Page 172 of Wrath

“We could move this party upstairs—” Devlin began, but I couldn’t hear anything else as the worst pain imaginable reverberated through me.

I’d been stabbed, shot, poisoned, left for dead, and more…but I’d never experienced anything quite like this before. My entire body became one huge gaping wound.

Wetness trickled down my leg, and at first, I thought I’d peed myself. I couldn’t help but think how embarrassing that would be.

Then another piercing pain racked my body, and I placed my hands over my belly, where it felt like all of my organs were rearranging.

Oh…fuck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I blinked at my mates, who were all gaping at me, wide-eyed and terrified.

“I think…” I hissed out a breath as another wave of pain assaulted me. “I think my water just broke.”

And then everything went to shit.

SIXTY-SIX

Z

Two Years Later

What people didn’t tell you about having children—they became the loves of your life, but also your greatest nightmares.

And having two at the exact same time?

I attempted to wrestle my two-year-old daughter into her coat, but the little shit simply kicked out at me with a petulant, “No, Mommy!”

“It’s cold, Avree,” I said softly. Placatingly.

Sometimes, it felt like I was doing more mental gymnastics with her than the entire council.

“I don’t want that coat!” Tears welled in her eyes as she folded her arms over her chest.

I took a deep breath and prayed for patience. “Then what coat do you want?”

“Dat one!” She pointed a chubby finger at a brown jacket—which was currently on her twin brother.

Maxwell stared at his sister with wide, guileless eyes before twisting in his father’s arms. Devlin tightened his grip on our son.

“That’s Maxwell’s coat,” I said, once again adopting a soft, soothing voice.

“I WANT IT!” Avree began to cry in earnest, and Maxwell wiggled in Devlin’s arms, as if responding to his sister’s distress.

Despite being twins, the two of them couldn’t be more different.

Avree was loud and incredibly smart for her age. She could already speak articulately and had just begun to read. Maxwell, on the other hand, was shy and timid, constantly hiding his face. He had yet to speak beyond a few words here and there.

One thing was certain—the two of them loved each other fiercely.

“All right. Come on. We’re going to be late.” Bash bent down, scooped Avree up, and held her against his hip.

“I don’t have a coat, Daddy!” Avree whined.

But then she promptly got distracted when Killian began making faces over Bash’s shoulder.

I grabbed Avree’s discarded coat and then followed my mates out of the house and to the van.

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