Two Mates, One Heart

Rotten Roots

Gloria was running with tired steps along the valley, following the moonlight through the dense trees. Her continuous search for a refuge led her to a nearby village, but she found nothing except a dark cave at the foot of the mountain.

With the cold wind blowing, she decided to take shelter inside the cave. She gathered some dry wood and lit a small fire that filled the place with a faint warmth.

She sat near the fire, thinking about the long day. She went out to the nearby river, caught some small fish, quickly prepared them, and ate to fill her empty stomach.

After eating, she lay down on the ground covered with a thin blanket and closed her eyes.

In her deep sleep, she began to see a mysterious dream: she was in a room lit by a silver light, and before her were three shimmering shadows like stars. A mysterious voice whispered: "The soul mates, the three, two have been surpassed."

Gloria was walking in a dark forest after a hard day, suddenly feeling something strange accompanying her...

Gloria stopped, looked around cautiously, then heard soft whispers coming from between the trees.

*Mysterious voice:* "Don’t be afraid, I am here."

From the shadows emerged a huge black wolf with a strong body and eyes shining with tenderness, resembling her but different, as if carrying a secret.

*Gloria (astonished):* "Who are you?"

*The wolf:* "Your soul mate. The time hasn’t come yet to discover everything, but I am here to protect you until the time of truth arrives."

Gloria slowly woke from her mysterious dream, sighed deeply as her heart raced. She looked around in the pitch darkness inside the cave, trying to grasp what she had seen. Her eyes still shimmered with some worry and confusion, but she also felt a strange warmth flooding her. She rose cautiously, gathering her strength to face whatever was coming, determined to continue her path despite everything.

******************

High in the northern mountains, where black clouds veil the sky, lay the territory of the "Black Cloud Pack," ruled by Alpha Charlie with a firm grip and a shadowed heart. In a dark stone mansion, lived a family torn apart by betrayal and silent conflict.

Ares, the eldest son, had turned twenty-two. A body carved by discipline and eyes sharpened by loss. Yet deep inside, he bore a scar deeper than any warrior's wound... a scar named "Barbara," his mother who died yet never left.

He remembered the nights of her weeping, when he’d hide behind her door as a child, hearing her muffled sobs—discovering that her mate, the pack's Alpha, was never truly hers. Jenny wasn’t just a passing mistake; she was a prolonged betrayal crowned with a child—George.

Barbara died three years later. Not from illness, but from heartbreak that hollowed her soul until her light quietly faded. Since then, Ares had grown to hate the cold look in his father’s eyes, and even more, Jenny—the woman who sat on his mother’s throne, her smile a veil for silent victory.

George, now a young man, never missed a chance to show his contempt for his older brother.

At the training grounds, where they often crossed paths, George approached one morning, a smirk on his face.

*George:* “You know, it’s funny that you still think you have a place here. Father’s ignored you for two years. I’m ready, and soon, I’ll lead this pack.”

Ares didn’t reply at once. He stared at him coldly, then spoke in a low, chilling voice:

*Ares:* “What is given can be taken away. But what is claimed—remains yours forever.”

The tension didn’t end there. Jenny too played her part in this simmering war. She’d whisper into her mate’s ear, watching Ares from the shadows:

*Jenny:* “Ares isn’t like you, Charlie. He’s her reflection—Barbara’s. Her heart, her stubbornness… maybe even her weakness.”

But Ares wasn’t weak. He was building himself in silence—not for his father, not for the pack, but for the mother who never got her justice, who died betrayed.

*George (mocking):* “But you won’t be Alpha. My mother will see to it that Father chooses me.”

*Ares (tight-lipped):* “You’re dreaming, George. I’m the firstborn. I have the right.”

*George:* “My mother will make sure your past dies with you. You’re just a shadow of a broken woman.”

*Ares (quietly):* “My mother was of royal blood. Your father betrayed her with your mother. That’s what killed her.”

*George (furious):* “Don’t speak of my mother that way!”

*Ares:* “I don’t blame you, George. But I won’t let you take what’s mine.”

*George (threatening):* “We’ll see who the real Alpha is.”

That night, Ares sat in his room, staring into the darkness, his eyes gleaming with renewed resolve. He knew he had to prove himself—not to his father, not even to the pack, but to himself... and to the memory of his mother.

The full moon night in the "Black Cloud" pack was a sacred occasion. Under the shining moonlight, the long-awaited celebration took place, where each wolf chose their mate, and bonded souls rejoiced in a promise of life together.

Ares stood holding his mate’s hand, his eyes gleaming with the strength of a future Alpha. As for George, he was overflowing with joy, dancing with his mate amid the applause of the pack. It was a rare moment of peace, as if the entire world had conspired to grant them a chance at love.

Weeks passed, filled with laughter, training, and dreams of the future.

On a bright morning, George was with his father Alpha Charlie’s office, discussing pack matters. Suddenly, a sharp scream broke the silence outside. George rushed out, only to find his mate lying on the ground, covered in blood. Her friend was sobbing beside her, screaming that a renégat had attacked and killed her in a flash.

George followed the killer’s trail, but to no avail; the attacker had vanished into the shadows, leaving behind a shattered heart and a lost soul. From that day on, George was no longer the same. His grief turned into jealousy, and a fire of envy began to burn in his heart toward his brother Ares, who was still happy with his mate. George had turned twenty the week before, but he refused to celebrate, drowning in his sorrow.

Dark thoughts started creeping into his mind, and he began plotting to steal Ares' mate and make her his own Luna, proving to everyone that he deserved the title of Alpha.

One night, George sat with his mother, Jenny, speaking about the future.

*George:* “Mother, I feel like I can’t go on like this. I need to be the Alpha, and I need my Luna by my side.”

*Jenny:* “I know, my son. It’s time we take what’s rightfully ours. We’ll make your father see who truly deserves to lead.”

Days had passed since George's mate was killed, but the pain never left. He wandered the halls like a prisoner in his own castle, avoiding eye contact and ignoring the pack members’ birthday wishes on his twentieth. There was no celebration, no gifts accepted. He was in mourning… or so everyone believed.

In truth, darkness was growing inside him.

One night, George stood by the window, watching Ares from afar as he trained with his mate. Their laughter, their unity — it wasn’t anything extraordinary… but to George, it felt like a dagger in the heart.

*George (whispering to himself):* “I was supposed to be the Alpha… the one who had it all.”