Chase led me to the bathroom and aided me in bathing, as I couldnt get the stitches wet. He washed my hair and, when I closed my eyes, I remembered that time with Jayden. My eyes began to well up.

"Marry me, Will. God, marry me."

Like a fool, I actually believed he wanted to marry me. I wanted to marry him. Not for our destined partnership, not for the kids, not for his gender, not for money. All I wanted was him, the guy I thought loved me too and could stand at my side forever.

"Will?" I gasped and glanced to Chase, making sure not to put my head up. "You okay?"

"Yeah, sorry. I just didn\'t sleep well."

He gave me a sad smile, "let\'s get you out and into some clothes." Chase aided me out of the bath and helped me put on some clothes. As we came out to the living room and saw the kids outside.

We went outside and Iris glanced to us. Her eyes scanned my body as I tried to ignore it and flood myself in the loud giggling the twins made as they ran around with Emit and Wren. I paused and realized Iris had the babbling Addie in her arms. Chase joined in on their chasing as I went over to Iris and smiled.

"Can I join you?"

She nodded and I sat beside her. I was surprised when she didn\'t rush to give Addie to me. A slight smile broke on Iris\' face as Addie began grabbing her hair and babbling towards her. I could feel a motherly energy coming off of Iris.

"Do you like kids?"

She glanced at me and her smile faded, "I\'m an Omega. Of course Iove kids. I have to."

I saw a bit of my young self in her. She\'s been oppressed by someone, but who? "Its not just because of your gender," I replied quietly with a small smile. "Can I tell you a secret?"

She shrugged even though I saw some excitement on her face.

"I didn\'t like kids when I was young. I was an Omega who didn\'t like kids."

"So you didn\'t want to get pregnant?"

I nodded as my smile lessened, "but I would never take them back for the entire world. They were the best thing that ever happened to me."

She glanced to me, "are they are children of you and your destined partner?"

"Yeah," I scoffed slightly, "we only met a few days before the kids were concieved." I looked to my ŀȧp, "he is a dominant Alpha so I had no chance of preventing it."

"Does Chase have a destined partner?"

"Not that we know of."

"Is he going to be Emit\'s mate?"

"I believe so."

She sighed, "Emit looks like my dad when he was young. For Chase\'s sake, I hope he is not the same type of person."

I smiled, "Emit is not your usual Alpha. I actually knew him for a good part of his childhood. That was when they thought I was an Alpha."

"You were an Alpha?"

I nodded, "that\'s what I was identified as until my first heat came in 10th grade. I\'m from a family of only Alphas, so it was quite an upset."

"You two do look similar."

"We\'re of the same lineage. We\'re pure blooded Lithuanian."

"The kids don\'t look like you." She caught her breath, "shit, sorry. I didn\'t think about it before I talked."

I smiled slightly, "it\'s okay. You\'re telling the truth. They look like their father other than their eye color."

She focused on Addie, "do they know yet? The twins I mean."

"No," I took a hard gulp, "I don\'t know how to tell them. They finally began trusting him just a few months ago."

"Are..." she became nervous and her hands shook slightly, "are you scared he might find you?"

"Absolutely," I replied immediately before looking down to my wrists. "He looked for us for 6 years when I left before." I chuckled as tears filled my eyes, "well, at least we don\'t have to worry about him today and tomorrow." My heart tore and I felt like I was struggling to breath, "he\'s getting married tomorrow morning."

"Married?!"

I nodded, "to a female Alpha. As a male Omega, his family did not want us to marry as I would ruin his public image. They threatened to take away his wealth and job, so he chose to marry her."

She placed her hand on my leg and surprised me, "he doesn\'t deserve you or your kids. I might not know you much yet, but I can tell you are honest and kind. He\'s a fool to choose money and status over his family."

"Will!" Everyone paused and I was overwhelmed by the presence of a strong Alpha. I looked to the nearby door to the house and saw a tall, muscular male Alpha glaring at all of us. He stood beside Trey who gave me a broad smile.

I felt Iris stiffen as the twins rushed to me and clung to my sides. Chase immediately came closer to Emit and took his hand. Wren, surprisingly, gained a big smile and rushed over to the man.

His glare moved down to Wren, "Uncle Alex!"

He cracked a slight smile, "you got bigger again," he remarked in a deep voice that made my skin crawl. His presence was very similar to Jayden, causing me to begin to panic internally. Instinctively, I fought to show no sign of fear or weakness and met his gaze when it came to me. "Hey Iris."

"Hi," she whispered before handing Addie to me. "Do you two want to go in the pool?"

The twins lessened in uncertainty and looked up to me hopefully, "go ahead."

"Can you boys and Iris watch the kids while they swim? The ȧduŀts need to talk."

The boys nodded before leading the kids inside to change. I came over to the two Alphas and faked a confident smile. Trey led us inside so I followed behind them until we reached the dining room table.

"Excuse me for a minute." I mumbled before going into the kitchen and to the fridge. I got out a bottle and gave it to Addie before heading back to the table. I sat across from them as I fed Addie in my ŀȧp.

"Alex, this is Will. He\'s Elijah\'s...friend?"

I chuckled slightly at Trey\'s confused face. "I guess you could call us that. Parent of his nieces and nephew is a bit of a mouthful." I extended my hand and noticed all he did was stare at my bruises. After a moment, I put my hand back in my ŀȧp and readjusted Addie.

"You\'re the destined partner Omega."

I struggled to tell if he was stating it or asking a question. "Yeah, that\'s me. Elijah said you might be able to help me break my destined partnership."

He looked towards my face, but I realized he was actually looking at my neck. I felt uncomfortable with how hard he stared and stayed silent.

"Sorry, my brother is not very sociable." Trey smacked Alex slightly, "stop staring."

"Zara said you were attacked. You were rȧpėd by your Alpha, correct?"

Trey\'s face turned to pain as I nodded. "That is why we left so quickly. If we hadn\'t, I don\'t know what would\'ve happened to me and the kids."

"So he\'s a monster," he huffed while looking to Trey. "He\'s like our father. That must be why Elijah sent you here. But how does Elijah know a man like that?"

I looked to both of them in surprise, "he didn\'t tell you?" They shook their heads and I sighed deeply, "my Alpha is Elijah\'s half brother. Their father is the Alpha Elijah believes led to his Mom\'s death."

Trey\'s eyes bugged out of his head, "holy shit."