Chapter 62: Chapter 62

No matter how much I drowned the sighs escaping from my lips, release refused to come. It was as if my body knew what it wanted, just like my mind and my heart. It refused to respond to anyone else, to function unless it was under the gentle touches of the twins.

Realizing my efforts were futile, I finished my shower and dried myself off. I brought a change of clothes into the bathroom and put on a thigh-length dress. The sleeves were long but thin enough to combat the mild cold that started this afternoon. I blow-dried my hair while the twins waited outside, undoubtedly preparing themselves as well.

When I stepped into the bedroom, I was bombarded by the thick smell of Liam and Ethan. As I turned to grab a pair of shoes, Liam blocked my path. We were only a few inches apart, but I could feel the heat radiating from his skin. His musky scent mingled with the faint aroma of tea tree from his shower gel. The scent was entirely new but equally intoxicating.

My breath quickened as Liam ran a finger along my flushed face, lingering around my collarbones.

“Did you finish?” Liam murmured, playing with the hem of my dress. His warm fingers danced along my bare thigh, sending a shiver down my spine.

“No.” I swallowed, my voice coming out a few octaves higher.

Liam continued to play with the hem of my dress, letting his fingertips dance closer and closer to the softness between my legs. Just as the pad of his finger brushed against my underwear, he pulled away. His eyes were dark, and the fabric of his pants was tight in the middle. He cupped my face with one of his large hands, lifting my head to meet his gaze.

“Poor little friend. Even now, your body craves us,” Liam murmured, his breath teasing my ear. “Ethan and I will help you later.”

His lips trailed along my jawline, igniting that painful fire in my core. I pressed my thighs tightly together, ignoring the scent of my arousal as it filled the room.

“Where is Ethan?” I asked, my eyes scanning the room as I fumbled for a reason to change the subject.

The separation of Liam and Ethan was a constant temptation, a constant blow to my willpower. Together, they were irresistible. Having so much male attention focused solely on you, a girl could get used to that. The way they seemed to devour my reactions, inhaling the blissful sounds that escaped my lips under their touch. Being with them completely would consume everything.

“Your little m***s got him too worked up,” Liam chuckled lowly in my ear, “He needed a few minutes to himself. You can lend him a hand, though it might make me jealous.”

It took me a handful of minutes to calm down and another ten minutes to settle the intimate thoughts that were lingering in my head. When Ethan finally returned, he threw me a wide grin as my face heated up, and my eyes shifted downward.

When we finally managed to leave the house, Liam and Ethan gave me an overview of who Thomas was.

He had been the leader of a small band of rogues, but quickly grew in power as the size of his pack increased. Eventually, he became a full-fledged Alpha. It was rare to create one’s own pack, as werewolves always fought for power, but Thomas managed to do just that. As Thomas’ numbers continued to grow, he sought a home for himself and his pack.

He claimed a small portion of territory above Axel’s pack. As Thomas’ pack grew, he needed more territory to accommodate his people. Liam and Ethan’s territory was vast and encompassed both Thomas’ and Axel’s territories. Alpha Thomas had asked several times for Liam and Ethan to cede part of their territory to him and his growing pack, to look for more territory in the north to replace what they had lost. Liam and Ethan refused, as thousands of people would have to leave their homes and move hundreds of miles away. While he couldn’t blame Liam and Ethan for doing what was best for their people, he knew there had to be some solution to the problem.

The sun was beginning to set as we stopped at the entrance of Axel’s house. The sky was bright with colors – navy blue, indigo, orange, and pink shimmered in the sky. The moon was barely visible, a thin sliver in the distance. A yellow light shone from inside Axel’s house, and I prepared myself for the inevitable encounter with his wife.

Stacy opened the door when we knocked, giving me a nervous smile as we entered. I was cautious as she looked into Liam and Ethan’s eyes. She looked at them as most people did. Her eyes widened at their build, and undoubtedly, shock showed on her face.

“I apologize in advance for anything my mom says,” Stacy grimaced, “Not that it makes a difference.”

I could feel her sincerity filling the room, washing over me like a wave of coolness. Stacy wasn’t a bad person, I now knew. She had said some hurtful words out of jealousy and spite, but that didn’t define her as a person.

“Thank you,” I told her.

“Are you going to tell Dad what I said?” Stacy furrowed her brow and lowered her voice. She gave Liam and Ethan a nervous glance but otherwise focused her attention on me. “I mean, I can’t blame you if you did, but Dad won’t be happy.”

“I won’t tell him you said anything,” I assured her.

I could feel her gratitude, sweet like candy but tinged with something bitter. Guilt flooded through her veins, bitter and somewhat chilling. She was hiding something. It was like a whisper in my head, warning me that she wasn’t being completely sincere.

Why would she feel guilty if she had told me everything she knew? I pushed the feeling aside and followed Stacy into the grand dining room.

The smaller table had been replaced with a larger one. Sitting at the head was Axel, to his left was his wife, and to his right was Thomas. Axel wore an impeccable suit as usual, this one in a dark slate gray shade. Annabeth looked immaculate as always. If it weren’t for the deeply etched frown on her face, she would have been runway beautiful. Her golden hair matched Stacy’s, falling in bright waves down her back. Her cherry-red lipstick was bright but tasteful, complementing the elegant dress she wore. She didn’t seem to be more than twenty-five years old, but the frown added a few years to that. While Annabeth gave me a scrutinizing look, she said nothing.

Annabeth didn’t need to use words to convey her point of view. Overwhelming disdain and something close to hatred emanated from her pores, floating over me like a poisonous mist. I almost shuddered from the impact. I had never felt negative emotions through my newly acquired gift. I had felt Aly’s anger, but it was far from the hatred Annabeth was directing at me.

“It’s good to see you.” Axel gave me one of those charming business smiles and took his seat.

While his smile was one he showed to many, making him look charismatic and relaxed, I could tell he was sincere. He was genuinely happy that we had come for dinner.

Now that I could feel the emotions of others, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Axel. He wasn’t perfect and far from becoming a father figure in my life, but his emotions spoke louder than his actions and words. For example, I could sense his nervousness. For some reason, he was worried about tonight. The brief scent of guilt radiated through him, similar to Stacy’s, but I couldn’t determine the source.

“Thank you for having us.” I managed to say through clenched teeth.

I sat at the other end of the table, directly across from Axel. Liam and Ethan sat on opposite sides of me. Their positive emotions battled against Annabeth’s. Their affection, happiness, and awe struggled against the waves of hatred that engulfed me.

“This isn’t awkward at all,” Thomas coughed, covering his laugh with a long sip of alcohol.

Stacy hid her smile behind her wine glass, while Annabeth shot one of her characteristic looks at Thomas. It seemed I wasn’t the only one Annabeth hated. The only people she seemed to genuinely care about were her daughter and her partner.

Lucy and a handful of men brought our dinner. Pristine porcelain covered by a silver dome. It was unbearably elegant, something I wasn’t used to. Lucy hadn’t changed during the time I was away. The lines etched on her face made her look friendly and approachable. When she saw me at the table, a kind smile formed on her face. She was glad to see me, I could tell from the subtle emotions she radiated. Her wheat-colored hair was pulled back in a bun as she walked over to me.

“Steak or salad?” she asked, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“Steak,” I replied, rolling my eyes at Liam and Ethan’s identical smiles.

Both of them looked painfully handsome tonight. They both wore black button-up shirts and black pants. The only difference between them was their hair. Liam’s hair was all one length, grazing his ears messily. Ethan’s hair was shorter around the base but longer on top. Every time they looked away from me, which wasn’t frequent, I couldn’t help but gawk at the muscles protruding from their clothes.

A silent scoff sounded from the other side of the table as I eagerly looked at the steak on my plate. I caught Annabeth’s cold eyes and grimaced as she shook her head disdainfully. Her mouth opened, and for a second, I thought she was actually going to say something. She caught Liam’s gaze and seemed to think better of what she wanted to say. Her mouth closed, and her scornful gaze turned towards Thomas.

“So, what brought you back?” Thomas exclaimed, shrugging off the reprimand Axel gave him. “What? I barely know her. Consider me curious.”

“I made a mistake leaving. When Axel told me what I was, I got a little scared.” I frowned. Part of the tension left my body as I felt Liam’s fingertips brush against my kneecap under the table. “However, he chose the worst way to break the news.”

“I take full responsibility for that,” Axel grumbled, and I swore I could distinguish a lighter shade of pink tinting his cheeks. I could feel his embarrassment and shame over his mistake.

“To be honest, I assumed Lia would have told you something.”

“I lived with my grandmother for a while. I really didn’t see Lia until she died.” I shrugged.

“Your grandmother was a good woman.” Axel nodded, and I realized he was telling the truth. “However, she’s miserable to be around once you’ve angered her.”

“That was her.” I nodded in complete agreement.

“So, you lived with your grandmother for a while?” Thomas chimed in, his voice casual and almost bored.

While Thomas’ voice sounded bored, his emotions were quite the opposite. He was interested, and his curiosity was almost overwhelming. I wasn’t sure why he was so interested in my life, but I guessed it wouldn’t hurt. My grandmother had died a long time ago, there was nothing to use against me by telling them this.

“Since I was born.” I shrugged, “When she died, I moved in with Lia.”

“How was that for you? Living with your mother,” Thomas asked, and I couldn’t ignore the way Axel winced.

More guilt swirled around him. I was starting to question my gift. Ever since I met Axel, I thought the only thing he cared about was my future role in the pack. Judging by his strange emotions, he felt some responsibility for me. He felt guilty for leaving, guilty for letting me live ignorant and miserable with Lia. I pushed the conflicting feelings to the back and turned to look at Thomas.

“Lia is not my mother, she never was. I kept out of her way and lived my life.” I replied. “I took care of myself.”

Annabeth scoffed for the third time, but it seemed she couldn’t keep her mouth shut.

“A girl who shows no respect for her parents has no right to rule an entire pack,” Annabeth exclaimed, her voice cold. “How can you show respect to those you govern, to those who are willing to give their lives for you if you can’t even respect your own family?”

“Annabeth.” Axel’s voice was filled with hostility, though I realized he was holding back.

Like it or not, Annabeth was his mate. No matter how bitchy and rude she was, he would always have a soft spot for her. While I struggled to accept that fact, I was grateful to have Liam and Ethan by my side. Liam and Ethan had no qualms about defending me. In fact, Liam let out a low growl in her direction. Both Liam and Ethan were throwing daggers at Annabeth.

“Enough. It’s okay,” I told Liam and Ethan, giving them a grateful smile. I turned my attention to Annabeth, refusing to cower under her intense gaze. “My family is Liam and Ethan. I respect them as much as they respect me. Lia and Dub were never my family. Respect is not given blindly, Annabeth. It’s fought for and earned. That’s why you’ll never, ever have my respect.”

Thomas let out a low whistle, laughing as Annabeth’s face turned an unflattering shade of red. Stacy looked surprised, her eyes blinking between her mother and me. Even Ethan chuckled under his breath, taking a long sip before sharing a satisfied smile with his brother.

“Definitely part of the family,” Thomas laughed.

If it weren’t for my strange ability to feel emotions, I would never have realized the significance of what Thomas said. When Thomas finished speaking, a flood of emotions filled the room. Axel was feeling panic and shock, fear and anger. Thomas felt amused and irritated. Even Annabeth felt panic, her eyes burning into Thomas without blinking. Stacy, that familiar sting of bitter guilt returned. Liam and Ethan seemed not to grasp the meaning, but I did.

“Part of the family,” I repeated slowly, savoring the emotions that engulfed each of them.

My eyes shifted from Axel to Thomas, noticing the differences and similarities. Axel and Thomas seemed to have a silent argument, one Axel was currently losing. When their quiet battle ended, Thomas looked at me intently.

“Yes, Sussan. Part of the family.” Thomas nodded, a smile trembling at the corners of his lips. “It’s good to finally meet my niece.”