Chapter 124
The room buzzed with warmth and laughter, the kind that felt rare and precious in the packhouse. Sophie had just finished recounting a ridiculous story about tripping over her own feet during a pack hunt, and Fatima, for once, wasn’t biting back a cutting remark. Instead, she chuckled softly while rocking Lily, who was half-asleep in her arms.
“This is nice,” I said, letting my head rest against the arm of the sofa. Logan, in Sophie’s lap, was gnawing on a teething ring, his little fists gripping it with determination.
“It is,” Sophie agreed, her hair glowing in the soft lamplight. “We don’t get many moments like this, do we?”
Fatima nodded, though her expression turned more serious. “And we probably won’t if we don’t address the elephant in the room.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
Fatima looked at me pointedly. “Jake. The twins. Whatever it is you think is going on with them—don’t you think he deserves to know?”
I tensed immediately. “I don’t know if he’ll even listen to me this time.”
Sophie chimed in gently. “Maybe he won’t, Ayla, but Fatima’s right. He’s their father. If something strange is happening with the twins—like the thing you told us about earlier—he should know. Even if he brushes you off, at least you tried.”
I wanted to argue, but I couldn’t deny the logic in her words. “It’s not that simple,” I muttered.
“It never is,” Fatima said bluntly. “But avoiding him isn’t helping anyone. If you believe what you saw, then you owe it to the twins to tell him. At least that way, it’s not on you if he decides to be an idiot about it.”
Her words hit home, and I found myself nodding reluctantly. “I’ll think about it,” I said, though my stomach was already knotting at the idea of facing Jake.
By the time I left the nursery, the house was quiet, save for the faint hum of activity from the lower levels. I had tried convincing myself that it was better to avoid Jake—that I didn’t need another confrontation where he dismissed me like I was nothing. But as I wandered the halls, Fatima’s words echoed in my mind.
Before I knew it, I was standing outside the gym.
The heavy sound of weights clanking together reached me first, followed by the rhythmic thud of someone hitting a punching bag. My heart raced as I stepped inside, drawn by the heat and energy radiating from the space.
There he was.
Jake stood in the center of the room, shirtless and glistening with sweat. His muscles flexed with every movement, his biceps straining as he curled a heavy dumbbell. The sight made my wolf stir restlessly, her emotions flooding through me like a tidal wave.
Focus, Ayla, I scolded myself, but my body betrayed me. Heat pooled in my core, and I clenched my thighs together in an attempt to fight the primal urges clawing at me.
Jake’s voice cut through my thoughts, sharp and cold. “What are you doing here?” He didn’t even glance in my direction, his focus remaining on his weights.
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my voice. “I need to talk to you.”
“Does it look like I’m in the mood for a chat?” he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
My temper flared at his dismissal. “Well, tough luck, because you’re going to listen to me.”
That got his attention. He set the dumbbell down with a loud thud and turned to face me, his piercing grey eyes narrowing. “You think you can come in here and demand my attention like that?”
“Yes,” I said, crossing my arms defiantly.
He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by my audacity. “Fine. Talk.”
I took a deep breath, summoning every ounce of courage I had. “It’s about the twins. There’s something happening with them—something you need to know.”
He folded his arms over his broad chest, his expression unreadable. “Go on.”
I hesitated, suddenly unsure how to explain without sounding crazy. “A few days ago, something happened in the library. I thought I was going to fall, but... I didn’t. The twins... they stopped it. I’m sure of it. Their eyes were glowing, and—”
“Glowing eyes,they are babies their wolves aren't even close to coming out?” he interrupted, his tone laced with disbelief. “Do you hear yourself?”
“I know it sounds insane,” I said quickly, “but it’s the truth. I’ve also been having these dreams—visions, maybe—where someone tells me the twins are special. That they’re connected to something bigger.”
Jake let out a low, humorless laugh. “Dreams and glowing eyes? That’s what you’ve come here with? You think that’s enough to—”
“I’m not making this up!” I snapped, stepping closer to him. “I don’t care if you believe me or not, but the twins need protection. Real protection. Whatever this is, people cannot know about this.”
He scoffed, shaking his head. “The only danger to the twins is you and your ridiculous theories.”
The words hit me like a slap, but I refused to back down. “You don’t know that. And if you’d stop being so stubborn for five minutes, maybe you’d see that I’m trying to help.”
Jake’s expression darkened, and he took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. “Help?” he said, his voice low and menacing. “By pretending you’re their mother? By acting like you have some divine connection to my dead mate?”
I froze, his words cutting deeper than I’d expected.
“You’re delusional, Ayla,” he continued, his tone dripping with disdain. “Priscilla didn’t give you permission to take her place. You’re nothing but an inconvenience, and if you really want to help, stay the hell away from the twins.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but the look in his eyes silenced me.
“You’re banned from being near them,” he said, his voice final. “I don’t want to see you in the nursery, or anywhere near them. Do you understand me?”
I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me. “Jake, please—”
“Enough,” he growled, turning away from me.
And just like that, he walked out, leaving me standing there with my heart shattered into pieces.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
