The Alpha Twins; My Mates

Pool Party

"My elder brother, Hugo, is having a house party," he said.

"Cool, but I can't stay long. I have this thing I'm attending with my mom in the evening," I said, recalling Manon's welcome party at the pack house.

"No worries, I'll take you there myself," he grinned, and I smiled back.

We reached the nearest human town. Jay's house was a vast, modern Spanish-style home.

"I forgot to mention, it's a pool party, sorry," he grimaced.

We were immediately welcomed with cocktails. Jay gulped his drink and looked at me, urging me to do the same. I sipped mine slowly; I couldn't afford to be wasted.

Jay's friends were familiar faces, so I didn't feel out of place.

"Should I get you a bikini, Ruby?" Hugo asked, a smirk growing on his lips as he eyed me up and down.

"No, I don't plan to get in the water," I forced a smile, glancing at the people swimming almost naked in the pool.

"What a shame. The guys at the beach went on about how hot you looked, especially in a red two-piece—"

"Hugo!" Jay glared at his brother.

Hugo raised his hand in mock surrender and left us.

"I'm sorry about that. He's drunk," Jay apologized, taking my hand and leading me to the bar to refill our drinks at the poolside. The bartender was absent, so he took his place behind the counter.

"You know how to make drinks?" I asked.

"The best," he said, clicking his fingers before proceeding to mix the drinks. He handed me a shot, which I took.

"That burns," I gagged. We both laughed and took more drinks, toasting to our meeting.

Jay and I were still at the bar when I was suddenly tackled into the pool.

I emerged from underwater and glared at the person who had tackled me—Hugo.

"What the hell was that for?!" I exclaimed. My hair was drenched, and my clothes were soaked.

"What the hell is wrong with you, man? What if she didn't know how to swim?!" Jay yelled, fuming, with his hands balled into fists. The music died down, and everyone turned to stare at us.

"It was a joke, Jay! Don't be so serious," Hugo said, swimming around me like a predator circling its prey, a male dolphin wanting to mate. I recoiled, and Ria growled within me. I had to calm her down and keep my emotions in check. If I made a mistake, I might accidentally shield myself from him, and everyone would notice. So, just in case, I slowly put my shields around me, keeping them close to my body. I wasn't sure if it worked or not.

"You're such a bastard! She told you she didn't want to get in the water!" Jay yelled.

I swam toward Jay, and he extended his hand to help me out of the pool. Just then, I suddenly pulled him in, giggling. The tension at the party evaporated, and everyone cheered and laughed. Jay smiled at me, too, but I noticed him sending killer looks in his brother's direction. Jay held my waist as we swam out, whispering, "I'm really sorry about him."

"It's alright. He's drunk," I murmured.

"He scared you earlier, didn't he?" he said, looking into my eyes as if he could see straight into my soul.

I simply nodded, and he closed his eyes momentarily, an expression of frustration crossing his features.

"I shouldn't have brought you here," he said softly, guiding me further into the house. "He was so excited to meet you, and I thought..."

"Jay, it's okay. Hugo is incoherent. I'll meet him again, and he will make up for it," I reassured him.

"I promise I'll make sure he does," he said, a small smile breaking through his concern.

As we reached his bedroom, I paused in the center of the room, my feet sinking slightly into the plush grey carpet.

"I'll find you something to wear," he said, disappearing into his closet. Jay's room was a blend of chaos and charm. The bed was unmade, sheets rumpled and askew, while game consoles lay strewn about, intermingled with a collection of clothes and sneakers. A moment later, he emerged from the closet, holding up a Lakers jersey. "It's the smallest I've got."

"Is this yours?" I asked, surprised and impressed.

"Yeah," he replied, a hint of pride evident as he rubbed the back of his neck. I had known he was in the NBA, but I hadn't realized he played for the Lakers!

"Nice! Beth and Ael will freak out when I tell them you play for the Lakers; it's their favorite team! No wonder they thought you looked familiar when we met at the beach."

"And you, what team do you support?"

"I'm not a sports enthusiast," I admitted.

He frowned cutely, a playful pout on his lips. "I'll make you one," he promised.

"I want to see you try," I challenged. "What about bottoms?"

"I've got a new set of boxer briefs; I can give you one," he offered. He scurried back to the closet, emerging moments later with a black pair. I made my way to his bathroom to change into the clothes he had given me. After toweling off my damp hair, I searched for a blow dryer but couldn't find one. I decided to leave my hair as it was.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, Jay was already there, having changed his clothes, too. He stood still for a moment, his gaze intensity locking onto me. I felt his eyes travel down my bare legs and stop at my lips.

"You look even more beautiful in that," he murmured, his voice thick and full of admiration. For a fleeting second, I thought I detected a darker glint in his eyes, something primal and intense.

He reached out, his fingers gently tucking a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. "Your hair..."

"I couldn't find a dryer," I said with a nervous chuckle.

"It's perfect," he whispered, leaning closer. My heart raced in my chest as he placed a hand on my waist and brushed his lips against mine in a tender kiss. But as our mouths met, a strange emptiness washed over me; I felt nothing.

When he pulled away, a satisfied grin spread across his face. "Let's go back to the party for just a bit to say goodbye to my friends, and then we can go somewhere else." He took my hand, leading me out of his bedroom. Just as we reached the foyer, he suddenly froze. The door swung open, revealing a middle-aged man with streaks of gray running through his hair. A shiver raced down my spine.