Her Twin Alphas

Chapter 2

WANDA'S POV

I stood there frozen. My heart pounded loudly in my chest as I looked at him. I had never seen a man naked before.

The shock kept me rooted in place, making me unable to move or even think clearly. But then, my senses began to return, and I felt a rush of heat flood my cheeks. I needed to get out of here before he saw me.

Quietly, I took a step back, ready to turn and run. But before I could make my escape, his voice stopped me.

“Hey! You there!” he said.

I froze again. Slowly, I turned to face him, my eyes wide with embarrassment. He had seen me.

He had a smirk playing on his lips as he looked me up and down. “You’re not gonna run away, are you? I haven't even had the chance to introduce myself.”

I couldn't help the attraction I felt to him. He had a perfect body. I couldn't see a full view of him but he seemed tall. Every muscle was sculpted to perfection. The sunlight reflected across his wet skin, highlighting his broad shoulders and strong back. His movements in the water were fluid and mesmerizing.

His dark hair stuck to his face. He had the most beautiful brown eyes that seemed to see everything. There was an air of confidence about him. I felt strongly attracted to him.

As he swam closer to the edge, my breath hitched. My eyes traced the lines of his torso as well as the way his muscles tensed and relaxed with each stroke.

And then, something stirred deep within me. It was a sensation I had never felt before. It was as if a string had been pulled inside my chest, connecting me to this stranger in a way that I couldn't understand. My inner wolf, usually quiet and weak, suddenly came to life.

"Mate" she whispered.

The realization hit me hard, almost knocking the breath out of me. This man, this impossibly gorgeous man, was my mate. The bond between us was an undeniable connection. It was a pull that I couldn’t resist even if I wanted to.

"Hey beautiful" he said as he leaned against the edge.

I felt my cheeks burn even hotter. His gaze was intense and it made me feel exposed, even though I was fully clothed and he was the one naked.

“I… I didn’t mean to intrude,” I said.

He chuckled “Intrude? Nonsense. You’re a beautiful distraction. I’ve never seen hair so red before. It suits you.”

I swallowed hard. My inner wolf stirred at his words. Mate. The realization hit me even harder.

“I’m Jake,” he said “The Beta’s son. And you are?”

He's the Beta's son? No wonder I could feel an aura of authority around him. I shouldn't even be in his presence. I was a mere omega. I hoped he didn't punish me for this.

I bowed my head "Your majesty. My name is Wanda. I’m here with José, the gardener’s son.”

“Ah, the gardener’s son. Well, Wanda, why don’t you join me in the pool? The water’s perfect.”

I hesitated, glancing at the pool and then back at him.

“I… I can’t.”

“Can’t?” His smirk grew wider. “Why not? Afraid to get a little wet?”

“It’s not that,” I said quickly. “I just… I can’t.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’ll have to strip completely, you know. Swimming in clothes is hardly comfortable.”

His words brought back a memory, José’s voice echoed in my mind. Jose was Julian's father. He took me in as his own after my mother died. He had been very nice to me. He had told me once that my mother had warned me never to let anyone see my birthmark. It was a mark of my lineage and a secret I had to protect. I couldn’t strip, not here, not now.

“I can’t,” I repeated "I don't mean any offense, your highness. I'm sorry"

Jake’s expression darkened.

“What are you hiding, Wanda? What’s so special about you that you can’t even swim with me?”

I shook my head, taking a step back. “That's not it, your highness”

“I can feel it, you know" he said in a teasing tone " The bond between us. You’re my mate. And yet, here you are, refusing me. Do you know how that makes me feel?”

I bit my lip “I’m sorry. I really am. But I can’t.”

Jake’s eyes flashed with anger. “Maybe I should just reject you here and now. Save us both the trouble.”

“No!” The word burst out of me before I could stop it. The thought of being rejected by my mate, of feeling that severing pain, was too much to bear. I had always wanted a mate who would love me. I had been maltreated all my life. I believed that finding my mate would be the only thing that would make me happy. I couldn't bear the thought of rejection.

“Please, don’t.” I said.

He got out of the pool and took a step closer, towering over me. He was three times my size.

“Oh, you don’t want me to reject you? Then what do you want, Wanda?”

“I… I don’t know,” I whispered, bowing my head “But please, don’t reject me.”

Jake’s lips twisted into a cruel smile.

“Too easy,” he murmured, almost to himself. “No, I think I’ll make you suffer instead. Sleep with other women, maybe. Let you feel the pain of betrayal, over and over again.”

I gasped as the horror of his words sunk in. I had heard about the excruciating pain that came when a mate was unfaithful. It was a pain like no other, and I couldn’t bear the thought of enduring it. I had already been too much pain.

“No, please,” I begged, my voice trembling. “Just reject me. Don’t do this.”

He laughed mockingly “Begging already? How pathetic. No, Wanda. You’ll suffer. And I’ll enjoy every moment of it.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, shattered and helpless. I couldn't help the tears that fell from my eyes.

How had everything gone so wrong?

Meeting my mate was supposed to be the happiest moment of my life, but now it felt like a curse. All I could do was hope that somehow, someway, I could find a way to get through this.

*

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I tried to focus on my tasks. I tried to help Julian with his work as a means to distract myself but my mind kept drifting back to the encounter I had with Jake.

His threats disturbed me and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the fear I felt.

I was even more disappointed than I was scared. I always wished for a mate who would love me and care for me. Sadly, that wasn't the case. My mate was a noble, the Beta's son! I was just an ordinary omega. How could he ever love me?

I tried to push the thoughts away, to focus on the garden work Julian and I were doing, but it was no use. My hands trembled as I pruned the rose bushes, and I found myself constantly staring blankly at the flowers.

As the sun began to set, Julian and I packed up our tools. He noticed my distraction as we walked home.

“Wanda, you’ve been out of it all day. What’s going on?” he asked me.

I shook my head “It’s nothing. Just a lot on my mind.”

He didn’t look convinced. “You can talk to me, you know. We’ve been friends forever. If something’s bothering you, I want to help.”

I hesitated, unsure if I should burden him with my problems. But the fear and anxiety I felt were too much to bear alone.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to tell him everything. “It’s about Master Jake, the Beta’s son. I… I saw him in the pool today.”

José raised an eyebrow. “So? What’s the big deal about that?”

“He was… naked,” I whispered “And we talked. He said some things…”

“What kind of things?” José asked.

I took a deep breath and told him about the entire encounter.

“Wanda, that’s… that’s insane,” he said when I finished. “He can’t just threaten you like that. He won’t really go through with it, would he? You're mates. He can't be that cruel”

“I don’t know. He seemed pretty serious.”

He put a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes.

“Listen, nothing’s going to happen. I won’t let him hurt you. We’ll figure this out together, okay?”

I nodded. I was grateful for his support, but the fear still lingered in the back of my mind.

That night, for the first time since the encounter, I started to relax. As I changed into my pajamas and climbed into bed, I allowed myself to hope that maybe Jake had reconsidered his threat. Maybe he wouldn’t follow through with his threat. Maybe things would be okay.

I let out a deep sigh, feeling the tension slowly leave my body. I closed my eyes, letting the sleep carry me.

But just as I was about to drift off to sleep, a sharp, burning pain pierced through my chest. I gasped, clutching at my heart as the pain spread. The pain seared through my body like fire. It was the most painful thing I had ever experienced.

I screamed loudly and fell to the floor, writhing in pain. It felt like my whole body was on fire. My whole body trembled as a result of it.

“Wanda!” Julian burst into my room. He rushed to my side, pulling me into his arms. “What’s happening? What’s wrong?”

I could barely form words through the pain.

“Make it stop,” I sobbed, tears streaming down my face. “Please, make it stop.”

He held me tighter “It’s okay. I’m here. What’s causing this?”

“Jake,” I choked out “He’s hurting me. He’s punishing me! Please, make it stop”