Mated to the Alpha Twins by Jane Doe
Chapter 61
“Niece?” Alec scoffed. “We’ve been dealing with you for weeks now. You didn’t think we needed to know this kind of information?”
“At the time? No, you didn’t.” Julian shrugged, ignoring the identical looks of rage on the twins faces.
“What about you?” Kade snapped, his eyes narrowing on Garrett. “You didn’t think your daughter had a right to know?”
“Let’s not blame my half-brother.” Julian smirked at Garrett, who scowled in response. “We’ve been estranged for quite some time. The poor man can hardly stand to be in the same room as me. Regardless, we’ve had a common goal for quite some time.”
Garretts scowl turned outright deadly. He bared his teeth at Julian and spoke in a low voice, “She doesn’t need to know right now. She already has enough on her plate without you adding to it.”
Before I developed my gift, I would’ve a*s*sumed Garrett was being his typical selfish conniving self. While I didn’t appreciate the lies, I could feel the emotions behind Garretts words. He was genuinely concerned for me. There was still no way in hell I’d trust the man, but feeling his emotions showed me a side of him I hadn’t know existed.
“She’s accepted what she is. The sooner she knows, the faster she can prepare.” Julian snapped at Garrett, who then rolled his eyes.
It seemed the topic of conversation wasn’t anything new for the two of them. Judging by the impatience in Julian’s tone, they had talked about this countless times. I knew Julian had won when Garrett clenched his jaw shut, the muscle in his cheek ticking angrily.
“I’m not sure how familiar you are with our customs, but there’s a few things we need to go over. As you know, you will be taking over Garrett’s pack. Your mates will take the position of Alpha, while you take over as Luna. The two packs will merge into one larger pack.” Julian grunted, and I could feel his distaste.
For whatever reason, he didn’t want Garrett’s pack to merge with Alec and Kades. Judging from the similar emotion radiating from Garrett, he felt the same. I couldn’t entirely blame them. Garrett’s pack would essentially be ran by Alec and Kade, and there was no love lost between the three of them.
Julian cleared his throat and continued, “Our customs are ancient, and they are always followed. As I am unable to have children, custom states my pack will go to my closest descendent. Not only will you be responsible for Garrett’s pack, but you will also inherit my own.”
The room collapsed into silence, and all eyes settled on my face. Alec and Kade stared at me with equal looks of surprise, their plush l!ps parted as they gazed in my direction. Their emotions were what kept me centered. They were the buffer between me and Veronica’s crippling anger. Their awe and affection stead*ied me, gave me room to think about what Julian had said.
The rage that spewed from Veronica was like a thick, hot blanket. Her face turned the same cherry red as her l!ps. Her red manicured nails reminded me of blood, and I found myself inching away as her slender fingers curled into a fist.
“Not only will the bastard child inherit your pack, but two others.” Veronica hissed, practically spewing acid with every syllable that left her l!ps. She turned her venomous attention to Garrett, who winced under her gaze. “Because of your stupidity, your daughter will inherit nothing. She will be nothing. Our only hope for her is that her mate is an Alpha with a pack of his own. I hope you’re happy with what you’ve done, Garrett.”
Kady seemed to shrink down in her seat. While I felt her disappointment, there was no animosity towards me. Her embarra*s*sment was the strongest emotion, and I knew it was directed at her irate Mother.
“Enough.” Kade snapped, his rough voice echoed throughout the dining room.
His eyes were lit with an onyx flame as he stared at Veronica with a clenched jaw. I could see the slight tremble in his form, and winced under the onslaught of his anger. Veronica’s anger was like a sharp whip, lashing out at anyone nearby. Kade’s anger was like ice, pinpointed solely on Veronica. Her anger was that of petty jealousy, Kade’s was that of cold-blooded murder.
“This might be your home, but this is our pack.” Kade snarled, slamming his fists down on the table. The silverware and plates jumped, settling back on the table with a rattle. “Speak negatively of our mate again, and you will not leave this pack alive.”
Veronica’s head whipped around to Kade, her face paling as she took in his rigid stance. Her eyes darted over to Alec, who watched her with the same emotionless stare.
“Don’t bother looking around for help, you’ll find none.” Alec snapped.
I could feel both of their anger, similar yet completely different. Kade was like an ice storm, while Alec reminded me of a crackling fire. Both intense and crippling, but completely at odds with one another. Behind the anger, I could feel the fierce protectiveness they felt for me. The emotion was like an adrenaline rush. From the moment they arrived at Sage’s house, I knew the two of them wanted and accepted me. They had never f0rced me to come home, or f0rced me to accept what I was. They always gave me a choice, no matter how it might hurt them. Up until now, I hadn’t truly known what I meant to the twins. I had grown on them, just as they had grown on me. We’d never be complete without one another, I realized. Not after this. The realization changed something inside of me. That small, whispering voice of doubt faded. They’d never leave me; they’d never fail me. They’d always put me first, and I’d do the same for them. I wanted this, I wanted to tie myself to them in every way possible.
Rather than saying something she’d regret, she bowed her head and left the room. Her anger followed her like a thick cloud, though the uncomfortable sensation still remained in the dining room. Kady stood from the table, giving her Dad a weak smile before turning her eyes on me. ‘Sorry’, she mouthed. I gave her a gentle nod and watched as she left the room, trailing after her distraught Mother.
I still wasn’t sure how I felt about Kady. I knew it was impossible for someone to suddenly change overnight. Judging from the emotions I picked up, it seemed like beneath it all Kady wasn’t a horrible person. I honestly couldn’t blame her for turning out the way she did. If I had a Mom like that, who knows how I would’ve turned out.
“I believe we should continue this conversation another time.” Julian shifted in his seat, casting a wry glance towards Garrett. “Give Veronica time to deal with this. She might never come around, but she’ll learn to live with what is.”
“I am not looking to you for advice.” Garrett snapped, but his face was plagued with exhaustion.
I could feel the guilt and pain that echoed within him, and tried not to let it wound me. It hurt him to hurt his mate. I knew the feeling and knew I’d react similarly if I had ever hurt Alec and Kade the way he hurt Veronica. Garrett and I might never have a normal relationship, but he was making an effort. He had abandoned me, and I’d never forget it but no person was purely good or evil. Regardless, forgiveness was a long way away.
Garrett stood from the table, flattening out his suit jacket before clearing his throat, “Thank you for coming tonight. It was…nice having you here, Aurora. We’ll speak again soon.”
The three of us left shortly after, the food sitting heavily in my stomach. I had a feeling I was missing something important, that Alec and Kade had connected the dots where I hadn’t. The car ride home was coated in thick silence. Just as we pulled into the driveway, I couldn’t handle it anymore.
“Are they serious?” I exhaled, “I’m–we’re going to be in charge of two other packs?”
“If you’re sure about this–sure about us, the packs will merge into our own. We’ll absorb the territory and people.” Alec frowned, glancing at his brother.
They both radiated shock, but also nervousness. It was the harsh anxiety that set my teeth on edge.
“Why are you both so worried?” I asked, my eyes darting between the two of them.
“Once you turn eighteen, the packs will officially be transferred over to you.” Kade grimaced, “There’s a sort of hierarchy with the packs in the United States. Our seniority is ranked by how large our pack is, and how much territory we own. Larger packs become targets. If Alec and I were to be K*lled by another Alpha, they have every right to claim our pack.”
“What’s your point?” I asked, wincing against the sickening feeling in my stomach.
“Once our pack merges with Garrett and Julians, we’ll be the largest pack in the country.” Alec replied, his eyes burning with worry. “It’ll be like painting a target on our backs. Keeping your wolf a secret will now be harder than ever.”