Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins

#Chapter 153 – In the Closet

A few hours later, in the early light of dawn, Victor and I lurch back into the cottage. I consider the calm peace of this space, which is so close to Victor’s house but now feels like a separate world. It’s almost bizarrely quiet here after such commotion all morning.

Victor and I stayed through it all – stayed to watch the firetrucks put out every ember, stayed to ensure that Rafe, Bridgette, and Burton all got into cars and were taken safely to a nearby motel. We stayed to ensure that all of the Betas were safe and those deemed non-essential – now that there was no house to guard – were transported back to the training facility.

I certainly stayed to ensure that Victor apologized profusely to the poor Beta he had punched – just a kid, really, on one of his first assignments. The boy took it well, smiling ruefully at Victor, saying he’d taken worse from his brothers at home. The two parted as friends but I intended to see that he got a large bonus in his next paycheck.

Then, once it was all done, once everyone else had been settled in new spaces, Victor and I went home ourselves.

As we’re standing in the kitchen, allowing the ache of tiredness to finally take over our bodies, the front door bursts open and the boys come spilling in, Archie running along with them.

“Mama!” Ian cries, dashing to me while Alvin runs straight to his father, wrapping his arms around his knees in a fierce hug.

I sit down on the floor, wrapping my boy in my arms, the little dog jumping on my shoulders and working to lick my face. Victor lifts Alvin up in his, holding him close.

“What happened, mama?” Ian asks, his voice muffled by my hug.

“The big house burned down, baby,” I murmur to him, “but don’t worry – no one was hurt.”

“Is it all gone?” Alvin asks, pushing back on his father’s shoulders to look into his face. Victor nods to him.

“Did someone set it on fire?” Ian asks, looking between us. Victor and I look at each other then. Truthfully, we don’t know – the firefighters didn’t come to a conclusion yet.

to us, his face quite grave, only about an hour ago.

his hair. “Look,” he had said, leveling his gaze at us. “I don’t like to make calls like this without further investigation – so take what I’m about to tell you with a grain of salt, because further discovery could

in this house, none at all,” he says, “of faulty wiring, or of electrical

looked between the

of experience,” he had continued, “tells me that this is foul play. I tell that to you now in case you need to take extra

him, shaking his

know that both of us are wary. Beyond the Chief’s analysis, it’s too coincidental for the house of an

be no evidence of faulty wiring or something equally innocuous. Looking into Victor’s face, I know he shares

know,” Victor says, looking seriously at

we go see it?” Ian says, attempting to peer beyond

or early –“ I sigh, putting a hand to my forehead. “Whatever it is, we’re too tired.

nod to each other and hurry towards the steps, eager

of the stairs. My eyes snap to

air, Archie

smell something,” Ian murmurs,

“Me too,” says Alvin.

heartbeat ratchets up immediately.

shakes his head at me. “No, and it’s…older. From a few hours ago.

moves over to them, sniffing the air, and then frowns. “I don’t smell anything,”

probably all messed up,” Ian says, pointing up at his