The Biker Alpha Who Became My Second Chance Mate Chapter 152

When we pulled up to the construction site I was impressed by how much progress had been made in just a few days, the interior walls were going up in our house and you could actually see the layout of the rooms now instead of just the frame.

"Oh my god," Athena breathed, getting out of the truck and staring at the house. "It's actually starting to look like a house."

"That's generally the idea," I said, coming up behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist, my hands automatically going to her still flat stomach.

"Don't be a smartass," she said but she was leaning back against me.

Lily and Liam had already taken off running across the field, their laughter carrying on the breeze, Sarah followed after them to keep an eye on them while Orion, Athena and I walked through the construction.

I showed Athena everything that had changed since our last visit, the master bedroom was taking shape with the bathroom roughed in, the kitchen had cabinets marked out where they'd go and the island was being built, downstairs the office spaces were defined and the playroom area was clear.

"This is the nursery," I said, leading her to the room we'd designated. "I was thinking we could do a neutral color scheme since we don't know the genders yet, maybe something with lots of natural light and soft textures."

"I love that," Athena said, standing in the middle of the empty room and turning in a slow circle. "I can already picture it, two cribs side by side, a rocking chair in the corner for late night feedings, maybe some stuffed animals and books."

"We could do a mural on one wall," I suggested. "Something whimsical, like a forest scene or something with animals."

"I love that idea," she said, her eyes lighting up. "We could have someone paint it or we could do it ourselves."

"I think we should hire someone," I said. "I'm not artistic enough to pull off a mural."

"I could do it," she said. "I used to paint before, before everything with Daxon."

"You paint that much?" I asked, surprised because I didn't know that about her.

Not that I didn't know she paints, I'd seen her painting and it was not something I would say.

But if she wants to paint, then who am I to say no.

"I used to, don't you remember" I nodded. Of course I did "I learnt how to when I got to London, but then Daxon didn't like it, said it was a waste of time, so I stopped." Ohh she learnt more.

"Well he was an idiot," I said firmly. "And if you want to paint the nursery yourself then you should, I'll help however I can."

"You'd let me paint our babies' room?" she asked.

"It's not about letting you," I said. "It's your house too, our house, if you want to paint then paint, I'd love to see what you create."

She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me, right there in the middle of the empty room that would become our children's nursery.

"I love you," she said against my lips.

"I love you too," I said. "And I love that I'm still learning things about you." And I meant it.

We spent another hour walking through the house, discussing where furniture would go and what colors we wanted for different rooms, talking about the life we'd build within these walls.

When we finally went back outside, Lily and Liam were covered in dirt and grass stains and looked absolutely exhausted.

"I think we wore them out," Sarah said, laughing.

"Mission accomplished," Orion said, scooping up Liam who immediately laid his head on his father's shoulder.

On the drive back, both kids fell asleep in their car seats, Lily's head lolling to one side and Liam clutching a stuffed animal he'd insisted on bringing.

"That's the benefit of having land," Sarah said quietly so as not to wake them. "Tire them out so they actually nap."

When we got back to Orion's house, Derek's truck was parked in the driveway.

Derek was sitting on the front porch steps, leaning back on his hands with his face turned up to the sun, he looked relaxed in a way I didn't often see him, wearing jeans and a black t-shirt with his sunglasses pushed up on his head.

"Hey," he said when he heard us approaching. "Hope I'm not interrupting."

"Not at all," Orion said. "Come on in."

Sarah carried Liam upstairs while Orion took Lily, both kids stayed asleep, and the rest of us settled in the living room and started discussing about everything.

Then Derek looked at me and Athena sitting close together on the couch, her legs tucked under her and leaning against my side with my arm around her shoulders.

"I heard congratulations are in order," he said. "Engagement and twins, you two really don't do anything halfway."

"Go big or go home," Athena said with a grin.

"Apparently," Derek said, shaking his head with a smile. "Though I have to say, I'm a little disappointed."

"About what?" I asked, confused.

"Well," Derek said, leaning back in the armchair. "Now that you're going to be a father, I'm assuming you're done with racing."

I felt Athena tense slightly beside me and I knew we were about to have an interesting conversation.

"Yeah, I'm done," I confirmed. "Can't take those kinds of risks anymore, not with a family depending on me. But we're still partners, always would be."

"That's what I figured," Derek said with a nod. "Smart move, responsible move. Of course, partners for life." Then he turned to look at Athena. "And I'm assuming you're out too?"

"Why would you assume that?" Athena asked, her tone innocent but I could hear the mischief in it.

"Because you're pregnant?" Derek said like it should be obvious.

"So?" Athena said. "Pregnant women can do lots of things."

I turned to look at her. "Athena."

"What?" she asked, looking at me with those wide innocent eyes that I was starting to realize meant trouble.

"You're not racing while you're pregnant," I said carefully.

"I haven't said I'm racing while I'm pregnant," she pointed out. "I just said I haven't quit."

"Those are the same thing," I said.

"Are they though?" she asked.

Derek was grinning now, clearly enjoying where this was going, Orion was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Yes, they are," I said, my voice getting a bit sharper. "You cannot race while you're pregnant with our twins."

"Why not?" she asked. "It's not like I'd be doing anything dangerous."

"Racing is literally dangerous," I said. "That's the whole point."

"I'd be careful," she said.

"You'd be pregnant," I countered. "With twins."

"I'm aware of that," she said. "They're my twins too."

"Then you should understand why you can't race," I said, feeling my frustration building.

"I'm a good driver," she said. "Better than you actually, I've beaten you before." She was trying to be funny but I wasn't doing well with the joke, not when it involves her risking their lives.

And I know Athena, she'd say like a joke but end up doing it.

Derek was full on laughing now and even Orion had given up trying to hide his amusement.

"This isn't funny," I said, looking at them.

"It's a little funny," Derek managed to say between laughs.

"No, it's not," I said, standing up because I needed to move, needed to do something with the anxiety that was flooding through me. "She's talking about racing while pregnant with our children, how is that funny?"

I looked at Athena and saw she was biting her lip, trying not to smile, which made everything worse because it meant she wasn't taking this seriously.

"I need a minute," I said, turning and heading for the stairs.

"Tristan," Athena called after me but I was already halfway up.

I went to our room and closed the door, leaning back against it and trying to calm down, my heart was racing and I felt like I couldn't get enough air, images were flashing through my mind of Athena racing while pregnant, of something going wrong, of losing her and the babies all at once.

There was a knock on the door a moment later.

"Tristan?" Athena's voice came through, softer now. "Can I come in?"

"I want to be alone," I said, my voice coming out harsher than I intended.

"Please," she said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, I was just joking around."

"I said I want to be alone," I repeated.

There was silence for a moment and I thought maybe she'd left, but then I heard her voice again and it was different this time, quieter, almost hurt.

"Are you really going to leave me standing out here with our children?"

The emphasis on our children hit me like a physical blow and I immediately opened the door.

She was standing there looking up at me with those big eyes and I could see she was actually upset now, not playing around anymore.

I didn't say anything, just scooped her up in my arms and carried her into the room, using my foot to close the door behind us.

I set her down on the bed but I couldn't bring myself to look at her, couldn't shake the fear that was still coursing through me.

"Tristan," she said softly. "I was joking, everyone knew I was joking except apparently you."

"It's not funny," I said, my voice tight.

"I know it's not funny to you," she said. "But it was meant to be light, a joke between friends, I would never actually race while pregnant, you have to know that."

I sat down on the edge of the bed, my back to her, and felt her hand on my shoulder.

"Talk to me," she said. "Tell me what you're really feeling because this seems like it's about more than just a joke about racing."

I took a breath and tried to find the words for what I was feeling, for the terror that had gripped me the moment she'd started talking about racing.

"I'm scared," I finally admitted. "I'm terrified that I won't be able to protect you, that something will happen to you or the babies and I'll be powerless to stop it, that I'll fail you the way I failed Jess."

The room went quiet and I felt Athena move behind me, then her arms were wrapping around me from behind, her cheek pressing against my back.

"Is that what this is really about?" she asked softly. "Jess?"

"I couldn't protect her," I said, and the words came out broken. "She was my mate and I couldn't keep her safe, Daxon killed her and our baby and I wasn't there, I couldn't stop it."

"Tristan, Jess's death wasn't your fault," Athena said firmly. "Daxon killed her, not you, he's the one who failed her, not you."

"I should have been there," I said. "I should have known something was wrong, should have protected her better."

"You couldn't have known," she argued. "Daxon was a monster who hid what he was, even I didn't know the full extent of what he was capable of until it was too late, you can't blame yourself for not seeing what he didn't want anyone to see."

I turned to look at her and saw tears in her eyes.

"I can't lose you," I said, my voice breaking. "I can't lose you or those babies, I won't survive it, Athena, I can't go through that again."

She moved so she was sitting in front of me, taking my face in her hands and forcing me to look at her.

"Listen to me," she said, her voice strong despite the tears. "I am not Jess, and Daxon is dead, he can't hurt us anymore, no one can hurt us because we won't let them."

"But what if," I started.

"No," she interrupted. "Let me finish, this pregnancy, these twins, this is the moon goddess giving us back what we lost, you lost Jess and your baby, I lost my baby with Daxon, and now we're being given two children to heal those wounds, to fill those empty spaces in our hearts."