Chapter 31: Chapter Thirty-One - Alpha Twins's P.O.V (Rayne)

The first day of training was the hardest by far. Watching Ashley spar with Mace had Kane and me on edge. Not only were we jealous that he had a legitimate reason to put his hands on Ashley, but the way she handed him his arse over and over had us walking around all day with painful erections.

Not to mention trying to keep a straight face, it was hard to keep a mask of careless indifference on our faces when all we wanted to do was radiate pride. Ashley was the whole damn package. It was our wounded prides that kept Ashley at arm’s length, despite the best efforts of our mother, who had tense talks with us daily about our treatment of our mate.

Our mother was slowly getting through to us, and I wasn’t sure I could take Hunters howling and whining much longer. So many times, I have found myself fighting him for dominance the last few days.

“She is lethal, brother,” Kane says appreciatively via mind-link while making his way around the training room, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Careful, Kane”, I reply.“Anyone would think you were falling for her already.” “What do you mean already? I think I fell the moment I laid eyes on her brother”, Kane replies with a nervous laugh.

“Tell me again why we are ignoring her,” he asks bluntly, eyebrow raised in question, looking at me from across the room. “Because it fucking hurt being rejected before she even gave us a chance to introduce ourselves,” I reply swiftly. “It sure did. But how is she supposed to fix things or get to know us if we continue to ignore her” Kane enquires before ending the mind-link.

Kane was right, and I knew it. I just couldn’t get past the hurt and humiliation. Not yet anyway. There was no way in hell I would accept Ashley’s rejection, nor would Kane. I was sure of that. But there was so much I needed to sort out in my head before I could start to let her in.

Kane and I spent the week swamped in pack work, meetings with Alphas of other packs and constant communication with Ashley’s father, Alpha Miller, to talk over the possibility of a future take over. There was so much more to consider than just our mate bond with Ashley. We had to think about the possibility of running not one but three packs, which would make us, along with Ashley, the head of the most extensive werewolf pack the world had ever seen. No small feat by any means.

The sheer size was unimaginable, and to be honest, it kind of scared Kane and me. Watching Ashley over the week made us feel confident. Seeing her hold her own against different opponents provided us the strength to believe we could make this work. She was the strongest she-wolf we had ever encountered and knew she would have to be being mated to the two of us.

The uncomfortable thought of sharing was still a sore point between us. Not because we knew we couldn’t share but because we weren’t sure how Ashley would take to having two equally possessive Alphas bound to her for life.

By Friday morning, Kane and I were in foul moods, having slept little during the week due to Hunter and Jax being un-relentless in their pursuits of wanting to claim Ashley as their own. “Her scent is everywhere”, Hunter growls at me.“I can not think straight. And yet you won’t do anything about it. She is sleeping under the same roof. God damn it,” he yells furiously.

I can feel another pounding headache coming on. “We can’t just go and claim her, Hunter. Things are complicated,” I reply bluntly, trying to placate him but know my denial of our mate will only further infuriate him, in turn making my life a living hell.

I wasn’t opposed to claiming Ashley, far from it. But things were complicated at present, and I couldn’t just claim her like Hunter wanted me to. I was not her only mate and knew that it was something Kane and I would need to talk about before that ever happened. I could only imagine how I would feel if Kane and Jax decided to claim Ashley without me being present, that shit would hurt, and it would no doubt divide us.

Just thinking about the relationship dynamics had me running my hands anxiously through my hair and my stomach churning.

After training, Kane and I are informed by our Beta Will that there is to be a party tonight at the training centre, and after discreetly asking around are informed that Ashley will be in attendance. “What do you think, brother” Kane enquires? “Should we attend?” he continues. “There is no way I am allowing Ashley to attend without us. I am not sure I can control Hunter, or myself, much longer” I say “I want to murder anyone and everyone who looks at or speaks to her,” I reply tensely.

I think, for once that Hunter may be right. This is not a battle I can afford to lose. The mention of him being right has the smug prick prancing around. “I think we should put Ashley out of her misery tonight and tell her that we don’t accept her rejection,” Kane says with a funny look on his face. He, too, has no doubt be worn down by Jax. I can’t say I blame our wolves. They are smarter than us, not holding silly grudges as we do.

The rest of the day passes in an anxious blur. Like Hunter, I can’t help my pace. I know that Kane and I have been shitheads this week towards Ashley, something our mother loves reminding us of constantly, so I can only hope that we have not destroyed her intentions of working things out with us.

By night time, Kane and I are so nervous that we didn’t even notice that we had dressed the same. Faded blue jeans, leather boots and white button-up shirts with the sleeves rolled. We don’t mind, though, being identical it was fun sometimes to have people guessing who was who.

“Ready,” Kane asks cautiously as I step into the hallway. “Ready as I will ever be, brother,” I reply promptly with a tight nod of my head.

Arriving at the training centre, the first thing Kane and I do is scan the room for Ashley. When we notice she hadn’t yet arrived, the first thing I suggest we do is grab a stiff drink to settle our nerves. I know his must be as shot as mine.

As usual, most of the females in attendance have their eyes on us, a familiar set of females making their way through the crowd, rudely pushing people out of their way as they do. “What we ever saw in either of those two is beyond me,” I say to my brother via mind-link. “Amen to that brother”, Kane replies, his eyes narrowing as we cautiously watch them thread their way through the crowd.

“GET. RID. OF. THEM Rayne” Hunter hisses at me between clenched teeth. “I have tried,” I huff back, my exasperation growing with Jessica and Eve and their relentless pursuit of Kane and me. They don’t seem to get the hint. “Try harder,” he growls back, fighting for dominance.

Once upon a time, Hunter enjoyed female attention just as much as we had, but since turning 18 and finding our mate, he seemed to have grown cold towards other females. I didn’t think he would physically hurt them, but I wasn’t prepared to find out either as I knew his patience with them was even thinner than mine, if that were possible.

The moment Jessica and Eve reach us, the heavenly scent of Ashley hits us, knocking us off-kilter. The sisters take the opportunity of us being stunned to get up into our personal space and drape themselves all over us with a familiarity that has Hunters skin-crawling.

Kane and I both visibly stiffen when Ashley’s gorgeous eyes narrow on us, and she makes her way towards us, an angry look set on her face. “Uh oh, it looks like we are in trouble, Rayne”, Kane whispers via mind-link, and for the life of me, I can’t think why until I feel a hand running up and down my chest. One that doesn’t belong to Ashley. Shit.

My mind is reeling. I can’t even focus on her words. I know that they are angry and that she is suddenly storming away from us yet again. “Rayne”, Kane hisses from beside me, making me suddenly become aware of my surroundings once more.

A commotion has me turning towards my brother in time to catch him forcibly removing Eve’s hands from his body. His face is one of disgust. Realising that hands are still freely roaming my body, I jerk my head back and take in the snake-like smile on Jessica’s face as she tries to rub her body on mine.

All eyes are on us as I frantically grab her hands and push her off of me in disgust. “Let’s go, Kane,” I say, not bothering to look at my brother. “Before I hurt someone,” I continue bitterly.

Once again, it felt like Groundhog Day. Once again, we have hurt Ashley.

Once we are outside, I stop just before the forest and turn back towards my brother. “What did Ashley say,” I ask in a low whisper. I have a feeling what it was but want my brother to confirm it. “She is leaving. Tomorrow,” he replies, his eyes falling to the ground.

Rage sweeps through my body. Allowing Hunter to come through seems like a good idea right now. Kane and I race towards the forest in our wolf form, allowing them to work off all the raw anger instead of killing someone or someones I think bitterly.

Kane and I didn’t make it back to the packhouse until after 2 am. We spent the night running and killing shit. By the time we made it back, we were so tired that we fell asleep almost instantly for the first time this week.

A few hours later, I am jolted wide awake when I feel what I assume is cold water being dumped on me, jumping to my feet angrily and wet; my eyes land on my mother’s even angrier face. “Get up”, she whisper yells while dumping a second glass of water over Kane.

Seeing him spluttering and coughing, not knowing what is going on, has a bubbling laugh escaping my chest. I guess that teaches us for falling asleep in the lounge room, I think, wiping water off my face. “You two are late for training, and you need to make things right with Ashley. YOUR MATE,” she hisses, pointedly looking from one to the other. “Or so help me, god”, she continues before storming out of the room.

“Shit, she is right,” I say to Kane. “In more ways than one,” I continue, glancing at the clock on the wall. We both race upstairs and have showers in record time. “If you stuff this up for us, Rayne, I will never talk to you again”, Hunter growls at me. He is on edge, and I know it won’t take much to tip him over it today. “If only I were that lucky”, I reply sternly.

“Hilarious Rayne. The sooner you take this seriously, the sooner we can claim mate and put this nasty grudge you are holding behind us,” he spits contemptuously. Sighing wistfully, I know he is right. I dress quickly in sweats and a white tee, wanting to make it to training sooner rather than later. “Hurry up, brother,” I say via mind-link. “I’m done, Rayne, you hurry up,” he replies tersely.

He must be more anxious about this morning than I thought he was. I couldn’t blame him; it looks like we have lost our mate for good this time because we are stubborn assholes.

Entering the training centre, I notice the tenseness in the air straight away.

Making our way around the room, there is suddenly an energy shift, and everyone is looking at Ashley, who has just put Jessica on her arse. “See that, brother”, Kane says in a low voice. I am transfixed by what is unfolding before us, so I nod in agreement, not wanting to take my eyes off Ashley.

When I notice Jessica is drawing blood by scratching her hoe red nails over Ashley’s arm, I start to make my way forward until Kane stops me. “Leave them. Ashley is hardly a damsel in distress, brother,” Kane says fiercely in a hushed tone that is dripping with awe. “She knows what she is doing”, he continues eagerly, glee evident in his eyes.

It doesn’t take long before the room is filled with not one but two screaming sisters. I have instructed everyone via mind-link not to interfere. Kane and I want to see where Ashley is going with this. We may not know her well, but we know that everything she does seems to have a reason, and we want to see how this plays out.

I will not lie. Ashley getting physical with Jessica and Eve has me hot under the collar. Her strength and determination are turning me on like nothing I have ever experienced before. I nearly cream my pants when she says that she isn’t a River Run pack member yet and love the way the crowd starts to mull her words over in their heads, trying to figure out her meaning.

Kane and I begin to make our way slowly through the crowd, towards Ashley as if our feet have a mind of their own. I almost feel sorry for Eve when I hear the cartilage in her face break and hear her shriek in horror as blood flows freely down her now pale face. But after the way she has improperly treated Ashley this week, can anyone blame her for snapping?

The moment Ashley tells the gathered crowd that we are her mates is one that I will never forget. It had my dick standing to eager attention with the very public display of claiming us as her own. Hunter is practically purring in my head with a sufficiently satisfied yet smug look on his face.

Heads swung between us, and thunder rolls over Jessica and Eves faces when they realised the grave mistake they have made. Disrespecting a Luna was instant death in some packs. Luckily for them, I didn’t think imminent death was on Ashley’s cards for them.

“How did we get so lucky,” Kane says sheepishly before racing out the front door, chasing after Ashley’s retreating form. My legs have turned to jelly after Ashley winked at us and has me rooted to the spot. Kane’s voice in my head telling me that Ashley has the softest lips, rips me out of my daze quickly though and has me sprinting towards the exit.

What the fuck is all I can think as I step outside and notice Kane has Ashley in his arms and is apologising. Thinking quickly, I add my apology and nervously run my hands through my dark hair, not knowing what else to say or do not wanting to look at Ashley in my brother’s arms. The sight tremendously excites me and makes me jealous at the same time, and I don’t know how to deal with either specific emotion.

Taking a deep breath and forcing myself forward, wanting to have a reason to touch Ashley, I grip her by the chin and bring her eyes to mine. “Holy shit, are we in trouble?“I say sincerely via mind-link to Kane. “Ya think so” he replies swiftly. “Isn’t she so fucking beautiful? he continues eagerly, awestruck.

“And I have to agree with my brother. That was the hottest thing I have ever seen,” I blurt out without thinking which causes me to laugh out loud, much to Ashley’s amusement.

“Curious,“Kane says ,“I think the sound of your laughter is turning Ashley on,” he continues, surprised. “Or maybe it was my kiss,” he says, a huge grin threatening to split his face, which has me scowling.

“I’ll show you who turns her on, brother”, I reply, taking a step forward, grabbing Ashley behind the neck and fervently kissing her passionately. And I will be damned if I am not nearly consumed with sparks when my lips touch hers. Every nerve in my body feels like it is alive for the first time, and I can feel the electricity flowing through me where our bodies intimately connect.

If this is what real love feels like, then I don’t want to deny our mate bond a second longer, I think with a contented sigh.

I can’t help myself when I confirm Kane’s unspoken words, Ashley’s lips are soft, and I don’t think I will ever get tired of feeling them on mine.

The quizzical look on Ashley’s face is adorable when she realises she has no clue what we are talking about. Shaking her head, she carefully looks between us and asks if we are going to accept her rejection. When Kane replies that it had never crossed our minds, her facial features change, her eyes narrow, and she spins on her heel in a huff.

She doesn’t make it far before I grab her by the wrist and turn her back into my arms. “Not so fast, kitten,” I say, halting any protests instantly with my mouth. “We haven’t finished with you,” Kane says from behind me, swatting Ashley on the arse, which makes her release a suprised little yelp. We are just getting started, I think, before scooping her up and tenderly carrying her towards the packhouse in my arms.