Accepting My Twin Mates
Chapter 74

Astennu

“Make this quick. I don't like being apart from our brother; Aasim paced, becoming increasingly uneasy.

Our two strongest bonds were those between our mate, who had been forcefully ripped from us, and our twin, our strongest that had existed since the womb. With one bond unresponsive, my wolf needed the reassurance that Badru was there, that he wouldn't vanish either.

I don't wanna be separate either, but we're gonna have to adopt a divide and conquer approach; I huffed, having galloped up several flights of stairs.

Several pack members were leaving my destination, Konstanin’s room, a few of them carrying items in their hands. I hurried down the hallway, my bare feet thudding on the naked floorboards, finding my father overseeing the last two wolves about to leave. Nothing much was left of the door, except a few splinters strewn on the floor that had been missed on what looked like the first clean-up. The hinges were all that remained, fastened to the doorframe and with shards of the former door affixed to the screws. The temperature seemed several degrees lower too, as though a window had been left open for hours, “How did he get hold of this?” My father never turned when I stepped into the room. Instead, he held a sheet of paper aloft once the wolves had walked out, leaving us alone.

I picked it from his grasp, my brows puckered in confusion that this would be his first question and what importance a piece of paper could be. My expression sobered as soon as I saw what was scrawled on the surface, my heart returning to pound in my ears in a cold shiver of dread.

it was a rough draft of a patrol schedule for the week. I had written it in pencil till I had been happy with it and then typed it out properly to send to my father... one that I had left in Evie's room when her heat hit, because that's all I or Badru were focused on. I hadn't given it a thought, until now.

“When I sent a couple of warriors here after making sure your mother arrived at the hospital,” my father finally turned around, his jaw tight and his voice thin. A faint tinge of red rimmed his eyes. He had cried? I had never seen my father cry. “They had no reply and had to break the door down. The room was empty and the window wide open with items strewn on the bed. Trackers have been searching around the pack house, as far as they can, and not one of them can pick up his scent. So, I will ask again,” he snatched the paper back from my hand, crushing it in his fist. “How. Did that man. Get a hold. Of this?”

“I... we had it in Evie’s room before we went up to the lodge,” my throat began to run dry. “But nothing looked disturbed there when we came ba-"

“Why was it left there?” He interrupted my excuses and, suddenly, I felt like a pup in trouble. “Why didn’t you lock it away in your office? Why didn't you destroy it?"

“We didn't have time when we took Evie away and we were going to file everything properly after training toda-"

He sighed heavily and angrily, his nostrils flaring. “So, you're telling me Konstantin had three days, unsupervised, where he could have gotten hold of any of our pack documents that you left casually lying about?”

“You think Konstantin did this? You think he kidnapped his own daughter?!” My voice rose. “He could have been taken too. Or he's out there,” I gesticulated at the window, “trying to look for her-"

“Wake up Aste!” My father roared, his aura flaring in a shuddering wave. “The man played you”

“He didn't! He's clearly being framed heret”

My father tutted in exasperation, throwing his head back.

“He is! How do you explain the scent cover? Or whatever drug was used-"

“Did you search him?"

My mouth bobbed, seeking an answer that didn't involve a no, because I hadn't. Not that I needed to. What Konstantin had told us was the truth, I... I was sure.

“No, of course you didn't. You had that sufficient two minute conversation which was all you needed,” he took several deep breaths, closing his eyes. “You may be a grown man, but you still have so much to learn.”

He swiped a hand over his face, rubbing the short black beard of his jaw. When he opened them, his eyes were softer but pensive, filled with a sombreness.

“Without a routine search, how did you know what the man had on him? Perhaps he wanted his daughter and knew she wouldn't leave? All I know, is I have a mate drugged and in the hospital,” his chest rumbled in a snarl, black hair sprouting from his knuckles and receding in the same breath. “We have a human pack member that has been bludgeoned, your mate is missing, and there's not one trace of anyone breaking into the pack. Yet, in all this, the rogue that waltzed into this pack, without being searched or properly questioned, is gone. Along with what few belongings he brought and a patrol schedule in his possession that gave him everything he needed to escape. Astennu, what else am I meant to believe?”

“Finley!” I yelled, pissed off that the most obvious person appeared to have fallen from his head. “Ym positive he did this, to get back at us. And he's obsessed with Lucy, Konstanin's second chance mate”

“He was already on the list of suspects, but Kate has confirmed he isn't even in the state. She dropped him off at the airport herself two days ago"

“No, that... that can’t b-"

“It is," he cut through me. “Apparently, he wanted to get away from here for a while and went to New York. I rang the hotel Kate told me he was at and they confirmed he checked in and everything. It's The Moon's Courtyard near Central Park, caters to werewolves. Feel free to make your own inquiries.”

Could Konstantin have planned this?

To kidnap his daughter and flee the pack?

Had he been playing us from the beginning or had he upped and decided he truly hated packs this much and the mate bond be damned...

“He wouldn't; Aasim was adamant, a tinge of unease in his tone. “He might not have trusted pack, but he trusted us. Dad is wrong about him... he's wrong!

The doubts had flitted from my mind as soon as they entered, too. In spite of that, though, a speck of doubt clung to my mind against my will.

I shook my head, “if Konstantin wanted to leave, he'd just say so. He's like Evie, blunt and to the point,” all this subterfuge and underhandedness was not his style. “Finley is involved in this. I don’t know how and I don't care what you say otherwise”

“Ym not discounting the boy as a suspect, but it's a little hard to believe when he's clear across the other side of the country.”

“supposedly; I clarified.

“Precisely why he isn't discounted fully yet,” my father moved to leave, pausing by the obliterated doorway. “Son, we've done all we can here. We need to regroup and discuss everything we know. Tamlyn is still running her squads around the pack garage and the cafe. Aside from a few generic boot prints, there's nothing more for her to go on. Your mother’s awake, so 'm going to her. Go check your mate's room, see if anything else is missing."

I nodded, swallowing hard. The idea of setting foot in her room, with her spiced vanilla scent drilling into my senses, pounded my heart in my ribcage. Every flash of memory of her stormy blue eyes or dark golden hair reminded me of my failures, my mistakes. That was where Evie existed now... in a memory...

“Until we get her back; my wolf affirmed.

I wanted to agree and share his earnest conviction, but to hear and see how I had fallen short as a mate and Alpha chiseled away at any optimism I may have had. And the alarm I was feeling from my twin was doing nothing to calm me. Lucy had to have been there, in her room. Because if not, he would have mind-linked to say otherwise.

“Ru? What's going on?"

It's Lucy, someone drugged her water. 'm rushing her to the pack hospital in town!

Oh hell... this would be another mark against Konstantin, in the eyes of my father. For me, it solidified his innocence. If she had woken during this bizarre ambush, she would have raised the alert that something was amiss.

“Ok, I'll be with you soon... I need to stop somewhere first and then I'l tell you what happened up here; I sighed, watching my step on the way out to head to Evie's room, no matter how much I didn’t want to. “I'm certain Konstantin is being framed for all of this and, unfortunately, our dad's not hearing anything else!

“Well s**t. We'll add it to the list of fires to put out later. Just get down here as fast as you can. The hospital lab is screening for the tranquilliser used. Whatever it was, it doesn't look as though it was cut with wolfsbane! sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

That was of some comfort as we didn't know how badly wolfsbane would affect Evie with her being half lycan. But it was also unusual. Most tranquillisers used on werewolves contained wolfsbane, to cut the connection with our wolves. However, there was no mistaking the instant it was ingested. Whether a wolf partook in wolfsbane training or not, ingestion or injection of it caused a burning sensation on contact, as the toxin stimulated the pain receptor nerves. The more wolfsbane training that was undertaken, the greater tolerance was gained.

Steeling myself outside Evie's room, I slowly punched in her number combination and creaked the door open. Her sweet and beautiful aroma hit me, full force in the face, as though she would be waiting on the side with her arms outstretched to soothe me that all of this had been a mistake, that she hadn't gone anywhere.

“Dammit, this is the worst torture; Aasim whimpered, wanting to curl up on her mattress and bury himself in her scent and our self-pity.

Then we better make this quick’

There were only a few files Badru and I had left behind, all of which were present, say for that one damned schedule... one stupid mistake that I never once considered.

Kick yourself later. Focus presently!’

Listening to my wolf, I moved through the rest of our mate's items, not finding anything of consequence absent. I hadn't a clue if any of her clothing was missing; I wasn't too well acquainted with her wardrobe. But I spotted the items my brother and I had given her, plus our own clothing was there. Changing out of my borrowed sweatpants so I could put on some underwear and a pair of jeans, I shoved my feet into the boots I had left behind and found my thick plaid shirt, putting aside a change of clothing for Badru too.

just as I flicked up my collar to straighten out the flannel material and button up my shirt, I noticed a small yet prominent missing item. By the side of her bed should have been her locket. Evie didn't wear it this morning and her silly little joke she chuckled rang clearly in my ear.

“Just in case it comes to blows and I have to smear tea leaves on my face like war paint, I think I'l leave it here.”

And I was positive Evie took off the locket and left it right where I was crouched. I looked high and low, under the mattress, on the blankets, on her dresser table and even in the bathroom. She wouldn't mislay it, that locket meant far too much to her. It was all she had of her mother's.

Someone came in here after we left to take it.

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