Naya's POVThe next day found myself in the supermarket, getting much-needed supplies for the cottage.I hurried through the last aisle of the store, a loaf of bread clutched under my arm and a basket weighed down with household items dangling from my wrist.It had taken far too long to find the right kind of dish soap, and now my anxiety gnawed at me, relentless and sharp. I checked the time on my phone: 1:20 PM.Just enough time to finish shopping and get home before Aiden was done with school.Or so I thought.My phone rang just as I was about to check out. The unfamiliar number on the screen sent a ripple of unease through my chest."Hello?" I answered, my breath hitching slightly."Ms. Naya? This is Principal Langston from the Pack Academy. Iâm afraid thereâs been an incident involving your child. We need you to come in immediately."Everything in me stilled. My heart, my breath, my thoughts. My fingers went slack, nearly dropping the phone."Aiden? What happened? Is he okay?" I
NAYA'S POVAt my retort, she stopped talking, her eyes revealing her confusion.Her head jerked around, her eyes finding Aiden, who had quietly drawn in the corner.She blinked, and for half a second, her mask cracked.Surprise. Embarrassment. She hadnât even noticed him.But just as fast, it vanished under a sneer."How low could you sink, Naya? Lurking in the principalâs office like someâŠ" She waved a hand vaguely, eyes glittering, "Shadow. Or were you trying to steal another child from a real mother?"I didnât flinch. Iâd had worse thrown at me, sharper claws, bloodier fights."Youâre calling me out on morals? Thatâs rich, coming from the woman who waltzed into someone elseâs home and snatched a kid like he was luggage," I said coldly.The principal cleared his throat, but no one was listening.The air had gone electric.Isadora scoffed, the sound derisive and mean. "You had zero respect for ranking. You should have known your placeâan omega trying to speak in a world meant for bet
TOBIASâS POVAnd the room was thick with it. The tension clung to the air, pressing down on everyone like humidity before the rain fell."What the hell is going on here?" I demanded.Isadora didnât even blink. She scoffed, flicking a glance at me over her shoulder. "Well, well," she said with a cruel smirk. "Your boy toy has finally arrived."Nayaâs eyes darted to me and narrowed immediately. "Donât you dare talk about him like that," she snapped, her voice tight. "Just shut up, Isadora."The teacher standing by the desk looked like she wanted to sink into the floor.The principal, an older man with a belly barely contained by his vest, gave me a look of exhausted relief.I walked forward, ignoring the brewing fight between the two women, and glanced past Naya's shoulder.Aiden.My gut twisted.He was sitting by the principal's desk, his tiny frame hunched, his hands knotted in his lap. His eyesâthose wide, knowing eyesâlooked up at me, and there was fear in them. Not for himself. For
TOBIAS'S POVI stepped toward her, the weight of Aiden pressed close to my chest, and reached out my hand.âNaya,â I said quietly, but she heard it. Her head jerked in my direction. Her eyes were glossy. Her breathing erratic.I didnât give her a speech. I didnât ask. I just slid my fingers into hers and pulled her hand into mine.It fit, soft and shaking but familiar. She didnât fight it. Her eyes darted to mine, searching, askingâbut I just squeezed her hand tighter and nodded once.âLetâs go,â I said gently.And we did.Without a word to the others, I pushed past them. Aidenâs head tucked against my shoulder, and Naya walked beside me, her chin high and eyes fixed ahead, even though I could feel the tremble in her limbs.The crowd parted for us like a wave. Maybe it was the look on my face. Maybe it was the sheer weight of everything that had happened, or maybe it was because they wanted nothing to do with us. I couldn't spare a thought for it, so we just walked past them.Naya
TOBIAS'S POV The drive back is quiet. A good quiet.Not like how it was when we left that godforsaken school.Aidenâs asleep in the backseat, his head tipped to the side and his little plush shark tucked under his arm like itâs made of gold. Nayaâs beside me, her legs drawn up onto the seat, arms loosely wrapped around them. Her face is calm, and soft in the passing shadows of streetlights. Sheâs not smiling, exactly, but her face isn't in that strained blankness either.And Iâll take that. Hell, Iâll take it and wrap it in a bow.By the time we get home, Aidenâs blinking awake but too drowsy to fight when Naya lifts him into her arms.âCome on bug." She murmurs sweetly as she tucks the little boy into her side.He buries his face into her shoulder immediately, and she strokes his back, whispering something low in his ear I donât catch.We walked into the house together, me switching on the lights and flooding the living space with a warm glow.Aiden scrunched his face at that but
NAYA'S POVThe soft glow of the light flickered against the walls of the cottage, casting long, wavering shadows that danced like restless spirits. Tobias and I sat close on the worn, threadbare couch, the fabric rough beneath my fingertips but comforting all the same. His arm was draped around my shoulders, pulling me in just enough to feel the steady warmth of his body against mine. Outside, the night was silent except for the occasional whisper of wind through the pines. Tobias had calmed me down earlier with all his assurances and I felt more settled in my skin. More secure.It was a lovely feeling after this afternoon of turmoil.But I couldn't stop thinking about it.I sighef before resting my head on Tobiasâs chest, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat, a rhythm that somehow anchored me in the swirling storm of my thoughts. The events of the day played over and over in my mindâthe principalâs office, the harsh words from the other twin, the cruel laughter that see
AIDEN'S POVI was standing in different room, the air thick with the smell of old books and dust. Light filtered through heavy curtains, casting the room in a dim, amber glow. I looked down at my hands, but they werenât really thereâjust a faint outline, like smoke in sunlight.I tried to touch the desk, but my fingers slipped through it, leaving no mark."HmmâŠ" I tried to make a sound , but no noise came out. My voice was gone.I looked around once more, eyes widening as i tied to catalogue more details.It was a big room, filled with books and strange objects. There were shelves that reached all the way to the ceiling, packed with leather-bound volumes. There were globes and telescopes and strange, glass jars filled with⊠stuff.It looked like⊠the someone's study. But how did I get here?I looked around desperately, trying to make sense of it all, my heart thumping in my chest.Panic bubbled up inside me. âWhatâs happening?â I thought to myself.Just a moment ago, I had been in
AIDEN'S POVI froze, my heart slamming against my ribs like a wild drum.Julian stood there, his shadow spilling out behind him, and in his hand gleamed a small, wicked knife. He waved it at me like I was some enemy, some intruder he didnât want near."Aiden?" he breathed, his voice a harsh whisper.My jaw dropped. He could see me? Isadora couldn't but Julian saw me. A thrill shot through me, so intense it almost knocked me out of my astral form. This was⊠amazing.He could see me!Suddenly, the knife didn't matter. The anger in his eyes faded into the background. All that mattered was that my brother, my twin, could see the real me. It meant we were connected.The words bubbled up inside me, a torrent of excitement that needed to be expressed. My hands flew into action, fingers wiggling and twisting, forming the rapid, intricate shapes of sign language. I bounced on the balls of my feet, unable to contain my joy.âJulian! You're so cool! Best brother ever! Awesome! You can see me! Y
Naya's POV The fluorescent lights of the waiting room hummed, a monotonous drone that seemed to amplify the silence. It was a sterile, cold sound that vibrated through my bones, mirroring the icy dread that had taken root in my soul. The air itself felt thick, heavy with unspoken fears and desperate hopes clinging to the edges of reality. Two hours. Two hours we had waited, each minute stretching into an eternity, punctuated only by the rhythmic beeping of machines and the hushed whispers of nurses passing by. Two hours of praying, pleading with a universe that seemed deaf to our cries, and desperately clinging to the fragile hope that Aiden, my sweet, beautiful boy, would be okay.Finally, the door to the emergency room swung open, and a doctor emerged. His face was grim, etched with a weariness that mirrored the exhaustion that had settled deep within my own being. His eyes, usually bright and filled with a professional detachment, were clouded with a somber empathy that sent
Naya's POVThe world had become a kaleidoscope of chaos. It was getting worse. The battle that is. the cave was bathed in the eerie glow of the moon. Men were fighting, their faces contorted with rage, their bodies locked in a brutal dance of death.And in the center of it all, I saw him. Elder Walsh, his eyes burning with fanaticism, his hands raised in a gesture of power.I felt exhausted, my arms arching and bloodstained from fighting off so many enemies, all to survive.And then, I saw Aiden.He was running, his small legs pumping, his face streaked with tears. He was shouting, his voice hoarse, his words lost in the din of battle."Julian! Mom!"My heart leaped into my throat. He was here. He was alive.But he was running straight into danger."Aiden!" I screamed, my voice raw with terror. "No! Get back!"Elder Walsh saw him, his eyes widening with a predatory gleam."Get him!" he roared, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Don't let him escape!"Julian, who had been crouchin
Naya's POV Tobias stepped forward, his face set in a hard line. âBack off, you Old bastard,â he said, his voice low and dangerous. âYouâve got the wrong kid.âThe Elder chuckled. âOh, I donât think so, Tobias,â he said, his eyes twinkling. âI know exactly who I have. Thatâs why I waited for the star of the show to arrive.âOne of the Elderâs men stepped forward, dragging someone behind him. My heart skipped a beat.It was Julian.Isadora screamed, her face contorting with anguish. âJulian!â she cried, her voice cracking. âWhat did you do to him?âThe Elder smiled coldly. âDonât worry, my dear,â he said, his voice smooth as silk. âWe havenât harmed him⊠yet.âIsadora turned to her father, her eyes pleading. âPlease, Father,â she begged. âI donât want to be a part of this anymore. Not if it means hurting Julian. Heâs the only family I have left.âThe Elderâs smile vanished, replaced by a look of cold fury. âSilence, Isadora,â he snapped. âYou will do as youâre told.âHe turned back to
Naya's pov I woke up with a gasp, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. The last thing I remembered was Julian saying something about Aiden being in danger, and then⊠nothing. Just blackness. I pushed the blanket off my lap and sat up, my head throbbing. It felt like a giant was using my skull as a drum.âUgh,â I groaned, pressing my hand to my forehead. The cottage was silent, eerily so. Where was everyone?I stumbled off the couch, my legs wobbly. âTobias? Aiden?â I called out, my voice trembling. No answer.Panic clawed at my throat. Everything was a mess. The cushions were askew, a half-finished drawing lay abandoned on the coffee table, and the air was thick with a sense of⊠dread.I ran to the window, peering out into the fading light. The car was gone. My breath hitched in my throat. Heâd left. Heâd taken the others and left me behind.Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. I felt abandoned, useless. But I couldnât afford to fall apart. Aiden w
Tobiasâs POVThe city air still clung to my clothes, a greasy film of exhaust and hurried footsteps. Iâd spent the afternoon weaving through crowded streets, trying to finalize the last-minute details for the wedding.Naya deserved the best, and I was determined to give it to her, even if it meant battling grumpy florists and haggling with caterers who thought they were serving ambrosia instead of fried chicken. My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me from my mental checklist of seating arrangements and cake flavors. It was a message from the Elder.My stomach clenched as I read the words. They were laced with a thinly veiled threat, a demand for allegiance. He wanted me to join him, to fall in line with his plans, or he would⊠well, he didnât explicitly say what heâd do, but the implication was clear: he'd make my life, Nayaâs life, Aidenâs life, a living hell."Don't blame me when everything falls into pieces," the message concluded.I scoffed, a bitter sound in the busy street
Aiden's POV I trudged towards the front of the school, my heart heavy. I couldn't believe Julie had betrayed me like this. I couldn't believe he had said all those things to me.As I reached the front of the school, I saw Isadora waiting for me. She looked pale and anxious."Aiden," she said, her voice trembling. "We have to go. Now."I frowned. "What's wrong?" I asked."There's no time to explain," she said, grabbing my hand. "We have to leave. Your Grandfather wants to see you."I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay here, at least until I could figure out how to fix things with Julie. But Isadora was pulling me towards the car, and I knew I couldn't argue with her.We drove in silence, my anxiety growing with every mile. Isadora kept glancing at me, her eyes filled with fear.Finally, we reached the estate. I dreaded spending even one more day in that house.But as we pulled up to the gates, something strange happened. A black car pulled up behind us, blocking our path.A tall ma
Aiden's POV Three days. That's all it was supposed to be. Three days of pretending to be Julian, three days of nasty tutors and cold rooms, three days of holding in all the things that made me⊠me. Iâd counted every minute, every second, just so Julie could have a break. But those three days felt like a lifetime.I tried my best to be Julian. I sat up straight, didn't fidget, and answered all the questions the tutors threw at me, even when my brain felt like it was going to explode till my voice, so unused to talking for long periods went hoarae5. Mistress Thorne still looked at me like I was a bug she wanted to squish, but she didn't hit me again. Maybe because she didn't want to overdo it.I had to hold in a snort of disgust.I hated that it could still happen and the fear it sent through my body whenever I even thought she might pull her hands into her robes with the cane But the worst part was being away from mom and dad. I missed their hugs, their smiles, their silly jokes. I
Julian's POVEven though I was scared, switching with Aiden felt⊠like breathing after holding my breath for too long. I could almost taste freedom. But as Naya led me towards their little house, my hands trembled. According to what his parents knew,Aiden didn't talk (not that they know he could talk and did so on a semi regular basis now).He used his hands always, signing words I barely knew. What if I messed up? What if Naya saw through my clumsy attempts?Naya squeezed my hand, and I tried to mimic Aiden's bouncy walk, but my legs felt like jelly."You okay, sweetie?" Naya asked, her voice warm. "You're awfully quiet today. More than usual, even for you."My heart hammered. I reached for the small notebook Aiden always carried and scribbled:'Tired. Long day.' I showed it to her, trying to copy Aiden's quick, jerky movements.Naya frowned, her eyes searching mine. "Long day, huh? Did something happen at school? Did someone tease you?"I shook my head, then quickly signed the wor
Aiden's POVLately, Julian hasnât been the same. I noticed it first at school. He used to sit with me sometimes, even if he pretended not to care. But now, he looks down at the floor a lot, and when I try to talk to him, he just walks away. Not just at school, but even when I visit him with my astral projection. I float into his room, hoping to see that goofy grin or hear him laugh at my silly signs, but he looks through me like Iâm not there. Sometimes he doesnât even answer back.It made my chest hurt. I didnât know why he was like this. I wanted to help, but Julian wouldnât let me.One afternoon, I was floating around the house, drifting like a ghost, trying to find him. I peeked into the bathroom, and there he was, standing in front of the mirrorâhis shirt lifted just a little as he rubbed his arms.I saw it then. The scars. Long, jagged lines running down his arms, hidden beneath his sleeves. They looked red and angry, like wounds that never quite healed. My heart stopped for