Promised To The Alpha Twins
Chapter 60

I stood in front of Aly’s house the next day, my stomach tied in knots with nerves. Although it seemed like she had forgiven me, I knew that a rift had formed between us. I understood that my reasons for leaving were justifiable, but I couldn’t erase the pain I caused in my absence. Just as I had the right to leave, she had the right to be upset. Crawling into bed with Liam and Ethan last night, both promised to support me, regardless of what I told Aly.

After asking for my permission, Liam and Ethan entrusted the information to their Betas and asked if they could dig up any information about the white wolves. That’s where Liam and Ethan were that day, helping their Betas learn more about me and what I might be capable of.

We all knew that telling Aly the whole truth was risky, but I wanted to trust her. I wanted to make an extra effort for her. As I waited for Aly to reach the door, every passing second made the knot in my stomach grow tighter. I gritted my teeth and stayed put, resisting the cowardly urge to run away. I wouldn’t run, not anymore. I reminded myself that this world wasn’t new; it had been here all along, hidden right under my nose. Despite my feelings of cowardice, I knew I belonged here. I could feel my heart singing in this pack, how comfortable I felt in this town and with these people. Someday, I reminded myself, these people would be mine.

Aly opened the front door with an ironic smile, surprise shining in her eyes. Instead of seeking her emotions, I let them wash over me. Surprise, suspicion, and a sweet hint of happiness. It was getting easier for me to feel the emotions of others now that I had learned not to force my ability.

“Come in,” Aly murmured, holding the door open for me. “Do you want something to drink? Mom made some sweet tea.”

“Sure,” I nodded, following her to the kitchen. I stayed in comfortable silence as Aly approached the fridge and took out a large pitcher of tea. Her hair was tied up in a bun on her head, a few orange strands falling across her forehead.

We both walked to her bedroom, and I plopped down on the edge of her bed, where I had sat once before.

“Alright, spill,” Aly pursed her lips. “What happened when you left? You said you almost got caught. Why?”

I took a long sip of the sweet tea she had given me, letting it flow down my throat as I thought about the words I was going to say. Now that I was there, the words lodged in my throat. Aly’s caution was like a knife cutting through my insides. Burning guilt filled my veins, but I knew I deserved her reaction.

“I’ll start from the moment I left. I managed to reach a small place and actually got a job at a local bakery. I loved working there. One night, I was walking back to the house I rented, and three men attacked me. They smelled… different. Liam and Ethan said they were werewolves, like us. I think Gea, my wolf, knew that Liam and Ethan were nearby. So, we shifted. It hurt like hell too,” I grimaced, bracing myself for Aly’s inevitable reaction. “I managed to get away from the men and ran, but not before they saw that I was a white wolf. I ended up at this woman’s house. She… she helped me realize some things, that I was wrong to leave. She was a white wolf too, the last one until I came along. Liam and Ethan showed up a little later. They followed my scent until they found me. They told the truth, you know, about not forcing me to come back. They asked me what I wanted, and I decided to stay with them.”

Me shifted uncomfortably as Aly fell silent. I ran my fingers along the edges of the glass, feeling the condensation dampen my fingers. Unable to bear the silence any longer, I let Aly’s emotions invade me. The caution had faded, as had the initial anger over my departure. Raw surprise took over me, sour and crisp like a lemon.

“Are you a white wolf?” Aly nodded, though I felt like she was telling herself the words. “Um, are you sure?”

“I’m pretty sure,” I laughed, a hand over my mouth as I read acceptance in her eyes.

“And you’re trusting me with this. I mean, I guess Liam and Ethan told you what a white wolf is, and you know what could happen if anyone else finds out,” Aly murmured, fixing me with an intense look.

“They told me, but I trust you,” I nodded, looking her straight in the eyes without blinking. “I think they trust you too. They told me to do what I thought was right, so I did.”

“You know I wouldn’t tell anyone, right?” Aly responded, and I couldn’t help the smile that formed on my face.

The longer I spent in this pack, the more I realized the mistake I had made. While I couldn’t change the past, I believed that running away gave me perspective on some things. Now I trusted Liam and Ethan, despite the rocky start we all had. I also trusted Aly, and I knew we would be friends for a long time.

“I know you wouldn’t,” I smiled gently. “I wouldn’t have told you if I thought otherwise.”

“So, you really came back,” Aly exhaled, and a deafening smile formed on her face. “I was going to ask, but I guess it’s kind of obvious. You know that Liam and Ethan are your mates.”

“Yes, I figured that part out,” I chuckled, hesitating as a little jolt of emotion danced through me.

I missed them, I realized. Even though they were with their Betas right now and would pick me up later, I missed them both. It seemed that no matter how much time I spent with them, it was never enough. Every minute in their presence only amplified what I felt for them, emotions I had never felt for anyone else.

“Did you let them mark you?” Aly spoke softly, her eyes wide as they roamed over my face and neck. “I mean, I’m not sure how it would work, having two mates and all. You might end up with two marks, who knows?”

“Wait,” I furrowed my brow. “Mark me?”

“They never mentioned it, did they?” Aly teased. A few strands of hair slipped out of her bun as she shook her head. “Probably didn’t want to pressure you into anything, especially after all that happened.”

“Would you mind explaining?” I joked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m only explaining this because the expression on your face is worrying me,” Aly laughed. “I’d hate to scare you off again. Goddess knows you don’t listen.”

“Well, basically, Liam and Ethan would bite you. Right here,” Aly pointed to the spot where my shoulder and neck met. A strange sensation danced through me, sending tiny tingles all the way to the tips of my toes. “I’m not sure how it would work with two mates, but that’s the gist of it. Mom said it hurts a lot, but it’s worth it in the end. The wound heals and leaves a really pretty mark, totally unique to the pair. It basically tells unmatched wolves to back off.”

“I’d have to mark them too?” I asked, sounding unsure. “How could I do that? I’m not sure how I changed in the first place, and I can’t imagine biting Liam and Ethan in my wolf form. My mouth would fit around their whole neck.”

“You don’t have to be in wolf form to do it,” Aly shook her head.

I watched in awe as Aly smiled at me. I was left gaping as her teeth lengthened, her canines turning into those of a wolf. It looked funny, those big teeth in her small mouth. Her elongated canines shrank back to normal as she smiled.

“How can I do that?” I asked, somewhat excited. While I knew nothing about werewolf customs, I realized that the whole marking business was a big deal.

Although Gea certainly encouraged me to mark Liam and Ethan, I found myself hesitating. It was another step in our strange relationship. I couldn’t deny how appealing it sounded for everyone to know that Liam and Ethan were mine, and vice versa. Still, I wanted to be sure before jumping into anything. I wasn’t even sure if we had an official relationship, though I had a feeling that being mates surpassed a normal boyfriend and girlfriend agreement.

“Then comes the fun part,” Aly laughed. “Usually, after marking each other, you complete the mating process. That part should be interesting for you, having two mates and all.”

“Completing the mating process?” I furrowed my brow, suspicious as thick amusement flooded Aly. “I have a strange feeling it’s not going to be pleasant.”

“It’s not going to be pleasant, ha!” Aly snorted. “Oh, it’ll be pleasant, that’s for sure.”

“I’m not getting it,” I sighed.

“Never?” Aly nodded to herself, smiling as an irritated look settled on my face. “Completing the mating process solidifies the bond between mates. First, you mark each other, then you sleep together.”

“Sleep together,” I repeated, swallowing hard as I realized what she meant.