Their Mate And Luna

CHAPTER 2

The Gathering

At the pack house, Nicole worked swiftly with the other omegas to prepare and arrange the food on the tables for everyone to eat. Tonight's gathering was one of the few times the entire pack ate together. Alpha Drake used occasions such as this to strengthen the bonds of the pack.

The eating hall was a vast room with multiple broad windows, long picnic-style tables that could seat over twenty people each. A large kitchen stood to the right with swinging doors for easy access. A trail of large white bulbs provided lighting, bathing the hall in a bright white glow.

The head maid, Lisa, asked Nicole to help arrange the food on the Alpha and Luna's table. This table seated between ten to fifteen individuals with the Alpha and Luna's seats at the head of it. With its position facing the other tables, anyone seated there had an extensive view of the rest of the hall.

People began to troop in, filling the place. The Alpha and Luna soon joined and Nicole's Uncle Oscar who also served as the Beta arrived with his mate, her Aunt Mabel, holding hands. Both gave her a warm smile. The Gamma, Dean Ashton and his mate, Thalia, also joined them. Savannah and her mate, Tim, walked in with Tim's hand draped over her shoulders. Savvy gave her a broad smile while Tim waved.

Nicole's smile disappeared from her face as the hall's doors swung open, and the Ashton twins entered, hanging on the arms of the alpha twins. The girls held their heads high, noses raised, arms tightly wrapped around each twin as they gracefully walked to the alpha's table, ignoring the low murmurs buzzing around the hall.

The twins, as always, looked incredibly attractive.

Vince, the eldest by a few minutes and the most arrogant of the two. Vance was more lively and polite. Both shared the same features: short black hair, pink lips, icy grey eyes, pointed noses, bushy dark brows and sharp jaws carved on faces that seemed sculpted by the hands of the moon goddess herself.

The only way to differentiate them was through their voice.

Their eyes roamed the hall like predators stalking their prey. Their thick muscles straining against the t-shirts they wore. Each had tattoos starting from the left wrist up and stopping at the neck.

Nicole lost herself to ogling them and almost fell down, startled, if not for someone behind her, when she suddenly found herself lost in their usual icy, deathly glares. Not surprised to see the hostility and animosity, but always wondered why they hated her so much. That's why she never sat at the alpha's table even though all her family members were there.

The last time she checked she always kept away from them. Even with Savvy as their beta female to be, Nicole didn't use that as an opportunity to get close.

Vince's eyes held the most disdain out of the two. His grey eyes always almost turning silver. And he was the most intimidating of the two.

"So, I am not the only one, hun?" a clear female voice said behind her. It was Mira, her friend.

"What do you mean?" Nicole steadied herself trying to shake off the memory of their glares and the fear it elicited.

Mira pushed her forward towards a table where few people sat. They took the seats at the extreme right.

"They scare me too." Mira answered as they sat down.

"Not as much as they scare me. They do it all the time they see me," Nicole shook her head as she looked over at the alpha's table. The twins were still clinging to the alphas. "And those other twins. I wish I knew why all four of them hate me so much." and why she hated how those girls were touching the alphas.

"It's the Ashtons. They're shameless." Mira said in a bored voice, beginning to put food on her plate. "Everyone knows." She shook her black hair and narrowed her deep blue eyes.

"Disgusting." Nicole hissed. Feeling a raging storm in her chest.

"You're going to get indigestion at this rate," Mira chuckled, starting to eat.

"I already do by just hearing their voices."

"Enough of them. How are we spending your birthday?" Mira asked. It was two days before her big eighteen.

Nicole shrugged. "I don't know. I am sure my uncle, aunt and Savvy have something planned for me."

"Good. I will speak to Savvy. Now, any wishes for the d day?" Giving an amused smile as she filled her mouth with food.

"Find my mate, and maybe get away from this pack if I don't find him here."

"What?!" Mira shrieked loudly. Faces turned owards them, especially from the alpha's table, where two sets of grey eyes stared at them, eventually settling on Nicole.

"Lower your voice." Nicole whispered.

"Is the food not enough or tasteful to your liking?" A deep male voice shot out from the table, full of arrogance.

Nicole winced with eyes closed as Vince's stern voice flowed through the hall. She locked eyes with Mira, who gave her an apologetic smile.

"No." Mira replied, standing up and turning to face him.

"Then why are you and your friend disturbing others with your annoying chitchat?" He made sure to spit out the 'friend', while his eyes remained on Nicole. Not even looking at Mira.

"We apologise and won't disturb any further." Mira apologised.

"Good." Vince grumbled, still glaring at Nicole as he nodded.

"Maybe they can share why they were disturbing us." His brother's voice joined him. Though softer and more playful than his brother's, but still full of the same arrogance, as he reclined comfortably into his seat.

Mira looked at Nicole whose eyes were wide in fear. "We were...Nic..."

"We all know her name! Just tell us what you were both discussing." Vance hissed rudely.

"... it's her...she will be eighteen soon and we were talking about her birthday and..."

"That's why you screamed? We all have birthdays and you don't see us screaming round the pack about it." Vance remarked, chuckling before exchanging looks with his brother. A silent message seemed to pass between them.

Nicole closed her eyes, hoping the ground would just open and swallow her. Anything to escape at this moment.

"I am sorry. It won't happen again." Mira said.

"It had better. No one wants to know about your pitiful plans for a pitiful birthday." Vince grunted and returned to his food.

Millie and Billie giggled, rubbing themselves against the hard bodies of the alphas. "Pitiful indeed. We pity her mate." Both chorused.

The two alphas growled at their words. "Shut up!" Vince yelled at Millie.

"Stop growling at her." Alpha Drake scolded his son, looking at the pouting girl. "Was that really necessary? What you both did to Nicole and her friend?" He growled at his son in the mindlink. "I expect that not to happen again."

"I am sorry father." Vince apologised, eyeing Nicole. "I am sorry Millie."

The meal continued with no further disturbance. Nicole didn't plan on staying till the end of the meal. Once her stomach was full enough to satisfy her hunger, she subtly pulled Mira aside, and escaped with her from the hall. But Nicole couldn't help but feel eyes on her, She turned at the door to find four grey eyes upon her.

The same question settled into her mind, as it had countless times before. Why do the Alphas harbor such hatred for me?

Alpha Drake urgently sent a mindlink to his sons, his heart heavy with worry. "Meet me at my office as soon as you finish supervising patrols tonight." Both of them nodded at him. He sent another to Oscar, Mabel and Savvy, his worry obvious in his voice, "I wish to speak with the three of you when you finish here." Their replies reached him through the link to him. All three were as concerned as him.

The heavy sadness he felt in his chest, was because of his deep dissatisfaction with how his sons had spoken to Mira and Nicole. He was also concerned at their sudden outburst. All these weighed on his mind. His brows furrowed, how could they have heartlessly ridiculed Nicole's upcoming eighteenth birthday.

As the the family of three entered his office, he and his mate were already waiting for them, he began with a heavy sigh and a voice laden with weariness, "Please, accept my apologies on behalf of my sons. I don't know why they spoke to the girls like that."

"Mabel's eyes widened in shock, her concern mirroring his own, "I am equally as shocked as you are." She looked at her mate, who was nodding in agreement.

Me too," Savvy added, her voice tinged with disbelief, "I have also noticed how they seem not to want her around them."

"Really?" Alpha Drake asked, hoping for an explanation.

Savvy nodded, her tone carrying a mix of worry and frustration, "It's subtle, but I have noticed it. Also, I'd like to report the Ashton girls."

"What did they do?" Luna Malia questioned Savvy, her expression showing a mix of curiosity and concern.

"They've been bullying Nicole for a long time now. Just today they said something unpleasant to her at school," Savvy said, anger bristling her insides flowing out into her words. Four pairs of eyes waiting for her to continue. "They said she didn't deserve to have an attractive mate."

"Malia sighed, exasperation and sympathy in her voice, "Are they really that dumb and petty? That's ridiculous."

Savvy pressed on, her words now tinged with frustration and determination, "I also believe that the girls are doing so because they notice how Vince and Vance treat Nicole."

"But why would they...I mean the boys, treat her that way? Did she insult them or do something...I don't understand. Nicole is one of the most humble persons on this pack." Her confusion and concern evident with how she gestured with her shoulders and arms as she spoke.

A heavy silence laden with confusion and unresolved emotions.

"Thank you, Savvy for telling me this. I will handle it." Alpha Drake said. He continued, "Again, I apologise for how my sons behaved tonight. Oscar? Mabel?" He looked at their faces.

Oscar who had been quiet all this while, spoke up. "It's okay, Alpha. Apology accepted."

"Thank you, Oscar," Alpha Drake said, shaking his Beta's hand and ushering the family out. After the family had left, he turned to Malia and asked, "What do you think of what Savvy said?"

"It's shocking," she answered.