Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins

#Chapter 111 – The Return of John Walsh

“Evelyn,” my father says, his face cold as he embraces me with one arm and places a stiff kiss on my cheek. “Happy holidays.”

He doesn’t look at me, but instead around at my party with distaste. Bridgette’s formal party, indoors, is more his style.

“Evelyn, did you do all of this?” My mother says, wrapping me in a warm hug and laughing as she looks around. “Darling, it looks wonderful –“

“That’s enough.” My father snaps. My mother cringes a little, like a scolded dog. It breaks my heart to see her this way.

“I’m glad you like it, mom. Come on, let’s get you a drink.” I put an arm around her shoulder and lead her away.

“He’s just under a lot of pressure, Evelyn,” my mom says softly, looking back over at my father as we cross to the bar. “You shouldn’t take him seriously when he –“

“Treats you like crap?” I interrupt, sick with disgust. “You deserve so much better than this, mom,” I say, lifting a glass of red wine off of a waiting tray. “You shouldn’t have to put up with that.”

“It’s so much more complicated than that, my dear,” my mother says, putting a hand on my cheek before accepting the glass. “You’ll see, when you’re made Luna.”

I blush and shake my head. “No, mom,” I say, looking around. “You misunderstand, this is just a favor –“

“This is –“ my mother says, halting me with a gentle hand on my wrist. “The life we raised you to. And Victor is precisely the husband I’d have chosen for you, if I’d had my way.”

I shake my head, looking at the ground. “Please, mom,” I say, suddenly exhausted. “It’s…so much more complicated than that.”

“Which is precisely how I feel,” she says to me, gently. I look up to meet her eyes, understanding. My father is a jerk, but she’s right – it’s not so black and white.

I take a glass of champagne off of the tray and clink it against hers, acknowledging that she has a point. “Tell me everything,” I say, wrapping my arm around her waist. “How is home? How is Emma?”

eye

as an Alpha’s prized daughter is evident here, as she is almost instinctually attuned to the needs of her party. She manages the staff with ease, intuits the shifting mood of the guests and responds to

head slowly as he watches her, marveling. Truly, he had thought Amelia an expert at this kind of work, but Amelia’s efforts were studied, learned, calculated. Whereas Amelia’s false smile would fall away the moment she turned away from one

his father says, rolling up in his chair next to him and following Victor’s gaze. “That

seem to be eyeing the front door, looking forward to heading home. It seems that the majority of the guests have migrated out to the pool area for

of canapes,” Henry murmurs, disappointed. “And the champagne was not cold. Your little woman, though,” he says,

Henry,” he says, nodding to each. “A lovely if…unique evening, if we’ve ever had one.” He looks directly at Henry now. “Thank you, in particular, for your invitation,

his hackles rise. Walsh was looking over the

face stony. “Too bad it’s coming to a close for

I get a word, I hope,” Walsh

it’s very nearly midnight – Victor nods and leads Walsh away from his father,

glass of champagne off a passing try as he and Victor wander to a quiet spot on the far side of the pool. “That a piece of my property

this man. Walsh smirks at him, taking a sip of champagne. “A very valuable piece of property, lifted straight from her room. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you? Especially considering that that piece of property is now here,” His

your property,” Victor

is my daughter,” Walsh snaps, glaring at Victor. “She is a high-ranking member of my pack, under my protection and care. And yet she is here, acting as

takes a step forward, bringing his face close to Victor’s, deliberately baiting him. “Shall I send you

start to peel back from his teeth at

smiling at the derision. “Unless there are…other fees which I should levy against you? Because, my boy, if you decide to use my daughter as a surrogate again, I promise, this

rage that builds on

says to Walsh, taking an aggressive step forward towards Walsh. Victor can see that Walsh is surprised by this. Indeed, Walsh has

But not anymore.

this game with Willard,” Victor growls. “I’ve tried coming to terms, Alpha-to-Alpha, in order to exchange Evelyn, to bring her under my power. I gambled away half