Chapter 89
RILEY.
Nadia was sitting sideways on my lap as we played cards with my sisters, Katarina, Dawson, Sebastian, and Jenny. Darvin retired to bed early. While Caleb was trying his luck with Anya again, and since he hadn’t returned yet, I wanted to assume everything was going better between them.
My Beta, on the other hand, was in the playroom playing billiards with Sofia.
It was already past midnight when we all decided to settle in the entertainment room to watch some movies, but we ended up with card games.
I had no fucking idea how to play this one, so I just let Nadia play for us while I caressed her thighs and her stomach. Nadia was almost at her four-month mark of pregnancy and although her body frame didn’t change, she already had a small bump on her stomach, which just made her look sexier.
She said she needed to change out of her jumpsuit because it was restricting her movement, but I didn’t expect her to come down wearing one of my loose shirts and just leggings.
It was too simple, but she still looked sexy. But the truth was, I was overwhelmed by her display of affection for me—wearing my clothes when we still had guests around made me want to puff my chest and tell everyone my Luna adores me.
I was getting too emotional, but no one has made me feel happy to be me, except for Nadia. She surely knew how to make a fucker like me feel special.
“Help me decide which card we should throw.” Nadia’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I peeked at the cards she was showing me, but I had no idea what the game was about, so I just continued rubbing my palm on her thigh.
“Hmmm... this one!” I pointed to the ace in her hand.
She giggled as she slapped the cards on my face gently. “It’s a high card. We can’t throw that away.”
“How would I know what to throw? I don’t even understand what you’re playing.” I chuckled as I nuzzled her neck
The females just giggled as Dawson shook his head.
“Because you spend too much time working and have no pleasure. You’re missing out on a lot.” Dawson said.
“What the fuck is the pleasure in playing cards? We better go and do arm wrestling.” I chuckled, but I’ve been dying to find a reason to crush Dawson.
The fucker couldn’t take his hands off my sister, who was sitting on the couch. He was on the floor, between her legs, and he would lay his head on her or rub his hands on her thighs.
I’d been wanting to throw him out, but I reminded myself that as much as I was Ellie’s brother, the fucker was Ellie’s mate. And just like I was to Nadia, he just couldn’t get enough of his mate.
But I still hope he would tone it down in front of me.
“I’ll pass. I know you have a hidden grudge against me. Besides, Ellie wouldn’t like it if I beat and hurt you.” The fucker chuckled, and I just scoffed at him while resting my chin on Nadia’s shoulder.
“I think it’s time for a break!” Sebastian stretched his arms as he leaned his back against the couch.
“No!” The females said it in unison, and my Gamma just blew air out of his mouth before pulling Jenny for a hug.
“But Riley can make us some good-tasting hot chocolate drinks. If anyone wants one!” Nadia exclaimed happily, and I couldn’t help the smug smirk from forming on my face.
My female was making it sound as if I were the best in the world. And it just added up to everything. Nadia was doing great in my life.
“Me!” Both Ellie and Bella raised their hands in the air excitedly.
Nadia turned her head to look at me, a teasing smile curving on her luscious lips. “I told them how good you are at making hot chocolate, so don’t embarrass me.”
I chuckled and pecked her nose. “You just want me out of here. Help me prepare?”
I asked Nadia, but before she could answer, Bella volunteered. “Can I help you?” She smiled shyly before biting her lips, as if waiting for my rejection.
“Can I help too?” Ellie asked, and my voice got stuck in my throat.
“Of course. I’m sure Riley would love that.” Nadia rose from my lap and urged me to stand up.
The twins got up from the couch, and Dawson was about to stand up too, but I shot him a glare. “Stay there.”
He chuckled and raised his hands in the air. “Yes, sir.”
The twins were already standing beside each other and waiting for me. I stopped in between them and snaked my arms around their shoulders before I guided them toward the kitchen.
I’d never been in such close proximity to females before, but this felt comfortable. They were my sisters, but I felt like a father being sad that they would be leaving too soon.
We walked in silence, but I could hear both their heartbeats. They were nervous. Just like me, they probably had no idea how to start a conversation with me.
Once we reached the kitchen, I pointed to Bella, the water cooker, and to Ellie, where she could pick up the mugs while I took out the other things we needed.
“What are your plans with Dawson?” My question was for Ellie.
“I have to go back to Atlanta. We still have months before the end of the semester, but he said he would follow within three days and stay with us for a couple of weeks.”
“Sounds good.” And then my eyes darted to Bella.
“I have no plans.” She chuckled, her cheeks turning red.
“This is the first time I had something before Bella.” Ellie blurted out, and Bella nodded her head.
My brows furrowed as my gaze shifted back and forth between them. “What do you mean?”
“Bella got the first tooth. She was also the first one to lose a tooth. Then she got her period first.”
I almost choked at the last one, and the twins giggled.
“It’s natural for females to talk about their periods.” Bella blurted out.
“I’ve never been around females, and it’s not the kind of blood I encounter every day.”
“You should have a daughter. Then you’ll know you missed out on a lot.”
I smiled warmly at Ellie. “I know I missed out on a lot.” And I mean it. I wondered how it would feel if I got to spend time with them as we grew up.
“But you would rather have a boy, right? To be an heir.”
I nodded my head. “But I want a girl, too.”
“I want a girl, too!” Both blurted it out, and I chuckled.
“Then we will see who among you will get to have a daughter first. So, who excels in class? Does it also go by that Bella always gets the first milestones?”
“No. Mom made sure we never went to the same class. So we were never classmates, and we don’t compare our grades. But we do excel, always at the top of the class.” Ellie beamed proudly, and my chest swelled with pride.
Even if only half of their blood was the same as mine, I’d like to think they have the same drive as me to excel.
“So who had a boyfriend first? Not a mate, but a boyfriend?”
The twins exchanged looks before Bella opened her mouth to speak. “We never really thought about boyfriends because Mom kept reminding us that we have a mate somewhere, and we learned from her experience.”
I swallowed and shrugged my shoulders, but I didn’t say anything.
“I’m sorry. It was insensitive of me to say that.”
“It’s okay, no harm done.” I winked at Bella before I continued pouring the hot chocolate into the mugs Ellie gave me earlier.
“Do you hate us?” Ellie asked, and when I snapped my head to look at her, I saw her eyes were pooling with tears.
“No.”
“If you found out about us earlier, do you think you would want to spend time with us?”
I smiled and motioned for them to come over.
They both rushed into my arms, and I let out a deep breath before I hugged them tightly.
“I don’t hate you. You never did anything wrong to me, and yes, I would find a way to spend time with you both if I knew beforehand.
But it’s not too late, right? Even if Ellie is mated, we can still spend time together, right? ”
They both nodded their heads, and I could hear them stifling their cries.
“I don’t have a mate. I can stay here once the school semester is over. If that’s okay with you.” Bella added.
“That sounds nice. I need someone to clean the packhouse. It is getting more expensive to pay for a housekeeper.”
Ellie giggled, and Bella joined in.
“Bella moves like a snail when it’s time for cleaning, so you need to watch her. Otherwise, she won’t get anything done.” Ellie said and Bella retorted by revealing other secrets about Ellie.
And even if I missed so much of them growing up, I felt good tonight. I was still given time to get to know them more.
Despite going to bed late and spending the rest of the night up to the wee hours of the morning celebrating my mate by pleasuring her, I still woke up and started my day early.
It was only five thirty in the morning, and Nadia had gone back to sleep after waking up when I moved from the bed. After I showered and put on fresh clothes, I made sure she was nicely tucked in bed before heading downstairs.
It was still too early, but I wanted to give instructions to the Omegas in the kitchen that they needed to feed more people for breakfast since everyone was still here. I was already on the second-floor stairs when Darvin’s form appeared in the second-floor corridor.
“You woke up too early.” I greeted him with a nod.
He nodded back, brushing his black hair before giving me a smirk. “An Alpha never sleeps peacefully in another man’s territory.”
I should find it offensive but I didn’t because he was right. We were taught at a young age to never be complacent, even in our most trusted allies’ territories.
“Just sounds right. Coffee?” I asked him, and he nodded before we both stopped in our tracks.
My brows furrowed while I could sense Darvin’s was just relaxed—too relaxed when he should be the one riled up at the scene in front of us.
“What the fuck is that, Beta?” I was keeping myself from growling.
Standing in front of us by the foot of the stairs was Dominic. In his arms was a sleeping Sofia, carrying her in a bridal style while her head rested against his chest.
Dominic swallowed, his eyes shifting from Darvin to me but focusing more on Darvin.
“I swear I didn’t touch her. We fell asleep in the playroom. Separately. I wanted to get up and didn’t want to leave her there. I’m just going to put her in one of the guest rooms.” He was talking so fast, and this was the first time I heard my Beta stutter. “Then I’ll go. Nothing more.”
I trusted my Beta, he wasn’t a playboy like Sebastian but he was also not a saint. Besides, this was Sofia —Darvin’s sister. The last thing I wanted was to start animosity between us because of this, especially, I knew how much he was protective of his sisters.
My eyes narrowed at my Beta, but I felt Darvin’s hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay. I trust your Beta. Yes, you’d better place her in the guest room. She’s not an early riser and will probably be sleeping until almost noon.”
“Alphas,” Dominic acknowledged his words before swinging past us.
Darvin and I continued walking down the stairs once they were out of sight. “I’m sure Dominic wasn’t lying,” I told him.
“I know and if there’s anything that happened between them, I’m sure it was all Sofia’s doing.” He chuckled.
My eyebrows raised at his statement, but I didn’t say anything. It was enough that he wasn’t blaming my Beta at all.
We walked past the corridor, but before we headed for the kitchen, I swung to the left to check if anyone was still in the entertainment room. The place was empty except for two people, wrapped up in each other’s arms by the big sofa.
Ellie and Dawson.
I let out a sigh of relief. Sooner or later, they would mate, but I couldn’t help the relief brewing in my chest knowing they had just slept and nothing more. I grabbed a blanket sitting on another couch and covered them both before I headed back to where Darvin was standing.
“Now you understand why I worry too much about my sisters. It just comes naturally.”
I nodded my head, knowing his words rang with the truth. And if I were in his shoes, I would probably do the same thing—find someone who would protect my sisters at all costs.