Beaufort Creek Shifters (10 book series)
The Wolf’s Secret Twins Chapter 10

Virginia

That man was insufferable. After that little debacle on Friday night when he had watched the twins, he'd come back every night since then, planted his a*s on the porch, and watched the streets until dawn. Each minute I spent awake, I spied on him. I watched from the window. I checked the peephole. Sometimes he sat out front, but most times he sat in the back, checking his phone every so often, the screen lighting up his dumb face. I tried to shake him off. Every time I went on thinking about something else, I went right back to thinking about him and everything we'd done since he'd exploded back into my life. Memories came and went-much like Slater in the evenings.

But tonight, it was different. Tonight was worse than insufferable-it was simply unbearable. He was sitting out on the back porch. And I knew because I could smell his scent wafting through the door, I could hear the creak of the hammock, and I could sense his growing agitation at the fact that I hadn't gone outside to check on him.

All weekend had been like this. Yet all weekend had been irresistibly comforting. The fact that he was taking the time to stake out the yard was a thankless job, something he did of his own volition. I didn't know why. I couldn't even imagine why. Our families hated each other, and a lifelong resentment remained from something that had happened two generations removed.

My gods, what were we supposed to do about that now? It wasn't like either of us had control over the situation. We had been pretty young adults then, and we were still technically young, but time seemed to have aged us both in irreparable ways. If that was the case and we shared that pain, then why did it matter if we were seeing each other?

Because he doesn't know he's a father, I reminded myself. Because seeing him with our kids made my heart ache in so many ways.

I went to the door. I swung it open. I stomped outside. "Listen-"

He caught my shoulders and yanked me into his arms, smashing me to his chest just like he always did when he hadn't seen me in forever. And forever usually meant a few days, maybe even a few hours if he was really feeling romantic.

To feel such affection blasted the anger right out of me.

I hugged him back.

"I'm sorry, Ginny darling," he whispered. "I know I did something stupid the other night. You were clear that you didn't want the twins staying up, and I let them stay up. I'm sorry about that."

I squeezed him hard once. "No, shut up. Don't be sorry. It's just-"

Nope, this wasn't the right time. I couldn't break the news to him now. Sheesh, it had been a week or so since we'd started sleeping together again. Time was just going to make it worse. I had to tell him now. I needed to-

He held me at arm's length and bent to level his gaze with mine. "I know when you're tired, and I know when you're tired from thinking. That's something I won't apologize for. Do you understand, missy?" I gulped and nodded.

Domination wavered from his countenance, a seriousness slithering along his fingers that transferred to me and commanded me to stay still. After all these years, he could still do that. How?

"Now, I have something for the kids," he continued in a gravelly voice, "but you got to promise not to flip your shit or to get mad at them. Got it?"

Nodding was all I could do at this point.

And then he released my shoulders, taking with him that hot energy I wanted to claw right back into my arms. Desperation didn't look good on a single mother. I had to reel it in before I lost myself all over again. Slater lifted a paper bag from the wicker chair behind him. "It took me a couple of days longer than I thought. Beaufort isn't exactly equipped with all the latest technology, but this one should be compatible enough."

He handed me the bag. I peered into it, my brows lumping together when I saw the PlayStation 4 compatible controller. "I don't get it."

"I, uh-" He scrubbed his neck. "Well, I accidentally smashed the controller in there."

I frowned. "Slater, are you serious?"

"I didn't mean to do it, Ginny darling. That's why I said it was an accident."

"Are you that much of a sore loser that you'll break a kid's controller just because you didn't win?"

He crossed his arms over his chest. Gods, why did he have to look so good doing that? Disappointment dripped from every movement, yet all I wanted to do was ride him until my legs gave out.

He shook his head. "No, the twins were telling me about those bullies at school."

I lowered the bag but didn't set it down, keeping it locked between my hands as an anchor to keep me from launching right off the planet from embarrassment. "Oh, I didn't..." I sighed. "I knew about it. I just didn't think they spoke to anyone else about it." "Why didn't you tell me it was getting worse?"

"Because it's not your problem, Slater. Okay? It's just not your problem. It's mine."

Even though I want it to be your problem. Those words were right on the edge of my lips. I could have said them. I even opened my mouth to do it. His stupid parents will get in the way. They hate me. They'll never accept us. Just like my parents.

Tears pooled in my eyes. I turned away, trying to hide my face in the nearby shadows. Darkness had taken over the yard hours ago and the kids were asleep, yet I didn't feel like I had anywhere to hide.

I didn't want to cry again.

Slater caught my shoulder. "Ginny, stop hiding everything. You have to let it out or it's going to eat you alive."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can." He crushed me to his chest, forcing me to drop the bag. "Just let it out, woman. Jesus, fucking cry already."

Angry tears flooded my face as I clenched my jaw. Words tumbled from my mouth altogether like they had been waiting for ages to appear. Plenty of lashings. A few phrases of longing. But mostly, it was just blubbering. Lots of sobbing and blubbering that made me feel like I was losing my mind. Slater brushed his fingers through my hair. He held me tightly. He swayed me a little bit too. Everything he did provided comfort, attention, care. And each thing just made me feel that much worse about the whole situation.

"I'm tired," I whined. "I don't want to hide anymore. I don't like waiting all day to touch you. I want to belong to you, Slater."

Gods, I was getting away with myself. The grief was just taking me over and pushing my yearnings right through the dirt. They weren't flowers. They were weeds. Totally unwanted and ugly little weeds, and they'd always be those things. That was why Slater came under the cover of night-because he didn't want to be seen with me.

"I don't want to hide anymore either, Ginny," he said in a low voice that rumbled through his chest and tickled my ear.

I yanked my head out of his grip. "W-what?"

"I shouldn't be denied a mate just because of some fucker who was jealous," he growled. "You know Bentley did that because he wanted you?"

"I mean, I knew he didn't like me turning him down once, but-"

He kissed me hard. Between each peck, he whispered, "Mine, mine, mine."

Grounding had never felt so good in my life. Each kiss provided me with a step to keep me from falling over. His shoulders became handrails. His arms became floating devices. Here, now, this was what would keep me from disappearing into oblivion. This was exactly what would keep those gossiping jerks away.

Slater, and only Slater could deliver us from persecution.

After all, why would the alphas deny the twins their own father?

"We can petition them," Slater continued between love bites and kisses. "We can tell them we need each other. I've been protecting you. That's evidence enough."

I whimpered when his mouth drifted to my chest. He was making me hot, tenderizing me like he was getting me ready for the grill. All I wanted was to drag him to my bedroom and use him like my favorite new toy. It was unfair to keep him so far away when he was so close...

He cupped my face. "Ginny, what do you think?"

I nodded numbly. "Yes, yes, to all those things. Yes, please."

"Tilt your head-good girl-that's it. Show me where you want it-"

Sharp canines tickled my neck. He traced my artery with the tip of one and lapped my flesh with his tongue. Heat mounted as I arched back, letting his arms cradle me, feeling like a maiden in the moonlight in a fantasy comic caught by a werewolf. My teeth started shifting, the canines from my wolf form appearing at the thought of biting him too.

But we couldn't do anything too obvious. If rumors started up again, that could ruin our plan. I gently guided him to my shoulder and yanked aside the fabric. "Here."

His growl resonated in his mouth. He wanted my throat-but we couldn't risk it just yet.

I urged him forward. "Here, Slater. Please, it's just temporary until we can get our petition approved."

Some hesitance lingered in his grip. I knew how wolves could get, and I knew Slater personally. He would get what he wanted. That was his way. And I wanted him to have me too.

We just had to be careful about it.

And...

"Slater, I have to tell you-"

He bit my right shoulder before I could finish. Electric heat swirled through my body as he sucked on the wound a few times, drawing enough of me into him each time without causing too much harm. What should have been a painful bite became utter ecstasy, throwing all caution to the wind, turning me into silly putty in his arms.

A moment later he licked up the wound, waited for it to heal, and then stood me up. I hadn't even realized he had tipped me back to take me. Dizzy and tired but feeling as satisfied as if I'd had an o****m, I grabbed his shirt and shoved my face into his chest. "Now you're tired," he teased. "Let's get you inside."

What a jerk. He wasn't going to let me walk or anything. He lifted me up, cradled me in his arms, and carried me into the living room. After he turned on the television, he checked the locks on all the doors and then examined the windows. I was half-aware of everything, but so focused on him that I knew what he was doing without him having to say.

Only true mates did things like that.

But how could we be true mates when I was actively lying to him? Guilt crowded my gut and invited him to the couch where he sank into the cushions to gather me back into his arms.

"None of that, Ginny darling," he warned. "You don't have to feel guilty for belonging to me."

That wasn't it. I needed to tell him. I needed to correct him and make amends for deceiving him. Deceiver. Yes, that was my title now, wasn't it? I was wearing the scarlet letter so well that everyone would be able to tell I had bagged Slater without so much as a truth admitted.

His kids were right down the hall. And he had no idea they were his kids.

I'm a fool.

But maybe things wouldn't be so bad once he got to knowing the truth. He wanted to be their father now. I knew because he'd bitten me-and that was enough to quell the guilt for the time being. Slater wanted me, and he wanted to be around the twins. He was good with them. He liked them. And they liked him. What more could we want for our family?

I'm a liar.

Squeezing my eyes shut barely blocked out my thoughts. They beat against the inside of my skull, pushing me to crawl into Slater's lap where I hoped to hide for the rest of my life. Maybe if I stayed in the house with Slater, I wouldn't have to face the world outside. I wouldn't have to face our alphas or his parents. I wouldn't have to face the neighborhood.

Poor Mrs. Pots across the street might miss us. Aside from her, none of the other neighbors wanted anything to do with us. And maybe it needed to stay that way. Hiding in plain sight had been a useful skill before now. Who said I couldn't do it again? But I knew better than to hope for the past to stay buried. Things buried in loose soil always washed up with heavy rain. A thunderstorm approached-and with it would come the waves of truth just waiting to drown me.