Pretending

Alpha Leo’s POV

I could see the dumbfounded look on her face as she saw Theodore and me in her room. She moved her gaze to Theo and then moved it back to me and gulped. Slowly, she got up on her feet and bowed her head at us. “Greetings, how can I help you, Alphas?” she spoke slowly, and I could swear she had the nicest voice I have ever heard. Or was it the mate bond doing its work?

“Claim her, she is ours.” Max howled in my head, but I kept him at bay and looked at Theo, whose eyes hadn't left her.

“I believe you are aware that we are your mates,” Theo spoke assertively, and I sighed, then looked at her. She seemed to be confused by Theo's words, which got my attention.

“Sorry, Alpha, I don't know what you mean. What do you mean by me being your mate?” She asked, sounding ignorant, and I raised a brow at her.

“Don't tell me you don't know that we are your mates,” I asked, and she seemed confused by my words. “I'm sorry; I think there is a mistake…” Before she could finish, Theo cut her off.

“There is no mistake; our wolves aren't wrong. You are our mate,” Theo spoke frustratingly, and I sighed.

She shook her head and took steps away from us. “I think there is a mistake somewhere; my wolf doesn't recognize you two as my mates,” she said, and I had to look at her with a furrowed brow. “That’s impossible,” I said, and she gulped.

“I think there is a mistake…” She spoke, and Theo groaned. Before I could comprehend what was happening, Theo rushed toward her, pinned her to the wall, and lifted her hands above her head. “Theo,” I snapped at him, but he ignored me, leaned to the left crook of her neck, while she tried to struggle out of his grip, but he was way too strong for her.

Theo leaned closer to her neck, and I saw him sniff deeply before he held her gaze. “You are our mate; my wolf isn't wrong,” he stated firmly and let go of her. She frowned at him, looked at me, and then back at Theo.

“With all due respect, Alphas, you guys are wrong. I'm not your mate; my wolf doesn't see you two as our mates,” she said, and I grunted. “Then maybe your wolf is wrong,” I said, and she moved her attention to me.

“My wolf is not wrong; I don’t feel the attraction of our mate bond. We are not mates,” she spoke rudely, and Theo and I groaned as we both stared at her.

She looked away and then faced Theo, who was closer to her. “I'm going downstairs to tell Austin about it because I don't understand what is going on,” she spat and tried walking away, but I gripped her wrist and stopped her. I felt a series of emotions as I took hold of her wrist, something I haven't felt by touching anyone.

She glared at me and I looked into her alluring eyes. Despite the anger in her eyes, I could still see that she has the most beautiful eyes I have seen on anyone.

“Why are you stopping me, Alpha Leo?” She called my name, and I knew she can differentiate us, maybe it's because of the color of our eyes. Theo's were sea blue, while mine were green. I looked at Theo, who was just staring at us. He was silent, and so was I.

“Let her go,” Theo urged through the mind link, but I shook my head. No matter what, I can't let her tell Austin, that would break him, and I don't want that.

Theo groaned, and ran his fingers through his hair, while I let go of her hand, and she looked at her wrist for a second and then back at me. She swallowed hard and then moved away. I watched her sit on the bed and look outside the window.

“Is this a plan? You two don’t want me with Austin, and that's why you have to fabricate such lies,” she asked, and I frowned at her words. “I will advise you to watch your words, woman,” I said, annoyed by her statement.

Theo walked over to where she stood and looked straight into her eyes, but she gulped and looked away. “Something tells me you also know that we are your mates, and it's best known to you why you are lying and pretending not to know about it,” he accused, and I could agree with him. I didn't believe her words a bit; she couldn't fool us.

“I don't know what games you are playing, but I will advise you to stop playing this game because it won't be funny if we get to join you,” I added, and she moved her gaze to me with a blank look on her face, making it hard for me to know what she was feeling.

I signaled to Theo, and we both teleported and arrived at our studies. I went to the bar in the corner of the studies, took out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. I took a seat and placed the cups on the table, while Theo just stood in a corner with his hands in his pant pockets.

I took a deep breath, opened the bottle of whiskey, and filled the glasses. While picking up the glass from the table, I got up from my seat and walked over to where Theo was seated. I stretched out the glass of whiskey to him, and he seemed reluctant to take it, but he eventually did and gulped a large quantity down his throat. I took a sip of mine and began walking around the study while I went into deep thoughts. Olivia was our mate; we weren't wrong. But why would her wolf not recognize us as her mate?

“She is our mate, and she knows it,” Theo spoke as if he was reading my thoughts. “And you should have let her tell Austin about it,” he added, and I frowned at him.

“You know that is a foolish thing to say.” I snapped at him, and he scoffed. “There is no need to hide it because everyone will know soon, and the earlier, the better. Goodness, I can't believe my younger brother is fucking my mate,” he grunted and emptied his glass while I just stared at him as his last words rang in my head. The thought of her and Austin brought an uncomfortable feeling in me, and just like Theo, I emptied my glass and went for a refill.

While I was filling up my glass, a knock came on the door, and I asked the person in. Austin walked into the room with a smile playing on his face.

“Big bros,” he spoke happily and hugged Theo, who hugged him back. He came to where I stood and also hugged me. “I missed you two; just seven months of not seeing you two feels like hell to me,” he said, and I forced out a smile. I didn't want him to suspect a thing.

“Then why don't you return to the pack?” I suggested, but he pouted. “Sorry, but I love London, and when I get married to Olivia, we will reside in London and start up our family,” he said, taking the glass of wine from my hand and then taking a sip.

I looked at Theo, who didn't seem happy about it, and I had to signal him not to blurt out a word. Theo frowned at him, and I shifted my gaze back to Austin. “So, you really love this girl,” I asked, and Austin nodded with a smile. “She is the love of my life, bro. She makes me so happy, and every moment with her seems like a dream come true. It's strange how I wasn't lucky with love, but with her, it seems like the moon goddess answered my prayers,”

I could see how his eyes lit up as he talked about her. “She makes me so happy, bro. Her presence is like a light in my life, and I don't think I will be able to live without her,” he said, and Theo grunted, forcing our attention to him.

“You will be able to live without her. She is not God or the moon goddess,” he snapped at Austin before teleporting away.