Alpha's Untamed Mate

Anomaly

"Let you go?" the twins said in unison. "Why would we do that?"

"Because I am asking you to," she wrapped her arms around herself. Having grown up as a werewolf, she never minded being naked around other people. However, right now, she felt too vulnerable being naked with these two.

Giving in to whatever had just happened between them was... wrong. Yet, it felt right. God, it felt so right. Her heart and soul - everything she was - begged her to let go of her fears and just be with them, but she couldn't.

If she gave in to the bond, she would love them. And if she loved them, losing them would be...

She had lost enough in her life. She wouldn't give up anything or anyone else.

"I did nothing wrong, so unless I am your prisoner, I wish to leave."

"No!" the one whose name she didn't know spat. Anger was evident in his voice as he took a step closer to her.

"Aiden," his brother held him back. So that was his name. Asher and Aiden. One had slightly longer, more curly hair, and Aiden looked a lot like the man who had captured her, which meant he was his father.

She hated that she knew their names, hated how she could feel them getting scratched into her soul. How they would remain there forever, causing her more heartache than she probably could take.

"Let's talk about this," Asher offered, trying to take a gentler approach. "Just one day, that's all we're asking for. At least give us the chance to change your mind. Properly."

"You don't know what you're asking for," she shook her head.

"I think we do," Aiden took a step closer, and before she could retreat, he grabbed her shoulders, keeping her in place. "Why would you want to run from this? Is it too much?"

Her eyes sparkled with tears as she dared to hold his gaze. It was too much, but not in the way he thought.

"This can be good," he gently brushed his knuckles over her cheek, catching a treacherous tear. "There is nothing to be afraid of."

"Not while you're with us," Asher stood next to his brother. "Whatever you've been running from, it can end now."

It all sounded too good to be true. She knew it wasn't, but the lonely part of her wanted to believe him so badly. The part that was tired of being on her own.

One day. That was all they were asking for. She could agree and leave when they weren't expecting it. It wouldn't be for her sake then. It would be for theirs.

"Yes?" Aiden saw her resistance slipping, and a slow smile spread over his face. Gosh, he was handsome. She needed to lower her gaze because his smile and the way his eyes glittered with hope made her feel dizzy.

"You're bleeding," she noticed the red spots on his disheveled shirt. His pants were still undone. This was probably the wildest and strangest conversation she had ever had.

"Will you stay?" he asked, ignoring that his stitches had torn. Aiden would get them fixed as soon as he knew she wouldn't leave. He had never been very good with rejection. He wouldn't accept it unless she had a very, very good reason. And right now, he couldn't think of anything bad enough to keep them apart. On the contrary, if she was in trouble, he needed her to stay close. He needed to protect her.

His heart fluttered when she finally nodded her head. It was a hesitant nod, but she agreed, and Aiden couldn't care less about the blood slowly but surely seeping through his shirt. He would bleed to death for her.

"Let's get you cleaned up," Asher smiled equally happily. "And you should get that fixed," he added to his brother, maybe for selfish reasons. He couldn't wait to spend a few moments alone with her. Maybe he would finally learn her name. Whatever would happen, he wanted to make her change her mind. He wanted to unravel all of her secrets and fears. He would make them go away. She shouldn't have to live as a rogue, an outcast.

"Don't look at me like that," she mumbled as he led her to the house that used to be the pack residence. It was now his family's home. They had moved the house for pack business to the southern part of their territory since it was much bigger.

It used to belong to a different pack, but they claimed it when the southern pack's leader made the mistake of tickling their father the wrong way. They abducted his pregnant mate in an attempt to weaken their father's pack. One could say that the enemy underestimated the rage of a mate and a father-to-be.

"And how am I looking at you?" he mused, touching her lower back to guide her to the door.

"Like you know me," she said. "You don't!"

"I would like to change that. I don't know what you think you're running from, but-"

"But I don't have to?" she finished the sentence for him. "Yes, I do. Don't you wonder why I am not part of a pack? Why I am a rogue wolf?"

"Tell me," he led her inside and gestured for her to walk down the hall to the right, leading to where Asher and Aiden resided, while their parents lived upstairs.

She stopped to look at him with shining green eyes. "Why are wolves usually without a pack?" She glared at him.

"There could be a million reasons. Exile, death, choice. Don't make me guess, little mate. Just tell me, and we can figure it out."

"Figure it out?" she huffed with a shake of her head. "There is no figuring it out. It's done. You can't change it. I can't change it. I was never meant to be anything other than what I am."

"I disagree. Aiden and I found you for a reason."

"Oh, really? And who decided that? Fate? Some higher power? What makes you think their intentions are good? What if I am your doom?"

He couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't doubt that she could be fierce if needed, but she looked so tiny and fragile. There was no way she was the doom of anything.

"I guess we will find out," he smiled at her. His ignorance made her furious. It made her regret her choices. She should have left right away. There was no point in staying here. He looked at her like a love-sick puppy. He wasn't listening to anything she said. He just thought she was being cute or something.

"You don't know what you're saying," she continued walking deeper into the house.

"Neither do you," he followed. "You're just scared of the future, but that's the thing: you and I, we can't possibly know what it holds. So you can stay scared and alone, or you let us in, and you get the chance to experience something amazing. By our side. Somewhere where you're safe."

She stayed silent, waiting for him to direct her to the bathroom so she could get cleaned up. He had no idea what he was saying. Yes, she was terrified of what he and his brother had to offer her, but not because she didn't know what lay ahead. She knew exactly what it was. Maybe not in detail, but sooner or later, a vision would hit her, and their future would unfold.

He grabbed her wrist, turning her to face him, his hand gently sliding into her tangled hair. "You can trust me!"

"But can you trust me?" she whispered as he slowly leaned in closer.

"Of course, I can. You are meant to be with me."

"Then you are truly doomed," she sighed as his lips touched hers in an attempt to kiss her doubts away. And for a moment, it worked. If she didn't know better, she could feel her soul doing jumping jacks in her belly. A dangerous pull of happiness that made her curl her fingers into his hair and pull him closer, close enough so she wouldn't feel the fear anymore.

His lips moved slowly over hers, his tongue carefully asking her to part her lips for him to invade her mouth, her soul, everything. Just by kissing her, it was as if he could keep his promises and stand by her side no matter what, no matter how dark her secrets or her past.

Lies, their bond whispered to them, made them believe that everything would be jolly. Promises of a happy ending Luna knew would never come. It couldn't possibly be. Not with what she could do. Not with the council hot on her heels, willing to destroy everything in their way to make her part of their cruel agenda, to make her a pawn in their game.

"I'm done here! I'm coming home!" Aiden's voice echoed through both their heads. Asher groaned at his brother's announcement.

"Take your time!" he answered without breaking the kiss, his hands circling around her waist, pulling her body closer to his, refusing to let her get distracted. "Actually, don't come home just yet. I want a few minutes alone with her."

"Yeah, well, get in line!"

"You get in line!"

She couldn't help but laugh at that and gently pushed him back, her determination to leave this place as quickly as possible slipping. "Can I get a few minutes to myself?" she asked out loud, his brows furrowed. "I don't know why I am in your link with your brother, but I can hear you loud and clear. Maybe it's a glitch in the bond? Because you're twins?"

His dark eyes searched hers before he gently caressed her cheek. "You can't hear me if I direct my thoughts to you?"

"Have you tried?" she asked.

"I could," he said, without moving his lips, "but we haven't marked you. How is that even possible?"

"I don't know," she answered, first in her mind, but he didn't react, so it seemed the link worked in both directions. "You can't hear me, though?"

"No," he shook his head in wonder, "maybe I know someone who can explain-"

"Someone? Someone who?" she placed her hands flat against his chest. People with answers to unusual questions were the ones Luna didn't want anywhere near her. Usually, they were associated with the council. She couldn't risk anyone there knowing about her, about a wolf with unexplainable abilities. An anomaly. The council collected people like that to use them, to gain more and more power against unknown enemies. Enemies Luna was sure didn't even exist.

"She's a friend of the family."

"Yes, but... you can't run around telling people about weird stuff like that!"

"Weird stuff?" he smiled at her in amusement, "it's not weird, it's just unusual. But I'm sure there is an explanation."

"Is your friend part of the council?"

"She used to be, but-"

"No!" she shook her head violently and pushed him away from her. Her heart started pounding with fear of what could happen if someone there caught wind of Luna, of her mates, of everything she could do.

AN// Hi guys, I hope you're enjoying AUM. If you do and you want to learn more about Asher's family or Luna herself, come find me on f*acebook and join my group "A Livre With Lou". I would love to see you there.