Chapter 4


    ~Landon~


    I make it to the packhouse with Tia in my arms. I take her up to my room and set her on the bed. I


    watch her look around the room, taking in all the details. I have a king-sized bed in the room against


    the back wall. A big screen television is mounted on the opposite wall, big enough that I can see it from


    several different locations. There is a small eating area in the room with a love seat and a small, two-


    seater table. I have a huge 4-door armoire with matching end tables on each side of the bed. My room


    has a walk-in closet as well as a luxury bathroom. My brother’s room is pretty much the same, though


    with different color schemes. Actually, there is a door that leads right to his room from mine.


    I ce Tia against the headboard and prop her foot up on the pillows. I know she will heal soon, but


    this should ensure that she heals properly. “Hang on, and I will get you an ice pack.” Tia grabs my arm,


    and I look at her.


    “You really don’t need to go through the trouble.” I shake my head and continue out of the room for the


    ice pack, When I return, Tia is asleep, snoring softly. I ce the ice pack on her ankle and take off my


    shoes, jacket, and tie. I unbutton a few buttons of my shirt and slide in next to Tia. I sit next to her and


    wrap my arm around her shoulders, trying not to wake her up. She stirs a bit and snuggles into my


    shoulder, cing a hand on my stomach. I could really get used to this. I close my eyes and let her


    scent take me into dreand.


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    I hear the door open and look around. It’s dark outside, and some way, Tia and I scooted down on the


    bed. Our arms are wrapped around each other, and her head is on my shoulder. I look toward the door,


    my vision picking up the intruder.


    Where the hell have you been?


    I had to think.


    Think?! What the hell did you have to think about? She is our mate……..our fated mate.


    I know, but we promised the twins.


    F**k that! That promise became void the minute we found our mate. Lincoln moves closer to the bed,


    taking Tia in. Why did you really run away? Lincoln pulls his head back, looking at the ceiling as if


    something is fascinating there.


    I……I don’t know that I can share. I don’t know if I can be okay with that. I don’t want jealousy and


    anger toe between us. My attitude softens at this. I remember that Lincoln has always been


    hesitant about epting one mate between the two of us. He never really told me why.


    Linc, she was made for us…….for US. The Goddess wants us to have just her, and she needs both of


    us. I sigh, You know she asked about you. She wondered where you were. She won’t beplete with


    just one of us, and we won’t beplete with anyone but her. We look at each other in the darkness,


    me trying to convey everything through our twin bond. That bond is almost as strong as the mate bond,


    and we have always had it.


    Lincoln sighs and takes his clothes off, leaving just his boxers on. His clothes look dirty, making me


    guess he has been in the woods all this time. He throws on a pair of my sweatpants with a t-shirt and


    slips into bed next to Tia. Lincoln tentatively reaches out to her, cing a hand on her thigh. He scoots


    in closer, but not too close. Tia sighs and scoots backward a bit. The minute her body makes contact


    with his, she snuggles up to him, cing a hand on his thigh. A sigh of contentment leaves her lips,


    and Lincoln’s eyes widen in surprise.


    I told you she needs both of us. Don’t fight this, Lincoln. We have our fated mate now, our Tia. Let’s


    enjoy our blessing.


    Tia? I chuckle through the mindlink.


    Yeah, she goes by Tia. I will let her exin it to you. Lincoln nods and ces his nose on her head,


    inhaling her scent. I scoot closer to Tia and close my eyes again, reveling in how right this feels.


    ~Tia~


    I yawn and stretch a bit, feeling the warmth on both sides of me. The scent of peppermint is so strong I


    can practically taste it. The lemon smell is still there from yesterday, but I can also smell grapefruit. I


    turn to look behind me and notice Lincoln on his back, asleep. I look in front of me, and Landon is


    facing me, his face calm as he breathes heavily. I slide down to the end of the bed and slowly extract


    myself.


    I tentatively step onto the floor, testing out the strength of my ankle. Everything is fine, and it doesn’t


    even feel sore. I stand and stretch, making my way to the restroom. After I relieve myself, I look in the


    mirror while washing my hands. I don’t look half bad, considering everything. I have to admit thatst


    night was the best sleep I can remember having.


    Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    I stand in the doorway, looking at the sleeping Alphas. They are so beautiful. They have dark brown


    skin and clean, shaved faces. They have short hair, waves evident throughout. They are taller than me


    at 6’0 and are extremely muscr. I can admit that I had a crush on them at one point in my life, but I


    didn’t think of it much. There was no way that they even noticed me, nor would they ever be interested


    in me. I would never have imagined that they would end up being my mates.


    PORTIA! I had my block up once I realized I had seen my mates yesterday. I decided to put the block


    down once I woke up this morning. I’m sure Lynn and Mark have been trying to reach me.


    Y…y….yes father?


    Why haven’t I been able to reach you?!


    I…….I……. He growls in the link.


    Get your a*s home now!


    I tiptoe into the bedroom, grabbing my purse. I check my phone and notice it is dead figures. I quietly


    open the door, take onest look at the men on the bed, and quietly close the door behind me. I rush


    out of the packhouse and head over to my family home. I don’t know what this is about, but I dread it


    just the same.


    ???????????????????????????????????????


    I arrive at my family’s house, and I stop at the door, trying to gather myself. I hate being here, which is


    why I’ve been gone all of these years. This ce holds no real fond memories for me. My good


    memories are of other ces, just not this home.


    The door opens just as I’m about to reach for the handle. My mom steps outside, engulfing me in her


    arms. Her hug is warm and strong, and I have missed it so much. The bad part about staying away is


    being away from her. I love her fiercely, and she is the only family member that has ever shown me an


    ounce of care. “I love you so very much, Tia. Never forget or doubt that.” I breathe in my mother’s scent


    as I wrap myself around her even tighter.


    “Get the hell in here already. I have other things to do.” My mother sighs and lets me go, stepping out


    of the way so I can walk inside. She walks in behind me and closes the door. My father is sitting in the


    front room, on my right, in a big armchair. Ad and Aida are sitting together on a couch near my


    father. Ad and my father look pissed, which is not really anything new. Aida looks hurt and lost. I’m


    going to go ahead and guess that they are aware of what happened yesterday, so this is not going to


    bode well for me.


    I stand in the room’s entryway, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. My mom stands behind me,


    off to the side. I know this is a lot for her to deal with, and I hate this for her. Ad walks close to me


    and takes a big breath in. Her eyes sh ck, and she stomps back to the couch. “She was WITH


    them!”


    “So you ignored my mindlink all night, and now I find that you were with them?” Aw, hell, this is just bad


    off the top. No easing into it, I see.


    “I was with………who?” My father growls, shaking the room.


    “Don’t f**king y with me! I’m not in the mood for games.” I try not to sigh loudly.


    “We know…….” Aida says quietly. I turn my head toward her and say nothing.


    “Damn it! We know you are the supposed mate of the Alphas………of OUR Alphas!” Ad screams in


    frustration, but I keep my face emotionless. They may know the truth, but I don’t need to confirm


    anything.


    “You will reject them.” My head snaps forward, and I stare at my father with my mouth hanging open.


    There is no way he can be serious. He can’t honestly think I would willingly do that. They are my fated


    mates, for Goddess sake. How the hell could I reject them like that?


    “I won’t,” I whisper.


    “Excuse me?!” My father rises out of the chair and stares me down. He is taller than me at 6’0, and his


    natural anger toward me makes him seem all that taller.


    “They are my fated…….I won’t reject them.” My father takes menacing steps toward me until he is right


    in front of me. He pulls his hand back and lets it go, pping me so hard that I fall to the floor. My ears


    are ringing a bit, and I feel dizzy. I hold my cheek, looking at my father with terror in my eyes. I hear my


    mother’s rapid breathing and increase in heartbeat. I hope she stays where she is. She doesn’t need to


    try to defend or save me. I need her to be safe.


    “You sisters have been with the Alphas for years now. They have been named future Lunas. They


    deserve the title and everything thates with it. You WILL NOT take that from them. You will reject


    the Alphas and you will leave this pack and never return. This is NOT up for debate nor do you have a


    choice.”


    I look up at my father, tears starting to fall down my face, and I’m pissed. I always told myself never to


    cry in front of him. Ad is smirking, and Aida is looking satisfied. I scramble to my knees and fly out of


    the door, hearing my father scream my name behind me. I run to my car and hop inside. I can see


    Ad not too far from the car. I hurry and start the car, throwing it into reverse, putting more distance


    between my sister and me. I throw the car into drive and fly down the street. The gates, thankfully, are


    already open, and I fly through them, trying to put as much distance as I can between myself and this


    pack. Andricia is whimpering in my head, wanting me to go back to my mates, but I can’t risk it. I need


    to be as far away as possible.