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“However, when Talia found out that she was having boys, my mum was horrid to her throughout the entire pregnancy, and even still, to this day, she’ll make rude comments and insult my sister for not being better.”
“Oh, wow.” My heart aches for her. Julie… she had it rough, but putting this much pressure on your children, for blaming them for being born… I can’t understand it.
“Iris has it worse,” Alex admits. “She hasn’t tried to start having kids, and in my mum's eyes, that’s an “even worse failure than Talia has done”. It’s… the twins are so desperate to earn her love that it can be difficult for them. They’ve never braved going against my parents, and it’s a shit situation.”
“That sounds awful,” I whisper, the sorrow I feel threatening to drag me under.
Alex grimaces, looking over at me. “I’m sorry for the way my sisters have treated you. I didn’t… the first night was harder to realise that they were so off-putting and rude. Looking back at it, I can see it clearly, but at the time, I ignored it. I’m sorry for how they treated you, and I’m sorry we let it happen.”
“Don’t be.” I genuinely mean that, too.
“You’re too sweet, Maia, but I am going to be sorry.” He gently cups my cheeks and leans in to press a soft kiss to my lips. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“You’re exhausted,” he murmurs, and I nod with a heavy sigh. “Get yourself to bed. Phoebe will hopefully wake soon for a feed, and you can both get some good sleep.”
“Fingers crossed.” I yawn, and move away from him, stretching as I rise to my feet. “It’s Ben’s night tonight, isn’t it?”
He nods, giving me a warm smile. “I’m not sure if you’ll rid Seb from the bedroom, mind you.”
I laugh and shrug. I bend down and give him a soft kiss. “Then I’ll see you in the morning.”
I’m slow and sluggish as I head upstairs, and I need a good night’s sleep. Just one that will let me forget the hellish day this has been.
Because whilst the guys have all moved on to focusing on their pack… I’m a selfish girl who hasn’t. Instead, all that is playing on my mind is how much everyone hates me because I fell in love with a beautiful man who needed to learn that he was worthy of being loved without the shadow of his past hanging over him.
37
MAIA
“Hey, sorry we woke you,” I whisper, my voice hoarse with my tears. Alex just waves off my worries and charges forward. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you in bed?”
“Pass her here,” he commands.
His voice is thick with sleep, and it makes it more gravelly than normal. It would be hot if I wasn’t on my second night of no sleep with a hysterical baby who seems to hate me, her crib, my boobs, and the dark.
She was very unsettled last night after Iris, Talia, and their mates went home, and Ben had a meeting this morning, so I sent him to his own room—reluctantly, but it was needed for his own sake.
I spent most of it walking her back and forth around the room, shushing her to sleep. Today has been hectic for my mates as they deal with the blowout of last night, so I’ve had very little sleep, and it’s starting to wear thin.
Tonight, Topher was meant to be my bed partner, but he wasn’t home when we got settled, and he’s not snuck in yet.
I’m a big girl. I can handle it.
It’s just hard.
“Babe, I’ve been watching you on that damn monitor of yours for the last few minutes, and it’s clear that you’re wrecked but weren’t planning on getting one of us to come and help. Sit your pretty ass down and let me take a turn with her.”
“Alex—”
“Now,” he says, and I sigh but obey him, even without him using his alpha voice. He’s right, even if it makes me feel guilty.
Phoebe’s cluster fed for two hours, draining me dry—literally and mentally—and now she just won’t settle unless I’m moving around the room. I’m happy to do it, but it’s exhausting when I’m running on empty. I pass her over to Alex and frown when she cuddles in and instantly closes her eyes.
“What in all of the magic?” I demand as exhausted tears well up, and he smirks at me as if he’s so talented.
I can’t even appreciate how attractive he is right now, dad-bossing it, because I just want to curl up in a ball and cry my exhaustion out. I’ve spent hours with her, trying to calm her down and soothe her unhappiness, and she has given me nothing.
