PEACE BEFORE THE STORM

ALPHA’S SECRET TWINS: RISE OF THE HEIRS

Chapter 11 – The Peace Before the Storm

The morning sun spilled across the territory in soft golden light, warming the large estate that overlooked the forest below.

For the first time in years…

There was peace.

Real peace.

No enemies at the gates.

No fear hanging over the house.

No secrets threatening to destroy them.

Only quiet.

And laughter.

Lia stood near the kitchen window with a cup of tea in her hands, watching the twins outside.

Well…

Not really twins anymore.

Not children either.

They were growing too fast.

Ethan stood in the center of the training field behind the house, sweat glistening on his forehead as he faced Alpha Liam.

“Again,” Liam ordered.

Ethan groaned loudly. “You’ve said that twenty times already.”

“And you’ve failed twenty times already.”

“That’s harsh.”

“It’s true.”

Lia hid a smile behind her cup.

Some things never changed.

Ethan charged forward again, faster this time, his movements sharper than before. Dust kicked up beneath his boots as he threw a punch toward Liam’s side.

Liam blocked easily.

Too easily.

“Predictable,” Liam said calmly.

Ethan growled in frustration. “Can you stop doing that?”

“Stop leaving openings.”

“I hate training with you.”

“No, you hate losing.”

That earned a glare.

Lia laughed softly under her breath.

Outside, Ethan heard it immediately.

“That’s not funny, Mom!”

“It’s a little funny,” Lia called back.

Ethan pointed accusingly toward Liam. “See? This is emotional abuse.”

Liam looked completely unbothered. “You’re dramatic.”

“I get it from you.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

Lia shook her head, smiling despite herself.

Moments like this still felt unreal sometimes.

After everything they had survived…

After all the fear and running and pain…

This life still felt fragile.

Like something she was scared to touch too hard in case it disappeared.

A quieter presence stepped beside her.

Elena.

Unlike Ethan, Elena moved silently—almost too silently. Calm and observant, always watching more than she spoke.

“You’re thinking too much again,” Elena said softly.

Lia sighed. “Am I that obvious?”

“To me? Yes.”

Elena leaned against the counter beside her, dark eyes drifting toward the training field.

Ethan lunged at Liam again.

Failed again.

“Your brother is getting reckless,” Elena murmured.

“He’s competitive.”

“He’s emotional.”

Lia smiled slightly. “You say that like you aren’t related.”

“I’m smarter than him.”

“That’s definitely true,” Lia admitted.

Outside, Ethan suddenly yelled—

“I HEARD THAT!”

Elena didn’t even blink.

“That hearing is becoming annoying.”

Lia’s smile softened.

Their abilities had developed more over the past few months.

Faster healing. Enhanced senses. Increased strength.

And something else.

Something deeper.

Especially with Elena.

Lia noticed it in small moments.

The way Elena sometimes stared into space like she was listening to voices nobody else could hear.

The way animals reacted around her.

The way emotions shifted whenever she became upset.

It worried Lia more than she admitted aloud.

“You’re hiding it again.”

Lia blinked, looking at Elena.

“What?”

“Fear,” Elena said simply.

That calmness sometimes unsettled Lia.

“You shouldn’t be able to read me that easily.”

Elena tilted her head slightly. “But I can.”

Before Lia could answer—

A loud crash echoed outside.

Both of them turned instantly.

Ethan lay flat on the ground while Liam stood over him with crossed arms.

“You cheated!” Ethan snapped.

“I moved.”

“You moved unfairly.”

“There’s no such thing.”

Lia pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Should we help him?” Elena asked.

“No,” Lia answered immediately. “Your father enjoys winning too much.”

Elena nodded seriously. “True.”

The back door suddenly opened.

Liam stepped inside first, completely calm.

Ethan followed behind him looking deeply offended.

“You hit too hard,” Ethan complained.

Liam grabbed a bottle of water from the counter. “You’ll survive.”

“One day I’m going to beat you.”

Liam took a slow drink before answering.

“No, you’re not.”

Ethan gasped dramatically. “Mom, are you hearing this disrespect?”

Lia raised an eyebrow. “Pretty sure he’s the Alpha here.”

“And I’m the victim.”

Elena sat down quietly. “You say that every day.”

“Because every day is suffering.”

Liam finally smirked slightly.

Small.

Quick.

But real.

Lia noticed immediately.

And for a second…

Her chest tightened.

Because even now,

Years later,

That look still affected her.

Liam’s eyes lifted toward hers briefly.

And just like that,

The room shifted.

Not dramatically.

Subtly.

But enough.

That familiar pull still existed between them.

Deep. Quiet. Dangerous.

Lia looked away first.

She hated that he still had that effect on her.

“You’re staring again,” Ethan said suddenly.

Lia nearly choked on her tea.

“I am not.”

“You totally are,” Ethan replied.

Elena nodded once. “It’s uncomfortable.”

Liam looked entirely too amused now.

Lia narrowed her eyes at all three of them. “I regret raising this family.”

“You love us,” Ethan said proudly.

“That’s the problem.”

The peaceful moment didn’t last.

It never did.

A sudden chill swept through the room.

Subtle.

But wrong.

Elena straightened immediately.

Her expression changed first.

Calm turning alert.

Then Ethan felt it too.

“I don’t like that,” he muttered quietly.

Liam’s entire posture shifted instantly.

Alpha instincts taking over.

Danger.

Lia felt it seconds later.

A heavy pressure in the air.

Like being watched.

The room fell silent.

Even the wind outside seemed to stop.

Elena slowly turned toward the window.

“They found us.”

Lia’s stomach dropped.

“What do you mean?” Liam asked sharply.

Elena’s eyes darkened slightly.

“There are people at the border.”

Ethan moved instantly toward the door. “Enemies?”

“I don’t know yet.”

Liam was already moving.

“Stay inside,” he ordered.

“No,” Ethan argued immediately.

“Yes.”

“I can fight.”

“And you’ll listen.”

The Alpha command in Liam’s voice silenced the room.

Ethan clenched his jaw—but obeyed.

Barely.

Liam looked toward Lia next.

“Lock the doors.”

Fear crept coldly into her chest.

Not again.

Please not again.

Liam stepped closer to her briefly, voice lower now.

“I’ll handle it.”

But Lia grabbed his wrist before he could leave.

His eyes met hers instantly.

And beneath all the tension—

All the fear—

There it was again.

That connection.

“What if this is bigger than we think?” she whispered.

Liam’s expression hardened.

“Then they’ll regret coming here.”

Outside, deep within the forest…

Several figures stood hidden between the trees.

Watching the estate.

Watching the heirs.

One of them stepped forward slowly.

A young Alpha with cold silver eyes.

And when he smiled—

There was nothing friendly about it.

“They’re even stronger than the rumors said,” he murmured.

Behind him, another wolf asked quietly—

“What now?”

The stranger’s gaze remained fixed on the house.

“Now…”

His smile widened slightly.

“We begin.”