All Chapters of A HUMAN MATE FOR THE ALPHA TWINS : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The camera hanging from Aria Mendoza's neck had witnessed more broken things than most people ever would. For six years she had chased stories across Mexico, believing every photograph deserved honesty. A picture could be beautiful, but if it lied, it wasn't worth taking. That belief had earned her respect, sleepless nights, and just enough freelance work to keep a roof over her head. It hadn't earned her wealth, but she had never cared much about money. As long as she had her camera, she had purpose. Applause pulled her from her thoughts. Someone whistled from across the newsroom. "Cover girl!" Aria looked up as her editor walked toward her, waving a printed proof of the magazine. "I was going to email you," he said with a grin, "but I figured watching your face would be much more entertaining." He set the proof on her desk. There it was, her photograph stretched across the cover. For a heartbeat she simply stared. "This..." She looked up at him, then back down at the page. "Is

The departure terminal buzzed with the familiar rhythm of people moving toward different destinations. Suitcases rolled across polished floors. Boarding announcements echoed overhead. Children tugged impatiently at their parents while business travelers hurried past with coffee cups in hand. Everyone seemed certain about where they were going. Aria wished she could say the same. She sat near the large glass windows overlooking the runway, her boarding pass tucked inside the magazine that featured her first cover photograph. The glossy cover reflected the morning sunlight, but she barely looked at it. Less than forty eight hours ago she'd imagined celebrating this milestone with Jesse. Now she was leaving Mexico without telling anyone except her editor. She wasn't running away, at least that was what she kept telling herself. Sometimes leaving wasn't an act of fear. Sometimes it was the only way to survive. "Excuse me." She looked up. An elderly man stood beside her seat, a weathered

The howl echoed again, closer this time. Aria didn't realize she was holding her breath until her lungs burned. Her fingers tightened around her camera as she stood frozen in the middle of the empty street. The silence that followed felt even worse than the sound itself. Every door was shut. Every curtain drawn. The town that had been bustling barely ten minutes ago looked abandoned. A gust of cold wind swept through the street, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. Move. Her body finally obeyed. She hurried toward Cedar Creek Inn, her boots striking the pavement faster with every step. Halfway there she looked over her shoulder. Nothing, only the dark outline of the forest against the fading sky. You're letting those stories get to you, she scolded herself. It's just wolves. Another howl answered the first. She stopped again. It didn't sound like any wolf she'd heard while photographing wildlife. There was something deeper about it, something ancient. A knot tightened in her s

The drive felt endless. Aria sat in the back seat with her camera bag clutched against her chest, watching the trees race past the tinted window. She'd tried counting the turns at first, hoping she'd remember the route if she needed to leave on her own, but somewhere around the fifteenth bend she'd lost track. Nothing looked familiar anymore. The road wound deeper into the mountains, swallowing the last signs of Pine Ridge behind towering pines. She shifted in her seat and looked at the man beside her. He hadn't spoken since they left the cabin. "Am I under arrest?" she asked. No one answered. She sighed. "You know, this whole silent treatment thing isn't nearly as intimidating as you think it is." The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror but kept his eyes on the road. "You entered restricted land." "By accident." "You still entered it." She let out a frustrated breath. "Then tell me what I actually did. Nobody has explained anything since you picked me up." "It's priv

Aria woke to the sound of church bells drifting through the open window. For a few seconds she simply stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, trying to remember where she was. Then yesterday came rushing back. Arizona. Pine Ridge. The strange estate. The twins. She let out a tired sigh and rubbed a hand over her face. "So this wasn't some weird dream after all." She got out of bed and pulled the curtains aside. Morning sunlight stretched over the mountains, turning the endless pine trees into shades of gold and green. From up here, the estate looked peaceful. Workers crossed the courtyard carrying baskets of vegetables. Two women chatted while hanging laundry. Somewhere nearby, someone laughed. It looked normal. Too normal. After everything she'd seen, Aria no longer trusted appearances. A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. "Come in." The door opened and a young woman stepped inside carrying a breakfast tray. "Good morning," she said with a smile. "I hope I didn't wake you." "You d