The Alpha Twins; My Mates

Does It Hurt?

As soon as we were out of earshot, chaos erupted.

“What the hell was that?” Hayes growled.

“My talent?” I grimaced.

“You should have been able to sense it and get out!” he scolded, and I gasped in surprise.

“Sensed it? It’s instinct, Hayes. I didn't know my talent would manifest,” I retorted. According to Ria, it had emerged early because of the danger I was in.

“Well, it wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t caused a disarray, and that armoire almost crashed on you!”

“It was an accident!”

“Enough, you two,” Zylon interjected, looking between his brother and me like we were petulant children.

“Are we going to tell the advisory council about this? They will find out sooner or later,” Shane said, looking displeased.

“No, not for now. I don’t want them probing and prodding my mate like she’s some sort of experiment,” Hayes murmured. The members of the advisory council maintain law and order in all packs. They are ancient and wise due to their many years. Ria purred in my mind, pleased that Hayes was concerned about us, but I wasn't impressed.

“She still needs to learn to use her talent, brother,” Zylon said, looking at me.

“Master Asahi can help with that. He assisted Dad when his talent surfaced,” Tate added. “And he knows about her; Dad trusted him.”

“Where is he?” the twins asked in unison.

“We don’t know. The man lives like a nomad and is disconnected from the world.”

“We’ll track him down. For now, Ruby, I’ll be sparring with you, and Zylon will help you concentrate on your new talent,” Hayes said.

“Do you think she might lose control?” Ael asked. Everyone glanced at him, finally realizing that Ael, Beth, and Joe were among us.

After a long moment, Zylon replied, “Right now, it’s like handing immense magical powers to a child. They are not coordinated and can be unpredictable.”

“She’s the most coordinated person I know,” Beth said. “Have you seen her fighting skills?”

“Yes, Ruby is a good fighter—the best, maybe—but she has no experience with her talent. It’s not just about combat; it’s about the mind, coordination, and so much more,” Zylon explained.

“Does it hurt?” Beth suddenly interrupted him. He furrowed his brows. “I mean, knowing you could have had the baddest chick in the pack and the greatest Luna of all time, but refused her because of vanity?”

The alphas looked horrified, and for the first time, their stoic expressions faltered, revealing hurt and regret.

‘Beth!’ I mind-linked urgently.

‘Just making the bastards regret it and feel more guilty. It’s fun. Look at their faces,’ she laughed.

“Beth, I’m sure our alphas will find their second chance—obviously someone mid, but still someone,” Ael shrugged, looking at me with a soft smile. “Meanwhile, our Rue will have many options. She might mate and marry Alpha Henry and be THE Luna she was destined to be.”

“I liked Jay from last night. He seemed enchanted by Rue,” Joe added innocently. My mate's eyes flashed at what he said.

What were my friends thinking, baiting them like that? If looks could kill, they’d be dead.

The alpha twins growled. “SECOND CHANCE MATE? NO! SHE’S OURS! MINE!” They shouted in their wolf voices, making the walls around us tremble. They charged toward me but were stopped by an invisible shield—my talent!

I smiled kindly at my friends, who were shielded as well. “I think we should get back to training,” I told them, looking between Hayes and Zylon. “I’ve heard everything you all have said. Can we resume training now?”

They were growling, glaring daggers at Ael and Beth. Without waiting for permission, we left.

“Do you still need me to fill you up?” I asked Joe.

“I get it. Too much drama; I like it,” he chuckled, and we returned to training.

I felt the eyes of Hayes and Zylon on me as I trained, but I ignored them. Mateo was a good fighter, but I still bested him on the mat. I noticed a few members of the pack giving me weird looks, probably because of the earlier incident, but I paid them no mind.

After our training session, I went home to take a long bath. While I was soaking, my phone rang, and I reached out to answer.

“Hello, beautiful,” Henry’s voice came through, and a smile broke on my face.

“Hi, handsome. I miss you,” I replied.

Even though we talked at least four times a week, I missed him a lot. Henry had been on a mission to find the right witch to break my bond with the alpha twins without losing our wolves. I doubted he’d find anyone anytime soon because, in the supernatural realm, mate bonds are the most sacred bonds that exist, and witches and wizards refuse to tamper with something so precious—doing so would risk angering the god of love. During the call, I also spoke to Kyle, who briefed me about the dance competition.

After finishing my bath, I wiped myself down, changed into shorts and a tank top, and headed downstairs for breakfast. Begonia was sitting alone on the island, eating. Don’t they have their homes to eat in? She and Cindy were always at my house. When she looked up at me, her gaze was murderous.

“If it isn’t the boyfriend stealer,” she scoffed.