(Castle above)
I looked at Alex and then threw my head back and laughed. Only him I swear. I ruffled his blonde hair. "Yes, come let's go get those Pancakes."
The elevator ride was quick like usual. They bolted away from me and into the kitchen. When I found them again they were boucning around Ryan. He put whip cream and syrup on their pancakes and gave them their plates. "Careful." He says softly. "Amelia is already at the table."
They ran off but I stopped them. "Something you want to say to Ryan for making your breakfast?" They stop and turn towards him.
"Thank youu." They chorus and run off. "Don't get your clothes dirty!" I shout after them. I sighed and sat in the chair by the Island.
"You okay Elizabeth?" He asked. I inwardly groaned. Liz was so much easier.
"I could've lost them today Ryan. If she had taken them.." I trailed off not wanting to finish. Just the thought made my heart squeeze and my blood boil.
He pulled me up from the bar stool and wrapped his arms around me. His scent wrapped around me and I relaxed. "You didn't. You were there. You'll never lose them. Everyone here will protect them with their life. Including me." He rubbed my back soothingly.
I pulled back and looked at him. Warm brown eyes stared back at me. He was so handsome. My wolf begrudgingly agrees. The silky black hair and pale lips paired with his scruffy chin. He certainly was a prize. His nose had a scar on it and it made me thing of his past. I mentally shook off those thoughts. He has come a long way from that boy.
I looked back into his eyes and saw his graze was on my lips. When he noticed he had my attention he made a show of dropping his eyes to my chest. He smirked and I smacked his arm. I stepped away and towards my stack of pancakes.
Ryan had a Mate. Amy Amelia Carves. She was beautiful. Thick wavy black hair and petite form. Let's not forget those stunning purple eyes that I envied.
Unfortunately she died bringing their pup, Amelia, into the world. She looked just like her mother, even now. She was born on January 3rd. A little bit after my kids who were born December 14th.
Ryan came to me and basically begged me to help his pup. She was dying and in need of her mother's milk. Formula doing nothing for her. Poor scrap she was, so of course, I helped.
It was a strain. Nursing 3 at once is so hard and literally draining. I managed though. Especially with Ryan waiting on me hand and foot.
Sometime in the two years while I helped his pup he developed feelings for me and I was more fond of him then I should've been. My heart was with Ashton at the end of the day no matter what.
As mt thoughts strayed to Ashton I felt a pinch in my heart. I missed him desperately as did my wolf. She agreed that we had to protect him and the pups. However the need to have our mate by our side grew larger all the time.
Ryan cuts my thoughts off and says something unexpected. "You should call him." Of course I know what he is talking about but it still caught me by surprise.
"Why?" I eyed him warily. "The wrong people know about the twins now. Its time for Ashton to know about his kids. He can protect them." He says in a duh tone. I glare at him and sighed. He is right but facing Ashton was something I'm scared to do. Especially with his kids. He will be furious.
"He's going to be livid with me." I groan causing him to chuckle. "Tell him to come here. Bring some of his men if it makes him comfortable. You can't keep the King away from his Kingdom."
"Try to make it as low-key as possible." He shrugged and munched on his pancake just a little too hard. I chewed on my own and thought for a moment. Maybe three men? Maybe six at the most? I cringed at the thought of that many untrusted wolves knowing about Alex and Aras existence.
"I don't know, Ryan. Can't I wait? I want them to be able to defend themselves. They're just pups!" I threw my hands up trying to prove a point. I felt my wolf's agreement and felt more confident.
"Elizabeth." He says as he shoots me a warning look. My wolf growls at the disrespect causing him to roll his eyes which only makes me growl louder.
He turned to me with a hard look. "If the twins grow up without knowing their father they will resent you for it."
"By the time they're old enough to understand-," my protest was cut short by his frustrated growl.
"They'll hate you for keeping him away from them because of your own fears. Ashton himself will never forgive you." He shakes his head sadly. "You know what it's like to not have a parent in your life. Don't do that to your childen."
I stiffened and looked away. My wolf was furious with this but she held herself in check without having me to shove her back.
Ryan is the only wolf who can speak to my this way because of our friendship. I valued his opinion more then my pride. He is like my unofficial second in command.
I huffed and glared at the wall. "You're right." I grumbled while resting my head in my hand.
He nodded and gathered our dirty dishes.
"Yeah, well, I don't want to be here for that conversation so good luck with that." I chuckled and he pulled me into his warm embrace. He took my face into his hands and laid a soft kiss on my cheek. My wolf whined in confusion while narrowed my eyes at him in warning.
He placed another kiss on my forehead and smiled. "I'll go keep an eye on the kids. Go call Ashton." He left the kitchen without A
another word.
I swallowed hard and walked back to the open elevator. Ryan had to watch it. We aren't mates. I mentally kicked myself for allowing our friendship to become so relaxed.
Sooner then I liked I was seated in my office. I spun on my chair for a moment before I searched through my computer until I found what I was looking for.
Alpha Ashton Williams of the Dawn Pack.
All his information was there. Birth date, Age, Number, Pack members, etc. I dialed his number before I could chicken out and waited. It rang. Once. Twice. Thr-
"Beta Daniel of the Dawn pack speaking. The Alpha isn't in who is this?" A gruff unfamiliar voice spoke, no scratch that, barked into the phone.
"Hello Beta Daniel, I need to speak with your Alpha immediately. It is quite urgent. Tell him, Its Elizabeth."
It was quiet before he spoke again. "As in his Mate." I stayed quiet debating how to answer. "I need to speak with him. If you care for him you'll give him the phone." I sighed out.
I heard shuffling and some muttered curses then, "Just wait one moment I'll get him."
It was quiet for a long time before I heard something on the other end of the phone. "Elizabeth?" His voice cause my wolf to yelp in excitement. There was a moment of silence before I spoke.
"Hey." I try to say as calmly as I could but it came out breathlessly anyway. Damn me. He sounded exactly the same except for the hint of damn hostility.
"What do you want?" He gritted out. I heard shuffling and a soft voice say, "calm down." It was barely audible. Maybe I imagined it?
"I know you must be upset-" I started but he cut me off. "I'm more then upset, Liz. I'm supposed to be your damn Mate but you treated me like a one night stand." He shouted into the phone. My wolf began to pace and whine. She hates that he is so upset with us.
"Ashton you mean everything to me and more. I have a lot to tell you, to explain but-" Arabella walked in and cut me off. Quite loudly.
"Mommy! Alex pushed Amelia!" She crossed her arms and pouted. Oh the timing. I gave her a small smile. "Sweetie-,"
"You have fucking kids?!" He roared into the phone causing my wolf to snarl. I push her back. "Either you had a family before me or your cheated so which is it?"
I rolled my eyes. Idiot Alpha. "Ashton I didn't do either of those things."
"Then whos child just called you Mommy?"
"Our child did."
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Edited 10/15/17
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