Chasing His Betrayed Luna

AURELIAText property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

It gladdens my heart and blessed my soul to see my kids having a good time after sulking around the room throughout yesterday. I've also created time to spend with them. Alpha Tristan decided to join us for our family play date after his training session with the representatives who would be taking part in tomorrow's finals.

And here we all are, in a small garden close to the apartment building and a bit private.

"I'd love to read with you, Alpha Tristan," Kyle replied respectfully and with a wide grin.

Alpha Tristan muttered to him, adjusting Katie's weight in his arms, "You know you are allowed to call me just Tristan like Katie does, right, Kyle? You both are my favorite twins in the whole world."

Kyle's smile widened as he nodded eagerly. What I would give to have a stable family with my kids... Hell, what I would give to have a father figure in our little family. The way Alpha Tristan relates with them makes me want that for my babies.

As If Katie could read my thoughts, she exclaimed, giggling as she wrapped her arms around Alpha Tristan's neck, "I wish to call you dad instead of your name. I wonder why you aren't my daddy, Tristan."

Okay, I never said Tristan has to be their dad but of course, Katie had her own thoughts.

"Katie." I cautioned her.

But Alpha Tristan took words out of my mouth when he queried my daughter with a light smile on his face, "And who said I can't be your daddy, Katie? In fact, you can call me Dad henceforth and you too Kyle."

My mouth hung open as I stared at Alpha Tristan like he had grown two heads. He was raising my kids' hopes but who was I to complain? If he wanted them to call him dad, I would gladly allow it... he could take Raiden's place in their lives for all I care. Kyle muttered shyly, "I kinda prefer Papa since I call her Mama." My son gave me a quick look. The revealed part of his lower face turned red as he flushed.

Any stranger would think Katie would be the shy and collected twin but Kyle had taken that crown since they were tiny babies.

"Papa sounds nice to me, Mask boy." Alpha Tristan chuckled, melting my heart but I soon inhaled harshly when he added, "I have been meaning to ask, Kyle. what's with the mask? Are you practicing for a costume show?"

Before Kyle could give his subtle answer, Katie chimed, "Mom makes him wear it even though he doesn't like it wearing it."

"I like my mask, Katie." Kyle countered but that didn't stop my heart from hurting.

He clearly said he liked it because he didn't want me to feel bad about making him wear it around Raiden's pack.

"No, you don't. You just want Mom to be less worried because I already give her enough to worry about." Katie rolled her eyes and Alpha Tristan set her down, holding my gaze for a second.

I did the same with Kyle who rushed over to his sister, placing his small hand over her mouth. "Stop blabbering out the twins' secret, Katie," Kyle whispered to her and pulled his twin towards the blue picnic mat I had forgotten was even there in the first place. "How did we get so lucky with those two? They are smarter than any soon-to-be six-year-olds I have seen around." Inara said with pride despite the ache in my heart.

I was proud of the twins too but

sadness crept into my heart when I realized that Kyle had been suppressing his childish side so his sister could be more troublesome and so I would be less worried. Such a huge sacrifice on his part.

My little boy.

"They are precious, Lia." Alpha Tristan said to me as we both stood side by side watching the twins play.

Fortunately for me, Alpha Tristan didn't ask to know why I insisted on a mask for Kyle and I could only hope he hadn't noticed the striking resemblance between Kyle and Raiden.

"They are." I smiled. "Thank you for tolerating their disrespect, especially Katie's. She is something beyond my understanding."

"Who a I to say no to that sweet pie? She seems rough on the outside but she is just as soft as you are, Lia, and I love her for that." Alpha Tristan etched, looking into my eyes as the subtle message hit my senses. Did he just say he loves me without saying he loves me?

"I've always known he had something for you!" Inara's happiness hit the roof of my head. "Seems like he's ready to take a step closer to claiming you and becoming the father the twins need."

Claiming me? No freaking way. Becoming the twin's father figure? Hell, yes.

"Let's see how long you can survive his approach without saying yes to him." Inara chuckled wickedly, completely won over by Alpha Tristan.

And true to Inara's words, before the

play date ended, Alpha Tristan sent close to a thousand subtle signals and at one point, he even held my hand, squeezing it softly like I was a sort of tiny thread connecting him to any form of sanity.

There was also something about the way he was staring at me...

I didn't know how to feel about his advances because he was who he was-Alpha Tristan of Black Fur Pack.

As much as I couldn't wait to return

to his pack with him, I also didn't

want him to fall in love with me

because didn't have a heart to give him. My heart was dead. Raiden strangled the life out of it, stealing my ability to love man, including himself.

"We'll see." Inara chided in my mind.

I had no words for her so I simply enjoyed the date with my kids and we all returned to the apartment building after playing and snacking for hours. Alpha Tristan went straight to his room while I led my kids back to ours. I thought Hazel would be there but when I pushed the door open, I found someone else sitting in our bed.

Thankfully, Kyle hadn't taken off his mask.

"What are you doing in my room?" I asked, failing to be civil and pushing my kids behind me like she should snatch them from me.

Like she snatched my life many years ago.

"I've come to warn you, Aurelia." Her response was loud and the threat was clear.