Their forbidden mate

Lily's Pov

I clutched the keychain tightly in my hand, running my fingers over the worn metal links. The simple gesture was so familiar, yet it transported me back to that day years ago when the twin brothers had given this to me. So much had changed since then, but this keychain remained my constant connection to them.

My thumb traced over the initials they had engraved - R and D. I could still picture their faces so vividly in my mind’s eye, those mischievous grins, the way their eyes had shone when they looked at me. A shiver ran through me at the memory of when they marked me as theirs. The sensation of their fingers brushing my skin had been electric.

Now at eighteen, I was unmated and hadn’t seen Ryan or Dylan since that fateful day. An aching emptiness settled into my chest. I tried not to dwell on it, but a part of me craved to see them again desperately. To discover what they looked like as men, if the bond I felt towards them still remained.

Changes were coming, I could sense it like the calm before a storm. Maybe, just maybe, this storm held the chance for our paths to finally cross again. The thought sparked a nervous flutter of anticipation within me. Would they even recognize me? What would I say?

Unbidden, images of how I imagined them now filled my mind. I could picture Ryan’s roguish grin, Dylan’s intense eyes that seemed to see straight through to my soul. A flush heated my cheeks. After all this time, they still had such power over me, and we hadn’t even been reunited yet.

The keychain felt reassuringly familiar in my palm as I twisted it between my fingers. Had Ryan and Dylan found their mates in all these years apart? The thought made me pause, but I quickly shook my head. No, if either of them had taken a mate, it would have been huge news in the werewolf community. Since I hadn’t heard a whisper of it, a tiny spark of hope flickered to life inside me. They were still unmated...just like me.

A small smile curved my lips at the possibility. What if, after all this time, I was destined to be their mate when we finally reunited? It would explain why I never felt that undeniable pull towards anyone else despite being surrounded by eligible wolves.

My free hand drifted up to trace along the slender column of my neck. I could vaguely remember the tingle of Ryan and Dylan marking me that day, binding us together through an unbreakable link. Though the visible mark had long since faded, I liked to think some deeper connection still persisted between us.

Maybe that’s why fate hadn’t brought my mate into my life yet - because Ryan and Dylan were already my mates, my path inextricably linked to theirs from that moment we met as children. If I could just see them again, surely that spark would reignite, and our bond would take hold fully this time.

My heart fluttered with nervous longing at the thought of finally having Ryan and Dylan back, of having them claiming me properly as their mate.

I clutched the keychain tightly as Mom entered my room, her expression grave. “There’s an emergency pack meeting being called at Bloodmoon territory because of the dark witches’ plot. This is urgent.”

My stomach twisted anxiously. The dark witches were a very real threat. My mom being an oracle was able to see the dark witches plotting to cause chaos. Chaos, Luna Freya and Alpha Dominic along with my parents and others were able to make years ago.

Before I could respond, Mom added sternly, “We need you to stay here.”

“What?” I stood up flabbergasted. She couldn’t be serious. “I’m going to that meeting.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Absolutely not. It could be dangerous.”

“Why?” I challenged, feeling my anger rise. “I’m not a child. I know how to handle myself against the dark witches.”

Mom exhaled sharply. “You know exactly why, Lily. Don’t ask ridiculous questions.”

The words hung heavy in the air - she was referring to the incident with Ryan and Dylan marking me all those years ago. Heat flooded my cheeks at the reminder.

“That was almost a century ago!” I argued, embarrassment spiking through me. “I am now considered an adult, old enough to know right from wrong about getting involved in pack conflicts.”

Mom scoffed loudly at my protests. “Lily, you know full well that ever since the twin marked you, you ended up in a coma for a year! Your abilities have been dormant ever since that catastrophe. You haven't even shifted.”

She fixed me with a hard stare. “I will not have those unmated men anywhere near my unmated daughter who caused such chaos all those years ago.”

Anger flared within me. “But it happened to me! Don’t you think I know better than anyone how it feels?”

Desperation crept into my voice. What if my destined mates were at this Bloodmoon Pack gathering?

“What if my mate is there too? Are you just going to keep me locked up here until I die, punishing me forever for one little mistake as a child?”

Mom’s expression didn’t soften. “Your mate is not at Bloodmoon. We made all the eligible unmated males come forward for the mating run recently. There’s no need for you to attend.”

I clenched my fists, the keychain biting into my palm. So that was her solution? Parading unmated wolves in front of me in some antiquated mating ritual instead of letting fate take its course? After all this time, she still saw me as that fragile girl permanently scarred by the twins instead of a grown woman capable of making her own choices.

Before I could protest further, Alpha Lucas, my father entered, siding with Mom. “Your mother is right, Lily. It’s too dangerous for you at the Bloodmoon pack.”

I whirled on him, feeling my temper flare. “And what gives mom the right to go when she’s pregnant?” I questioned.

Dad wrapped an arm around Mom’s waist, kissing her head with clear adoration, I always admired their bond, I longed to have a mate just like my mom did with my mom and all my friends. It's weird to think my father was ever evil in the past as they say.

“Because your mother is the one who has seen the dark witches plotting. That experience alone grants her the right to be present.”

Mom gave a somber nod. “Plus, for reasons unbeknownst to me, I’ve been completely unable to see anything about your future. It’s very discouraging.”

Her eyes clouded with a fear I hadn’t seen before. “I used to have visions so clearly, but ever since...ever since the twins marked you, my sight about your path has been blocked."

The reminder about Ryan and Dylan hit me like a lead weight in the pit of my stomach. Of course, I would forever be tied to that fateful day that changed everything.

Mom continued quietly, “Not being able to see what lies ahead for you is terrifying, Lily. I can’t let anything like that happen again.”

Mom’s expression grew somber as she added, “It’s just so strange how you, Ryan, and Dylan have all remained unmated after all these years. I can’t help but feel that fateful mistake from the past is still plaguing your futures in ways we don’t fully comprehend.”

She shook her head adamantly. “It clearly shows you shouldn’t go near those boys again. Who knows what other consequences could arise?”

Desperation rose within me at her words. What if reconnecting with Ryan and Dylan at the source held the key to unlocking my visions again?

“Mom, what if I need to go back to where everything started in order for me to regain my abilities as a seer?” I proposed carefully. “I’m eighteen now, a responsible adult wolf. I can go with you both and stay under your watchful eyes if needed.”

“If the twins truly aren’t my mates, then I won’t jeopardize my future with whomever is meant for me. As you can see, I was in a coma for a month, I'm not fund of getting back into that situation plus I'm not going to stay forever? Also, how will I learn experience if I am to take over this pack one day in the future? I have to try something...”

Mom’s rigid stance seemed to soften somewhat as I reached out to her. For a long moment, she was contemplative, wavering.

Finally, I added the push I hoped would sway her. “Maybe facing the source is exactly what we need to see again.”

Mom let out a heavy sigh, clearly weighing her options. After what felt like an eternity, she met my gaze firmly. “Fine. You can come with us to the Bloodmoon pack meeting. But you have to keep your word - we will be watching you and those twin boys like hawks. Do not let us down, Lily.”

Relief and satisfaction washed over me. I had gotten through to them. “I won’t disappoint you, I promise,” I assured them both solemnly.

Mom gave a curt nod. “Good. Now go pack your things quickly. We depart for Bloodmoon territory tonight.”

I nodded my head in understanding as they turned and left my room. As soon as they were gone, I hurried over to my wardrobe and began gathering supplies with nervous energy thrumming through me.

Part of me was anxious about-facing Ryan and Dylan again after all this time, about confronting the source of that life-altering incident head-on. But a larger part of me couldn’t deny the thread of hope and longing that had taken root.

What if they were truly meant to be my mates? What if this reunion was fated, the cosmic forces finally aligning to right the wrong of a century ago? I tried to tamp down the rising flutter in my chest at the thought of seeing them again as men instead of mischievous young boys.

Shaking my head, I focused on packing efficiently. I had given my parents my word, and I intended to keep it. Disappointing them was not an option. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder what revelations awaited when the three of us were together again after so long apart.