Page 39 of Alpha's Twins
“W-why?” I stammer, feeling stupid for even asking.
Malik tips his head to the side, assessing me. “Look at the forest,” he says, and then glances at my stomach, making my nausea lurch. “You carry life everywhere you go. It’s perfect for my needs.”
The panic tightens, sharper than ever, and I instinctively wrap my arms around my stomach. “You’re not taking anything from me,” I say, my voice trying to sound brave, but coming out as a whisper.
Malik laughs, the sound utterly humorless as his gaze flickers to mine. “Oh, I’m going to take everything.”
His words are a knife, cutting through the last of my bravery, and I know I have to get out of here. I see him move, a blur of speed and malice, and I break into a run, the path a wild blur beneath my feet, my breathing coming in panicked gasps. I hear him behind me, closer, and the fear is so overwhelming it feels like I’m drowning in it.
“Aiden,” I scream, the name tearing from my throat as Malik lunges for me.
Chapter 20 - Aiden
The blood rushes in my head, creating a noise so loud that I can barely think as I rush around the house, checking every room before accepting she’s not here.
Where is she?
Where the hell is she?
The questions pound through me, a relentless rhythm of fear and desperation. I check the driveway, the garage, anywhere, everywhere, but she’s gone. I push back into the house, my breaths coming in ragged gasps, and I feel the raw edge of panic clawing at me. What if she’s collapsed? What if she’s hurt? What if she’s trying to run away?
“Fuck.” The word tears from my throat as I grab my phone, my hands shaking. I call her for the millionth time, but it goes straight to voicemail again, and the sound of her recorded voice is like a punch to the gut.
I sink to the floor, my back against the wall, and the world tilts around me. I can’t lose her. I can’t lose her. The words loop around in my mind, and I feel something shift, something inside me that I can’t explain, but my wolf feels acutely. It’s a strange awareness, a pull, a tether that wasn’t there before. It feels like a strange warmth, a flicker of hope, and I slowly realize that I’m feeling Serena.
I can feel how scared she is.
A new kind of panic grips me, urgent and raw, and I dial Callum’s number, my fingers desperate on the screen. He answers on the third ring, his voice sharp with concern.
“She’s gone,” I say, the words tumbling out before he even speaks, frantic and broken. “I can’t find her. I think she’s leaving me, but she’s in danger.”
“Aiden?” Callum’s voice is confused. “Calm down. Let’s get Tristen on the line, too. Who’s gone?”
I hear the line connecting to Tristen, he answers quickly, and Callum cuts in immediately telling him to listen.
“Serena.” Her name tumbles from my mouth. “I left her at the clinic, and now she’s gone.”
There’s a pause, and I hear Tristen’s voice in the background, low and urgent as he tries to catch up. “What happened?” Callum asks. “Where are you?”
“At the house,” I say, barely able to get the words out. “I think she’s running. I need—”
“Did something happen between you?” Tristen’s voice is clearer now, and both of them are listening intently.
“Yes,” I admit, the truth bitter and burning. “I fucked up. She told me she’s pregnant.”
There’s a pause, and I hear them share a quick exchange, their voices too low to catch. “Aiden,” Callum says, his tone careful. “You need to slow down and think. Are you sure she’s running? Are you sure she’s in danger?”
“I can feel it,” I say, the words a rush of pure desperation.
“Shit,” I hear Tristen say in the background. “Is she okay?”
“That’s the thing,” I say, feeling the growing warmth, the strange connection. “I don’t know how, but I can feel her. She’s scared.” My voice breaks, the fear too much to contain. “I can feel how scared she is.”
There’s a pause, and I hear Callum and Tristen exchange a mental look. I can’t see their faces, but I know it all too well.
“You’re feeling the mate bond,” Callum says, his voice steady, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
I freeze, the words hitting me like a slap. I never considered that the mate bond would feel like this. So strong and direct. “Is it because her magic was suppressed? Does that mean I can sense her wolf more, or is it because of the twins?” I ramble until I hear my brother’s collective gasps.
