Filed to story: The Alphas Contract Novel by Taylor West
Neah
“Athena is happy to have the boys another night.” Dane tells me as he takes off his shirt.
“I should be with them.” I frown
“Another night is not going to hurt them.” Dane replies as I start to get out of bed. “And you need to rest.” He leans down and softly kisses me. Lifting my tee, he tugs at it and kisses my bump. “Now tell me, why are you wearing clothes to bed?”
“Just in case.” No one wants to be caught out in the middle of the night while naked.
“You won’t need them.” He smiles at me
I tug the tee back over my bump, “It’s hard to rest when I know that Serkan is somewhere nearby. He can’t have just disappeared into thin air. Have you heard anything?” As much as I trusted Damien, I knew he would link Dane and not me if there was a problem. Especially while I was supposed to be resting.
‘It’s like they have forgotten that we have been pregnant before. Nyx murmurs in annoyance
I know. But I guess with everything that happened last time, everyone is just being extra cautious.’
She huffs, though I felt the exact same. Apart from being ridiculously tired all the time, I felt fine.
After years of being left to battle through life on my own, it was still hard to accept that there are people who care for me.
I look over to Dane and watch him in silence as he finishes undressing. When he gets into bed with me, his hand plants itself on my lower back and he pulls me in closer, until his face is inches away from mine.
“Whether you are pregnant or not, I would still want to make sure you are safe.” He whispers in the dark. “And before you tell me that you can protect yourself, I already know, but it doesn’t change my desire to keep all of you safe.”
“Do you think he will try again soon?” I ask quietly. I hadn’t seen Serkan at the gas station, just the aftermath. Only Dane had managed to get a small glimpse of him. While I hid in the bathroom like the scared little girl I used to be.
“He knows that you are pregnant. Thankfully, he still doesn’t know about the boys. If he wants you dead, he will probably try again while you are pregnant.”
“And if he finds out about the boys, he will come after them.” I mutter and see him frown.* Before that happens, I will rip his heart from his chest. I mumble and curl into him.
The bed is empty when I wake. Letting me sleep in had become a new habit of his. Sometimes I liked it, other times it was frustrating. At least this time, I was in Black Shadow and not some random hotel.
From the dim light creeping in around the curtains, I could tell it was early. I had probably only been asleep for a couple of hours.
Yawning, I creep across the floor, trying to remember where the squeaky floorboards are as I tiptoe around them. I didn’t want to wake Mallory or Eric this early, not when they had stayed up with us to talk things through.
Silently making my way down the stairs, I almost miss the bottom step when I realise I could scent Silas. Peering around the comer, I see him sitting at the kitchen table, casually drinking coffee like he had been here his whole life.
“What are you doing here?” I splutter, feeling the pressure of my claws against the tips of my fingers.
“Arrived ten minutes ago. If you are looking for Dane, he is outside talking to Damien.” “Why are you here?” I demand
“Brax has gone to White Cliffs to retrieve my mate and child. Damien brought me here on the agreement that I would help you guys. That was the deal I was offered and I took it.”
“Just like that?” My hands move to my bump as one of the girls gives my bladder a sharp kick.
“I figured this would be the best choice.”
“Why would he do that?” I ask
“I guess he follows his Alpha and likes to make deals.”
“Not Damien.” I speak through my clenched teeth as my bladder is booted again, “Why would Brax go to White Cliffs?”
“Thalia wouldn’t leave.” He lowers his eyes. “She didn’t believe me. But then again, why would she? I’m making her leader suddenly sound like a monster. Brax went because he said he isn’t tied to the pack, they would be more accepting of him.”
“But she’s your mate.” I frown
“If I go, we will all be killed.”
‘Brax must believe him if he offered to go.’ Nyx sighs
“Why didn’t she believe you? You are mated. You have a child.” I demand
“Apparently that stands for nothing when I am trying to take her away from the home she knows and loves.” He scowls. “Believe me, it doesn’t make sense to me either, not after everything we have been through.”
“So Damien thought it was a good idea to bring you here? To our home?”
He dips his head and then locks his crimson eyes on mine. “I’m sorry if you disagree,”
“What if Thalia…”
“She won’t.” He mutters before I get a chance to get my question out.
“You don’t know what I’m going to ask.”
“You think she is working with Serkan.” He stares at me.
“It wouldn’t be the first Witch who has worked with him.” I snap. “A fated mate bond is supposed to be the strongest thing in the world. It should outweigh what your Alpha wants or needs. She shouldn’t have even questioned you.”
He stares back at me. “I know that. And that is why I am confused by her reaction. Now she refuses to speak to me. I have no idea if Quinn is okay. I don’t know what is happening up there. Though I do know they are alive.”
“Why is she refusing to accept what you are saying?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. And I don’t think I’m going to know until she is here.” His tattooed hand wraps around the mug and he takes a long swig.
“Remind me how you knew you were mated to her.” I press
‘Shit, do you think she tricked him?’ Nyx whispers. Just like Cooper did it to the others?” We are about to find out.”
He rolls his eyes at me, “I was coming back from a run and she was just walking up the road. Her scent hit me like a tonne of bricks. She denied it, but in the end, she couldn’t fight it.” He stops and looks at me. “Why are you asking me this, when you already know? Do you think I’m lying?”
“Curiosity.” I mutter. “You had a set of twins?”
He dips his head again.
“What happened to the other one?”
“Thalia…” He closes his eyes. “She was at home with Jarret, alone. I had taken Quinn to run some errands. The boys were a year old but Jarret was acting more clingy than usual. He wanted Thalia and no one but Thalia. If I hadn’t taken Quinn with me, we might have lost them both.”
I drag out a chair and lower myself into it. Quietly waiting for more.
“She was exhausted. Jarret hadn’t been sleeping, but the healers could find nothing wrong. Serkan said it was probably a phase.” He shakes his head. “I shouldn’t have gone out.” He lets out a heavy sigh and closes his eyes. “Jarret had finally settled and Thalia fell asleep. An alarm went off and when I raced back, our house was a ball of orange flames. Thalia escaped with just a burn mark up her neck and face. Jarret didn’t survive.” His face hardens. You wanted to hear the story, are you happy?” He stares at me. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“I’m sorry.” I mutter, I couldn’t imagine losing any one of my children. But what if the story he is telling is wrong? He wasn’t there at the time. He only knows what he has been told.
“Then there is his mate.’ Nyx tells me, ‘She can control fire, but she burns?’
“Are you saying she shouldn’t? I ask her, confused.
‘A bit of a weird ability to have if it can hurt you, don’t you think?”
You think she killed her son? I was about to ask what kind of parent would do that, but I already knew the answer to that.
‘I think there is a lot we still don’t know.’
I silently wished that Klaus was still here. Not because of him being a Witch Hunter, but because he could research it. He would know where to look. I will ask Dane to link him. Maybe Klaus had discovered some things on his journey already.
“Are you talking to your Lycan?” Silas asks. “Your eyes went dark.”
“Yes.” I mutter, but don’t say anything more about Nyx. “What happens if Thalia refuses to leave with Brax?”
“He has a different plan in place.”
“I just…” I start moving around the table towards the door and his eyes follow me. “I just need to speak to Dane.” I don’t know why I was justifying myself to him, this wasn’t his pack or his home.
“I will be here.”
Damien has his arms folded across his chest while Dane has his back to me as they discuss Silas.
“You thought bringing him here was a good idea?” I snap, just as I’m booted in the ribs by one of the girls. These girls are a lot more active in the womb compared to the boys.
“Best thing for now, unfortunately.” Dane replies
“I need to talk to you.” I mutter back
“Damien and I have already had the same conversation.” He tells me unexpectedly. “Oh. About Cooper?” I ask, confused.
“About Thalia burning when her gift is fire.” Damien tells me with an equally confused look