Fated To the Alpha by Jessica Hall
Chapter 178: Sage POV
We locked ourselves in the house, the roller shutters going down and locking into place. Kat was a monster when the darkness took over her, Mateo tried his best to explain to me what the heck was going on, but one thing was clear, they all feared her when she was like this. I didn’t realize the extent until I saw her in wolf form biting at the tyres, fear gripped me that she would be crushed under the rear tyres. But nothing scared me more
when I realized she was trying to attack her kids.
Mateo explained when she was like that it was all basic instinct, that nothing was left of Kat when she got that way. Jonah was frightened as the house locked down.
Whimpering and I felt bad that I couldn’t shift back to comfort him, his body pressed between my front legs, his tiny hands clutching my fur were shaking violently. I lick his face, the only offer of comfort I could give him or I would have to walk around n@ked, my clothes shredded to pieces when I shifted.
Dipping my head, I sniff Jonah’s face tugging on his shirt to move into the living room and on the couch, he quickly obliges climbing up next to Marge who brushes his cheek softly as she places both babies on the floor to crawl around.
Donnie nips at our face, his voice loud and clear echoing in my head. He was mad.
“You could have got bitten” He growls, not happy that we tossed ourselves at Kat, directly in the path of her snapping jaws.
Kat was my friend and I knew she would never forgive herself if she hurt her kids, hurt Marge or Jonah. Jonah the thought of something happening to him twisted my stomach painfully, oh how I loved that little boy, he had nestled his way into everyone’s heart and I would protect him with my life even if Donnie hated me for it, yet I knew his instincts burned the same.
Sierra nips him back when Donnie suddenly walks up the steps and disappears. When he comes back it’s Andrei, dressed in a pair of shorts.
“Sierra” Andrei calls, nodding for us to follow after him. I follow him to a large bathroom with multiple shower cubicles and toilets lining the walls. He hands me some clothes that I know belong to Kat. Quickly shifting I put on the tights and one of her shirts.
“Come here ” Andrei growls tugging me to him, his arms wrapping around my shoulders as he buries his face in my neck.
“Are you ok?” He asks and I nod, I was only worried about Kat. She came off so strong-willed, so independent and connected with herself and it hurt to see this side of her, a piece of her breaking.
Sometimes looking at her I forgot she was l**g. She seemed far older than me, and appeared to know herself better than I knew myself. I couldn’t imagine the weight and pressure on her shoulders, the expectations people had of her, all while trying to navigate through motherhood and a bond with not one man but two.
Andrei leads me out to the living room, Derrick makes coffee bringing it out when Marge suddenly shrieks. My heart thumps erratically looking for danger when I hear a baby giggle.
Fear was evident on Marge’s face before I realized why. Jonah was holding both of Marabella’s hands, the mittens fallen off and she cackled loudly as he waved her arms about.
Marge quickly grabs the mittens. Derrick pulled Jonah away from her, but she smiled a huge gummy grin at him, kicking her legs and arms before pouting and her bottom lip trembled as her hands were covered again.
“I know sweet girl, I know,” Marge tells her. Andrei was observing Jonah and Marabella carefully before scooping Marabella off the floor.
“ She didn’t hurt him, it’s ok Jonah you’ re not in trouble buddy” Andrei tells him while bouncing Marabella on his knee. Derrick leans over handing me a coffee and Jonah crawls into my lap. Marge brushes his hair from his eyes.
“We just need to look out for her hands, I know you wanted to play. But she has powers like her momma” Marge explains. Jonah nods.
“Like spiderman?” Jonah asks and I chuckle. “Yes, like spiderman” Marge tells him.
“That’s cool, I want to be spiderman,” Jonah says excitedly before crawling off me to play with Eziah.
“Does he have superpowers too?” Jonah asks.
“Yes, but you can touch his hands,” Marge tells him. I could see the confusion on his face as his brows furrowed looking between Marabella and Eziah, I could see he was wondering why Eziah’s hands were safe to touch but not Marabella’s.
Silence suddenly falls outside, no more snarling or fighting after lo minutes Andrei says we should get ready to leave. I wait for them to come in, wondering if anyone got hurt.
Getting up, I walk to the door, pulling on the peephole and look out and nearly spit my coffee across the door, choking as some sprays out my nose. I slam the peephole shut turning my back to the door, my cheeks blazing at what I saw. Andrei and Derrick walk out hearing me choking and spluttering.
“What’s wrong?” Andrei says reaching for the peephole. I snatch his wrist away and he looks at me curiously. My cheeks burn hotter, I just saw parts of Kat and her mates I never wanted to see again.
“We should stay in here, it’s not safe out there yet” I tell them. Derrick looks worried.
“They still haven’t contained her,” he asks, reaching for the peephole but I slap his hand away.
“She’s contained” I squeak, quickly shutting the main door so they don’t look out the shutters peephole.
“Are you alright, why are you embarra*s*sed?” Andrei asks and I try telling him with my eyes not wanting to blurt out, that they are f*uc*king in the driveway in front of her father. Just the thought of saying that makes my cheeks burn hotter. I don’t have to say anything when lewd noises reach our ears. Derrick freezes and Andrei scrunches up his face.
“Coffee, who wants more coffee, in the kitchen with the blender going?” Derrick says marching off, Andrei on his heels. Marge looks over the back of the couch at me and snorts with her laughter.
“About bloody time, the tension in this house between those three was driving me insane. Mates need each other, as disturbing as that is for Andrei and Derrick. I am glad” she says, scooping up Marabella and holding her hand out to Jonah.
“Come on let’s go make something to eat” She tells him and he takes her hand.
“Can you grab Eziah for me and the blanket?” She asks and I nod. I scoop the blanket up and Eziah, following them out to the kitchen far away from the noises coming from outside. Andrei lays the blanket down and Marge places Marabella down with some toys. I sit Eziah next to her watching them play.
“Well that was a change of-”
“Don’t say it Marge, I don’t need that mental image in my head” Derrick says the blender on low drowning out any noise. Kat was going to be mortified, I knew I would be. Like doing the walk of shame, I don’t think I will be able to look her in the eye again without blushing.
Marge makes sandwiches and the kids play on the mat while we chat and drink coffee. Eziah crawls trying to get underneath my chair and I pull him out. His hand grabbing my dress as he pulls himself up to a standing position.
“He can stand now” I smile.
“Yes, Marabella tries but the mittens prevent her getting a grip on anything” Marge says and I could hear the sadness in her voice. Eziah smiles
cheekily proud of himself that he pulled himself up like a big boy. Derrick’s phone starts ringing, he pulls it from his pocket looking at the screen before answering it.
“Hello?” he asks, switching the blender off.
“Ah yeah he is right here, I will chuck him on” Derrick says handing the phone to Andrei.
“The man looking into” He points to Jonah and Andrei quickly answers it, walking into the hall away from Jonah. I could feel his nervousness and I watched him keep glancing in the doorway toward him before his eyes fell on me. His shoulders sag before he walks off and I hear a door shut.
Looking at Derrick he also seemed concerned. “ I will be back” He says and walks out. Eziah’s hands start slapping my legs and he blows spit bubbles excitedly and I smile at him. Jonah was leaning over Marabella pulling funny faces at her making her giggle and Marge handed me some tissues to wipe off Eziah’s drool covered chin. I clean his face just as Andrei walks back in. He said nothing and I could tell something upset him.
“ I want his background checked first, email everything over to me” he says before hanging up. Derrick leans on the bench, his eyes on Jonah and I know whatever it is I wasn’t going to like. We sat in tense silence and Andrei’s eyes were stuck on the wall behind Derrick, he wouldn’t look at me even when I reached over and squeezed his hand.
Hearing the roller shutters start opening, we hear footsteps on the stairs. We waited and the kids played Jonah munching on his sandwich Marge made him.
After about 20 minutes Kat walks in fully dressed and stops in the doorway. Andrei laughs at her blushing cheeks and I could tell she was going to pretend like nothing happened.
“There’s the little fornicator” Andrei blurts and Derrick chucks a tea towel at him, hitting him in the face. Mateo walks in not a care in the world flicking the kettle on. Ezra too didn’t seem to care, more focused on following Kat around everywhere she moved, his hand or body touching her in some way.
Eziah cackles loudly and I look over at Marabella who had fallen asleep. Marge also notices walks over scooping her up before wrapping an arm around Eziah’s waist.
“Did you want to help put them to bed?” Marge asks Kat, she looks at her kids in Marge’s arms before smiling sadly and shaking her head.
“You can do it, if you want” Kat says and I could see her eyes trained on them, worry etched into her face. Marge nods. Jonah jumps up and rushes off after her and stops next to Marge.”You can help if you want” Marge tells him and he follows after her. The silence became awkward and Andrei I could feel was egging to taunt his sister, feeling it bubbling in him to poke fun at her.
“What a day” Andrei sighs heavily. Ezra smirks at him and Derrick gr0@ns, running his fingers through his hair and glaring at Andrei in warning.
“Yep, so Kat”
“Andrei!” Kat grits out through clenched teeth glaring at him. “Zip it, we don’t need to mention it” She snaps at him. Derrick rubs his temples and I see his cheeks puff out.
“What no need to be ashamed everyone does it ” Andrei taunts.
“Geez they bicker like teenagers” Derrick mutters.
“Never knew you were into public displays, never took you for the type” Andrei chuckles and Kat glares at him, her face resembling a tomato.
“Yep, and I am out” Derrick says stalking off and Andrei laughs.
“Andrei! Dad was right there, why would you say that?” She snaps at him.
“Ha exactly how did you explain the kids to him, immaculate conception?” Andrei chuckles and her face turns red.
“Leave her alone” I tell him, slapping his arm and he chuckles.
“I don’t get it, its fine talk about your nonexistent s*e*x life, but mine and you all make out its wrong” Kat spits at him.
“That’s because no father wants to hear about the pounding his daughter just took”
“Right that’s it, you disgusting” Kat shrieks, shoving past Ezra. Andrei takes off, Kat chasing after him and I hear their laughter as she tries to get a hold of him.
“Oi no running in the halls… Andrei put her down,
she isn’t a teabag” Derrick scolds. I chuckle, listening to Kat screech at her brother before he grunts.
“Low blow Kat! ” Andrei croaks.
“Serve you right, you could have dropped her on her head” When I hear a soft thud.
“That hurt you bastard, ” Kat gr0@ns. Mateo and Ezra chuckle, also finding their sibling spat entertaining.
“I will get the egg flip, neither of you are too big for me to spank” Derrick warns and I laugh.
“Whatever old man” Andrei taunts before Kat walks in rubbing her arm.
“Where the heck were you, shouldn’t you be defending my honor” She spits at Ezra and Mateo.
“He gave me a dead arm” She whines before she glares at her mates.
Andrei comes back in smirking and leaning on the doorframe when Jonah comes bursting in the door. “Look what Marge gave me” He says, rushing in with a paper pirate hat on his head.
Andrei’s eyes flicker as he looks down at Jonah, his face hardening and he swallows, sadness creeping into him and me through the bond. Kat also notices the change in him.
“Everything ok?” She asks him. Andrei clears his throat.
“Yep, but we should get going. Dad, are you coming back with us or staying at Kat’s?” Andrei calls out. We all stared shocked, Kat stunned and I don’t think Andrei realized what he said. None of us say anything but I see Kat’s lips tug up at Andrei calling him dad.
“Dad?” Jonah says, confused looking up at him. Andrei looks down at him realizing what he called out, his brows furrow but he didn’t seem bothered by it.
“Derrick is my dad” He tells Jonah.
“Then why do you call him Derrick? ” Jonah asks just as Derrick walks in scooping up Jonah.
“Because he has two dads, it’s easier to tell us apart, ” Derrick tells him. Andrei nods at the acknowledgement but adds nothing else.
“Come on, you can come in my car, we can get milkshakes on the way home” Derricks tells him.
“Give you two a chance to talk” Derrick says, nodding to me. Andrei nods and we all say our goodbyes. Andrei’s mood plummets further as we get in the car.
“What’s wrong?” I ask him after silence for 20 minutes of our drive.
“They found a relative that wants to take Jonah in” He says, his grip on the steering wheel tightening.
“Who?” I ask, looking away from him, unable to watch the hurt I see on his face.
“An uncle, his name is Clive” Andrei sighs before brushing his fingers through his hair.
“When?” I ask, looking out the window, my chest constricting like I was being suffocated. I didn’t want him to leave, I wanted him with us where we knew he would be safe. I wished he was ours. Ours to keep and knowing he was leaving crushed me. “Clive wants to pick him up tomorrow,” Andrei says. I nod not knowing what else to say.