It's Not You Anymore

The Beginning

“MOMMA! It’s time you get up!” Was the cry I heard before I felt a tiny body crawl all over me, digging into me and dragging me from the deep slumber I had just been in. Another was not too far behind the first as I heard the sweet innocent giggles of my twins. Prying my eyes open I shifted to look to them. They both sat crouching on either side of me, leaning onto their hands so they were only a couple of inches from my face. Their jade green eyes so similar to their fathers sparkling with amusement and far too much energy for it to be so early.  “Good morning Sabian. Good morning Annalee.” I said looking to the area of the bed beside me only to find it completely empty. I frowned. Zaden was never up before I was.

“I’m sorry baby. I tried to stop them before they disturbed you but you know how they get when they set their minds to something.” Zaden said as he appeared in our doorway. He wore only a pair of black cotton pajama pants. Revealing his broad, toned, chest and shoulders that was ripped with corded muscle. His tanned skin natural all year round. Even in the dead of winter. Something both of the kids had inherited as well. It was his jade colored eyes that I was staring into every time I looked at the twins. Both almost a spitting image of their father. Annalee had inherited my petite frame where Sabian took on his father’s bigger frame. Which made sense seeing as Zaden was born and raised to be Alpha, but had yet to challenge the position and Sabian would be next.

“It’s all right. I’m glad to be up with you guys.” I said as I stretched and caught the sweet scent in the air with a smile. “You’re cooking?” He smiled a shy smile, “I was hoping to have it done before you got up”

“Awe. How sweet.” I said as I sat up looking to the other two ”Were you in on this as well?” They both beamed nodding vigorously. “Awe. Thank you babies.” I said pulling them both to me so I could kiss the tops of their heads. Pushing off the blankets I swung my legs off the bed and got to my feet so that I could scoop Sabian into my arms. “Come on. Let’s go enjoy this breakfast you were all setting up.” Annalee took off down the hall as Sabian curled into my chest comfortably. He had always been a mommas boy, even for the future big bad Alpha it was me he came to whenever he sought comfort. His father was for knowledge. His mother was for comfort. As I approached the doorway Zaden pushed himself off the door frame and leaned in to kiss Sabian on the head before pressing his lips to mine. “Good morning gorgeous. I didn’t hear you come in last night.”

“I know. I was helping Angela clean up. Two of my third shift girls called off last night so she was by herself.”

“Jacqlynn. You promised me.” He grumbled shaking his head and giving me a disapproving stare.

“I promised back when I was pregnant Zaden. I don’t have much a choice. It’s my restaurant.” I said gently as I began down the hall ending the conversation.

Zaden and I had mated three years ago, and had the twins shortly after our mating. They were now going on two years and they were the light of my life. Zaden and I had been an arranged mating when the man I had fallen in love with had fled and left me alone and defenseless. They had done it in an attempt to get me to move of from Elias, and to give Zaden a strong mate to bare his pups. It had worked out better than either of us had ever imagined. Neither of us had been against the mating, but neither of us had known each other either. So we had done as we were asked, and now had fallen for each other before the pups were even born. Zaden was a good man, with a good heart; he had always taken good care of me and looked out for when it mattered most. Through every step of the pregnancy he had been with me, through my first heat he had been with me, it was more than I could ask for and it was hard not to love him. I couldn’t picture my life without him anymore. He had even helped me open the restaurant I had always wanted and sent those who needed help in the pack the most my way so that I would be able to have a staff.  

“I really wish you would hire an assistant manager baby. I really don’t like you there all night, at least without one of us.” Zaden said quietly coming up behind me so he could wrap his arms around my waist once I sat Sabian in his seat.

“I could use a male server for third shift to make the girls feel better. You know any you could send my way.” I asked as I leaned back into him.

“I’ll look into it as long as you look into hiring an assistant, okay baby?” He said as he pressed a kiss into my shoulder and made his way back to the waffle maker to finish breakfast.