#Chapter 66 – Car trouble

“I mean, did we have to go across town for the burgers?” I say, running an exasperated hand through my hair as I stand on the side of the road, staring at the steaming engine of Victor’s Jeep.

“We had to get the best, mom,” Alvin says sternly, ready to jump to his dad’s defense. The boys were thrilled to learn, about four hours ago, that this wasn’t a quick trip to McDonalds. Instead, we had to go about an hour west to the little diner that Victor frequented when he was a teenager, which he swears up and down have the best burgers and shakes in the world.

In his defense, they were delicious. But then, when we had driven about ten minutes away from that diner with our full bellies, the car had begun to shake and tremble, a steady cloud of steam rising from the hood.

Victor immediately pulled us over by the side of the road which is, unfortunately, in the middle of nowhere.

At first he tried to fix it himself with the boys’ enthusiastic support. But after about twenty minutes of that, he had to admit that he was beat.

“Yeah,” Victor says, on the phone with his Beta. “I’ll drop you a pin, please come and get us. We’re going to need an extra car for my family, and the tow truck to bring this one home.” He pauses, listening. “Yup. Okay. Great.”

Hanging up, he comes over to me, shaking his head. “They’re coming, but it’s going to take a minute to get the tow truck out of the garage.”

“You have a tow truck?” I say, scrunching my face a little derisively.

He shrugs. “I have everything I need.” He puts his phone in his pocket, shaking his head. “God, the one time I decline a Beta car following along for protection. I just wanted a quiet night with my family.”

I silently note to myself that his whole family isn’t here, that he has somehow conveniently forgotten Amelia.

“Why, what would that have done?” I ask.

He shrugs again. “We could have taken their car and been home by now. Left them here to wait for the tow truck.”

I laugh at him and he looks at me with surprise. “That’s not a very nice way to treat your poor Betas,” I say. “Leaving them by the side of the road to deal with your mess.”

He smirks and shrugs. “It’s their job, Evelyn. Besides,” he looks around worryingly at the sky, which is growing deeper shades of blue as the sun sets. “I don’t like having the boys out here in the dark.”

“Ah, they’ve got their big Alpha dad to protect them,” I say, punching him lightly on the arm. “We’ll be fine.”

“Mommm,” Ian calls from the back seat of the car. “Can we goooo.” He’s rubbing his eyes and I can see that he’s tired after a big day and a full meal. Alvin, I’m sure, is the same, but he’s putting on a braver face.

“We can’t, baby, the car is dead.”

at the car with empathy, like it was a living

Victor says laughing. “It’s going to be fine, we just need some parts. The Betas are on

say, moving around to the Jeep’s limited trunk area and rooting around

turning to

me. I wink at him, pulling out a couple of blankets and flashlights that I find, glad to have someone on

side of the car and banging on the boys’ door to rouse them. “Come on, time for an adventure!” I pull their

are you

at him with wide eyes

meadow next to the car, which

Victor says, his voice low

Victor,” I say, stepping high to make my way through the grass. “It’s fine, we’ll stay within sight of the car.

with authority, like he’s said it all his life, even though I made it up seconds

to Victor, smiling cheerfully, refusing to let his disapproval bring me down. Victor frowns and follows us into the darkening meadow, his disapproval

and spread out two of the blankets, settling down and reaching out my arms in invitation to the boys. Alvin readily accepts,

sits next to me, still frowning, and Ian curls up on his other side.

I say, leaning my body back and tucking a spare blanket under my head as

readily comply, leaning back and staring upwards. I flick off my flashlight, but Victor

on, Victor,” I say, tugging at his shirt. “Try to have some fun for like, ten seconds in your stupid

Ian says, laughing, “In

He says, switching off his flashlight. “You’re all insane, but fine.” He lays his body down next to mine, each of us with a twin on our

They rise up around us like a perimeter fence, blocking our

above us is comparatively bright, sinking into a deep purple twilight. One by one,

“Mama, I didn’t

We all hold our breath, it seems,

are aliens up there,” Ian asks, his

his head sharply to look at me in the dark. I giggle, almost feeling the frown on his face.

laugh sleepily at that. “I hope they come back soon,” I murmur, letting the peace of the meadow calm me. “I’m planning to lodge a complaint and make a return.” This gets another slight giggle, but I sense that

stare at the stars for what feels like a long time. After a while, I can hear

asleep too?” I whisper to

his voice low, luxurious. “But I might. I can’t remember the last

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