Chapter 54: Chapter 54

I followed Liam and Ethan into the dining room, noticing how different it looked from Axel’s. Liam and Ethan’s house was equally grand and extravagant, but it felt more like a home.

The twins had spent their whole lives in this house, and it showed in every floor and piece of furniture.

The dining room was spacious enough for a large group of people, but it felt bright and cheerful. I followed the twins to the end of the table, blushing when Ethan pulled out a chair for me to sit on. I was squeezed between them, with little space, but I didn’t mind. Their dad sat on the other side of the table, across from Liam, while their mom brought out the plates from the kitchen counter.

As she uncovered the plates, my stomach growled at the sight of roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, an array of vegetables, and steaming rolls. It was more than enough food to feed five people, but I remembered what Liam and Ethan had said about werewolves eating more than a human. Either way, someone the size of Liam and Ethan would need to eat a significant amount of food, whether human or not.

Ethan was the first to reach forward, snagging a warm roll from one of the plates. His mom caught the action and huffed, rolling her eyes at her son. Liam lifted my plate off the table and began piling food onto it, showing me an innocent smile once he was done.

“One would think I never feed them,” his mom chuckled under her breath, raising an eyebrow as she watched Ethan inhale the steaming roll. “I was so excited when I found out I was pregnant with twins. If only I knew how much food I would be making.”

“We’re not that poorly educated,” Liam smiled, piling food onto his own plate.

“You say that, but there’s a reason you made Sussan’s plate before yours,” his mom chuckled, giving her dad a stern look as he too piled food onto his plate.

“They’re still growing,” his dad shrugged, grabbing an extra roll from the center of the table.

“What’s your excuse?” his mom laughed, eyeing her husband’s plate playfully. “Werewolves don’t stop growing until they’re at least fifty-four.”

His dad confidently nodded, although a smile twitched at the corners of his lips.

This is how a family is supposed to be, I thought.

Liam and Ethan continued bantering with their mom, who playfully replied to them. The lighthearted jokes were fun, and soon their dad chimed in. Their mom did an amazing job handling three adult werewolves, especially three males. It was obvious how close-knit this family was, and it felt strange how easy it was to be with all of them.

“This will be our family too,” Gea nodded. “Someday, they’ll be the grandparents of our children.”

“Alright, although what you’re saying is too personal,” I shook my head. “My relationship with Liam and Ethan is nowhere near that stage.”

“It will happen, despite everything,” Gea teased. “They were made for us.”

“They were, but that doesn’t mean I want to talk to you about my future children,” I denied, once again shaking my head.

Liam gave me a curious look, probably noticing the blush that had formed on my cheeks. I set aside thoughts about future children and gave him a reassuring smile. Gentle sparks slid down my leg as Ethan’s hand brushed against my knee.

Their mom and dad seemed to pick up on everything, every silent glance or interaction that happened between the twins and me. Their dad leaned forward, his eyes curious.

“So, you’re Axel’s daughter. You have his eyes, as well as some of his gestures, although I’m sure you already know that. Are you older than his other daughter?”

“Yes, sir,” I nodded, swallowing my nerves. “Now he’s determined to get me to take care of his pack.”

“And how do you feel about that?” Their dad asked. “I mean, taking over a pack, especially when you’ve lived your life as a human.”

His mom gave his husband a gentle shoulder punch, and he shrugged delicately, offering an apologetic smile. The more I saw the two of them interact, the more I knew they were mates. The brief glances they exchanged held a familiarity and passion I knew little about. They had spent years together, had children together. That kind of bond couldn’t be replicated, and I wondered if mine would grow with time, if someday I would look at Liam and Ethan as if they were a part of me, an extension of myself.

“You’re asking the girl when we haven’t even introduced ourselves, Jordan,” his mom teased, turning her sweet eyes towards me. “I’m Nicole.”

“Well, we have been introduced,” Jordan grumbled, giving his wife a playful smile. Then he turned his attention back to me, and it took me a moment to realize he was waiting for a response.

“Well, I didn’t actually want anything to do with it at first,” I grimaced. “Things have changed, though I still don’t appreciate being manipulated by him. If I take over his pack, it will be on my terms. I won’t be a puppet, especially for people like Axel.”

“You’ve spoken like a true Luna,” Jordan nodded, and some of the tension left his eyes. “Do you understand that someday your future pack will merge with ours?”

“I do,” I said, feeling pride radiating from Liam, while surprise lingered in Ethan’s eyes. I met Ethan’s astonished gaze, almost getting lost in the intensity of his dark eyes.

Jordan’s mouth opened to say something else, but a knock sounded on the front door. Jordan patted his wife’s shoulder and left the dining room. The heightened capabilities of my senses continued to surprise me as I heard the front door open, and a low, familiar voice spoke.

Axel stood at the front door, insisting to be let in.

“I know she’s here, Jordan. I know you brought her back.”

Liam and Ethan’s dad spoke in a low voice, and I could hear the underlying wave of anger in his words. For some reason, Liam and Ethan’s dad didn’t like Axel. I silently prayed to whichever God might be listening for Jordan to shut the door in Axel’s face.

My stomach dropped as two pairs of heavy feet crossed the house towards the dining room.

Axel stood at the dining room door. He was wearing a slate gray suit and shiny dark shoes. His brown hair was combed back, and his eyes glinted with surprise. He entered the dining room and locked eyes with me, restrained intensity in his gaze. I could see words bubbling on his lips, and I winced as I waited to hear what he would finally say.

“You left,” Axel said, furrowing his eyebrows.

For a moment, I wanted to laugh in his face. The surprise burning in his eyes was amusing in a terribly sad way. He had left me when I was a baby, barged into my life seventeen years later just to tell me I wasn’t human, that everything I knew and thought were lies. He expected me to willingly lead his pack, with him pulling the strings.

And now he was accusing me of leaving, just a few days!

Axel hadn’t expected me to go, to slip away in the night. He really thought I would do exactly what he had planned, all because he played a crucial role in creating me.

“You noticed,” I replied, unable to hide the snort in my words. “I guess we’re both full of surprises, Axel.”

Axel’s eyes hardened, and I braced myself for whatever comment might come out of his mouth.

“You had me and your mother worried,” he said.

“Really?” I scoffed, my jaw dropping. “Since when has Lia been worried about anyone other than herself?”

Some of the anger faded from Axel’s eyes as a tired sigh escaped his lips. “Your mother cares in her own way.”

“Lia never cared about me, not once. She has never even tried to prove otherwise,” I shook my head.

“We’ll finish this conversation at home,” Axel sighed, almost looking like a concerned father.

The stress in his eyes invoked little guilt within me. Axel never cared about what upset me when he demanded I take over his pack, so why should I feel guilty for leaving? The only people who deserved an explanation were Liam, Ethan, and Aly.

Now that I thought about it, Axel was inviting me to a house that wasn’t really a home. His luxurious house felt withered and dead inside. No laughter, no familiarity or comfort. Even after spending an hour in Liam and Ethan’s house, I could feel the warmth radiating from every picture on the wall, every stain or chip in their furniture. Axel’s house was a tomb, a prison cell.

“I’m not living with you, Axel,” I shook my head, catching Liam’s reassuring gaze. “One of my conditions for coming back here was deciding where I wanted to live.”

“They let you come back with conditions?” Axel grimaced at Liam and Ethan, his eyes darkening to a deep navy blue.

“What did you expect them to do?” I exclaimed. “Knock me out, throw me in the back of a car, and drag me back? Unlike you, they actually respect my decisions.”

“Where will you live, Sussan?” Axel asked grimly, his voice eerily calm. “With Lia and Dub? Or will you wait for your partner’s parents to allow you to live here?”

Under the table, Ethan gave my leg a gentle squeeze as Liam looked toward his parents. Nicole’s eyes were not on her sons but on me. Concern and interest filled her gaze, and through her look, I could see how genuinely compassionate she was. She turned her eyes to Axel, and I saw them harden before she opened her mouth to speak.

“Sussan is welcome to live with us,” Nicole replied in a polite but cutting tone. It seemed Jordan had no disagreements with his wife’s words and gave Axel a brief nod.

“I’ll come tomorrow to pick up the rest of my things from your house,” I nodded at Axel. “We’ll talk then.”

Axel replied, turning towards Jordan.

“Thank you for letting me into your home.”

A rush of air left my lungs as soon as the front door closed. A weight I hadn’t noticed was lifted from my shoulders. I hadn’t been able to feel it dragging me down before, but now that he was gone, I felt like I could finally breathe again.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw Axel again, and though our conversation was far from over, I felt that things were getting better, slowly.