Luke crouched down to her level, a warm smile spreading across his face. “Yes, sweetheart,” he said gently. “I am your father. Now, let me see… which one are you?” He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly as though he were studying her intently.
Bella noticed Arana hurriedly stepping up beside her twin, clearly curious to see if Luke could tell them apart. The girls were identical, and while Bella and Tyler could differentiate between them by their voices and subtle differences in their scents, she wasn’t sure if Luke would know. Minka was more outgoing, while Arana was quieter, but that wasn’t something a stranger could pick up on right away.
Luke glanced between the two girls for a moment before lightly tapping Minka’s nose. “You’re Minka, aren’t you?”
The delighted squeal that erupted from her daughter was ear-piercing, causing Tyler to whine softly in Bella’s mind. Both girls jumped on Luke in unrestrained excitement, tackling him in a flurry of giggles. He laughed and wrapped his arms around them as they knocked him backward onto the floor.
Bella felt her heart clench as she watched him close his eyes and hug them tightly. Tears welled in her eyes, and she turned her head away, unable to fully face the scene unfolding before her. This was something she had always dreamed of but never allowed herself to hope for. Seeing him accept the girls so wholeheartedly was almost too much to bear.
A hand rested gently on her back. “Breathe,” Macky’s voice whispered through the mind-link.
Bella exhaled shakily. This was going to be harder than she thought.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, taking a moment to compose herself and blink away the tears threatening to spill. It took her a full 30 seconds of deep breathing before she felt steady enough to look back. When she did, she found Luke watching her, concern etched across his maddeningly handsome face.
She waved him off, not trusting herself to speak. If she said anything, it might shatter her fragile resolve—and she was still mad at him.
Luke turned his attention back to the girls, popping them onto their feet with ease before standing and shifting his focus to Karis. The boy stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest, his expression stubborn and guarded.
That’s my boy, Bella thought with a hint of pride. He got his stubbornness from her.
Luke crouched down again, extending his hand to his son. “You’ve done a great job taking care of your sisters,” he said sincerely.
“Someone had to,” Karis replied flatly, his tone sharp. Without another word, he turned and walked away, stopping beside Bella. His small hand slipped into hers, gripping tightly.
Bella glanced down at him, squeezing his hand in return. Her boy wasn’t going to make it easy for Luke—and honestly, she didn’t blame him one bit.
Luke dropped his hand, sighed softly, and straightened. There wasn’t much he could do about Karis’s cold reception. His son would come around when he was ready—and only then.
Luke’s eyes shifted to Bella. “You said Macky made you come up here?”
“She was headed for the laundry to find winter clothes in the lost and found for the kids,” Macky answered with a shrug.
“Oh.” Luke nodded thoughtfully before turning to Bella. “Well, I can fix that.” His tone was calm but confident as he nodded to Macky.
“Bella,” he said, “if you and the children come this way, I’ve already made sure they’ll want for nothing.”
Bella felt a surge of irritation. What right did he have to make those decisions? She wanted to snap at him, but Tyler’s voice in her mind held her back. Don’t. He’s showing you he’s already accepted them.
Her daughters, however, had no such reservations. They ran up to him, each grabbing one of his hands, their faces lighting up with joy. They were ready to follow him wherever he wanted to take them, their acceptance of him immediate and unflinching.
Bella shook her head, both at their willingness and at her own reluctance. Alpha blood, she thought wryly. They recognized it instinctively.
When she glanced at Luke, he was watching her, one eyebrow raised as if silently daring her to say something. She bit her tongue and kept quiet, knowing it was better not to speak and risk annoying Tyler. The last thing she needed was Tyler pushing her into being marked by Maddis out of frustration. Instead, she motioned for Luke to lead the way.
With Karis gripping her hand tightly, she followed Luke and the girls. Her son clearly didn’t know how to process everything happening around him.
They reached the doors to the Alpha Suite, and Bella hesitated. Memories she didn’t want to face resurfaced. This had been his space with Mia, and she didn’t want to think about that woman. Luke must have noticed her reluctance because he stopped and turned to her.
“You can leave anytime you like, Bella,” he said gently, standing just inside the open doors.
She nodded but didn’t move. Her eyes swept over the room, noting how neat and modern it was. The suite had a monochrome palette: white walls, dark hardwood floors, white rugs, and black furniture. Even the lamps followed the black-and-white theme. A large mirror hung over the fireplace, and several doors branched off the main room. It was clean and elegant, but unfamiliar.
“This used to be my parents’ suite until about a year ago,” Luke explained. “They moved into a smaller one since it’s just them and Halley now. I renovated the space to make more room, so it’s probably not how you remember it from your childhood.”
“Who’s Halley?” Bella asked, the unfamiliar name catching her off guard.
Luke laughed softly, the sound deep and gravelly, sending a shiver down her spine. “My little sister,” he said with a hint of amusement. “She’s five—the same age as our babies.”
Our babies. Tyler practically purred in her mind, the sound so loud that Bella instinctively rubbed her chest.
“Tyler seems to like it when I say that,” Luke chuckled, his tone playful.
Bella frowned, ignoring Tyler’s hum of contentment. “You said you could fix the clothing issue,” she said briskly, trying to steer the conversation away from the growing tension she felt in his presence. The longer she was near him, the harder it was becoming to resist the pull of the Mate Bond. And she needed answers before she let herself be swept away.
