BOTH OF YOU?

ARYAN

I got ready for school and when I came out, my parents were in the living room waiting for me. From the look on their faces, I could tell they had a lot to say, and I had no choice but to sit and listen.

I turned eighteen three days ago and since then, I had been eager to find out who my mate is. I thought I wouldn't get one since more than a day had passed. But then, I felt her presence on my way back from school and realized I had caught her scent even before then.

My wolf, Zachary was excited and we had figured out that she was in the same high school as me. I had been so excited when I found out yesterday and told my parents. No doubt they were happy for me but now, I was about to get the big lecture.

I sat across from them as my dad said, "You know, now that you've gotten a mate, you have to be more responsible. This means that you have to cut down on frivolities and by that I mean, unnecessary partying, acting without thinking about the consequences, and moving about with good-for-nothing people, and yes, I'm referring to your friends."

I scoffed, "Dad, what does partying have to do with having a mate?"

My dad sighed, "Do I have to spell that out as well? Now that you have gotten a mate, I can start preparing you to take over from me as the alpha of this pack."

"But I'm not ready to be the alpha yet." I cried.

"You have to be ready," my dad said. "Many people are looking up to you. You have a lot of responsibilities, Aryan. Your mom, too, has a lot on her plate, so, do not make any excuses. When you go to school today, find out who your mate is. We're going to throw an acceptance party in the evening so you can invite her over. Everyone has to know that my son has found his mate."

"Okay, Dad, Mom, goodbye."

I left the house, got into my car, and began driving myself to school. I thought about what my mate was going to look like. Well, even if she didn't have anything else, she ought to be beautiful, at the very least.

I was more like a prince, the only child of my parents. My dad was the alpha of our pack, and it was the only pack here, in the town of Newfalls. It was a community, and almost everyone in my school was a werewolf.

However, I was a lycan - the only lycan other than my dad and mom. My father was the mayor, and my mom; well, she was the sheriff. So, my parents were really very active in the town, and my family was the wealthiest.

We were very powerful and greatly feared because lycans were very strong, way stronger than werewolves. No one could match my Dad's or Mom's strength.

Being a lycan too, I was also as strong as my dad but I was jovial and carefree. Yes, girls struggled to get my attention and be my friends but my dad had warned me right from the start.

He said that since I was going to be the next alpha, I needed to be very careful and not get entangled with any girl who was not my mate. Because of this, I avoided girls as much as possible.

I spent my time with my friends, while my dad seemed to see most of them as good for nothing. Today, everything was going to change and it made me excited. I kept imagining how my mate would be. There were so many things I wanted to do with her, I had waited so long for the time to arrive.

As I drove into school, I passed some girls and they waved at me, it was the norm since I always attracted attention wherever I went. If it wasn't as the son of the mayor, it was as "next in line to be the alpha" or as the only, drop-dead gorgeous, young lycan in the pack.

As I walked to my class, I felt that my mate was close, and I followed the guidance of my wolf. I found her in the school field, in the company of other girls and my heart began to race.

As I stared at the girls who all had their backs to me, I knew that one was my mate and I could imagine how excited she would be to discover that she was going to be mine; Aryans'.

I walked up to the girls and felt an instant pull to one of them. I quickly tapped her on the back and she turned around, as did another girl.

I stared at both of them in surprise; I could not believe it. The girl I had tapped, her name was Adele, and I did not like her, no one did. She was known to be evil and played evil pranks on people.

However, her sister, who had also turned, was the complete opposite of her. She smiled, got up, and hugged me as she exclaimed, "We are your mates!!"

I was even more surprised and asked, "Both of you?"

She nodded, "Yes."

I was tempted to scream. Why did my life have to be complicated? Why couldn't I get one nice girl like Selene? Why add Adele to it?

Well, perhaps it was possible that I got both of them because no one would want Adele as a mate. The girl was so evil, and her reputation was terrible. I was even surprised that the girls sitting around her let her be in their midst. Despite the fact that I tapped her and she turned, she didn't even react to what we were talking about.

She just kept staring at me and did not seem thrilled to be my mate. I wasn't surprised by that; she was a weirdo. But either way, I was determined to get my mate today.

I knew that there was a reason why they were both my mate. I didn't see myself being friends with Adele, though, but I was happy about Selene. Selene was tall, beautiful, and sexy, just as I wanted my mate to be. Yes, Adele was beautiful and sexy as well, but her character was nothing to write home about.

I said to Selene, "This evening, there would be a grand party to celebrate my mate. Since it's the both of you, you are both invited."

Selene, who was the more jovial one, smiled and replied, "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Meanwhile, let me have your number so we can talk."

I quickly exchanged numbers with her and before I left, I stared briefly at Adele; she had a book in her hand, and she was drawing. I noticed she was drawing what looked like a mountain and shook my head. I said goodbye to Selene before walking away.

I hadn't gone far from where they sat when my phone began to ring. I noticed it was from Selene and smiled.

I answered the call, "Hi Selene, what's up?"

"Well, you left with something," she said.

"Really? What did I leave with?" I asked in surprise.

"My heart," she replied and I laughed.

"Aww, you're such a sweet girl. Well, I'm looking forward to seeing you at the party tonight."

"So am I," she replied.

After that, I went away with a smile on my face. I could see my life turning out to be more exciting, all thanks to Selene, whom I wished was the only mate I got.

ADELE

I stared at Aryan as he walked away and felt sad. I turned eighteen two days ago, and I already knew he was my mate, but I wasn't expecting anything much. Yes, I never bothered to even say a word to him. What was the point? Everyone hated me.

I didn't know why everyone felt I was evil. If I had walked up to Aryan and told him he was my mate, what would have happened? Nothing. He might have even rejected me there and then. That's what I thought he was going to do.

Even when he was walking towards me, I felt it. When he tapped me, and I turned, I thought he wanted to reject me. But I was surprised to hear Selene say he was also her mate. I thought he was only mine.

Selene shook my hand and said, "Listen, I saw what happened just now, and I'm happy. It is good that you have no interest in Aryan because you know that I hate sharing. I still love you as my sister, though, but avoid my boyfriend."

After speaking, Selene got up and walked away. I stared at her and placed my hand on my chest. When Aryan stood close to me, my heart had been racing. He didn't seem opposed to having me in the picture but why did I have to share?

I had always thought that I would get a mate; mine. And when I realized Aryan was my mate, I was initially happy, before it dawned on me that he would not want me.

Even before I knew he was my mate, I had always liked him. I would see him from a distance and wish he would smile at me. But like everyone else, he couldn't give two fucks about me. So eventually, I accepted the reality.

Only yesterday, I stared at him as he drove out of school, knowing I had fallen for him but that was the first time I was seeing him with different eyes. I was seeing him through the eyes of my wolf.

Well, if Selene wasn't in the picture, maybe it would have been perfect. Me, the girl everyone hated, mated to the lycan, being the Luna of the whole pack, and the daughter-in-law to the Mayor.

That seemed like a dream that could never belong to me. It was going to belong to Selene. We were twins, but she always got the good things. She was the one my dad loved. She was the one everyone loved, and everyone hated me.

Everyone blamed and accused me of things I had no idea about. Somehow, there was always proof. There was always evidence that I was the culprit. Eventually, I got tired of denying it. I got tired of trying to prove my innocence.

Each time I was accused of what I didn't do, I wouldn't try to defend myself, no one would believe me, anyway since they all hated me and now, even my mate Aryan was going to hate me as well. I could see it in his eyes.

But then, how could I not go to a party that was meant for me? Despite Selene's warning, I knew I couldn't miss it. If Aryan was going to reject me, he could go ahead and do it. But I owed it to myself to be there. He was my mate, and I wasn't going to avoid the party.

Everyone ought to know that both Selene and I were mated to Aryan. Even though I wasn't expecting much, or anything, from this arrangement, at the very least, it would make people see me differently. Perhaps, people would stop staring at me with so much hate in their eyes.