Chapter 293

“She thinks that you will save them if it fails,” I snorted, shaking my head, “why would I do that? If anything it’s more understandable that I’d let them suffer a painful death for going against what I did…” Logan chuckled stopping when we all turned to watch him. “You’re not joking,” he said swallowing. Turning back to Lux, “How long ago?” I asked him, but Gabriel answered, “two hours ago.” “Wait you knew?” Lux asked Gabe, he nodded, “I decided to give Chelsea a break, she’s been listening to them for days now. Thought I’d give her the night off,” how thoughtful of you… Lux thought but said nothing out loud, his face utterly blank. “So you’ve been busy,” Logan finally concluded, “as busy as your father…” he slowed his words when I turned to him, in confusion, went to the Elders, had Audrey changed, met with Patrick Lawson, blew up his house… “What?” surprise coating my tone, but when I eyed Gabriel his face held no shock like mine did currently, “Wait… you knew this?” Lux glanced at Logan in confusion. . . Walter Rykos POV I held my daughter against my chest, her hair right under my nose, her head lain against my shoulder, tucked in, head touching my neck as my mate Nora, and Cole walked along the beach enjoying the sunset. I held Nora’s hand in my own, as we watched Cole run to the end where the water would touch his feet, before scurrying back with a squeal of delight, full of energy unlike his sister. I treasured every moment of each and every day, it was impossible not too, I had missed so much, and Nora, Cole and Tia had struggled so much in the time since I had last seen her. It had been two weeks since I had last seen my parents, or anyone in my family. We shared space on the island but getting us all simulated with each other – that was the excuse that I had used to stay away from them. Each time I saw the twins smile, my heart ached, my blood boiled and I couldn’t get past my anger, everything I had missed. There were other people on the beach, everyone eyeing us – observing my mate, my children, the same people that judged me for not accepting Lynn. My arm curled around Tia, I leaned forward, “You want to go down and play with Cole?” I asked her, blinking, she released a small grunt, “No,” around her thumb that was currently in her mouth. “W – Walter?” I heard from behind, turning to face my mother, Tia lifted her head from my shoulder to see who called my name; Nora glanced back, but left my side to get Cole. “Oh,” my mom, her hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide. My fathers gaze followed Nora, while my mother had her eyes just on Tia. “She looks so much… you’re – two,” she made a sad crying whiny sound and Tia laid her head back against my shoulder, tucked against my neck. Mom took a step forward coming towards me and on instinct, I took a step back, the hurt in her eyes almost made me forget my own pain, but the warm reminder of what I missed was currently curled against me, sucking on her thumb. Quickly I turned to Nora, handing over Tia, take them away, I told her over the mate-link, watching her head back up to the main house, I finally turned to my parents.  Just watching them, watch my mate and children walk away, the sadness there, before they turned to face me, “Chelsea said – you have two – a boy– twins?” mom cried confused, “So beautiful,” she whispered, the words settled in the two feet distance between us. I nodded, they were beautiful. “What are their names?” my mom begged for details, wiping at her face, while my father remained silent, sorrow in his eyes, rubbing my mom’s side as she cried silently. I looked at the two people in front of me, my parents, and I wanted them around, I wanted them to share in the joy that I was currently experiencing, but then I remembered the days I was so hungry that I ate endlessly and it hits me hard that there were times where they were close to death. All three of them, despite what my parents had done, Nora fought, and she was the one that triumphed here. Days of fear and worry, that’s what my children knew. They had accepted my presence in their lives, Tia always gazed at me in wonder, would cuddle up against me she was tired. “We aren’t going to hurt them their our grandchildren Walter,” my father said incredulously and that tone in his voice, that bite of indignation, flared my own. How could he say those words to me? “How do I know that Tom?” I asked my tone biting, causing my mother to flinch. “I’m your child and you’ve hurt me…” I pointed to my chest, “How do I know you won’t hurt them? You won’t hurt my mate?” I couldn’t trust anyone here that Chelsea hadn’t brought. I was terrified someone here would hurt any one of them because of how I had treated Lynn. “All it would’ve taken was one conversation before you just drugged me, and took me here,” I shouted, my fists at my side, “she was alone – she gave birth alone, they’ve never seen a doctor, my children – two years on the run, hungry, she – my mate – was the Rykos that the Elders were after. Her and my children, so while we’ve been here bathing in safety-” by now everyone on the beach could hear us – me. Dad held up one palm, “This isn’t only on us Walter,” dad said using that tone again that just grated against my nerves, the boiling whistled and if I were a cartoon, smoke would’ve come from my ears, as I lifted my clenched fists, bringing my father down with one hit, “it’s completely on you Tom,” I shouted stepping back as mom helped him up, I shook my head. They didn’t know, but still they never asked. They didn’t know that Nora wasn’t just some girl I was messing around with, I had opened up my whole life to her – minus that I was a werewolf. I looked at my parents, in trying to protect me they had only hurt me more, but they needed to understand that, I swallowed the bile in my throat that always came up when I thought of those two years from Nora’s point of view. She had begun telling me at my own insistence but I knew she was holding back, I had felt her pain, now they would too. “Their names… are Nicolas and Mattia,” I said looking dead at my mother, watching as her eyes filled to the brim all over again, her lip shaking much like how my daughters did when she was in the beginnings of letting out a wail. Mom nodded, the tears falling over, named after her father and grandfather. “You knew I was in a relationship Tom, you downplayed it, and made choices that weren’t yours to be made,” I whispered to my father. “I don’t trust you. I don’t think you or anyone here could treat my mate and children the way they should…” I said sadly, hating that I thought that but knowing that I was right. With so many loyalties already set here on this island, I couldn’t guarantee that my parents were on my side. Stepping away, I left them in their spot, following the same path Nora and my two children went.