Chapter 4 - Meeting the mates

We reach the hallway near the big staircase and The head Omega. Ralph throws me harshly onto the stairs.

“What the hell are you playing at, you little brat?” he growls furiously, his eyes glowing like a wolf's.

“How dare you disobey the orders of your superiors? Did you think that you could fool us all, sneak into the party, and have a merry time?” he spat angrily.

"No, I didn't." I sobbed as he grabbed my throat, choking me.

“Silence, just who do you think you are wearing fancy clothes, dancing with betas, do you think you are cut above us all, do you think trash like you could mingle with the higher-ups?" He said, his face up close to mine, his merciless eyes staring at me.

“Please Ral---alph” I tried to plead, but he tightened his grip, barely allowing me to breathe.

“Maybe we have been too polite with you; otherwise, you wouldn’t have thought of doing something like this. You need to learn your place, you little bitch. Wait until the elders find out about this. Because of you, I will be in trouble too, you fucking whore. I swear, if the Elders punish me because of you, I will personally make sure that you regret the day you were born.” He told me, and I knew from the look in his eyes that he meant what he said—that he would kill me.

“Oh God, someone save me.” I thought desperately. Then I heard laughter and footsteps coming from above the stairs. Thank God I am saved, for now at least, because Ralph let go of me instantly and immediately forced his face into a calm, composed expression with a hint of fear in his eyes.

I breathe in the air, deeply massaging my neck where his nails have cured into my skin. My head feels dizzy, and I can hear someone talking from far away.

“What is going on here?”

“Nothing I was just taking this servant back to the servant quarters, sir. She just had an accident in the ballroom; please don’t mind us; we will be leaving.” He said it hastily and grabbed my arm to make me stand and get out of the way.

I wondered who could scare the head, Omega, and I turned around to look up the stairs.

Suddenly my heart starts beating faster, not out of fear, but because of a strange warm feeling in my body, making me forget everything. I can’t look away from either of them. This is strange. I am supposed to have only one mate, but I feel equally attracted to both. Is there something wrong with me, or is it because they are twins?

One of them is tall with black hair; his name is Ashton; he is the Alpha of the pack and is feared by everyone; and the other is average height with brown hair he is Ashton's twin brother Brandon, who is as devious as the devil. They both have grey eyes that right now are staring back at me with a look of longing and hunger.

There is complete silence in the room, and we stand there transfixed. Then someone breaks the silence. “Woah, congratulations, you two. You finally found your mate," said a man standing next to Brandon".

"Don't be stupid; they both can’t be mated to her.” Said the girl on Ashton's right, whose name is Kylie, is Brandon and Ashton’s toy from college. She is extremely beautiful, with dark hair and green eyes. She, like the rest of the Betas, is dressed in a fine, glittery golden gown. I look at the rest of the group, which has two more girls other than Kylie and three boys the same age as Brandon. They are best friends and college buddies with the Alpha brothers.

At this point, Brandon and Ashton look at each other and are shocked to see that they are both feeling the same way.

"Well, they are twins, so who knows?" Responds one of them to Kylie’s remark.

"Well, this is strange,” Ashton says to Brandon with a look of slight interest.

"Is it sure? Who are you?” Brandon replies, looking amused, and asks me, “What’s your name?"

“She is just a servant.” Says the head Omega Ralph quickly tried to save himself from more trouble.

“Then how do you explain her glowing eyes? I didn’t know there were any werewolf servants in the castle.” Brandon pointed out that the blood was draining from Ralph’s face.

“I am not a servant. My name is Emilia, and I am a part of your pack. I am an Omega.” I speak up, hopefully thinking that they will accept me and save me from Elder's punishment and Ralph, who was now eyeing me threateningly.

"Well, then there is nothing left to discuss." Ashton says dismissively, making me ask, “What do you mean by that?” At this point, the twins share a look of mutual understanding, and then Ashton says, “It means that we are rejecting you.”

“Why?” I am appalled by their rejection. At this, everyone laughs at me.

"Why am I surprised you feel the need to ask?" Brandon answers amused looking at me up and down, and as he does, I for the first time become aware of exactly how I must look right now. I was drenched from head to toe in wine, with cuts and bruises on my face and arms. My one shoe broke, causing me to stand lopsided, and strands of broken glass stuck in my hair and dress, which is worn and now looks like a mess. My mask is dangling from my ear.

Despite all of this, I can’t give up just yet, so I muster up my courage and say, “But please, listen to me; I know that I am not much, but..."

“That is enough; take her to the Omega quarters,” Ashton orders firmly with the air of a king, asking his soldiers to take away a prisoner.

“No, please, you have to listen." I began pleading, but just at that moment, Kylie slapped me.

“How dare you talk to them like that? Know your place, trash.” She spat at me.

"Who do you think you are?” Another girl chimes in angrily.

“I am their mate.” I retorted back in protest.

“And that makes you think you can talk back to us?” Kylie says, looking outraged and annoyed.

“Your bond with us doesn’t mean anything; it’s just our bad luck that we both got mated to filth like you,” Ashton says coldly.

“Now don’t make a scene, and we will be on our way,” Brandon advised me, and they began to leave.

This is bad. I need to do something to make them accept me. But how do I do that? I have nothing to offer them in return for their protection.

"Wait,” I say, blocking their way. "Please, I sneaked into tonight’s ball just to find my mate, even though I knew I would be punished if someone found out. I know that I have not one but two mates; there is no way I am taking no for an answer."

“Are you crazy? You just told us that you disobeyed the Elders's orders, that you are not even sorry about it, and after all that, you expect us to like you.” Says Brandon in annoyance.

“I know that you don’t need me because you can have any girl you want, but being someone’s mate means that you are made for them and that you are destined to be together. The bond between us makes us responsible for each other’s well-being and happiness. You might not see it now, but maybe in time, you will need me in your life like I need you. Maybe if you get to know me, you will begin to like me too, and if we can’t be lovers, we can at least be friends.” I try to reason with them by pouring my heart out in the hope that they will understand how desperate I am.

"Friends, lovers, have you looked in the mirror at yourself? You are so filthy that the mere sight of you is enough to disgust me, and you think that either of us will accept you?" spat Ashton in rage.

“Ashton I think you are going too far,” Brandon says he feels slightly bad for me.

“Going too far, don’t tell me you're into trash like her," Ashton asks his brother rhetorically.

“I’m not, I just think..." protests Brandon, but Ashton cuts his sentence.

“Think what? I am the Alpha of this pack, and you are my twin brother, and she thinks she can not only disregard our orders but also argue with us. Listen to me, you piece of filth. If I were you, I would be down on your knees begging us to take you in. You are lucky you are not being kicked out of the pack after all this.” Ashton growls furiously, camping right up to me and looking me in the eyes. I am scared of him, but I stare back at him with a determined look and get down on my knees, holding his feet.

"Please, I beg you, please don’t reject me,” I say, my eyes filled with tears.

"Listen, sweetie, you would be doing yourself a favor by letting it go. As my brother said, there is no way we will have you as our mate, and there is nothing you can do about it, so save yourself the trouble.” Brandon advises me with a look of pity.

He holds his brother’s shoulder and tries to stir him away. Ashton starts to walk away, and in an act of desperation, I shout out. “I will tell the Elders about this and the other packs; you will have to accept me.”

“That’s it I’ve had enough of this bullshit.” He grabs me by the throat, choking me. "Just who do you think you are talking to? You need to learn your place, you bitch.” He growls savagely.

"Ralph, grab her, throw her in the darkest Omega quarter, and lock her up. I don’t want to see her face anytime soon.” He orders Ralph, who complies.