Chapter 166
Knightly
Phoebe has been entirely out of it since coming out of her heat. She’s convinced that she’s pregnant, and that’s triggered a whole new wave of stress. I can feel it adding to my own. I pull into the ranch without trouble. Not that I expected any.
I called Elliot before heading over. I told them we wouldn’t be staying long because I didn’t think Phoebe would be up for it, but her demeanor completely changes when we arrive. The distant look in her eyes fades like she’s coming back into this world. She even smiles as she adjusts her blouse and makes sure nothing is out of place.
As soon as she sees us, Ayrie screams and runs over to us excitedly. I intercept her before she gets to Phoebe and cradle her in my arms. She squeals as I bury my face in her belly and growl.
“Daddy!” she cries out, wrapping her arms around me tightly.
“Oh, I missed you so much,” I say, kneeling so she can get her footing. “Why did you want to stay with Grandma Shark for so long?”
“Me?” she giggles. “You silly.”
“I wasn’t with Grandma. I was with mommy.”
“Mommy,” she cries out and wiggles out of my hold so she can run over to her. Aizen jogs over to me, wrapping his arms around me.
“Hi, Dad,” he says, lingering, but he is a lot more serious than she is.
“Hi, son.” I greet him. “You behave?”
“Always,” he grins with pride.
“Good boy,” I bump my forehead to his. He beams. “Go say hi to your mom.”
Without hesitation, he makes his way over to her. My father is here, and my mother looks relieved to see me. He’s not supposed to be here. Elliot has warned him about him inserting himself where he’s not needed, but the fact that my brother is also here and isn’t kicking and screaming tells me something happened.
“Thank goodness,” is the first thing my mom says when she’s close enough to hug me. I look up at my father, who is staring at my mate. His nostrils are flared, and I now know that Phoebe is not wrong.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Rogue shit.” my father answers and let’s out a heavy sigh and turns his frustration to Phoebe. “I thought you were being safe, I picked the best contraceptives we could get our hands on. Did you miss any days?”
“Back the fuck up,” I growl, stepping between them. “You don’t talk to her like that. And it’s really fucking creepy that you are so wrapped up in our lives the way you are. She might not have a problem with it, but I do. You’re not going to talk to her about what happens between us unless you are asked directly. Do you understand me?”
“This is serious, Nathan. A pregnancy in midst of a fucking war is the last thing we need,” he growls and every one turns to look at my mate.
“What are you talking about? What war?” I demand.
“The traditionalists are trying to make contact, Elliot answers.
“We’re prepared for this. We knew that as soon as the Alpha King signed the bill, we were going to have some pushback. I have people in place to ensure they don’t get close. And thank you, Arnold! Thank you for ruining what was supposed to be a special moment between my family and me. As usual, your kindness is much appreciated.”
Chapter 166
“Nathan, traditionalists are a fucking plague. You know better than the rest of us what they are capable of. They’ve taken from you before, he remind.
me
“I was a fucking kid then and I was alone. I’m not alone anymore, and I am more than prepared to keep us all safe. Once they make contact, we’ll talk to them. I told you that you are not in charge here.
“I gave you orders and Texpect them to be done by the end of the month. That is our transaction. Nothing else.” I turn to my brother, who is practically glowing with joy. “Did they attack?”
“No, they sent a message.” he steps forward and hands me a piece of rolled–up parchment kept in place with a wax seal–an official scroll.
Phoebe’s name is written in the old language over the front, and I understand why my father is reacting the way he is. The threat isn’t to me. It’s directly to her. I turn back to her. She’s got Ayrie tucked to her hip while she holds Aizen’s hand. She lets out a heavy sigh and sets our daughter down.
“It’s for me, isn’t it?” She comes over and takes the scroll out of my hand. “This is a little much.”
“Traditionalist,” my mother shrugs. She tries to smile, but it doesn’t quite pass for one.
Phoebe doesn’t hesitate to open the scroll. She reads the paper and rolls her eyes before attempting to hand it over to me. I don’t have the opportunity to reach for it when my father snatches it out of her hand. He stares at me challengingly, daring me to take it out of his hands, but I don’t because I already know what’s on there. I knew it would be a problem the moment Savage signed the bill.
“The legitimacy of your lineage and the alpha King’s is being challenged,” he holds out the parchment for me. I take it. “You suspected it would come to this?”
“Of course I did. From the moment we found out they were related.” I nod. “They’re going to want to know who her real father is in hopes of removing Derek Savage from the throne since Phoebe is the oldest.
“My guess is that because she was for us becoming the royal rogue family, she’d be a lot easier to persuade by the council. They think we’re calling the shots. You’re not the only one who knows how these assholes work, Old man. I’ve been hunting them since I left the packs.”
“Nathan-”
“You’re worried. I get that. It’s misplaced. I have to get my family home. It’s a long drive.”
“I have a question,” Phoebe raises her hand. “I can also use something to calm my nerves something bubbly.”
“Come here,” my mother beams at the request and hugs her. She pulls away with a massive grin that finally reaches her eyes. “You just make my life better and better.”
“What is it?” my father demands once we’re all inside.
“Something happened earlier,” she says, sitting down. Ayrie runs over to my father, and he lifts her up like he hadn’t been angry about Phoebe being pregnant minutes ago. “I was in the twins‘ room, and I had a vision of Knight as a kid. He was twelve, thirteen maybe. It wasn’t like any other vision I’d ever had. I interacted with him. He asked me if I was an angel. He was agitated.”
She hadn’t told me that before we left. It explains the ways he was looking at me and why she was crying when I walked into the room.
“Knight’s affinity is very odd,” he says. “As a kid, he said things that often came to pass, and as he got older, it began to fade. Not entirely. It worked itself into his other, more admirable qualities: fighting skills, strategizing, and marksmanship.”
“You’re saying that he saw me at that age?” she asks. I look between them and shake my head.
“I’d remember that.” I disagree.
“Not necessarily,” my mother interjects. “You remember the fits and the physical stuff, but the specifics always have a way of falling short. Which I’m glad for, because it was rough for you. Especially when you started–you know. Growing.”
Elliot snorts, making the twins giggle.
Chapter 166
I do remember you talking about the angel,” Tess says, looking over at Phoebe. “Not casually, but when you had fits. When you started seat beach house away from all of us, you would curl up and whisper to the angel.”
“Oh, yeah. I do remember that. When your eyes were green. I’d never seen an alpha with green eyes. Still haven’t.”
“Yeah, his eyes were green,” Phoebe nods.
“What does any of that have to do with what Phoebe saw?” I roll my eyes. I’d remember that.
“She’s a wolf now. Spirits are linked to everything, and we share a strong connection with what we’re most attached to. The pups all carry our genetic alterations. Obviously, not as potent as you and I, but they do.
“All of my children share some qualities with me, not all of them. I imagine your children will as well, more so because their mother is a silverback. Midnight is a special shewolf.”
“She was wide awake. Packing some of the twins‘ things. How do I help her?” because if it’s already starting, I don’t want to see how bad it’s going to get once she’s further along.
“It’s going to be difficult.” My mother chìmes in as she sets a glass of sparkling water on the table beside Phoebe. “When I was pregnant with you, I could see my parents. They’d been dead for years. I could see them as clearly as I can see you all now.”
“What the fuck?” Phoebe pauses just before putting the glass to her lips. “Lam not going to be okay with seeing dead people. I’m already shook from what I saw in pre–teen Nathan’s room.”
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