The One 69

THE ONE 69

Chapter 69: Mates Dutton I smelled them the moment I got out of the car. Well, I didn’t know there were two, I just knew my mate was here. I could smell her – vanilla and citrus. I had completely ignored Penny, who I brought with me to the pack and raced inside, leaving her yelling behind me that she needed help with her bags. I never wanted to hunt my mate down, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t want her. I do. I desperately want her. Except her, is them. Twins. I’m mated to twins. When Robin had snarled that my mates were his, Orion, my wolf, had been ready to kill him or anyone else who got in our way. Only he was standing in front of some other female I could care less about. My mates, plural, two, more than one, holy goddess above what did I do to deserve two of the most gorgeous women in the world? My mates were on the other side of the room. I took a step toward them, only for someone else to get in my Wa J. I refocus. Hunter. “Get out of my way, Hunter,” Orion and I snarl together. “You need to get control of your wolf, Dutton,” he growls back, Shaw close to the surface. “We could take Shaw. He’s strong, but if he thinks he can keep us from our mates, I will destroy him,’ Orion says. 0.00% Chapter 60: Mases. 1285 (Vouchers “They are scared, and you will only alienate them or cause them to run from you. They come from a pack that mistreated them. They are under my protection so if you want a chance to get to know them, rein in Orion, now!” Hunter growls in a low voice meant only for me. When I look back, I can see the women, my mates, clinging to each other, their eyes wide with fear. Now that I’m paying. attention, I can smell their fear intermingled with their divine scent. I shake my head, grabbing hold of Orion.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. When we stepped out of the car, I smelled…” I stop, breathing deeply of their scent. No wonder l was overwhelmed by it. There are two of them, their scent and my pull to them being amplified because they are twins. “I smelled your scents, and my wolf took over. But I have him under control now. I won’t hurt you,” I tell them gently. I feel Hunter’s body relax, but he doesn’t move out of my way. “May I at least have your names?” I ask. They turn their heads to look at someone else. I follow their ey’s and see Luna Sophie. She looks at me, her wolf at the forefront, sniffing my intentions. Then she looks back at my mates and nods. “I’m Tiffany,” the one who smells like vanilla and lemons says. “And I’m Tammi,” the one who smells like vanilla and oranges says. “I’m Dutton, Alpha Dutton. Is there…” I suddenly realize that we’ 11:781 0938 Chapter 69- Mates 1 re in the middle of a party and everyone has gone quiet, watching our interactions. “Is there someplace more private. where we might talk?” I ask. Their electric blue eyes go wide again, and again, they turn to look at Luna Sophie. “Hunter, why don’t we switch. I think that Nikki and Alpha Robin are good,” she says, turning to look at the woman standing behind her. So, she’s the birthday girl and Robin is her mate. Good for them, but I could give a s***t right now. My mates are standing in front of me. “Remember my rule, Dutton. I will not hesitate to keep you in line. And if you get out of control around my pregnant mate, will kill you,” Hunter says, deadly serious. I look at Luna Sophie as she walks over, casually putting herself between me and my mates. “I’m sure now that Alpha Dutton has had a moment to collect himself and his wolf, he’ll be on his best behavior, right Alpha?” she asks me. Her tone is casual, but I can see the threat in her eyes as well. If I try anything with these she-wolves, she won’t hesitate to put me down. Knowing what I know

about her, I feel confident that she could do it. And even without Hunter’s threat, Orion and I wouldn’t hurt her even if he did attack us. I can smell the pup on her. Her scent has subtly changed since I last saw her. “Absolutely, Luna. I just want to get to know my mates.” “Well then, follow me,” she says, turning and wrapping her arms around my mates, continuing to keep herself between me and them. “Will you stay with us, Luna? We don’t want to be alone with 0938 Chapter 6 Mates him,” I hear Tammi ask. It hurts my heart, makes Orion howl with. pain inside my head, but I get it. This is the very first birthday party in history that a ranked female finds her mate and won’t be marked publicly. F***k, how will that even work with two of them? I can’t mark both of them at once. We have a lot to talk about. ‘How about we get them to agree to letting us mark them before we worry about who we will mark first,’ Orion grumbles. ‘You agree with a private marking and mating?’ I ask him, surprised. ‘Look at them, they’re terrified of us. They’re ours, I’ll do anything they need to make them feel safe, even if it means I have to wait to mark them. Hunter said they were mistreated in their pack. I will kill anyone and everyone who ever hurt them,’ he growls. “Why don’t we sit in here. It’s a bit away from the noise of the party. I can have someone bring us some food and something to drink, if that works for everyone?” Sophie says. “Whatever my mates would like. Have you eaten? You both look like you need to eat more,” I say, looking them over quickly. I don’t want to make them afraid, but they are much too small. It makes me wonder how long they’ve been on the run. ‘Or maybe their Alpha kept them underfed so they couldn’t run,’ Orion growls. “We could eat,” Tiffany says. I’m starting to get a feel for the two of them. Tiffany already seems to

be the more outgoing of the two, Tammi is shyer. 09 39 Chapter 66 Mates “And you Tammi? You’ll eat as well?” I ask her, and I see her. surprise that I can already tell her apart from her sister. She nods. “Yes.” “Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll ask someone to bring us some food and did you want something to drink?” Sophie asks, looking at the girls. “Wine for us,” Tiffany says, giving even more confirmation that she’s more outspoken. “Red or white?” I ask. “White,” she says, and Tammi nods when I look at her. “And I’ll have what they’re having. I say to Sophie. “Please, sit,” I say, taking control of the meeting. I’m not sure if that was Sophie’s intention but she gave me an opening and I’m taking it. I see them both glance at Sophie whose eyes are unfocused in the mind link. “Please,” I say, gesturing to a two-seater sofa. They sit and I sit across from them. I’m itching to touch them, but I refrain. “Why don’t you tell me a little about yourselves. You’re twins, you’re at least eighteen, you’ve been on the run and are here under Hunter’s protection,” I begin. I’m on the edge of my seat, literally, getting as close to them as possible, but also because I want to know everything about them. “We’re eighteen,” Tammi says, and I smile at her encouragingly. “Who was born first?” I ask. 09 38 Chapter & Mate “I was,” Tiffany says. “By two minutes,” Tammi says. “Where are you from?” I ask them. They look at each other. “I’m not planning to send you away. But I’ve never met you and I’ve been to many birthday parties in

the packs in our territory, so you’ve obviously run from quite a distance.” “We’re from out west, California.” “Beach bunnies?” I ask, earning a giggle from Tammi. F**k, she’ s so sweet. “No,” she says, blushing. “You look like it with your blond hair and blue eyes,” I tell them. “We lived in the mountains, or our pack did. We weren’t…” Tiffany begins, looking at Tammi. The grin from a moment ago. is gone. “We weren’t allowed to leave.” I nod, holding onto Orion as he snarls and thrashes around in my head. “You’re the daughters of the pack Beta?” I ask, noticing that Sophie is watching us, but staying back and letting me talk. “Yes, the only children of our parents,” Tammi says. “And, they were okay with you not being allowed to leave the pack?” I ask gently, trying to figure out how they got away. Chapter 60 Mates “No…well, our father was,” Tiffany says. “But not our mother,” Tammi says. “Is that how you got away?” I ask. “It was supposed to be all three of us,” Tammi says, and her eyes fill with tears. I’m practically desperate to pull her into my lap and hold her, but instead, I reach out my hand, offering to hold hers. She looks at it a moment then reaches out, taking my hand. Hers are soft and small in mine. I smile at her then turn to Tiffany, extending my other hand to her. She smiles and takes my hand. I swear I feel both of them relax a bit with just my touch. I know Orion relaxes, and he begins purring softly. I don’t cut him off, wanting to soothe both of them. “Who was the other person who was supposed to come with you?” I ask. “Alex,” Tiffany says and I instantly growl, causing both women to s**h their hands away from me. S**t. I get hold of my jealousy and anger. “You were supposed to run with a man?” I grit out.

“What? No!” Tammi exclaims, frowning. “Alex is short for Alexandra. She’s the Alphas daughter and our best friend,” Tiffany says. “Our mothers worked together to get us out, but something happened. The Alpha and our father were supposed to be gone longer than they were, and our mothers couldn’t get us out of our locked rooms fast enough. Alex, she….” Tiffany stops and once again, I desperately want to Chapter 69: Mates comfort them. The look at each other and when they turn back, they both have tears in their eyes. “Alex sacrificed herself so that we could get away.” They both begin sobbing and I drop to the floor in front of them. “Please, please let me hold you. My wolf is howling with our need to comfort you. I hate seeing you cry,” I say, opening my arms. I know better than to try to hold them. These two are very skittish and will take a lot of time and patience on mine and Orion’s part, but it’s no wonder they’re terrified after what they’ve been through., It’s Tammi who drops into my arms first, putting her head on my shoulder and wrapping an arm around me. I kiss the top of her head, wrapping one arm around her while keeping the other one open to Tiffany. When she finally falls into my arms, I kiss the top of her head and take a deep breath, holding on to these sweet, gentle women, my mates. I know the moment that Tiffany puts her head on my shoulder that they truly are meant for me. And while I hate that they are both crying, nothing has felt so perfect in my life as having these two women in my arms.© - All rights reserved.