The day unfolds happily from there on out, with Bridgette and I spending most of the morning curled on the sofa, enjoying ourselves. The Betas come, of course, but we bribed Ian and Alvin with the offer of much candy to move Victor’s little command station into the kitchen, which they do with enthusiasm.

“What!” Victor exclaims when he comes into the house and sees the two of them scurrying around with laptops and computer monitors in their arms. “What are you doing?!”

“Bridgette and I need the living room today!” I call to him with a lazy smile.

“Evelyn!” he protests, taking a step towards me. “I have work to do –“

“And I have gossip to watch,” I toss back happily, leaning my shoulder against Bridgette and winking at her as I grab the remote from the floor and flick the TV on. Victor starts to protest again but I just smile at him. “Wasn’t I told to relax?”

Routed, Victor growls a little and then stomps into the kitchen to help the boys set up. Rafe filters in with the Betas and they all get to work, Alvin and Ian helping happily before Miss Georgia can come and give them their lessons.

“You’ve got him a bit under your thumb, don’t you?” Bridgette murmurs to me as I flip through the channels, looking for something juicy.

“For now,” I say with a happy sigh and moving a hand to my stomach. “At least, for the next nine months.”

“Why –“ but then Bridgette gasps, grabbing my hand. “Wait – you aren’t –“

I laugh a little and put a finger to my lips, nodding towards all the Betas in the kitchen. “It’s early days – we’re not public with it yet – even Rafe doesn’t know –“

“Ohmygod!” Bridgette gasps, wrapping me in a hug with a little squeal. Victor looks over at us at the noise, concerned, but I send him a little message in his mind to let him know that she knows. He nods happily to me, taking a moment to smile at Bridgette who beams back at him. “I’m so happy for you guys!” Bridgette gasps, and I am warmed to know that she’s truly thrilled.

“Yes, we’ll have fun with these ones,” I say, leaning back against her. “It will be good to have some girls in the house –“

“Girls?!” she exclaims. “How can you know so early –“

can respond Alvin almost drops a pile of folders in his excitement. “Hey!” he shouts, eager. “It’s me!” I turn to him and follow the direction of his

up and focus on the screen to

flash through photos of my family. “I guess…the

by Ian and Rafe. Alvin runs to deposit his pile of folders

a reporter over top of the images, “via

seen this one before, and I wonder when Delia had a moment to snap it. I’m pleased, though – it’s not the formal engagement photo that is common to these kinds of announcements. Instead, it really captures what

Kensington office – which has been quiet for weeks – has confirmed the news: Alpha Victor Kensington will indeed be marrying Evelyn Ortega, formerly Evelyn Walsh, the mother of his two children, Alvin and Ian Kensington, whom the Alpha recognized formally as his sons and heirs in a

Ian grumbles, crossing his

him and sticks out his tongue, pleased. “Alphabetical,” he explains,

watch, fascinated, as the presenter continues, giving an overview of what they know of our relationship, starting with the scandal six years ago (luckily, she doesn’t show any of the scandalous hotel window pictures) and then moving through my time as

knowing that he, too, is relieved to see that they’re telling rather…well, rather a romantic story. This could have had a much more scandalous

the word “star-crossed lovers” to describe us more than once, a phrase which makes me laugh because of

whisper, looking up at him. “This

we are?” Victor asks, smiling at me and nodding. “Yes, that’s precisely what I want.” I squeeze

little gasp at the next bit of

she was recently spotted on the beaches

all lean forward to peer at the images that pop

myself cry as the gossip network gives us several images of Amelia laying out, gorgeous in a white swimsuit to contrast her amazing

Alvin gasps, pointing again at the tv. “Is

the image shifts and is replaced of one of Amelia laughing in Edgar’s arms, her head thrown back, Edgar smiling at her, happiness clear on his face.

my god,” I say again, and then I fall back against Bridgette in hysterical laughter. “Victor!” I gasp, “you tried to punish her, and instead

running a hand through his hair, shaking his head in disbelief. “I mean, all I told Edgar to do was to keep her contained and out of our life,” he says, “I didn’t give him any instructions on how to do that. I guess…he used some alternative

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