Chapter 57 - A surprise visit.

EVERYTHING WORKED OUT for once and Lena could give Alaric the good news pretty soon after they had made their decision. She was pregnant, and just like with Ben, she was pregnant with a very strong baby. Her intuition, however, was letting her down terribly this time around as she kept on jumping between whether it was a boy or a girl.

When Lena was pregnant with Ben, she knew deep down that it was a boy, but this time around she just couldn’t tell. She taught Rebecca how to read the baby’s energy without harming the little one and Ben couldn’t wait to meet his sibling while his mother’s belly slowly started to grow in size.

Lena didn’t go to see the doctor until later in her pregnancy, when Alaric told her he was beginning to get worried. The baby’s heartbeat sounded strange and when he couldn’t explain it to Lena, she knew she had no other choice. She was hoping she could get through this pregnancy like she did with Ben, but it wasn’t in the cards and all of them were gathered around her when the doctor switched on the screen. He took a moment to find the baby and then frowned.

“I think I know why the heart beat is sounding strange, Alpha.” He pointed at the screen and they all gasped. “There are two of them and their hearts seem to be beating in unison! I’ve never seen such a thing!” The doctor gaped at them and they gaped right back!

“Twins?” Lena looked astonished and a huge grin broke out on Alaric’s face.

“TWINS!” He whooped as they started to celebrate and Lena lay back on the bed smacking her forehead.

“Oh, goddess no!” Tears started to stream down her cheeks. She wanted a baby! NOT BABIES! How the hell was she going to push out two of them?! Her mind went blank for a moment and then rebooted into fast gear. They were going to need two of everything! Her heart was racing and she wondered if the ancestors had decided to punish her with two because they were a dying breed or if they had just decided to punish her full stop!

The pack was ecstatic to hear the news. Twins in the supernatural world were very rare and considered to be a huge blessing. All Lena could think about were double nappies and double the crying! She wanted a baby! Not two! As the months moved on, she figured out who was who in her little zoo brewing in her tummy and her love for the twins grew to the point where she thought her heart would just burst.

The initial shock of the news had worn off and as the babies grew bigger, their heart rates started beating each at its own pace. They also found out that the reason why she couldn’t initially figure out what the baby was, was because they were a boy and girl. As soon as they found out, Lena promptly informed Alaric that she was completely healed and didn’t want any more children after the twins were born.

In one swoop, they had almost doubled in numbers and the children outnumbered their parents. Alaric found the situation and his mate incredibly funny and had to constantly bite his tongue or he would be in serious trouble. Lena steadily grew in size as the babies grew. As the babies got bigger, she got more and more uncomfortable, but knowing it was only temporary got her through it all.

On the night the babies were born, the moon was full and the stars were bright. Little Eli was born first and Emily quickly followed him. Lena and Alaric had never been as happy as they were at that moment. Sitting with both babies fast asleep on Lena’s chest and Ben grinning at them, Lena knew she was finally home.

It no longer mattered who was who and what they could do. She loved her family with all her heart and nothing would ever take her away from them. She also knew that she would never be able to keep her promise of not doing blood magic if her family was threatened. She would do the death spell in a heartbeat if it meant it would protect her family, but she kept those thoughts to herself.

The babies were moved into the room next to theirs and Alaric quickly found a night nurse to help them take care of the terrible twins who seemed to take turns feeding and burping and filling their diapers. Lena caught a glimpse of Alaric while he changed a diaper and she couldn’t help but laugh.

“What? Did I put it on backwards again?” Alaric looked confused and she shook her head.

“I bet you wish I had these two in the forest.” She laughed, dumping the dirty diaper in the bin. “When you met Ben, he was no longer in diapers.” She explained when Alaric still looked confused.

“I can always arrange that you move to the coven grounds until these two are at least ten.” Alaric grinned at her and she burst out laughing. Taking care of their little ones was hard work, but Lena knew in her heart that Alaric wouldn’t trade them for the world. He loved his family dearly and he did everything in his power to make sure that all of them were happy and safe.

Since the council’s last visit, there had been no need for them to come around again, so when they did show up unexpectedly, it was a bit of a shock. The old Councillor who went through the library seemed to be in charge and at first it seemed as though they were there just to say congratulations, but their true intentions soon became clear.

They were there to find out if the children were all hybrids! Lena looked at Alaric with utter shock in her eyes. What did it matter if they were hybrids?! Alaric and Rebecca were hybrids and that didn’t bother the damn council! Lena was furiously glaring at the council member and Alaric before storming out. There was no way she was going to allow the council anywhere near any of her three children.

They weren’t bothered by Ben until she had the twins, so why were they suddenly so damn concerned?! Besides, the babies were too young to show which side they would eventually choose as their strongest! She was still pacing back and forth when Alaric found her in the babies’ room.

“They aren’t touching my children, Alaric!” She hissed and he took a step back.

“They won’t hurt them, sweetheart.” He was about to take a step forward, but her glare stopped him in his tracks. “Do you honestly think I would allow the council to hurt our children?” He sighed, staring at her. His hands were firmly planted on his hips, but Lena felt that he didn’t understand. It was her kind that was nearly wiped off the face of the earth, not his!

Her family! Her friends! Her damn coven! He might have been the weapon, but the council were the ones who were wielding him all those years ago and she couldn’t help but wonder what their damn ulterior motives were. Lena never trusted the so-called council after the war and she doubted she ever would. After talking to Alaric for a little while and seeing that she had no other choice, she agreed that the council could meet the children, but she had strict conditions.

“No blood tests. No, wait. NO damn tests at all! If they can’t see for themselves that these are innocent babies, then all hope for the council is lost!” She glared at Alaric, who nodded. Lena felt as if their lives were being turned upside down for no reason. They were babies for goddess’s sake! What did the council think they would do?! She picked Emily up while Alaric carried Eli and Ben held their free hands, walking in between them.

Lena couldn’t tell what the council were thinking when they walked in and it frustrated her. She wanted to know how much danger her children were in and it infuriated her that Alaric didn’t seem to realize they were actually in danger. He was far too trusting of the damn council and she would prove to him that they weren’t the saints he thought them to be.

The Councillor held out his hands to take Emily from Lena and she glared at him until Alaric told her it was okay. She hesitantly handed her daughter to the Councillor and her body slightly relaxed when he smiled at her baby. Maybe they wouldn’t harm them … She thought to herself before nearly grabbing her daughter out of the Councillor’s arms. Having them there was far more than she could deal with, so having them touch her children had crossed the damn line!