Alpha Twins 4

Night had fully descended upon Orvanthor Palace. Lamplight filled the corridors and main rooms, cloaking the silence in tranquility. Unfortunately, not everyone could enjoy this peace during their time of rest.

In the Alpha's study, five people were still awake. Despite the hours continuing to pass, they continued discussing several matters.

Zaria stood on one side of the table with a file in her hand, alongside Malcolm and Wynn. Meanwhile, Valerian and Vaughn were sitting side by side on the other side of the table.

The blessing ceremony was to be held the following day. That was why they were still there, discussing various issues. There was no room for mistakes at the Palace.

'All preparations are one hundred percent complete, Alpha,” Malcolm reported. “Additionally, security has been tightened to anticipate any unwanted incidents.”

Valerian gave a faint nod. “Good,” he murmured, leaning back against his chair. His gaze shifted to Vaughn. “How about you?”

Vaughn did not answer. Instead, he turned to Wynn. “Report on Frida's condition.”

'I've already called in a psychiatrist, Alpha,” said Wynn as he opened a file. “According to the diagnosis, she is believed to be suffering from depression. There is a strong possibility that the condition was triggered by the recent events she has experienced.”

Vaughn looked at Wynn. “She became depressed after witnessing the deaths of the previous prospective Lunas firsthand.”

Wynn confirmed this with an uneasy expression. “You could say that, Alpha,” he said. “After all, she was the personal servant assigned to serve the prospective Lunas all this time.”

Zaria swallowed hard. Wynn's words brought back memories of what had happened a month ago.

Frida Jones had suddenly appeared before Cassandra on the day she arrived. Her presence had quickly ruined the atmosphere, turning everything into a mess.

Zaria had really wanted to explode that day. It felt as though all her efforts over the past few days had been for nothing.

Zaria had previously arranged everything meticulously, from the pick-up and escort to the welcoming ceremony. She had even carefully planned who should greet Cassandra, in what order and when they should move from one place to another. She wanted to make the best possible impression on Cassandra. However, the exact opposite happened.

Frida arrived and ruined the entire sequence of protocols within seconds. Ironically, however, the chaos had not been caused by someone intending to disrupt the palace.

Zaria knew Frida. Everyone at the palace knew her fairly well.

Frida had once been an important member of staff at the Palace. She was one of the servants specially trained by Darlena to accompany the Luna.

For years, Frida had served prospective Lunas. She had been with them throughout their training, helped them with their daily tasks and been by their side at all times. She was always there whenever they learned about life as a Luna.

At first, Frida was incredibly proud to have earned that position. After all, not many staff members were given the opportunity to serve someone who would one day become the Luna of Orvanthor.

However, Frida's pride gradually turned into something far worse. She had witnessed the same tragedy over and over again:

One prospective Luna would arrive, only to die. Another would come, only to suffer the same fate.

The arrival of every Luna always ended in her death. This tragedy happened repeatedly, like a vicious cycle that would never end.

Rumours of the Alpha Twin Curse began to spread. Fear spread uncontrollably. The most horrifying part of it all was that Frida had witnessed every single one of those deaths.

Zaria exhaled softly. She was not at all surprised that Frida's mental state had become so shaken.

“Zaria.” Valerian's voice made Zaria stir slightly. “How is Lady Cassandra?” he asked.

Zaria raised her head. “She's fine, Alpha,” she replied immediately. “I just came from her room. She's doing well.”

Vaughn lifted his gaze from the table. “Has Grayson checked her health?”

“Yes, Alpha,” Zaria replied. “Lady Cassandra is completely healthy.”

Vaughn fell silent for a moment before speaking in a flat voice. “So were the previous prospective Lunas.”

Zaria's throat felt dry. She swallowed. “I—”

An alarm suddenly blared, cutting her off. The sharp sound filled the entire room, instantly changing the atmosphere.

Zaria froze. Valerian and Vaughn rose almost simultaneously. Malcolm and Wynn moved without waiting for an order.

At that moment, they knew that all discussion was over. They said nothing else and hurried out of the room.

Their footsteps echoed through the corridor. Their destination was Cassandra's room.

The moment they opened the door, tragedy struck once again. Ironically, the sight before them was not entirely unfamiliar:

Cassandra was lying sprawled on the floor. Her body was motionless. Her hair was dishevelled. Fresh blood flowed from her nose and the corner of her mouth, staining her pale face.

Yona stood not far from Cassandra's body. All colour had drained from her face and she had frozen.

Darlena was already at Cassandra's side. She had approached the Alpha Twins immediately upon their arrival. “Alpha,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Lady Cassandra...”

Zaria raised her head and looked at Darlena, whose face was filled with unspoken panic. Then she turned to Yona, who was standing rigidly with her gaze fixed on Cassandra.

Zaria held her breath. Inwardly, she thought. I hope she doesn't end up like Frida.

Valerian narrowed his eyes. “She's still breathing,” he said, watching the faint movement of Cassandra's chest. “She's still alive.”

Vaughn immediately turned around. “Darlena, call Grayson right now.”

Darlena nodded quickly, causing a strand of white hair to fall out of her bun. “Yes, Alpha,” she replied, immediately taking out her phone.

The entire room fell silent for several seconds. The only sound was Darlena speaking to Grayson on the phone.

A moment later, she ended the call. “Doctor Grayson will be here shortly, Alpha,” she said, looking at Cassandra. “What should we do with Lady Cassandra?”

Zaria frowned. To her, that question shouldn't even have needed to be asked. “Of course we have to move her now,” she answered matter-of-factly. “We can't just leave her on the floor.”

No one objected, as though everyone agreed with her. Strangely, however, no one moved.

Zaria looked at Malcolm, but he didn't respond. She turned to Wynn and got the same reaction. She even noticed that Valerian and Vaughn were displaying the same attitude.

The Alpha Twins remained still. Neither of them moved.

Zaria closed her eyes for several seconds. A grumble echoed in her mind. Oh, God. Do they need to draw lots or have a discussion before they feel entitled to touch Lady Cassandra?

“Fine,” Zaria murmured, opening her eyes. She took a deep breath before stepping forward. “I'll carry her to the infirmary.”

Zaria crouched down. She slipped both hands beneath Cassandra's knees and behind her back, then carefully and swiftly lifted her.

“Watcher.” Zaria adjusted Cassandra's position in her arms. “Order the medical team to prepare everything.”

Darlena nodded. “Yes, Gamma.”

Zaria left Cassandra's room. The others followed her without saying a word.

The palace infirmary was located in a special wing, separate from the main bedrooms and other important areas. It had restricted access and resembled a modern medical facility that could not be entered by just anyone.

Several members of the medical staff were already waiting as soon as they arrived. Among them was Grayson, who was prepared to act.

“Gamma,” Grayson said immediately. “Put her here.”

Zaria carefully laid Cassandra down on one of the treatment beds. Afterwards, she took a step back.

Grayson approached immediately. He examined Cassandra's condition, and his expression changed. “Just like what happened before.”

Vaughn stood behind Grayson. “That's right,” he said quietly, “but she's still alive.”

Valerian looked at Grayson. “Do whatever it takes to save her.”

Grayson nodded. “I'll do my best, Alpha.”

Everyone left the treatment room. The door closed and they waited in the corridor.

Minutes passed in silence. They all remained quiet, lost in their own thoughts.

Zaria repeatedly glanced at her watch before looking around. At that moment, she realised that she was not the only one feeling uneasy.

Time seemed to move much more slowly than usual. The wait became agonising until, finally, the door opened.

Grayson stepped out. He immediately approached Valerian and Vaughn.

Valerian rose. “How is she?”

Grayson let out a short breath. “She's fine, Alpha.”

Vaughn's brows furrowed. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Grayson replied without hesitation. “She did faint and lose a lot of blood. Strangely enough, she's fine.”

Valerian stared at Grayson in disbelief. “She experienced exactly what the previous prospective Lunas experienced, and you're telling me she's fine?”

“Yes, Alpha.” Grayson adjusted his glasses slightly. He continued, “I've checked her repeatedly.”

Vaughn fell silent for a moment, as though thinking. Then he asked, “Did you find anything?”

Grayson shook his head. “No.”

Zaria held her breath. She had already expected that answer, but had still hoped for a different outcome.

For years, Grayson had examined prospective Lunas who had experienced similar incidents. Yet he had never found anything. He always came to the same conclusion: there was no poison, illness or fatal injury that could explain why their bodies had suddenly failed them.

Now, Cassandra was experiencing the same symptoms. Strangely, she was still alive.

“You've never been able to determine the cause of death of any of the previous prospective Lunas,” Vaughn continued. “What about Cassandra?”

Grayson's voice sounded helpless as he answered. “The same, Alpha. I still can't find anything.”

Silence fell over the corridor. Grayson's answer was like a thick fog obscuring their view.

“I have absolutely no idea what caused Lady Cassandra to faint and bleed so heavily. All I can conclude at this point is that she experienced the same symptoms as the previous prospective Lunas.” Grayson glanced briefly towards the treatment room door before continuing. He looked at Valerian and Vaughn again. “The only difference is that she survived.”

Valerian and Vaughn exchanged a glance. They did not say a word, but seemed to be having a conversation.

“So,” Valerian eventually asked, “will she regain consciousness soon?”

Grayson nodded. “I estimate that she will regain consciousness soon,” he answered. “Her current condition is exactly like that of someone who is exhausted from overexerting themselves.”

Vaughn stared at the treatment room door. “Maybe her body is exhausted from fighting death.”

Zaria grimaced. She knew that, beneath Vaughn's cold words, lay a possibility that sounded far more plausible than it should have.

“I’ll monitor Lady Cassandra’s condition personally, Alpha,” Grayson said seriously. “Additionally, I'll continue investigating how she managed to survive.” He fell silent for a moment. His brow furrowed as though he were wrestling with a strange anomaly that demanded an explanation. “What exactly is different about her?”

*