Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins

#Chapter 28 – Annabeth

The next morning, Victor fights his exhaustion, giving Annabeth Prath all his attention.

“Listen, Victor,” she says, crossing her legs and sitting back in the chair in his office. “I understand that you’re working to bring a lot of…” she pauses, choosing her words, “great things…to our Pack. But,” she spreads her hands and smiles pleasantly. “I’m just not convinced that we have the same vision for the future.”

“Annabeth,” Victor says, leaning across his desk and putting a hand out, seeking to stop her as she stands up and lifts her bag. “Please, if you could just listen-“

“I think I’ve listened enough, Victor,” Annabeth says, walking to her door, followed by her two gigantic Betas. “The question is, are you listening. Really, thank you so much for a such a pleasant morning, the tea was divine.”

Annabeth gives a little wave and slips out the door while Victor slumps in his chair and scowls.

There’s a short rap on the door and then Amelia slips in. “So, how did it go?!” she says, excited. “I just saw Annabeth Prath leaving – god, she’s so fabulous. Did you see her bag? It’s the new Birkin –“

“It didn’t go well, Amelia,” Victor interrupts, frustrated.

“What? Why not?”

Victor shakes his head and spins his chair so that he looks out the window. “I don’t know. We just…don’t see eye-to-eye on the Pack’s future. I don’t know what she could want besides increased security and investment – that’s clearly the future of our Pack…” he says, fading off and staring out the window.

“Maybe she just didn’t feel sufficiently courted,” Amelia says, crossing the room to slip into Victor’s lap, where he wraps his arms around her. “You know big-shot women like Annabeth like to be made to feel important. They were belles their whole lives, with people clamoring after them, and then – once they marry their Alpha and pop out a few kids – people don’t pay as much attention to them. Their job is done.”

Victor looks up at Amelia, wondering if this is the future she sees for herself. “I don’t know if that’s true – people care a lot about what Annabeth says. Not only is Henry Prath the Pack’s Treasurer and Head of Council, Annabeth is on three committees herself –“

“Yeah, I know,” Amelia says, rolling her eyes, clearly bored. “But I think the fact is, that Annabeth isn’t going to give you her endorsement just because you have good ideas. You have to give her something too.”

Victor considers this and nods. “That’s true. The pack’s welfare should come first, but she wouldn’t be the first politician to put their own desires ahead. What do you think she wants?”

Amelia takes Victor’s face in hers and gives him a peck on the lips. “Like I said, show Annabeth that you appreciate her for who she is, not for her husband. And I know just the way!”

dryly. “You want me to let

laughs and puts her forehead against Victors. “Not just any party,” she whispers.

about?” I ask, wading through the sea of boxed

shakes his head, “I don’t know,” he says. “To me, it’s chaos,

sea of blue and silver materials,

boys catapult down the stairs yelling for the mom. They wrap

he says, “I want to get it in the press before I announce my

my two boys, smiling down at them. “It’s probably going to cause a

says, leaning against the kitchen island. “That’s the idea. Madam Family Values,

any rage that builds in me at his implications here. Victor is, after all, a business man and a politician. He’s just looking at this realistically, and he’s been more than fair, never suggesting in any way that the boys are anything but a blessing. A complicated blessing,

want to see our new

at both of them. Alvin tugs

mama,” he says. “We are spacemen when

them back towards the stairs, “I’ll

of the party supplies. “What, really, is the deal with all of this?

a party here in Annabeth’s honor, giving her some

nod and purse my lips. Victor watches me, unnerved, I think, by my unusual silence.

say, shrugging. “it sounds like a really nice event.

suspecting – correctly – that there is more behind what I’m saying. “Evelyn,” he commands, “tell

“I don’t want to step on any toes, but…a party? An award? Annabeth goes to parties and gets awards all the time. What makes you think this will make her endorse you, over any of the other people who

arms – a gesture I’m starting to get used to from him, the stern Alpha. “I recognize her for her accomplishments, those

her as a wife and a mother?

to me that Annabeth,

the stairs, ready to spend time with my boys. “Look, nobody is as in-control of her image as Annabeth Prath. If she thought she was being overshadowed by being a

how she’s presenting herself, and respond accordingly.” I make my way