Accepting My Twin Mates
Chapter 50

Badru

My second biggest disappointment of the day after having to leave Evie behind, was that there wouldn't be any sparring in my training today. I would have liked my payback in full where my twin was concerned. Yes, our mate would have found out how ticklish I was, but I could have kept her in the dark for a little while longer. Normally, I hid it pretty well. Only Astennu knew and it wasn't as though anyone was going to go about tickling a full-grown Alpha; that was asking to have their head taken clear off.

My wolf and I kept up the pace behind Astennu, with Tamlyn and her mate, Suzanna, at her side, as we ran the scent trails fo tracker training in our wolf form. There would be no retribution for me today. Astennu was the faster and more agile one of the two of us. There wasn't a chance I was beating him.

“Revenge is best served cold anyway, Baniti muttered, laying his head between his paws and pining for Evie and Evva. Iwould have loved to have her here, running beside me, even if her wolf sense of smell wasn't yet fully attuned and awakened. If she had grown tired or was unable to keep up with us in our wolf form, we could have carried her on our back. But with Lucy's return imminent, my mate wouldn't have left the pack house for anything. My one consolation was that this meant Catalina would be leaving. The sentiment may have been selfish and I knew Evie had grown quite close to her, somehow, but would be glad to see the back of her. She was pushy and obstinate. I couldn't foresee any future where I would want to be around her.

A subtle elation, out of nowhere, began to bloom in my chest. Astennu’s emotions were so strong through our bond, they were almost indistinguishable from my own at times. So I knew this happiness wasn't his. It was Evie's. Her friend must be back home. And for some reason, this made my wolf grumble and whine.

“Why, in the moon, are you moping?’

“We should be making our mate that happy. Not someone else, he sulked.

Baniti was jealous of a tiny she-wolf? He was officially at peak melodramatic absurdity.

“We do make her happy. She's known Lucy longer... and she’s been a good friend to our mate... much better than we ever were, my mood floundered. Oh goddess, I was catching my wolf's irrational jealousy!

What halted our run, bringing us to an instant standstill, was the sensation of rage. Astennu had stopped too, mid-stride. One glance and we knew. Evie. I was about to mind-link, wondering what the hell had happened to have her emotions take such a drastic change, when her voice rang clear, laced with an edge of fear.

“Aste! Rul Finley is harassing Lucy again at her room... I might need help!

“We're coming!’ Astennu and I replied immediately, already prepared to run back to the pack house. Our training had been coming to an end, as the sun had begun to set, and we were barely a few minutes away. The lights of the pack house could easily be seen through the trees.

I had warned him. I had given him a direct order he wasn't to go near his ex-mate. And now my own mate could be caught in the crossfire. If he hurt my nour el-ain... I would do more than punch him. I would kill him.

Our squad of trackers behind us were long forgotten as Astennu and I took off at full pelt through the sparse trees, heading in the direction of the pack house. The trackers may have been fast, but we were faster. Two Alphas were all that was needec to deal with one Beta wolf. I was vaguely aware of Tamlyn’s voice including us in the mind-link instructing Suzanna to lead the squad back to the training centre.

“What's happening?’ Our Gamma kept up behind us, following our scent trail.

“Finley! That's what happened? Astennu snarled, his anger aimed at our former friend, not Tamlyn.

“The Alpha is on the way too, she replied after a few seconds of silence.

Our father was back at the training centre, leading the warriors’ training with Kate.

“Contain Finely. Don't kill him. He will be dealt with properly and face judgement, our father commanded, already knowing we were out for blood.

“He'll be dealt with alright. By our teeth!’ Baniti was singularly minded about how he wanted to “contain’ the situation.

I felt a surge of faint fear flow through me. It had to be from Evie. She would never back down from a confrontation, and she was loyal. She would never turn her back on her friend. If she was scared, it meant only one thing. Finley was about to become physical.

My brother was first to slam through the door, obliterating it to splinters, at the rear of the pack house in the Omega quarters. By some good fortune, Evie and Lucy's doors were on the nearest hallway and on the ground floor, as though fate knew something we didn't. Bursting through the now-destroyed door, I heard a woman's faint yelp, Evie, and the sound of a wolf shifting. Rounding the corner, I cut the inside to get ahead of Astennu and surged forward. Evie sat sprawled on the floor, keeping Lucy behind her. In front, Finley's wolf stalked forward.

I leapt clear over the girls’ heads, pummelling into him, and rolled us down the hall. He was now trapped between my brother and me. Astennu stood protectively over Evie, brushing his chest against her cheek and blocking his escape, with Tamlyn snarling in back-up of us.

In a desperate bid to push past me to get to his only avenue to flee, the window at the end of the hall, he swiped out with hi right paw, his claws extended. I ducked my muzzle out of the way and then snapped forward in one fluid motion. My jaws clamped down on the last two digits and tore them clean off. Blood filled my mouth and I swallowed on instinct, the small severed limbs disappearing down my gullet.

“He ain't getting those back anytime soon; Baniti snickered. And I would admit, there was a sick sense of self-satisfaction in that.

Fin's roar of pain transformed to a human's yell as he shifted back, clutching what remained of his hand which poured with blood. I spun and kicked him square in the chest, sending him sailing towards my twin. Astennu shifted, clamping his arm around Finley's neck. The rage was clear on his face. He wanted to kill him and I wanted him to do it.

“Stop, Tamlyn shifted, hearing Fin's gargled gasps. “Don't lower yourself to his level

We felt our dad’s aura approach, along with the pounding of several others’ footsteps. He turned the corner, with three warriors and Beta Kate flanking him.

“Astennu, please!” Kate was about to rush forward for her son, who was quickly going limp and unconscious, only to be stopped by my father’s hand on her shoulder.

He gently held her back and approached my brother slowly. “Aste... release him,” his voice may have been filled with authority, but his tone was a plea.

My brother growled in frustration, the muscle in his forearm flexing, and for a second, I thought he was actually going to do it. He dropped Fin's body with a resounding thud. His heartbeat was weak, but still present. He'd live.

“Get him to the clinic,” our father pointed to the now unresponsive Fin. “He’s not to be left alone or unguarded for a second. And make sure he's cuffed to the bed in silver”

Kate was about to follow after the three warriors and her son, but our dad once again stopped her, “send his father. We neec to discuss the repercussions of this. Tamlyn, get yourself dressed and meet us in my office. Boys?” He turned to us both. “Ge cleaned up, get the full story and meet up too.”

“Lucy? Evie?” He crouched in front of the girls where they still sat, coming out of their shock. “You both ok?”

They nodded, not saying anything. My heart plummeted seeing Evie look so vulnerable. She had probably never seen a full- on wolf brawl before.

“Good,” our father stood back up straight, his gaze settling back on Astennu and me. “Don’t keep us waiting too long. And if anyone finds that boy's missing body parts, please send them to the clinic. He might be able to get them reattached.”

My wolf howled with a sadistic laugh and I narrowly contained my own in my throat. Those fingers were never getting reattached.

With everyone else gone, I wiped the blood from my mouth and chin on the crook of my arm and rushed to Evie along with my brother, while Tamlyn checked Lucy.

“What happened?” Astennu softly stroked her cheek.

“She throat slammed him into the wall, and told him she’s his f*g Luna," Lucy timidly said, a small smile curling on her lips. “And we missed it?" Tamlyn chuckled, standing Lucy upright.

“You did?" I said proudly, nuzzling into my mate. “And here I thought you saved all your rage for me. I'm a little jealous. You know, you can throat slam me anytime."

“You do have a habit of going dumb, so you just might,’ she nuzzled me back.

Astennu and I helped her stand, gripping her tightly. Her chest still rose and fell in subtle shallow breaths and her skin trembled.

“I'm fine, I swear,” she answered my invisible concerns. “It's just the come-down from the adrenaline high, that's all. I've never faced a wolf like that or seen a real fight"

I kissed into her neck, as Astennu kissed her temple, comforting her that it was all over. She had stood up to a full-grown Beta wolf male, without the ability to shift herself... I was still both terrified and aroused by her bravery.

“Lucy, you really ok? He didn't touch you?” My brother asked.

She blushed, looking everywhere and anywhere bar at us. “I'm fine."

“Guys? Maybe strap your copilots away first? They're flying loose and wild,” Evie pointed to our lower halves and shakily wen to her room to grab us a couple of towels.

“0k, 50 what was f**k-face doing here," Tamlyn tucked the towel under her arms and secured it, while Astennu and I follower suit.

“I wasn't thinking when I opened my door. I thought it was Evie coming back with dinner” she sheepishly looked up at my mate. “He said he wanted me back, that he could change... I wasn't convinced... he hasn't done anything to prove it" Lucy wrung her fingers. “..And that's when he got a little more insistent.”

“How delusional could he have been?” Tamlyn threw her arms in the air. “What did he think, that you'd just say “ok, and that's it? Happily f*g ever after?”

“He got what was coming to him... say, what did happen to his fingers?” Evie looked about the floor, still with a slight tremor to her voice. “I can't tell you how much I don’t want to trip over one later.”

I5tood silent as the others searched about the hallway floor, expecting to find that Finley's two severed fingers had rolled away from the scene of the fight. This was going to be awkward to explain. Astennu slowly looked my way, the realisation dawning on his features.

“Tell me you didn't.”

“If he wants his fingers back, he'll have to wait till I s**t them out,” I folded my arms over my chest. It wasn't as though it was intentional.

Lucy and Evie's gaze bounced between us in scrutiny, before they too registered.

“You fg ate his fingers?I” My mate's beautiful face gawked, dumbfounded.

“Uhh... 50... he won't be getting them reattached?” Lucy was as good as green. “You know rotten meat is bad for you."

“I don't care what happens to him as punishment. I just want to be there when you tell him exactly where his fingers are,” Tamlyn gripped her side in laughter. “I might not be able to see his horror, but I'l sure as s**t be able to taste iti”

“On that note,” Astennu sighed, clutching the towel about his waist tighter, and slapped my back. “We need to go, otherwise dad's gonna get demanding.’

“Are you two gonna be fine on your own?" I gazed at Evie with concern. Every fibre within me was begging me to stay. My wol was about ready to cling on to her leg and never leave. “We can send for a couple of guards, if you'll feel safer”

“Finley's unconscious, in silver handcuffs and is under watch,” Evie raised her brow. “I'm pretty sure the threat is neutralised Go make sure he isn't about to be let off”

And reluctantly, we left her.

After the quickest shower possible, back in my room, to remove the blood I was coated in, my brother and I were sat in our father's office. Kate had barely looked up. Her head had remained exclusively buried in her hands as our mother rubbed her back, with the odd sniffle and shaky breath coming from her.

“Did you manage to find the missing digits?” Our dad asked as we lowered into the carved wooden chairs by his desk.

“I will give you every single one of my desserts for a year if you stay quiet, I mind-linked my twin, trying my best not to side- eye him.

“We're not I0 years old, Ru... but deal!

“Nope,” was all he revealed and I could see Tamlyn’s lip twitch, holding back a snicker. “It's truly a mystery.”

The room settled into a tense silence after Astennu, Tamlyn and I shared Evie and Lucy's version of events. The atmosphere grew palpable to hear what my father had decided and, by the looks of him, he had reached a verdict. I knew what verdict I wanted and I could feel what Astennu wanted, too. It radiated off of him in waves.

“Please, Isaac, please don't execute him," Kate broke the silence, her voice ladened with anguish. “This is all my fault. I encouraged him to go talk to Lucy, to start over... I would have loved to have her as a daughter-in-law... I never thought he would... she trailed off.

“This isn't your fault, Kate,” Tamlyn guided herself with her cane over to where the Beta sat. “He's a grown man. He's responsible for his own actions.”

“He disobeyed a direct order from his future Alphas,” our dad sucked in a deep breath. “He threatened my sons’ mate, he's repeatedly hurt and now threatened his own mate. I don't feel any lengthy stint in the pack cells will change him. But I won’ execute him either. Once he’s fully healed, he'll be banished from the pack, under pain of death if he returns” S~ᴇaʀᴄh the FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I noticed Astennu's fists clench, as did mine. Our father saw too, judging by the subtle glare he threw us to remain quiet. Wit how he looked at our mother and his twitching features, they were mind-linking. She quietly led Kate out, who was trying he best not to fall apart.

“Don’t even think of starting a tirade,” our dad spoke calmly once the door closed.

“I want his f*g head!” Astennu surprised all of us by leaping out of his chair and slamming his fists on the desk. “He could have killed our mate!”

“When you sentence a wolf, you don't just sentence one. You sentence their whole family,” our father’s composure remained intact, even though I knew he would be taken aback by my brother's outburst. “Kate has already lost one son. Would you make her go through that again, while she’s pregnant? She could lose her pup and be left with nothing. You might want personal revenge, but think what that will cost the innocents around you.”

I had very little valid argument. f**k, I hated reasonable arguments.

My wolf seemed to have little to add either. Actually, he had nothing to add. Now I had noticed, he had gone completely silent. Baniti was focused elsewhere, rigidly fixated on it.

“Aste, is Aasim qu-'

“Yeah... somethings going on.

“Why don't the two of you go do something productive, burn up all this extra energy,” our dad stood, pushing away from his desk.

Energy?

.. Wait, he was right. I was starting to feel the faint buzz of vigour that came when the moon was closest and its gravity nearing its apex.

The same understanding must have washed over my brother, because we shared the same thought in rushing to the window Night had descended and there, glowing brightly and brushing the treetops, a full moon.

Evie had held Finley off of his feet, her skin was still trembling as we left... this wasn't an adrenaline high of fending off an attack... her body was preparing to shift.

“She's coming!’ Baniti suddenly cried out for the first time, and by how Astennu flinched, his wolf had said something similar “Alphas!’ Lucy's panicked voice shouted out. “Evie’s shifting but I can't move her!

Evie

“Now I'm his mate? Now?! After everything he’s done,” Lucy shrieked in frustration, screaming into her pillow.

I'stroked her back, coaxing her out of her hiding.

Once her door had closed, she had burst into tears and then into a fit of swearing, followed by more tears, bringing us full circle to pillow screaming. She didn't deserve any of this. She deserved a mate who would cherish her, eat all her baking anc put up with her f*g weird taste in music.

“Why couldn't he have just wanted me from the start?” She lifted her head. Her eyes were rimmed red but her tears had dried up a while ago. “That mate of yours should have bitten something else off," a snarl rippled from her.

It looked as though we were circling back around to anger and swearing again.

“I doubt there's much to bite in that department, Evva was still delirious with laughter, to the point I was becoming concerned. “Brings a whole new meaning to the concept of finger food.

“Are you still trembling?” Lucy asked after blowing her nose and adding to her pile of tissues.

“Yeah, I think I was more shaken up than I realised," I pulled at the collar of Astennu’s shirt I wore. “Can you turn your heating down? It's stifling.”

“The heating isn't on... its actually kinda cold in here," she placed her hand on my forehead. “Do you have a headache? Any aches in your joints?”

“Yeah?” I just assumed that was the normal reaction after having narrowly escaped a mauling.

“Evie, I think you might shift soo-"

A red-hot jolt shot down my spine. It drove the very breath from my lungs. I wanted to scream from the agony, but I hadn't the air to expend. Another wave, then another, in quick succession, spreading to every inch of my body. I simultaneously felt as though my skin had been set alight and quick-frozen in a block of ice. A screaming sound mixed with a howl ruptured out of my mouth.

My vision was gone. All that remained was a pulsating blackness and a never-ending wash of fiery pain. It wasn't until I felt pair of strong reassuring arms slip under me that I finally found a pittance of calm. I could hear voices but it was as though they were underwater, garbled and distorted by the rushing sound.

My hands fisted in what felt like frozen ground under my fingers, clawing the dirt and snow. I heard the first of my bones crack and rearrange, and if I thought I was in agony before, it was nothing compared to this t*****e. An inhumane noise cam from my throat, a shuddering roar that echoed through the trees.

Every sound and image now burst through clearly. I was outside, in the forest. Astennu and Badru held me, together, their faces frantic.

“Aste, this isn't normal! It shouldn't be this bad."

“Sh-she’s almost through it. Evie, just hold on, you're nearly there."

I had never seen them scared before... what was wrong with me?

With a final snap, I felt whole, complete...

The pain finally subsided, but I was still rocked by the experience.

“Ugh, I'm over having a physical form, I'll just stay in your head, Evva groaned, her voice sounding sharper, more distinct tha my own.

I attempted to stand on my feet. Well, I suppose my paws. My muscles felt new, eager to be broken in.

Looking down at my mates, I was confused by their wide-eyed expressions.

“Why are you guys staring at me like I've grown a bunch of tails?’

“Uhhh,” was all the reply I got from Badru.

Wait... why was I looking down at them? My brain finally caught up. I should be looking up.

“I feel like I'm bigger than I should be, a rippling grumble spread out of my chest. These new sounds would take some getting used to.

“Yeah...” I received a more articulate answer from my nugget.

Astennu still gazed at me in disbelief, and I wasn't entirely sure I had heard him right.

“You're a lycan.."

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