Pregnant With Alpha’s Genius Twins
Chapter 285

Two months fly by then, with all of the work we have to do to get everything in order before Victor can make his bid for Supreme.

"Well," I say under my breath as I survey the incredible work that has been completed on our new home in that time. "It sure is nice to have money."

"Sure is," Victor says, smirking as he stands next to me. "Not that we have any anymore. Since you spent it all."

"The trampoline room was a necessity," I say seriously, flicking my hair back over my shoulder. "It was worth the expense:"

"What?" Victor asks, frowning as he snaps his attention to me.

"Kidding," I say, grinning and bumping my shoulder against him. He just sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose between two fingers.

"With you, and those creatures you've convinced me are my sons," he murmurs. "One can never be sure."

Laughing, I take his hand and tug him back towards the house, my other hand rubbing the baby bump that's just starting to make itself visible under my dress. "Come on," I say, happy. "We have to get back to the cottage - it's almost time for the party."

Victor groans, but I know he doesn't mean it. This is the first time he gets to celebrate his sons' birthday with them and I know that he's thrilled about it. He's just putting up a fuss to be contrary. And, yes, because we're completely overwhelmed very everything else we're planning a political takeover, a house, a wedding. But, birthdays come first.

It makes me laugh, a little hysterically, to think of all the things we're trying to finish before the babies arrive. But it's a happy kind of stress - the kind that I know leads to all good things.

"Mama!" T hear Alvin call and, confused, I look around for him as Victor and I come out of the woods and begin to cross the back lawn. "Up here, mama!" he calls and I laugh to see him standing on the little spy roof outside his window, "Inside!" Victor commands, cupping his hands to his mouth so Alvin can hear.

"Now!"

Alvin rolls his eyes and hesitates, seeing if his dad will give way, but Victor c***s his head and gives him a look. Sighing, Alvin climbs back inside.

"Oh, what's the big deal?" I murmur to Victor, taking his arm. "He's not going to fall. And they're seven now. They can balance."

"I know" he replies to me with a sigh. "I just don't want him to figure out that if he turns around, he's probably tall enough now that he can pull himself up onto the main roof. Then they'll climb up on that and be scurrying all over it like racoons."

Ilaugh, scrunching my nose as liook at my mate. He's right - the boys have grown taller even in the past two months, let alone the past year." It's so crazy how fast they get big," I murmur, putting my head on Victor's shoulder. "Even this time last year it felt like they were still babies. Now it feels like they're little people."

"It's crazy that I didn't even know them this time last year," Victor says, touching his head to mine.

"I can't imagine what it will be like next year.

I sigh, a little guilt running through me at that - at keeping so much of their childhood from them. But I don't say anything - I know it's a subject long since buried.

"This time next year you'll have two screaming babies to think of," I say casually. "We'll barely even know Alvin and lan exist."

"Don't tell the boys that," Victor murmurs as we climb up the stairs to the porch and Alvin and lan come flying out the back door. "If they think that's true they'll pack the babies up and ship them away to Siberia the moment they're born." Grinning, I drop Victor's arm and wrap my arms around Alvin as he rushes to hug me. lan, growing a little more contained in his old age (and I roll my eyes to think of it) just takes Victor's hand.

"People are starting to get here," Alvin says, grinning up at me and looking towards the house.

"Really?" I ask, trying to peer through the door. "They're early. Who?"

·

"Me," Henry says, wheeling into view. "Damned hell of a time getting into the house, by the way," he growls, chagrined. But as I laugh and move forward to him, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, seeing a sparkle in his eye. Victor's mother comes quickly into view behind, and I greet her as well.

The house fills quickly after that, all our loved ones and friends coming by to celebrate the twins' birthdays, many of them congratulating me for the first time on my pregnancy. I'm grateful, again, for Burton's mastery of the home and hospitality - I never, ever could have managed this without him. As he takes a tray of hors d'oeuvres out of the oven, he sends me a little wink, letting me know he's got it under control

I make a mental note to shower him in thanks and bonuses the next moment I have a chance.

The boys, predictably, are overwhelmed by the guests and the gifts, but I watch with particular curiosity when Annabeth Prath arrives with her children in tow, as well as several nieces and nephews with whom lan and Alvin will be attending school in the fall. I peek at the boys from the kitchen as the other children spill into the house, curious.

"How are they doing?" Bridgette whispers behind me, and I turn to her with a grin. Thad told her about this little plan last night, so I know her curiosity is as peaked as mine. Victor, predictably oblivious, greets Annabeth at the door warmly, hugging her around her very pregnant belly.

"Look," I say, nodding towards Alvin and lan, who hesitate as the other six children approach them. Even though the Prath clan are friendly, Alvin and lan...I laugh to see that they're completely freaked out. I bite my lip, pressing a hand to my chest and looking at Bridgette. "Oh my god," I murmur. "I've totally ruined them. They're weirdos! They don't know how to make friends!"

"Well, they are weirdos," she says, smirking at me, and I laugh to hear it, totally unoffended. How could they not be a little weird, my little genius twins? "But they'll do all right. Look, they're starting!"

I look over again to see Alvin speaking to a little brown-haired girl, a little taller than him, his hands anxiously clenched behind his back. lan does a little better, talking to two boys - one dark, one fair - around his age and then taking them to show them some of the toys I've messily bundled away into one corner of the living room.

"Oh geeze," I say, raising a hand to my cheek as I watch them. "Do you think they ll make friends? They ve only had each other for so long - it's all my fault, keeping them out of school for almost a whole year

"What's wrong, Evelyn?" Victor asks, coming over to Bridgette and I with a worried look.

"Our kids, are social pariahs," I murmur, nodding to them.

Frowning, Victor observes Alvin and lan for a moment and then looks back to me. "What are you talking about? They're fine." And then I take another look and realize....

That they re fine. They're just two seven-year-old boys meeting new kids for the first time, people that they'll go to school with for many years, maybe even build life-long friendships. And suddenly, my eyes flood with tears.

"Oh boy," Bridgette says, laughing and squeezing my shoulder, before passing me off to Victor. This looks like your territory, Victor, not mine."