Seven

My twin Xander and I turned eighteen a couple of months ago and were tremendously excited at the prospect of finding our fated mates. We desperately wanted a pairing as strong and loving as our parents. Our mother, Ashley, was the fiercest Luna of any wolf pack in existence and ruled with undeniable strength, love and compassion beside our fathers, Kane, Rayne and Zac. The three of them were unmatched Alphas who we looked up to and would one day take over from. It was as daunting an idea as it was thrilling. Our pack, Bloodmoon, was an amalgamation of three packs that had steadily grown under their guidance. My brother and I were genuinely shocked when we hadn’t found our mates within our pack, given its size and territory. Our mother had ensured us that they were out there waiting to be found, and we believed her. Like our fathers, Rayne and Kane, we were an anomaly being twins. Hell, our whole pack hierarchy was, if I was being honest. Bloodmoon was the only pack to have three Alphas and twins destined to take over from them.

Today Xavier and I were eagerly preparing for tonight’s annual Bloodmoon Ball, hopeful that our mates would be in attendance from another pack. “Looking good, bro,” Xander grinned at me from the opposite side of the room. “You’re only saying that because I am the spitting image of you”, I replied with a laugh. He had always liked to make jokes like that because we were identical twins. The only people able to tell us apart were our parents, which was annoying because we had different personalities. Xander was light-hearted, while I was a bit more serious and brooding. It drove me nuts that even after eighteen years, the she-wolves of our pack hadn’t bothered to look past our good looks to try and get to know us better to sufficiently distinguish who they were spending time with. I gave up caring a long time ago and hardly corrected them now when they moaned my brother’s name instead of mine. I guess it didn’t help that we were covered in identical tattoos, something our parents found amusing.

“Ready for the ball?” Xander earnestly asks, pulling me out of my musings. “As ready as I will ever be”, I reply with a groan. Balls were not my thing; I’d prefer to be patrolling our borders. Especially since we had heard whispers of shifters going missing recently from other territories, reports of bright lights and them vanishing into thin air with no trace of them nor their scents left behind. It had put us all on edge and our pack on high alert. Bloodmoon had had to up our security so that the ball could go ahead as planned. We had to ensure the safety of every shifter in attendance while still affording them the chance to find their fated mate without any unease or hysteria. Our security was legendary, so I knew they would be safe.

Xander and I made last-minute adjustments to our silver tuxedos before making our way to the packhouse office, where our parents were going over last-minute security details. As soon as we enter the den, our mother looks up from where she is sitting in our father Zac’s lap behind a large mahogany desk. “Tonight’s the night, my handsome boys. I am certain your mates will be at the ball. Are you excited” she eagerly questions, a broad smile lighting up her beautiful face. Shifters were not immortal but were slow aging. Our mother was nearly forty but didn’t look a day over 20. “Nervous”, Xander and I say in unison. We had both dreamed about who our mates would be and what they would be like since we were children. We wanted what our parents had, and being Alphas, we knew that the Moon Goddess would have chosen mates to complement our strengths and weaknesses.

“Don’t be nervous, boys. You know the rocky start we had with your mother and how well that turned out,” our father Kane says with a wink to our mother who playfully swats him on the arm as she walks towards us. “You two have nothing to worry about, my darlings, apart from being on time. Come on. It is time to go,” she continues as she reaches for the door handle, indicating for us to follow her.

This year’s Bloodmoon ball was one of the largest in shifter history, with more than a dozen packs in attendance. It was a great way to meet fated mates, but it also strengthened pack alliances and allowed leaders to share valuable information to ensure each other’s continued prosperity and security. In companionable silence, the six of us made our way out of the packhouse and headed straight for the raised platform to greet our guests and welcome them to the ball. Once there, Xander and I took seats beside our mother as our father Rayne used his Alpha voice to get the attention of those in attendance. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We would love to welcome you to this year’s annual Bloodmoon ball. As you know, our sons, Xander and Xavier, have recently turned eighteen and are yet to find their fated mates and, as such, are looking forward to tonight as eagerly as you are. We had hoped they would have discovered their Lunas by now so that we may retire and leave the pack in their capable hands, so here’s hoping the Moon Goddess blesses them tonight,” he booms, his voice carrying crystal clear, far and wide, the crowd cheering eagerly. Our other father, Kane, speaks next once the party-goers quiet down. “Thank you all for coming. We hope you enjoy the evening and look forward to catching up with as many of you as we can,” he states before motioning to the band to start playing.

Tonight was a special night. Not only was it a full moon, but it was also a blood moon, often referred to as hunter’s moon. My wolf, Zef, was itching to go for a run. “Not yet, buddy”, I consoled him. “We have to mingle for a while. Aren’t you excited that we might find our mate tonight”. That statement had him howling in agreement, pacing my mind back and forth in joyful anticipation. “Come on, buddy, let’s go and find her”.

Xander and I spend the first hour of the ball mingling with the guests and walking through the crowd with bated breath, searching for the tell-tale signs that our mates may be among them. “Anything yet, boys”, our father Zac’s voice comes through the mind link. “Nothing yet, Dad”, I reply promptly with a chuckle. Our parents were so excited for us to settle down and to meet our mates. I punch Xander lightly in the arm when I notice the crease in his brows, lost in thought. “Don’t worry, bro, I have a good feeling about tonight. I am sure they are here, and if not, we will speak to the Alphas of other neighbouring packs not in attendance tonight and arrange to visit when convenient to see if we can find them.” I say with a bright smile, trying to console him. My brother and I were eager to settle down and start our reign over Bloodmoon, but we agreed the time wasn’t right. Once we had found our mates, we felt that all the jigsaw pieces would automatically fall into place. “I’m fine, Xavier. My wolf, Zane, is acting up, though. He keeps insisting that we leave the ball and head into the woods. I keep telling him that we have a duty to those in attendance to stay present and mingle with the visiting packs, but he is starting to howl and be a menace,” Xander replies with an irritated huff, clearly annoyed with his inner wolf. “The night is still young, tell him he can go for a run with Zef later tonight, it is a special night after all being a hunters moon” I replied reassuringly.

Xander and I spend the next few hours dancing with eligible she-wolves, disappointment sinking in with every minute passing. Our mother’s voice filters into our heads via mind link. “Boys, can you please return to the packhouse. There are late arrivals who have travelled far to be here tonight that need to be welcomed”. “Sure. What pack?” I ask, naturally wondering who the latecomers were. “The Mystic Pack”, she replied, “Thanks, boys”. “The Mystic Pack?” Xander echoed our mother’s words with a frown on his face. “I honestly don’t know much about them apart from the fact that they are a small pack from the north run by a lone Alpha and his daughter”, I supplied when I saw my brother trying to place the pack name. “Excuse us, ladies,” I say politely to the she-wolves we were currently engaged in conversation with. “Duty calls”. “Come on, Xander, let’s get this over and done with. The ball will be winding down in a few hours, and I want to go for a run soon,” I said as we made our way through the crowd and back towards the packhouse where our guests were waiting for us.

The closer we got to the house, the more Zef started to whine in my head. “Settle down, boy, you are starting to give me a headache,” I said with a slight growl. “Don’t you smell that, Xavier?” he growled back. His words had me stopping in my tracks and inhaling, which my twin mimicked. “I think our mates are here. Zane is going insane, insisting that we have found our fated mate,” Xander says enthusiastically, breaking into a jog. “Wait up”, I call out as he takes off towards the back door of the packhouse. Within seconds we enter the foyer and are greeted by the Alpha of the Mystic Pack, Alpha Bryant. The scent in the room is so intoxicating that I almost forget my manners in search of the source. “Pleased to meet you, Alpha Bryant, my name is Xavier, and this is my twin Xander. I hope your journey to our territory was a pleasant one,” I say as I take his hand in greeting and shake it heartily. “Ah, so you are the twins that the she-wolves of Mystic Pack have been giggling about all day. Pleased to meet you too. May I introduce you to my daughter and Beta, Meera” he replies politely with a smile. The moment the she-wolf steps out from behind her father, all-time stands still, my heart rate increases so fast that I think I am having a heart attack. The pleasant smile on her face swiftly morphs into a frown. Her outstretched hand falls to her side as her beautiful blue eyes dart between Xander and me. “Mate”, she whispers tenderly, the words leaving her lush, full lips like a question. “We have one, mate?” Xavier says wistfully via mind link. Like me, he is too enthralled with the she-wolf in front of us to fully comprehend what is going on.

Alpha Bryant pulls us out of our musings. “Looks like you boys will have your hands full, ” he chuckles, breaking Meera out of her funk. “Two mates?” she says breathlessly, peering up at her father quizzically. “It looks like it, sweetheart. From what I have heard, these boys are formidable warriors who are loved and respected by their pack. I am happy for you,” he says, giving his daughter a one-armed hug before releasing her.

I take a few seconds to compose myself and properly appreciate the woman standing before us. Meera is wearing leather pants, a leather crop top, and a bow and quills strapped to her back. It is obvious she is a fierce Beta. I am curious, though, why she isn’t dressed in a fine ballgown like the other unmated she-wolves in attendance. Did she not attend with the intention of finding her fated mate? Another thing that strikes me is her undeniable natural beauty. She is 5′5 at best with an athletic figure and fire red hair that cascades down her back in soft curls. To put it simply, Meera is stunning.

“Where are our manners,” Xander says from beside me, “Let us lead you to the ball and make some introductions”. Xander hesitantly puts his hand out to Meera, an audible sigh leaving his lips when she takes it. I scold myself. Why didn’t I think of that? “Don’t be shy, bro, take her other hand. She is our mate after all. It feels so right. Zane is almost purring with content?” Xander says via mind link. My palms are sweaty, so I quickly wipe them on my pants. There is no way I want to stuff up Meera’s first impressions of me. “Don’t overthink it” Xander laughs. Ok, I can do this, I say to myself, trying to muster up the necessary courage. I feel like a tween with his first crush again. This is far more important, though. This is my mate. I take a deep breath and grab Meera’s other hand as we make our way out the back towards the rest of the guests.

An amused chuckle sounds from behind us. I turn my head slightly and see Alpha Bryant laughing indulgently to himself. Fucker thought it was funny that we were being so delicate with his daughter, I thought with a snort, instantly liking my soon-to-be father-in-law. Walking towards the crowd, I catch Meera glancing approvingly between Xander and me, a small smile on her stunning face. I sincerely hoped that we lived up to her expectations of a mate. I know she far exceeded mine. It was so adorable that she was so tiny compared to our 6′4 frames but still so fierce in how she carried herself. Meera’s title of Beta of the Mystic Pack made my heart soar; our mother had fought extremely hard to earn that title in our pack before she met our fathers and became the Luna. I couldn’t wait to introduce Meera to our family and pack and show her off.

“We found our mate”, I proudly state via mind link to our parents, unable to contain my excitement. “Wonderful news boys, hang on a minute, I am coming to find you”, our mother replied quickly, her excitement evident. “Congrats, boys”, our fathers Rayne and Kane said in unison. Like us, they often said the same thing at the same time. “Woohoo”, our father Zac whooped via mind link, his enthusiasm infectious. I couldn’t help but gently squeeze Merra’s small hand slightly, making her gasp, the sound going straight to my cock. My brother’s breathy groan told me he was just as affected by the sound as I was.

It doesn’t take long before the crowd is parting in front of us, and our parents beaming faces come into view. My mother intentionally ignores us and goes straight for Meera, gently tugging her from our grasp and engulfing her in a bear hug. “Welcome to the family, sweet girl,” she says, happy tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry about that. Please let me introduce ourselves,” my father Zac says with a hearty laugh at our mother’s actions. “I am Alpha Zac. This is my mate Luna Ashley and her other two mates, Alpha Rayne and Alpha Kane”. Alpha Bryant happily shook their hands, engaging them in small talk.

The eutrophic feeling of finding our mate was surreal; Zef was pacing in my mind urging me to hurry up and mate with her so that she would wear our mark. He wanted to ensure that other males knew that she belonged to us. With us. “All in good time, Zef” I laughed in exasperation at his impatience. Xavier grabbed Meera’s hand once more. “Would you like to go for a run with Xander and me? Our wolves have been pleading with us all night, and I would like to get to know you more”, he asked with a hopeful voice. “Sure”, she replied, the corners of her mouth curling into a shy smile, “I could use a stretch after being couped up in the car all day”. After excusing ourselves, we made our way to the forest that bordered the packhouse. I was more than eager to see what she looked like in wolf form, so was Zef, who was currently howling in anticipation. “Calm down, boy”, I scolded him lightly.

Once we were a suitable distance from the party, Xander and I turned around to allow Meera to undress in privacy while she shifted into her wolf form. Nobody liked to shred their clothes if they could help it. A playful yip let us know that she had finished transforming. Inhaling deeply to memorise her scent, we turned around, instantly struck by the stunning wolf. Meera was a deep chocolate colour with red highlights, her green eyes contrasting beautifully. “She is stunning,” Xander said breathlessly via mind link. I didn’t bother replying. Instead, I quickly shucked my tuxedo and shifted into my wolf form. Xander and I were both deep brown coloured wolves with brown eyes. I could tell by how Meera was looking at us that she approved.

The three of us spent the next hour letting our wolves get to know one another, play fighting and pouncing on each other. “I can’t wait to mate with Meera,” I said via mind like to my brother. “Neither can I”, he replied with a chuckle. “Not like that. I mean, yeah, I want to mate with her for obvious reasons, but it would be so much better if we could communicate with her in our wolf forms”, I hastily reply. “I agree. Let’s run for another half hour and then head back to the packhouse and see where things go with out mate”, he replies, tackling Meera to the ground to lick her muzzle.

Fifteen minutes later, we were still happily chasing each other in the forest, enjoying the full moon and each other’s company. Meera was running ahead of us, her wolf exploring the forest and new territory, when suddenly a bright light lit the forest before us. Momentarily blinding my brother and me. The eerie light was gone as quick as it had appeared. Xander and I instantly shifted back to our human forms, “Meera”, Xander frantically shouted when we couldn’t locate her. “Meera is gone. We need a search party now”, I bellowed via mind link to my parents, my panic rising as the seconds ticked by and we were unable to find our mate. Sheer terror consumed me; her scent could only be detected where we last saw her and then vanished into thin air.