The Alpha’s Secret Nanny: A Forbidden Fated Mates Romance

Chapter Two: The Morning After

Tessa

Sleep never really came.

Every time the old cabin creaked, I jerked awake, my heart racing before I could remind myself where I was. The sheets were too soft, the silence too deep, and beneath all of it was that wild, electric hum that didn’t belong in the human world. Wolves.

I kept hearing them out there - faint howls, voices that seemed to echo through the trees and directly into my bones. I told myself it was just the wind. But I didn’t believe it.

By the time the pale sunlight slid through the curtains, my eyes burned and my body felt made of stone. I sat up, hugged my knees, and listened to the quiet. The smell of wood smoke and coffee drifted down the hall. Someone was awake.

My first instinct was to run. It always was.

But then, a high, sweet giggle floated through the air. It was followed by a smaller voice yelling, “Theo! That mine!”

Lily and Theo. The twins.

I slowly exhaled and pressed my palm over my chest. Leaving wasn’t an option. Not now. Not yet. Not when those two were counting on me to show up this morning like I’d promised.

I slid out of bed, pulled on yesterday’s jeans and a fresh pink shirt. I tied my hair back with a scrap of ribbon I’d found at the bottom of my bag, then made my way down the hall.

The kitchen was bright and warm, all golden light and the smell of cinnamon. Lucian stood at the stove, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, steaming coffee mug in his hand. His dark hair was still damp, curling slightly at his neck.

He looked nothing like the dangerous Alpha who’d stared me down last night.

Instead he looked.. human. Tired, maybe. Lonely.

“Morning,” I said softly.

His gray gaze lifted - sharp, unreadable - before dipping to the coffee pot. “There’s food. Help yourself.”

Short sentences. Minimal warmth. Right. Got it.

Theo and Lily were perched at the table, a small mountain of coloring pages between them. They both looked up when they saw me.

“Tess!” Lily squealed, hopping down and barreling into my legs.

Theo grinned, syrup on his chin. “Daddy said you make pancakes.”

I blinked. “He does, huh?”

Lucian didn’t look up. “I said she might.”

“Then she does,” Lily declares with all of the confidence of a wolf pup giving a royal decree.

Lucian’s mouth twitched, just barely. I couldn’t tell if it was amusement or warning.

And just like that, I found myself holding a whisk, standing in a stranger’s kitchen and pretending I belonged.

For one fragile morning, I almost did.

“That’s enough sampling,” Lucian said to the twins. “Come and help Tessa make pancakes.” He grabbed a wet tea towel and wiped Theo’s small face.

Both children rushed to obey.

Soon, Theo stood on a small stool near the stove, clutching a wooden spoon like a magical sword. Lily sat cross legged on the counter, dipping her tiny hands into a bowl of chocolate chips. Lucian stood behind the kids, massive arms crossed, pretending to be stern - but there was the faintest ghost of amusement touching his lips.

“I said half a cup of chocolate chips, Lily,” he said evenly.

“I did half.” Lily pointed to the bowl with great seriousness. “Half for pancake. Half for mouth.”

I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “I can see you’re running a tight kitchen here,” I said lightly, moving past Lucian to rescue the batter. His presence filled the space, a quiet gravity that made my pulse stumble.

Theo turned toward me. “I helping. Daddy says I can do the flipping cause I big.”

Lucian’s voice dropped an octave. “I said when you’re bigger.”

I smiled and crouched next to the little boy. “How about we make a deal, Chef Theo? You and Chef Lily can be in charge of pouring the batter. I’ll handle the flipping for now.”

Theo nodded, satisfied with this very serious compromise.

She poured, he poured, and both toddlers giggled. The scent of vanilla and browned butter softened the edges of my nerves. I felt something close to peace, for the first time in days.

Behind me, Lucian cleared his throat. “You didn’t have to cook, Tessa. I’d planned to -“

“Watch your children duel with kitchen utensils?,” I teased, flipping the first pancake with practiced ease. “Trust me, I’ve seen worse.”

He studied me for a beat too long. “You really do have experience with kids then?”

“Some,” I answered quietly. “I really did nanny for a family a few months ago. And I helped at a daycare for a while. Before.” The implication - before everything went wrong - was strong but unspoken between us.

Lucian didn’t press. Instead, he turned to pour more coffee. “They like you.”

“They’re easy to like.”

“They’re not easy with strangers.” There was something in his tone, something I couldn’t name but it made my chest tighten.

Lily tugged at my sleeve. “Tess? Daddy doesn’t laugh. But.. he just did.”

I glanced up. Sure enough, Lucian’s mouth curved in the barest, startled smile - the kind that looked like it hadn’t been used in years.

And then, too soon, it was gone.

I rinsed the pancake batter from my hands, golden morning sunlight pouring in through the large kitchen windows. For a moment, it felt almost normal - family, laughter, warmth.

I caught Lucian watching me. Something flickered in his eyes, dangerous and unspoken.

Then the front door opened. The sound of heels clicking against the hardwood floor cut through the laughter. The air became heavier and colder. Even the twins went still.

A tall woman strode into the kitchen, her perfume sharp and possessive.

“Lucian,” she said smoothly, “I didn’t realize you’d hired help.”

Lucian’s jaw tightened. “Selene.”

My fingers curled around the edge of the counter. Whatever peace I’d found evaporated.

Selene smiled thinly. “What a domestic little scene.”

And just like that, I realized that I might have stepped into more danger than I escaped.