Adley hissed as pain seared through her midsection down her spine towards her groin. She clenched at Marcus' hand as another contraction rippled through. Her stomach dropped only a few days ago and bruising had begun for the past few weeks due to strengthening kicks.

"Ah! What Gods created this fucking torture!" She hissed.

Already settled within the compound in the birthing pool of warm water. Marcus had driven to her Jeep's limit the moment she'd collapsed. They'd gotten there with time to prepare. The doctors were on call and ready to help.

Her brow drenched in sweat as she took labouring breaths. Her Aunt was in the room periodically checking in on her. The people allowed near limited. It was really just the three of them. She'd taken her parents suggestion to keep others at a distance. She wasn't superstitious in many ways. Logic had her pushing for limited people. The gods knew how she'd influence the room in her pain. Empathic powers unchecked would be potent.

The OBGYN of course on call in another room if needing a C-section.

Marcus wrapped his arms around her trying to soothe her. "You can do this, Little One,"

"I love you, and I'm sorry for what I might say." She exhaled.

"I appreciate the warning." He chuckled kissing her temple.

"I'm sorry for what I might do." She grunted.

"I will endure."

"Gah!" She groaned the pain increasing. "Your dick isn't coming near me for ten years at least."

The door opened to the room. Soft music interrupted. Aunt Janet approached in clean blue scrubs and a hair covering. She bent down to get on their level.

"Shall we check once more? Your screams have been increasing. Is it too much, Addie? You don't need to be brave for this. We can use an epidural still." She offered.

"No just let me know how much longer! It's already been two hours." She huffed.

"It will happen in its time dear. Patience with your body. You are about to deliver two infants. Very powerful children." Aunt Janet assured while checking. "It's time,"

Adley screamed clenching at Marcus' hands. Sweat dripped from her brows and body as she pushed with each contraption. The edges of her vision turning Black. Ripping seared through her lower half.

"Ah!"

"Hurry it up!"

"Get her out!"

"Half way there, The first is here."

Her body went limp, the ground and water moving away from her. The words barely registered before her world went black.

Marcus POV:

She was limp on the hospital bed before him. Eyes glazed over and hair swept back. Her usual taupe skin had a glow to it. The warm undertones brought to life by the blood that ran through her. Stiff.

If he wasn't already dead he'd be dying from the pain ripping from his chest. The grip it had upon his bones and squeezed. The weight laid upon him so he was slumped at the shoulders. Venom slipped from his eyes as he stared down at her. He wanted to be sick, fall to the ground and weep. Alas he was unable to move from his current position.

Feet encased in led. He remained. Where he'd been for the last three hours. He'd not dare move a muscle in case he missed it. The return of his love to her body.

He'd watched for two hours as she laboured through the delivery of their twins. The midwife on the floor waiting to help pull them from her. Blood began pouring from her covering the babes and sheets. He'd not moved.

Even as the beds were moved and she was placed upon the bed. The twins in the back of his mind. He yarned to distract himself. Even a moment to pull away from the pain.

"Master Marcus,"

A snarl echoed from him.

Ibrahim flinched coming into view he kept to the side of the room and away from Adley.

Marcus turned teeth bared, the same growls falling from his lips. Daring the man to take another step towards his mate. His injured mate. Red frayed the edges. His fingers hooked like claws. Ready.

"Peace Master, I mean Lady Adley no harm." Ibrahim held his hands up in submission. "I merely meant to say, Ms. Cassandra calls for you."

Marcus turned eyes flashing black as he stopped mere inches from Ibrahim. Teeth bared. "I will not leave my mate."

"We would not bother you Master if it was not imminent." He pleaded.

His heart clenched as he balled his hands into fists. He looked back to Adley. She had not moved. Time trickled by.

"The sooner it is addressed, the sooner you may return to her."

His cell rang in his pocket. He turned facing Adley pulling the thing to his ear. "This had better be urgent."

"Marcus," the light voice spoke from the other end.

"Alice Cullen." He snipped.

"She will wake within the hour." She ignored his cold tone. "All will be well. You may wish to speak with Ibrahim though, something is wrong. Congratulations on the twins."

The line went dead. Marcus closed the phone sliding it into his pocket. He turned back to Ibrahim who was stood at attention watching him.

"Make this quick," He made his way towards the door. "Where is Cassandra?"

"She is with the twins Master,"

"Are they alright?"

He didn't give Ibrahim time to respond. He flashed down the two doors to where the twins had been moved into. He opened the door. Janet Kim startled holding one of the bundles close to her chest. In the other chair Cassandra was sat with the other.

"The twins?"

"Are perfectly content. Missing their mother I am sure, but healthy." Dr. Kim assured.

"What is impertinent that I leave Adley?" He urged.

Cassandra carefully unfolded herself from the chair. She cringed as she bent in the middle. Her body still was healing from the summer attack. Marcus moved to her side hands out. She handed over the small bundle.

Little eyes blinked open from the motion.

There with little flushed pink skin one of his children was. Marcus gently rocked the young one. He could hear the rapid flutter within their chest. He carefully touched their cheek. The little one's mouth fell open with a quiet cry. He looked to the two women.

"She's just startled," Cassandra assured. "They still need to adjust to the world around them. Best for the first while you have some heat between you and them. They will adjust to the temperature difference eventually."

"She is so small," He murmured.

"Adley was just as small at this stage. Barely seven pounds. Althea needed to compete with August here for room. In no time they will be big. You'll miss this stage." Dr. Kim spoke up from the chair, a laugh in her words.

Marcus looked to her a hesitant smile on his face. It'd been so long since he'd been around babies. Especially mortal children. He switched sights looking over the bonds before him. There, swirling in many arrays of gold and red were beginning to twine together. He could see the strengthening paternal bonds between the two babies. The strongest ones ran from them to outside of the room. Cassandra and Janet were both beginning to care for each baby.

"Ibrahim, do you mind holding Althea while Marcus and I talk?" Cassandra interrupted.

"Yes of course,"

He took the baby gently, he was handed a heating pad to place on his shoulder under a blanket. Marcus reluctantly tore his attention away from the twins.

"We will be quick enough for you to return to the babies and your wife." She assured taking his hand.

He followed wordlessly out of the room and down the hall. She led him into a small empty room. He closed the door before turning to her arms crossed.

"I would usually keep this until we had more time, but it is too urgent."

"What concerns you?"

"I realize I've been breaking my nonpartisan oath to being a scholar in the library. I feel its justified when there is threats to the Volturi. Dangerous ones."

"Who dares threaten us?"

"The same who have been causing issues for us. The past few weeks we've had a few breeches to the security. I've come into work here at the compound to blood on the library doors. Different runes have been written out. I have pictures of them, and wrote them down. They are warnings. Earlier this morning, I came in to a dead goat on my desk. I've asked security to look into who it is, I've ran tests for magical signatures. All come back to some connection to the Aster Family."

Marcus stiffened hearing the name. He'd of course been keeping tabs on the many enemies of their coven. Most who wished to threaten them however, usually came directly to them. He recalled the blood smeared on the cabin door earlier when they had landed.

"Why come here? I understand we fund this place, this area is a safe zone to all."

"They don't feel I've been upholding my position here in the library." Cassandra admitted. She scratched at the back of her neck. "I'm up for review with the council this week. I've been placed on probation. I didn't think it was important to tell you. Since we elect the Witch or Warlock to this position…"

"I was not aware of the issue within the library and the position. I know we have placed quite the burden upon you asking what we have of you."

"I do this on my own accord. I accept my fate if I do lose this position."

"I would not hesitate to offer you a position in the compound even if not as a scholar." Marcus swore. "You have been loyal and a close ally. In this past year."

"Thank you, no need to butter me up. I would gladly accept it. The current security threat is being looked into. I thought it best you be made aware to be on your guard when travelling between the compound and your home. Do not keep to a schedule. I've been watching the future, as fuzzy as it is when other magical beings are in question. They are planning an attack. When and where I'm not sure. But soon. I've got family looking into it and friends. Just be diligent. I really like Adley, and your babies are now here. I don't want to see harm come to any of you."

"Thank you Cassandra, I appreciate this. If you require anything you will have it. I will get in contact with Abdul to begin investigating this. We will need more protection than who we have."

Cassandra nodded. Her eyes brightened suddenly to a violet. She stiffened. Marcus reached out, hesitantly.

She focused back in. "You may wish to return to Adley…"

He flashed away and back to the room he had been occupying waiting for Adley. He stopped at the side of her bed. He cupped the cool cheek of his beloved. Running a thumb over the apple of her cheek. There was no warmth like usual.

"Little one, return to me."

Adley POV:

"I will castrate him…"

The words low, sending chills swirling through the numb tingling in her limbs.

Adley forced her eyes open. The ceiling above her dark. Taking deep breaths she gasped greedily. Air burned as it entered the vortex sucking in. Moment by moment time brought more pins and needles further down from her chest out to her limbs. Waking cell by cell. Blood rushing to oxygenate once more.

"Lord Jesus on high! Fucking hell!"

A pressure on her cheek had her leaning left. She turned in the direction of the hand. She met the black gaze of Marcus. A smile broke upon her face. Tears whelming up in her eyes. Yellow embraced her interrupting the stinging all over. She was flooded by pure joy and love. Relief lapping at her body.

"Marcus," she croaked. "Hi. I love you. Please don't castrate anyone. Enough blood has been spilt. Mainly mine."

Her words breathy as she laughed. He kissed her before pressing his cool forehead to hers.

"We will discuss that later. Right now, you are here. You gave me such a fright." He murmured. "Three hours of pure torture."

"Weren't you with the twins?" She questioned.

"He's been rooted in the floor in pain. Only briefly did he snap out of it." Ibrahim cleared his throat. "The twins have been fed and await their parents. Cassandra and your Aunt Janet have kept them company."

"Oh, where?" Adley slowly propped herself up looking around the room. No babies and twins to be seen. She frowned. Why were they not here?

"Careful," Marcus warned.

She looked to him once more. "I am alright. Where are the twins? Can I see them?"

"Yes we can go now." He assured. "You need to be careful, you have been bed ridden for three hours dead to the world."

"I'll be fine. I want to see my babies. I did carry them for five months. Why aren't they in here with me?"

"They needed to be cared for as did you," Marcus replied picking her up.

She leant into him, still too tired to protest. It'd take sometime for her to feel normal again. It always did. He took her out of the hospital room and down the hall. Three doors down. He opened a door showing two metal hospital cribs. Both were empty. Adley looked around the small room.

In two of the three large plush chairs, she saw Casandra holding one bundle in yellow, and her Aunt Janet to the right holding the other in pale green. Dark hair stuck out of two little hats. She grinned, love swelled in her.

"Adley, you're awake!" Aunt Janet smiled standing with the baby.

"Come, I am sure you are anxious to meet them." She beckoned with a head nod.

Marcus sat her in the third chair. Aunt Janet lifted the bundle to her and placed the baby.

Little eyes blinked lazily open, no focus but the face rounded as she stroked the chubby rounded cheeks in the squished face.

"Your son,"

"August," Adley smiled as his mouth opened in a small yawn.

She brought him up to her face kissing his head.

"He's a big boy, weighing in at eight pounds and three ounces. Twenty inches."

"He is. You're the one who was packing the force behind those kicks. You're going straight into Martial arts aren't you." She cooed.

Cassandra came over offering their daughter to her other arm. Marcus took hold of August staying close on a stool. Aunt Janet placed a heating pad on his shoulder.

An almost identical infant slightly smaller was placed in her arms. Little eyes opened focusing in on her.

"You're alert aren't you. Little Thea." She cooed.

A little gurgle was her response. Her tiny hand escaped her blanket that swaddled her.

Adley pressed a finger into her palm. Fingers grasped down firmly. "Daddy's little girl."

She chuckled looking up to Marcus who had been turned into a bed by their son. Little breaths coming evenly. Mouth open and a little tongue poking out.

"As our son already sleeps like you." He rebutted.

Adley wiggled her finger which Thea didn't release.

"My mouth doesn't fall open like that… does it?"

"Only in REM sleep." He teased.

"Daddy's lucky to be holding brother, isn't he? Or he'd have something tossed at his head. Yes he would." Adley cooed to Thea.

A small gurgled yawn was the only response in the colourless stare.

Adley smiled pulling her closer. She kissed her forehead keeping her close. Tears streamed down her face. Thea not letting go of her finger.

"My little tatters." She sniffed.

A few laughs escaped the two women.

Adley looked up to Marcus her heart swelling as pure adoration and love swarmed her and the babies.

"Tatters?" He questioned.

"Newborn babies look like potatoes. Little squished faces that take a while to round out." She mumbled. "Little Aliens."

"Give them a few days and they'll look like most babies." Cassandra assured.

"I know, I still love their squished faces. So round and chunky." Adley sighed. "Ibrahim can you grab my camera?"

"Of course," He disappeared from the room.

"I can't believe their here, outside of me… they are so big. I know I was to expect them growing so fast, but I still doubted they'd be full term. They are just so adorable." Adley sniffed.

"She looks so much like you at this stage. Look at her nose, it is just like yours." Aunt Janet chuckled tickling the baby's chin. "Now we wait to see if she will be a trouble maker like you. Adley was always getting into whatever she could reach. She was barely eleven months old when I found her half way up the hallway closet that new years. You have two to worry about. They may be as devious as you times two."

"Auntie! Please don't jinx us. I'm already at a disadvantage of having two hands. They are already half vampire. Who knows if they will be like me…" Adley stared down at Thea. "Please don't be an empath…"

Aunt Janet laughed. "We will see, the good thing is we are all here for you two. Soon their grandma and grandpa will be too. Oma is making Miyeokguk for you, when you go see them tonight."

Adley's stomach growled. "With Beef?"

"Oma, wouldn't have the heart not to include it." She assured.

"Oh thank goodness."

"Miyeokguk?" Cassandra asked.

"Seaweed soup. It's good for healing." Aunt Janet replied.

"I don't know if it sounds good or…"

"It's good with other things mixed in." Adley interrupted.

Adley and Marcus were able to leave the compound to return to her parents home later that evening. She pushed the double stroller into the underground parking. She unlocked her Jeep. Marcus looked between the stroller and the Jeep.

"How are we to place them inside?" He questioned.

"You've never had to do this part." She paused a smile breaking across her face. "Well, first thing we need to unhook it from the stroller. This wonderful thing is the carseat and the stroller in one. Ibrahim, you buckled in the bases right?"

"Yes Lady Adley,"

"Good, now all needs to be done is lifted in and placed down." She hoisted the top carseat.

Marcus took it from her. He carried it over to the car placing it into the base. He stared. "It doesn't look safe."

Adley peered in. "The carseat faces the opposite way, love."

"Oh."

"We'll get the hang of this in no time." She assured handing him the other one.

He rounded and placed the second twin in correctly this time. "Now lets get headed out. Oma and Appa are expecting us for dinner. I apologize in advance they may force Miyeokguk into you as well."

"A sacrifice I will make for you Little one." He kissed her forehead before buckling her into the car.

He rounded to the driver side taking off heading to her parents home.

The drive didn't take too long. Thankfully the twins slept through the whole thing. Adley found herself dozing off as well. She shook herself out as they parked in her parents driveway. She raised her brow seeing Anna's car along with Cole's vehicle.

"Shall we bring the twins to meet their family?" Marcus whispered to her.

She nodded stretching before undoing her buckle. She rounded to grab the diaper bag. She went to take one of the carriers when Marcus came and took each twin with ease. She sighed. A bonus to him being a vampire. The impossible strength. She'd not need to strain herself balancing the carriers too much.

They barely made it to the door when it swung open. Anna stood bouncing in the threshold. Behind her she could see Oma, and Chelsea. She was pulled inside, Anna was the first to crush her into a hug.

"Oh congrats, Addie." Anna squealed. She turned immediately to Marcus. "May I?"

"I don't think I have a choice to keep you at bay." Adley laughed.

She was right. Anna swept the twins out of their carriers, Oma was there supporting one as well. They were brought into the living room.

She took in the banner saying congrats on baby boy and baby girl. The balloons along baskets she noticed. A few bags and boxes were wrapped up. On the table soup and tea already set out. She relaxed, Marcus took hold of her shoulders giving them a small message.

"Oma you didn't need to."

"Of course I did. These two are the first grand babies. I get to spoil each of them." Oma rebutted.

Chelsea looked over to her. "I've been warned by Anna already. Congrats, seriously. They are so adorable."

"Thank you," Adley said before being sat down in the middle of the couch. Marcus was thrust down beside her.

"There is soup and tea. Eat and drink, we will care for the twins for now Addie." Appa insisted handing her a bowl and spoon.

"Yes Appa," She did as told watching as the twins were coddled and fawned over.