"Is it going to hurt?" Chris asked me while we sat outside in the wildflowers that flowed down the hills like soft waves that our backyard rolled into as I sipped on my coffee.
I looked over at him, his beast was still pacing. He had been pacing all morning. I could only pray that he didn't start until it was right–until they were ready. Ethan had been getting them ready for the last year and over the last six months he had been going harder on them; he had them running in the mornings and swimming–which our children loved.
Our boys needed to be ready because it would hurt. It would hurt like hell. But our boys were strong, their veins at even this age already hummed loud enough that yesterday some of the other kids were shivering away from them.
"Yes," I answered honestly. I wasn't going to lie to my son. I wasn't going to sugarcoat it for him because that wasn't going to help him.
"How long did it take you, mom?"
I leaned back in the grass, my belly full from the blobs we had eaten. Charlie walked outside over to us; he sat on my other side then leaned on my shoulder.
"It took around three and a half maybe four hours from the time I got the fever until the time I was in my fur" I replied. "But I was also a human before then sweetie, it's different for natural born weres, remember?"
"He's pacing mom," Charlie breathed out.
"I know baby, they do that," I replied before I kissed his hair. "Do you feel ready?"
Charlie nodded. "Yes. It's close. I can feel it."
"Well, let's try and take it easy today, ok? You both need to rest some more, it's going to be a long night," I replied before I hugged Charlie and Chris to me.
"I love you, mom," Charlie murmured against my shoulder while I nuzzled his cheek.
My heart swelled as Chris leaned against my shoulder. "I love you too mom."
"I love you boys," I replied before I kissed each of them again. "Now come on, let's see if we can convince your dad to let us choose the movie this time."
Charlie grinned while a soft smile pulled at Chris' lips before we all got up and headed inside. The boys, because it was the day they were shifting, got to pick the movie which was a scary movie that Ethan hated. They mostly picked it because they knew Ethan hated it; then only enjoyment he got out of it was when Caroline would say something like, 'daddy you could totally kill that guy in like five seconds.'
We all lounged around most of the day and tried to keep the boys calm. My beast and I knew their time would be soon, but it just wasn't their time yet. Not quite yet.
Elliot made everyone grilled cheeses for lunch that the twins barely ate, their nerves were starting to eat at them. Both Ethan and I made them eat at least one sandwich; they were going to need the energy later, shifting was no easy task.
Soon Derek went outside to set up a little area with Levi while my father and Elliot ran to the pack house to get some bags of ice. The boys had already changed into the spandex shirts that ran down a little past their mid thighs, almost like bicycle Dagny gave them for their birthday; she and Vincent would have come to their party, but Susie was supposed to give birth any day and Dagny didn't want to leave her.
The pants were a lifesaver for my boys though, I wish I would have had something like them when I shifted. Like our enchanted underclothing, they would stay on the boys through the shift, but because their bodies were about to contort like a pretzel, she enchanted the pants so they wouldn't tear or ruin during the strenuous shift.
The afternoon waned on; Levi stacked some coolers outside with my father full of ice while Elliot and Evan started to fill buckets with water and set them around a big palleted area that Derek had set up some outdoor lamps around. The boys eventually took a nap cuddled up next to me while Ethan kept working on getting everything ready for them; my beast was anxious–itching for them, for her pups.
She knew they would do it–she knew they were strong, but it was a long painful process that neither of us were going to enjoy. Almost like childbirth all over again.
Lizzie came over later while the kids were still out; Levi eventually came in to take a break and ended up napping with Caroline on his chest. Lizzie was going to watch Caroline while the boys shifted. I tried to see if Cade wanted to go to Evan's, but he wasn't leaving his brothers. He begged Ethan and I to stay, and Ethan let him. He said he and Evan were the same with Eli, that and it would be good for Cade to see what he was in for in a few years.
The day continued on. Ethan had the boys go out and chop some wood while Derek and I made dinner. A dinner that neither of the boys had an appetite for, but we made them eat it anyways. After they showered off and ate, they came back downstairs while Levi, my mother, and I kept the boys preoccupied while Lizzie took Caroline upstairs to play as the night drifted on. It drifted on and soon we were all drifting in and out of sleep again, a sleep I was thankful for–my boys needed it. They needed all the rest they could get.
I was dozing in and out of sleep. Charlie was laying on a pillow that was in my lap while Chris laid with his head on my shoulder. Cade was cuddled up next to my mother as Levi snored away with Caroline on his chest. Chris stirred in his sleep, his brows furrowed before he kicked off the blanket that was over him.
My beast stilled. It could be anything. He could have legitimately been hot, but I had a feeling he wasn't just hot from the blanket.
Looking over at my phone that was laying on the coffee table, it was close to nine–close to their time. Charlie stirred next, he scratched at the back of his neck in his sleep then pulled the blanket that Eve had laid over him off.
I sighed and eyed my boys. Chris was stirring more and eventually his eyes fluttered open. "It's hot mom."
My hands touched his face as Charlie slowly woke up. He was warm. He was warmer than usual. "Charlie?"
"Annoyed with how hot it is," he groaned while my hands moved to his face. Levi stirred awake, his silver eyes meeting mine in a moment of recognition.
"Boys," Levi said, turning their attention toward him. "Boys it's time. It's the fever."
Charlie sucked in a breath. I kissed him and Chris on their heads again then stood up and eyed them. "Come on boys, it's only going to get hotter."
"Ethan they're getting hot."
"Should we go outside?" Chris asked.
I nodded. "Your father has ice and water out there. It will help."
"Bring them out here. How hot are they?"
"Feverish, nothing unbearable yet."
"Ok," he sighed out. "Are you ok?"
"Anxious, you?"
"Anxious."
The boys pulled off their shirts then followed me outside with Levi behind us. Dominic was waiting with a soft smile. He hugged both the boys then bent down a little so he could look them in the eyes. "You two are going to do just fine, alright? Just push through, and remember the first one that shifts gets a hundred bucks."
"Dominic!" I hissed out as Charlie and Chris' eyes widened, mischevious smiles tugging on their lips.
Dominic stood up and shrugged. "What? It's great motivation."
"It is good motivation mom," Charlie added before I shot him a narrow look. "Kidding mom. Dom's totally not right," he half-panted out.
I sighed and nodded to Ethan who was standing next to the blankets laid out with my father while Derek and Elliot both sat on top of the coolers. "Will you tell my mom when she wakes up that we're out here? I think Cade's still asleep," I asked Dominic.
He nodded. "Caroline?" Dominic asked.
"Upstairs with Lizzie."
"Did I miss anything?!" Evan rushed out as he jogged around the house to us, his face windblown and his hair tied up in a little bun.
"No, they just started getting hot," I answered.
Evan nodded and walked to the boys then hugged them both. "You're going to be fine boys. Don't fight it, alright? Just remember the first one to shift gets fifty bucks. "
"Ev!" I hissed out as Charlie and Chris bit back grins.
"Boys," Ethan said to them, waving them to him.
Charlie and Chris walked out to Ethan where Levi was already wetting some rags in the buckets. Evan hugged me and kissed my cheek. "You alright little sister?"
I shrugged before I started to tie my hair back. "I don't know how I'm supposed to feel. I'm terrified for them because I know how bad it hurts, but I'm excited for them too–I just want them to be done with this part."
"They will be, they're strong little sister," Evan replied with a soft smile. "Is Lucas coming?"
"After they put the baby to sleep," I replied.
"Come on." Evan pulled me with him over the soft grass and to the blankets where my boys had sat down on either side of Ethan, who was hugging them to him, while my father handed them each a wet rag.
Ethan was nuzzling their hair, his beast pacing as he looked at me. The boys were panting a little harder now–their veins buzzing a little more.
Derek was wiping off some sweat on Chris' face while Levi handed Charlie a bottle of water. All week he had reminded the boys that 'hydration' was key and Ethan had them drink so much water I thought they may actually get sick. Charlie leaned back on his elbows as the full moon stared back at us. "Is it always this hot?" he panted out, sweat starting to run in little beads around his face.
"It is Charlie boy," Levi said before he grabbed a bucket of water and dumped it over Charlie. At first, Charlie was shocked, but then he sighed–relief coming out of his mouth. "Thanks, Pawpaw."
"Can I have a bucket too?" Chris panted out.
Elliot dumped a bucket over him while I grabbed some bags of ice and placed them around Charlie. "Want some more water?"
Charlie nodded to me, his breath more labored as more sweat poured off of him. "Please."
"I got it little sister," Evan replied before he turned towards a cooler filled with jugs of water.
My beast was anxious. Pawing at me, she wanted out so she could nuzzle her pups and lick the hurt away. I sighed as Evan held the jug up to Charlie's lips while Elliot dumped some more water over Chris. Ethan was stacking ice around him; ice that was starting to melt quicker than he could stack it.
"Dad it's really–" Chris started to say before he sucked in a big breath. "Hot."
"I know son, it's going to get worse. You have to push through it, let it happen. Listen to him and don't fight it–you have to work together son," Ethan replied back, pushing Chris' sweaty hair out of his face.
Charlie groaned then looked up at me, his skin was covered in sweat that my father was trying to wipe away. "Mom?"
"It's ok baby," I told him as Levi dumped some more water over him. "You're doing good. You both are."
"This is so not as awesome," Charlie panted out. "As Jacob–" he paused to let out a series of pants as beads of sweat rolled off of his face. "Made it sound."
Ethan eyed me then nodded slowly in agreement. "That's Jaxon junior for you," Ethan sighed out. "You're doing good, just keep breathing through it."
"Drink up Chris, hydration is key," Levi said while my father let Charlie lay his head down in his lap.
"Grandpa, was it this bad for you?" Charlie asked, panting heavier now.
My father touched his skin then looked up at me. "More ice baby girl." I nodded quickly then drug the cooler over that was filled with the bags of ice. My father looked back to Charlie while I opened a bag. "It wasn't fun Charlie boy. It was hell, but it was worth it."
I dumped the ice over Charlie then quickly moved to get another back as Charlie let out a relieved sigh. "Thanks, mom," he sighed out.
I dumped the next bag of ice over Chris, drawing a relieved sigh from him as well. But the ice wasn't going to last long, it was already starting to melt off of Charlie and when I looked back at Chris I saw the ice was melting away too.
Derek was wiping some sweat away from Chris while Elliot handed my father a towel for Charlie. Levi looked at the moon then back at the boys. "They're close."
Ethan nodded then looked at the coolers. "We need more ice."
"I got it, brother," Evan sighed out. "Elliot?"
"I'm with you," Elliot said as Evan started to trot back to our freezer were they had packed extra ice.
I sat between my boys and gave their legs a reassuring squeeze. They were so hot that they almost couldn't breathe and it was everything I could do to keep it together. Both of them on borderline tears–we couldn't keep enough ice or water on them.
Chris turned his head to look at me and I felt my heart still–his eyes were glowing. They were glowing so brightly that they looked like stars. "Your eyes–" Charlie tried to pant out, but it came out more as a wheeze. "You look like a nite-lite."
Chris rolled his eyes. "Yours too," he panted back.
"Really?!" Charlie wheezed out.
Chris nodded then looked over at Ethan. "How long?" he wheezed out.
"I don't know son, not long–it's coming quick–" Ethan paused and looked at me, his eyes worried because it was coming quick. Quicker than we thought. "Just hold on. You're doing good son."
I sighed as Levi bent down to give both the boys a sip of water. My beast was pacing more frantically now. The boys were groaning–the heat was at that point where you felt like your skin was going to melt off.
Ethan's beast was struggling to stay calm. He had Chris' head resting on one leg, and Charlie's on the other. I walked over and sat in front of him, my beast reaching out to his over the bond while I tried to wipe the sweat off of my pup's faces, but it was no use. They were sweating so much it was almost like they were standing in the rain.
"Mom!" Chris wheezed out wide eyes in shock. "Dad–" he started to say before he let out a sharp cry. A cry when his arm broke.
I felt my heart still. My beast was whining out, bile creeping up my throat before another crack followed by a scream started. Charlie's foot had broke. He was clenching his jaw while Chris clutched at Ethan's arm.
"We need to move them, they need space," Levi said, while I covered my mouth. My heart almost breaking at the sight of my boys in this state–my beast wanting to come out and care for them, take the hurt away.
My father nodded but Ethan snarled at both of them–his beast not wanting his pups away from him, stilling Derek in place as Ethan gave him a warning look. Evan dropped the ice that was carrying and slowly ran towards Ethan as he and my father had some kind of internal battle. "Ethan they need space," my father told him, his voice with an undertow of authority.
Ethan's chest rumbled, the boys holding onto his arms while they eyed the scene before them. "Brother, no one is taking them from you. They need space," Evan said calmly as he walked around so he could look directly at Ethan. "They're going to be thrashing around soon, they need some room to breathe."
Ethan let out a long breath then nodded, looking at me–pain in his eyes that mirrored mine; his beast was struggling to not come out as well, to not protect his pups when they were in such pain. Evan knelt down and scooped up Charlie, Ethan stopping him so he could kiss Charlie's hair and nuzzle him while Levi carefully moved Chris over.
I hated it. I hated it so much. I knew Ethan was livid, and I knew my father and Levi were right. They were going to be flailing around too much–they need room to shift, but the need to have both our pups close was overwhelming.
Arms were pulling me to them. "Charlotte, they're going to be fine," Dominic told me as he hugged me tight to him, almost like he was holding me back from running back to my boys and holding them close to me
"Where's Eve?" I asked.
"With Lizzie and Caroline," he replied.
I let out a shaky breath as he kissed my hair right when Charlie let out another cry that had me breaking away from Dominic and rushing to him. His arm had broke, and right after he finished screaming, Chris wailed out as his leg started to crack.
"Dad!" Chris cried out before he let out a sharp cry as his fingers started to crack.
Ethan had his head in his lap and was trying to keep his calm. "You're doing good son, just breathe through it."
I was pulling Charlie to me while Evan moved a straw to his mouth so he could sip some water from a bottle. "Thanks," Charlie panted out before he let out a sharp cry.
He was clutching at his mouth and both Evan and I had to hold his hands down so he didn't hurt himself–so he didn't rip his new fangs out. Elliot rushed to him with a cold wet cloth rolled up. "Bite down on this."
Charlie obeyed right as Derek was doing the same for Chris. He sighed as his brown eyes flickered to mine. "His came in too."
I kissed Charlie's forehead then rushed up to get the ice for them. My hands were tearing it open as Charlie rolled when his ribs started to crack right as Chris shot up, his legs cracking some more while his shoulder snapped. Looking down I bit back a whine, I knew that this had to happen. I knew they had to do this. I knew but still, it didn't make it better.
Letting out a long breath, I dumped the ice over Chris then walked to dump some on Charlie as Derek zipped between then with a water bottle. Chris wailed again, his hands digging into the blankets as claws pushed their way through his nails right as Cade ran out with Eve behind him.
Cade's eyes were big as he eyed his brothers. Dominic zipped over and stopped him. "Chris! Charlie!"
"We're fine!" Charlie wheezed out. "I just feel like I'm dying."
"This is hell mom," Chris panted out.
"I know," I replied with a sympathetic smile while Dominic picked Cade up. I looked at the moon that was higher in the sky then back at Chris. "Just hold on, it won't be much longer baby."
Ethan let out a shaky breath. He traded places with my father and rushed to Charlie right as tears pooled out of his eyes as his ribs started to crack. Chris was biting down into the rag again, my father trying to hold him steady as his face cracked. My heart was twisting. It twisted so hard I think Ethan actually winced.
Eve hugged me to her and pushed my hair back. "It has to happen Charlie girl. They're doing good."
"Caroline?"
"With your mother and Lizzie, I traded places with Willa," Eve replied before she rubbed her cheek against mine, calming me for a fleeting moment.
I let out a shaky breath then walked over to Cade who was watching his brothers, the blood drained from his face while Dominic looked on with a pained expression. "You ok sweetie?"
He nodded quickly. "Can I help?"
I smiled and kissed his forehead. "Want to bring your brothers some water? There's a bottle with a straw somewhere."
"Ok," Cade rushed out as Dominic put him down. He found the bottle before anyone showed him where it was and walked over the Charlie, who just gave him the best smile he could. "Thirsty?"
"Ya," Charlie panted out before he sucked almost all the water down. "I think Pawpaw is right about the water," he shoved out on labored breaths.
"Pawpaw is always right," Levi said before he dumped some ice on Charlie. "Right Cade?"
"Right," Cade answered with a firm nod before he walked back to a cooler where there were more bottles of water.
Chris let out a gargled growl, fur was coming in through his back while his back started to crack. He rolled and thrashed around while Charlie flailed like a fished as his vertebrae started to crack as well. Cade brought Chris some water that he had to help Chris drink since half of Chris' face was in mid shift.
"Sorry about your face," Cade said with a sympathetic smile.
I moved over to my pups, my pups that were now facing each other not more than a few feet apart. Ethan sat down in front of them while I sat at their feet. Cade walked around to sit next to Ethan while the twins continued to cry out in the night. Ethan and I trying to encourage them as best we could while Cade helped them drink more water.
There was more cracking. We had to roll Charlie so he laid on his belly as his back cracked some more–it was coming quicker now. It was coming quicker and soon gargled growls mixed with pained moans and cries were coming out of Chris' mouth as he clawed at the ground while bones broke all over his body.
"How much longer?!" Chris almost cried out.
"It's close now son," Ethan said, dipping down so he could look Chris in the eye. "You have to work with him."
"Da–" Charlie started to say but it turned into an agonizing howl right as his legs snapped some more, his shoulders contouring, and his toes breaking into sickening directions that made Cade's eyes grow wide.
Ethan was rubbing his back while Cade and I kept giving the boys water; eventually I just opened the bottle and poured it over them. There wasn't much we could do now. They were close–it was up to them now.
Chris cried out again, his ribs cracking and more fur starting to push through his skin while Charlie muffled a cry against my father's leg. Levi's eyes caught mine. He was standing next to Derek and Eve, his beast pacing back and forth. "It's time girly."
I looked over at Ethan who nodded at me while cracks and cries filled the air. Ethan looked at both of them, his beast shaking his fur out and pawing at the ground. "Let them out boys. They know what to do and so do you. Let them out," he said in a tone that I rarely heard him use–a tone that made Cade shiver.
A tone that sent a rush over my skin as my beast barked out in agreement while Chris rolled over–panting, pawing, and pained growls sounding out of his mouth while I held Cade next to me. My beast was excited, she was ready–they were ready.
Charlie followed suit next. It was like he was trying to crawl; he let out a groan as his body cracked more, his beast moving under his skin.
"Charlie?!" Cade cried out.
"I–" he started to say before he groaned. "Want–" another pained groan came out as he crawled a little more, "a hundred and fifty–" wheezing and whimpering while he crawled a little more, "bucks!"
My eyes snapped around as Chris growled out; he dipped his head down and the next thing I knew he was sprouting fur and his bones were moving into their final places while Charlie kept crawling with a fiery determination until fur rolled over his skin and his bones too moved into place.
Into the place of his beast that was walking on four legs while Chris did a small circle around, eying himself curiously. Ethan let out a long sigh then started to laugh. "I don't know if this or having them was worse."
"Having them," I replied, shooting him a pointed look as Cade ran over to Chris who was trotting over to Charlie.
Tears prickled at my eyes as pride swelled in my belly. My boys had done it–my twins had shifted. My twins that were identical chocolate brown males, a shade darker than Ethan, but their beasts just looked like younger versions of his. Stormy blue-green eyes looked back at us–their wolves almost smiling before they ran over to Ethan and I as Levi shook his head.
"Chris! Charlie!" Caroline rushed out as she ran across the lawn, my mother and Lizzie in tow, while the boys licked at Ethan and my faces.
I nuzzled Chris then Charlie right as Caroline threw her arms around Charlie's neck. "Charlie you did it!"
Chris yipped at her and licked her cheek, causing her to giggle before she hugged him as well. "Good job Topher."
Topher. Her nickname for him. His full name was Christopher, but we all just called him Chris, well, everyone but Caroline who–when she was barely talking, decided that's what she was calling him–Topher.
My father walked over the boys with my mother; they ran their fingers through the boys' fur while Derek wiped little tears from his eyes. My mother kissing them both on top of their heads whilel my father smiled with pride. "I'm glad we only have to do this two more times," Derek sighed out as he collapsed onto a cooler, Elliot dipping down to kiss him.
I laughed as the twins licked at Cade and Caroline's faces some more while Eve and Levi eyed them with pride. Ethan leaned over and kissed me, our boys jumping around and enjoying their new form.
"Well, I think this may have been a tie boys," Dominic sighed out.
"I think so too," Evan added, causing the boys to look at them with faces that held heavy disappointment.
"Don't look at me like that, you know–" Dominic groaned and threw his hands up. "I swear these kids are going to bankrupt me."
Evan groaned then nodded as the boys both yipped before they ran to Dominic and Evan, rubbing against their legs and licking at their hands.
"Did I miss it?! Dammit!" Lucas sighed out.
"I got it on camera!"
"Thanks Elliot!" Lucas said with a smiled before he jogged to the twins who were barreling towards him. "Well come here ya monsters!"
They rolled around in the grass, the boys licking and playfully nipping at my brother while Evan just rolled his eyes. "They're strong Char."
I nodded and eyed Ethan. "Run?"
Ethan's lips twisted into a wide grin. He was up and lunging into his fur before I could blink. I rolled my eyes then lunged into mine as well, landing on my paws and shaking my fur out as my beast eyed her males–her males that were mini versions of our mate.
Ethan yipped at our pups as I trotted up next to him, sitting back and letting my beast have some more of this moment. They turned then jumped off of Lucas and ran to us. Ethan and I licked at both of then and nuzzled then with our heads, rubbing our scent over them and enjoying the bonding moment with our wolves.
Ethan sighed and eyed them. "Boys?"
I sat next to Ethan and waited as Levi and my father started to shift as well, cocking my head as the twins looked back at Ethan with wide eyes. "Dad?"
"Mom?"
"Is this working?!"
"Is this how this works?!"
Ethan laughed and nodded his head. "Yes, your mother and I can hear you."
"Cool," they both breathed out in unison.
"Dad can we go hunting now?!"
"Dad can we please?!"
"Are we going to run!?"
"Can we swim?!"
"Hey mom–"
"Ok," Ethan laughed out. "We are going for a run then coming back because you two are going to be exhausted after this high wears off."
The boys yipped at us, their eyes wide with excitement as their tails were waging like ninety miles a minute. Charlie yipped and ran to Levi who nuzzled his grand pup before my father licked at his face. Eve and my mother were both staring with weepy eyes in their fur, smiling while they nuzzled the twins.
"Where are we running to Ethan?" Evan asked as he trotted up.
"Tree house and back?"
Evan mused then nodded. "We'll be lucky if they don't pass out before then."
"We are not passing out!" Chris rushed out.
"Nope," Charlie breathed out confidently.
Evan laughed and eyed the boys mischievously as Lucas jogged up and nipped playfully at Chris' shoulder. "Well then let's see if you can keep up," Lucas said before he darted off.
The boys didn't wait, they sprinted forwards towards Lucas–Evan on their tail with Levi and my father after them while my mother and Eve trailed behind their mates. Ethan sighed, he rubbed his head against my neck–drawing a purr from my beast. "Daddy can we come?!" Cade rushed out as he and Caroline ran to us.
"We got them, Ethan," Derek said as he and Elliot jogged up and scooped our younger pups up. Dominic and Lizzie were already zipping forward while Caroline squealed in excitement as Elliot tickled her sides.
Ethan and I trotted forward then broke into a run, our pups laughing the whole way as we caught up the group. Lucas eyed Caroline then playfully licked at her leg, drawing a squeal from her lips while Ethan and I towards our twins. "Uncle Lucas! No!" Caroline said, waving him off as Elliot just chuckled with a warm smile on his lips.
Lucas just rolled his eyes while Levi let out what sounded like a wolfy laugh. Ethan barked out at our boys who were running ahead with Evan. We caught up to them; both of them darting between us playing with Evan and Lucas while my father and Levi watched them inquisitively.
They were strong. They both moved like this was the most natural thing in the world to them–like they had been running in this form for years. Lean muscles moving under fur while their eyes were smiling with wild excitement.
My father and Levi started to playfully nip at their feet, teasing them and causing the boys to push harder to chase after the older alpha males. We reached the treehouse and when we did both of the boys shifted back then more or less collapsed on the ground.
"Boys!"
"That," Chris breathed out. "Was awesome."
"Dad, can we do that tomorrow?!" Charlie asked, his cheeks red and winded and his smile stretching far across his face.
Ethan chuckled and picked up Charlie as I let Chris climb onto my back in a piggy back. "We'll see if you're even awake tomorrow son."
"When we wake up then?" Chris asked, yawning against my shoulder.
"Sure sweetie," I breathed back.
"Can we kill a bear now?" Charlie whined.
Levi just rolled his eyes before he barked at them. Ethan chuckled and nuzzled Charlie's hair. "Not quite yet son."
My father jogged up with Lucas next to him. Eyeing the boys with pride in his eyes. "Need help?"
I shook my head. My beast needed her pups close to her right now, especially after their first shift. "No, we've got them."
My dad nodded to me and smiled as he eyed the boys who were drifting to sleep. "They're going to be tough males Ethan."
Ethan nodded while Charlie leaned his head on Ethan's shoulder. "They are. You're going to have to watch your ass Hadrian."
My father growled lowly at Ethan while Lucas rolled his eyes. " I'm going to head back sis, I've got baby duty in the morning."
"Alright," I replied as Lucas walked over to me and hugged me as best he could with Charlie on my back.
He kissed my cheek then smiled at the sight of the boys. "Hadrian is definitely going to have to watch his ass."
"I think you two need a trip to the mountains soon," my father said with a dark glint in his eyes.
Lucas shrugged. "As long as mama Willa makes those cookies again," he said cheekily before he lunged into his fur and tore off into the forest.
Evan was waiting for us by a tree. He pushed off of it and walked towards us as my father eyed my mother trotting to us. "We'll go help Levi with the other two, you sure you got them?"
"Yes dad," I replied. "We're fine."
He smiled and kissed my temple. "See you at the house baby girl."
He jogged forward then lunged into his wolf, tearing off with my mother behind him as Evan shook his head. "Two hours."
"What?" I asked as I snapped my head to look at Evan.
He eyed me with eyes full of surprise. "It only took them two hours."
"It felt longer," Ethan said as he looked over at Charlie passed out with his head on Ethan's shoulder.
"It did," I said, it felt excruciatingly longer.
Evan shook his head. "I set a timer. Two hours and five minutes." He shook his hair out then looked over at Ethan and I. "I'm headed back. You got them?"
"Ya we're fine Ev," I replied.
"We're good Ev," Ethan added. "Thank you."
Evan dipped his head then started to back peddle. "Let me know when they wake up?"
"Will do," Ethan replied with a nod before Evan tore off, leaving Ethan and I with the boys. "Two hours..."
"I know," I almost laughed out.
"Our mini herd isn't doing so bad sunshine."
I looked over at Ethan, smiling blue-green eyes staring back at me. "Not too shabby Everette."
He leaned over and kissed me, his lips lingering on mine as our boys snoozed away. "I love you sunshine."
"I love you too Ethan," I replied before we fell into a comfortable quiet; our feet crunching the leaves on the ground as the soft breaths of sleeping pups filled the air. I looked over at Ethan who had Charlie's head rested on his shoulder while Chris' breath danced over mine as he gently slept.
It was perfect. In this moment, I knew that everything was perfect. I looked down at my leg, the scar still there from the night I was bitten. I couldn't help but smile, I was more than grateful for that night.
For the bite.