Chapter 72: Chapter 72
Kane POV
Hunter is incessantly clawing at me as we walk away. It took every ounce of willpower for Axel and me to push our wolves back down, and when Mason talked to Katie and her baby, Hunter was going absolutely feral.
“Turn around, and take her away from him,” Hunter snarls. “She doesn’t belong to him.”
“Chill the fuck out,” I demand, almost doubling over with effort of calming him down.
What Hunter is saying does not make any sense. The baby looks very much like Mason. He is obviously the father, but is Katie the mother?
“What the fuck was that?” I grunt as we enter our hotel room. “We came here to find Mason, now our heads are totally fucked by a random woman and her baby.”
An incredibly sexy woman whose scent is nothing like I have ever experienced before.
“No fucking clue,” Axel frowns, exhale deeply and shaking his head. “Blade’s never reacted like that to anyone, not even ...”
“Alice.” I completed his sentence.
Our mate, the woman we loved. I think back to our early days with her. She was beautiful, fun, and seemed like someone who would make a great partner. But did I feel that instant, all-encompassing need to have her?
“What is it about Katie?” Axel looks at me, dumbstruck. “I cannot get her out of my mind. It is like nothing else matters. I don’t care if Mason attacks us, or if Dad’s a lying, cheating asshole. Fuck, I don’t even care that Alice died anymore. I am consumed with having Katie.”
“I know,” I sigh, and shake my head.
Suddenly, the entire reason we were here took a backseat to figuring out who this mysterious Katie was.
Katie POV
I am emotionally exhausted when I close my cottage door behind me. I feed and bathe Stella before putting her down for a nap. What a fucking day! I gave Mason the benefit of the doubt that he is not plotting against his brothers, but that ship has sailed. He is definitely not a fan of his brothers.
“Katie!” Quinn knocks on the door. “Are you okay?”
“Hello, Quinn,” I open the door and let her in. “And to answer your question, I’m fine.”
“Really?” She gapes at me. “Because I wouldn’t be. Those alphas glared at you like you were their last meal.”
“I know, it was weird,” I groan, falling onto the couch. “I need wine, but I can’t because I’m breastfeeding.”
“I need Prozac and a fire extinguisher, because those alphas are hot,” Quinn sighs dreamily.
“They’re also Mason’s half-brothers,” I add.
“I knew it!” She exclaims excitedly. “The moment I saw them, I knew they were related.”
“Sure, you did,” I tease, rolling my eyes. It was a shock when Mason told me they were his brothers, but I am disappointed that he lied to me when I asked him if he knew anything about the Constantine Pack.
I guess I can understand why he did it. They obviously do not get along, but still. I trusted him with my past and with Stella. I did not expect him to lie to me.
“That’s wild,” Quinn sighs, then goes quiet.
“Say it,” I look at her intensely. “Whatever you’re thinking, say it.”
“I know you think Mason is great with Stella, but ...” She trails off and clears her throat. “I’m worried you think he’s Stella’s dad. And I can tell you for sure that he’s not.”
“Quinn, I’m not stupid,” I huff, a twinge of annoyance jolting through me. “Plus, it would be super fucking weird if Mason knew that Stella was his child and didn’t say anything.”
Realistically, I know this. But the hopeful part of me wishes he were Stella’s father. They got along so well. It sure would make things easier if he were. After all, I like Mason, even though we have not even kissed.
“It’s just ... I mean, are you sure you’ve never met the alpha twins before?” Quinn asks.
“Kane and Axel?” I raise my eyebrows. “Before today, I didn’t even know their names.”
“The twins look so much like Mason,” Quinn bites her lip. “And Stella looks like Mason, so if Mason’s not the dad, then ...”
“Oh, please, Quinn.” I scoff, cutting her off. “Don’t even go there. They’re Alphas. And I have zero memory of ever meeting them before.”
“You have zero memory of everything,” Quinn argues. “It’s a possibility.”
“Do you think this is easy for me?” I frown. “Don’t you think I wonder about Stella’s father every day? I could’ve been in love with him. I could’ve been married, but I also could’ve been a slut or raped. Do you know the agony when you look at your child, and you know there will be a day she asks you about her father, and you can’t answer? For goddess’ sake, she could be human for all I know.”
“Katie, I’m sorry,” Quinn whispers sadly. “I never thought of it that way. The resemblance between them and Stella is so obvious, I couldn’t help but wonder.”
“I’m not discussing this anymore,” I say firmly, because the truth is, my wolf did act like she knows Kane and Axel.
But Lily has been all over the place ever since I shifted after Stella’s birth. She gave Stella one sniff and freaked out. I barely heard a peep from her in the months I was pregnant, and now she seemed to awaken at the strangest times with the strangest thoughts.
Right now, I am not sure if she can be trusted.
