POV - Kyas
As we all filed out of the room, I felt happy. I knew that Alpha was a serious thing, but I was kind of relieved that I wouldn't have to accept someone else in Alpha's chair. It'll be hard enough taking it myself, but learning to call someone else by the title… would have felt wrong for a while.
As Sir exited the room, I did land a hard punch to his shoulder, just because. Elias was… scary. Not much can shake me these days, but…geez. He glared at me hard as he followed Asher down the hall.
It was late afternoon, dinner would be starting soon. I walked out into the dining hall, and heard music.
"Papa!" two twin voices yelled. I knelt down and braced for impact. My son, Cale, has made it his personal mission to knock me over. He hasn't yet succeeded, but he's coming close. My daughter, Violet, is his willing accomplice. I take in their sweet four-year-old scents. They'll be five soon. Too fast, pups. Slow down.
"Is your meeting over now, Papa?" Cale asked.
"Yes, it is, son. It was SO long!" I said back.
"I know!" Violet said. "We waited a long time."
"I know you did, pet." I kissed her forehead. "Were you good for Mama?"
Cale nodded. "We're always good for Mama. She gets mad when we're not."
I nodded back. "Right, and none of us like it when Mama's mad."
I stood up and went to my mate. I went in close and whispered in her ear as I pulled her into my arms. "Actually, one of us likes it when Mama's mad. She's hot when she's mad sometimes."
Ember punched my shoulder before coming in for a kiss.
Right there in the hall, I followed her body as I knelt again, and caressed the bump I found there. "Hey, there, Kaitlyn. Papa can't wait to meet you. Were you good for Mama too?" I pressed a kiss to this new life.
She ran her fingers through my hair. Goddess the tingles. She pulled me up. "She was not, Kyas, she kicks like a mule." I laughed.
She asked the question the entire room was waiting to know. "Did he choose?" Ember asked.
The room went silent. A full room of shifters, and you could here a pin drop.
"He did. Me." I said.
"You? He chose you? But he never said a thing!" she said.
"I know, not to me either." I said. "It was dirty," kiss. "Underhanded." kiss. "And just," kiss. "Right." Kiss.
The room erupted in claps and cheers.
Dinner… was going to have to be addressed. The head table was getting impossibly full. The current Alpha and Luna, Zeke, Sir, Ember, Myself, both my children, and tonight, Asher and Elias. Soon, another small face will be here.
At some point during the meal, I "accidentally" got gravy on my shirt. Violet was instantly suspicious.
"You got gravy on your shirt, Papa." she informed me. Cale looked at me sharply.
"Did I?" I looked down, pretending surprise. "That won't do." I took my thumb and smeared it.
"Now it's worse." Cale said.
I sighed. "So it is. Guess I'll need a new shirt after dinner then."
"You should be more careful, Papa. Like us." Violet said. Cale agreed.
"You're right." I said. "Maybe I'll have to borrow one of Kaitie's bibs before she gets here."
Cale brightened. "Yes, Papa! That will fix it! Then you won't get your shirt dirty!"
The pups were finished first, and played on a round carpet in front of the head table. They were watching the stairs. They don't trust me. They shouldn't.
I stood and headed for the stairs. "Where are you going, Papa?" Cale asked.
"I need a shirt." I said.
"You going to your room?" Violet said when I was halfway up.
"Of course, that's where my shirts are." I said back. "As long as Sir didn't steal them all again."
They both started badgering Sir to tell them if he left me any shirts. He wouldn't say, buying me time. After a few minutes, I came back down.
"Cale, did you and Violet know that you have the same shirt AND dress in the same color as my shirt? Look." I held them both up.
"Papa!" they both screamed. Instantly I had a leach on one hand and an octopus on the other.
"Gimmie back my shirt, Papa! It doesn't even fit you!" He yelled.
"But I like it." I said.
"Papa! Dresses are for girls! Give it back!" Violet shouted.
"But I want your dress, they come in such awesome colors." I said.
I raised my hands with their stolen items over my head until they dropped off my arms, and ran for the door.
"Stay out of my room, Papa!" Violet said as she chased me.
"Get your own shirts too!" Cale said, from right on my heels.
I hit the bottom step of the porch and turned around, and let them knock me to the ground. They scrambled all over me trying to get their things back. Violet got her dress first, then she also snagged Cale's shirt and gave it to him.
We stayed like that a minute, the three of us trying not to laugh. This was serious.
"Naughty Papa!" Violet said, pushing my nose like a button.
"Yes, very naughty. You must be punished." Cale said.
"But I don't want to be punished." I said.
Violet shrugged. "We don't want to do it, but it's the only way you'll learn." she said.
"You copied that from Mama." I accused.
They both growled and went for my tickle spots. And they found them. I rolled all over the lawn to avoid them, and they chased me relentlessly, until we were all breathing hard.
"Next time, I'll see if the pigs still like your things as much as last time." I threatened.
"Not if we catch you first!" Cale said.
Ember called from the doorway. "Come on pups, time for your baths. Kyas, that means you too."
"Yes, Mama." The three of us said together. I stood for a moment, and watched my family return to the house, Cale shooting me a scowl.
I started to follow them inside, then… something felt… off. I looked around me, but didn't se anything. Behind me, I heard the sound of a taser and instantly froze. Frank? Here? I turned, but wasn't fast enough. Someone pressed it to my head and my vision turned black.