Bella let Tyler linger at the surface, watching as the triplets absorbed the news.
Whatever he decides, the girls will follow, Tyler said knowingly.
I know, Bella replied. They always follow his lead.
Tyler chortled. Typical behavior for Alpha siblings.
Mm, I know.
Their conversation was interrupted by Bella’s father mind-linking her.
Bella, your mother is awake and asking to see you, he informed her.
Fine, I’m on my way, she replied, severing the link.
Standing, she looked down at the triplets. “Your grandma is awake. Let’s go see her.”
She wouldn’t deny her mother the chance to see her grandchildren. That guilt would be unbearable if something were to happen, and her children deserved to know their grandmother.
The Alpha could wait. Bella still wasn’t ready to face him yet. Tyler, however, was not pleased, bristling at her hesitation.
Why are you still holding back? Tyler pressed. You’ve accepted him. Why are you resisting?
Bella ignored the wolf’s frustration, pushing it aside. It had only been a few hours since everything came to light, and she was still trying to sort through her confusion. She needed answers—why he hadn’t told her immediately after learning about the triplets and why he’d waited. Whether it was dishonesty or doubt, she had to know the truth before moving forward.
Bella wanted clarity—she needed to understand Luke’s true motives. His wolf, Maddis, had been unwavering in its desire for Tyler and their bond, but she had no idea where Luke himself stood. What were his feelings on all of this?
When Bella reached her mother, Vera was sitting up in her hospital bed. Her wounds were healing well now that Ivy was back. Vera smiled warmly and held out her arms, beckoning Bella into an embrace. Despite her disappointment in her mother’s actions, Bella couldn’t resist the comfort of her embrace. She stepped forward and hugged her tightly.
“I’m not happy with you,” Bella murmured into her mother’s ear, her tone soft but firm. “But we’ll get to that later, I suppose.”
Pulling back, Bella introduced the triplets. Vera’s reaction was immediate—her eyes widened in shock as she took in the sight of the three children. Clearly, her father hadn’t told her. Perhaps he thought Bella would want to do it herself.
Vera was out of bed in an instant, gathering the triplets into a big hug, squishing them together and exclaiming how much she loved them. “You should call me Grandma,” she added with a bright smile.
Then, her gaze shifted to Bella. “Are they the Alpha’s?”
“Yes,” Bella confirmed.
Her mother’s expression turned questioning. “Does he know?”
“He does now,” Bella replied with a shrug.
“Has he met them?”
“Not officially. That’s up to them.”
Vera nodded thoughtfully. “Fair enough, considering the circumstances of your leaving.” It surprised Bella to see that her mother seemed to be on her side, despite her past actions.
Bella sighed inwardly. Today was shaping up to be an exhausting day. She hadn’t slept all night, and the emotional strain of discovering that the Alpha—a man she’d believed for six years hated her—was her second-chance Mate had left her drained. She wondered about Mia and made a mental note to ask Luke what had happened to her. There were so many questions she needed answers to.
But you won’t reject him, Tyler said firmly.
Bella was silent for a moment before sighing. No, Tyler, I won’t—as long as he’s honest with me and truly wants me.
He does, Tyler replied confidently.
You’re so sure of that?
Yes. You can’t deny my bond with Maddis, and his wolf feels what he feels, Tyler reasoned. You’ve always loved him, even after he banished us. You can’t hide that from me.
Bella sighed again. Tyler wasn’t wrong. She had loved Luke, even after everything. But her fear for her children’s safety had driven her to become their sole protector, allowing no one—Luke included—to hurt them. Her fear of Mia had been very real. If Mia had discovered the triplets, she could only imagine the Luna’s wrath. No Luna would tolerate the existence of illegitimate children threatening her own offspring’s birthright.
And now… Did Luke have children with Mia? Even though Alpha Tomas had said Mia was gone, it didn’t mean there weren’t children somewhere in the picture. Just one more question to add to her growing list. Maybe she should write them all down and let Luke answer them in whatever order he preferred.
Bella shook off the thoughts as she headed toward the pack house laundry, searching for suitable clothing for the triplets. The children were looking around curiously, taking in their unfamiliar surroundings.
Macky approached her as soon as she entered. He smiled kindly, his concern evident. “How are you feeling?” he asked gently.
His tone made Bella pause. She appreciated the care in his voice but couldn’t help wondering how much he already knew about everything unfolding around her.
“You’re all bastards, you know that?” Bella snapped, glaring at Macky. She knew he’d understand exactly what she meant.
He laughed, his easy-going Gamma charm shining through. “Yeah… but that’s okay,” he drawled, his southern accent slipping into his voice.
She punched him hard in the arm, and he burst out laughing. “Sorry, Bella,” he said, rubbing the spot where she’d hit him. “I wanted to tell you, really, but I was under orders not to. You’ll have to take it up with him—he had his reasons. Personally, I’d have just sedated you and dumped you right in his bed. Boom, problem solved.” He grinned mischievously.
“You think so, huh?” she shot back, raising an eyebrow.
“Absolutely,” he said with a confident nod. “Oh, by the way, Suzzy. Can you call her and ask her to come here? She’d be great helping with the pups.”
Bella stopped mid-step in the hallway, turning to look at him suspiciously. “Why?” she asked, but the stupid, boyish grin on his face already gave her the answer.
