I slept peacefully that night and for once I woke up on my own without coercion from the twins. I felt light, better than I had ever felt before, well enough to go to school. Sleeping in Ash’s arms brought back memories and feelings of the fairytale times we spent together. They didn’t hurt like they used to when I pined and cried for him, instead they spread warmth inside me that if the twins felt like kicking up a storm I wouldn’t feel it.I still had my art stuff and I needed to take them back to Jonah. I didn’t have permission to keep them for this long. I walked to my car, drinking up the warm sun and the cool air. The trees looked beautiful as they swayed majestically to the wind. Everything seemed different in a wonderful way. I didn’t bother to pass through the kitchen because I didn’t want anyone to burst my happy bubble. Everyone was still on edge, and I didn’t want Joe’s concern over my health to dampen my spirits.

I was in a haze through all my morning classes. All I could think about was my children and how crucial it was to get them away. I only had three months left to plan and it didn’t feel like enough time. I needed to find the right parents, the right people who could handle the adoption privately and off the record if possible. I couldn’t just look them up in the yellow pages. I wanted someone who could assure me no one would be able to link them to me. They were to be untraceable even by me. If I were to live with this decision I had to make sure they would have a happy, normal, full, and safe life.Josh dragged me outside and made me sit in the sun. He said I looked so pale he thought I was turning Caucasian. Josh talked and I half listened, smiling on occasion and laughing when he did. Usually his presence was enough to distract me from my problems but not even his sense of humor and beautiful smile could give me a temporary fix.I thought of Ash and his p

I fell to the ground coughing, thanking God and crying at the same time. I felt a hand on my back. I pulled away and looked up. It was Ash. He had a relieved look on his face that was quickly replaced by a livid expression. His eyes turned silver and his face was red. His lips drew back exposing his sharp teeth. A loud rumble rolled over his chest letting loose a thunderous angry lethal growl.“I’m going to kill him.” He hissed acidly. He stood up to leave but I held on to his hand.“Don’t go after him. We don’t know how many wolves came with him.” I pulled myself up and placed myself firmly between him and the door. Baku was still stronger than Ash and with his dogs they could kill him. I couldn’t let that happen.“Lee, I have to go after him.” He took a step forward and I took a step back blocking his path.“They’ll kill you, Ash!”“Not before I kill him.” He took another step.“Before or after you kill me because that’s the only way you are going to go after him alone.”He looked a

“Stop diagnosing her, Maria, not everything is as bad as it looks. If she says she can handle it she can handle it. So when are they due?”Ann was filling herself with water. This time things were worse than they looked. “Baku says I have two more pains to go.”“Those pains that tear you apart and leave you passed out?” Ann had a horrified look on her face.  I nodded.“They only grow once, and since my body doesn’t change at the same rate, they have to make room for themselves.”“That sounds like something from an X-files movie.”Maria stood up and walked out of the room. She was back with a pen and a paper. “The pains are four weeks apart, so…”I cut her off, shocked. “You’ve been counting the days?”“Joe said I should. This way we’ll be prepared for the next one. But the only problem is the next one should have bee

“We need to tell them.” I heard Maria’s voice but it sounded so far away.“We can’t do that!” Ann responded.Their argument was getting clearer, pulling me from the black swirling hole I was in.“What if it’s the babies doing this to her?”“If you found your father on a table with another man’s hand in his chest wouldn’t you pass out?”     I hadn’t dreamt it. Joe really did have his hand in my dad’s chest.“Dad, where is my dad?” I propped myself up on my elbows and looked around. I was in my bed; Ann and Maria were seated at my sides facing each other.“He’s fine.” Maria had her hands on my shoulders, she was trying to push be back down.I swatted her hands away and sat upright. “I’d like to see that for myself.” I stood up too quickly. The room tilted, making me di