Chapter 20

#Chapter 20 – The Celebration “Victor, it’s too much.” These were my first words upon walking up the path to what Victor calls The Cottage, the “little” eight-room house situated directly behind his, separated only by a small grove of trees.

Accepting this home went against all of my instincts for self-preservation, self-sufficiency, all of my pride at taking care of myself. But one look at Ian and Alvin, their joy at the house, their proximity to their father, their safety within its walls…I can’t deny that it’s the right choice.

Victor watched me realize this, smirking. I smacked his arm, fighting my own smile and admitting, internally, that this is a battle he won. “Thank you,” I said, softly.

“It’s yours,” he said.

“No,” I said, determined. “We will rent. I have the money. I’ll pay my way.”

He shrugged. “I’ll have the mortgage transferred into the boys’ name. Your money will pay it off, and one day they’ll own it.” I nodded to this, consenting. Then it will be a gift to them from both of their parents.

“And then,” he smirked, “when they get sick of you, they can kick you out.”

I scrunched my face, smacking him again in the arm, “they would never.”

“I know,” he said, laughing and tossing me the keys, walking through the back door towards his own property.

The boys are decked out in orange and black, the colors of Victor’s pack, and even Amelia can’t help but smile as they run around the closed-off main street in excitement, their faces painted, waving their flags.

Today is Pack Pride, the annual day when wolf packs come together in cities across the country to celebrate their lineage, their communities. This is the first year when the boys wear orange and black, their paternal colors.

Amelia is determined to enjoy herself. After all, she had loved Pack Pride day since she was a little girl, and especially when, as a teenager, she was crowned Teen Luna of the twenty-four surrounding packs.

A title she heartily felt she had deserved.

Evelyn isn’t attending – too busy playing house out back, Amelia thinks, smirking bitterly. There had been a big fight, the day Victor told her he had moved his ex into the shed in the back yard.

Amelia could feel herself losing ground in her relationship. Victor continued to get what he wanted with no consequences. It was a slippery slope. Amelia had to find a way to get leverage, fast.

“Amelia, are you excited!?” Alvin comes up and wraps his arm around her leg, beaming up at her, little black lightening bolts drawn on his face.

“Yes, baby,” she says, and gently pries him loose from her leg, where he is wrinkling her skirt. She likes this one better than the other, nastier twin. Still, neither were going to be her problem for much longer anyway. Not if today went as planned.

“Um, hello?” Amelia calls out to the group of Betas waiting quietly, two steps away, for their commands.

Beta Frank comes forward, the one Amelia had been hoping for. She smiles at him and puts a warm hand on his arm.

“Do you think you could take the boys to get some cotton candy?” She says, smiling in what she hopes is a motherly way. “It’s such a special day, and they’ve been so deprived all their lives. I’d hate for them to miss it.”

The Beta nods and calls the boys, who run over and climb all over him. Beta Frank is a favorite of the boys’ and a good sport, always ready for their games. He’s also the frailest of the Beta group, barely tall enough to have made it into the job. He wouldn’t last long anyway.

As the boys wander away with the Beta, Amelia climbs up onto some of the bleachers, raising her binoculars. She pretends to be taking into the parade, singing along with the music, but really, she follows every step of Beta Frank and the boys as they work their way along to the food stalls.

Right on time, two men step out from behind a lemonade stand, one knocking Beta Frank over the head, the other snatching the boys. The men work with minimum fuss and no disturbance to the crowd.

Amelia smirks, pleased. Good. That’s what she paid for.

It was a good day for a kidnapping. Lots of distractions, lots of scents mixing in the crowd, which would make it hard to follow the twins. And lots of Victor’s rivals here, pretending to get along, at whom she could subtly point the finger. Amelia smiles, confident that all will go well.

“Amelia?” she hears Victor’s voice coming up the bleachers towards her, carrying two mint juleps. Now this is more like it, Amelia thinks, accepting the drink and smiling up at her beautiful, strong mate.

This was what she signed up for, really – drinks and a good time with her handsome Alpha. Kids were definitely in their future – she had no doubts there – but not now, they had plenty of time. And when those kids came, they would be her kids.

Victor would mourn, she was sure. But he would get through it, and she would help. And if she had to move up the baby timeline a little bit to appease him…

“Are you having a good time?” Victor asks, leaning close.

Amelia smiles up at him and nods enthusiastically. For the first time in weeks, it’s not a lie.

“Where are the boys?” Victor asks, looking around for them.

Amelia dances to the music, swinging her hips and laughing. She waves vaguely towards the food stalls. “They went to get a snack, with that Beta. The little one.”

Victor frowns slightly and then shrugs. His Betas are well-trained and would die for him and his sons.

The boys are in good hands.

Evelyn pulls her car up to the parking lot, grateful to find a spot close to the front – people must already be heading home. She climbs out, her blue skirt swishing just below her knees, and scans the crowd, looking for patches of orange and black or any sign of her boys.

Evelyn had intended to stay home, but the sense that she was missing out on the fun got the better of her. I’ve been through a lot, these past weeks, she thinks as she heads toward the stands. I deserve to enjoy Pack Pride day, too.

As Evelyn heads into the crowds, she hears a shriek to her right – a far too familiar shriek that chills her to her bones. Evelyn’s head snaps and she starts to run toward the noise without even thinking, her instincts taking over. “MAMAAAA” the little voice howls.

Amelia and Victor dance in the stands, her arms around his neck, his head constantly pivoting, looking out into the crowds.

Victor notices unusual behavior with the Betas and breaks away from Amelia, who follows him as he heads towards the pack.

“Sir,” says the lead, “we’re receiving no response from Beta Frank. It’s been five minutes. He’s supposed to check in every two. We know he could be distracted with the boys, but –“

Victor spins away from him, scanning the crowd and snapping orders that the Betas form a search party – NOW.

He is about to storm into the crowds when a woman appears – blue skirt and white top smeared with dirt and blood – carrying one little boy on her hip, another walking by her side, his hand in hers. One boy has a bloody nose, the other a torn lip. Both are sobbing.

“Victor,” she breathes, fear in every line of her face. “Victor – someone took them – they barely got away – if I hadn’t been close –“

Victor gathers the second child into his arms and holds him close, waving the Betas to form a barrier around them. Amelia watches the wall of men form and realizes, suddenly, that she’s on the outside of it. She crushes her plastic cup in her hand, the liquid dripping onto her skirt.

“We got away,” Ian says into his father’s shoulder, hiccupping and continuing to cry. “Alvin bit them and I –“

“It’s okay,” his father says soothingly, rubbing his back. “You’ll tell me all about it, but first, we’re getting you home.”

Alvin shoots up in his mother’s arms, suddenly alert. “I don’t WANT to go home!” he shouts, panicked.

“Alvin, wha – “ both parents turn to him, baffled.

“I don’t want to go wherever she is!” Alvin says, pointing a finger directly at Amelia through the barrier of Betas. Amelia freezes, not daring to move.

Victor turns slowly to stare at his mate, and Evelyn clutches her son closer to her. “The bad man who took us – he smelled just like her,” Alvin says, snarling. Victor continues to stare at Amelia, dumbfounded, almost unable to understand.

Evelyn, shocked, turns to Ian for confirmation. He nods. Evelyn reaches out and takes her sons hand, turning slowly to stare at Amelia.

The two women lock eyes with each other and both know, without words, that this is war. Baring her teeth, Evelyn takes one very small, very decided step closer to Victor. To Amelia, her meaning is perfectly clear.

Amelia takes one more moment to stare into Evelyn’s eyes, accepting the challenge. Then, she hurls her cup to the ground, flying through the chain of Betas as she wills tears to her eyes.

“What happened?” Amelia says, desperation in her voice, gasping for breath, worry written all over her face. “Are they okay?!”

The boys shriek and move away from Amelia towards their mother. Victor passes Ian to Evelyn and Amelia fills the space he left, wrapping herself around Victor, claiming him. “I feel horrible, Victor – I’m so sorry – I love them so much –“ she turns teary eyes up to her mate. “If anything ever happened to them, Victor –“

“It’s okay, Amelia, we’ll get them home and figure it out,” Victor says, patting her on the back and looking around for the easiest path home.

As he does so, Amelia makes eye contact again with Evelyn, smirking. No way was she going to let this b***h take him from her.