The raven's double

Jett POV

The short trip to Los Angeles gave me enough time to think up all sorts of wrong reasons why Richard Wolfe would send people to track the little bird. None of them made sense, but I was no less alarmed when I reached Forest Moon.

I rose and stomped out of the plane as soon as it touched the pack's landing field.

One of Alpha Nick's warriors approached as I was climbing down the stairs. He was the Deputy Chief Gamma. Killian Forrest. There were others with him whose names I didn't quite know.

"Welcome, Alpha Jett," greeted the deputy. "Your Beta called me. I wasn't expecting you until this afternoon."

"It's urgent," I replied. "I had to come immediately!"

"The thing is, Chief Richard is still unavailable at the moment," he said while leading me towards the mansion in the distance.

I decided that I was not leaving without seeing his boss, so I simply replied,

"I'll wait!" No matter how long it took for him to become available, I added silently.

Then he replied, "Of course. I'm sure they'll be out soon, anyway."

"They?"

"He's with the Alpha, Luna and Beta. And others. They're doing an important ceremony for his mate."

I nodded, then realized what he'd just.

"Did you just say his mate?"

"Yup," came the excited reply.

Jane, my sister, mentioned that Richard was dealing with personal issues. So it was a female problem, huh. Judging from the smile on his deputy's face, it was safe to say that it worked out. Good for him.

I was led to the visitor's lounge to wait. Killian had them offer me coffee and cookies as I tried to remain calm and patient. Thankfully, it did not take long for a maid to appear and announced that the Alpha said I could come inside.

Minutes later, I walked into Alpha's Nick's grand parlor to find him just emerging through a door with his family. His friends walked behind him. Little Alex, who sat on his shoulders, was the first to call out to me.

"It's Alpha Jett."

"It sure is," Nick replied as he lifted the child and set him down.

Then he came to clasps hands with me in greeting. The faint smell of blood wafting from his hand was a sure sign that he had just performed a blood pledge. That meant someone had just joined the Forest Moon.

"Welcome, Jethro. You look upset," he said. "Are you here to fight?"

"I sincerely hope not," I grumbled in reply and had barely finished the words when I caught sight of my person of interest.

Chief Richard Wolfe.

"Your Gamma and I have some things to clear up."

All of my attention moved to the male who was Chief of his gamma wolves now. Richard had his phone to his ear. A deep frown creased his brow as he listened intently to whoever he was talking to. Then he asked,

"Wait, wait! Who got Loki?"

"Me, Richard," I called out. "I got Loki!"

I vaguely noticed Nick's arched brow as he stepped aside and began heading towards the stairs. It seemed he would rather not get involved in any spat.

Meanwhile, Richard still had the phone to his ear as I went on,

"You sent those guys into MY city. You had them stalk a certain bird who they should never..."

My eyes wandered to the female beside him, and the rest of the words died on my lips. My heart shot to my throat as she stared back at me with those now-familiar dark brown eyes.

"Raven," I gasped.

The girl twisted her neck to look back. She wanted to see if I was talking to someone other than her. Only when her gaze returned to me did I regain a little of my senses.

She was not Raven. This girl was not the little bird I followed around all night. They had the exact same features, though.

I stood frozen, unable to take my eyes off her until Richard came to block my view.

"Who's Raven?" He asked.

"That's not her," I replied, straining to take a better look at the girl.

"Damn straight!" Richard made sure to stand in my way, totally shielding her from my view, which was very annoying.

"This is Tessa," he added. "My mate! Now, please tell me you didn't kill Loki. How did you even know the guy..."

He was still talking when Nick's Luna cut in.

"Alpha Jett, does she look like someone you know?"

"Yeah, sh..she does," I nodded.

An odd silence descended on the vast room. Then Richard's eyes widened like he'd just come to a realization.

"Oh, Fate," Raven's double cried out. "Rich, it could be Sophie."

Then she left her mate and rushed to come meet me. I was not afraid of her. But the urge to back away as she approached was so strong that it nearly won.

She even speedwalked like Raven. It was eerie. She was speaking too fast now while I thought about the fact that I didn't yet know the sound of Raven's voice. They probably sound the same, too.

Then I caught the words, "Twin. Identical."

"Yeah, identical indeed," I murmured. "Copies of each other!"

She seemed overly excited and anxious at the same time. Soon, Richard led us into another more private chamber.

****

Ten minutes later, the shock of meeting Raven's look-alike had passed.

I was now learning that they were twins, separated at some point due to circumstances in the pack.

Then came another unpleasant shock, which was delivered in the form of a few words:

Alpha. Lazarus. Children.

"What do you mean they're Lazarus' children?" My tone was sharper than I meant it to be.

I knew what Richard meant. I just wished he didn't say what I heard him say. Because that would mean that these girls were enemies of my family.

It would mean that Raven's father killed my mother! She didn't exactly die by his hands, but she might as well have.

Richard didn't bother repeating himself. He merely stared back at me with a hard expression. Raven's twin looked like she wanted to roll her eyes so bad but had to settle with pursing her lips instead.

"So Lazarus had twin daughters, and you're MATED to one of them?" My tone was accusatory.

"Yes!" Richard nodded proudly. There was not a hint of shame in his manner. "And the other one is in your custody. Tessa has been looking for her twin, Alpha Jett. That's why I sent guys into Louisiana."

As he spoke, memories from a few days ago flashed in my mind. Alpha Nick had called to confirm someone's paternal side. That person was indeed Lazarus' illegitimate child, and she was a twin. So Raven was the other twin?

"How did you meet Sophie?" Tessa asked me. "Did she return to the Night Storm? I mean, did she enter the pack? You'll take us to her, right? Oh, Richard, you were right. She stayed back because of me."

I ignored the girl's inquiries and was glad that her eyes were on her mate now. I hated the information I'd just learned and did not want her addressing me at all.

"I need you to take us to her," Richard said to me. "You said she's not within the pack at the moment. Where is she? Also, release Loki, c'mon. He meant no harm. He would never have touched her."

His mate could sense my coldness towards her. She silently accessed me as her eyes traveled from my head down to my toes. I resolved not to give her another look till I left the Forest Moon.

"I'll release your human. And I'll take you to Raven because you asked. We are kin, after all. But let me warn you." I rose from the couch. "As for the girl, Raven. Sophia, whatever... I won't be doing you anymore favors than letting you see her. She's a runaway! MY captive!"

"Alpha Jett-"

"Chief, please, tell your mate not to address me," I cut Tessa off. "If I'd gotten here one day earlier, I would've asked that she be handed TO ME. I can't do that now because she has taken your blood pledge and is a Mooner. Also, she's fated to you. But I have the other one. And I DO NOT intend to let her walk free!"