Accepting My Twin Mates

Astennu

“You're only going to get so many chances, ahbil (stupid),” I shook my head at my brother after Evie had left.

“I can't help it! She's sexy as hell when I piss her off” he flopped backwards onto the bed, sighing longingly with a huge smil spread across his face filled with pride at his successful goading.

“But marking? Seriously? She was about ready to drop kick our asses to the curb yesterday," I called from where I was fishing out some clothing, a thick black Henley shirt and dark grey jeans.

“You can't tell me you haven't been picturing your mark on her neck from the second you knew she was ours?” He replied back as though that was an excuse for him saying it aloud to her.

I had been picturing my mark on her for years, well before I knew she was ours, but that was beside the point. We both knew she wasn't ready for that. She wasn't even ready to kiss us yet and we had pushed it already just in our attempts to nuzzle her. Evie seemed far more resistant to the mate bond than either of us. I felt fit for bursting for her, just catching the hint of her scent. While she could easily walk away from the two of us. I could tell she was attracted to us, drawn to us, but our pheromones appeared not to hold the same sway over her.

I re-emerged from my closet, dressed, seeing my brother hadn't made a single attempt to get up and was busy polishing off the last of the bagels; that same dopey grin still lingering on his face.

“Do you think we have time to lounge around?” I folded my arms. “The sooner we deal with Finley, the sooner we can go to Evie”

Eve's name was the magic word that had him up in a split second and rushing to his own room to get dressed. While I waited, I mind-linked our Gamma, Tamlyn, to let her know it was about to happen. She was close friends with both Evie and Lucy, so she already knew the details and was in full support of our decision. She had never liked Fin nor had she gotten along with him. I still had no clue who would take over as our Beta, but that was a problem Badru and I would solve later. There were plenty of other blood-Beta's out there that would be more than happy for the position. I mind-linked my dad that we were ready to meet him and to have Beta Kate there. Finley, I couldn't give two shits if he was there or not. It wouldn't change the proceedings.

I hope he regrows a pair and is present... my claws are aching to cut things off! Aasim snarled, pacing back and forth. “He touched our mate!"

“I know. But keep it together. For Evie. Just think of her and Eva, and the mention of his wolf's counterpoint had him meltin; in my mind.

“That little vixen is such a tease; his tone took a complete I80. “It’s like 'm mentally playing chase with her when we link. I can't wait till she shifts and I can chase her for real, without her human being scared this time

“Come on, get the lead out,” Badru burst out of his room dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans, yanking a thin grey-blue sweater over his head and acting as if I was the one holding things up.

He hurried away and down the stairs, not bothering to wait, and left me shaking my head with a small smile on my face. I don't think I had ever seen him hustle quite so fast in my life and he was never one to need much motivation in the first place. I caught up to my brother as he was opening our front door and we made our way, together, to our father’s main office in the pack house.

We walked straight in and I didn’t need to detect his scent to know Finley was present. Badru had entered before me and his rage had prickled through our bond, instantly. Despite his anger, he schooled his expression impeccably. Control was never his strong suit; another miracle of the mate bond as he was doing this for Evie as well as her friend.

Our dad sat alongside our mother and Kate in the small seating area by the wood-panelled window, drinking tea and chatting happily. Kate's hand was placed over her stomach, so I guessed the conversation was about her pup on the way, clearly with no idea what her son had done. Finley stood off to the side, his eyes on us instantly as we walked in.

Even with our poker face in place, the atmosphere and tension dropped to the temperatures akin to the wintery landscape outside. He knew whatever friendship he thought we had was long since over. He also looked like s**t. His sandy brown hair was in disarray and his pale blue eyes were sunken, lined with heavy dark circles. The bruise on his jaw, courtesy of Badru, was still apparent and had faded little overnight. Normally the bruise would be faded and healed in a day or two, but I suppose being rejected had weakened his wolf's abilities.

“Ahibbaa (darlings).” our mother called, a mix of joy and tension. “Here, I'll pour you some tea," she busied herself as she normally did when she was somewhat on edge. “So, what is it that happened last night?”

“You want to tell them, or should we?" I directed my question to the man of the hour.

He clenched his jaw; he had to know this was coming. I was sure the only reason he was here was because he had been dragged along by Kate.

“Fin? What does he mean?” Kate put her cup down, turning to her son.

He pursed his lips, making no attempt to open them and come clean.

“Fine,” Badru narrowed his eyes and turned to where our combined parents sat. “He found his mate...” Kate's face broke out instantly into elation only to drop within the same beat. “..Over four months ago. He's been cheating on the bond ever since and has put her through hell, denying her the freedom she wanted out of the mate bond. He cornered her last night, while she was alone, grabbing her arm.”

Kate gasped. “Fin, that can't be true...2”

Her eyes shimmered when she was met with nothing but silence to her plea. Our mother patted and rubbed her hand in support.

“You did what?” Our father stood, shaking his head. “I expected better from you."

“You're no longer our future Beta,” I came straight out with it, not wanting to beat around the subject anymore.

Finley's mouth hung open for a second before his mind caught up. Did he seriously think I was joking last night?

“You can't do that! That's my title,” he yelled in outrage, the hairs sprouting along his neck. “She was just some f**+*g Omeg-*

“Enough! Or my fist will go through your face this time!” My brother bellowed, his aura fully slipping and causing Fin and Kat to instantly bare their necks under its strength. Even our mom winced at it.

“Omega or not, you should have never done such a thing” our mother stood by our dad, once she recovered. “.. Who?" “..Lucy..” Fin whispered, his voice strained and his face contorted in a grimace as he uttered her name.

“Lucy... Maddrell?” Kate drew a sharp intake. Her teary eyes morphed into blazing anger, and her aura, too, pulsated. “Oh, yo stupid boy... she would have made a wonderful mate to you!”

She and our father exchanged a brief glance, before she grasped her son by the collar and dragged him out. “If I wasn't nauseous enough already.” she muttered under her breath, her hand briefly resting on her stomach.

“You go anywhere near Lucy, you so much as look in her direction without her permission, and I'll make good on my promise I mind-linked before he vanished, staring him down. He broke first, looking away.

He had better not do anything stupid. I couldn't care less for his well-being, it was for Lucy's. She was important to Evie and she was a pack member I felt we had failed. However, Badru and I would correct that oversight.

“If this ever gets out... we can't have other packs thinking our wolf males are a bunch of philanders,” our dad sighed, now th four of us were alone, sagging into his desk chair.

“And what about the young she-wolf? Everything she's been put through because of him? Maybe that should be your first concern!” My father’s stance on “reputation’ was serving to only irritate me further.

“Aste! Don't speak to your father like that,” our mother moved to place a hand on his shoulder in support.

“Astennu, I do care,” our dad calmly replied, his brows furrowed. “But you need to consider the wider implications beyond a single wolf. What if ally members find their mates here, knowing that one of our possible leaders did something so terrible? Our wolves don't deserve to have their honour tainted in the eyes of their future mates because of one individual”

“Dad, this might come as a shock, but most people see past things like that.” Badru weighed in. “You know, looking beyond a single wolf, like you said."

Atense and silent few seconds set in, neither one of us willing to step down; those stubborn Alpha tendencies in full effect. “So, who will be his replacement?” He dropped his argument, knowing we were at an impasse of opinion. “Or have you even thought that far ahead? It's not another wiccan, like your idea for a Delta, is it?” Our dad sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

I saw Badru's eye and jaw twitch in annoyance, as did mine. I wasn't about to have a repeat of the “Delta’ argument again. He may think we had dropped our plan to have Elan as one of our leaders, but he would be in for a rude awakening when we took over in a few years.

“This is the upside to having twin heirs. A future Beta right now isn't important. We can cover easily,” my brother assured, holding himself in check.

“Plus, we've agreed on an assistant, for the time being” I disclosed. Trying to hide it would only bring speculation. “Till we find a suitable replacement Beta candidate. And before you say anything, dad. We're not rushing our decision or having some list to you by the end of the week for your approval”

As much as I didn’t want to concede that my dad was right on something... he was. Our future Beta would need to be a wolf They would be responsible for our warriors, leading and training them. The ability to mind-link would be paramount to the position; an ability that a wiccan or even a vampire didn’t possess.

“Ill be our decision, and we'll make it in our time,” my twin backed me up.

Surprisingly, our father smiled, a look of pride shining through his eyes.

“Good, you're taking this seriously. And with dedication too. The relationship between you and your other leaders is important. Your grandfather wasn't enthusiastic about Kate being my Beta, but I stood by my choice and she proved to be the best”

“Iwas kinda expecting more of a fight, Badru mind-linked.

“Me too. Guess he can surprise us, sometimes.’

“So who's the assistant?” Our dad leaned back in his seat.

My brother and I exchanged a glance, both of us hoping my gamble would pay off. But there was no other way we could get to know our mate while she reconciled with the huge detour her life had just spun in.

“Does it matter who?” I tried to deflect.

“Of course not. I'm sure you've chosen well. But I have to say, I'm curious too,” our mother tilted her head in interest.

I paused for a second longer than I should, “Evie Meadows.”

Our father's eyebrows shot up, as did our mother's.

“That's... a bold choice,” our mother started and I could already hear where this was going. “But I'm sure I could give you a list of names that would be far better suit-"

“No,” my brother interrupted flatly. “she’s intelligent, non-biased and has no personal agenda.’

“Get Ru coming in hot, Aasim spoke in admiration. “He's on a roll today.

This was always Badru’s strength, thinking quickly on his feet. It was the upside to his impulsive streak.

“Now you're all filled in," he began moving to the door, eager to leave. “We'll leave you to it and...”

“Not so fast. There's more we need to discuss. You can't just drop something like all of this and walk away. We have rotas an: schedules to rearrange,” our dad began to list off.

My wolf whined at the back of my mind.

“I know... we'll have her soon. And maybe surprise her with some dinner!

“Goddess-dammitt' Badru linked me. “'m never going to get to hold my mate. I'm dying of thirst here!

Here came the drama llama express, right on cue.

“Why don't you try stomping your foot like when we were kids; I tried to hold back my smirk.

The look he gave me could wither roses. Which coincidentally, matched his blush too.

He never held back his expressions with me; it was pointless. I could feel it through our bond. It was my duty to rile him up as his older brother.

Though I was comforted that whatever it was our mate was up to in our absence, she was happy. It felt like she was having