Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins

#Chapter 20 – The Celebration

“Victor, it’s too much.” These were my first words upon walking up the path to what Victor calls The Cottage, the “little” eight-room house situated directly behind his, separated only by a small grove of trees.

Accepting this home went against all of my instincts for self-preservation, self-sufficiency, all of my pride at taking care of myself. But one look at Ian and Alvin, their joy at the house, their proximity to their father, their safety within its walls…I can’t deny that it’s the right choice.

Victor watched me realize this, smirking. I smacked his arm, fighting my own smile and admitting, internally, that this is a battle he won. “Thank you,” I said, softly.

“It’s yours,” he said.

“No,” I said, determined. “We will rent. I have the money. I’ll pay my way.”

He shrugged. “I’ll have the mortgage transferred into the boys’ name. Your money will pay it off, and one day they’ll own it.” I nodded to this, consenting. Then it will be a gift to them from both of their parents.

“And then,” he smirked, “when they get sick of you, they can kick you out.”

I scrunched my face, smacking him again in the arm, “they would never.”

“I know,” he said, laughing and tossing me the keys, walking through the back door towards his own property.

The boys are decked out in orange and black, the colors of Victor’s pack, and even Amelia can’t help but smile as they run around the closed-off main street in excitement, their faces painted, waving their flags.

Today is Pack Pride, the annual day when wolf packs come together in cities across the country to celebrate their lineage, their communities. This is the first year when the boys wear orange and black, their paternal colors.

Amelia is determined to enjoy herself. After all, she had loved Pack Pride day since she was a little girl, and especially when, as a teenager, she was crowned Teen Luna of the twenty-four surrounding packs. A title she heartily felt she had deserved.

Evelyn isn’t attending – too busy playing house out back, Amelia thinks, smirking bitterly. There had been a big fight, the day Victor told her he had moved his ex into the shed in the back yard.

Amelia could feel herself losing ground in her relationship. Victor continued to get what he wanted with no consequences. It was a slippery slope. Amelia had to find a way to get leverage, fast.

around her leg,

this one better

of Betas waiting quietly, two steps away, for their commands. Beta Frank comes forward, the one Amelia had been

a motherly way. “It’s such a special

Beta Frank is a favorite of the boys’ and a good sport, always ready for their games. He’s also the

raising her binoculars. She pretends to be taking into the parade, singing along with the music, but

from behind a lemonade stand, one knocking Beta Frank over the head, the other snatching the boys. The men work with minimum

hard to follow the twins. And lots of Victor’s rivals here, pretending to

coming up the bleachers towards her, carrying two mint juleps. Now this is more like it, Amelia thinks, accepting

Kids were definitely in their future – she had no doubts there – but not now, they had plenty of time. And when those kids

he would get through it, and she would help. And if she had to

you having a good

For the first time in weeks,

the boys?” Victor asks, looking around

and laughing. She waves vaguely towards the food stalls. “They went to get a snack, with that Beta.

Betas are well-trained and would die for him and his sons. The boys

heading home. She climbs out, her blue skirt swishing just below her knees, and scans the crowd, looking for patches of orange and black or any sign of

but the sense that she was missing out on the fun got the better of her. I’ve been through a lot, these past weeks, she thinks as

hears a shriek to her right – a far too familiar shriek that chills her to her bones. Evelyn’s head snaps and she starts to run toward the noise without even thinking,

Victor dance in the stands, her arms around his neck,

breaks away from Amelia, who follows him as

“we’re receiving no response from Beta Frank. It’s been five minutes. He’s supposed to check in every two. We know he could be distracted with the

snapping orders that the Betas form a search party –

is about to storm into the crowds when a woman appears – blue skirt and white top smeared with dirt and blood – carrying one little boy on her hip, another walking by her side,