Chapter 17

DANE

Evelyn preferred to stay in the city, so I made my way to the penthouse. It wasn’t the same one I’d shared with Ann–Aurora. It was one Evelyn had picked out, somehow more filled with things and less homey at the same time. At least, it never felt like home to me.

I walked in, still not able to get the sound of the child I’d heard at Aurora’s house out of my mind. Maybe because this pregnancy announcement had come right after—and because I’d had to learn it from the fucking internet.

“Evelyn!”

“I’m in here, baby!” she called.

She trotted into the foyer in a tiny little dress, grinning from ear to ear, then threw her arms around me before I could get a word out.

I took her by the shoulders and pushed her back. “Why the hell does the internet think you’re pregnant?”

She blushed and stammered, suddenly out of sorts. Her eyes got big and watery. “Oh, no! How did they find out? Someone must have leaked it. I was really looking forward to telling you first!”

I stifled a growl that started low in my throat. “How can you be pregnant with my child?” I asked. “I haven’t touched you in over a year.”

Her cheeks turned pink. “I know you said you needed time… but do you remember that night three months ago?”

I knew which night she meant. Three months ago was the eight-year anniversary of the night the Reeds massacred my pack, the night I’d lost my parents and my grandmother, the night I’d been forced to marry the woman who now called herself Aurora DeVere.

Slowly, I nodded. As a rule, I never got shitfaced enough to lose control, because Alphas couldn’t afford to make mistakes. But that one night every year, I let myself go. All the way. I was too ashamed to face the memories.

“Well, that night you were drunk, and you came to my bed, and…” Evelyn’s cheeks turned pink.

My jaw clenched. A year ago, I had stopped sleeping with Evelyn because I’d finally faced the truth: I didn’t love her. But every time I looked at that damn crescent birth mark on her arm, I remembered I owed her my life.

I’d come clean with her. I told her how I felt, tried to break up with her. She wouldn’t hear it. She insisted I’d come around, that I did love her. She refused to break off the engagement.

And now, if she really was having my child….

The image of Aurora’s face danced through my mind. Then, like a vivid daydream, so did the faces of two children—a little boy with dark eyes and blond hair, and a little girl with dark hair and Aurora’s lilac eyes. The picture was so real, my breath caught.

Evelyn thought I was reacting to her. She jumped up and down and clapped. “I knew you’d be excited!”

“I…”

She grabbed both of my hands and pulled herself into my arms again, squeezing while I just stood there. She started babbling about shopping and names and nurseries.

All I felt was cold.

I didn’t want Evelyn to have my child. I owed her, had a responsibility toward her. But I realized then in a way I never had before that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life with her.

Now, I didn’t have a choice.

Honor, Aurora had said last night.

She thought I had honor. I didn’t know if that’s what it was, but I’d grown up without parents, and I wouldn’t let any child of mine live life without their father.

It looked like Evelyn was finally going to get what she wanted: a wedding date.

AURORA

Once I’d snuggled and read to the twins and they were asleep, I called Lilliana.

“Aurora,” she said brightly as she answered the phone. “You never call. How wonderful to hear from you!” Then she made a shocked face. “Oh! I did hear the twins are missing. How terrible! Has Grandmother found them?”

I smiled just as brightly. “It seems someone startled our cousin Evander when they attempted to poison my children, and he thought it was best they be with me.”

Lilliana’s smile turned to a scowl, just for a second. “Oh… they’re with you, now? I’m sure that’s nice.”

“I called to let you know that you should expect a gift from me.”

Lilliana’s eyes sharpened. Just then, someone knocked on her door. I’d timed the call perfectly.

She rose and answered it. Outside was a basket of apples, round and juicy. The same food that had been poisoned for the twins.

Lilliana looked at the phone, her smile gone. “I don’t know what you’re implying.”

“Oh, I think you do,” I drawled, still smiling. “And if you ever come for my children again, it won’t be poison that kills you, Lilly. I’ll do it with my bare hands.”

I hung up and tossed my phone to the other side of the couch.

“Well done,” Evander said. He leaned in the doorway, tall and broad. “Unless that just brings her down on you harder.”

I rolled my eyes. “She’ll have a hard time reaching me here, especially now. I suppose I should be grateful to Dane.”

Thinking of him reminded me of our picture on that news site—of Evelyn, pregnant. I shouldn’t feel an ache in my chest over that. I’d divorced him years ago, so why wouldn’t this feeling go away?

From across the couch, my phone rang. It was Grandma Augusta. I showed the screen to Evander.

“Do you think Lilliana told her?” I asked.

He laughed. “What, and admit she tried to poison her only great-grandchildren and heirs? No.”

I tapped on the answer button and held up the phone. “Hello, Grandmother.”

Without any greeting she said, “Aurora, dear, I need you to do me a favor and have dinner with some vampires. It’s urgent.”