I slid my arms to his waist and a let him practically drag me to the house. My throat was on fire but I was more concerned with the bruises on his body.

“Are you hurt?” I croaked. He shook his head as he deposited me on the sofa. He turned on a lamp and gently lifted my chin. His brows plunged as his lips drooped. He bounded down the hall, leaving me flabbergasted, and returned a few minutes later with a damp washcloth. He dabbed tenderly at my throat, tensing every time I flinched.

“The bleeding stopped and the cuts don’t look deep,” he said as he assessed my injury. “But you’ll have a hell of a bruise in the morning.”

I fingered a rather large bruise covering his heart and thrilled when he shuddered under my touch. “I’m more concerned with you,” I said in my horribly raspy voice.

He set the washcloth aside and carefully cupped my face. “I love you, Mya. I’ve never been more scared in my life. I thought he’d … killed you.”

“Alex,” I whispered, reaching for him. The moisture in his eyes frightened me.

“Shh, Mya,” he said, collecting me in his arms. “Shh, don’t talk.” He kissed my hair and ran his hands up and down my back a few times. “I need to get you to the hospital and have them check you out.”

“No,” I tried to object. “I’m okay.”

“There could be damage, Mya,” he said as he held my shoulders and glared in my eyes. “I’m not budging on this.”

“Where are Hayden and Ethan?”

“Don’t talk,” he said, his lips in a firm line. He traced my cheekbone with his index finger. “They’re probably in the woods with Ben and his sidekick. They’ll be along soon.”

A torrent of tears fell from my eyes. “He told me you were … dead.”

“Hey,” he said, wiping the tears off my cheeks. “He was only doing it to upset you. I’m fine – I promise.”

I could see he was fine, I just couldn’t grasp it. So, I cried like an idiot as he rocked me in his arms, cooing nonsense words in my ear until the door opened and admitted Hayden, Ethan and the hunters.

“Are you all right, Mya?” Ethan asked as he knelt before me. I nodded, trying to staunch the flow of tears. Ethan flashed a half-smile. “You’re throat looks wicked. You better get that checked out.”

I shot a glare at Alex but he pretended not to see as Hayden bent over me, rubbing his chin. “He’s right, My. Let us take you to get checked out.”

I surrendered.

XxX

We returned to the Kasmarek house after an embarrassing trip to the clinic. Dr. Miller x-rayed and examined me and declared that I would recover with no lasting damage and that I needed to take it easy on the vocal cords for a few days. I was fortunate that he didn’t call my parents – he made me promise to call them in the morning.

“What’s going to happen to the cougars now?” I croaked as Simon wandered into the room, yawning. He jumped on the sofa and curled up in my lap.

“You’re not supposed to talk,” Alex reminded me with a stern glance.

I rolled my eyes.

“Ben and Kyle will take care of them,” Hayden answered. “He told the sheriff that he’ll take them back to a lab in the city.”

“Is there a lab?” I asked quickly before Alex could reprimand me.

“Yeah,” Ethan snorted. “But not like the authorities think. And it’s not in Indiana.”

The most pressing question was lingering on my tongue and it worried me the most. I had to get it out before I succumbed to my healing muteness and exhaustion. But before I could voice it, the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” Ethan said as he bounded away.

I leaned into Alex ready for him to carry me off to bed and hold me all night while I slept – hopefully chasing away any nightmares.

“How are you feeling, Mya?” Ben asked as he followed Ethan back into the room.

I tensed and squeezed Alex’s thigh. “Please don’t hurt them.”

He grinned and crammed his hands in his pockets. “Well, we, um,” he glanced at Kyle. “We’re going to take your word for it that they’re not…well…monsters.”

“You think?” I said but instead of sounding sarcastic, it sounded weak and scratchy.

“My,” Hayden said as he dropped to my other side. “I had a nice chat with Ben and Kyle while you were at the clinic. We’re cool.”

“As long as you keep to your part of the agreement,” Kyle muttered.

“What agreement?” I asked.

“If another rogue wanders into our territory, we’ll call them,” Hayden said. He shrugged as a crazy grin spread across his face. “I don’t have a problem with that.”

“What about his parents hunting your parents?” I pressed in my desperation for world peace.

“I’ve already spoken to my father about what happened here,” Ben said. “We’re heading back to Florida in the morning. We’ll discuss things more when we get there. And Hayden called his father so we’ll see what happens.”

Hayden sniffed and I looked at him, alarmed. “What’s the matter?”

“All this talk of reconciliation and friendship and a truce and stuff is getting to me,” he said with mock tearfulness.

Ethan punched his shoulder. “Shut up.”

“Now you need to rest that voice, remember?” Alex said and I nodded. He kissed my cheek.

“We’re off,” Ben said. He shook Hayden’s hand before turning to shake with the other brothers. He took my hand last and gave it a squeeze. “I’m truly sorry, Mya. I hope you feel better soon.”

“Thanks,” I whispered.

The hunters gave the brothers one last look before heading out the door and only then did I truly relax.

“Let’s get you to bed,” Alex said as he stood and laced his fingers through mine.

“Is that code for…” Ethan started to say.

“No,” Alex interrupted with a grin. “It’s not code for anything tonight, little brother.”

XxX

“Amy, can you help me with this?” I asked as I stretched, on my toes, to add a delicate snowflake ornament to the tree.

She laughed as she removed it from my hand and hung it from a higher branch. “That big belly getting in the way?”

I rolled my eyes as if irritated but couldn’t help but smile as I rubbed my swollen abdomen. “It won’t be long now and I’m sure I’ll miss it.”

Amy draped an arm over my shoulders. “Yes, I bet you will. Especially when that kid wakes up at three in the morning screaming its head off.”

I grinned and winked. “Then I’ll push Alex out of bed and make him take care of it.”

She laughed and rubbed my back for a second before moving off to check on the food the other bartenders were bringing out from the kitchen. I rested my hands on my hips and admired the beautifully decorated pub as we prepared to open the doors for the third annual Manny’s Town Christmas Party.

“Are you overdoing it?” a voice asked from behind.

I shuddered and leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around my expanding belly. “Not really. They won’t let me.”

“Good,” Alex whispered and kissed the spot behind my ears. He rubbed my stomach. “How’s Junior? Behaving?”

I turned in his arms and kissed him. “Pretty excited today – kicking up a fuss.”

“It won’t be long now,” he reminded me, glee floating in his eyes. “Wouldn’t it be cool if he was born on Christmas?”

“Or she,” I said sternly.

“Why can’t we just cheat and see what it is?” he whined.

“Because we both agreed we’d wait,” I said, touched at his exuberance. “And you only have a week or two to wait. Now help me finish up – we’re about ready.”

Eve and Blake entered with their new daughter and distracted Alex. He hurried off to claim her before anyone else could take the baby from Eve’s arms. It warmed my heart to see him walking around the bar, bouncing her and cooing softly.

“How are you feeling?” Eve asked, her eyes bright with happiness.

I shrugged and glanced at Alex to make sure he wasn’t in earshot. “A little crampy. But, if it gets too bad I’ll just run upstairs and rest for awhile.”

“You’re getting close,” Eve reminded me as she gave me a gentle hug. “Oh, I can’t believe I’m a mother and you’re about to be. Just think, only three years ago I was going crazy wondering if Blake was going to propose and you and Alex were just hooking up.”

I smiled but inside I was remembering what else had happened three years ago. Eve was kind enough to not mention the attack on Blake and our ensuing fall out. It hadn’t taken much for us to reconcile – especially once Blake was on the mend. Eve blamed it on her temporary insanity over Blake’s condition and the fact that Ben the hunter must have been hot for me and was trying to break Alex and I up. It hadn’t really made much sense but I let her believe it – it was much easier than explaining the truth. Besides, would she really have believed me?

The pub filled up quickly and I enjoyed chatting with the locals. When I’d had the idea the first Christmas I owned the pub to have a town party, I’d been a little nervous but it had turned into such a success that I’d done it for the next two years.

I parked my tired body on a barstool and laughed when Hayden and Ethan entered and rushed to Alex, eager to make idiots of themselves over the little baby. I cringed when I thought of what they’d be like when our child was born. They’d been wonderful to me since I met Alex and even more so after we married nearly eighteen months earlier, but I had a feeling they’d be unbearable once they became uncles.

I sighed, wishing they’d both find nice girls and settle down. I knew Hayden had come close once but he hadn’t been able to explain what he was to her and finally ended things. Alex had told me that Hayden hadn’t really been able to get over her and that was the reason why he’d urged Alex to confess everything to me.

As the party began to wind down, my uneasiness increased and the little pains I’d experienced on and off all night intensified. I found Alex involved in some kind of conversation with my parents and his and tugged on his sleeve, wanting to speak to him privately.

“Hey,” he said with a smile. “Are you all right?”

At the exact moment I opened my mouth to answer, a pain in my abdomen blindsided me while a warm gush dampened my maternity jeans.

“Mya, darling?” Mom asked as she clutched my arm. “Are you having contractions?”

“I think it’s time to go,” I told Alex, trying to keep the panic from my voice.

Alex swept me in his arms, excitement warring with worry in his eyes. “Let’s go.”

XxX

“Hey,” Alex greeted softly as he crept back in the room. The blinds had been drawn but I could see the sun’s rays squeezing through any crack they could find. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired but good,” I said as he dropped to the chair next to the bed. “Did you tell everyone?”

“Yes,” he said, a huge grin on his handsome face. “And I took them to the nursery to peek. They’ll be in to see you soon.”

I nodded and stretched my hand to his. He took it, twining his fingers with mine. “Are you happy?”

“More than you could ever know,” he said as he kissed me. “Twins. Wow. We’re going to have to find a bigger place, huh? That apartment over the pub will never contain them.”

“I know,” I said with a groan though inside I was thrilled. Two little boys. Perfect.

“Um, Hayden and Ethan are pretty much uncontrollable,” Alex warned. “They asked me if they could have one.”

I snorted a laugh and tugged Alex closer. He moved from the chair to the edge of the bed. “I love you.”

He leaned over to press a sweet, lingering kiss on my lips. “I love you. Thank you, for everything.”

“Why are you thanking me?” I asked, brows knitted together.

He lifted a shoulder and toyed with the gold band around my finger. “I remember when I used to see you around town and I wanted to just talk to you or ask you out but I couldn’t bring myself to do it – I didn’t think you’d ever want anything to do with someone like me. And now look – you’re my wife and you just gave birth to my sons. So, thank you.”

Touched, I cupped his cheek and stared into his beautiful eyes. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to explain how he’d turned my organized life into a crazy, wonderful affair. I didn’t know how to tell him about the all-consuming love that inhabited my heart.

I drew him closer, his lips hovering over mine. “You’re welcome.”

A/N: Sorry for the cliched twins thing but I had to do it because I could just picture Hayden asking if he could have one.

Wow, I'm finished. I started this story last May and never thought I'd post it let alone finish it. Thank you all for your support.

Also, I'm taking down A New Paige because it's not shaping up how I wanted it. I don't like the characters. I'm going to redo it but I think I'll do Brett's story first like I had originally intended. Anyway, look for a new story this week.

Thanks again!