Page 250 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

“You’re so eloquent,” Violet teased.

“How’s your pup doing?” I asked between bites.

“Good. He hasn’t been any trouble at all.”

“It’s a boy?”

“We don’t know, yet. We should know before the end of the month, but it’s just a hunch.”

“You guys still waiting for the full moon to mark each other?” I asked.

“Yeah, I promised Dad. Well, he did. I’m okay with letting the old man down.” She pointed at Chris, who blushed and buried his head in her hair.

“You wouldn’t if his mom asked you?” I raised an eyebrow, making Violet blush and Chris smile smugly. They were too adorable for words. “It’s only a week away now, anyway. I’m sure brownie points with father-in-law never hurt.”

Especially since you knocked up his daughter, I thought, then realized I was in the same boat.

I looked down at the hand I was holding, a question coming to my mind.

“Why didn’t you guys tell me about Bells’ pregnancy?” I asked. I’d spoken and texted them several times since I left, and no one said a peep.

“Remember how I never let you guys talk to Chris when we were going through it?” she asked with a sympathetic look on her face.

I nodded and sighed. I figured as much. My princess was a stubborn woman.

“When you were going through what?” Alpha Markus’ voice caught everyone by surprise, as did the stern tone and look on his face.

Chris sat up straight, paling. He knew he wouldn’t gain any brownie points with overprotective Dad, if Violet told him about how he broke up with her.

I tried not to let my nerves show. I would fight for Bells to my last breath, even her father, but I wasn’t so sure I’d win against the old man. Especially, if I wasn’t trying to hurt him for the sake of his daughter.

“Noneya, Dad,” Violet answered.

Alpha Markus’ face darkened, and I thought he was going to go off on a lecture about respect to one of his youngest daughters. Instead, he turned to his mate and pouted.

“See what you did, Tuli? I told you I wanted nothing but boys that I could raise with an iron fist. Instead, you gave me three princesses who think it’s okay to leave their poor father in the dark.”

“Markus, don’t lie. You begged every kid after the twins to be a girl. Lucien is the only one who didn’t listen, and it’s not like you didn’t cave to his every demand, the same way you did the girls.”

I snorted at her words, and drew his line of sight. I sat up a little straighter, and watched his eyes drawn to where my hand was wrapped around Bells’.

“I heard you’re my daughter’s real mate.”

"I am,” I answered, unsure where he was going with it.

“Are we going to have a problem? Are you going to hurt her and break her heart, too?”

“I would rather chew off my arm than hurt her,” I growled, angry that he would think that about me.

“Are you going to mark her and make her your Luna and raise those pups right?”

“I tried to do that before I felt the mate bond, Alpha Markus. As soon as I can convince her to let me this time, I’m never letting any of them away from my side,” I answered, feeling a bit calmer, and remembering he was just a father wanting to protect his daughter after she’d been through so much.

“Good. I don’t want to have beat up my princess’ mate while she’s pregnant.”

Chris coughed to cover a laugh, but Alpha Markus heard it.

“What’s so funny?”

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