Page 12 of Alpha's Twins
I see Aiden roll his eyes, and for a minute, I think he’s going to snap. Instead, he runs his hand through his hair in frustration and listens as Callum and Tristan go back and forth about the fires and whether there are any suspects other than Malik.
"All I know," Aiden finally cuts in, "is that if it is him, he’s testing us. And we’re just chasing our tails waiting for him to strike again."
Tristen sighs. “The witches have developed stronger defenses. If it is Malik, he’s fighting alone now, and we’ll finishhim. But we don’t know it is him. Could be anyone just causing trouble. It’s only a few fires.”
The conversation rumbles on, but I can tell Aiden’s not happy with his brothers’ take on things. He’s the youngest, and I’m not sure he feels they respect his opinion, which must grate when his pack obviously thinks he’s a great alpha, and he clearly suspects Malik is hiding in the mountains, which scares me senseless. Maybe it’s easier for his brothers to hope these fires are not Malik when they’re not happening on their doorsteps.
I watch Aiden as he turns his back to me and looks out over the back yard and across to the mountains in the distance. His shoulders are tight, and I can feel the tension coming off him in waves. I want to do something to help, to say something that makes him feel better, but I don’t know what. I’m not like him or his brothers or anyone else here. I’m just Serena, stuck somewhere between being a shifter and being completely useless. Ever since the bar last week, I’ve been keeping a low profile. Aiden tried to talk about it, but I just can’t. I’m so mortified.
“Listen, we’ve got to—” Aiden starts, but Callum cuts him off.
“Chill, Aiden. We’re doing all we can.”
“Right,” he says, voice clipped. “Keep me posted.” He taps the phone, ending the call, and stands there staring out at the trees, shivering green in the wind. I see his reflection in the glass, his jaw clenched. Despite his cold stance, I can’t help but notice how handsome he looks. I still feel embarrassingly attracted to him, and it kills me that everyone must know that after my reaction at the bar.
It was only made worse when he pretended to fancy me, too. While I appreciated that he would even attempt to make mefeel better in the moment, lying to my face only made me feel worse in the long run.
He turns, catching me watching him, and I look away, pretending to be interested in the steam rising from my mug.
“Sorry,” he says, crossing the kitchen to sit beside me. “You shouldn’t have to listen to that. I just don’t understand why they can’t see that we need to act now before he escalates.”
“You really think it’s Malik?” I ask.
He looks at me, and the sincerity in his eyes is obvious as he nods. “I do. And I think he’s not as strong as he was.”
“How do you mean?” I ask, confused.
Aiden walks toward me and pushes one of the bar stools back to sit down next to me. I’m not sure he’s aware of how intimidating his size is as his knee brushes mine, causing my body to immediately tense with desire. I try to concentrate as he begins explaining about Malik’s last attack and how Emily’s magic almost destroyed him. He escaped, but they’d hoped he was mortally injured. Emily’s father nearly killed him too instead of allowing him to take over the island because he was in love with Emily’s mother, but he recovered enough to build the army of rogues, and, who's but he recovered enough to build the army of rogues to say he won’t do it again?
“She sounds incredible,” I say, and he nods.
“She really is something. I should get her to visit, she could talk to you about the plants?”
I shake my head, blushing. “Oh no, she sounds like an absolute badass, she won’t want to talk about me making flower decorations.”
I try to laugh his suggestion away, but he looks serious. “What I saw in the bar wasn’t just some pretty flowers—that’sreal power, Serena.” At the mention of the bar, I blush even more, but he continues. “What about your wolf? Is there any difference there?”
I know I have to tell him. He deserved to know before now, but it’s considered so shameful not to be able to shift in our communities. I take a deep breath and try to find the words.
“My wolf is different,” I begin slowly, and he looks up, surprised. “She’s silent. There, but silent. I-I can’t shift. It’s just not the same as it is for others.”
I wait, anticipating the familiar look of disgust entering his features, but instead, he tops up his coffee and nods. “Ava had something similar, Callum’s mate. She actually did shift when her daughter was in danger, but I don’t think she does much.”
He shrugs as he says it, which only makes me more confused. “And Callum doesn’t mind?”
“Of course not. I mean, it would be nice, I guess, if they could go on pack runs together. But it’s not like Emily can go with Tristan, because she’s a witch.” He laughs as if it’s the most obvious thing of all.
I look down at my now-empty drink. “It’s a bit different on the mainland,” I say quietly, and an awkward silence falls between us.
Suddenly, his large hand covers mine, and the shock of the contact makes me look up, his eyes boring into mine. “I always thought Nolan was a bit of an ass.” His tone is so completely deadpan that it makes me laugh, and he grins, too. “I really like that sound, you have a beautiful laugh.”
His voice, the way he looks at me, makes my heart start to beat faster. I wonder if I should look away, but I can’t seemto make myself. It feels like he’s pulling me in, and I wonder if he’s about to kiss me. I can feel my skin tingling with something electric and impossible, like there’s nothing else in the world except him.
Then a loud knock on the door makes us both jump. We spring apart, and the heat between us vanishes into the air. My face is on fire, and I don’t know whether I’m more relieved or disappointed.
“Jace,” Aiden mutters, standing up with a sigh. He strides over to the door, and I hear him greet his friend.
“You ready to head out?” Jace’s voice booms through the house. “Think we can find anything in daylight?”
