4. Three men stood

"Are you ready to go on stage?"

Taking a deep breath, I looked at the older lady who had escorted me into the club. She picked up a cream-colored card with my information and slowly slid her pen into her grey suit jacket.

"How can anyone be ready for something like this?" I asked softly, watching the males. They were all so intense, making the entire room feel hot and cold at the same time. One of the werewolves laughed loudly, slapping the back of the male next to him. He received a rough punch in return.

"Well, just think about the reason why you're here. That usually motivated the other girls." She looked down at the card. "Let's just verify your information one last time. Accuracy matters."

"Alright."

"Yasmin Jacobs. Twenty-one years old."

I nodded. Her eyes scanned lower.

For the briefest moment, she paused and then spoke. "Is your blood type accurate? Did you get it tested?"

"Yeah."

She nodded and continued. "Excellent health. Open to consideration from both vampires and werewolves."

She looked up.

"Everything correct?"

"Yes."

"Wonderful." She stood up. "Follow me."

She stopped just before the stage and gave the announcer a thumbs up. She spoke again, her eyes never leaving the stage. "One last piece of advice before you go out there."

I turned at her.

"When it's time to pick, don't let anyone rush your choice."

I gave her a smile. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."

Without warning, she nudged me forward into view. My heart lurched as I stumbled onto stage. A few males noticed and turned to glance at me, brows lifted.

The announcer's smooth voice rolled across the hall. "Gentlemen, if I could have your attention one last time."

Chairs stopped scraping, and conversations paused. Then... all eyes turned to me.

I took a small step backwards, my throat suddenly feeling clogged.

"We have one last participant."

The assistant hissed at me from behind the curtain, telling me to move closer. I gulped and took one step forward.

No, I stumbled forward. Like a toddler learning to walk.

Brilliant.

What an entrance.

The announcer greeted me with a warm smile as I reached the center of the stage.

"Welcome." His voice dropped. "Calm your nerves. They never take the fearful ones seriously."

He looked back at the audience, a practiced smile gracing his face.

"Our final participant..."

He looked down at the registration card.

"...Miss Yasmin Jacobs."

Silence settled over the hall as he continued.

"Twenty-one years of age. A graceful build and wonderful health."

His eyes moved further down the page.

Then... he stopped. Only for a heartbeat, but I noticed.

One eyebrow lifted almost imperceptibly.

Then, perfectly composed, he continued. "Blood type... Rh-null."

At first there was silence, then a chair crashed backwards. I blinked, and a vampire was already on his feet. "Impossible."

"Sit the hell down, Aaron." Another vampire hissed sharply.

"Did he just say Rh-null?"

"Keep your damn voice down."

More chairs scraped against the marble floor as several vampires half-rose from their seats, unable to contain the shock on their faces.

The werewolves exchanged curious glances with one another but didn't question anything.

The announcer cleared his throat and raised his hand. "Now, gentlemen, you know the rules. You only stand and speak after I'm done talking."

The murmurs died at once. Those who were standing sat down, their eyes never leaving me. As if I would suddenly run away or disappear if they took their eyes off me. I frowned, wanting to understand what was going on, but the announcer continued reading with his effortless tone.

"No known hereditary illnesses. Open to consideration from either vampires or werewolfs." He folded the card behind his back. "As tradition states, those wishing to express interest may now sta—"

He didn't even get to complete his statement when half the entire vampire side shot up, making me flinch. Pale hands lifted from all directions, and fangs bared in eager smiles.

"Well... this is certainly a memorable way to end the evening. Seems like the vampires have taken quite a liking to you, Ms. Jacobs," the announcer whistled.

A few quiet laughs drifted through the werewolf section. I closed my eyes, wishing the floor would swallow me whole. Then—

A chair slid backwards, and my eyes opened. My lips parted slightly.

Valentin Sinclair rose to his feet.

The vampire side collectively stopped talking, and every one of them who was standing suddenly sat down. Raised hands reluctantly lowered, as if that action alone was a challenge to him.

The announcer blinked, then a sly smile spread across his face.

"Well." He clasped his hands together. "I wasn't expecting that."

He inclined his head respectfully toward Valentin. "Lord Valentin Sinclair. What a sight. This must be your first Choosing in," he pretended to think carefully. "What is it now? Three decades?"

A vampire near the front answered quietly. "Thirty-four years, actually."

"Ah." The announcer smiled. "Then tonight is already one for the history books, though I suppose it makes perfect sense for you to stand."

Valentin ignored every whisper. His crimson eyes rested solely on me.

Then, another chair scraped across polished marble.

Recognition washed over me the moment our eyes met. The werewolf from the restaurant.

Gasps of surprise filled the room, this time from the werewolves, and even more whispers broke out. Yet, that didn't really worry me because for some reasons I couldn't explain, seeing him made my shoulders relax.

A vampire hissed at the werewolves. "Stay out of this one, mutts. You've gotten enough women tonight."

One of the werewolves grinned. "What? Upset you're losing the competition?"

"This isn't a matter of competition. It's beyond it." Another vampire snapped. The werewolf didn't lose his easy smile.

"More reason for us to crush you."

I looked around in confusion, and the announcer sighed as if he had expected this. His eyes snapped back to the werewolves, and his lips parted in surprise.

Another chair had moved, right next to the werewolf from the restaurant, and another male had stood up.

A male that looked exactly like him.

My eyes widened. Twins?

The announcer stared speechless. "Impossible."

The werewolf section exploded with laughter.

"Alpha Rafe Voss?" he pointed dramatically. "You?"

Rafe scowled deeply, his grey eyes darkening. "I'm aware that I'm standing."

"Forgive me," the announcer replied smoothly. "I merely assumed hell would've frozen over before I saw the day."

Another wave of laughter swept across the hall.

"I have officiated Choosings for nearly fifty years." He gestured first toward Valentin and then toward the twins. "I cannot remember the last time Lord Valentin Sinclair stood for a participant... and for the first time ever, the Alpha Twins of the Northern Crest Territory stood with him. Alpha Emmett and Alpha Rafe Voss, welcome to your first Choosing ceremony."

A fresh wave of murmurs swept through both sides of the hall. The announcer didn't look away from the twins as he spoke.

"For those unfamiliar with werewolf customs... Alpha Emmett Voss and Alpha Rafe Voss rule jointly. Meaning, by werewolf law, they make one entity."

He looked at me. "To choose one of them... is to choose both."

That can't be legal.

My mouth went dry, and I looked at him. Emmett Voss was his name. He was an alpha werewolf. I didn't follow their politics much, but I knew that his position was the highest-ranking of all werewolves.

He stood for me.

And Valentin Sinclair... did they call him a lord? He was a royal vampire?

And Emmett's twin, he was an alpha too.

They had black, straight hair and piercing eyes. The same impossible height and broad shoulders. They were identical, yet somehow I could tell exactly which twin had smiled at me at the restaurant.

Perhaps it was because Rafe was glaring daggers at me.

The announcer stepped aside, making me look at him instead. His smile softened when our eyes met.

"Miss Yasmin Jacobs... the choice is yours."

He extended a hand toward the three men waiting before me. Two alphas and a lord.

"Take your time... it's only the rest of your life, after all."