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

Aria didn't remember leaving Jesse's apartment. One moment she had been standing in the doorway, staring at two people she trusted more than anyone. The next, she was sitting in the back of a taxi, her camera clutched tightly against her chest while the city drifted past the rain-speckled window. The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Miss?" She looked up blankly. "We're here." Aria blinked. She hadn't even noticed the ride. "Oh... sorry." She paid him, thanked him absentmindedly, and stepped out in front of a modest hotel a few blocks from downtown. It wasn't home, but it was somewhere Jesse couldn't walk into with another explanation. The receptionist greeted her with a polite smile. "Checking in?" "Just for one night." "Single room?" She nodded. The woman handed over a keycard. "Room 214. Breakfast starts at seven." "Thank you." Aria took the elevator without another word. The room was small. A neatly made bed sat against one wall, with a wooden

The farther they drove, the quieter the world became. The wide highways slowly disappeared behind them, replaced by narrow roads that wound through towering pine forests stretching toward distant mountains. Shafts of afternoon sunlight slipped through the thick canopy, scattering patches of gold across the asphalt. It was breathtaking. Yet the beauty felt... strange. Almost guarded. Aria lowered her window slightly. Cool air rushed into the SUV, carrying the earthy scent of pine and damp soil. It should have been peaceful. Instead, an uneasy feeling settled in her chest. She couldn't explain why. Daniel noticed her watching the endless trees. "First time seeing Arizona's forests?" She nodded. "They're different from what I imagined." "How so?" "They're..." She searched for the right word. "Too quiet." Daniel smiled faintly. "Most visitors say they're peaceful." "I'm not sure peaceful is the word I'd use." He chuckled. "Give it a few days." "I hope you're right." She l

Morning arrived with a soft glow filtering through the curtains of Room Twelve.Aria had slept, but only in fragments.Every creak of the inn, every branch brushing against the roof, every distant howl—whether real or imagined—had dragged her back to consciousness. By sunrise, she gave up trying. Instead, she showered, tied her hair into a ponytail, and settled at the small desk by the window with her laptop..Work was familiar.Work didn't ask impossible questions.She uploaded the previous day's photographs, making small adjustments to the lighting before sending the finished files to Arizona Horizons Realty. When the confirmation email appeared, she finally leaned back in her chair.A knock came at the door."Come in."Daniel stepped inside carrying two paper cups."I guessed you'd be running on caffeine."She accepted one with a grateful smile."You guessed correctly.""I've worked with photographers before.""Oh?""They're either fueled by coffee or stubbornness."She took a sip.

The heavy front doors closed behind the twins with a dull thud that echoed through the entrance hall.Aria stood where they had left her, staring at the doors as if they might suddenly open again. They didn't.A few minutes ago, she had been free to walk wherever she wanted. Now complete strangers had decided she would remain in their estate "for her own safety," and somehow everyone else seemed perfectly fine with that.She turned sharply to Theodore."Did they seriously just decide I'm staying here?"The older man let out a quiet sigh. "They're worried.""That's not an answer.""It's the only one I can give you."She laughed bitterly."I don't even know their names, and they're already making decisions about my life.""Their names won't change the situation.""No, but the truth might."Theodore didn't reply.That silence again.Everyone in this place seemed to treat silence like it could solve problems.He motioned toward the study."Come inside.""I'd rather leave.""I know.""Then

Aria woke to the unfamiliar sound of church bells. For a moment she couldn't remember where she was. The ceiling above her wasn't the one in her apartment in Mexico, and the room carried the faint scent of cedar instead of the lavender candles she used to burn after long assignments. Then everything returned at once-Jesse, Arizona, the forest, and the estate she still wasn't convinced she was free to leave. She pushed the blanket aside and walked to the window.Morning had settled gently over the mountains. Sunlight slipped through the pine trees, touching the rooftops of the estate with a soft golden glow. From a distance, the place looked peaceful enough to belong on a postcard. It was strange how appearances could lie. A knock interrupted her thoughts."Come in."The door opened slowly, and Emma stepped inside carrying a breakfast tray."I wasn't sure if you'd be awake.""I've been awake for a while."Emma placed the tray on a small table near the window. There was toast, fresh fru