Chapter 8:

Lucius

Aeric and I sit at the breakfast table, picking at the food rather than eating it. I dont know what is running through his mind. Mine is full of thoughts of Penny. 

Shocking. No. It is utterly astonishing how I behaved yesterday.

Mindless. 

Drunk. 

Dazed. 

Most of it- out of control. 

It has never happened to me. Not in 24 years of my life as a human or a werewolf. My mate was the only thing I expected to affect me this way. Yet, she is not. Not my mate, and definitely not someone related to me. 

The last 12 hours feel like the petal falling from trees. Swaying in the wind, careless, without direction, and definitely without any of the care in the world. Penny struck us like a lightning. Electrocuting us, melting us…

Fuck!

US! 

Cant I have you both?

I push the echo of her words that bounce off the wall of my skull to dwindle in its impact. 

Both. 

I know a hell lot of twins who are in relation with the same girl. Hell, I bet Aeric would never have a problem getting into a threesome. Judging by all the wanton adventures he has been through - a threesome sounds by far the most sage-like thing.

But they are humans, and they do not certainly have to worry about their mates showing up one day. 

One day where every bond of love outside the mate bond renders so weak that it snaps first the heart - then the neck. And Aeric, he certainly isn't and never will be serious with someone.

At least in this lifetime.

I close my eyes, as a small shudder of memory passes through me. 

My best friend the future beta of the pack hanged himself because his girlfriend found her mate. And just like everyone knows the bond had played its magic so strong and soon that all we found of him was snapped neck in his own bedroom.

That day, Aeric promised never to love and just fuck without emotions, and I promised never to fuck or fall for anyone but my mate.

I know quite different takes on the topic. Nevertheless, no one can deny that we aren't the same in any form or way. 

We are like two different pieces of the same puzzle, placed further away, having several pieces in between to link us. 

My mind yet can't deny that, yesterday Penny seemed to fit in like the link to join us and fade us all into a beautiful picture when viewed all together. 

I groan at my thoughts, Aeric’s groan a parallel upbeat making the house helps turn our way. 

“Is the food not okay masters?”, I can see the waver of fear that courses through her eyes, when I and Aeric simultaneously raise our hands and nod our heads to dismiss them. 

Okay, I think I should take my words of not being similar a step back.

“Bro” Aeric cries, in a tone of confusion.

I tilt my head to look at him. 

“I was thinking”, he pauses letting go of a deep sigh as if he had been holding a few ounces of extra air in his lungs. 

“About”, I ask well aware of the answer, yet still wanting to hear from him.

“About Penny”

There you go. 

I want to say I know it, I was doing the same. The words dont fall though, because my mind is thinking right now, where it wasn't the other night. 

“Do you like Penny?” I choke even though there is nothing in my mouth. 

“Why would you think like that?”

“Probably, because you acted like a possessive husband to her even though you promised not to look at anyone but your mate.”, I poke my cheek with my tongue, tracing the edge of my teeth inside my mouth. 

“I… I dont.” He half turns in his chair, leaning back and folding his hand over his chest. 

“Say it more convincingly and I may or may not still try to believe it,” he says, raising his right brow. 

“I dont know. Okay” I turn away from him, stabbing the cherry tomato inside my plate. 

“It’s… It’s… Okay fine.” I turn his way squaring my shoulders to add a tone of coldness to my words. 

“You remember we got enticed by her scent, then went all possessive, territorial if I may use the word stupid over her. Something that happens only when you are mates. Turns out she isn't our… I mean neither mine nor your mate.” I know this wasn't an answer to his question yet I seem to have distracted him enough from the same. 

“Let me put it this way. Why do you think it happened?”, his eyes bounce to mine. They squint, as he rolls his tongue inside his mouth. 

“That wasn't the question”

“But mine is a genuine concern,” I say. 

He unfolds his arm, picking his plate up and settling it on the kitchen counter. 

“Honestly, I was thinking about the same. Why do we feel so attached to her? And did you feel one more thing?”

“Her coldness to understand things,” I say and he nods his head. 

“Something feels off with her. Like her ability to feel things, she dint know what happy is, she doesn't know why people laugh or anything.” 

“And when she was in my lap, I barely felt her feel things. The vibrations that left her were neutral at all times. She radiated mild vibrations when we touched her or when we fought as if her body wasn't aware of the feelings. Until…”, Aeric pauses again, almost reluctant.

“Until”, I emphasize.

“Until she talked about our father.”

“What do you mean?” 

“There was a strong vibration whenever she mentioned our father. Almost too nervous, afraid, or angry. As I said I couldn't understand it because her body itself was unaware of the feelings.”

“How could one be unaware of their feelings?” I ask almost too confused at the revelation and observation of things happening. 

“That's not the part to question the most”, Aeric says, his forehead running with deeper lines that draw his eyebrows closer. 

“She doesn't have a wolf” My eyes widen the fact too hard to digest. 

“But her scent.”

“That's the point. She doesn't have a wolf, yet she has a scent that only belongs to a wolf.” This is just getting worse. 

“What about you, did you try to peek in her past?” Aeric asks. 

“You know, I dont ”

“Come on do gooder, she was the only one in ages that indicates that thing between your legs is not dead what were you waiting for…”, 

“ Aeric”, I shout barring my teeth against each other. He raises his palm, taking a step back. 

“Whatever, what now?” He asks, and again I dont have an answer to his question.

“I dont know. All I know is, I dont want her to be there in the club between vicious alphas ready to pounce on her like a piece of meat.”

“Well, thank god. Because I am ready to spend my entire fortune to get her out of there.” 

“You can take mine as well.”, I say. Aeric’s lips twitch to the side, an almost smirk forming on them when I stare him down. 

“Okay calm down my wolf brother. I am leaving.” 

Aeric turns on his heels, exiting the place and leaving me with nothing but more thoughts running a marathon down my brain.

Last night the only question was, why we felt that way. Today, the question is why we were willing to use our well-concealed powers to know about her. 

Something doesn't fit right. 

Especially the question of my father being involved in whatever this is.

He might be the Alpha King, but he is no less than a demon ready to slaughter whatever comes his way. And it won't be a surprise, that I and Aeric make it to the top of his get rid list. 

He is vicious - less of a father and more of a ruler that wants everything under him. The worst part is he has got Aeric under his wings of pretense.