Accepting My Twin Mates
Chapter 104

Astennu

The scents were the first thing to hit me, thick with aromas of perfume, cologne, alcohol, food and smoke. Tobacco from cigars wafted about, so strong I could taste it in the air. The smells from the people were too muddled and mixed to make any sort of distinction or locate a specific person, layered with human and that of werewolf. I could sense it, the crackle of oxygen in the air displaced, and raising the attention of my wolf; auras. Only one or two, but there was wolf leadership amongst the crowd.

I gave a quick cursory sweep of the lengthy room that disappeared forever to the back. The place was dimly lit by crystal chandeliers, giving an atmosphere of a classy and intimate setting. Deep, rich fabrics in blacks, greens and golds gilded plush booths and tables where small parties and couples mingled. A low pulsing tempo of music played, not enough to drown out the conversation, but loud enough to carry throughout the space. In the centre, or what appeared to be the centre, was a large circular bar and in the middle behind the serving staff were suspended hoops where slender women and men performed slow acrobatics in what could only be their skin, painted in gold to match their surroundings. There were other elevated podiums further back that held the same displays.

Looking at the staff serving and the entertainers performing, I had to wonder whether they were just staff for the night or were they bought and forced into this.

I doubt it; Aasim observed, quietly. “It's the fighters that bring in the money. These people are just here for decoration. Plus, it would be a cakewalk for any of them to break out!

Adrian, snorting a poorly veiled burst of laughter next to me, steered my brief survey of the club back to our immediate surroundings.

“He looks about ready to strangle her and we've only just started,” he nodded deeper into the bowels of the nightspot towards my brother, who was in the midst of an argument with Catalina.

“I know the feeling”

“Oh, lighten up. Here, have some champagne, sugar lips," he grabbed a couple of glass flutes, pressing one into my clenched fist, and went straight back to settle his hand back at my elbow.

“One more pet name and the next death match is me and you!’ With my free hand, I crushed Adrian's. Not hard enough to break anything, but enough to make my point.

Despite his wince of obvious pain, he continued to smirk, casually taking a sip of his glass. “Lucky for me, I like it rough, love muffin”

That's itt My wolf slammed his paws in my mind and almost lost his cool on our aura. “He's f****d around and he's about to find out!"

“swallow that snarl, Alpha; Adrian cut off my wolf's outburst and downed his flute. “Drink your damn champagne. Blend in? He let go and leisurely sauntered over towards the bar. He didn't order anything, he simply weaved between the other people in a slow and effortless manner.

The pounding of my temples constricted, my irritation magnified from my wolf and my twin. Following suit of the maddening wolf male, I knocked back the champagne, needing whatever numbing relief the alcohol would afford, even if it was only for a minute or two. I stepped the opposite way around the bar, wanting distance from the tool of a wolf; our cover could burn in hell for all I cared. I had let him get under my skin and the ahbil was the type who took delight and every opportunity to poke the nerve he had exposed.

You seen Marceau yet?’ I reached out to my brother, discreetly glancing around for the French wolf.

“No, and we're still looking for this fighting pit to appear; I felt his impatient irritability seeping in. “l know it's here, I can feel it. We just have to suffer this bullshit a little more. Better dealing with Catalina and Adrian here, than dealing with Isaac at home, right?’

It was. Being as far away from the pack at the moment was best. The more I knew of my father's actions, the more I stewed in a wave of rising anger and the more I stewed, the more I made my twin sick with my emotions. I had stewed for two months and it got me no closer to having my ammar and my pup back, but being pissed off and proactive was yielding results. Speaking of being pissed off.

“Are you having a good time yet, snickerdoodle?” Adrian reappeared and slapped me on the back.

“We would be if we could bounce his head a little, Aasim grumbled as I shook the man's arm off.

“Give it time, we just might! It was growing harder to keep a lid on my aura.

“ve wandered around the whole bar and no mention of a fight that 've overheard; he turned, leaning his elbows back along the bartop.

“So you were actually doing something?’ I shook my head to the female bartender to get her to leave us alone and turned to peer out upon the rest of the club. “fm not seeing anything remotely close to a fighting pit or a cage ring anywhere here... “Below ground?” We spoke at the same time, which left me irritated.

I only did that with Badru. It was our thing, not something I shared with this a*s.

“Let's see if we can spot people heading for some stairs; I grouched, offering my arm again in the pretence of keeping up the charade.

“Why exactly do you hate me? He asked out of nowhere as we slowly weaved through the crowd. “Ym probably stepping on a sensitive subject, but is it just because me and Evie used to sleep together? Because I don't have those feelings for her, not anymore. And it was before I found my mate!

I don't want to talk about it; I spun him to look directly in his eye, swallowing the desire to lift him by the neck and snarl in his face. “And certainly not with you!

“We're both adults here, I can be mature about this. As fun as it is to mess with you, I'm being serious for once. You've always been antagonistic towards me, even before I annoyed the ever-living s**t out of you. Why?’

“she almost took you as a mate!’ The words poured over the mind-link like sour milk, churning my insides. “i found you frog irritating before and I hadn't a clue why. Now, I know. Evie was all I ever thought of, and you almost took her from me, from my brother. That first day we found she was our mate, she ran from us and she almost rejected us. Then, when I saw her with you, she laughed and smiled as though it was the easiest thing in the world for her. Whenever she looked at us, she either scowled or bit our heads off’

“Were you jealous... of me?’

A growl bubbled and burned my throat, because yes, I was.

I had never been more jealous in my life... or terrified. Not only could I have lost my mate, I thought I had lost her to another man. And being an Alpha, in no way, worked in my favour to sway her choice because she didn't care about titles or status. “she never blushed for me; Adrian wouldn't turn as he mind-linked, keeping his head facing forward.

“What?'

“Blushed. Evie never once blushed when we were together. Every time she looked over at you that evening, she blushed, hard!

He swallowed, showing a one-off side of vulnerability. “I was scared I was going to end up alone and Evie was cool. She's not into games or status, she just sees people, past all the titles, she sees the person. Evie was just as scared as me that she was going to be alone too and she was at her lowest because she didn't have a wolf. Neither of us were thinking of the best choice, just the easiest’

“At the risk of being dismembered right here and now, he chuckled nervously. “We were making out once and she moaned yours and Badru's name. She didn't realise and I never said anything. That's when I knew she would never be mine. Even if she had taken me as a chosen mate, I would always have been her second choice. I was never going to be her first. That was always you and your brother. And I'm glad she never gave me an answer because I wouldn't have found my mate, the love of my life?

You told your mate any of this? I almost scoffed, feeling somewhat uncomfortable about bearing my soul to someone who irritated me.

“Yep. She didn't exactly like it, but she knows we're forever and my Lina has far fewer objections to Evie being my friend now that she’s mated to two Alpha twins-"

“We think we have a lead on where the fight is in this place; Badru’s hurried voice cut off Adrian, our shared bond flooding with adrenaline. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

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