Chapter 4
1196 Words
Talia's pov
I woke up to pain aching through my body and immediately knew I had made a terrible mistake.
Bite marks covered my shoulders. My breasts. The inside of my thighs. Evidence of what I had done with Dane Morrison screaming from every inch of my skin.
Oh Goddess. Oh Goddess, what have I done?
I glanced at Dane sleeping beside me, one scarred arm thrown over his face. Even asleep he looked dangerous. Wild. Nothing like the polished Alpha I had married.
My stomach twisted with so much guilt. If Dylan found out, I was dead. a******y meant exile or execution, and my mate never showed mercy. It did not matter that he had cheated first. The law only protected the Alpha.
I had to leave. Now.
I slid out of bed, biting back a whimper as my body protested. I grabbed my clothes from the floor and dressed quickly, hands shaking so badly I could barely button my jeans.
Every movement reminded me of Dane's hands on my hips, his mouth on my skin, the way my body had responded like it belonged to him.
No. I could not think about that. This was a mistake. Nothing more.
I rushed to the bathroom and turned the water as hot as it would go. I had to scrub off his scent before going home. Dylan would smell it immediately. I grabbed the soap and worked fast, my skin turning red under the harsh strokes.
But even as I tried to wash away the evidence, memories flooded back. The way Dane had looked at me like I mattered. The way my wolf had purred under his touch. The way it had felt so terrifyingly right.
Stop. Just stop.
I had betrayed my mate. My pack. Everything I was supposed to stand for. And for what? Revenge? One night of feeling wanted?
The water turned cold. I dried off and got dressed again, my heart pounding against my ribs. I had to get out of here before Dane woke up. Before, he said something that would make this harder than it already was.
But when I opened the bathroom door, he was sitting on the edge of the bed. Shirtless. A cigarette dangling from his lips. Watching me with those mismatched eyes that saw too much.
My body responded immediately as heat pooled low in my stomach. My wolf stirred, wanting to go to him. I couldn't tell why, but I was so drawn to this monster.
Maybe that was because of how he had made me feel last night. Even though I was drunk, I could still see the emotions and warmth. It made me feel like I was so beautiful, and it mattered. I had never felt that way with Dylan.
"I have to go," I said.
Dane took a puff of his cigarette. "Yeah. You do."
That was it? No apology or explanation, but that was supposed to make me feel good since it made everything much easier. That made this easier.
I grabbed my shoes and headed for the door but stopped halfway and turned to him.
“You think you can keep this between us?”
“Not that it matters, after all, I am the curse twin and no one would even believe it,” he shrugged, giving me a nonchalant attitude before his gaze returned to his cigarette.
"Goodbye, Dane." I spoke coldly, not ready to have any more conversation with him, especially with the way my body was calling out to him.
I left before he could say anything else.
---
The drive back felt like walking to my own execution. Every mile brought me closer to Dylan. Closer to the lies I would have to tell. The mate bond hummed weakly in my chest, confused and angry.
I practiced my story. Where I had been. Why was my phone dead? How to explain the exhaustion in my eyes?
The pack house appeared too soon. Dylan's car was already there.
I barely stepped out of my vehicle before he was running toward me.
"Talia!" Dylan grabbed me, crushing me against his chest. "Thank Goddess. I have been searching everywhere. Where were you?"
His scent wrapped around me. Cedar-wood and rain. Mate. My wolf whimpered, caught between the bond and the guilt tearing me apart.
"I was at Jordan's," I lied. "You never came home last night, so I went to see her."
Dylan pulled back, his honey eyes searching my face. "You should have called. I tried reaching you."
"My phone died."
"I was worried sick." His hands cupped my face. "I thought something had happened."
The hypocrisy almost made me laugh. He was worried while he had been inside Betty. While I was crying over a birthday cake he forgot.
"Where were you?" I asked.
"With Alpha Asher. Betty's father." He said the name so casually it made my stomach turn. "We were discussing an alliance. It ran late. I did not want to wake you when I got home."
Liar.
"You could have texted."
"I know. I am so sorry, baby." He leaned down and kissed me.
I froze. Waited for him to taste Dane on my lips. To smell his brother on my skin. To know what I had done and rip me apart.
But Dylan just kissed me deeper, his tongue sliding against mine like nothing was wrong.
How did he not know? How could the mate's bond not tell him?
"I have something for you," Dylan said, pulling back with that bright smile I used to love. "I know I missed your birthday. Let me make it up to you."
He led me around the pack house. A sleek black Mercedes sat in the driveway with a red bow on the hood.
"Surprise." He dangled the keys. "Top of the line. Everything you wanted."
I stared at the car. At the bow. At my mate's hopeful expression. This was wrong. All of it.
"Dylan—"
"Do you like it?" He wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder. "Say you like it."
"It is perfect." The words tasted like ash.
"Good." He kissed my neck, over the mark he had given me three years ago. "Because you are perfect. You are everything to me, Talia. I love you. I will always love you."
He turned me around, his hands gentle on my waist. "Until death makes us part. Remember?"
I remembered. I remembered standing in front of the entire pack and promising to love him forever. To be faithful. To honor our bond.
I remembered everything I had just thrown away.
"I love you too," I whispered.
Another lie. But what was one more at this point?
Dylan smiled and kissed me again. And as I stood there in his arms, with his brother's marks still fresh under my clothes and his gift keys digging into my palm, I realized something terrifying.
I did not know which twin I was lying to anymore.
Or which one I was lying about, but one thing was certain: I didn't want to be caught on the web of two brothers.
- Writer
