Chapter 270

The next morning the house is somehow…different.

I can’t place my finger on it but…something is somehow not right. I look around, trying to figure it out. In so many ways everything seems…normal. The Betas are buzzing, moving around doing their work.

Burton is here again – thank god – doing some general dusting and straightening up, humming a little French song to himself.

Rafe is surly, standing at the Alpha’s desk and doing his work but…that’s nothing new…

Victor stands with him, but somehow I know it’s not him that’s off…

Instead, my eyes are drawn to my two children, who sit at the table, staring at each other, angry frowns on their face. I blink at them, suddenly realizing that it’s them.

That my two sons haven’t said a word to me the entire morning. And they’re not at all their normal cheerful selves, excited for their day.

Instead, they’re little copies of Rafe this morning, angrily chewing their cereal and refusing to look at me.

My eyes go wide and my jaw falls a little as I stare at them, holding my coffee tight in my hands.

What the hell is going on?

Before I can ask, though, Victor comes over to us.

“What is this,” he asks, crossing his arms and looking between them. “What’s going on with you two?”

“Nothing!” Ian says, almost shouting, throwing his spoon into his half-full cereal bowl and splashing milk everywhere. Then he crosses his arms, angry, and sits back in his chair. Alvin puts down his spoon less violently but likewise sits back, pouting.

Victor looks at me with wide eyes, asking me inside my mind if I have any idea what’s going on. I just shrug, shaking my head, totally baffled.

Who the hell body-snatched my kids and left these angry little gremlins in their place?

I try this time, leaning forward. “What is –“

“No!” Ian rudely interrupts, not even looking at me. “We’re not speaking to you!”

Alvin’s frown deepens as well as his determination. I move quickly to the table, putting my coffee down.

“Alvin?” I ask, leaning forward, knowing that if we’re going to crack anyone it’s going to be this twin.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

But he doesn’t say a word, just focuses on his brother. I can sense them talking to each other mind-to-

mind, sharing some kind of secret.

Suddenly angry, I smack the table, making them both jump and look at me. “Enough of this,” I say, my voice stern and worried. “Tell me what’s going on. Right now! No more secrets!”

“Look who’s talking, mom,” Ian says, narrowing his eyes at me, not budging his attitude an inch.

“What?” I ask, feeling my eyes go round with surprise.

“Yeah!” Alvin says, his voice a little more tremulous than his brother’s. I look to him now, still shocked, and am horrified to see his little lip shake with emotion. “You’re the one keeping secrets!”

I feel myself go pale as I stand up straight at the table.

What –

There’s no way that they could –

I mean, I don’t even –

I look up at Victor, my mouth hanging open, and then look around the room to realize that everyone’s eyes are on us.

“That’s it,” Victor says, likewise noting that we’re the center of attention. Quickly, he leans over to grab Ian and hoist him over his shoulder. “Enough. Family meeting, upstairs.”

“No!” Ian shrieks, pounding his fists on his father’s back in protest. Victor just ignores him, starting up the stairs. I look down at Alvin, raising an eyebrow that silently asks if he needs me to do the same.

“No, mama,” he says, sighing. “I was just being angry because Ian wanted me to. I was doing solidarity.

I want to talk.” He puts out his hand and I take it, nodding and following him towards the stairs. As I go I catch a glimpse of Rafe smirking at me, perhaps a little glad to see me brought down a peg after I watched him lay in the driveway for half the night.

I just roll my eyes at him and wave a dismissive hand in his direction, making him laugh. Then, I follow my kid up the stairs, still wondering what the hell is going on.

When Alvin and I reach the boys’ bedroom, we find Ian already sitting on his bed, sulking with his arms crossed. Victor looks at the two of us as we calmly enter, hand-in-hand.

“What?” Victor asks, frowning at Alvin and looking at me. “Why do you always get the good one?”

“He’s just drawn to my angelic nature,” I murmur, brushing my hair back over my shoulder as if butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth. I see Victor’s mouth twitch with the start of a smile but Alvin drops my hand and sighs, going to sit next to his brother.

“Just because I am nice to you, mama,” Alvin says, pulling himself up on the bed to sit with his twin, “doesn’t mean I’m not disappointed with you.”

“You’re disappointed with me?!” I ask, devastated, going to sit on Alvin’s bed, which is positioned parallel to Ian’s. I lean forward to look between my boys, deeply upset by this information. “Why!?”

“Because you are keeping secrets from us!” Ian accuses, his voice very close to yelling as he shoots out a finger pointed directly in my face.

“What?!” Victor asks, sitting down next to me. “We aren’t keeping any secrets from you – not that we know of –“

“Not you, papa,” Alvin says calmly, reaching out an appeasing hand and patting his father’s knee. “You didn’t figure it out yet. She’s keeping the secret from you too.”

Victor’s eyes go truly wide now and he turns to stare at me. “What?”

My mouth falls open again and I look between the three of them, trying to figure this out. Because there’s absolutely no way they could actually know –

Not this early –

I wrack my brain, thinking that it must be something else, something stupid that I just haven’t realized yet –

Victor sees my hesitation and lets out an anxious little laugh. “Whoa!” he says, jumping up. “Are they –

are you serious? Is there a secret? Am I sitting on the wrong bed?”

Swiftly, he moves to sit next to Alvin. Ian, his arms crossed, nods to his father sharply. “Thank you for doing the solidarity, papa,” he says seriously.

“No!” I shout, desperate, reaching for him. “Victor, come back! Don’t leave me all alone over here!”

“Don’t fall for it, papa!” Ian interrupts, “she’s keeping it from you too!”

“I’m not keeping –“

“Yes you are! –“

“I don’t even –“

“Mama is lying!”

“Enough!” Victor’s voice rings out above all of us, close enough to the Alpha command that we all turn to him in surprise. I pay close attention to him, now, realizing that his heart rate is actually high, that he’s looking at me with real worry in his eyes.

I bite my lip. Honestly, I was enjoying having this to myself for a little longer, but…if it’s upsetting my mate and my children…

Victor holds my gaze for a moment and then turns to his sons. “Alvin,” he says quietly. “Tell me what you mean. How do you know your mom is keeping a secret.”

“Because” he says quietly, looking at me. “Her scent changed. I noticed it last night. And Ian smelled her when he hugged her this morning, and he smells it too.”

I feel my face go pale as I look between my boys. How could they…

Slowly, Victor moves to sit next to me again, lowering his face so that his nose is within inches of my skin. I can feel it when he smells me, feel the air drifting across the delicate skin of my neck.

“Oh my god,” he murmurs. “Evelyn, they’re right. You smell…different. It’s not…big…it’s just a little change, but…”

I blush a little, shaking my head at my sons, starting to smile at them. “Sneaky boys,” I mutter. “Couldn’t have let me have my secret for a few more weeks, even.” Slowly, my hand drifts to my stomach, and I feel Victor go rigid next to me as he figures it out.

“Evelyn,” he whispers. “Are you…how long have you known…”

“Well,” I say, turning to look up into his serious face. “I don’t, actually. I just…suspect.” I give a little shrug. “I haven’t taken a test or anything.”

“You don’t need a test, mama,” Ian says, rolling his eyes. “We can hear it.”

“Hear what?” I ask, curious and again surprised.

“The heartbeats,” Alvin explains quietly, his hands pressed innocently on his knees. “They’re very faint, but if you get close you can hear them –“

“Wait,” I say, leaning forward sharply and staring into my son’s face. “Alvin…”

He looks at me, surprised by my sudden stillness.

“Alvin,” I again, my voice very soft, my mate leaning in next to me. “This is very important – did you say heartbeat? Or…heartbeats.”

Alvin takes a moment to enjoy his own little secret.

And then, his face bursting into a big grin, he lifts his hand from his knee.

And holds up two fingers.

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