Alpha Twins 2

Two luxurious black cars glided smoothly along the main road towards Orvanthor Palace. As they approached the gate, the guards standing on either side of the road straightened up immediately.

Recognising the Montclair family crest displayed on the front of both cars, the guards promptly stood at attention. They raised their hands in salute. They lowered their gazes as the cars passed through the gate.

The first car entered the palace courtyard and stopped perfectly in front of the main staircase. This prompted a guard to step forward and open the passenger door.

Valerian Alexander Montclair, one of the alpha twins of the Orvanthor pack, stepped out. Behind him came his beta, Malcolm Standish.

A smile spread across Valerian's face. He returned the guards' salutes with a slight nod, then turned slightly to the side. His hazel eyes casually swept across the courtyard before stopping on the second car, which had pulled up behind his.

Vaughn Antonio Montclair emerged from the vehicle, walked past the guard who had opened the door for him, and approached Valerian. He was accompanied by his beta, Wynn Benitez.

Two Alphas, two figures of power with nearly identical appearances. They were both tall and well-built. They both had almost perfect faces with identical jawlines, noses, lips and facial structures. Dressed in the same perfectly tailored black suits, they could only be distinguished by three things.

First was their hair. Valerian had calm blonde hair that seemed to reflect a golden glow beneath the morning sunlight. Vaughn, on the other hand, had jet-black hair that seemed to absorb every ray of light around it.

The second difference lay in the colour of their irises. Valerian had a pair of warm-looking hazel eyes, while Vaughn's were deep black and gave off a cold impression.

The most striking difference between them was their expressions and demeanour. While Valerian smiled and greeted people warmly, Vaughn wore an impassive expression and offered neither a smile nor a greeting. Valerian seemed unable to settle for just one polite remark, whereas Vaughn was content with nothing more than a brief nod. The two of them exuded completely opposite auras.

As Vaughn approached, Valerian immediately spoke up. “I thought you couldn't come home today.”

Vaughn slipped one hand into his trouser pocket. “Actually, there's some research I need to take care of this week,” he said, glancing towards the entrance. “However, today's schedule can be rearranged a bit.”

“Good,” Valerian replied. His smile widened. “I heard she's arrived. Zaria has informed you, hasn't she?”

Vaughn gave a brief nod. “Yes, I received word from her,” he said. “The woman should be resting now.”

One of Valerian's eyebrows rose. “Her name is Cassandra Ashbourne.”

“You're right,” Vaughn replied, frowning slightly. “Lady Cassandra.”

Valerian chuckled. He patted Vaughn lightly on the shoulder before motioning for him to come with him. “So—”

Valerian's words were cut short by a thunderous voice from inside the palace. The scream erupted without warning, shattering the palace's tranquillity.

Valerian stopped in his tracks. His smile vanished instantly, and Vaughn immediately raised his head.

They looked at each other for a second before moving at once. They hurried into the palace, followed by Malcolm and Wynn.

The screams from the hall grew increasingly clear. The scene was chaotic, with two guards struggling to restrain a woman fighting with all her might.

“Lady, get out of here! Go!” the woman screamed repeatedly. “You'll die!”

Zaria stepped forward. She ensured the situation remained under control, but then the woman suddenly jerked her body, causing one of the guards to almost lose his grip.

“They're dead!' The woman's voice cracked. Her scream echoed through the hall once again. “You're going to die too!”

Valerian immediately spotted a woman sitting on the floor. It would not have been wrong to guess that she was Cassandra Ashbourne.

Cassandra looked frozen. Her face was pale. Her hair was slightly dishevelled. She clasped both hands tightly against her chest as though she could still feel the pressure left by someone who had just grabbed her. Nearby, Darlena was checking on her, looking tense.

Valerian did not hesitate. He immediately approached Cassandra. “Are you all right?”

Cassandra raised her face, her eyes meeting Valerian's hazel ones. For a moment, she could only stare at him. Then her lips moved slowly. “Yes,” she answered, barely audibly.

Valerian crouched down in front of her. “Are you hurt?”

Cassandra quickly shook her head. However, her demeanour suggested that she had been shaken by something far more profound than a mere injury.

Meanwhile, Vaughn only glanced briefly at Cassandra. His gaze immediately shifted towards the woman who was still struggling to break free.

Vaughn's black eyes darkened. He recognised the woman, as did Darlena, Zaria and everyone else there, except Cassandra. He remembered her well, knowing she shouldn't be here, especially in such a state.

Vaughn called out, “Wynn!”

Wynn approached. “Yes, Alpha.”

Vaughn gave his order straightforwardly. “Deal with her.”

Wynn nodded. “Yes, Alpha,” he replied promptly. He immediately moved forward and gestured to the two guards. “Take her away.”

The two guards nodded, but that did not mean they could carry out the order as smoothly as they would have liked. The woman continued to resist, making it difficult for them to restrain her.

“No!” the woman screamed again. She kicked one of the guards and tried desperately to break free as though her life depended on it. “Let me go!”

The two guards nearly lost their balance. Their grip almost slipped again.

“I know what happened!” The woman screamed again, her eyes wide. Her gaze was frightening yet, at the same time, she looked afraid. “You all know!”

Wynn did not let the chaos continue any longer. He immediately grabbed the woman's arm. “Calm down,” he told her, though he did not seem convinced it would do any good.

“They're going to kill her!' the woman gasped at Wynn. “Beta, you know that. Don't let them take her!'

Wynn remained unmoved. With a single motion, he made the two guards step aside. He firmly locked both of the woman's wrists.

The woman struggled again, but it was useless. “Lady, go! Go now! You'll die!'

Cassandra stared at the woman, her face growing paler by the second. “I...”

Cassandra's voice caused the woman to turn towards her. Their gazes met and both froze for a moment.

The woman looked as though she wanted to say something else for a moment. However, she was given no further opportunity.

Wynn handed her over to the two guards. “Take her away.”

The two guards dragged her away. They forcibly led her out of there.

Cassandra watched the woman leave, her thoughts in turmoil. Her eyes were filled with confusion and fear.

“They're dead!” The woman's screams could still be heard echoing along the corridor. She repeated the same words over and over again, as though delivering one final warning to Cassandra. “You're going to die, too!'

The voice disappeared moments later. The commotion gradually faded, leaving behind a heavy silence.

Cassandra was still staring in the direction that the woman had gone. She seemed to need time to process everything that had happened. “D-deal with her?” She blinked once, then lifted her face. Her eyes looked unsteady as she looked at Vaughn. “W-what are you going to do to her?”

Vaughn did not answer. Instead, he turned his gaze towards Darlena. “She must be tired,” he said flatly. “Take her somewhere to rest. Also, call Grayson to examine her injuries.”

Darlena nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”

Cassandra looked as though she was about to say something, but Valerian had already held out his hand. She turned and looked at his hand.

Valerian smiled. “Let me help you.”

Cassandra did not refuse. She nodded and took his offered hand.

Her knees wobbled when her feet touched the floor again. She staggered slightly, prompting Valerian to steady her quickly by the elbow.

He looked at her legs. “Can you walk?”

“I'm fine,” Cassandra replied, taking a deep breath. “But may I ask you something?”

Valerian looked at Cassandra. “We have time to talk. As it happens, there are quite a few things we need to discuss.”

Cassandra looked from Valerian to Vaughn. Her expression implied that she wanted an answer now, rather than waiting for another time.

“Alpha,” Cassandra said carefully. “Was what that woman said true?”

The smile on Valerian's face froze. Vaughn's impassive expression tightened slightly.

Cassandra bit her lower lip. Her voice trembled as she asked her next question. “Did the prospective Lunas before me die?”

*