Chapter 4

Leo

Leo could hardly contain himself. His consciousness was filled with the smell of vanilla, sunshine and soft linens. His heart began to pound. His wolf began to jump up and down inside his mind repeatedly screaming “Mate!” as if Leo could have missed it the first time.

Leo’s feet seemed to start moving before his brain did. He turned to the door between the sky box and the stairs leading to the club. He moved so quickly that he almost mowed his brother over.

“I’m coming, Mate.” he shouted as if she could hear him.

“Soundproof room, idiot” Alex muttered as he also dashed to the door. As they went, they tried to elbow each other out of the way.

Leo and Alex raced down the narrow metal spiral staircase, and past the second floor of VIP rooms. They shoved each other like eager children, as they fought to reach the group of ladies.

“Wait” Alex shouted telepathically to his brother. “We are gonna scare the girls if we don’t get a hold of ourselves.”

Both slowed to a walk.“Thanks, Brother,” Leo answered through the mind link as he tried to compose himself. The last thing he wanted to do was look like petulant child when he finally reached the woman of his dreams.

Alex and Leo took a deep breath and again looked at each other in shock. “The whole group smells human to me?” Leo could hear his own confusion as he pushed his voice to his brother.

“I noticed.” Alex said back through the link. “I smell vanilla, soft musk and old books mixed with human. It’s intoxicating.”

Leo shook his head. “Do you really think the reason we haven’t found our mates, is because they aren’t wolves” He asked his brother in astonishment. “Can humans even mate with shifters?”

Alex looked at his brother wearily. “I’m not really sure. I mean I have read about such unions in legends, but I have never known anyone it happened too.”

The brothers stood in the middle of the floor as they carried on a completely silent conversation. Leo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He had finally been gifted with a mate, and he wasn’t sure if they would even be physiologically compatible. After a second, Leo shrugged.

“Look Alex, If the moon goddess gifted us with human true mates, who are we to doubt or argue. Just the smell of her has my wolf going mad, I’d be happy if she is a troll, at this point.” Leo linked with a newfound conviction. “In all seriousness, I don’t care what the obstacles are. I am determined to make this work.”

Alex seemed to consider Leo’s declaration. “Agreed.” He took a small step towards the four humans standing closest to the door.

“Which one is your mate?” Alex asked, as a huge smile pulled at his unmoving lips.

Leo chuckled as he took in a good view of his prize. His lady stood frozen in the doorway with a bemused smile on her face. The neon lights of the club around the room framed her face with a halo that almost made her glow. Her eyes seemed to be searching for him. He watched as the athletic brunette grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards the bar.

Just the sight of her made his breath catch in his throat. She was beyond beautiful. He knew even before speaking to her that she was kind. Her eyes revealed a hint of empathy and intimacy that he always knew he would find there. She was simply perfect.

“The redhead,” Leo said aloud.

Alex’s hand clamped down onto his arm roughly. “That’s not funny.” Alex was growling.

Leo shoved his brother’s arm away and glared at him. “It wasn’t meant to be. The redhead is definitely my mate. Now, get lost so I can claim her.”

“That can’t be,” Alex shouted. “She belongs to me!” His face turned a terrible shade of red, and his eyes were murderous.

Leo froze and stared at his brother, barely without blinking. He considered what Alex said carefully. He didn’t know quite how to react. First, his true mate was a human and now it seemed Alex wanted to lay some stupid claim on her. He suddenly wanted to punch his brother.

“Shit,” Alex exclaimed like it explained everything. “We are twins.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “What does that have to do with anything? You aren’t going to take my mate from me.” He teeth were clinched, and it was all he could do not to assault him right there.

“Think about it. True mates are meant to help us produce the strongest offspring. It’s likely that the bond is based on what two strands of DNA would be the most compatible.” Alex said as if he was explaining something simple to a very small child. “As identical twins, we have the same DNA. It’s only logical we would have the same mate.”

Leo blinked at Alex like he was stupid. “Are you saying that one of us will have to give her up?” His voice began to shake with emotion. Walking away from her now would be excruciating.

Alex seemed to consider the situation. “I can’t.” He shook his head sadly. “I love her. I know it’s crazy. But I already love her.”

“Me too.” Leo answered with a whimper.

“Well, what do we do?” Tears filled Alex’s eyes. “I guess we could ask her to choose but I don’t know if the other could manage to survive the rejection.”

“Has this ever happened before Alex? I mean identical twins are rare in wolves but it’s not unheard of. How has it been handled before?” Leo watched his brother intently.

Alex had always been the more studious one. He had a much better grasp of pack history and shifter law than Leo. If there was a solution, Leo knew Alex would have read about it.

Leo shifted from foot to foot and cleared his throat. “We could share her.” He watched Alex’s expressions carefully. “We could both mate her. We could both love her and protect her.”

Alex pinched his nose, like he was trying to clear her scent from his head. “There is pack precedent for that. Multiple mates are legal, at least historically anyway. I have read about a few she-wolves who had two mates. It doesn’t happen much because of the mate bond though.” Alex sighed and shrugged.

“Sharing a woman isn’t going to be easy.”

“Do you really think living without her would be easier?” Leo asked. He squared his shoulders with resolve. Nothing was going to keep him from his mate, not even the stubbornness of his brother.

Alex shook his head horrified. “Then we agree, we will share her. She belongs to us. I promise you; she will be the most well cared for mate, ever.”

Leo looked speculative for a moment. “She’s human, Alex. She doesn’t know shifters exist. She won't understand the mate bond. We are gonna have to take things slow and make her fall for us.”

Alex smiled. “Let’s go get our girl!”