ZAIA. Annetteâs face pales as she glares at Sebastian. âLies. Complete lies. My daughter is pregnant with your child, Alpha!â Her voice is shaking, but I look at her sharply. Does she really believe that?
Sebastian looks at her unphased and cocks a brow. âYou should really tell your daughter she needs to stop lying. Now leave. If you wish to speak to me, you may join her in two days.â He dismissively. says I look at the guards, my eyes glimmering, and I know my wolf has surfaced again by the fear and nervousness in the eyes of the guards. â Escort her out.â
âYes, Alpha.â One of them replies, bowing his head to me before he motions for the men who had come 60 A Motherâs Displeasure with her to take her out.
âAnd one more thing⦠I want the eight of you to report to the pack house at eight tonight. I will talk to you all there.â I say quietly.
A tense wave of unease surrounds us, and I cross my arms. âYes, Alpha.â They murmur in unison. âMy men will be on duty,â Annette says, her voice shaking with rage.
âSomeone else will have to cover, no excuses,â I say before I turn away. My eyes meet Sebastianâs, who is smirking, but thereâs that sexy glint in his eyes that makes me giddy.
He watches as Annette leaves and Iâm about to walk back inside when he grabs my upper arm and pulls me back, looking down at me.
I poke my eyes out questioningly at him, refusing to be the first to look away as I gaze into his gorgeous piercing eyes that are devouring me with ease.
âWhy is it so damn sexy to se go all Alpha mode on those assholes!â He murmurs, âItâs so damn sexy seeing you act so dominant.â
Oh, heâs such a charmer. I cock a brow, tossing my hair back. âI never knew Donât tell me you like being submissive?â I whisper back tauntingly. you liked a woman to be dominant. It doesnât phase him, and he smirks. â
Donât get too ahead of yourself sweetheart, a woman who doesnât bow down to a man is all the more satisfying to win over.â I roll my eyes. âMhmm, your sweet- talking wonât work on me,â I whisper, but I donât sound so confident.
He scans the now-empty garden before leaning closer, his lips grazing my ear. â Are you sure about that? Because Iâm certain if I slip my fingers between your sexy thighs, they might just be soaking wet.â
a My cheeks burn, my core clenching and I realise once again heâs won this round. 1 glare up at him, pulling free. âYou wish,â I say haughtily before I head back inside.
He chuckles as he follows, and I come to a stop, seeing Jai leaning against the door frame, grinning with amusement. âCheck you two out. Seems like the both of you are turning up the heat.â
âNothing of the sort,â I say, walking past him. âObviously we are.â Sebastianâs cocky reply comes from behind me. âWhat is going on?â Mom asks. Sheâs standing there tight-lipped, and I can tell sheâs visibly upset.
I walk over to her and touch her shoulders. âNothing we canât handle. Something happened last night. I need to talk to Dad and ask what is g on.â
âShe said her daughter is pregnant.â Mom whispers, looking at Sebastian suspiciously.
My heart squeezes, and a sudden thought niggles in my mind. Mom has always been negative and distrusting of Sebastianâ¦. Did it subconsciously become the reason I never pushed for answers back then? I did distance. myself from Mom, and rarely visited because it was always negative when I didâ¦
I shake my head, pushing the thought away; no, that was my fault. I canât pin the blame on anyone else. âMom, please, Sebastian is on our side, please accept it if not for him, then for me and the children. Please stop this.â I whisper to her.
She looks hurt before she turns away. â I just pray that Annalise is indeed lyingâ She whispers. âI donât want you hurt again.â
I want to say more, but the boys are right there and Iâm unable to bring myself to say anything, so I remain silent. I will have a talk with her when we are alone. âI wonât get hurt,â I say quietly.
I glance at Sebastian and although heâs talking quietly to Jai, thereâs a frown on his face. Iâm certain heâs heard everything.
I look down, suddenly feeling down. He was never accepted by this family either â¦Mom and Dad both felt I was too good for himâ¦
I smile softly, âExcuse me.â I say. I turn away from Mom and go to find the children before Mom can stop me. I hear the sound of their gigglind spot them in Sebastianâs room.
âMommy! Has the troll gone?â Zion asks as he looks up from where heâs jumping on Sebastianâs bed.
Tilting my head, I go over to him and lift him onto the floor. âWhat have I said about jumping on the bed?â
âDaddy said we can do anything we want but to stay away from the window,â Zion says with a shrug.
My heart warms at that. Smart move, Bastian. âOh, did he? But we know that jumping is naughty.â I say tickling him. He cackles as he runs away and I look at Sia, concern flooding me.
She looks tired as she sits on the corner of the bed. Sheâs definitely overexerted herself today. I pick her up, listening to her heartbeat before I stand up.
âI think itâs time Sia had her and gets some rest. Do you want to come with us, Zion?â I ask. He looks at Sia, hesitating before he stands up and I canât help but smile.
Heâll always come to join Sia when sheâs having downtime, although itâs extremely hard for him to stay in one place.
âWe should tell Daddy, Sia needs downtime.â He says sombrely. âWe will,â I say, holding my hand out to him as I carry Sia, making our way down the hall to their room.
Itâs a short while later and Sia has fallen asleep, her heartbeat a little steadier, and Zion is building something out of Legos on the floor. I caress her hair, pondering over everything.
If I move back, Mom will come with me, albeit perhaps unhappily. Would the children be happy and safe t Siaâs health isnât good, and I donât want her to experience any distress or to overexert herself.
Thereâs a light knock on the door, and I look up to see Sebastian standing with his arms crossed.
âDaddy!â Zion jumps up and Sebastian places a finger to his lips as he crouches down, opening his arms to Zion, who runs over.
âCareful,â I say, knowing heâs tired. âIâm good.â He says as he walks over to Zionâs bed and sits down on it. âSiaâs asleep!â Zion whispers loudly, pointing at our little princess.
âThen we better not make any sounds,â Sebastian says, ruffling his hair as he slowly lies back on the bed.
1 hear him suppress a grunt, as b back and Zion happily lies down him, putting his arms behind his head as he imitates Sebastian, making both Sebastian and I smile.
Sebastian has one arm under his head, with the other he runs his fingers through Zionâs hair slowly, and I can see heâs already drifting off into a deep slumber. Neither of us speaks until Zionâs eyes shut and his breathing becomes heavier as he falls asleep.
âYouâre upset.â I look up at him. It is not a question but a statement. Our eyes meet, but I canât read him. I sigh softly, running my fingers through my hair âI told your parents weâre together and weâll be returning soonâ¦. I told my father Iâll still head this pack, that Iâll make it work and itâs an act⦠although he doesnât think Iâll come bac OW heâs made mistakes in his life, but heâs still my dad and right now heâs going through a lot.â
I sigh heavily as I lean back on my hands and tilt my head back, staring at the ceiling. about themâ¦
Annaliseâs lie, Annetteâs interferenceâ¦. The Blood Born âMomâs attitude, and the secrets sheâs kept, secrets I know that have eaten up at her and I still need to talk to her Triquetras, who are the missing pieces? To what extent will this go before itâs over? What will we lose in the process? Weâve seen what they will and can do.â
I look at him, the weight of it all hitting me hard. âValerie is improving. People know that. What if something happens? I mean, what if she knows who did this to her? Did she see her attacker? Will she remember him and if so⦠will they come for her?â I whisper, terrified.
âZaiaâ¦â
I shake my head, turning away and looking at my little angel. âThen⦠my princess⦠sheâs not well, Sebastian. We donât know whatâs wrong and I just want her to be safe and stress-free. Iâm terrified, if something happens if sheâs overwhelmed, her heart wonât be able to take it.â
âLook at me.â His voice is quiet yet firm, and I slowly look up at him. âThat is a lot when you put it like that, but weâre going to deal with it, one step at a time. Letâs tackle one issue at a time. You arenât alone, Zaia, I promise you.â I nod, before I look away, not knowing what to say. âI⦠umm, so when do we head back?â
âHome?â I nod before I realise what he did, and a smirk crosses his lips. âWhenever youâre ready.â
âCoolâ¦â 1 exhale. âAbout earlier, thanks for taking it on yourself when you told the children â you didnât need to do that.â
âNo, I did. Itâs my duty to take care of the three of you and Iâm the one who keeps on lacking when it comes to that. There will be changes when we go back in terms of where we will stay, and the security.
I know my family will see it as extreme, but I donât trust anyone.â He says seriously. That makes me feel better and I nod.
âThanks, the children will be happy about coming with you⦠so, how did you feel about your first meeting?â I A Me Do ask, leaning back and resting my weight on my hands.
He smiles slightly as he looks at both of our sleeping children. Seeing him side by side with Zion shows how similar they are. From their dark hair, to their blue eyes. I look down at Sia smiling softly, sheâs a lot like me, just far more beautiful and precious.
âIt was incredible, the fact that you can feel so deeply for someone you have just met. They are my pups and that makes me incredibly proud.â He says quietly.
I look up at him, my heart skipping a beat. âPupsâ¦â
âWe are werewolves.â He says, winking at me, and I nod. Yes, yes, we are and although others may frown at him for using that term; I