Chapter 6

• Seven years later…
• The early morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft, golden glow over the small room.
• I stretched, careful not to wake the two small bodies nestled on either side of me.
• My twins, Finn and Luna, slept soundly, their little faces peaceful in the morning light.
• Watching them, I couldn’t help but smile.
• Life was different now.
• It had to be.
• After that night, the night I left everything behind, I promised myself that I would never look back.
• And for seven years, I hadn’t. I had built a life here, in the Lycan territory, far away from the pain of the past. I was no longer the broken woman who had stumbled into that motel room. I was Briar Ashford—mother, therapist, survivor.
• “Mama,” a small voice murmured, breaking into my thoughts. Luna, her big brown eyes still heavy with sleep, reached out to me.
• Her tiny hand clutched at my shirt as she blinked up at me with a smile that could light up the darkest day.
• “Morning, sweetheart,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Did you sleep well?”
• “Mmm-hmm,” she hummed, snuggling closer. “Where’s Finn?”
• I chuckled softly, nodding to the other side of the bed where her brother lay, sprawled out like a starfish. “Right there, taking up all the space as usual.”
• She giggled, the sound like music to my ears, and wiggled closer to Finn, wrapping her small arms around him. Finn, in response, let out a sleepy grunt, but didn’t wake. Luna looked back at me, grinning.
• “Mama, can we have pancakes for breakfast?”
• “Pancakes, huh?” I pretended to consider it, tapping my chin. “I don’t know... that sounds like a lot of work.”
• “Please?” she pleaded, her bottom lip jutting out in a perfect pout. “With extra syrup?”
• I smiled, unable to resist her charm. “Alright, pancakes it is. But only if you promise to help.”
• “Yay!” Luna whispered excitedly, careful not to wake Finn, before slipping out of bed and racing to the kitchen. I followed her with a smile, feeling a warmth in my chest that only my children could bring.
• In the small kitchen, we worked together to make breakfast. Luna stood on a chair, stirring the batter with all the seriousness a six-year-old could muster. I watched her, marveling at how much she had grown, how much both of them had grown.
• I had thought that might was a dream, but no it was a blessing. They were my world, my everything, and I would do anything to protect them.
• As the pancakes sizzled on the stove, I thought about how much my life had changed.
• I had built something here—a home, a career, a life for my children. I had become a therapist, helping others heal from their own wounds, and in doing so, I had started to heal myself.
• The Lycan territory had become a sanctuary for me, no one cared if I was an omega unlike the werewolves were hierarchy was everything.
• Lizbella had also helped, starting a life here as well. Co-partnering with me to start our own care home.
• No one here knew about my past, and that was the way I intended to keep it. My clients knew me as Briar Ashford, the therapist who had a way of understanding people, of helping them through their pain.
• They didn’t know about the nightmares that still haunted me, or the scars that still ached when the weather turned cold.
• But those scars were a part of me, and they had made me stronger. Strong enough to raise two incredible children on my own, to build a life that I could be proud of.
• “Mama, the pancakes are burning!” Luna’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I quickly turned back to the stove, flipping the pancakes just in time.
• “Oops, sorry about that,” I said with a sheepish smile. “I guess I got a little distracted.”
• Luna giggled, shaking her head in that way that made her look far too grown-up for her age. “You’re silly, Mama.”
• “Yeah, yeah, I know,” I replied, setting the pancakes on a plate and drizzling them with syrup. “But I make up for it with these, right?”
• “Right!” she agreed, hopping down from the chair and grabbing a plate. “Can I wake up Finn?”
• “Go ahead,” I said, watching as she ran back to the bedroom, her excitement contagious. Moments later, she returned with a groggy Finn in tow, his hair sticking up in all directions.
• “Pancakes?” he asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
• “Yup, your favorite,” I said, ruffling his hair as he climbed into his chair at the table.
• We ate breakfast together, the twins chatting excitedly about their plans for the day.
• They were full of energy, their laughter filling the small kitchen, and for a moment, I allowed myself to forget about the worries that often plagued me. For a moment, everything was perfect.
• After breakfast, I cleaned up while the twins played in the living room. I could hear their voices drifting down the hall as they built elaborate forts out of blankets and pillows. They were so full of life, so innocent, and I was determined to keep it that way.
• I had just finished washing the dishes when I heard a knock at the door. My heart skipped a beat—unexpected visitors were rare in the Lycan territory, especially for someone like me who kept to herself.
• I quickly dried my hands and walked to the door, glancing back at the twins, who were oblivious to the interruption.
• When I opened the door, I found myself staring up at three men—no, not just men. Lycans.
• I could feel the power radiating off them. I gulped.
• They were tall, muscular, and devastatingly handsome, with an air of authority that made it clear they were used to being obeyed.
• The one in the center, with dark hair and blue eyes, and damn, a perfect jawline, stepped forward, his gaze locking onto mine.
• “Briar Ashford?”
• “Yes,” I replied, my voice steadier than I felt. “Can I help you?”
• He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, his eyes swept over me, taking in every detail as if he were committing me to memory. It was unsettling, to say the least.
• “I’m Kai Moonstone,” he finally said, his voice deep and commanding. “These are my brothers, Kylan and Kieran.”
• I glanced at the other two men, who were identical to Kai in every way except for the color of their eyes. Kylan’s were a striking green, while Kieran’s were a stormy gray.
• They stood behind Kai, their expressions unreadable.
• “What do you want?” I asked, forcing myself to hold Kai’s gaze.
• “We need to talk,” Kai said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “May we come in?”
• I hesitated, my instincts screaming at me to shut the door, to keep them out. But something in Kai’s eyes—something familiar, yet terrifying—kept me rooted in place.
• “We can talk out here. What is this about?” I asked, my voice wavering slightly.
• “It’s about your children,” Kylan spoke up, his voice softer, but no less intense.
• My heart stuttered in my chest, a cold fear wrapping around me like a vice. “What about my children?”
• Kai took a step closer. “We believe they’re ours.”