I

Kaiya

Today is my 16th birthday and I shifted for the first time, but despite my excitement over finally meeting my adorable wolf, my life went from bad to miserable.

Let me explain…

I never knew my parents. As far as I know I am an orphan and I showed up on the doorstep to the packhouse in the Red Shadow Pack as an infant. Once I was old enough to work, I was given chores. As I have grown, my list of duties has grown with me. First it was dusting and sweeping, then doing dishes and laundry got added to the list, now I do most of the cleaning and cooking along with another Omega, Amina. Amina doesn’t have one duty I have, however, and that is being the practice dummy for the twin alpha heirs. 

I had just finished cleaning up from breakfast and was preparing for our morning training session, where I could expect the boys to leave me battered and bruised, as usual. Yeah, I am a literal punching bag for them! That is when the first wave of pain jolted through me, causing me to double over. Despite the pain, I forced myself to stand and rush to the training grounds.

“I thought you were going to bail on us today, Omega!” Dylan snapped as I whimpered and clutched my abdomen while running up to them.

“Kaiya, is something wrong?” Ace asked.

“Just some phantom pain,” I groaned in response.

People say the twins are identical, but there are differences. Dylan has built up a very muscular frame and grown his curly brown hair long enough to reach his shoulders. Ace is toned, yet on the slim side with neatly styled brunette curls. They are both handsome, far more so than when I first met them.

I remember when we first got to know each other. I had been kept away from them, with other Omegas, but was sent to clean their room when I was eight and they were ten. Dylan was in the room searching for something and Ace was impatiently waiting for him.

           “I’m sorry, young Alphas. I didn't realize you were in your bedroom, but I can leave and come back once you have gone,” I said, bowing my head respectfully.

Ace smiled at me and winked as he said, “pretty girls are always welcome to clean my space, even when I am in it.”

“Do you say that to the other Omegas? Or am I special, sir?” I asked with flushed cheeks, feeling oddly bold.

“He just likes to flirt with all the girls! Ace is weird and unless you can find my baseball glove, you can wait until we leave! I don’t want you bothering me,” Dylan huffed.

“Is it the leather glove under the corner of your bed, right there?” I asked, pointing to a thick, brown leather catcher’s mitt.

I quickly introduced myself and explained that I would be their practice dummy for training as of next week. Ace thought this was cool because it would give him more of a challenge than the straw men they had been using while Dylan used it as a way to call me “dummy”. I don’t know what I ever did to Dylan to make him act meanly or if that is just his nature.

I took in the shelves full of trophies I was expected to polish, then at the messy beds and clothes, books, and sports gear everywhere. These boys didn’t even bother trying to keep their room tidy! Of course, they had us Omegas to clean up after them, so why would they bother?

From that day on, Ace's moods seemed to run hot and cold, while Dylan was nearly always cold.

Our first training session is a great example…

“Look, here comes our DUMMY!” Dylan shouted upon my arrival.

“Hello, Kaiya! Are you ready to give me a challenge?” Ace asked with an enormous grin.

“I will do my best. Though, I have only been very briefly trained in dodges and defensive moves and I am sure you are skilled fighters already,” I complimented, knowing it was what was expected of me.

The boys took turns making their moves to attack me with most of their hits making their mark and only a few missing me thanks to a fast dodge.

“Ha! You are no match for me, Omega! So much for a challenge!” Dylan shouted after knocking me down.

“Let’s get you up and ready for my next attacks,” Ace offered, helping me to my feet, sweetly, but his tune changed shortly after.

“That’s three in a row you missed, brother!” Dylan teased, not as if he didn’t miss some himself.

“Argh! Shut up! She’s fast, alright!” Ace yelled, before storming off in a huff. Before disappearing into the packhouse, he looked over his shoulder and added, “it’s not my fault she’s tiny!”

“He’s right, I am small and I move quickly, “ I muttered through tears at having the only boy who was ever kind to me act so mean before being dismissed back to my other duties.

Ace barely said a kind word for months and got more aggressive and focused during training sessions. Which meant I was more battered and bruised after each session. I learned from that first lesson that while I was meant to give them a challenge, giving them too much of a challenge meant they would get angry and I would pay for it in one way or another.

“Kaiya, are you listening? Are you ready for us to attack?” Ace called out, bringing me back from my memories.

“I-I…AAAgh!” I attempted to speak but another wave of pain tore through me.

As I stood facing them, on the verge of my first shift, the pain rocketed through me once more, bringing me to my knees. I clutched my chest, and then my abdomen and wretched as I felt my bones break and reform. I knew transforming into my wolf for the first time would be painful, but I had expected it to be a bearable pain, not the feeling of searing hot pokers being jabbed into all my major muscles at once mixed with breaking bones and feeling as If I was burning from the inside out.

Finally, the pain ceased and I was able to  stand on my four furry legs and look up at the Alpha Twins. 

“Wow! Kaiya, your wolf form is adorable!” Ace said in awe.

“Uh-huh!” Was all Dylan could muster.

Ace stepped forward, gathering my tear away training clothes and holding them out to me before speaking, “Unless you want to try this in wolf form, you should transform back and slip these on. Dylan and I will turn our backs, I promise.”

Ace’s voice was soft and filled with empathy. Little did I know how much that would change.

I had been told how to transform back many times, but the reality is not as simple as it was in theory. It is nearly as painful as the initial transformation. I transformed back to my human form and despite the fiery pain and aches in my bones, I grabbed my clothing from Ace and got dressed.  

“You can look now,” I offered in a soft tone.

When Dylan turned I was surprised to see a flush across his cheeks, but despite my pain I urged the boys forward. When the first blow struck me, Ace paused with his jaw hanging wide.

“Brother! Come here! Please, tell me I am wrong!” Ace’s voice sounded like a blend of shock and fear.

Dylan rushed up to us with a furrowed brow, asking, “What is it? Is something wrong?”

“Touch her and see! Touch Kaiya’s skin with your hand,” Ace instructed.

Dylan raised his brow and scoffed, but did what his twin had asked. I noticed a tingle run through me at each of their touches. At first I thought maybe one of them or both, or maybe I had built up static electricity, but this was different. This was stronger, it felt like something both strong and pleasant and their scents had both gotten stronger…more alluring but I furrowed my brow in confusion. It can’t be! Can it?

‘They are both our mates, Kaiya. Nice to meet you, I’m your wolf, Lilly,’ A sweet voice says in my mindspace.

‘Nice to meet you Lilly, but are you certain?’ I asked her, but before she could respond Dylan’s voice broke through my thoughts.

“Why is me touching her making my body feel almost electric and tingly? Is that the same for you?” Dylan asked Ace who nodded. “It can’t mean what I think it can, can it?”

“Kaiya is our fated mate!” Ace said in a stunned tone. “She is fated to both of us.”

“No! We must reject her! She’s just an Omega!” Dylan snapped, even though he had been blushing moments before.

My heart ached and I was torn in two! They have never been very kind to me and I feared they would be the most horrible mates. However, we have all been taught to honor the mate bonds in this pack and they are extremely attractive. Why has the moon goddess done this to me?

“We can’t reject her right now!” Ace hissed. “Have you looked at her? In her weakened state, rejecting her would be a death sentence!”

I stared in horror as the brothers argued my fate while my heart felt like it would explode with how hard it was beating.