Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins

#Chapter 53 – Evesdroppers

I jump as Victor enters my house the next morning. Again, no notice, no knock – just walking straight in. I narrow my eyes at him. “Sure, Victor, of course you can come in! You’re always welcome here.”

“I know,” he says, walking over to me. I shake my head at him and he gives me a charming smile. I will my face to resist a response. “What,” he says, laughing now. “I’m not a vampire. I don’t need an invitation.”

I roll my eyes and turn back to the dishes. “Everyone knows vampires don’t need invitations, not really.”

The boys come flying down the stairs. “Daddy!” Ian yells, his hands in the air. Alvin follows quickly on his heels, a big smile on his face. “Hi, dad!”

Victor kneels to the ground and wraps them both in big hugs. I’m still mad at him, but – I can’t help it – part of me warms at seeing how much he loves them, how much they return it. “It’s so good to see you, boys,” he says. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy the past few days.”

“It’s okay, dad, we’ve been busy too.” Ian says, beaming at him. “We’ve been learning about dinosaurs in school, we’ve been very busy trying to memorize them all.”

Victor looks up at me. “Memorizing all the dinosaurs? Aren’t they in…kindergarten?”

I snort and return my focus to dish water. “Yeah, in school they’re spending the week on ‘D is for Dinosaur.’ Its these two nuts who have taken it on themselves to figure out every species ever identified and memorize them.”

“It’s fun, mama!” Alvin says.

“Fun for you,” I say, smiling at him as I finish up the last dish. “Torture, for the rest of us. If I have to spell Micropachycephalosaurus one more time, I’m gonna…” I shake my head, not finishing my sentence.

“Gonna what, mama?” Ian says, calling my bluff.

“Gonna BITE YOU” I say, curling my fingers like claws and jumping at him, pretending to grab his arms. Ian squeals and runs out of my grip, Alvin and Victor laughing along too.

“Okay boys,” Victor says, rising to his feet. “Go on and play for a little bit, mama and I are going to have a chat.”

“Okay,” the two smile at us and dash off willingly. I pause for a minute and think. A little too willingly. Victor starts to talk but I hold up a finger to shush him and peak up the stairs. As I suspected, four beady little eyes are peaking down from the landing, ready to eavesdrop on every word.

“Go!” I say, pointing a stern finger up the stairs. “All the way! No listening!”

The boys skitter away to their room. I wait to hear their door close and the television turn on and then nod to Victor. “Probably as safe as we’re ever going to get. Who knows though, they’ve probably got the kitchen bugged.”

gaze following them up the stairs. “It’s not a big deal, they’re going

and for us to sit at the table, for us to finish

me. “I’m sorry, Evelyn. I did what was best for the children and, ultimately, for you.

recount the meeting with my father and hear of my father’s intentions to claim the

John Walsh,” I say, twirling my teaspoon between my fingers,

I’m not going to let that happen, Evelyn.” And then, he reaches over, placing his hand over mine. “I’m going to claim them a week from

say, looking down at his hand over mine. It’s warm

to you because you’re their father but…in reality, his own pride and heritage mean so much more to him than all of that. If he told you to

you think it could

steady green eyes. “I have no

window, his mind clearly working to figure it out. “Victor?” I say, hesitating. He turns his

working hard to hold back my emotions. I haven’t heard of or from Emma in the six years that I’ve been gone from my house. She betrayed me, it’s true, but considering the world in which we grew up, considering the obligations we had to obey the men around us…I have long forgiven her. She

my face. “She’s married to Joyce,” he continues, “but

at this. To Joyce, of all

pull my hand away, but Victor holds it tight. I raise my other hand to wipe the tears

in the eyes, letting him know I’m serious. At

shaking his head. “It’s something I’m taking very seriously. But I can’t

let her treat you like this,

What she has done is egregious but…she is my mate. We have to find a way to

fold my arms across my chest, unconvinced. “You have to make peace, Victor. She’s your mate. I don’t have to do any

spreading his hands palm-up on the table in supplication. “We’ve got to be

he will always pick her over me. She’s his mate – they have a bond that goes deeper than ours, that always will. I do my best to keep this realization off my face and tuck it down deep inside me, pretending the knowledge doesn’t hurt me

I trust you, Victor. Please don’t make me

is so earnest, so honest, that I can’t help but smile. Seeing my reaction, his mouth slowly begins

says, his head appearing

warning.

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