Evelyn’s POV
Calvin’s lips crashed against mine with an intensity that sent shockwaves through my entire body. Heat spread from where our mouths connected, rushing through my veins like liquid fire. My heart hammered against my ribs.
I hadn’t been kissed like this in years. Not since...
Unwanted memories flooded back. Calvin bringing me coffee in bed on Sunday mornings, his quiet laughter when I’d tell him about my day, the way his fingers would linger on mine when passing documents. Those rare moments of tenderness I’d deliberately locked away because remembering hurt too much.
The kiss deepened, and something primal stirred within me. The word "mate" flashed through my mind, unbidden and unwelcome.
Calvin’s arms tightened around me, pulling me closer. His confidence made me realize I hadn’t pushed him away. I was responding, melting into him without conscious thought.
The realization jolted me back to reality. I planted my hands firmly on his chest and shoved hard.
"Stop!" I gasped, stumbling backward. My face burned. My heart thundered so loudly I was certain he could hear it.
Calvin stood frozen, his eyes dark, breathing heavily.
"We can’t do this," I managed, trying to sound firm despite my trembling voice. "This isn’t... appropriate. Not anymore."
I turned quickly toward the door, desperate to escape both the room and the confusing emotions swirling inside me. My fingers closed around the doorknob and twisted.
Nothing happened.
I tried again, jiggling the handle. The door remained stubbornly shut.
"It’s locked," I said stupidly. Cold realization spread through me as I remembered the bathroom incident when kids had "accidentally" locked Calvin and me in together.
The pieces clicked together. The children’s comments about how nice it was when Calvin stayed for dinner. Alexis suddenly wanting bedtime stories from both of us. Rowan and Rhys creating excuses for us to be in the same room.
"The children," I muttered, turning back to Calvin. "Did you put them up to this? Locking us in here?"
Calvin shook his head. "No. This is entirely their doing. They want us together, Evelyn. They’ve been quite clear about it."
I started to protest, but he continued.
"You should have seen Alexis’s face the first time she called me Daddy," he said softly. "It was like watching the sun rise. Do you have any idea how much that meant to me?"
His words struck me silent.
"I love our children, Evelyn. All of them. I raised Rowan and Rhys while you were gone, taught them everything I know. And now I’ve discovered I have a daughter. A beautiful, brilliant little girl who shares my blood." His voice grew thick. "How could you expect me to walk away from that?"
I swallowed hard. "I never said you had to walk away."
"Didn’t you? By keeping her from me for years? By creating this... artificial separation between us?"
I wrapped my arms around myself. "I was trying to protect her."
"From me? Her father?"
"I spoke with Alexis," Calvin continued more gently. "She told me why she thought you kept us apart. She was afraid I would take you away from her. That if I became part of her life, she wouldn’t be the center of yours anymore."
My heart clenched. I hadn’t realized Alexis had felt that way.
Calvin stepped closer, not touching me but near enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. "I’m not trying to take custody away from you, Evelyn. I don’t want to disrupt the life you’ve built. I want to be part of it."
"I want to co-parent with you. Not just Alexis, but Rowan and Rhys too. I want to be there for school events and birthdays and skinned knees. I want to be their father openly. Proudly." His voice dropped. "Is that so wrong?"
His words hit me like physical blows, crumbling the walls I’d built around my heart. How could I argue against something so reasonable, so obviously good for our children?
I knew how much Alexis craved a father figure. I’d seen how she looked at Calvin, the way she treasured that pink toy car. And I couldn’t deny the twins had thrived under Calvin’s guidance during the years I was absent.
"Our children need both of us," Calvin said, clearly sensing my weakening resolve. He took another step closer. "Give me a chance, Evelyn. Give us a chance to be a real family. We can start fresh."
His words broke through the last of my defenses. A real family. The thing I’d always wanted, the stability I’d never truly had. My anger and resentment felt suddenly petty in the face of what our children stood to gain.
After leaving the room, I returned to my bedroom with mixed emotions. When I opened the door, I saw Rowan and Rhys playing with their toys, stealing glances at me. Their expressions were cautious. Alexis sat on the edge of the bed, anxiety clear in her eyes. All three were waiting for me.
As soon as I sat down, Alexis rushed into my arms, hugging my waist and crying.
"Mommy, I’m sorry," she sobbed. "I didn’t mean to lock the door or try to get you and Daddy together. Please don’t be angry with me, okay?"
Seeing my daughter’s red eyes, my anger faded. I stroked her hair gently.
"Do you like Calvin very much? Do you want to live together with Daddy, your brothers, and Mommy?"
Alexis lifted her tear-stained face and nodded hard.
"When I’m with Daddy, I feel warm. It’s not as happy as being with Mommy, but it makes me feel safe. I like playing with my brothers too. I don’t want to see them just once in a while. I want our whole family to live together every day, with both Daddy and Mommy."
Her words were honest. Direct. They pricked something soft in my heart.
"How long have you felt this way?" I asked.
Alexis sniffled. "Since I found out Calvin was my daddy. But I saw that Mommy didn’t seem to like him, so I never dared say it. I was afraid you’d be angry and sad, so I kept it secret."
My heart ached. Tears welled up in my eyes. I knew this calling too well. The bond between werewolf parent and child runs deep. Alexis had been suppressing this instinct, and I’d failed to notice. Hadn’t I been torn between my feelings for Calvin and wanting a complete family?
I held Alexis tightly, unable to speak. Rowan and Rhys came over slowly, tugging at my clothes.
"Mommy, we want you to live with Daddy too," they said quietly.
Alexis stopped crying and looked up at me. Hope filled her eyes.
"Mommy, would you give Daddy a chance? Can our family stay together forever?"
I couldn’t answer immediately. I tightened my embrace.
"Baby, give Mommy a little time to think, okay?"
Alexis looked disappointed but nodded. She snuggled back into my arms. I held my daughter and looked at my sons. My mind flashed with Calvin’s earnestness, the children’s joy, and the bond between us. The choice was becoming clearer. I just needed time. Time to make peace with the past. And with myself.