He refused to dwell on the past. Besides, he didn’t regret standing up to the bully who made his life miserable for so many months.
He answered his mate, “I didn’t want him to have the satisfaction of knowing he managed to knock me up. He was obsessed with having children because he wouldn’t get his inheritance if he didn’t produce an heir.”
“What an asshole,” Logan muttered. “Good riddance.”
“Now if you two can just make up and be friends again, I’ll be super happy,” Eli said, beaming.
“Like hell,” Liam muttered.
Logan glared at his brother. Eli sighed. He stood from his seat. Maybe some dessert would help lighten the mood. There was ice cream in the fridge. He started for the kitchen, then paused. A chair was dragged on the floor.
“Eli? What’s wrong?” Liam asked, walking up to him.
Eli glanced at the puddle on the floor, then looked at his mate. “Liam, I think my water just broke.”
15
Liam
Feeling restless, Liam paced the corridor back and forth. He knew his presence unsettled some of the nurses and patients in the shifter clinic but he didn’t give a damn. It didn’t help that both Lucas and Logan had tagged along.
Truthfully, Liam was relieved they were here. Both were distrustful and wary of the locals like Liam. They hated going to town but they put all that aside to support Liam and Eli on the sidelines. It meant the world to him that his family had his back.
Alone, Liam was a mess but with the three of them here, they were a force to be reckoned with. He decided he could forgive Logan. Liam hadn’t known what to do after Eli said his water broke. He’d been stunned for a couple of seconds but Logan had taken charge and given orders.
Liam woke from his temporary paralysis. He bundled his mate inside his truck. Once Lucas and Logan hopped in, he drove like a hell demon to town. Thankfully, the shifter clinic didn’t have many patients that evening. Eli was immediately checked in.
“Why don’t you sit down and wait like a good bear?” Lucas asked, joining him by the vending machine. “You’re freaking out those two nurses.”
Liam growled at his brother. He looked over Lucas's shoulder and saw Logan sitting stiffly in the waiting area.
An elderly couple gave Logan wide berth but kept sneaking him suspicious looks. Logan took up two plastic seats thanks to his size. His brother’s face was pale.
Lucas followed his gaze. “He’s worried it’s his fault.”
Liam forced himself to think. Eli was right of course. He had no reason to blame his brother. If Logan hadn’t been there, neither Eli nor the twins would be alive today.
If Eli passed away, Liam would follow him because they were mates. He couldn’t bear the thought of living in a world without Eli.
“It’s not,” he finally told Lucas. “I don’t blame him for anything. Besides, Dr. Lee said Eli’s early but he didn’t mention any complications.”
“You should tell him that,” Lucas said. “Eli would want the two of you to make up.”
Scowling, Liam clenched and unclenched his fists. His grizzly felt unsettled inside his skin, mad with worry for their mate. There was no reason for it. Eli wasn’t bleeding out or anything like that.
Dr. Lee and his staff were professionals who knew what they were doing. Once he was calmer, he joined Logan in the waiting room.
“Are you here to punch my lights out?” Logan asked after Liam hadn’t said anything for a few seconds.
Liam didn’t stay quiet on purpose. He was figuring out what to say. He had never been good with words, with offering someone consolation.
“After Eli was wheeled into the operation room, Dr. Lee took me aside and told me there was nothing to worry about. The twins are early. That’s all,” he explained.
Logan blew out a breath. “Yeah?”
Liam nodded. “I’m sorry about earlier. Eli’s right. You did your best. Lucas and you have every reason to hate me.”
“Hate you?” Logan looked baffled.
“I mated Eli despite knowing the luggage he carried.”
Logan scoffed. “I wasn’t his number one fan before, but I’ll admit one thing. Eli is what you, what we need. Without him, the three of us wouldn’t know what to do with the lodge.”
Those words meant a lot to Liam but since they weren’t a touchy-feeling kind of family, he said nothing. Liam let the silence speak for itself.
“What about Eli’s family? Won’t they continue looking for him?” Logan finally asked.
“Not if Eli’s dead,” Liam answered.
Logan’s eyebrows shot up as Liam told him his plan.
“All they need to know is the fact their son was killed by Steve,” Liam said. “I’d buy an empty lot in the church cemetery.”
“What if they demand to see the body?”
Liam thought of that as well. “They won’t, not if I tell them Eli’s corpse is in pieces thanks to Steve.”
“And Steve?”
“I hunted him down because he turned Rogue on our land. The werewolf with Steve was probably just hired muscle. He wouldn’t be missed.”
Logan studied him carefully. “How did you come up with this elaborate plan?”
“I didn’t do it alone. Eli and I thought of it while he was patching me up in the bathroom.”
Liam still needed to discuss this plan further with his mate. Eli and he needed to hammer out the details but they’d do it after Eli had given birth and was well-rested.
“Well, I hope it works,” Logan said.
A nurse stopped in front of them. Liam was on his feet. “Mr. Griffin? You can see your husband now.”
“How is he? No complications?” He asked, worried.
The nurse beamed up at him. “None at all. Your baby girls are beautiful.”
“Husband?” Logan asked him in a low voice. “Have you even proposed to Eli yet?”
He shook his head. “All in due time.”
Lucas was already inside Eli’s room when they arrived. Lucas was holding one of the twins and cooing at her. Seeing his mate lying in
