Their Beloved Mate.

A Piece of Advice...

Dustin wrinkled his nose with distaste as two men passed him. With his heightened senses, he could smell every scent that surrounded him. Most of the time, the scents were pleasant, but once in a while, he came across smells that had his gag reflexes tried. Alcohol and drugs had this sharp, acidic smell that burnt his nostrils.

This was one reason why he hated coming to the human world. Knowing the damage that people were doing to their bodies made him angry.

“Our ride is here, Alpha,” his beta, Connor, announced.

Dustin could not get out of the airport fast enough. Being a werewolf, he hated being away from the forest, where he could run free whenever his wolf wanted. Here, he had to reel his wolf in, keeping him under control so he wouldn’t break free.

The drive to his brother’s hotel wasn’t long, and soon enough, their vehicle pulled to a stop in front of the hotel entrance. Dustin, without waiting for his beta, opened the door and went out. He walked with purpose to the reception area. Remembering what his brother had always told him about dealing with humans, he tried to soften his stance, placing his hands flat on the marbled top and leaning in a bit, a wolfish smile on his face.

“Hello, I am Dustin, a guest of Xander's.”

The young woman who had been staring at him blinked twice, before shaking her head, a flirty smile making its way onto the red-coated lips. “Oh, yes, of course!” She said as she pushed the man who had been standing by the computer aside with her hips. She glared at him, before turning her megawatt smile at Dustin.

Dustin fought the irritation that was building inside him. It was always the same wherever he and his brother went. Humans, they found out, especially women and a few men, were attracted to their powerful auras, their animalistic magnetism, and the chance to try and get into their beds.

“It says here that you will be accompanied by a Connor?” The woman, Rachel as per her nametag, stated.

“Yes, that would be me,” Connor replied, an easy smile on his face as he approached the counter with their bags.

Rachel’s mouth hung open. Dustin could not blame her. Connor had all the features of a strong warrior. Wearing his hair long, he always tied it up in a messy bun. His grey eyes were a huge contrast to his tanned face. Women usually fawned at his dimples when he smiled, not knowing he could easily break their necks with his bare hands if they pissed him off.

“Oh my!” Rachel fanned herself. Clearing her throat, she tried to get back to being professional, checking them in before handing over their cards. “The bellboy will bring your bags up. For the penthouse, please use the elevator to the right and press P, it will take you right up.”

Dustin did not wait to be told twice. He wanted to get to his brother, he had missed him even though they were constantly in each other’s heads. He shook his head as he watched Connor do his thing, charm the woman until she handed over her phone number and address.

Shaking his head, he held the door open for his beta, raising an eyebrow at him.

“What?” Connor asked, smirking because he knew exactly what his Alpha was about to say. “She looks like she needs a good dicking, and I, being the gentleman, offered to help her. Tonight. At her apartment.”

Dustin just shook his head, the dark mop of hair flowing in waves. Like Connor, Dustin’s hair was kept long, tied back with a piece of leather. Where he was dark-haired like his father, Xander was blond-haired like his father. Where he kept his hair long, and sometimes messy, Xander was always polished, his hair trimmed just above the collar.

The pinging and the opening of the elevator announced their arrival. Oden was there to welcome them in, giving a low bow to Dustin before grasping Connor’s forearm in a formal warrior greeting.

Connor and Oden were ranked similarly. Oden was Xander’s beta, so to speak.

Leaving the two warriors to update each other, Dustin followed the scent of his brother, finding him in a conversation with another man.

“Brother!” Xander stood up, causing the man to hastily stand up as well. Using his Vampire speed, Xander was in front of Dustin in a blink of an eye, his forehead resting on that of his brother’s, hands clasped on the forearm between them, and a smile on his face. After that quick greeting, they moved apart. Dustin looked at the man over Xander’s shoulder. He had gone to his knee, his head bent and a fist on his chest, just like what he did when he first met Xander.

Knowing this was a greeting for him, Dustin moved forward, “You may rise, guardian.”

Maqual stood, once again his eyes down.

“Raise your head and look at me freely, guardian,” Dustin finished. He followed his brother and took a seat next to him. “Sit down, guardian.”

Maqual took his seat once again, waiting for the princes to give him permission to speak.

“He is my brother, guardian, and he will tell you the same thing I did before he arrived. We are far from home, and frankly, all these formal steps bore me. So please, speak freely.”

Maqual nodded, his gaze landing on Dustin. A small smile spread on his face, “You have taken your father’s looks.”

Dustin turned to his brother, before turning to the guardian. “You know of my father, guardian? How come I have never met you?”

“Maqual,” Xander said as he finished his glass and placed it on the table. “And he has been guarding our mate for the past eighteen years. I thought I shared this information with you?”

Dustin rolled his eyes, a gesture so out of place on his chiseled face. “I always put my barriers up when in the air, you know that.” He turned to Maqual. “What can you tell us about who is trying to hurt her?”

There was no evidence of jealousy as Dustin asked about their beloved. Since they were young, they had known that they would share a mate. It has always been like that in their kingdom. Just like their mother had two mates, they were destined to have one mate. If they had been girls, they would also have shared a mate.

Maqual shook his head. “The person or people were not really dream walkers, I am still unsure how they were able to get into hers. I could feel the web, but I could not see the weaver.”

Dustin turned to his brother before turning to Maqual. “Should we place safeguards?”

“I have done so,” Maqual replied. “Please forgive me for doing so without asking first, it’s just that I have been her guardian for so long that things sometimes come second nature to me.” He bowed his head, waiting for a reprimand.

“So formal,” Xander muttered as he shook his head. “Thanks for that. I suggest you keep doing what you have been doing until we claim her.”

Dustin nodded and watched as Maqual stood up, then gave them a deep bow. “Your mind channel has been opened to us by the High Priestess, so whenever you feel something isn’t right, reach out. Even though I hate the human world, I think we will be here for a few weeks, to give her time to adjust to not only the existence of our species but the fact that we are her mates.”

Maqual seemed to hesitate for a few seconds.

Dustin, who is always in tune with the people around him, caught his hesitation with a frown. “What is it?”

Maqual lowered his head as if in shame, “There is something that you must know. Your mate is very opposed to the idea of relationships. She has gone through something in the past that has shaped her so.”

“Do you know what it is?” Xander asked, sitting forward and pinning Maqual with his grey eyes.

Maqual shook his head, “I am first and foremost her guardian, therefore I can do no other than protect her privacy.”

Dustin growled low while Xander sighed and sat back on his chair. He had known that would have been the answer. Just like Oden and Connor, Maqual must have taken the Guardian’s Oath to protect their mate. He could not go against his nature.

“We understand,” Xander gave him a small nod.

Maqual nodded once again, before he went on his knee, fist on his chest, but this time his eyes were high, “I will then be taking my leave.” He stood up and walked away after Dustin gave him a nod.

Once he was gone Xander turned to Oden, “why don’t you ever bow or go on your knee for me?”

“Because your ego is already too big to add any of those things for me to do, my prince” Oden answered with a straight face.

Connor walked in and sat down, looking between the two princes. “So, when are we going to see your woman?”

Dustin growled a bit, already possessive of the faceless mate. Shaking his head, he walked out of the room.

Xander looked after his brother. Ever since they were young, Xander had been the one to constantly talk about the day they found their beloved while Dustin would just mumble a word or two before he changed the topic.

Sighing, he stood up and followed his brother. He found him standing by the balcony, leaning on the rail as he looked at the scenery before them.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Xander asked as he leaned on the wall beside the sliding doors.

Dustin turned and gazed at his brother, his dark eyes sparkling before he shook his head and turned back to the scenery.

“What is it, bro?” Xander asked, his mind automatically reaching for his brother’s but finding a huge block. “Why are you blocking me?” There was hurt in Xander's voice.

Dustin shook his head, immediately putting his barriers down and allowing his brother to see his thoughts, “they are after her before we even know who she is. She is a human, weak and vulnerable and there is nothing we can do until we meet with her. I have half a mind to follow the Guardian to his place so that I know where she lives.”

“You know that is not possible,” Xander walked closer to his brother. “The High Priestess will not allow it. We can’t claim her until she accepts us.”

“And how does she do that, if she can’t even know we exist?” Dustin grumbled.

“Even our dads went through the same thing, Dustin,” Xander reminded his brother. “Remember all the stories our parents have told us about their courtship? There is no escaping what has already been written, bro.”

Dustin turned and leaned on the railing, crossing his arms and fixing his dark eyes on his brother. “You seem so excited about all this.”

Xander laughed, “I am wondering why you are not. You are the wolf, after all. A chase like this should be mighty exciting for you.”

“It is, but not when she is in danger,” Dustin turned to the scene behind him once again. “She is out there all alone, defenseless.”

“Not alone, brother,” Xander placed a hand on his brother’s bulging arm. “And never defenseless.”

Dustin gave his brother a tight nod. Xander was right. The High Priestess would not take chances with their mate, and they were bound to meet when the time was right. Because their mates were sometimes found in the human world, courtship was done in human terms. Dustin shuddered inside just thinking about it. He was never known as a romantic in the few relationships that he had had. But those were meaningless. This was their mate. Although it was rare for a woman to reject her mate.

“Why do you look so gloomy, Alpha?” Oden asked as he peeked outside at his princes.

Dustin turned to the vampire and gave a curt shake of his head, “nothing that I can solve at the moment.”

“What you need is a night out at a club, drink your ass off and far into oblivion,” Connor stated as he stepped out as well.

“That sounds like a good plan,” Xander was always ready for a good time. He placed his arm around his brother’s shoulders and nodded, “we are so game!”