Chapter Two

“Wait! He actually rejected you? What a dumbass!” Kaine said as he was walking me home. I sighed; this night has been exceptionally difficult for me. I don’t exactly remember telling him he could walk with me. I just started walking away, and he started following me. “Wait, how are you my mate, when he rejected me like twenty minutes ago?” I asked, and he shrugged his shoulders. “Half the time, twins have the same mate. It gets really shitty unless one of you rejects the girl, or if the girl rejects one of the siblings. Other times they kind of just share. I think you must like your brother for that, and I have no intention of sharing.” “I take it you’re not going to reject me?” I asked. Kaine shook his head. “Oh, goddess no! A bombshell like you? I’d be settling. Let’s head back to the woods, and I’ll show you how a real wolf takes his mate.” I stopped walking to gape at him. "What makes you think that I was going to accept you?" I asked, perhaps it was my stubbornness showing through, but I didn't want to make it easy for him.

People said that Kaine was a complete womanizer, had severe anger issues, and was twice the asshole that Abel could ever think about being. "Now, now my little wolf, are you trying to provoke me?" I shrugged my shoulders. Honestly, I was just trying to get a rise out of him. It felt too easy to let him have his way. I wanted to test him for some reason, I wanted to make him work for it. "Look, if it's about Abel. Don't worry about him. Once you belong to me, he won't have a chance to interfere. He'd be stupid if he did. Wait. What's that?!" Kaine spun me around and lifted my chin to get a good look at the bruise in a handprint that was rapidly healing on my throat. I didn't know what Kaine was thinking at that moment. "Alright, Valeria. I'll catch you next time. I have something I need to do." Kaine said. He pulled my body against his and leaned down and kissed me. I wasn't expecting it, but my lips parted on their own, and I felt his tongue sweep inside my mouth. It only lasted a few moments, but when he pulled back, I was completely breathless. I headed back home and slipped inside. My mom was still sleeping, as I headed upstairs to my room.

Kaine's POV

I busted through the front door of the pack house. I was seriously pissed off. I wasn't that pissed off that he rejected Valeria. No, I was fucking livid at the fact that he decided to put his hands on my mate. Valeria was mine, and I wasn't about to let anyone hurt her. No, this shit was about to fucking stop right now. I searched the house for my brother. I scoffed as I busted open the bedroom door to the sound of moaning. There he was, Abel had Kamilla bent over the homework desk, completely fucking her brains out. Goddess, I hate that bitch. She was arrogant, cruel, and got her rocks off by causing misery and using every wolf she encountered.

The sound of skin slapping against skin, and the little whore's moans were almost infuriating. It was adding fuel to my fire. I grabbed my brother by the back of his shoulder and slammed him to the ground. Abel was pissed now, as he hit the floor. "What the fuck?! What did you have your little wolfy claim on this one?" I growled deep in my throat and punched him hard, as the girl screamed and went to grab for her clothes. Kamilla ran out of the room like a spooked horse. It was actually kind of funny watching her half naked body running out of the room. "Seriously?! What the fuck is your problem? Are you trying to get your ass kicked right now?!" I growled again. "As if you could! This is about Valeria! You know we're twins, right? She is my mate too! I don't care that you rejected her. I care that you decided to put your filthy fucking hands on her! Her throat is bruised! How do you think that's okay?!" Abel laughed hysterically. "All this over her?! You've really hit bottom! She's nothing!" I was pissed and in my anger I hit him again. We fought for a few moments, going punch for punch, until Abel was knocked the fuck out, blood pouring from the side of his head. He'd wake up eventually.

"What the hell is going on here?" I flinched as I heard the sound of my father's voice from the doorway. Alpha Bryce was as much of an asshole as his twin boys, or so people around the pack liked to say. He made us strong, built us to take the heat and then some. I kicked myself internally, I just knew I was fixing to get my ass handed to me. "Kaine, the study. Now." I followed my dad up to his study and I sat in the chair that I had sat in many times across from the old man's desk as he read me the rights of everything I'd ever done wrong. "What happened between you and your brother? Why weren't you at the ceremony?" "Me and Abel have the same mate. The twin theory, looks like it's legit. Well, Abel decided to not only reject our mate, but leave a wicked-looking bruise on her throat too. He felt the need to hurt her on top of it. I was going to head to the ceremony but I scented her, so I followed. When I saw that bruise, I fucking lost it." "Son, language. Do you need to be so vulgar?" I scoffed at his comment. "I find it necessary."

My dad sighed, but he had an interested look on his face. "You took your brother down quite easily, defended your mate. Both of these things are admirable traits. You're strong, and you protect your mate's interests. I've been having trouble deciding who to hand the pack off to, but I think I've made my decision. Kaine. I'm going to put you forward as Alpha. I would like to encourage you to choose your brother as your Beta, but we know that Abel is more interested in chasing skirts than he is pack duties." Dad laughed, and I ran my hand through my hair. "I'm interested though. Who's the girl?" "Valeria Thomas," I replied. My dad looked humored, but he didn't look pissed. That was a good sign. "She's a good breed, but that mother of hers, an awful woman. Ever since Jordon left, she's been an abusive drunk. Poor girl, she's been stuck there with that. I take it, Valeria is your choice for Luna?" I smiled. Happy that my dad accepted my choice of a mate. "If she'll have me." I said. My dad nodded in agreement. "It's fine with me. She's no runt, which is good. She's a fighter, I like that. I'll inform the pack, we'll have your ascension, then we'll crown your Luna when she's ready. In the meantime, please refrain from mortally wounding your brother. He's still my son, and he's your brother. Your twin, you should try to be nice to him when you can." I stood up and gave my dad a half-hearted grin. "Alright, dad. I'll see you later. I'm going to go catch my mate and tell her the good news."