Marked by the Alphas

Chapter 78: Chapter 78

Axel POV

“Oh, goddess, Katie,” Mason yells and catches her in time before she hits the floor.

“Does this happen often?” Kane asks, concerned. “Do you need a doctor?”

“No,” Mason shakes his head. “But she’s been through a lot the past two days.”

“Does she need anything?” I ask. “Medication? We can get her some tea or ...”

“I got it,” Mason growls, cutting me off as he gently lays Katie down on the leather couch.

“Her breathing and heart rate are steady,” Mason says as he checks her pulse. “She’s just sleeping.”

“How do you know?” Kane snorts. “Are you a healer?”

“I grew up an orphan,” Mason replies, stroking Katie’s hair. “You learn things when you’re on your own.”

I do not know if Mason meant to throw it in our faces, but I feel the sting of his words. It does not matter which way we argue it; Mason had a rough childhood, while we grew up pampered.

I look at Katie. Watching her walk through the house and now, sleeping soundly, seems so ... right. So normal. Like, this is not her first time here.

“You feel it too, don’t you?” I ask Kane silently.

“She’s meant to be here.” Kane nods.

I sense it, too, but it is impossible to explain why.

Blade is pacing around inside me, turning my stomach inside out. He worries about Katie and is desperate to know that she is okay. He wants to protect her.

Kane is clutching at his chest as he looks at her, and I know Hunter is restless, as well.

Stella stirs in her stroller, and a sudden pang of guilt overwhelms me.

What are we doing standing here, consumed with whether this woman we barely know is okay, when our pups are here? It has been days since we saw them, and we miss them every second. I know they are safe with Mother, but Kane and I could not help but worry. They are so young, and they have already lost so much.

Footsteps approach, and Kane and I rip ourselves from watching Katie when Mother and Mindy enter the room. Each holding a baby.

“Hey,” I coo, taking our daughter from Mother’s arms. “How are they?”

“They’re doing just ...” Mother trails off as her eyes travel over our shoulders to Mason and Katie. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Her mouth drops open in a horrified gasp, and all the colour drains from her face. She looks like she has seen a ghost.

“What the hell are you doing here?” She asks with a shaky, hoarse voice.

Kane POV

“Mom, I invited Mason here,” I say apologetically. We should have warned her that we are bringing Mason. I have never seen her so rattled, and it makes sense. Mason is living proof of Father’s infidelity and that he is not the man he claims to be for all the years they have been together.

“Hello,” Mason says, standing up and extending his hand. “Thank you for having me.”

Mother silently shakes his hand in a daze, her eyes fluttering to Katie.

“That’s my mate, Katie,” Mason says.

Mother frowns, and it looks like she might say something else, but she shakes herself out of it.

“Thank you for taking care of the twins,” I break the awkward silence.

Mother nods absentmindedly, her eyes still fixated on Elara. Mindy steps forward, and she gasps softly when she sees Katie, her eyes darting nervously between me and Axel.

“Come here, big boy,” Axel says, taking our son from Mindy.

Wait ... Mindy. She has met Katie at the gathering, and told us she looked like ... what was her name again? Elara, yeah, that is right, Elara. She did not mention anything about Katie having a mate.

“You looked after them?” Axel asks Mindy, clearly sharing my train of thought.

“Luna Gabriela asked me to help while you were gone,” her voice is small and wobbly. “Two babies are a lot of work, and she thought I was the most appropriate choice.”

Mindy keeps looking over at Mason and Katie with shock ... just like Mother. Did Mother tell Mindy about Mason? It does not seem like something she would share.

“Maxim and Monroe are your most trusted High Guards,” Mother jumps in. “Their mate is the safest person to help me out.”

“Sure.” I nodded.

Mindy smiles weakly, nods at me and scurries out of the room.

“I’m guessing these little ones are yours?” Mason asks, looking intensely at the baby in my arms.

“Yes,” I reply curtly. I completely forgot he was here. “This is Isaac, and Axel is Lanie.”

“Cute,” Mason moves toward me to get a closer look, and instinctively, I turn away, handing Isaac back to Mother.

Mason freezes, his eyes narrowing, but he backs off without another word. Good, I smirk. He nearly flipped out because I touched his baby. He can enjoy his own medicine.

“Smart,” Axel grimaces. “We can’t risk him getting too close.”

I have no idea if Mason knows he might be the father of Alice’s pups, but I am not about to plant that idea in his head. And if, by some chance, he can tell just by getting close to them ... well, then it is better to keep them away.

Hot bile crept up my throat at the thought of giving these pups up to Mason, and I swallowed hard. No fucking will that happen. We have bonded with the twins, and we love them. Lanie and Isaac are ours.

Katien groans softly and sits up. She looks around at everyone in the room, her eyes wide.

“Katie, are you feeling alright?” Mason asks urgently, sitting beside her. “Do you need to shift?”

“No,” she laughs weakly, shaking her head. “It’s probably just low blood sugar. I was so nervous, I barely ate anything today.”

She glances at me and Axel, biting her lip. She is lying, but why?

“You should keep resting,” I tell her. “This is your and Stella’s quarters. It’s already prepared.”

Mason moves toward Stella’s stroller, but I cut him to the chase.

“Mason,” I flash him a charming smile. “You have your own quarters.”

“I’ll escort you, you also need a little rest,” Axel says, his mouth lifting in a slight smirk.

“I’ll help Katie and Stella settle in.” I hold out a hand to Katie, helping her up off the couch. I look Katie deep in the eye, ignoring everyone else around us. “My home is your home.”