Mated to the Alpha Twins

Chapter 116

I stared at them for what felt like hours, even though all we had were seconds together. Onyx eyes filled with worry, voices thick and raspy with emotion. Neither looked sickly or sleep deprived. If anything, they looked…bigger? There wasn’t the time to sit and analyze what had changed but I swore their muscles seemed more defined, hardened like the blood thirsty determination in their eyes. Once I was positive I wasn’t hallucinating from the disgusting cake Zayne had given me, my eyes flitted across the small room.

Tori and Zayne stood against the wall, a quiet and rushed conversation between the two. Zayne’s eyebrows were gnashed together, and the sight of some kind of emotion on his face made my chest flutter. Those three seconds were all the twins could give me before I was pulled from the bed and into two sets of arms. Neither one squeezed too hard, but held me to their chests in an iron clad grip that no white wolf could break.

Three heartbeats, all identical in sound as they overlapped one another. There were tears burning behind my eyes, but they wouldn’t dare to fall. Even they knew that there was so much more to be done, that we weren’t out of this yet. “F**k, doll–” Alec’s voice was unusually raspy, eyes scanning my face as his forehead rested against my own. I watched his throat work to form the words that refused to pass his lips. Even Kade, who held back the turmoil of emotions in his eyes with everything he had, could do nothing more than hold me close and pray they’d forget the last few days. Their touch finally unraveled that knot of terror that had been festering in my stomach, reminding me that I might very well d*e here. Nearly an entire second had passed before I felt the absence of their touch. “Where is Marcus?” I asked Zayne, who had just finished his conversation with Tori. I locked eyes with her, feeling her relief and determination, though there was a certain smugness when

her eyes flickered towards Zayne. “Him and his inner circle retreat in times like this. His life is far too important to be wasted o n a godforsaken battlefield.”‘ Zayne said sardonically. I had the strong feeling his words were a direct quote, something he had heard Marcus say a time or two. Before I could reply, his eyes glazed over; a tell-tale sign that a mind-link was currently taking place. Three seconds was how long it took, and with each one, Zayne’s eyebrows crept higher. When the film had lifted from his eyes, he blinked a few times in surprise. “Looks like an official order has been issued. I’ve been demoted from the Alpha’s son, to k****d on sight. How lovely, this better have been worth it.” He grunted, giving me a long look before stalking towards the badly bent, metal door. His sour words couldn’t reach me, not when his eyes were bright and full of life, his cheeks tinged pink with blood. I didn’t miss the three guards on the floor, or the blood that coated their clothes and sat in a crimson pool around their bodies. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“We need to leave before more guards come.” Kade’s voice cut through my thoughts, sharp enough to gain my attention. I felt him thread his fingers through my own, and lead me towards the door. “The team we’ve put together took out the ones in the eastern wing of the mansion, but more are on their way.” “Wait, the mansion?” “You didn’t tell her?” Kade grunted, an eyebrow lifting at Zayne. We emerged from my padded cell, stepping over the broken and mangled bodies of the guards. The hallway we were in was small and narrow, but as we turned a corner, it opened up into a wide corridor. Fancy paintings were hung on the walls, their frames thick and weighing probably hundreds of pounds. The men in the paintings were all grey haired, pale eyed, and strong jawed. Most of them happened to have that identical hint of cruelty in their eyes.

Every fifteen to twenty feet, a guard dressed in dark clothing lay d**d on the floor. “I didn’t exactly have the time. I was too busy single handedly ensuring the success of this d**n uprising.” He snapped, but the snarky tone fell flat when all of our attention was captured. Ariana stood at the end of the end of the hall, her dark clothing and eyepatch the first thing I noticed. Her thick braid hung down her shoulder, and the eye I could see, glittered murderously. “Poor little traitorous Zayne.” Ariana cooed, blood red lips twitching as her eyes flitted to Tori. Anyone could read the tension between Tori and Zayne, along with the way they stood close yet apart. A grin cracked across her face, “You brought your little mate to come play. When each one of you are locked up in chains, I’ll give the redhead to the Hound and take your twins for myself.” Alec let out a deafening snarl that echoed down the corridor. He took a step in front of me, blocking me from Ariana. Kade stiffened instantly, his skin growing warm as he fought the urge to shift. His nails and teeth were elongating, growing as his rage increased. The fuses were lit, already shortened from nearly an entire week without one another. I knew that within seconds, everything would implode. I had a sneaking suspicion that if I were able to feel Ariana’s emotions, it would be the exact opposite of Zayne’s. I had a theory that she felt everything, but it was the wrong wolf she chose to feed; giving into cruelty and rage in order to progress in life. Kade halted in his tracks when I let out a loud laugh, a smirk on my face as I stared into the furious eyes of Ariana. I knew what she was up to, what she was doing here in this hallway. Even better, she knew that I knew. Oh, she hated me. More than she hated Zayne, which seemed immeasurable at the time. I could see it in the way she clasped her blade, eyes darting between Alec and Kade as she contemplated making her move. I could pin point the moment she realized attacking us would end in her d***h. Sure, she might manage to wipe one of us out. Perhaps, even two. But there were more of us, and it was clear her backup wouldn’t arrive on time. Her fingers flexed, and she let go of the knife that sat in the leather strap around her t***h. Her eyes still glittered angrily, and even without my magic, her lust for blood was intoxicating.

“A pawn till the end.” I scolded her, shaking my head in mock disappointment. Her own eyes narrowed as she read the promise in my own. Through h**l or high water, we would meet again, and I’d be the one to take her life. “Until next time, Ariana.” We darted down the hall, and I could feel both of the twin’s reluctance as they followed. Their curious gazes were dark, feeling the hatred I held for Ariana. Both of them knew she had done something to evoke these dark emotions from me, promises of d***h and revenge. Zayne led us down another two halls, into a small room that led to a private staircase. It was one servants and maids used, to remain unseen as they traveled throughout the massive house. The staircase spiraled once as we went down. As we reached the bottom, the fresh smell of clean laundry hit my nose. I could hear the whirr and hum of laundry machines going, and saw sheets and different articles of clothing hung up to dry. The room was entirely empty, free of any servants or lingering staff. There was a single door against the left-hand wall, and two on the right. Zayne led us to the left, wrenching open the door to reveal sunlight and warmth. I had been wondering why I hadn’t seen any guards, hadn’t heard any commotion until we emerged outside. The mansion looked more like an office building than someone’s home, which is what I should have expected for a man like Marcus. The sight of it screamed government building, with its eggshell-colored pillars and arched doorways. The six hundred cameras attached to every wall and corner were also further proof that Marcus’s time needed to come to an end. We had exited through some kind of side door, which had a very clear employee’s only sign. What made me speechless were the buildings surrounding us. Banks and restaurants, shopping plazas and hotels. Signs advertising the newest vehicle or designer purse were erected outside of shops. The entire sight, including the widened sidewalks and iron fence surrounding the property, reminded me of Washington D.C.

However, the only thing different than the home of the human President, was that there was currently a full-scale war on the streets and sidewalks. Wolves of various colors fought to the d***h, their snarls ringing out as the scent of blood filled the air. Nearly a third were white wolves, but it was difficult to discern the abilities of each one. Some were in their human forms, using magic I had never seen before. The five of us had our eyes peeled, nearly barreled down by a white wolf as it leaped over our heads. We had been outside for almost three minutes, darting across the pristine lawn of Marcus’s mansion to the street where carnage and d***h ran rampant. “He kept me in his house.” I scoffed, shouting over the noise. “All this time I thought I was in some underground dungeon.” “He never thought his disappointment of a son would actually turn against him.” Zayne snorted, “He thought is secure mansion would be safe, and that Ariana would keep you at bay.” Before we could do anything, go anywhere–there was a gentle vibration that rippled across the ground. It was quiet, a dull hum before raising in volume. Within seconds, my eyes widened and h****r stole my breath. The sound was thunderous, thousands of feet trampling against the earth, snarls and howls rippling through the air as the surrounding forest and street erupted with wolves. There were so many–they crowded the streets, leaped atop of cars and even some one -story buildings. Their howls coalesced into one, loud call. A warning to stop the fight, to lay down our metaphorical weapons. The fight around us stopped, and I couldn’t tell who belonged on which side. All I saw were werewolves, of all shades and colors—there were no discernable sides because we were all the same species. Fear swirled within all of our emotions, because Marcus’s backup had finally arrived. With them, they brought a torrent of wolves, the colors a blur among the masses. Hundreds of eyes turned on us, on where we stood in the center of the street. We had been invisible to most when the battle had been raging, but now–we were surrounded.

I hadn’t realized I’d been gripping onto Alec’s t-shirt for dear life, while also digging my fingers into Kade’s arm. I peered up at the two of them, who were looking down at me with reverence–like they were committing the sight of me to memory. I looked towards Tori and Zayne, an apology burning in my eyes during these last moments of our lives, but neither were looking my way. Both held each other’s eyes, and I couldn’t mistake the fear that was written on Zayne’s face. It was clear in his crystal eyes, in his downcast lips and clenched jaw. I wasn’t sure, but I swore that when the two of them turned their eyes to the mass of werewolves, their fingers were woven together. We waited–waited for the triumphant face of Marcus Novak to stroll out from the masses, from the werewolves that covered every inch of street, sidewalk, and parking lot. They even littered the grass of Marcus’s mansion, passing the grounds in front of the iron fence. The crowd began to part, werewolves standing and moving out of the way, but it wasn’t Marcus’s smile that shined like a beacon, here to save us from our own destruction. “It seems even D***h herself is against dear old Marcus.” Jaspar Fox’s joyous voice rang throughout the crowd of werewolves, shattering the ice that had rooted me frozen in place.