Chapter 5

Malia POV

Something was off. Really off. Not that I was jealous or anything. But how could he call her mate?

‘Oh no.’ Shila let out, pacing in my head relentlessly. ‘What do you mean, ‘oh no’?’ I asked her back, still watching the scene in front of me unfold, as if time froze only for me.

‘I can’t sense her wolf. Not like if it was not there, she is not an empty shell, but it is not there either. I can’t reach it. And for her to be called a mate, she should have a wolf.’ She rambled quickly, still pacing, growing nervous by the minute.

I didn’t get it. How could she not have a wolf? We were 20 now. And why wouldn’t she tell me? I got out of my train of thought, to focus on the couple in the middle of a newly formed circle. People gathered around at the sound of the so rare and coveted word and were whispering, some curious, some envious.

At some point, my eyes reached back to my sister. She looked as baffled as me, shocked, but a glimpse of hope was dancing in her teary eyes, as she was looking and smiling brightly at the tall man in front of her. After a quick analysis, I figured he was slightly older than us, and Shila could sense a wolf in him already. Who was he and how could he come into this room, as it was exclusively reserved for the future shifters? Blinded by confusion, I got up and grabbed my sister by the arm, ripping her from his embrace and putting myself between the two.

As I grabbed her, while he was still holding on to her, I could feel the distinct sparks Mom used to describe to us. I felt unbelievably good, even if faintly. ‘We are not supposed to feel this, this is weird.’ Shila gasped, purring under the feeling but confused as well.

‘I guess it is the twin bond.’ That was Bella’s voice.

I turned my head to face Sarabella, who was looking at me, a small smile floating on her pink lips. She looked sad to be taken away from her fated mate, who was now boiling to be interrupted by me. Before he could even come back to his senses and move, even to ask who I was, I went in faster.

“Who the hll are you, for you to come here is completely inadequate!” Crp. That didn’t go as smoothly as I had intended to.

“Who am I? You are the one who should answer this! Give me back my mate!”

“Mate? Who? With whom?”

Dad’s voice came to our ears as he was making his way through the crowd followed by the Elders and Alpha Evander. One of them, Elder Cravyn, put his hand on the shoulder of the man to root him to his place as he tried to have a grasp of Bella again. My father was taking in the whole scene, his eyes jumping from Bella to me and then to the unnamed fated mate. He looked at me confused, as I was still adamantly shielding my sister.

“Lia, let her go. What could be wrong? It is fate.” His soft voice got to me, and I lowered my head slightly, untightening my grip. To my surprise, Bella stayed where she was.

“How could it be? I didn’t shift yet?!” she whispered so low that even with the super sensitive hearing sense of a wolf nobody could’ve caught her words, and I thought only I got it. But Elder Kodard was right beside us by now and he caught on.

“How wonderful, isn’t it! Elder Cravyn's nephew is a Beta from the Crescent Moon pack, from the North. He is the second son, Doyle Bruto, and is here as a special attendee. It is with immense pleasure to acknowledge that your lineage, Alpha Cadel, brings us fated mate again. There is hope!”

The crowd surrounding us cheered. The Elders walked away, returning to their activities, probably to update the bet. Dad stayed behind. The man named Beta Doyle lightened up and practically pushed me and jumped on my sister who did not protest nor did she look overjoyed. Her expression was closed, and I reached my dad, in a few steps.

“Dad, her reaction is not normal.” I mumbled, worried.

“Give her time to adjust. She hasn’t shifted yet, that might explain why the bond hasn't been in place fully." He gave me a small smile before adverting his eyes to the balcony. "I don’t think this is going to be easy from here.” He murmured, bowing his head.

I followed his glance and made eye contact with Elder Kodard who was still observing us, with a dismal smirk, that made me uneasy, and I got what my dad was implying. My load of worries increased but was washed away as I felt an arm lock to mine. Bella’s head was now resting on my shoulder. I patted her blond hair as she lifted her eyes to look at me.

“I’m exhausted.” I was about to refute and argue that we hadn’t been here for even thirty minutes, but I understood why she would be drained as soon as he opened his mouth.

“Let me escort you to your room, mate. Wow, this feels so good to say.” Doyle exclaimed as he was trying to take her away from me. Again.

“No fully mated, male allowed in the females’ apartments area. I am sorry, Beta Doyle, but you will have to let her sister take care of her until you can claim my daughter tomorrow, after her shift ceremony.”

Thanks to my father's intervention I could exhale again, as I was unconsciously holding my breath. Bella detached herself from me, planting a soft kiss on the cheek of the man to reassure him. “See you tomorrow.”

I swore I heard a low growl from behind. It was so hushed and hardly noticeable among the commotion in the hall, I thought I imagined it and didn't bother looking back.

Jasper POV

The national treasures. Although I wasn’t very fond of treating females as merchandise, I could understand why they would be titled that way. Both were blond, one like she grew on the dusty battlefield was divinely built while the other was as if the Moon Goddess herself was shining on her hair at every move. How could I tell? If I had not been urged by my father to get to the Great Hall, I would never have been able to catch a glimpse of them.

As we were resting in our room, my Beta Kylon and I, my father mind-linked me, even pressing his Alpha command through his demand, which was not one of his habits. We almost ran out in shorts and shirtless, but with some sanity display from my Beta, we did not.

Getting into the room was no problem at all, the access to the hall seemed deserted, and even those who were supposed to guard the door to ensure security were all missing. As we pushed the door, silence hit us, with whispers floating in the air, oppressing, talking about fated mates, and hopes.

I scanned the room hurriedly until my father urged us to one of the balconies. We obliged and all we could catch of the spectacle was the exit of the twins. As they stood, leaning onto each other, a frantic man tried to grab the smaller woman which ripped a growl from me. Luckily, I managed to keep it under control and very low, coughing to mask it up. I saw the ears of the taller one perked up, and I frowned, but she didn't turn around. She went on with escorting her sister in a tight embrace, and weirdly enough, as soon as I landed my eyes on her small frame, I couldn’t look away from her, trying to catch a glimpse of her face. I could swear she looked over the shoulder of her sister and looked straight in my direction. Our eyes locked for not more than 2 seconds, and it sufficed to turn my mind upside down.

Kylon snapped me out of it, with a vigorous push on the shoulder. “You okay?” he asked, looking towards the closed door and at me again. I reluctantly turned from the closed door, cleared my throat, and adjusted my shirt as if nothing happened and brushed him off, going straight to my father who was waiting with other Elders.

“There you are, son.”

Before I could open my mouth and ask what happened, an ecstatic man entered the room, running his loud mouth without resting, his arms gesticulating along with his nonsense. Once he was aware of his surroundings, very late off the mark as a wolf, if you asked me, since I would've had many occasions to snap his neck, the babbling idiot looked at me, from head to toe, with an arrogant expression. Once again, I wanted to tear off his ugly face.

“Who the hell let you in, why did you leave your position?” He definitely had a death wish.

I scoffed and covered in one stride the distance between us, dominating him.

“Could ask you the same. As far as I know, you’re no Elders or own your chair at the Packs Council, so if you could please shut it while I’m being polite.” Usually, I would’ve handled the matter with indifference, not taking his ignorance at heart, but the only sight of him made my blood boil. My eyes turned black, and I could feel my wolf push through to take over.

‘He is nothing, I want him dead.’ Growled Jarek in my head. He’d never been that hostile towards a trivial individual.

I felt two pairs of hands grabbing each one of my arms restraining me. My father and Kylon noticed Jarek was going havoc behind my control. My father was also trying to impose his aura on me, which didn't work, as it hadn't for years, but it was worth a try. Elder Cravyn came in between us, shielding the coward who had backed up and almost fallen directly on the ground but was lucky enough that his soon-to-be sorry a** found an armchair to fall on.

“Both your presences are justified and neither of you holds the power here, so at once, Alpha Evander, control your heir.” Let out Elder Kodard, annoyed.

‘Kill him too.’ Jarek growled, seething, almost snapping at the lead Elder.

I couldn’t understand why Jarek was suddenly hungry for blood, him who was so composed and dignified usually. He wasn’t one to kill mercilessly, always thinking of the benefit for our kind first. I backed a few steps, savoring the relief in the eyes of Elder Cravyn before he turned around to check on the hiding scaredy cat. I glanced quickly at Kylon to prove that I managed to keep Jarek in check, and he nodded. My father sighed and took a seat near Elder Kodard who gestured for me to take one too.

“Now now, Elder Cravyn’s nephew is only overjoyed with the fact that he found his fated mate, even before she even shifted.” He explained as if it happened every day. I hold my breath, brushing away the pain twisting my gut.

“And she’s a national treasure. The prettiest at that.” The idiot got back to his senses and chimed in, with a tone of possessiveness that irritated me.

“Please, as happy as I am with what is happening, don’t insult her twin.”

“Don’t take what my nephew says at heart, Alpha Cadel, he is over the moon with the gift of the Moon Goddess. And you should be too.” I bowed my head at the renowned Alpha Cadel, ignoring Elder Cravyn. He answered back, taking a seat next to me.

“I am, don’t get me wrong. But I have two dear daughters, and still have one entering the Claiming.”

“And you should consider it an honor. As she should.” Alpha Cadel only nodded, his expression closed and unreadable.

I frowned. The possibility that one of his daughters was exempted should’ve at least enlightened his complexion a bit, even if the other one was to be claimed in the coming days. Good wolves were entering the Claiming, I thought, looking at Kylon.

‘Something is wrong with the whole thing.’ Jarek was pacing in the back of my mind.

‘What do you mean?’ I couldn’t help but feel confused with what was happening. Why would I care so much about Alpha Cadel offspring if she was already destined to be with the moron who was rambling on again?

“How are your daughters feeling?” I couldn’t help but ask, genuinely concerned, which seemed to surprise the whole room.

“Malia is taking care of her sister. She was overwhelmed with the whole deal.” The smile he gave me was hiding something, confirming my feelings and Jarek's thoughts, but Elders noticed nothing.

“Being related to the Elders is a great honor and mated to my bloodline too. Of course, she must think she is dreaming.” Bragged the old man’s nephew.

“Of course, she is, Beta Doyle.”

So, they were fated mates. There was some kind of logic, considering the girl’s parents were the last fated mates recorded for years. But without having shifted and connected fully with her wolf and still being able to feel her mate was exceptional.

‘We should keep an eye on her.’ His concern for a female was new to me.

And I couldn’t help but agree. But why was I feeling this way if she was promised to someone else?