Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Jealousy

“It doesn‘t look like Dana is here,” Serena said when they got to her house. “My mom isn‘t back yet

either. I don‘t think I have Dana‘s number to call her.” “She‘ll be at the daycare center;” Logan said.

That‘s probably the best place for the kids while you‘re at the hospital.” She nodded. “Where is that?”

she asked. “I‘ll show you,” he offered, a friendly smile on his lips. “Thanks,” she said. She hated having

to rely on Logan to show her around. She was sure he had plenty of other things to do, but she wasn‘t

well assimilated yet. “Come on Olivia and Oliver, we still have more walking to do.” “My feet are tired,”

Oliver grumbled. “Mine aren‘t!” Olivia said, skipping ahead again. “Let me just run inside and leave a

note for my mom,” Serena said. Logan nodded. Serena wrote a quick note to Charlotte, telling her

where the kids were and where she‘d gone. She left it on the counter where her mom would see it

easily, and then rejoined Logan and the kids on the porch. “Mommy, I don‘t want to walk anymore,”

Oliver argued. “Okay,” Serena said, walking down the steps and crouching down. “Get on my back.”

Giggling, Oliver jumped onto Serena‘s back. She looked her arms through his legs, and he wrapped his

arms around her neck. “Giddy–up, mommy!” Oliver said. Serena sighed. “You know, I‘ve been walking

all day too,” she reminded him. “I can‘t run around.” Oliver sighed, but he rested his head on his

mother‘s back, singing to himself quietly as they walked. Olivia was still happily trotting along beside

Logan. “It isn‘t far,” Logan said. “Though, if I‘d known you had kids, I would have gotten you closer.” He

chuckled. Serena rolled her eyes. “Are you ever going to let that go?” she asked. Logan shrugged,

smirking

at her. “That depends,” he said. “Depends on what?” she asked, pausing in her steps. Logan smirked

wider.

“I‘ll let you know,” he said playfully. Serena shook her head, picking up her pace again. The daycare

center wasn’t far. Serena recognized it by a playground outside that was teeming with children. “Is that

where we are going, mommy?” Olivia asked, jumping up and down excitedly.

“Yes, you and Oliver are going to spend time at the daycare while I go to work,” she said. “Oh boy! It

looks like a lot of fun!” Olivia said. She hurried ahead to the front door.

“I can get down now, mommy,” Oliver said. Serena crouched down to let him off her back. He ran after

his sister. She was relieved that he was excited to check out the daycare center Logan opened the

door for Serena. She nodded as she went inside, nearly bumping into her kids who were stopped in the

lobby. Logan came in behind her and nearly bumped into her. Holly was in the lobby, standing with her

hands on her hips and glaring at the twins. She looked up when Logan entered, smiling. Brushing past

Serena, Holly wrapped her arms around Logan‘s neck. “There you are!” she said excitedly. “I‘ve been

looking for you!” “I told you where I‘d be,” Logan said. “Why did you come here to find me?” His brow

creased as he questioned her. Serena took her children‘s hands and pulled them away from the

couple, allowing them some privacy. “You‘ve been gone almost all day, and your mother said you had

some kids with you, so I thought you might be here,” she said. She leaned in and nuzzled her nose

against Logan‘s cheek, her arms still around his neck. He had one arm around her waist, but Serena

could tell he wasn‘t loving the public affection.

“Good guess,” he said, smiling at her. Holly gave a sultry smile and put her hand on Logan‘s cheek,

pulling his head towards her to kiss him on the lips. It was slppy, deep, and inappropriately intimate for

a daycare! Serena.looked away, feeling awkward at being forced to stand so close to them while they

were making out. “Eww!” Olivia said, sticking her tongue out at Holly. “Gross,” Oliver said, flinching into

Serena‘s legs. The older female pulled her lips from Logan‘s and sneered at the kids. “Come on,

Logan,” Holly said, running her hand down Logan‘s chest, leaning her entire body against his arm. “We

should get going.” Logan carefully disengaged himself from the other woman‘s arms. “Not just yet,” he

said. Serena sighed in relief and looked back at the Alpha. “Thank you, again, for everything,” she said

with a friendly smile. “You‘ve been more than generous.“.

“It is my duty, as Alpha,” he said. Holly stepped up to his side, looking at Serena with a bitter sneer on

her lips. “You should listen to her, baby,” Holly said, taking Logan‘s hand in hers, twisting their fingers

together. “You‘re always going above and beyond. Clearly, this woman is capable of taking care of

herself. You don‘t need to coddle her.” Serena gave a snort of laughter.

“I can still appreciate when someone goes out of their way for my benefit,” she said. Logan smiled at

her. “What does that mean?” Holly asked, turning her eyes to Logan. “Honey, what is she talking

about?” Logan rolled his eyes. Serena felt a little guilty for fueling the jealousy flames, but she had

already decided that she didn‘t like Holly. Holly‘s instant dislike of her for no other reason than she was

a female had been enough pettiness to keep Serena from wanting to try and make peace. “It‘s nothing,

Holly,” Logan assured, bringing his hand to her face and running his thumb along her cheek. She

smiled widely at him, leaning in for another hug. Serena pulled her kids back as Holly pressed herself

as close to Logan as possible.

“Why do you touch him so much?” Olivia asked, tilting her head to the side. Serena groaned inwardly

as Holly turned back around to stare at her children. She hoped that Holly wouldn‘t see any similarities

between her kids and Logan. She was already jealous enough! “I don‘t think it will make him like you

more,” Oliver said, his voice belonging to an inquisitive toddler. Holly‘s eyes narrowed and she pulled

her lip back in a snarl. “What do you mean by that!?” she snapped. Serena stepped forward, becoming

a protective shield between Holly and her son. “He‘s five, he doesn‘t mean anything by it,” she said.

“Kids…they don‘t have filters. They don‘t know what they are saying half the time.” Holly still glared.

Finally, she scoffed and turned back to Logan. “Can we go, now?” she asked, pressing her finger tips

against his chest again and biting her lower lip. “I can find my way back to the medical facility,” Serena

said, nodding in thanks once more to the Alpha. “Great, I will see you later,” he said. “Bye, bye, Logan,”

Olivia said, waving. “Can we play again soon?” Logan chuckled. “I‘d like that,” he said. “Maybe you can

read to me too?” she asked, big, hopeful eyes. “No! No reading,” Oliver complained. “We can do

something we all like, next time,” Logan said. Holly was getting obviously impatient, so Logan left with

her. Serena was happy when he did, mostly because it meant Holly was leaving with him. She didn‘t

trust that female, and she worried that she could react badly to her children, hurt them somehow.

Serena brought the twins out onto the playground. Dana was there watching the kids play with a few

other adult females. There were a lot of kids running around, jumping on tires, swinging on swings,

drawing with chalk on the pavement. The playground was huge, and Serena hoped the kids would be

completely tired out when they got home. She was surprised either of them had energy at all after their

long walk. “Serena, I‘m glad you found the daycare,” she said. “Logan showed me,” she said. “I‘ve got

to leave the twins here while pull a shift at the hospital.” “That is quite alright,” Dana said. “Oliver, why

don‘t you come with me. Olivia, I bet you‘d be great on the monkey bars.” She held out a hand to

Oliver. He took it, shyly looking out at the busy playground. “I‘ll do them so fast!” Olivia shouted,

running off. “Why don‘t you sit with me, Oliver,” Dana offered, taking him to a bench. “We will be going

in for a snack soon, and maybe you‘ll want to play on the playground after, or draw with some chalk.” !

“I‘ll see you later, kiddos,” Serena said, getting a dismissive wave from Olivia and a backwards glance

from Oliver. She mouthed ‘thank you‘ to Dana, glad she was helping Oliver adjust at his own pace. At

least he had an alley who would look out for him, even as she challenged Olivia. Serena was grateful

that Dana had been introduced to their lives. She watched them a moment longer and then left to go to

the hospital.