"Christopher Hadrian! Charlie Levi!"

"Coming mom!" two voices called out and echoed as they carried down the stairs.

I smiled as I poured myself a cup of coffee. "Mama, when's daddy coming home?"

"Today baby, remember?" I told my daughter, Caroline Margaret–our youngest so far.

Ethan and I were blessed. More than blessed. We had twins. Twin boys. Twins boys that looked exactly like Ethan, they were like miniatures of him. In fact, Levi called them 'minis.' They had the same build, same chocolatey hair color, same strong jaw lines, and same smiles; but they had my father's eyes. They had stormy blue eyes with specs of green in them, instead of the ocean blue-green that were Ethan's eyes.

"But when?" Caroline asked.

I sighed as I looked up at her. Her dark cocoa colored curls sticking out in every direction. She reminded me of my mother. She had this pale ivory skin, unmarked and unblemished. Ethan said she looked like an angel after I delivered her on a stormy March night. She had stormy blue eyes with specs of green like her brother's and a fiery temper that Levi loved. He called her his 'Sweet Caroline.'

"This evening Caroline, remember? Daddy went on the bear hunt, he's supposed to bring you back a rug of your own."

Caroline's eyes widened in excitement. Ethan and Evan had gone with Levi and my father almost every year since the boys were born on the bear hunt. The first year I was about to have the twins, but I made Ethan go. He had wanted to go his whole life and I wasn't about to hold him back; if I went into labor, he could just poof back.

He ended up having to poof back, after he killed a male grizzly that we made into a blanket put in the twin's nursery. He killed a black bear the next year, and a female grizzly the next that we used as a blanket for Cade, our third child that we had three years after we had the twins–Cade Eli Everette. We had Christopher Hadrian–born first of my twins, Charles Levi, Cade Eli, and Caroline Margaret.

My twins would shift tomorrow night on the full moon. Today was their thirteenth birthday, and all week they have both had close calls that have almost had me calling Ethan. One one occasion, Remi and Ryder were able to talk Chris down and calm him. His wolf was strong, strong like Ethan's and my father's.

Remi. Remi had talked to Ethan and I not long after I found out I was pregnant with the twins. He loved Tikanni. His family was at Tikanni, but Ryder was our head tracker and we needed him. Ryder was here and Remi did not feel right about being a beta to Lucas; he loved Lucas. It wasn't that Remi didn't like Lucas, I think more so that Remi had a hard time dealing with Liam's death. I don't think he quite felt the connection to Lucas that he did with Liam.

But Lyle did.

Lyle was just like Lander, the spitting image of him. A black wolf with silver eyes; in his skin he had white blonde hair and sun-kissed skin. A wolf that was constantly giving Lucas hell, which is why Levi knew he would be perfect for Lucas. They were like brothers.

We were all relieved after Lyle and Penelope both turned sixteen, an age where their wolves could start recognizing their mates. They were both worried sick over it, and we were too. If they were not mates, it would have devastated them. Levi talked with my father for a long time about sending one of them to the mountains if they weren't. He was starting to wonder if he should have done it sooner–if it would have helped in case they were not mates.

But they were, much to David's relief. He couldn't take any more of Pen's 'episodes.' The day she turned sixteen he told her to go find Lyle, which she did. She did and two days later she had a mark on her neck and Lyle had a matching one. They were so young, but they grew up in love with each other since anyone could remember. Although, David didn't let Pen move in with Lyle for a few more years, he said Lyle had a few more years of 'ass beatings' before he was ready to take Pen away from her den.

"Morning mom!"

"Hey sweetie," I said as I kissed Cade's head. Cade was lankier than my other males; long legs but the same chocolate hair and stormy blue-green eyes like my other pups. He had freckles all over his face and shoulders, his hair a hint more red than the twins. He was fast, Levi said that he was like a 'damn gazelle.' "Hungry?"

"Yes," Cade replied before he kissed Caroline's cheek. "Hey, Lina."

"Hi Cade, want some blobs?" Caroline asked, offering Cade some of the blobs on her plate.

"No sis, I can get my own," he replied with a soft smile as what sounded like elephants ran down our stairs. We had to expand the house and add on two extra bedrooms downstairs. Two bedrooms that were going to be the twins' birthday present from us amongst other things; they were both getting too big be in a room together.

"Hey, mom!" Chris said as he jogged to me, he and Charlie both were already almost taller than me.

"Happy birthday sweetie," I said as I hugged him, my beast nuzzling her pup and taking in his scent.

"Blobs!" Charlie called out as he ran up. He smiled and walked to my other side, letting me hug and nuzzle him before he snatched a blob from the plate.

"When is dad coming back?" Chris asked as he got a plate out from the cabinet for himself and Charlie.

"This evening," I replied. "Did you see if Aunt Lyanna needed help with the chickens?"

"Mom, last time I helped them with the chickens I almost lost an eye," Charlie replied while Chris just rolled his eyes.

Evan had all girls. He had Elyanna, Elouise, and Eleanor. He also had chickens. He had decided at some point that he was tired of the pack having to buy eggs, so he bought himself some chickens–he and Jake both did. My boys went out to help him one day. The twins had to pull a rooster off of Cade and Charlie legitimately almost lost an eye. We were convinced from that point that Evan's chickens were possessed.

"Well then don't let them come near your face," I replied with a sly smile.

"Mom those chickens are possesd. Seriously. There is something not right with them," Charlie rushed out, his mouth full of pancakes and his eyes wide with conviction.

"Close your mouth ya heathen!" Caden snapped at him, a cheeky smile on his lips.

"Mama, is Pawpaw coming today?" Caroline asked while Charlie walked around and kissed her cheek.

"Yup, Pawpaw is coming today," I replied, a ghost smile on my face. Levi was more than ready for my boys to shift. My boys loved both Levi and my father–both of them almost having wet dreams together over how they were going to help Ethan train our boys up.

"And Grandpa?" Caroline asked.

"Grandpa is coming this evening too, he has to go check on his pack first" I replied, flipping a blob as Chris walked around to sit next to Caroline.

"Did dad get another bear mom?" Chris asked.

Charlie and Cade perked up at the question–they all were itching to go on the hunt themselves. I smiled and nodded. "Dad said he actually got a black bear. I think your uncle Lyle and aunt Penelope both got grizzlies."

"Mom, do you think we'll get brown bears?" Charlie asked as he shoved two pieces of bacon in his mouth like he was a damn chipmunk.

"Well, your father and I both did. Regardless, if you get a bear, you get a bear. Bears are tough to take down, we'll be proud of you no matter what you get."

"Hey, mom?"

"Hey, Chris?"

I eyed my son who looked at Charlie, having some kind of silent exchange–they couldn't link yet but at times Ethan and I swore they could. They were so tied at the hip–our twins. So different, yet so similar.

Where Charlie was more outgoing–more playful, Chris was more serious and quiet. He was a lot like Ethan; always watching and observing, like he was trying to figure out where your weak point was in case he had to strike.

Whereas Charlie reminded me of myself. He was playful, more outspoken, and wore his heart a little more on his sleeve. He balanced Chris out well, and Chris balanced him out well. Both with veins that hummed louder every day. Both of our boys strong, both capable of growing into strong alpha males that could care for our pack one day.

"Is Mimi going to tell Grandpa?"

"Tell him what sweetie?"

"About the baby?"

I almost dropped my spatula and eyed him with wide eyes. "Chris, how–"

"It was me, mom, I can smell it I swear to the moon!" Cade rushed out, looking at me apologetically like he was in some kind of trouble.

Cade could smell everything.

I had no idea how he had a nose as good as he did, even at ten that kid impressed Remi and Ryder and Remi and Ryder loved him. They took him out and let him ride on their backs when they went out tracking. Ethan and I had a feeling he was meant to be a tracker, but he was still young and as far as we were concerned our children could have the life they wanted–we wouldn't hold them back.

I sighed and smiled at him. "I think Mimi wants to surprise him, so keep your mouth shut."

"Yes mam," they murmured back to me. I shook my head as my beast and I still tried to get over the shock that my mother was actually pregnant. My dad didn't know and my mother made me swear when she was over that I wouldn't tell him. Inwardly I mused, I bet Cade smelled it on her then.

She had heats before but I was their only pup–until now. She called me about eight days after her heat and said, 'she knew.' She said she knew and came over to pee on a damn stick so we could see. It was crazy to think that I would have a sibling, but then again plenty of weres had kids much later in life–our lifespan was much longer than a human's after all.

"Mama?"

"Yes, Caroline?" I replied over my shoulder.

"Can I play with Jamie today after school?"

Jamie was Cora and Jake's daughter. She was around Caroline's age and the two were immediately best friends upon sight. I sighed as I flipped a blob. "Baby, Jacob is coming over early for the birthday party with your Aunt Andrea and Uncle Jaxon. I think Jamie is coming too."

"Jacob?" Caroline asked with wide eyes as all my boys just groaned.

Jacob was Andrea and Jaxon's oldest and only pup so far–Andrea was currently pregnant again with another, a girl from what Jaxon thought. However, Jacob was pretty attached to my Caroline, and she was pretty doe-eyed around him, to the point that when she was was a baby, she screamed her head off after he left. Ethan and I were stunned to say the least. Jacob had shifted already into a golden wolf like his parents, he was only a few months older than the twins; Jaxon was a hot mess during the whole thing. My boys sat outside with him, he was their best friend and both of them were almost beside themselves with worry for him.

Luke was not happy about it either, Lucas had to take Luke away when he started screaming his head off, he was a little over one one–barely able to understand what was happening when Jacob's bones started to break.

Luke. Lucas was ecstatic about his pup, but little did he know, he had another on the way. Jane had come over and did a pregnancy test at our house; the whole time she paced and paced and paced until she had two little lines–pregnant.

"He's coming later," Cade told her before he took a bite of his pancakes.

I sighed and eyed my pups. Blessings from the moon that I never thought in a million year that I would have. If you were to ask me fifteen years ago if I ever saw myself in this kitchen flipping blobs for my pups, I would have laughed my ass off.

There was a knock on the door. Caroline jumped out of her chair and ran. "Uncle Dom and Derek are here!"

Dominic walked in with Derek while Lizzie zipped over to hug me; Elliot was still out on the hunt with the rest of our men. "Come here my sweet Caroline!" Dominic said with a smile as he picked her up and hugged her to him.

"Happy birthday!" Derek said as he hugged Charlie and Chris.

"Thanks, uncle Derek," Chris said as Lizzie hugged Charlie.

"We have the presents from Evie and Barrett," Derek said with a tired smile. "They're in Milan for some investigation. If they can make it they will, but it sounds like it's turning out to be more than they expected."

"Is everything ok?" I asked with a cocked brow.

Derek shrugged. "I'm sure it's fine."

I eyed him then looked back at the blobs, making a mental note to talk to Ethan about it later. Ethan had helped my father and Levi along with Jaxon, Deryl, and Ajax to re-work the treaty so it could help is better live in an actual peace. Surprisingly it was easier than we thought it would be, that's not to say there were not challenges. There were plenty of days that Ethan would come home furious about some alpha and their 'nit picky ass ways.'

But they got them passed. They got the news treaty ratified and passed, it was like what happened here scared the hell out of everyone enough to make them see how important it was for us to work together. Since then, it's been pretty peaceful. There's always a middle unruly bunch, but they were nothing compared to what we've seen before.

"Uncle Derek, where's Uncle Barrett and Aunt Evie?" Cade asked.

"Oh little one, they are busy on an assignment, but they are trying to come back as quickly as they can," Derek answer with a warm smile before he kissed the crown of Cade's head.

Derek had been there for all the births of my children. He and Elliot both tried to keep Ethan calm outside while my mother and Eve tried to keep me from losing it; that is until I wanted Ethan. Until I needed Ethan. Until Ethan was telling me to hold on a little longer, that it would be over soon; lucky for me when I delivered the twins, I was able to get an epidural. Something Ethan and I were both grateful for.

The twins wanted out–strong boys who were ready to meet the world. Even when I was pregnant, when Ethan would come close to my belly I could feel them kick out towards him. It was like they were trying to reach their father, like his presence excited them; they were both like little miniatures of Ethan in their own way.

We finished breakfast then Derek, Dominic, and I took the kids to school. Lizzie zipped down to Lucas' to visit the baby while I went to the packhouse to work on paperwork that was building up. We had new transfers coming in all the way from Issach's pack inland, which meant that we needed to finish the renovations on the dorms that we added onto soon–especially with winter around the corner.

"Luna, come now!" Coleen rushed out while I was typing away at an email to Blaire. "Charlie is about to shift."

"Shit," I growled out as I jumped up and lunged into my beast, tearing out of my office and down the hall towards my pup. He and Chris had about an episode every day, I expected they would today, but they had both gotten so much better at handling them.

I felt bad for them. They were still learning how to control it, how to control the beat within. At this age, especially during pubescent years, Ethan said that the smallest thing could set them off. He said he almost shifted once when a kid told Evan that he was looking a little short at school. The kid was teasing, but Ethan almost snapped and was close to shifting on the dining hall floor.

"Colleen I'm close!"

"One of the vampires is here, they're talking to him," she rushed out as I tore out down the valley towards the school.

I sighed and prayed that the vamps could calm Charlie down. My beast ran like we had wings on our feet to the school; I shifted quickly then jogged to a burrow and threw on some clothes. Dagny and the witches had enchanted more things for us, mostly underwear since it was easy to wear under clothes, but it was also easy to forget to put that specific pair of underwear or other clothing items on at times–especially in my case when they were all dirty and laundry was frankly the last thing I wanted to do this week.

I ran past the hall and over to the playground where Dominic was sitting next to Charlie as Chris watched with wide eyes while Cade held Caroling away. "Charlie!" I called out as I ran to him, my beast pacing at the sight of our pup.

Our pup that was squirming on the ground as he fought with his beast. We knew it wasn't time yet. We had no idea how we knew, but we just did. We had an itch about it. That was the thing about shifting for the first time with were born pups, if they did it too early, it could very well kill them.

They were so close. For the last few weeks things had changed for them; their eyesight changed and sharpened, their hearing tuned–so well that Ethan and I had to better plan our 'surprises,' their noses were always good but last week it intensified so much that Charlie threw up half his dinner one night. Poor thing. They had been fighting their beasts more and more–wolves that were strong and wanted out. Alpha males that wanted out.

I knelt down next to him and pushed his hair back with a soft smile. "Hey sweetie–Charlie, it's mom baby,"

He looked up at me, his fangs starting to poke through his gums; a sight which made my beast frantic. "Mom?" he croaked out. "Mom it hurts."

"I know baby," I replied as I took his hand in mine and gave it a light squeeze. "Baby, push him back. You know it's not time. He does too."

"I could make him?" Dominic offered.

I shook my head. "He needs to do this himself."

Charlie's eyes were glowing as he looked up at me frantically. His beast was pawing at his mind–demanding to get out. Chris was kneeling next to him with wide eyes as Charlie gripped at the grass while his fingernails started to turn into claws. "Charlie you have to control him. You have to push him back," I stated as my eyes bore down into my son's, warning the beast in him to tread lightly.

Charlie let out a series of sharp breaths. Tears were starting to roll down his face as he clenched his jaw and shut his eyes; he sucked in another big breath, then let it out. Chris was eying him with big eyes, eyes that were afraid for his brother. "Mom?"

I held my hand up to pause him right as Charlie fluttered his eyes open–eyes that were no longer glowing. A long breath of relief washed over me. I reached up and pushed some of his sweaty hair back, my beast flopping on the ground and letting her anxious heart beating at what felt like a hundred beats per second rest.

"You ok?" I asked.

Charlie nodded. "Ya, I'm good."

"Want to tell me what happened?" I cocked my head and eyed him while he wiped some sweat off of his face.

"Some of the guys were picking on Roger and he just got angry and I'm sorry mom, it–"

"Baby it's ok," I cut in before I hugged him to me. "It happens. You have to control it, master your beast."

"Yes mam'," he breathed out against my shoulder.

I nuzzled his hair, rubbing my scent over my pup and let out a long sigh. Roger was Remi and Ryder's youngest. He and his sister Rosie were orphaned pups that Ryder found in the woods a little more than eight years ago, abandoned like someone had left them there overnight. It's a miracle they survived the cold night of the fall. Rosie was carrying roger, just a baby in her hands; she was covered in dirt, her hair a mess, and almost hysterical–Ryder had to call in some of our men because he didn't want to hurt her but he said she was like a wildcat when he tried to come close to her.

She calmed eventually. She calmed when she met my Charlie. She and Charlie were almost the same age, she was a year younger than him. I told Charlie and Chris not to go near her at first, mostly because she was still having episodes where she would lash out and I didn't want them to get hurt; but of course, they didn't listen.

We found them all playing in Ethan's office. Charlie actually got Rosie to eat something, to talk to him–she had barely said two words to anyone. She didn't even know her own name. After that day he's been fiercely protective of her and Roger–Roger who was still very small for his age. Ethan wondered if he was either the runt of his litter or if he was just so malnourished as a baby that it did permanent damage.

Ryder and Remi loved them. Remi said they were little gifts from the moon; both he and Ryder wanted pups, but they both knew they had to wait for something like this so they could adopt one. We always wondered where they came from, we wondered if their real parents were part of a group that tried to runaway from one of the packs we marched into. Barrett and Evie dream walked on Rosie one night, but Barrett said all they could see was a group of wolves that they were living out in some caves to the far west of us; the kids were so young. Roger was just a baby, and Rosie was still so young–an age where she still wouldn't remember much.

He said they looked almost rogue but he wasn't sure. Ethan and I sent some men out to look for them, and they found the caves but there was nothing there. There were signs of wolves being there–living there out in the wild. Ethan had wondered if they had gone more wolf than human–choosing to live more in their fur than their skin which Barrett confirmed when he dream walked on Rose, or Rosie as Charlie called her, again.

It was odd; Ethan and Levi thought that they had escaped before we marched in and chose to live out in the wildneess–going more feral and living in their fur rather than join a pack. But either way, the two pups belonged to our pack now and they had two dad's that adored them.

"Charlie!" I heard Rosie cry out. Her honey-colored waves falling down past her shoulders and brown eyes full of worry.

"Do you think you can make it through school?" I asked Charlie who gave Rosie a tiny smile.

He nodded to me as Chris helped him up. "Ya mom, I'll be fine."

"Ok," I sighed out. "Chris?"

"I'm fine mom. He knows better," Chris replied with a playful smile that was almost identical to Ethan's. Chris had an episode yesterday and beat his beast back so hard I wondered if the wolf was even going to come out tomorrow.

I kissed Chris temple then hugged him to me. "Look after your brother,"

"Yes mam," he replied before he trotted off after Charlie, playfully punching his shoulder as Coleen nodded to me.

I sighed and looked at Dominic. "Good work mama," he told me with a little smirk on his face.

"Ass," I replied as I rolled my eyes. "Come on let's go make a cake."

Dominic just laughed then ran with me back home where Derek was already making the twins' cake while Lizzie hung up decorations out in the backyard where we were having the party.

"The cake looks good," I told Derek as he dumped the batter into a few round pans.

"Italian Creme," Derek said with a soft smile.

"They boys' favorite," Lizzie added

"Wine Char?" Dom asked as he walked to Lizzie, kissing her quickly before he moved to the cabinets where there were wine glasses.

"Please," I said on a long breath.

Dominic poured me a glass and handed it to me. "They're strong Char. They're going to be strong males–Ethan will have to watch his hide."

I took a sip and nodded as my beast and I swelled with pride. "I know. I can feel it, she can too."

"So are the other two, I swear Cade has a nose better than some trackers I've come across," Derek added while he put the round pans in the oven. "And Caroline–well," he said with a chuckle. "She's going to take after you."

My lips quirked into a smile before I started to help Lizzie outside while Dominic 'helped' Derek with the cakes. He more or less just ate an absurd amount of frosting until he felt sick. We set up some plastic tables outside and covered them with some blue table cloths. Lizzie had blown up balloons and tied them around mason jars she filled with candy for the kids while I hung up lights and lanterns from our trees.

After, I headed up stairs to shower. Ethan would be home soon, and so would the kids. I wouldn't have time after that–I found that I rarely had time for much with the four pups and a pack to care for.

I guess we got that mini herd after all.

The shower was warm and immediately I felt refreshed and more awake after I started to scrub my hair. That is until I felt him–I felt him coming up the stairs. I could tell he was trying to surprise me, but there wouldn't be a day when I couldn't feel him.

I just pretended like I was incredibly busy washing my hair. I heard him start to strip down, his beast skipping around over the bond while the door to the shower opened. Arms slid around my waist and pulled me to a warm chest that smelled like a campfire and evergreens.

"I missed you sunshine."

Turning around I wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled as the water beat against my back. "I missed you too," I replied back before I tip-toed up to kiss him.

He groaned then lowly growled as he kissed me back, his lips sending shivers over my body. There wouldn't be a day when that wouldn't happen, when I didn't feel the rush of my heart when he kissed me.

"Ethan," I breathed out as he pushed me against the tile wall of our shower. "The kids will be home soon and the vampires are downstairs and–"

"Sunshine," he growled against my neck, the vibrations of it sending goosebumps down my body. "We'll just have to make it quick then," he replied with a devious smirk. A smirk that hadn't changed at all over the years.

Ethan still looked like he was in his late twenties, as did I, but we both running in our late thirties–Ethan would turn forty this year. Still, he had matured more. He looked more like an alpha male–bigger, more cut like the mountains chiseled him themselves. That was probably a lot to do with the little 'trips' that my father made him take up the mountain where he and Levi would more or less beat Ethan and Lucas around. Usually, Jaxon went too, which my father loved–he loved giving that cocky male a good beating.

His veins hummed out to me, crackling with excitement before he kissed me again. They started humming louder the more he and his beast grew together–the more they aged liked a fine wine. His beard that I let him grow out was tickling my face, and his hair was a little longer, but still–he was my male, my male that I loved, and with that burning look in his eyes I still melted like a puddle.

It wasn't quick. It was probably longer than it should have been and I found myself rushing around to get dressed before the kids got home. Ethan was trimming his beard while I brushed out my hair that I rarely wore down these days; with kids it just got in the way. I wanted to chop it off, but I never could pull the trigger. Eventually, I just settled to tying it up and out of my face.

"How were Pen and Lyle?"

"Well, they got in a royal fight over whose bear was bigger, then of course, they made up and reeked the whole camp up with pheromones," Ethan replied while I slipped a short sleeved heather gray t-shirt dress on.

"Typical," I laughed out, that was pretty par for the course with Penelope and Lyle.

"How are they?" I sighed as I slipped on some black booties and walked out of the closet, where Ethan was still trimming at his beard–his jeans unbuttoned and unzipped, hanging low on his hips. Smiling with a tiny smirk, I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. His chest rumbled as I slid my hands over his skin, drawing goosebumps from where my fingers had touched him, and to the front of his pants. "If you start that then we are going to be late sunshine."

"I'm just helping you get dressed," I replied, chuckling as I buttoned his jeans then zipped up the zipper before I stepped away to my counter. Ethan held my gaze then shook his head with a little devilish smile on his face. "And good. Charlie almost shifted today. Chris almost did again yesterday. They're getting better at it."

"What instigated Charlie?" he asked while I slipped on the necklace with the ring hanging from it that he had gotten me many years ago for Christmas. We added little charms to it, one for each child in the shape of a little paw print.

"I guess some of the other boys were picking on Roger and you know how protective Charlie is of him and Rosie."

Ethan let out a long breath and nodded. "I do. Do you think they are?"

I bit my bottom lip and wiggled my head back and forth. "It's a strong maybe. A very strong maybe."

"What time is everyone coming over?" Ethan asked as he wiped off his face with a towel, walking back to our closet to dig for a shirt.

"Levi is coming any time now, my parents this evening–hopefully before the party. I told everyone six, which gives the kids time to do their homework."

Ethan nodded as he slipped on a shirt. "Are you parents staying with us?"

"They are," I replied with a tiny smile. "Levi too."

"We'll have to start taking them to Levi's, they're old enough, and your father's. The mountains will be good for them," Ethan mused as he slipped on some shoes. Our boys already were strong. Ethan, Levi, my father, and Evan had been working with them already. I knew the idea was exciting for Ethan, doing with our children what his father did with him.

"And you too," I replied before I bit at my bottom lip as Ethan rolled his eyes while he walked to me.

He dipped down and kissed me then took my hand. "You probably need to go to the mountains soon sunshine."

I rolled my eyes. My father had made it a point to make up for all the missed ass beatings once things settled down. Needless to say, every time he told me, 'baby girl while don't you come up here and stay with me?' my beast and I just groaned. It was never a question, it was a statement of what I would be doing–walking to train with my father who pushed me in ways I didn't think possible. Ways that Levi got a kick out of. Usually, he was up there with dad when he could get away from his pack, tag-teaming with him. Damn males.

Dominic was sipping on his wine and poured me a new glass when he saw me. Derek was starting to prep the lasagna, the boy's favorite for the party tonight. He zipped over to Ethan and hugged him Elliot zipped to me. "Have fun?"

Elliot nodded. "We did. It was a good hunt this year."

Ethan opened the refrigerator and reached for a beer right as Lizzie waved for me as she approached the door with all the kids in tow with her; Caroline was riding on her back while the boys looked like they were talking her ear off. That is until Cade saw Ethan through the window.

His face burst into a smile and his legs started to carry him into the house. "Dad!" Ethan chuckled and set his beer down then jogged into the living room to Cade, he picked up and hugged him tight to his chest. "Dad I got an A on my math test!"

"Well, we knew you would son," Ethan replied with a wink, his lips quirking into a knowing smile as Cade just grinned before Ethan kissed Cade's head. "Keep your brother's in line?"

"Yes sir," Cade replied with a grin. "Where's the bear?"

"Pawpaw is curing it for me, we'll have it in a few weeks," Ethan replied as the twins barreled for him.

"Dad!" Chris yelled out as Charlie and him tackled Ethan down and hugged him.

Ethan just laughed and nuzzled our twins, kissing their heads as they sat up excitedly. "Dad I almost shifted today!"

"I know your mother told me," Ethan laughed out while he nuzzled Chris' hair, his beast coating our pups with his scent so everyone would know who their father was.

"Dad, where's the bear?"

"Dad, can we go next year?"

"Dad, can we go hunting tomorrow?"

"Dad, do you think–"

"Alright!" Ethan laughed out while he kissed Charlie's hair. "We'll see," he said as Caroline squealed.

"Daddy!" she said as she squirmed her way off of Lizzie's back.

Ethan sighed and held his arms open for her. "Come here my sweet Caroline."

She giggled and jumped into his arms, the boys all still sitting on the floor like little jumping beans restraining themselves from jumping. "Daddy I missed you!"

"I missed you too baby," he replied before he kissed Caroline's forehead. "Were you good for your mother?"

"Yes," Caroline rushed out. "Can I go bear hunting next year?"

"Uncle Elliot's home!" Charlie rushed out as Elliot zipped to him.

Elliot hugged Charlie and Chris before Cade threw himself into the mix. "I think you all grew–you definitely all grew."

"I totally grew like an inch," Charlie said.

Chris rolled his eyes. "You did not."

"How would you know?!"

"We're twins! I would have grown too!"

"Well, maybe you did?" Charlie replied cheekily. "We totally did. Dad, did we grow at all?"

Ethan rolled his eyes and pointed to the kitchen. "Go see," he said and immediately the boys ran to a foot-wide piece of butcher paper we had taped up on the wall; it had little lines on it, lines of all the kid's heights over the years.

Ethan got up with Caroline in his arms and kissed her again. "Daddy, did I grow too? Can I go hunting next year please?!"

"Not next year sweetie, you all have to wait a little longer; and maybe. I think you have grown a little bit," Ethan said teasingly before he tickled at her sides, drawing sharp squeals and laughs from her lips before he set her down so she could run to where the boys were lined up.

"Mom! Can we check please?!" Cade asked.

I nodded and grabbed a pen. "Alright, come here Charlie," I told him.

Charlie turned around and straightened his back, looking at me with excited eyes as Ethan eyed him while he sipped his beer. "I think you actually did grow a little son," he said while I drew a line where Charlie's head was. A line that was just a few hairs taller than the last line.

"I think so too, Chris?" Chris stepped up while Charlie walked back to Ethan, letting Ethan hug him again. The boys were practically stuck to Ethan's hip half the time. Chris sucked in a breath and stood as tall as he could. I just laughed and drew a line that was identical to Charlie's. "The same."

"See! Told you we grew!" Charlie replied with a smug grin.

Chris rolled his eyes as Cade ran up. Cade may be three years younger than them, but he was tall. Ethan shook his head with an amused smile as he eyed Cade. "Son I think you're going to be all legs."

"Really?" he asked excitedly, almost bouncing as I drew a line over his head.

Ethan nodded, a proud smile tugging at his lips. "Really Really."

"Do you think I'll be taller than you dad?"

Ethan rolled his eyes playfully. "We'll see about that," Ethan answered while I drew a line over Cade's head, a line that was almost a centimeter higher than his last one–the last one on all of them we did almost two weeks ago.

I shook my head in almost disbelief. Ethan may be right, Cade was probably going to be all legs. "You almost grew a centimeter Cade Eli."

"Really mom?!"

"Really baby," I replied before I kissed his cheek.

Caroline ran up next. Elliot knelt down and eyed her. "Sweet Caroline I think you grew the most."

"Really?!"

Elliot nodded as I drew a line over Caroline's head. Dark curls tied into high pigtails that Lizzie had done for her this morning. Lizzie zipped over and eyed the line with a proud smile. "Almost a centimeter too Caroline!"

It was. I shook my head and eyed Ethan, our kids were growing way too damn fast for my liking. Caroline smiled wide as Derek winked at her. "Well, I think that deserves cupcakes."

"Cupcakes?" Cade asked, quickly looking at Derek with hungry eyes–eyes that we were starting to see his wolf in. With the twins, we saw their beasts around Cade's age. It was so subtle at first, but now they were so dominant. It's a damn miracle they haven't shifted yet–their beasts were constantly showing themselves, almost like they wanted to show Ethan and I how strong they were–how ready they were to come out.

"You made cupcakes?" I asked while Dominic picked up Caroline.

"Course," Derek replied. "Everyone loves cupcakes."

"Uncle Derek, what kind?" Caroline asked as Dominic kissed her cheek.

"Vanilla and strawberry," Derek replied with a wink, strawberry was Charlie and Caroline's favorite.

"Did you do your homework?" Ethan asked as he eyed the boys.

"We finished it in study hall dad," Chris replied.

"Took me like twenty minutes," Charlie replied before Chris nodded in an agreement that had Ethan shaking his head while he lightly laughed as he reached for his bear.

"Dad, can we go outside?" Cade asked, tugging on Ethan's arm before Caroline shrieked.

"Nana and Pawpaw are here!"