Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins

#Chapter 171 – Good friends in tough places

Delia scrambles, her vision darkening as Joyce squeezes her throat even tighter. She can’t think – can’t breathe –

All she can do is look into his cruel face, his teeth elongating before her eyes, his rage overtaking his desire for information –

Then, suddenly, there’s a crash and the pressure on her throat lessens –

Delia gasps, welcoming the fresh rush of oxygen that floods her throat, falling to her knees. Her hands go directly to her neck, soothing her wounded skin, but she frantically looks around, trying to figure out what –

There – on the floor, Joyce, his eyes closed and his mouth open – glass and liquid scattered all over his back and around him – as Delia, breathes her nose smarts at the scent –

Delia’s eye flit upwards to see Cliff standing there, the neck of a broken liquor bottle in his hand, staring down at Joyce.

“Knew he was trouble,” Cliff says quietly, “the moment he walked in.”

Delia can’t help the shocked little laugh that comes out of her then. Cliff looks at her then, shaking his head, offering a hand to help her up.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Yeah,” she says, her knees shaking a little. “I wasn’t…expecting it to go so bad so fast.”

Cliff just shrugs. “I don’t like it when strangers come in and mess with my favorite customers.”

Truly touched, Delia suddenly wraps her arms around him in thanks. She and Evelyn had been coming here for years, and while they had quickly developed an affection for the gruff bartender, they had never known it to be reciprocated.

Cliff hesitates for a moment and then pats Delia on the back. “There there,” he says, awkwardly, as if he can’t think of anything else to say.

Delia laughs and pushes away. “Do you want to help me with one last thing?”

Cliff glances around the room at the customers who are studiously minding their own business and then nods.

“Okay,” Delia says, walking to stand at Joyce’s feet. “You take the front, I take the back. We have to get him to my trunk.”

out the back. Don’t want to upset the customers more than

boss,” she says as she

still up, helping Victor to keep organized while he makes plans to shut down the little cottage and move to the Beta camp for the start

prepare the necessary cars, Victor leans down and

dashes over to his father. “Ready for duty, sir!” Alvin says,

Victor

frowns at him,

aren’t you tired? You’re a civilian, son – you’re not required

his father with determination. “I

goes to one knee in front of his son, putting a hand on his shoulder. “And I appreciate your

interrupts, seeing where the conversation is

he contains himself. “Almost seven, yes. But still, quite a bit younger than even our youngest recruit. You have to take care of yourself,

“But I’m not

lie – Alvin’s clearly running on adrenaline. But, he’s also the heir to the pack. Victor isn’t going to stop him from participating in the running of it, at

this for a moment, though. One late night,

going to be long and complicated. What, really, was he going to do with

tonight – the Betas and I. So that we can make a big push in a few days. We’re

Alvin nods eagerly, understanding.

and Alvin’s face drops, knowing what’s coming next. “Alvin,” Victor continues, “I want you to stay here. With Burton, and aunt Bridgette. Where you’ll

disappointment – but then, Victor is surprised to see it grow

his foot. “No,

– of course he can stop him

“Ian gets to be there – he’s going to be right there with

me, I’d make sure Ian stayed home too, safe and sound. You’re both still kids,

softer, though his

at this.

I,” Alvin continues, “I know we’re little – but we are…special. We can do things, papa. We can help you – we helped you at the

danger,” Victor says sternly, “entering an active war zone when you knew