It's Not You Anymore

What The Alpha Female Says

I woke the next morning completely surrounded by bodies. Sabian was curled into my stomach while Annalee cuddled between Z and me making it impossible to move without disturbing my family.  I smiled, Sabian and Annalee had never really slept in our bed, Kaden had always been firm on them sleeping in their own beds but last night it had been him to give in when they had asked. I understood his need to keep them close with everything that had happened and everything we had learned.

A knock at the door had Z on his feet in a second snarling at it which naturally had jerked and scared the hell of poor little Annalee. “Z It’s just the door.” I said gently as I scooped up my shaking daughter and made my way to answer it with him hot on my trail.  It actually didn’t surprise me too much to find Vane standing there on our door step. I was surprised, however, at the fact that he actually looked guilty.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize just how early it was. “

“Vane!” Annalee squealed as she heard his voice and flung herself at him. He easily caught her and lifted her to his hip with smile that could only be found on the face of one mate looking at the other.

“It’s all right.” I said waving for him to come inside.

“Is something wrong?” Z grumbled.

“Other than the constant ‘punish me and not her’? No.” he said shaking his head. Z scoffed but didn’t say anything more about it as we headed into the kitchen and I watched Vane as he sat down. He settled Annalee onto his knee and she immediately began chatting away about all that we had done yesterday. I looked over to Z to find him smiling at the sight. Sure it was unheard of in our kind for males to know who their mates were when she was so young but it was nice to know that no matter what she would always be taken care of. I just hoped her knowing him so early wouldn’t cause them problems.  If she rebelled the mating because of how young she was it would only hurt them both and if she were anything like her father that’s just what I feared would happen, and I wondered for a moment if Vane had ever thought the same thing.

“I have.”

“What?” I asked with a frown.

“I have thought of that as a possibility.”

“Can you-“

“No.” he said with a chuckle. “I’m just good at reading people.”

“What?” Z asked with a frown.

“Just talking about Annalee baby. I’ll make us some breakfast. Annalee go wake your brother please.” I said pushing to my feet and heading over to the refrigerator and I heard her little feet take off toward the stairs.

“What about her?”

“How she has too much of you in her.”

“What is that to mean?”

“It means that we’re afraid she is going to rebel in the mating and proceed to hurt not only Vane but herself as well.” I explained.

“Ah.” Z said but he paused for a moment. “I don’t know I think my baby girl will surprise us all.”

“What if this one is a girl to? Who’s going to be your baby girl then?” I teased with a chuckle.

“Both.” He said with a shrug and both Vane and I chuckled at that, as if it would be that simple. I heard both little feet as they come down and into the kitchen and was surprised when Sabian spoke.

“Vane!” he exclaimed as he ran to the mane with open arms, Vane smiled as he patted the little one who was now clinging to his legs.

“Hey buddy, how are you?”