Mary walked away with a satisfied smirk, her heels clicking against the floor in victory. I wanted to chase after her, to make her take it back, to force the truth from her lips. But Cole was watching, and I had bigger problems now.
Cole waited until she was gone, then grabbed my arm. “My house. Now. Hunt’s probably wrestling Noah to keep him from committing murder.”
At Cole’s house, Noah was indeed pacing like a caged animal while Hunt blocked the door. The moment I entered, Noah exploded.
“Pregnant? You got that bitchpregnant?!” His voice shook with rage. “What the fuck were you thinking? After everything she’s done? After she attacked-”
“What, dude?” I stared at him in shock. “You know I haven’t touched her. And you knowwhy.”
The reminder seemed to snap Noah out of his rage spiral. His face went from furious to confused. “But she said...”
“She’s lying.” I collapsed onto Cole’s couch, exhaustion hitting me. “Haven’t touched anyone since…”
The room went still. Cole and Hunt exchanged glances while Noah stopped mid-pace.
“Since who?” Cole asked carefully, though his tone suggested he already knew. They all knew, though. They’d been in that hotel, had heard and smelled everything that morning. So they knew I had a mate somewhere, they just didn’t know what happened between us.
“Since Pine Valley, five years ago.” I ran my hands through my hair. “The one I told you never to mention, remember? Ring any bells? And I’d never disrespect her like that, especially not when she’s here and-”
“She’s here?” Hunt sat forward, suddenly intense. “Your mate is here in Ravenshollow?”
“With our four-year-old twins.” The confession felt like ripping off a bandage.
“Twins?” Cole’s voice climbed an octave. “You have cubs?”
“Yes. Twin pups I didn’t know about because I left her before she could tell me she was pregnant. Though I guess she couldn’thave known at the time,” I ran my hands through my hair. “And now they’re here, she hates me, and Mary knows about them.”
“Hold up.” Hunt stood, running his hands through his hair. “Let me get this straight. You have a mate-”
“Had. Pretty sure she wants me dead.”
“-a mate,” Hunt continued, “who you left five years ago-”
“Like an idiot.”
“-who had your babies-”
“Twins. A boy and a girl.”
“-twins, and she’s been raising them alone-”
“In Pine Valley, as a human single mom.”
“-and now she’s here because-”
“A rogue bit her. I had to claim her to save her life.”
“Holy shit.” Hunt sat back down heavily. “And how does Mary know?”
“She visited them at Noah’s house. She threatened them and called the kids mongrels to Lina’s face. They actually fought because of what Mary said about the twins.”
“That’s why you’ve been disappearing to Noah’s,” Cole said, understanding dawning. “You’ve been with your family.”
“Trying to. Lina wants nothing to do with me. Told me to stay away.” I laughed bitterly. “Not that I listened. I’ve been courting her like some lovesick teenager. Coffee, flowers, the works.”
“Is it working?” Hunt asked.
I thought about the closet, about the way she’d kissed me back before reality crashed in. “Maybe? No. I don’t know. Doesn’t matter now. Mary’s using this fake pregnancy to force my hand. If I deny it publicly, she’ll expose them to the entire pack.”
