The Tormented Mate
Chapter 21

*Emily’s POV*

What an amazing 4 years it has been. We just celebrated the twin’s 4th birthday and welcomed a new bundle of joy into our lives about 9 months ago. My pregnancy and delivery with our new baby girl, Laura, was much different than with the twins. I finally got to tell Braxton and I used to twins to help me. They each had shirts on. Logan’s shirt said, ‘I came first’. Leah’s shirt said, ‘I came second’. The shirt I was wearing said ‘Now comes our third’. It took him a few minutes to put it together before he swept me into his arms and covered me in k****s. Braxton and I got to enjoy every appointment together and he was in the delivery room with me holding my hand. I wish things could have been different with our twins’ birth but looking at our family our life feels complete. We know we want more children but for now we are enjoying life as it is.

I have come into my role as Luna well. The pack loves and respects me, and our children are probably the most spoiled in the pack. My parents have adjusted well to the pack life, but I can see the sadness in their eyes as they age over the years and Braxton’s parents do not. My parents and I know their time with me, and their grandchildren are limited. The only way they could become immortal like us would be for them to become vampires. Vampires and Werewolves and mortal enemies and we do not know if our pack would accept my parents if they turned. They would also have to leave for a few years until they could learn to manage their b***d l**t. Braxton and I said we would talk to them about it and then talk to the pack to see what everyone’s thoughts are on it.

Over the last few years, we have not heard from Zack. Braxton says he very well could have died from his injuries. Braxton said he cut him with his claws good. We have settled into a schedule at our home. Braxton leaves for work every day around 7am and gets home around 3pm. The twins for 3 days a week to the pack preschool and of course the baby and I run errands or stay at home. On Thursdays Braxton attends a meeting at the pack house which is from 8pm to 10pm. We put the kids to bed together around 7:30. Except Laura who usually has her last feeding at 8:30pm and replaces herself in our bed shortly after. Our life is something I have always dreamed of and I could not imagine it any other way.

I hear the front door open and strong arms wrap around my waist. “Hello beautiful.” Braxton says.

“Hello baby. How was work today?”

“Boring.” I need excitement in my life. Our pack gets the least excitement. “He says pouting

“I like how easy our pack is. It gives us more time together with the kids and for other things…” I say and let my voice trail off.

“I love our other activities. Speaking of since the twins are still at preschool, don’t we have time for those other things?” He says and places his hands under by shirt and unsnaps my bra. He lays me down on the couch and removes my jeans. He starts to unbutton his jeans when we hear a cry come from our bedroom.

Laughing he gets off the couch. “I got her.”

He comes back out talking to Laura. “You sure know how to ruin a mood.” He says to our daughter jokingly.

He hands her to me so I can feed her and decides to go get the twins from preschool. When they get home, Laura is back to sleep, and I have started making dinner. Braxton comes into the kitchen and k****s me. “Smells good.” He says before leaving to play with the twins. I finish dinner within a couple hours, and we are all at the table eating when Logan looks at me. “Mommy will you be my mate one day?”

Braxton speaks up before I have the chance. “Mommy is my mate. When you get older you will replace someone who will mean more to you than mommy and you will want to spend forever with them.”

“No. I just want my mommy.” He says back all serious.

Finally, I look at Logan and smile. “Mommy will always be here for you buddy. I love you.”

After dinner I give Laura a bath while Braxton gives the twins a bath. We spend the next 30 minutes or so reading to the twins before both are tucked in and sleeping. Braxton has a meeting tonight, so he takes a shower while I settle down to feed Laura for the last time tonight. Braxton gets out of the shower and gives me a k**s before heading out to his meeting. After finishing with Laura’s feeding, I change her diaper and put her in our bed for the night. She is in bed a little early tonight I notice when I glance at the clock and notice it only ready 10 after 8.

Pouring myself a glass of wine I turn my music on downstairs and start to clean up in the kitchen. After the dishes are done, I wipe down the countertops, sweep and put the coloring books and crayons away the twins were using. I move into the living room fixing the couch pillows and fluffing the blankets up. I look around for my glass of wine and realize I left it in the kitchen. Grabbing my wine from the kitchen I pause and notice that there are some leaves by the back door. ‘That’s odd. I just swept in here.’ I say to myself as I pick them up and place them in the trash. I down my wine in just a few seconds and wash out the cup before laying it out to dry. I notice the trash is full and lift the bag out to take it outside. It is a cloudy and pitch-black night outside. I get goosebumps on my skin as the cold air hits me upon opening the door.

“Dammit Braxton” I say out loud when I notice he has left the trash can at the end of our driveway again.

Making my way to the trash can I start to get dizzy. I stop for a second and try to gather my thoughts. I try to walk on, and everything starts to sway. I am trying to make sense of the steps I am taking but cannot. ‘I only had one glass of wine.’ I think to myself. I make it to the trash can and manage to get the trash put inside the can. I try to mind link Braxton and realize my mind link it not working. I fall to the ground and begin to crawl towards the house. My entire body begins to sway before I know it everything goes dark.