5 years later

The grease trap wasn’t working again.

I wiped sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand.kicking the pipe under the sink with my foot.”come on,you stupid shit.why do you always do this to me?every damn night.”

“Mama,zael’s eating sugar packets again “Zara shouted from the kitchen.

I clenched my eyes.praying to the moon goddess for some patience.”Zara,tell your brother to stop or no cartoon time for two nights straight “

“Mama he won’t listen,he said he’s a wolf and wolves need sugar to be strong “

Of course he did.because I know he can feel it.he can feel them.even when I’ve spent 5 years of our lives protecting them,hiding their identity.the twins can feel their fathers..

It’s been 5 years since I ran away from Darkthorn pack with nothing but a key.The Alpha twins had everything.they could have given me something for the babies but they gave me nothing.

Just a key and a promise they broke.

Right before I escaped.the Alphas arranged a place for me and the pups right in the Middle East of the forests.They ordered three of the pack guards to escort us somewhere we’ll be safe.they told me I’d be safe.that once the heirs were born,they’d take us somewhere safer.

But they betrayed me.

They only wanted the pups.they ordered my death,once the heirs were born.

They wanted to take my babies away from me.

But I didn’t allow it.I ran.

I don’t know how I managed to kill two strong wolf guards.but I did.Maybe the moon Goddess was on my side or maybe it was just pure luck.But I killed them. I overheard them talking to the healer one night,when the moon was brighter than every other night.that it was the Alphas order to give me poison once the pups were born.

How could I have been stupid and blind to not see how they made my escape easy?without them fighting for the pups.They broke one rule that has been obeyed for thousands of years for me?i should have seen it coming.

But that doesn’t matter now.what’s important is that I managed to escape.saving myself and my puppies from the wicked pack.

Now I was Rose park.single mom of twins who looked exactly like their fathers.and a waitress.An expert at fixing grease traps at midnight at yhanna’s diner.a human food cafe that’s just 4 hours from pack territory.

Zael came running around the corner,five years old with black hair and wild ice-blue eyes.Damon’s eyes.my little wolf had five sugar packets in his little hand.

“Mama I’m not Zael,I’m Alpha Zael.the sugar wolf.”he exclaimed proudly.

Zara followed,a little slower.holding a crayon drawing.she had the same black hair but her eyes were Darian’s.warm gold.”mama look,I drew us!”

The drawing revealed stick messy figures.One big,the other one small and smaller one,all holding hands.which I recognized as me,Zael and Zara.But above them,stood two larger figures with angry faces.

“Who are they?”I asked kneeling down in front of my daughter.

Zara pointed at the angry faces”daddies who always make you sad mama”

My heart stopped beating at that moment.Never have I ever told the twins about their fathers or their true identity.I’ve never dared to mention the name Alpha,never shifted in front of them.i even scolded Zael whenever I caught him growling at dogs on the streets.

“They’re not-“I started.trying to figure out how to explain everything without having them ask any further questions.”they’re not your fathers.And where did you even-“

The diner bell rang.

Midnight.we were already closed.My boss already left at 10.this was odd.

“Hide”I whispered to the twins who luckily always obeyed without asking questions.”kitchen.Now!”

Zara grabbed Zael’s hand.they knew the drill.I’ve spent 5 years of my life training them for unexpected moments like this.Back door,into the forest.always run when mommy says run.

As soon as the twins were out of sight.i stood,wiping my hands on my apron that hang around me.turned and I immediately froze on my spot.i forgot how to breath.

Damon Darkthorn stood at the diner entrance.he looked….different.five years had carved him something much worse.His shoulders were broader,he had a scar across his jaw.the suit he wore looked so expensive.worth more than my yearly check.his icy blue eyes didn’t look as cold as before,they looked empty.longing.

Darian stepped in just behind him.Same face,same scar which I assumed where marks from war.But his eyes,oh God of the moon.They looked hunted.Troubled.

They weren’t in combat gear anymore.They were in power.Billionaire CEOs,Alpha kings.They were Darkthorn twins who owned everything.Half the state now belonged to them according to human news.

And they were in my diner for the first time after five years.

“We’re closed”I said.surprised that my voice didn’t break.i was proud of that.

Damon flared his nostrils,scenting.

Darian went very,very still.like a human statue.because the kitchen door had cracked open.Revealing two small faces peeking.

And Zael,my brave ,stupid little boy chose that very moment to whisper “whoa,they look like me”

The universe became still.I stopped breathing for a while.Because Damon moved so fast,one minute he was standing by the door,and the next across the diner.near my pups.but he wasn’t touching them.yet.

Zael didn’t flinch nor blink at all,he stared right back.same Ice blue eyes.Same stubborn attitude.same face.

“Are you my father?”he tilted his head to the side,studying the face of the man kneeling in front of him.slowly,he lifted his tiny hand.his index finger poking Damon’s nose.

Damon gasped.like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing,what he was seeing.what he was feeling.

Darian hit the counter.wood scattered everywhere .”impossible”he breathed out but his eyes were on Zara.on her gold eyes,his eyes.the same gold cat eyes.

I stepped between them and my kids.they weren’t about to take my life away from me.Not when I’m still breathing.

Damon looked at me slowly,the emptiness in his eyes seem to vanish.Replaced by rage.

“You stole them”he growled.I almost flinched.

“I saved them”I said,looking him straight in the eyes.”from you “

“You lied”Darian said.his voice sounded so broken.But the anger was written on his face.

“We told you to run.that we’d send help,and as soon as they were born we’ll take you somewhere safer.”

“Stop lying “I shouted “I know everything,your plans to have my pups and kill me immediately after giving birth.”they looked shocked when I revealed the truth.Darian’s eyes singed guilty,he looked away.biting his bottom lip.

“You rejected me”I was shaking now.five years of fear and hate boiling.

“You signed my death warrant,what did you expect?that I’d wait nicely like a good girl to be executed after birth?”

“We helped you escape,why are you being so ungrateful?”Damon said through his teeth.

“Help me escape? By ordering your men to kill me and take away my babies?you’re monsters and I should never have trusted you “

Zara stepped out from the kitchen.her little hand slipping into mine.”mama,are they bad guys?”

Damon dropped to his knees.like he had been stubbed.”No”he whispered to her”No sweetheart,we are-“he’s gazed drifted to me,lost.”we’re not”

Darian was already moving past me.into the kitchen.i spun,panicking.i was ready to fight.but he stopped at the drawing on the floor.the one with the angry daddies.

“You told them about us?”he asked.his fingers touching the piece of paper that at the moment felt like a life line between us.

“I told them nothing.They felt you.in here.”I slowly lifted my my hand to tap his chest”the bond you broke “

Damon stood,the Alpha was back because he looked colder than what I recall.controlled.he was terrifying.”pack law states that-“

“Pack law can go to hell”I said,shoving him back.i was done hiding and being afraid of them.they could kill me if they want but at least I’ll die protecting my children.”This is human territory.you have no jurisdiction here.”

“We have DNA”Darian said quietly.”we can scent that they are ours”

“And I have five years of birth certificate that says father UNKNOWN “I shot back.”Good luck in human court Alphas”

The diner grew silent.the kind before war.Then Damon did something unexpected.he pulled out his phone,dialed a number “Alice”he began “The deal’s off.I’m buying the whole block”.hanging up,he looked at me.

“Yhanna’s diner.the apartment above it.the lot next door.i own it as of tonight.”

I felt my blood running cold”why?”i asked.

“Because you live here.so now it’s ours”

Daria stepped closer,not touching me nor the kids.just close enough that I smelled him.

“You don’t have to run anymore jennie“he whispered.

“Don’t call me that.it’s Rose park now”I snapped.

Damon’s eyes flashed “you a darkthorn now,you always were”

“No”I pushed them.pulling zael and Zara behind me.”I was rejected and you ordered men to kill me.Remember?”

“We were wrong.we’ve spent five years regretting that.”Darian said.the words sound ripped coming from him.

Damon then pulled out a thick paper from his expensive jacket.”here.sign this.”

“I’m not signing anything.Now get out”

“It’s not pack law.”his voice was cold again.”it’s human law.it’s a nanny contact.you can stay with them, you can raise them but you’ll let us know them.”

“You don’t have the rights to turn me into a nanny.And you certainly don’t have the rights to be in their lives.”

“We’re the fathers.”Damon growled.

“And I’m their mother you tried to kill.I’m the one who raised them well even when I had nothing to survive on….you both don’t have the rights to give me conditions to raise my kids.”

“They’ll kill you if they find out you’re still alive.And whether you like it or not the pack needs it’s heirs.The kids will come with us.so just sign this and return,we’ll protect you.House,money.school.No one touches you or them,ever again.”

“And if I refuse?”

Darian’s golden eyes grew,just like when he shifts.”Then we take them tomorrow,with human lawyers.With money.With the entire Darkthorn legal alliances.”he’s voice dropped lower”Which means you’ll never see them again.”

Zael chose that very moment to yawn “Mama,I’m tired.When will the bad men leave?”

Damon snorted.

I looked at my kids.the life I built from the ground.At the contract.At the pack and the human law.

Either way.they were going to win.

“What’s the pay?”I whispered.hate that I sounded defeated.

Damon smirked,it wasn’t a smile yet.”100 thousand,each child.monthly.”

I met their eyes.Ice blue and gold ones.No choice.

“Where do I sign?”