Outnumbered

Abby’s POV By the time the kids woke up, another course had already been served.After the meal, I decided it was time to go home.“I thought we agreed they were spending the whole day with me,” Hayden said, sounding almost disappointed.He was right, but I couldn’t stay anymore. I thought of something to say to escape but nothing came. “I already got tickets for them to an amusement park this evening,” Hayden finally said.My brow pulled. “Why again? They already had enough fun here.”“It’s what I arranged yesterday,” he replied simply.“Let it be tomorrow evening,” I said, a little too quickly. “They’ve had enough today.”He paused, then nodded. “…Alright.”It was only after he agreed that it hit me. I had just created another reason to be around him again tomorrow. My chest tightened faintly.Not so soon.Not after the kiss.I pressed a hand to my forehead.The memory still lingered stubbornly in my head. Worse… my lips tingled every time I thought about it, like it had happene

Always Between Them

Abby’s POV Thankfully, the twins unknowingly salvaged the situation before the tension could grow worse.“Derek, see!” Amy said excitedly, lifting Molly proudly. “Hayden buy it for me!”“Bought, sweetheart,” I corrected automatically.“Hayden bought it for me,” she repeated obediently.Derek chuckled softly. “Can I see it properly?”Amy immediately wriggled toward him.Hayden hesitated for the briefest second before finally releasing her hand.Asher followed right behind her without thinking twice.Something unreadable crossed Hayden’s face before he looked away.Derek crouched slightly as Amy shoved the stuffed bunny into his face proudly.“Nice,” he praised seriously before pretending to inspect it closer. “But what if I get you one even bigger than this?”He spread his hands wider dramatically.Amy gasped softly. “Really?”“Mhm.”Asher immediately tugged Derek’s sleeve. “Mine too. A big car.”Derek laughed under his breath, ruffling his hair lightly. “Sure, my boy.”I heard Hayden

Parasitic Wolf

Abby’s POV Ruby had to go to the hospital for a proper checkup after the purging kept coming and going.So, I took the kids to the restaurant instead.Derek didn’t come home last night. He only called to say he had things to handle and wouldn’t be back until later.I knew better. He didn’t need time for work. He needed space.Before leaving for the restaurant, I called Father to check on him. When we spoke the previous night, he complained that the twins had already fallen asleep before he could talk to them.So this morning, I let him speak to them before we left.His voice softened instantly the moment Amy and Asher started talking over each other through the phone.Amy kept trying to grab the phone from Asher just to scream louder into it.I couldn’t help smiling as he giggled over the phone listening to them.It reminded me of how he used to be with me before my eighteenth birthday changed everything between us.But I knew better now. We had both been hurting back then.I promise

Not Fatherless

Abby’s POV I turned my head toward her, my nose flaring.Elowen smirked. “Good. It pleases me that you at least know what you are.”Her eyes dragged over me slowly as she stepped closer. “A parasitic wolf.”Ever since she had incurred the wrath of a mother when she touched Amy at my restaurant the last time, she hadn’t set foot there again. And I hadn’t seen her around Derek’s pack since then either.I knew Ruby must have told Derek what happened, and he would have likely prohibited her from entering his pack.Her anger toward me might have been justified for making her fall out of favor with her crush… but not for calling me that.“I’ve warned you countless times,” I said coldly. “I am no parasite to anyone.”“You are,” she snapped, folding her arms. “To Alpha Derek, of course. He's so focused on fatherless children that aren’t even his…”“Excuse you?” Hayden’s voice cut in sharply from behind me.“Did you just call my children fatherless?” he asked, his tone dropping dangerously lo

For The Picture

Abby's POVThey pulled me toward the carousel entrance where Hayden was already standing, as if he had been waiting for this exact outcome.“You didn’t have to send the kids to get me,” I said quietly.He raised an eyebrow.“Did I?”I gave him a look but didn't bother arguing.A faint huff of laughter escaped him.The sound did something annoyingly strange to my stomach.Oh, for Moon Goddess' sake.I looked away before I could dwell on it and forced my attention back to the twins.Together, Hayden and I settled them onto two neighboring horses. Hayden stayed beside Amy while I stood next to Asher, each of us keeping a hand near them as the ride prepared to start.It also left Hayden and me standing far closer than I was entirely comfortable with.The carousel began to move.Music drifted through the air as the horses rose and fell in a gentle rhythm. Amy and Asher squealed with delight, waving excitedly at each other every time they came into view.Beside them, Hayden and I remained c

Closer Than Intended

Abby’s POV Hayden’s hand pressed lightly at my back, keeping me closer. There was barely any space between us now, and my heartbeat quickened uncomfortably as his face came slightly nearer.Then he stopped."We're good this way," Hayden said calmly. "She isn't fond of too much attention.”Good job. A convenient excuse invented on the spot.Still, I couldn’t look away."Oh... she's the shy type, just like my husband," the woman said with a laugh.I barely heard the rest of her words after.Everything around me faded to the background until all I was aware of was Hayden. Those impossibly blue eyes remained fixed on mine.And for a moment that felt far longer than it should have, neither of us looked away.Then a soft, warm laugh broke through the moment.“You both remind me of when my husband and I were younger,” she said.It was only then I realised the photo had already been taken, but neither of us had moved.Heat rushed to my face instantly.My heartbeat jumped again, worse this ti