All Chapters of Beta - The Bayou Boys : Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

As we docked the boat and headed back toward the house, Teddy was practically floating. He couldn't stop smiling. I could feel his happiness radiating through our bond. It hit me like a tidal wave. Pure, unfiltered joy. I didn't even have to look at him to know how he was feeling. He was on cloud nine.And me? I felt like I was drowning.The nausea that had started earlier wasn't going away. If anything, it was getting worse. My stomach was doing flips, but the only thing coming through the bond was Teddy's happiness. He was beside himself, and that, in turn, made me feel a little happy, too. But the happiness wasn't mine. It was his. It wasn't real.I tried to keep it together as we walked up the path to the house, but every step felt heavy. I saw Viviana sitting on the porch as we approached the house, watching Marilee play with the other kids. The scene was so peaceful, so... normal. It should have made me feel calm, but all it did was highlight how out of place I felt.Viviana

PHIN I stood there, looking at my boat docked right in front of me, feeling like I’d just stepped into a future I’d only dreamed about. The thing was massive. Big enough to run a decent operation and more than enough to support Vi, our daughter, and maybe even the pack down the line. I could already see it. More boats and crew pulling in bigger hauls.This was it. The start of something real.I’d been trying to hold things together for so long, scraping by, barely making ends meet. But now, standing in front of this boat, I didn’t have to imagine anymore. I could see our future. I could finally take care of my family and be the kind of father I wanted to be, the kind of Alpha my pack deserved.Everything was falling into place.I walked into the house, still buzzing with excitement. Vi was sitting on the couch, looking calm and collected as usual. I couldn’t stop myself from grinning and practically bouncing over to her.“You should’ve seen it,” I started, not even giving her a cha

TEDDY The car slowed as we approached the Monroe estate, my pulse hammering in my ears. Phin parked, and the realization hit hard. We were about to see our baby for the first time. The sonography machine, the one Kael insisted on getting, was waiting inside. I clenched my fists, trying to contain the rush of excitement clawing its way through me. This was it.Beside me, Cassy stared out the window, her hand resting absently on her stomach. She'd been quieter than usual lately, her thoughts drifting somewhere I couldn't follow. As much as I wanted her to share my enthusiasm, I understood why she didn't. Being the Moon Goddess, an Alpha, and now a mother. Her world was heavier than mine. So I bit down my joy, keeping it tempered. But it wasn't easy.The moment we stepped out of the car, Cassy's mother wasted no time. She swooped in, collecting Cassy and Vivi along with the other women. "Come on, girls," she said, ushering them toward the healers.I glanced over at Phin, who stood besi

SKY Walking in the door, I felt a wave of exhaustion hit me. The day at the zoo with Nola, Huckley, Oxxy, and the older twins, Koda and Kage, had been nothing short of chaos. Thankfully, Ezra had been there to help corral the kids. Otherwise, I might've lost my mind. I had to get them all out of the house so Cassy and Viviana could have a good sonogram. I tried to get Kael to come with me, but he refused. Thankfully, Ezra stepped up, and Ky and Knox stayed back to control Kael if needed. None of us trusted him alone with Phin yet.The house was quiet as I slipped off my shoes and headed toward the bedroom. Kael was lying on his back on the bed, shirtless, his chest slick and sweaty. His skin glistened in the dim light, and I could tell from how his muscles tensed and relaxed that he had just come from the gym. Whenever he hit the gym like this, it usually meant he was battling something. I didn't need to ask. I already knew what was bothering him.Burk.It had been two months si

I stood in the middle of the room, shoving clothes into the duffel bag. The walls felt like they were closing in, my decision squeezing the air from my lungs. This house had been my home for such a short time, but it now felt like a cage I was desperate to escape. Teddy walked up behind me. "I don't understand why you're doing this, love. Je ne comprends pas." I kept packing, unable to look at him. "Because it's what's best for the pack. You offered Phin your support. I thought you were accepting this?" "For the pack? Or for you?" He stepped closer. I spun around, the bag half-packed. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" "It means you're running, Cassy." His green eyes burned with anger. "You're scared of what the pack needs from you, so you're backing down." "Backing down?" I threw the bag aside. "I've been carrying this pack since I took over! You think I don't feel the pressure? You think it's easy?" "You're not the only one who feels it," he spat. "But this pack needs