Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins

#Chapter 45 – Camping trip 2

Alvin and Ian are thrilled with the spot, running around and checking out every detail. I smile, watching them, taking joy in their joy. As I watch them, a friendly Beta comes over and presses a cup of warm cider into my hand, giving me a small smile as he does so.

“Thank you,” I say, pressing a hand to my chest. “Thank you so much.” All of the Betas have been so kind to me – I feel suddenly guilty that I haven’t learned as many of their names as I should. I make a note to remedy this as I take a sip from my tin cup. I’m surprised – and, I admit, a bit thrilled – to note that there’s a strong hint of whiskey mixed in with the apple.

The Betas rush around the camp, unloading a massive number of supplies from the trucks. Victor strides around, directing the Betas seamlessly, clearly happy and in his element.

I look around for Amelia and laugh, a little, when I see that she’s already sitting in a camping chair by the unlit fire, wrapped in a blanket and rubbing bug spray on herself while she listens to her headphones. She has her feet tucked up beneath her, clearly working hard to touch as little of the nature as possible. Well, to each her own.

I walk over to Edgar and lean against his arm. He smiles down at me. “Have you tried this cider yet? It’s fantastic.”

“No drinking on the job,” he says, winking at me and pointing at the pistol strapped to his belt.

“Are you seriously working?” I say, frowning at his utility belt and looking up into his face. “You’ve technically been on duty for 48 hours now. Haven’t you earned a break?”

Edgar runs a finger along my jawline, all the way up to my chin. “No breaks until you’re all set up, which means perfectly safe and at home. Plus,” he says, looking out into the forest and pretending to put on a serious stare, “Victor pays seriously good overtime.”

I laugh and take another sip of my drink. “Fine,” I say, “more whiskey for me.”

Alvin runs over to me, wrapping his arms around my leg and beaming up at me. “Mama, I love it here. How long are we staying? Can we stay for a month?”

“I have no idea, baby. But I doubt it. Ask your dad.”

“DADDDD,” Alvin shouts, his voice full of excitement and joy. Victor turns towards us happily and starts to walk over.

“Don’t shout, baby,” I say to Alvin, putting a hand on his head.

“Let him shout,” Victor says, shrugging. “We’re completely alone out here.”

looking all around for any signs of civilization. There’s nothing beyond

miles? In each direction?” Victor shrugs. “We came here as children, the boys of the pack and I. The future Alphas. For training,

“Are you telling me…do

bought it. Inherited land, a wilderness preserve. If I own it, nobody can develop it. We keep

with all your buddies and howl at the moon,” I say, rolling

laughs. “You’re more right than you

the Betas begin to fade away. At first there were what, fifty? Soon the numbers dwindle to thirty,

are all the Betas going?” I

perimeter. Some will stay very close, but others will go miles out into the woods with their own little pup tents to ensure that nobody can get close to us. Victor isn’t

I say, breathing out some anxiety.

and their honor to serve. Plus, free camping trip. Most of us

trying to see where he’s gone. I can’t see him, and

climbed up into a tree and, sneaky as a squirrel, has edged out on a branch until he’s directly above me. “Well, look at you, little monkey,” I say, smiling. “You’d better be careful, or else a

catch me,” Ian says, smiling devilishly. “I am the

and moving towards the trunk of the tree, playing along. Ian screams in delight and scurries further out on his branch as Edgar begins to climb slowly up. “Stay away from me, you big gorilla!” He yells,

I say, hating to still their fun but worried, as always, for

them. I raise my

just as he hangs from the lowest branch, tickling him under the armpit so that Ian falls

it SMORES!?” Ian shouts, again

Victor says, bringing his face close to Ian’s conspiratorially as he carries him to the fire pit. “Wait till you see.” Victor squirms in his

is more delicious than it has any right to be. It’s just beans and hotdogs, potatoes wrapped in tinfoil baked in the fire, and – yum – more whiskey and cider, but something about eating it out in the open air makes it so much more

he talks. We’re all captivated by him – he is lit up by this place, revealing yet another side to Victor that

she’s taken her headphones off. She even laughs

low and spooky, “where man first felt himself

we all laugh, unable to tell if they’re