel, borderline heartless woman, but I’m the one who let her stick around even after I knew what she was. The law enforcement officers had agreed it was for the best, but now I can see only to clearly that what was best for their case and what was best for my child were two very different things. “Stop your sniveling this instant.” I command, my booming voice echoing around the room. “I want you out of my house within the half hour, anything that’s still here after that is going to be thrown out on the street.”“No!” She keens, “You can’t, you don’t understand. I don’t have anywhere else to go!”“Then you should have thought of that before you abused my pup!” I bark.
JaneFour Months LaterEthan ushers the pups into my hospital room with a finger pressed to his lips. “Quietly now, Mommy’s very tired.”I’d gone into labor in the early hours of the morning, and the experience couldn’t have been more different than it had been with the quadruplets. Instead of suffering through the first contractions alone and afraid, I’d had my mate by my side, rubbing my back and crooning sympathetically as I gritted my teeth against the pain. After a few hours of pacing and fruitlessly trying to find a comfortable position, my water broke and we left for the hospital, leaving the pups with a sitter.I made it through fifteen hours of labor before caving and asking for an epidural, taking Ethan’s encouragement to save my strength for pushing when the time came. He never left my side the entire time, only stepping out of the room a couple of times to check in on the pups at my request. I couldn’t have asked for a better birthing partner – he lavished me with praise a
JaneWhen Ethan and I arrive back at the penthouse we find Devon and Nina sitting on the sofa while the pups zoom around the living room in front of them. Devon has an arm slung over Nina’s shoulder, which surprises me, but I can’t focus on them because the moment we walk through the door four little bodies come hurtling at our legs. “Mommy! Daddy!” The pups cry excitedly.Parker is the tallest and fastest, so he reaches us first, leaping up into Ethan’s waiting arms while I intercept Riley, whose small size lets her bound weightlessly across the room. “Hello my love puddles.” I greet them happily, kneeling so I can also hug Ryder, while Ethan effortlessly scoops up Paisley, even though his arms are already full with her brother. “What have you been up to? Were you good for Devon and Nina?” I ask, marveling at Ethan’s strength despite his recent recovery.“We were sooo good.” Riley confirms. “Nina was sad so we cuddled her.”“And then Devon told us we could get ice cream if we promi
JaneWhen I open my eyes, Ethan and I are still in the thermal pool. I can feel the water lapping and bubbling around me, but he’s no longer inside me, and when I look up it’s to find his dark gaze watching me intently. Gradually I realize he’s moved to the shallow end of the spring so he can sit on the submerged ledge and hold me in his lap. He rests one hand on my round belly, and our baby flutters inside me as if the tiny bean knows its father is near.“How long was I out?” I inquire softly, stretching and reveling in the delicious ache of my muscles. I’m filled with the lazy contentment of a well-loved mate, utterly drugged with pleasure that is only deepened by the sting of my claiming mark. I can feel the evidence of Ethan’s dominance in the swollen flesh between my legs, the bite marks on my breasts and faint bruises on my back and thighs. And right now I can’t imagine anything better than this… exc
3rd PersonNina’s heart sunk as she watched Ethan and Jane race out the door as their wolves, and she stepped forward to close the door out of mere reflex. When the panel clicked shut she found herself staring blankly at the dark wood, momentarily frozen in time. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t feel, she could only stand there and exist as this latest slight reverberated through her body.Only the sound of a small voice saying her name woke her from her miserable reverie, “Nina?”Slowly, as if in a trance, she turned. Blinking, her expression detached, she saw the pups watching her. Tiny feet padded over the floor in a miniature stampede, and then the four children were gathered around her, looking up at her with wrinkled brows. “Hmm?” She finally responded, unsure if they’d asked her a question or simply stopped at her name.“Are you okay?” Paisley inquired softly, genuine concern in h
Jane“Not want you?” Ethan snarls furiously, seeming angrier about that suggestion than my words about Devon. “Not want you? That has never been the problem!”His hands are so fierce on my body, and I can see a wild sort of desperation in his handsome features. His eyes are glowing and his fangs extended – I know his wolf is right on the edge.“Then show me.” I demand. Sliding my hand down between our flush bodies. “Let me feel your desire, Ethan.”“Why are you doing this?” He groans, burying his head in my neck.“Because you’re punishing yourself for something that isn’t your fault.” I murmur in reply, my lips brushing against his ear as I speak. “And it’s gone on long enough.”“But it is my fault, Janey. Everything I do backfires, every time I try to do the right thing for you, I fuck up.” He confesses, sounding so vulnerable I ache.“Then maybe you should stop trying to figure out the answer for me, and start working with me. Ask me what I want and give it to me, don’t try to do it
JaneEthan and I run through the quiet streets of the city as our wolves, not minding one bit that we’re on pavement and not in the forest. We bound around shopkeepers and early morning commuters without a care in the world, oblivious to the curious looks we’re drawing.I’ve always preferred running at night, but I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to convince Ethan to stop being so stubborn. When I saw him in his wolf form with our pups climbing all over him this morning, pure joy washed over me. I might not have known how Ethan has been
Ethan“You’re letting them stay?” Nina demands, glaring at me as she wears a hole in the floor, pacing back and forth with the indignant energy of a she-wolf scorned. Unsurprisingly, she was less than amused to learn I decided to allow Jane and the pups to stay with us – though in truth it hadn’t been much of a choice. My mischievous mate forced me between a rock and a hard place, and I wasn’t about to drag her out of the penthouse kicking and screaming.“I can’t just throw them out.&
JaneMy plan to sneak-move into the penthouse is working better than I imagined. Granted, I keep catching my pups practicing their maniacal laughs in the mirror, but in the grand scheme of things, encouraging their talents for mastermining dastardly plots isn’t the worst idea. After all, I want to encourage their ambition in whatever they do… even if it is taking over the world.Regardless of the burgeoning tricksters under my roof, everything else has gone fairly smoothly. I was able to hire last minute movers to pack up and bring everything from our apartment in the Dark Moon territory and transport it here. The only real challenge was maki
JaneEthan winces, then kisses me again, long and deep. When he pulls away, I feel tears in my eyes. I already know he hasn’t been swayed by my pleading. “I know it hurts right now, Jane.” He acknowledges, looking truly aggrieved. “It hurts me too. But one day you’ll see that I’m right.” His thumb brushes a stray tear from my cheek. “You were so much better off without me. You built a fragrance empire and raised three amazing pups all by yourself. But a few months with me and you were on my floor, begging to be a slave again.”“That wasn’t because I was with you, it was because I wasn&rsquo