ArdalWe hit the water in a heap, the impact of our bodies sending a splash upward. As I go under the surface, Kadeem’s hand leaves my wrist, but that doesn’t mean we’re no longer touching.No, instead our legs tangle and then untangle, our hips brush, our hands bump each other's stomachs. Our limbs inevitably connect as we try to correct ourselves, but - while me touching him is purely accidental - I’m not sure I can say the same thing for Kadeem.After ten seconds of our little dance, my skin is left burning despite the cold water that surrounds us. I finally manage to gain space between us, allowing me to shoot up and break through the surface once more.“You’re an asshole,” I tell Kadeem when he pops up too. I’m panting a little, but I’m still able to give him a firm glare.But Kadeem doesn’t care for my disapproval. Instead, he eats it up as he usually does.“What?” he asks. “You slipped.”My annoyed gaze only hardens on him, my arms tempted to send a big splash toward his face.

KadeemThe following morning, Kadeem returned to the set for their last day of shooting. Straight away, he saw the kids dressed and ready to start as they all enjoyed a little snack. He made sure to go over and give them plenty of attention, earning him giggles and smiles from them all.When they were called to set though, each of them gave him a firm hug, causing an upward tug on his lips. He knew people were staring, but he didn’t care.With every passing second, he was becoming more convinced that these were his children. An Alpha’s intuition was hardly ever wrong, and he knew he had to be right about this. One way or another, these babies were his.It was more than just the resemblance now. It was their undeniable draw to one another - even his grandmother had confirmed that there was something special. Kadeem had to take that as a sign pointed in his favor.However, he was also expecting the call from the lab that day. The possibility made him restless as he often checked his ph

Ardal“Hey, Chelsea,” the front desk attendant, Hunter, says as I pass through the front door of the gym. “You’re in early.”I nod as I swipe my badge. “I’ve got a session with a client this morning,” I tell him with a shrug and smile. “I just wanted to come in and set up.”Hunter smiles back, and it’s admittedly rather charming. He’s got nice teeth, cute dimples in his cheeks. If anything, it’s a smile that should send a girl to her knees, but mine remain strong beneath me.Maybe in another life, I’d play into Hunter’s small advances and offer a flirt of my own. However, I know that messing around with Kadeem’s staff is the last thing I want to get tangled up in. So I offer a harmless wink as I continue forward to the main floor of the gym.“Have a good day!” Hunter calls behind me as I head toward the women’s locker room.Once my belongings are stored away, I head back out and realize just how empty the gym is this morning. Usually, we have a pretty committed morning crowd filling n

Matteo leads Kadeem into one of the empty massage rooms in the back of the gym. Kadeem enters the room and lays down flat on the empty bed usually used for massages. Mateo stands behind the bed. He begins to rub small circles on each of Kadeem’s temples. “Close your eyes,” Mateo says soothingly. “Clear your mind of all thoughts until your mind is blank.”Kadeem shut his eyes. He concentrates on clearing his mind of Ardal. He blocks out any visions of her soft, brown hair gently caressing his cheek, his firm cock against the feminine curves of his body, and her gasps of shock when he opens his mouth to kiss her.  Kadeem pushes those thoughts aside until he sees only blackness when his eyes are shut.“Tell me about your dreams,” Mateo commands as he sends his energy into Kadeem’s thoughts, guiding him to tell the origin of his dreams.“There was water,” Kadeem muttered as if he was under a spell. “Tell me more,” Mateo encouraged.“There

Ardal receives a phone call from the hospital. A friendly nurse tells her the babies are fine but are waiting for her.Ardal is still in the gym, finishing up with a client. She abruptly tells her client she must leave. She then runs out of the gym and into her car to speed away to the hospital.Once Ardal reaches the hospital, she rushes into the hospital waiting room. All five babies are sitting by the nurse’s desk coloring and eating crackers. “My babies,” shrieks Ardal when she sees them. She gives them each a hug.“If you’re all right, then what is wrong?” Ardal questions.Silas stops coloring and looks up as he says, “I threw a ball at a lady’s stomach and her baby is hurt.”Ardal arches her eyebrows. She knew whose baby was hurt.“Babies stay here,” she commands them. “I’m going to find the lady.”Ardal marches down the hall to find Susan’s room.Susan has long suspected that Ardal was the mother of the babies. It made her hate Ardal even more