Chapter 9

Amelia: Is this really for me?

Alex: Yes, sweetheart; we bought it for your birthday.

Amelia: But there’s just so much...

She burst into tears right in front of us. Feeling awkward, we shifted from foot to foot beside her. Had we made a mistake by buying so much? Then, to our surprise, she turned and wrapped her arms around both of us at once.

Amelia: Thank you, I... I haven’t had anything new for myself since...

Zach: We know. We’re sorry about that, too, so we want to spoil you from now on.

She picked out a simple pair of black trousers and a polo shirt in the same wonderful green as her eyes. Reluctantly, we left her alone to change and waited in the living room. When she emerged from the bedroom, she smelled of soap and her dark, damp hair cascaded down to her lower back; I had never seen such a beautiful woman.

Amelia: I don’t have a hair tie anymore...

Zach: There are some in your bathroom cabinet, but you look beautiful with your hair down.

She blushed with pleasure and gave us a shy smile. Without a word, Alex and I held out our hands; she looked at us and smiled bashfully before slipping her small hands into ours. We went down to the kitchen to make a proper meal. I could feel the pack’s eyes on us, but I didn’t care; we had our mate. Whether the pack is approved right now or not, they will eventually get used to it.

Tobias: Alphas, I’d like to speak with you... in private.

I looked at the man standing before us—Tobias. I had gone out with his daughter a couple of times, and he had harbored hopes of a relationship between us. I knew his daughter, Catherine, fully understood there would be nothing between us—and more importantly, knowing her father, I had never been intimate with her. So, what did he want from us?

Zach: You can speak in front of Amelia, Tobias!

The man grew uncomfortable and blushed slightly. I felt Amelia stiffen between us and realized what she was about to do before she even moved. She pulled away from us and headed toward the kitchen, alone. I crossed my arms over my chest, and my brother did the same, glaring down at the man before us.

Tobias: My Alphas... is it true? That girl is...

He coughed and swallowed hard.

Tobias: Oh, by the Goddess, I can’t even bring myself to say it; it’s just so inconceivable...

Zach: Tobias, listen to me closely: Amelia *is* our mate. Whether you like it or not, you have no say in the matter.

Tobias: But Alpha, a... a...

Alex: MATE.

Tobias: She’s supposed to strengthen her partners, but she... she’s weak, she’s nothing... my daughter...

Zach: Your daughter is a friend who will find her mate one day, but it isn’t me.

Tobias: But... she’s pregnant with your pup, Alpha Zach...

Zach: That’s impossible, Tobias!

Tobias: Are you calling my daughter a liar?

Zach: I never touched your daughter that way, Tobias. What about you, Alex?

Alex: Me neither. She wasn’t my type—very nice, but not my type.

Tobias: But...

Zach: Tobias, have her come here; we’re going to clear this up.

Alex and I exchanged glances; this situation was coming at a terrible time. We were just beginning to build a bond of trust with Amelia, and this story could plant seeds of doubt in her mind. We needed to prepare her, explain things...

Amelia’s POV

I was in the kitchen, unsure of what I was supposed to do. Did the twins expect me to cook for them again? Resigned, I walked over to the fridge and started taking out ingredients to make pancakes. I had just started whisking the eggs when I felt their presence behind me. They moved to stand on either side of me, their arms brushing against my shoulders.

Zach: You don’t have to cook for us, you know...

Amelia: But...

Alex: But we’d be very happy to eat your pancakes if you shared them with us.

Zach: Otherwise, we can ask someone else to make them so you can sit down with us right now—it’s up to you.

Amelia: I need to keep busy... it stops me from panicking... the pack doesn’t want our bond, is that it? "I need you to be honest with me, if you want me to learn to trust you..."

I looked at Alex and Zach, worried about myself; for a moment, I had started to believe it was possible, but then I remembered Tobias’s words:

"She’s weak, she’s nothing." Those words kept playing over and over in my head. The twins would choose the pack; it couldn't be any other way...

Zach: "It’s complicated, Amelia..."

Zach sighed and continued:

Zach: "The pack will get used to it, but Tobias’s daughter is pregnant, and Tobias is accusing me of being the father."

I felt my heart tighten, but I looked at Zach bravely.

Amelia: "Is it true?"

Zach: "No, I promise you it’s not true. Nothing physical ever happened between her and me, or between her and Alex."

I swallowed hard, then looked them both in the eye. I saw nothing but hope and trust. There was something else, too—something warm—though I wasn't entirely sure I understood it.

Amelia: "Okay, I believe you."

I saw relief wash over their faces and a gentle smile spread across their lips—a smile that made my heart beat a little faster. Then I looked at the pancake batter, which was ready. I had acted on autopilot without really realizing it. I took out the frying pans and started cooking the pancake under the awestruck gaze of the two men.

Once the pancakes were cooked, the three of us sat down to eat. Zach piled a ton of syrup onto his pancake, while Alex ate his with peanut butter. Both of them sang the praises of their recipes, urging me to taste their combinations. Surprisingly, it was the blend of the two recipes that I enjoyed the most. The salty note of the peanut butter combined with the mild sweetness of the maple syrup was divine. I wasn't hungry anymore, but my "wolves" kept piling pancakes onto my plate—so much so that I finally had to tell them to stop; I simply couldn't eat another bite.