#10 Royal Twins of La Lune

Chapter 2 Alexander

“Working late tonight?” My Gamma, Dylan, asked after knocking on the door of my dimly lit office.

I looked up from my computer and then towards the clock on the wall beside him. I hadn’t even realized it was after midnight. It was a rare free night for myself and my brother, a night where we weren’t immediately needed for anything at the castle and could take some time to ourselves. Locking myself in my office, I focused on locating more books for my antique bookstore.

“I didn’t even realize what time it was.” I sighed.

“Well, someone else did and she’s not very happy about it.” Dylan frowned, looking irritated. I c****d my head to the side in question just as a leggy blonde walked passed him and into my office.

“Bristol.” I mumbled, shutting my laptop and leaning back in the oversized armchair. She smiled and walked towards me, perching herself on my knee.

“I’ve missed you, sugar.” Bristol purred.

“Did you call? I’m sorry, I was glued to my work.” I apologized, looking at my phone. I had several missed messages and phone calls from my on again, off again girlfriend.

“It’s okay, I know you’re a busy man. I just wanted to help relieve your stress.” She said, running her hand through my long, thick brown hair.

Someone cleared their throat from the doorway and I looked up, expecting to see Dylan still standing there. Instead, it was Carter Valentine, my Beta.

Carter was the well-known son of my father’s Gamma, Cole Valentine, and his mate, Sophie, with a long werewolf legacy standing behind him. Just like his father, Carter was a real tool whose main mission in life was to make mine miserable. Yet, he was still one of my best friends, honest and loyal and passionate about everything that he did.

“Sorry, ice princess, but the king’s parents are summoning him.” Carter sneered. Bristol glared at him and rolled her eyes,

“Tell him to stop calling me that, Alex.” She whined.

“Really, Carter? Get more creative.” I rolled my eyes but removed Bristol from my lap anyway, “Sorry, B, but I’ve got to go. If my parents need me, I can’t delay.”

“But, it’s your night off.” She fluttered her blue eyes at me.

“Not anymore. I’ll call you later.” I sternly dismissed her, motioning for her to leave before me. Bristol grumbled as she stomped out of my office.

“Why don’t you and Hudson come up with some better nicknames?” I shoved Carter into the doorframe as he laughed.

“If the shoe fits…”

No one, least of all Ian and I’s Betas and Gammas, were shy about their distaste for our girlfriends. Jazlyn and Bristol were best friends growing up, and they were both after us from day one. They knew, as everyone knew, that Ian and I would share a fated mate but they were keen on it being one of them. And, when it wasn’t, they became hell bent on becoming our chosen mates. We both knew that was never going to happen, but they didn’t seem to take the hint. I’ll be the first to admit that Ian and I used that to our advantage as the search for our mate drug on.

Carter drove us through the realm and back to the castle. Parking the car out front and leading the charge inside. My parents kept an office on the ground floor in one of the old guest bedrooms for their official business. They handed over the throne when we turned twenty, but still kept very active within the realm. Ian, Hudson, and Owen were already there as were my parents, former King and Queen, Caspian and Junie Storm.

“What happened to you?” I asked Ian, sensing his sour mood. He just grunted in response.

“Have a seat, Alexander.” Dad said, motioning towards the last empty chair in the room.

“What’s going on?” I asked, looking at them skeptically.

“In two months we’ll be hosting the annual Mating Ball, as you well know.” Dad began,

“And you two will both be attending this year.” Mother spoke up for the first time, leveling us both with her stern, and world famous, Queen Luna glare.

“Now, wait a minute….” Ian started to argue but Mom put up one finger, successfully silencing him.

“No. You two have avoided it for four years and for four years you have remained mateless. We haven’t made a spectacle of your actions, letting you have your youth. But, now, it’s time to do some soul searching.” Mother spoke fluently and regally, as she always did.

“You know all about my mistakes and how deeply I regret them. You will regret them, too, one day. We only want to help make your regrets smaller. You won’t find her unless you look.” Father said, looking at us with that gaze that always hid more than what his voice said.

“If you don’t meet her at the ball, you may continue for another year.” Mother added, twirling her hand through the air.

Ian looked at me and I looked at Ian. We sighed in unison and nodded,

“Yes, ma’am.” We agreed, knowing perfectly well that our mother was leading the charge this time and arguing with her would prove futile.

“Good boys.” Mom smiled brightly.

“Thank you.” Dad mouthed at us, taking a deep sigh of relief. I smirked at him, knowing that he was grateful for our agreement. Otherwise, he’d have to deal with a displeased mate.

Ian and I grew up in the shadow of our parents’ undying, unwavering love. At first, we gagged and turned away at their affection. Then, we learned the truth. We learned about our parents' pain, about the sister I was named after, my Aunt Alice Storm, and the first mate of our father, who Sebastian was named after, Sabrina. We realized how lucky we were that our parents not only found each other, but accepted each other. It made Ian and I a little more appreciative of what we were raised with.

“You really should have a discussion with those girlfriends of yours.” Mother added with a frown.

“Aunt Viv's a tattle tailed!” Ian cried out.

“What?” I looked at him in confusion.

“Nothing.” He grumbled, but I already knew what had happened like how I always knew what happened to Ian.

“She’s right, boys, they’re only going to make a mess of things.” Dad said,

“You can make us go to the ball, but you can’t make us break up with our girlfriends before we meet our mate.” Sebastian grumbled.

“I don’t know, Ian, maybe….” I started but Ian glared towards me,

“No. There’s no reason to ditch the girls until we meet our mate. That’s drama neither one of us needs.” Ian said.

“Oh, there’s gonna be drama alright.” Dad said under his breath. I glanced at him for a second before looking back at my brother,

“Fine.”

I felt like I was sitting between a rock and hard place. I knew there was going to be hell to pay when we met our mate, Bristol and Jazlyn certainly weren’t just going to back down. But, then again, why break things off before we even know who our mate is? Ian was right, we had a good thing going right now.

I should've known better. Nothing ever ends well when I think Ian is right.

“Can we go now?” Ian grumbled. Our parents sighed loudly but nodded anyway. Mother stood up to give us both a hug and a kiss before waving us away.

“Can you believe them?” Ian looked pissed as he stomped through the castle.

“Honestly, Ian, yes, I can. We’ve been avoiding the Ball for years now.” I said, following him towards the elevator.

“We’re only 22, we have time.” Ian argued.

“Mom was 21 when she met Dad.” I pointed out.

“Yeah, and Dad was 28.” He said, poking angrily at the elevator buttons.

“He was younger than us when he met Sabrina.” I added. Ian rolled his eyes at me as the doors opened with a high pitched ding on the top floor.

“You really want to meet our mate already?” Ian asked.

“I don’t know, maybe.” I mumbled, walking towards the end of the hallway.

At the end of the hallway, on the back wall, were a set of double doors that held the Alpha and Luna’s suite. On either side was a room ment for the Alpha and for the Luna individually. Our parents were the only generation of royals to use those rooms after they met.

They had the Luna quarters turned into a second Alpha suite when Ian and I decided we would both take the throne. I guess we never imagined that we’d have a need for a private Luna suite.

Boy, if we only knew.

“You’re always thinking too far ahead, Alex.” Ian sighed.

“One of us has to think.” I smirked.

“Whatever. I’m calling Jazlyn, don’t bother me.” Ian said, slamming his door shut. A second later, the door opened and he hooked a white sock on the door handle before winking at me and shutting the door again.

“Dumbass.” I grumbled to myself before entering my own room.

Ian was lucky, he had our father’s old room. I, on the other hand, occupied our mother’s former room which made it virtually impossible for me to have any sort of female company over. Instead, I flopped myself down on the four poster bed and stared at the ceiling. I crossed my arms behind my head and let my eyes fall shut. Eventually, I drifted off.

“Get your hands off of me!” A girl’s voice shrieked down the school hallway.

I looked over at Ian who smirked knowingly. We turned the corner and saw an unfamiliar redhead being shoved against a set of lockers. She was snarling at the she-wolf who had her pinned, thrashing against her grip as two other girls laughed on either side of her. For the briefest moment, her eyes landed on mine and I caught a glimpse of her face.

Her eyes were the darkest green I’d ever seen. I would’ve thought they were black if not for the florscents causing specs of light green to dance around her pupils. Her face was pale, like powdered snow, and so serious. I wasn’t sure if a face like that even knew how to smile.

Just like that, her gaze was gone and she was back to screaming at the she-wolf. Ian laughed at my side, leaning against the wall.

“Stupid underclassmen always thinking they’re better than everyone else.” Ian snorted.

“She’s a Redemption?” I asked, not recognizing the 8th grader.

“Must be.” Ian said, “To earn Stephanie and Angel’s rage.” He laughed.

The girls looked over at us upon hearing their names and smiled. Now that they knew they were putting on a show for their future kings, the two senior she-wolves got to work on the underclassmen. Angel opened up the locker and Stephanie shoved her inside it. But, the little redheaded girl put up a fight, kicking and punching at the air until she got a piece of the girls. She stumbled out of the locker and ran away as fast as she could.

“She got you good, Steph.” Ian laughed, poking at her bloody lip. Steph snarled at him viciously and shoved his hand away.

“Stupid bitch.” Angel sneered, rubbing her ribs after catching a kick to her side.

“She just made herself a target for the rest of our senior year.” Steph pledged, giggling wickedly.

“Oh, I gotta see this.” Ian grinned, enjoying the terror he and his pack inflected on the members of the Redemption pack, especially the underclassmen.

I watched and played along, but hardly engaged with their tauntings. I felt less inclined to think badly of the Redemption pack members than Ian and the others did. I knew why the pack was created and I knew how much it meant to my mother, so did everyone else, but I guess it meant something different to me.

As Ian, Stephanie, and Angel planned their revenge, I looked down the hallway where the redhead had just disappeared. Something drew my attention to her, to her strength and to her pain, but I didn’t know what. My wolf, Derek, barked in my head like he was trying to tell me something.

“Mate.”

I jolted awake, the word hanging in the air like a ghostly whisper. I tried to wake Derek, to ask him what he said or if I had dreamt it, but he wouldn’t stir. My heart was racing and my head was spinning, like I was suffering from a bad hangover. I jumped up, fueled with adrenaline and no longer able to sleep. I threw myself in the shower and willed the eerie feeling attacking my bones to be washed away.