Claimed By The Twin Alphas

Chapter Ten: The Lie

LARA'S POV

I stared at Kael, reading the accusation in his lips, in the dark suspicion clouding his eyes. My mind raced, trying to figure out how much he actually knew versus how much he was guessing.

Guards reported the Vale twins at my chambers.

That's what he'd said. But did they report seeing me answer the door? Did they see me talking to them?

Or just that the twins had been there?

I kept my expression carefully neutral, confused even, like I had no idea what he was talking about.

"The twins came to the palace?" I said aloud, making my voice sound surprised. "I didn't see anyone. When was this?"

Kael's eyes narrowed slightly, searching my face.

His hand was still on my cheek, and I forced myself not to pull away even though every instinct screamed at me to put distance between us.

His lips moved again. “This morning. Guards said they went straight to Luna's chambers. Your chambers, Lara.”

I shook my head, letting confusion cross my features. "I was getting dressed for breakfast. Dante brought word about the council meeting, but no one else knocked on my door. Maybe the guards were mistaken about which chambers they went to?"

It was a reasonable explanation. The palace was massive, easy to get turned around in. And I was banking on the fact that Kael couldn't actually prove I'd seen them.

He studied my face for what felt like forever, his thumb resuming those slow circles on my cheek.

Finally, something in his expression shifted, the suspicion fading into what looked like relief.

His lips curved into a small smile. “Good. The Vale twins are dangerous, Lara. They're enemies of the Northwind Pack. If they ever approach you, you tell me immediately. Understand?”

"Of course," I said, nodding obediently. "I'm your Luna. My loyalty is to you and to Northwind."

The words tasted like ash, but I said them anyway because that's what he needed to hear. What would keep me safe.

His smile widened, and he leaned down to kiss my forehead. When he pulled back, his lips moved again. “My perfect, loyal mate. I knew I could trust you.”

Trust. The word echoed in my head as he released my face and stood, offering his hand to help me up from my chair. I took it, let him pull me to my feet, let him keep my hand in his as we walked toward the door.

But inside, guilt was eating at me. I'd just lied to my mate. To my Alpha. Lied smoothly and easily, and worse, I didn't even feel that bad about it.

Why had I lied? Why was I protecting the twins?

Kael opened the door, and Dante was waiting in the corridor outside. He straightened when he saw us, his eyes immediately going to our joined hands.

Kael's lips moved as he addressed Dante. “The Luna is free for the rest of the morning. Make sure she gets some rest. Last night was overwhelming for her.”

Dante nodded, his expression carefully blank. "Yes, Alpha."

Kael turned back to me, lifting my hand to his lips. “I'll see you at dinner tonight. Wear something beautiful. I want to show off my Luna.”

"I will," I promised, smiling like the devoted mate I was supposed to be.

He kissed my hand once more, then walked away down the corridor, his shoulders relaxed and confident. Completely trusting the lie I'd just told him.

The moment he turned the corner and disappeared, my smile dropped. My hands started shaking, the adrenaline that had kept me composed finally draining away.

Dante's hand touched my elbow gently, steadying me. His other hand came up to sign. “Luna, are you alright?”

I wasn't. I absolutely wasn't. But I nodded anyway, not trusting my voice right now.

His expression said he didn't believe me, but he didn't push. Instead, his hands moved again. “Come. Let's get you back to your chambers, where we can talk privately.”

I let him guide me through the corridors, back to the relative safety of my rooms. My mind was spinning, replaying the conversation with Kael over and over.

The way he'd looked at me with suspicion. The way I'd lied without hesitation.

What was wrong with me?

Once inside my sitting room, Dante closed and locked the door. He guided me to one of the chairs by the fireplace and waited until I sat before taking the seat across from me.

For a moment, neither of us moved. I just stared at my hands in my lap, at the long sleeves covering the marks that had started all of this.

Finally, Dante's hands moved, pulling my attention up to his face. “Luna, what's going on? You're terrified. I can see it.”

"I'm fine," I said aloud, but my voice shook on the words.

His hands moved sharply, almost angrily. “Don't lie to me, either. I've known you since we were children. I know when you're scared.”

The words hit harder than they should have. Dante had been there through everything. Through every deaf week when the other kids mocked me.

Through every moment, I felt broken and worthless. He'd learned sign language just for me when no one else bothered. He deserved the truth. Or at least, some version of it.

"The twins," I started, then stopped. How do I even explain this? "They came to my chambers this morning. Just for a moment."

Dante nodded slowly. “I know. I saw them. That's why I came to warn you that guards had reported it to Alpha Kael.”

"Thank you for that," I said. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't warned me first."

His hands moved again. “What did they want?”

I pulled up my left sleeve before I could stop myself, showing him the silvery mark glowing on my wrist.

"This. They have the same marks. They wanted to talk about it."

Dante leaned forward, studying the mark closely.

His expression shifted from concern to something like understanding, then to worry. His hands moved slowly, deliberately.

“I saw the marks on their wrists this morning when they left. I also noticed the marks on yours at the Claiming Ball, though I don't think anyone else noticed. Luna, do you know what those marks mean?”

I shook my head, pulling my sleeve back down. "No. I've never seen anything like this before. Do you know?"

Dante was quiet for a moment, his jaw working like he was trying to decide how much to tell me. Finally, his hands moved.

“My grandmother was a healer. She told me stories about the old ways, about how mates used to be chosen.” His hands paused, then continued. “Those marks are mate bonds, Luna. True fated mate bonds. They appear when destined souls first see each other.”

The words landed like stones in my chest. Mate bonds. Fated. Destined.

"That's impossible," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Kael is my mate. He claimed me. Everyone saw."

Dante's expression was pained, sympathetic. “Kael chose you. That's different from fate choosing you.”

"There's no difference," I insisted, but even as I said it, I knew it was a lie. I'd felt the difference. At the Claiming Ball, when my eyes met the twins' across the hall, something had shifted inside me.

Something I'd never felt with Kael despite months of courting.

“What does this mean?” I signed, my hands shaking.

“What am I supposed to do?”

Dante reached out and took my hands, stilling them. His expression was serious as his hands moved in mine. "That's up to you, Luna. But you need to understand something." His eyes met mine steadily. “If those marks are real, if the Vale twins are your true fated mates, then the bond won't just go away because you want it to. It will only get stronger.”

"I don't want them," I said desperately. "I chose Kael. I love Kael. I've loved him since I was fourteen years old."

“Do you?” Dante's hands asked gently. “Or do you love the idea of being chosen? Of being wanted despite being broken?”

The question cut too deep, too close to truths I didn't want to examine. I pulled my hands away from his, wrapping my arms around myself.

"I need to think," I said. "I just need time to think."

Dante nodded and stood, but before he moved toward the door, his hands came up one more time. “Luna, be careful. Whatever you decide, be very careful. Alpha Kael is not a forgiving man, and if he discovers the truth about the mate bonds, I don't know what he'll do.”

The words sent a chill through me. Because I'd seen something in Kael's eyes this morning when he'd asked about the twins. Something dark, possessive and dangerous.

Dante left, and I was alone with my thoughts and the glowing marks on my wrists.

Marks that proved I belonged to someone else.

Even though I'd already been claimed.