We were sitting around the breakfast table. It was the first breakfast for all four of us, and it was filling to see.
' I hope we can have breakfast like this every morning,' Vee said. I didn't add anything to her words. It shouldn't be like this every morning. It was our first breakfast, and I hope the children will always remember this.
" I can't believe we are having breakfast with Daddy," Solara squealed. She was truly a happy pill. I smiled at her, as her brother and dad did. I glanced at Ellis who was too content, and when our gaze met, my heart raced in my chest. I hated that he had that effect on me. Don't get used to this, sir, I said in my head as I distracted myself from his stare by drinking my delicious chocolate. A moan of satisfaction escaped my lips, and a low growl reverberated from Ellis' chest. I felt my cheeks burn in embarrassment. Why did I let out such a salacious sound? And why did he react like that to it?
I served Cayden his food while Ellis did the same to Solara. As we reached for the pancakes, our hands brushed, his fingers lingered on my skin, and I felt goosebumps appear on my skin. We both retracted at the same time as though we had been torched by a burning yet pleasant fire.
" Go ahead," I offered quietly. He shook his head and gestured for him to get there first. Nonetheless, he insisted. I ignored him and reached for the bacon. However, we reached it at once. This was seriously so nerve-wracking, especially with our children here, watching us confused. They didn't understand what was going on. They were happy that their father was there with them, and I had to get it together. I closed my eyes momentarily. I was calming my breath, and I could hear the steady yet loud beating of his heart. Lias, his alpha Lycan, was close. He was connected with Vee. The two were... not as awkward as their human counterparts.
" Mommy, you're being weird. Dad, can you please put a pancake on my plate?" Solara asked, looking up at Ellis. He nodded but didn't immediately give her the food.
I inhaled and said slowly.
" I'll get a pancake, and then you'll reach for the eggs. Is that okay?" I asked slowly.
" Fine with me,"
We quickly put the food on the plates, but as we started to eat, his phone rang. My heart constricted. Why did it? I wondered if he had already told his mate about the children. How would Charlotte react? Would she even accept them as Ellis' children? Did he lie about his whereabouts to her? I was somber at all the questions swirling in my head. Vee retreated to the back of my mind, hurt.
" It's just Jace," Ellis' voice was gentle. His gaze made me uneasy. Did he feel my emotions? I hope not. I did a fine job covering them.
" Answer him."
I didn't want my voice to give anything away. He nodded and answered.
" Jace, I'm busy,"
" Where are you? The concierge says you left at dawn," I heard Jace say.
" I'm with Love and my kids," he answered with a smile. It was genuine and kind.
" Oh, enjoy. And send my regards," Jace beamed. I'm with my kids felt right hearing it from his lips.
" I will," he ended the call and focused on us.
I’d like to say the food was as good as the presentation on the pancake board, but it wasn’t. The pancakes were just awful, and the eggs were salty. The bacon was overcooked. I tried to force myself to eat, but it was too horrible, and no one could say a thing about the food.
Luis came to the dining room. He washed up and was in a brighter mood.
“ Good Morning, amazing family... “ he greeted the twins with a kiss, and his gaze landed on Ellis, “ ... And you,” he scowled, and I gave him a playnice look.
He sat down and picked a pancake, “ This looks amazing,” he commented as he took a bite. We watched him as he savored the taste but stopped chewing. I gave him a napkin.
“ This tastes dreadful,” he coughed, drinking the juice. His face contorted to a pained one as he swallowed the juice.
“ How is the juice even worse,” Luis grimaced.
“ She made it,” Ellis and Cayden are quick to sell out Solara.
“ And the pancakes?”
“ Daddy and Cay made them,” Solara says with an evil glint in her eyes.
“ I was just following what he was telling me,” Cayden pointed at Ellis.
“ I said a teaspoon of salt, not half of the salt cellar, and I told you not to overmix,” Ellis retorted. Cayden is just shocked by all this.
“ I followed your instructions, and OK... But you made the eggs!”
It was the sweetest argument I’ve ever witnessed in my entire life, and I’ve seen several of those.
“ Okay. I’ll make fresh breakfast, but get them ready for school,” Luis offered as he went to the kitchen.
Ellis insisted on helping with preparing the kids for school, and he took Cayden while I prepared Solara. My little girl was complaining that she wanted her daddy to help get ready, not me... The same dad who only appeared to them last week. I wanted to say but didn’t. Now everything was Daddy thing, Daddy that.
My Luis appeared to check up on me.
" Hey, Sweetie, are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm good," I exhaled, but tears filled my eyes quickly. Luis stroked my cheek, and the tears I was holding in escaped my eyes.
" Ellis is in my house, with my kids, like we are all good, and these confusing feelings inside me are overwhelming... W- Whatever affection I had for him should be gone, right?" I cried. I didn't want to cry. I didn't, but I couldn't help it. I can be so vulnerable to Luis.
" What do you want?" he asked gently.
" To be with David wholeheartedly," I croaked.
" Oh, my candy Love," It was one of his nicknames for me, Candy Love.
"And you know it's more upsetting. It's Daddy this, Daddy, that with my kids," I chuckled humorlessly with a shake of my head. Luis wiped away my tears with his thumbs and pulled me into a warm embrace.
" You'll figure it all out, and everything will be alright. Just wait. You're seeing him again after so long. He was your first Love, and it wasn't going to be easy to be free of him," he said softly,
" And as for the twins, Ellis is like a new toy to them. He will fade soon, and those little monsters will crawl back to you," he chuckled. I closed my eyes, relaxing in his hold.
" Mummy! I'm done brushing my teeth!" Solara called from the bathroom.
" Coming, baby!" I clumsily cleared all traces of tears from my face before going to the bathroom.