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Jessy whispered in my ear when a strangled sob threatened to erupt out of me.
“Stay strong for me, Des. Stay strong for your mom and dad.” She took my face in her hands and pressed her forehead to mine. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”
And that seemed to be the theme of the day. I looked into Jessy’s amber eyes, and hope seemed to swell inside me. It faded just as fast when Viveca came into my sight. It was like looking at the ghost of the female I knew lay dead in my Alpha’s yurt, covered with a blanket. But, instead of the kind, almost sad face Vera always wore, her identical twin stared at Arteisma and Nereida with a hungry, greedy look. She stood silent, her eyes darting over the twins wrapped around my legs. Her fingers twitched, and her hands trembled as though she couldn’t wait to grab them and run.
I used to feel sorry for her. No female should have to suffer the loss of their unborn offspring. Her unreasonable demands for one of her own sister’s babies and her threats to steal one had changed my feelings toward her.
Never taking her eyes from the twins, Viveca took a step toward them.
“Do you know who I am?” She directed her question at Nereida and Arteisma.
I placed my hands on the twins’ backs as they both nodded.
Nereida was the first to speak. “You’re not Vera.”
“You don’t smell right,” Arteisma added.
“No, I’m not your mother. We were twins, like you. I’m here to—”
“No,” Nereida interrupted. “You don’t smellright.”
Viveca squinted, her lips pinched together as she ground her teeth. “I’m...grieving.”
No. No, she wasn’t. At least, not for her sister.
Seff stepped in front of us in the next second, blocking Viveca’s view of the twins. The hungry look on her face changed to anger as her eyes narrowed on him. My dad moved between Seff and Viveca.
“Viveca, let me take you to pay your respects to your sister,” my dad said in a low voice.
Viveca’s eyes darted to my dad before she turned and went out the door. My dad gave Seff a look. Some kind of silent male understanding passed between them. Then, he followed Viveca out of the cookhouse.
My next breath caused a deep shudder as Viveca’s undefinable scent hit my lungs. I’d never dreamed she’d show up so quickly. The way she looked at the twins—like she would risk anything to grab them and just run. I knelt to look Arteisma and Nereida in the eye.
“She doesn’t smell right, Desarae,” Arteisma whispered.
I nodded my agreement. “I need to tell you something.” Both Arteisma and Nereida looked at me. “No matter what happens, Seff and I love you. We willalwayslove you.”
Nereida tilted her head and smiled. “We know that, Des.”
I returned her smile and blinked back tears. “I needed to say the words.”
“Hey, excuse me,” My mom spoke up through all the quiet introductions. “Is anyone hungry?”
A round of respectful “yes, ma’am” filled the large dining area.
And with one question, my mother ended all comments on anything other than food. “Jessy, honey, give me a hand.”
“Absolutely, Aunt Evelyn.” Jessy followed her over to the kitchen. “I still can’t cook worth a darn, but I know how to follow directions.”
“Can we help too, Mimi?” Arteisma asked.
“Of course. Someone has to keep an eye on Jessy.”
Both twins suddenly seemed to switch gears and scrambled over to my mom, Arteisma eagerly bouncing around while Nereida snatched backward glances over her shoulder until Seff gave her an encouraging nod.
“Poppo said we’re having smashburgers,” Arteisma said. “Can we have onion rings, too?”
“Sure, we can. And fries too.”
