Chapter Twenty-two

KEAGAN'S POV ~

I peered through the windows, scanning the surroundings, but found no one in sight. My brows furrowed as I clutched the steering wheel and checked the rearview mirror once more for any signs of suspicion. After a moment of certainty that the coast was clear, I turned the ignition and drove away, my eyes glued to the mirror.

The car rolled to a stop in the garage, and I slowly slid out of the vehicle. The sweet sound of giggles filled the air as my twins hurried out the front door to greet me. The exhaustion and sadness evaporated out of my soul as I squatted to their level, opening my arms to receive their warm hugs.

"Honey, you're back!" my little girl, Wilhelmina, exclaimed, softly planting kisses on my cheeks. I smiled at the title she'd insisted on referring to me as. She'd picked it up from Emma since she'd been a little pup, refusing to call me anything but Honey. It'd become a rule that Emma never referred to me as that--a rule i was silently grateful for...

"Those are my good luck kisses," she beamed, flashing her pearly whites. My heart fucking melted. I pulled her closer and kissed her forehead, savoring her adorable giggles and perfect scent of vanilla bread.

William, my twin boy, was more reserved than his sister. He only said a few words, but his actions spoke volumes, making me proud. He stood before me with a little smile, wanting my attention as well. "Welcome Dad." 

 "Hey, buddy," I smiled, ruffling his hair. He responded with a warm hug, and I asked, "You good?" feeling him nod against my chest.

"How was school?" I asked and Wilhelmina went into a detailed explanation of her fun day at school, where they were asked to pet an egg as they would a child.

My kids released me as I stood up, their little hands grasping mine as they led me into the mansion. My gaze fell upon Emma, wearing light makeup and a flowing gown that reached above her knees. She flashed a smile and approached to welcome me.

"Hey, darling," she said. "How are you? I called the office, and your Beta mentioned you were gone for a while. Where did you go?" Despite the wide smile on her face, I could see the jealousy dancing in her eyes.

Emma had always been against my visits to Jessica's grave every year. She had stopped openly mentioning it after I'd almost snapped her neck, but I knew she would still do anything to prevent me from going.

"I was busy," I responded curtly, brushing past her as I made my way toward the enticing aroma wafting from the dining hall.

"William, Wilhelmina, babies, come here. Mummy made you some cookies," Emma called out in a syrupy voice. Instantly, I felt my kids' grip on my hands tighten.

My heart wavered for a moment, and I paused to observe what was wrong.

"I told you we're not hungry! We want to eat with Daddy; you can eat alone," Wilhelmina snapped, and my brows snapped up in surprise.

The sweet smile on Emma's face quickly faded as she leveled a glare at our daughter.

"What's wrong?" I asked Wilhelmina softly, watching as she shook her head vehemently.

"Daddy, Emma makes me so mad. She makes us both mad. She just can't leave us alone. We don't want her to keep bothering us; could you tell her to stop?" my baby girl complained.

My eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by our little girl referring to Emma by her first name. I had noticed that as my kids grew older, they became increasingly distant from Emma, rejecting her warmth and presence. It worried me, and I couldn't help but suspect, yet again, if these kids were even hers. It was all just strange.

Both William and Wilhelmina looked so much like me, and although I thought Wilhelmina had Emma's eyes, I still couldn't pinpoint what was amiss in their relationship.

Emma's face turned red with anger, but before she could go off on our daughter, I stopped her with a look. Then, I turned my attention to the sulking Wilhelmina and stroked her dark soft hair, which contrasted with Emma's  bright blonde locks.

"Hey, baby," I said gently. "Don't call your mother by her name; that's very wrong, and people might think their Alpha isn't teaching morals to his kids. You're a cute little princess, and what do little princesses do?" I asked, watching as she huffed a small breath.

"Little princesses lead by good examples, Daddy," she answered, biting her bottom lip.

"Good girl," I smiled, leaning down to kiss her hair. "You're such a good girl." I forced a smile and then turned to Emma, whose fists were clenched in frustration.

Emma wore an embarrassed smile. She slowly shrugged before glancing at Wilhelmina, who had turned to look at her solemnly.

"I'm trying my best to train the kids, and I'm sorry if I'm not trying hard enough," Her eyes watered, once again playing the victim card, which always frustrated me.

Drawing an exhausted breath, I turned to my daughter. 

"Apologize to your mother so we can all go and eat."

"I'm..." Wilhelmina paused before lowering her head. "I'm sorry, Mother." Her apology sounded forced, reflecting the apparent lack of a motherly bond between Emma and the kids.

William came over to pull Wilhelmina to his side in a protective stance, casting a disdainful look at Emma, whose shoulders had completely fallen.

"That's enough. It's time for dinner," I announced, leading my two kids away toward the dining room and leaving Emma behind, transfixed and watching us depart. As we left, a myriad of emotions and thoughts crossed through my head, weighing heavily on my mind. Why did they seem to hate Emma?

"Daddy, will you take us to bed and read us some books?" Wilhelmina asked as I gently dabbed on the soup stains around her mouth with a flowered napkin.

I gave her a small smile. "I'm sorry, bunny. Daddy needs some rest, but Mommy is going to do it."

"No!" the kids exclaimed in unison.

"Daddy, we don't want Emma. Sorry, I mean Mother," Wilhelmina began to cry, which further startled me.

Biting back a frustrated groan, I slowly nodded. "Fine, don't cry. I'll read you some stories. Go to bed, and Daddy will take a shower and come over."

"Pinky promise, Daddy?" she said, holding out her smallest finger. I hooked mine with hers, smiling.

"Go on," I told her gently.

I watched the kids beam with joy as they placed kisses on my cheeks before running away, giggling, through the dining room door and disappearing from sight. Once they were gone, the smile on my lips faded, replaced by a heavy gloom. 

I slowly made my way to the bedroom, unbuttoning my shirt as I stopped in front of my door. Before I could push it open, I paused upon hearing someone speaking inside my room.

"Yes, Mother. He's back... No, no, I think he's tired, and I'll tell him you called... I don't know; the kids are so stubborn, but I'm trying to..." The words trailed off as I stepped into the room, finding Emma on a phone call while sitting on my bed.

My expression darkened immediately as I took in the sight before me.

“I'll call you back, mom." She said and quickly hung up.

“And what are you doing in my room?" I barked out, my eyes narrowing on the revealing lingerie she had worn. 

We didn't share a room and I had made it clear that it wasn't something I would be ever wavering on. She had seemed to stick to it and seeing her here right now, fucking irked me. 

“I'm… I'm sorry. I came to check on you.” She put on a soft tone that grated on my nerves.

Before I could speak, a flirtatious smile appeared on her lips as she slowly stood to walk toward me. Instantly, the revealing lingerie she wore slipped off her body.