#Chapter 16 – Bedtime Story

“Ohhhh no you don’t,” I say, laughing anxiously. I start to stand up but Alvin lunges for me and grabs my hand.

“Come on, mama, we want to hear the story!” Alvin looks up at me with big brown eyes, hard to resist.

“Yes, mama! We want to hear daddy’s side!” Ian stays curled up next to his father, clinging to his arm.

“Yeah, come on, mama” Victor says, smirking at me, his voice low and mocking. “What are you afraid of? That I’ll tell them the truth?”

I know I’m rising to his bait, but I sit back down on the bed. “Fine. But I get mediation privileges. I demand the right to correct you when you lie.”

Victor nods graciously and the boys cheer.

“Closer, mama!” Alvin tugs on my arm, pulling me to the top of the bed with the rest of them. I curl up on Alvin’s far side, careful to stay as close to the edge as I can without falling off.

I start the story. “Mommy and daddy met at a party,” I say, beginning to stroke Alvin’s hair as I always do at bedtime. I pause, wondering how to phrase Mommy had just put on her sluttiest dress, bent on revenge…

“There were lots of people at the party,” Victor’s voice interrupts me. I look up to see him watching me, smirking, “and they were bothering your mom.”

I nod and smile a bit, keeping his eye contact, thanking him, silently, for skipping over the parts the boys don’t need to know.

“Yes, so many people bothering me,” I say to the boys, lying easily, “and as soon as daddy saw them pestering me, he drove them away – whoosh!” I make a flying motion with my hands, and the boys laugh.

“It wasn’t quite like that,” Victor says, his voice low, resonant. I raise my eyebrow, surprised to hear his edits. “In fact,” he says, “your mother was very very tricky, like a little fox.” I can see him work to repress a smile. “She was pretending to be very pitiful and helpless, and letting all the people pester her, just so I would save her.”

The boys gasp, and so do I.

“Mommy, so tricky!” Ian laughs. I can tell he is impressed. Alvin also looks at me fondly, his eyes bright.

the hero. “After all, a damsel in distress is…

I say slowly, willing to play Victor’s game. The boys heads turn to me, eager. “You see, mommy didn’t

twist. I can see him thinking up

me, because he was swept off his feet.”

that daddy had to catch her and hold her up. And when I did“ he pauses for effect, “do you

yawns Ian,

if you wanted to dance with me, you just had to ask!” We all laugh at that, and I’m surprised, again, at this new side of a man

serious tone. “Daddy stepped on my toes so that I would fall in the first place, he wanted me to

“mommy was on a mission to catch daddy, to make him all her

the truth

drops low here, reacting to my jab. “Mommy knew that

asked for

shame, first because I let him

Victor whispers after a few

am pleased to see that their heads have fallen heavy on the

over Alvin’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Victor,” I say. “We shouldn’t fight about

that he doesn’t apologize

tonight,” Victor says, moving to edge out from between the boys. As he does, Alvin lets out a little cry and clutches at Victor’s shirt. We both freeze and Alvin loosens his hand, still

then move to

just until they fall into a deeper sleep,” he says in response. “They have had a big day, they need to sleep

my little Alvin, resting my head next to his, as Victor pushes a button on a remote and the room fades to

the remote again? That’s stupid – the boys will never be able to sleep

floor-to-ceiling windows. I blink and look around further, my eyes and mind still blurry with sleep,

no. Oh god. What the

muscled chest of an Alpha. I jump,

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