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!”

me guess,” Victor says dryly. “You want me to

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

I ask, wading through the sea of boxed cutlery

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

the sea of blue

as the boys catapult down the stairs yelling for the mom. They wrap themselves around her, giving her hugs and telling her about their night, but Evelyn

bid for Alpha,” he says, “I want to get it in the press before I announce my paternity

“Wow. That’s a big deal, and not a bad plan,” I consider my two boys, smiling down at them. “It’s probably going to cause a stir, when you publicly acknowledge them. It will

Values, on my side, when I announce

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, yes,

“do you want to

do,” I reply, smiling at both of them. Alvin tugs at my hand, trying

he says. “We are spacemen when we sleep in

of me,” I say, nudging them back towards the stairs, “I’ll be right up. Let me finish talking to daddy.”

with all of this? I was just

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

watches me, unnerved, I

“it sounds like a

correctly – that there is more behind

but…a party? An award? Annabeth goes to parties and gets awards all the time. What makes you think this will make her

to from him, the stern Alpha. “I recognize her for her accomplishments, those outside of her role as an Alpha’s wife and the

wrong with acknowledging her as a wife and a mother?

Amelia suggested to me that Annabeth, herself,

her image as Annabeth Prath.

listen to how she’s presenting herself, and respond accordingly.” I make my way past him, towards the stairs, but stop