A Gold Alpha For A Silver Alpha

Someone is nearby.

That thought made me open my eyes and put me on alert, all my senses at their maximum capacity. It took me a second: rationalize that I hadn't thought it, rather Casiana was the one who warned me.

All the hair on my arms stood up and my ears sharpened, I noticed the clear presence of someone else but I could not se anyone.

“Who is there? I demanded in a threatening voice.

But silence was my only answer.

1 warn you that you are in StarryNightMoon pack territory, and we do not tolerate intruders.

I said again vehemently but again no one answered me, and if it hadn't been that Casiana was just as anxious as I was, I would have thought that maybe I had already gone crazy.

I went closer to a bush where I thought I heard a noise, my slow and soundless footsteps.

Juliet.

I jumped in place and spun around. Jace is watching me a few feet away. He's wearing only one pair of pants and his eyes are red and his hair is disheveled. Oops, my twin hadn't had a good night.

-By the Goddess Jace, you scared me, how long have you been staring at me, you could have been more considerate and told me it was you-.

He gives me a curious look before looking around.

“What are you talking about, I just got here and I saw you concentrating on going into that bush, that's all.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I look around defensively again.

-50 if it wasn't you, who the hell has been watching me all morning?

I say and my voice sounds between fearful and angry. F**k this was going to give me a headache.

Julietta, there's no one else here besides us,” Jace tells me with a soft voice and I deny.

-I swear someone's been messing with me since last night. My brother's gaze darkens.

-It seems to me that the way our birthday ended is the reason you're imagining things. Anyway, I came looking for you because we have to go home and I didn’t think you'd want to do it alone.

I shudder at the thought of facing my parents and my brother.

Here, I think you're going to need it.

Jace tosses me a shirt that I recognize as the one I was wearing last night at the party. It's only at that moment that I reall I was naked.

How stupid Juliet, you tore your dress when you transformed.

I gave her a sorry look and whispered a thank you as I put it on. Even though I was tall, my brother's shirt covered me perfectly up to mid-thigh. Proof enough that his impressive body was big enough to disguise that he was the youngest. -Come on, Mom and Dad must be worried.

A sigh escaped my lips, I hurried to walk beside my twin and the two of us started our way back. The feeling of being watched still didn’t go away but I ignored it as best I could, nothing bad would happen to me as long as I was with my brother. After a few minutes I could no longer stand the suffocating silence between us and started the conversation.

-If we transformed we would get there faster. I commented as if it were nothing.

“We have to go back, but I don't want to get there that fast, I still need time to process the fact that we have another brother.

When Jace finishes talking we both grimace and my mind flies.

How old do you think he is? 1 asked, unable to keep quiet.

-1 don't know, but he looked older than Jackson.

-Does that mean he can challenge him for the Alpha title, is that why he’s here?

Jace sighs as he kicks a rock.

-1 don't know, our pack doesn't go by anyone else’s rules. In theory he could ask for a challenge because he has Alpha blood, but Dad isn't the only Alpha in StarryNightMoon, Mom is too, and Jackson has the blood of both, which should mal his claim to command stronger. And as for his intentions, I have no idea what he’s doing here or what he hopes to gain. “Why do you think our parents have kept his existence from us all these years? My voice sounds hurt.

“Juliet, I don't know any more than you do, the four of us found out at the same time, and now with the morning I think w made a mistake running away like that. We should have waited for them to explain to us what was going on.

The problem is Jace, I don't know if I want to hear the explanation. Whatever it is, it's wrong that we've been lied to all o lives. They're always lecturing us about honesty, loyalty, and family. I have no idea what to think about my parents right now, brother, and that scares me.

As I say those words we walk out of the forest and approach the clearing where the wolves train. This morning unlike eve other morning neither Jace nor I stop to say hello or try to chat with them. Both too tired to fake a smile.

Our parents are not perfect juliet, I may be smaller, but your little sister is the more naive one. They have the right to make mistakes like anyone else. We should listen to what they have to tell us before taking sides.

I didn’t know whether to get angry because my twin had just called me naive, or to accept that he was right even if I didn want to.

Now I was silent, reflecting on Jace’s words. The rest of the walk passed in the blink of an eye, and soon we were walking through the front doors of the mansion. In the foyer stood Dannia staring at us with her arms crossed and a serious look on her face. A tired sigh left her lips and her arms were around us in a second.

Thank the Goddess you are here, your parents were going crazy, a few more minutes and they would have sent everyone after you. Go take a shower and get dressed, I'll tell them you're in one piece. Then go to the office, your parents need to talk to you.

Danna let us go, my brother and I shared a surprised look, not used to the she-wolf's displays of affection. But we both nod and walk upstairs to follow her instructions.

After a night's sleep in the forest, a hot shower sounds most satisfying.

()

Jace and I stand outside Dad's office, staring at the wooden door as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. Neither of us had dared to knock yet, although I was pretty sure my parents already knew we were here. But they respect enough to give us our time.

-Are you ready, sis? Jace asks me and I sigh.

-1 don't think I'll ever be ready, but in bad weather make haste.

And we both reach out and knock at the same time. The door opens immediately and we both go into the room, locking i behind us.

Dad is sitting in his chair behind the desk, one of his hands holding Mom's who is standing behind him while holding him by the shoulders. Jackson is sitting in one of the chairs across from them, his arms are crossed and there is no trace of hi normally cocky expression as he is very serious with his eyes glued to the wall. Julian is sitting in a side chair with one fo resting on his knee while reading a book, which he puts aside as soon as he sees us. At the opposite end of the same armchair is him.

My brother.

our brother.

Half-brother.

I swallow my breath and repress the urge to run away.

-It's about time, I thought you were going to stay out there all morning. The stranger says irritated and we all give him a murderous look.

Leonardo, be quiet. My mother orders, and although last night he didn't agree to obey, now he does as he is told and makes a sign with his fingers to close his lips with a key.

-1 know you both have many doubts about your brother, and I assure you that I will explain everything to you, but first let me tell you that your mother and I are very sorry for the pain we caused you by hiding this from you all this time. We did thinking just the opposite, and we never expected you to find out this way.

Dad's voice sounds tired and sad, my eyes fill with tears and a sob almost escapes me as I try to speak.

-1 don't understand anything dad, who exactly is Leonardo and how come he is our brother? Where has he been all this time? Why did they lie to us? What is going to happen from now on?

My parents exchange a look and mom is the one who answers me.

Leonardo is her half-brother, the son of her father and another Golden Moon she-wolf. The girl got pregnant before we m and we found out later. You must understand that his father's past and mine is very complicated. At that time we hardly spoke to each other, and we had just found out that we were gourds when it became known that Leonardo's mother was going to have him. There was a big argument about that, and it didn’t help that we had been preparing to fight the vampires at the same time. We won that war but during the battle his brother's mother was kidnapped, we never heard from them again. During all these years we have been looking for them, but always with the same result. We never told them anything because we wanted to spare them the pain of knowing that they had a brother that we did not know if he was alive or dead. And as for what will happen now, well, nothing, things will take their course, but your brother will live here, and he will enjoy the same rights as you do.

My head wants to explode with that explanation, my parents had been fighting with vampires when they met, as far as I knew there were only a few clans left because we had driven them to near extinction. Leonardo had been raised by the bloodsuckers then? Where was his mother?

-Don't think so much about it Juliet, look, we regret not having been honest during all these years, but things are as they are and we have no choice but to accept them. Leonardo is your brother and it's not your fault that you are strangers to each other. Dad says and 1 give a look to the boy who now seems uncomfortable for being the center of attention.

But I still don't understand, if the she-wolf was pregnant with you before you met mom, that means he's older than us. Doesn't that make him the first born and therefore the future Alpha? He asked with doubt and trembling. Jackson lets ou growl and peels his gaze from the wall to fix me with his wolf's eyes.

“He may be my father's first born, but I'm my mother's first born. Son of both Alphas, I have more right. Besides it doesn’ just take blood to lead a pack, I have been bred from birth to lead. I am and will continue to be the next to lead the pack after our parents even if an army of unknown sons beat down the door.

Jackson. My father scolds with a harsh tone and my brother returns his gaze to the wall.

-Don't worry, little brother, I have no interest in being Alpha of a pack, I don't like having responsibilities and worrying about others. It doesn't go with me. Leonardo says and I see him with arched eyebrows.

How can he say that?

-And what does it go with you in that case, to lie around all day and get your fleas out?

Jackson, last warning or you're grounded! Dad scolds again.

But Leonardo only gives him a smile that I recognize from my brothers. The kind of smile that makes you want to knock h teeth out because it drives you crazy.

Ym a great fighter Jacinto, you can check it out anytime. I swear I can hear my brother's teeth gnashing.

Jackson, my name is Jackson, and I'm happy to show you what a silver-blooded wolf is made of.

-Stop it you two, you've been going at it all morning and it's getting tiring acting like a couple of slam dunks fighting over everything. Julian speaks for the first time and my two brothers look at him with anger for the comparison.

Leonardo gives us a look full of confusion.

“What the hell are you talking about Jacinto?

Jackson, is it so hard to remember? I don't go around calling you Leonel, do I? My brother almost loses the papers and Ja clears his throat making him pull himself together, “Whatever, silver blood, you know. My mother before she joined my father was the Alpha of Silver Moon, the most powerful pack in the world, her wolves being different from others carry silver colored blood unlike ordinary wolves, making us stronger, faster and other things you wouldn't understand. My brothers and I inherited it from her, but since you are not her son, you obviously have red blood like dad-.

When Jackson finishes speaking he grimaces and his head ducks. One of my parents must have scolded him for the ment; link. Most likely it was mom. She's always been very strict and suspicious about people who know about us.

-I think we have already extended this discussion enough, everyone get ready, to welcome Leonardo we will all go huntin Dad says and despite our low spirits, we all get excited.

Going hunting together was something that rarely happened and it was extremely fun. We would usually split into two teams and compete to see who could get the best game. This time would be the first time Jace and I could participate as wolves.

-But Dad, neither Juliet nor I have had any breakfast. Jace complains and my stomach as if I heard him roars loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

julian looks at me amused with arched eyebrows and I feel myself go tomato at Leonardo's sneer.

“Well, eat your breakfast quickly. In twenty minutes I want you all at the entrance ready to leave, Julian takes Leonardo to his room please, it's the one in the opposite corridor to his, the first door.

“Yes mom. Julian says as he stands up and makes a sign to Leonardo who stands up and they both leave the room.

You two go to breakfast, we need to talk to your brother. Dad says and Jace and I give Jackson a look before disappearing from the office as well.

My parents look very seriously at Jackson while my brother has a scolded dog look on his face.

We don't hear anything they say as mom and dad wait until we are far enough away to start discussing whatever it is they need to. This was something that happened from time to time, for the fact that Jackson is the future Alpha there were things they could only say to him. But for them to ask to talk to my brother alone after receiving news like this makes my curiosity go up a thousandfold.

Ugh, damn instinct to want to know everything.

Just as I was about to turn to go back to the office and listen through the door Jace grabs me by the blouse I was wearing and drags me with him.

-Don't even think about it Juliet, we're still paying the price for your last idea to listen to what we shouldn't.

I opened my mouth indignantly, was my twin a fortune teller and I didn't know it?

-1 was only going back to borrow one of his silver daggers from my mother!

-Uhum, and I'm head of the bloodsucking mob. Please, sis. You're my twin, I know you like the back of my hand, you were about to eavesdrop again.

I try to look offended but I can't, he's absolutely right, if there was anyone on this planet who knew me well it was him. Ju as I knew him.

Okay, you win, I know it's wrong, but all this business with Leonardo makes me paranoid, there are so many things 1 still don't understand, where has he been all these years, and why did he suddenly appear, what is he looking for? We may be half brothers but that doesn't mean we should believe in him blindly. The guy hasn't done anything to show us that we c: trust him and my parents just welcome him with open arms-.

I say and I sound more adult than Id like, but is it just me seeing the weirdness of the whole thing?

He hasn't shown us that we can't trust him either. We may not know his past but he doesn't know ours either, and it's no like we go around telling our lives to the four winds. Its his privacy after all. Give him a vote of confidence, who knows, maybe in time we'll get used to him.

I snort as we enter the dining room, sit in our chairs and immediately the Omegas give us a plate of food.

-1 have nothing against him, I'm just suspicious by nature. I don't want anything to happen to the herd or our family.

I say honestly as I cut my waffles with honey.

-1 know, you are a great wolf Juliet, your intuition and your boldness have helped us on many occasions and you know it. But I think your feelings are interfering with your judgment.

Jace says as he takes a bite of his sandwich, I ponder for a moment, maybe he has a point there. But f**k, that feeling tha something isn't right hasn't left me since last night in the woods.

“1 just have this strange feeling of being watched since last night. It's got me restless and on edge. Besides the fact that something really strange happened to me when we transformed.

My twin puts his breakfast aside and looks at me seriously.

“What exactly happened last night to make you so paranoid?

I opened my mouth to tell him about the strange smell and how Casiana had warned me that I wasn't alone. But at that moment Julian and Leonardo appeared in the dining room.

I had already said that I had nothing against the guy, but it seemed to me that it was a very personal matter and even though he was my brother, he was still a stranger and I didn’t feel like telling him about my problems.

Ill tell you later.

I said over the link to Jace and he gave me a nod as we both continued eating breakfast.

julian sat in his chair and Leonardo took Jackson's.

“Well, little brothers, what do you guys do for fun around here?

Leonardo asked as he stole a strawberry from my plate. I wanted to bite his hand as a primitive reaction. I didn’t share m food with anyone, none of us really did, that's why they always gave us all different dishes and big enough so we didn't have to steal from each other.

“We don't have much time for fun. We train from six until nine, then have breakfast as a family. Jackson stays with Dad to sort out pack business. Julian accompanies Noel or Logan around the pack helping with whatever is needed and Jace and have lessons with mom and some tutors. After that we all eat together and everyone does what they want with their free time-. I tell him irritated by my strawberry.

MY strawberry.

Leonardo fakes a yawn.

How boring, I couldn't live like that, I need action, adventure, adrenaline. Everyday life is not made for a wolf like me.

I feel myself reddening with indignation, but I just continue with my breakfast, it's not worth discussing this with a persor like him.

“Well, you'll have to get used to it, if you're going to stay here, my parents will probably find a task for you too, and you'll have no choice but to obey.

Jace says calmer than me, and takes the last bite of his sandwich, he drinks juice while again an Omega removes his plate “Who are Logan and Noel and why do you spend all your time with them Julio?

julian gives Leonardo a calm smile, the one he usually gives when Jackson is in a particularly heavy mood.

-My name is Julian. My siblings are Jace and Julieta, try not to forget Leonardo, because I assure you that we won't forget yours. To answer your question, Noel is daddy's Beta while Logan is mommy's. I spend my time with them instructing me on their functions because 1 will be Jackson's Beta when he ascends to Alpha.

Leonardo tenses up a little at the way my brother pronounces his name, but he hides it well. I swear to Gods there's something weird about this guy.

“Why do they both have Betas, I understand that in a pack only the Alpha is the one who has a Beta to help him.

He says overlooking the clear warning. I roll my eyes as I eat the rest of my strawberries.

We told you, our pack is no ordinary pack. It is the result of the merger of the two strongest herds in the world. Golden Moon and Silver Moon. Dad was Alpha of the former and Mom of the latter. When they discovered mates and merged the packs both were left as the Alphas instead of Alpha and Moon. So they both lead us. We are a fairly large pack so dividing up the work is a no-brainer. That's why they both have their corresponding Betas and besides that mom has a Delta nam Dannia-.

I explain calmly, my new brother lets out a low whistle and his eyes sparkle with curiosity.

“You guys are one of the weirdest families. He assures

“Thank you. The three of us reply in unison and share a knowing smile.

I finish my breakfast in silence and they are just removing my plate when my parents appear with Jackson in their midst. “Well, are we ready to hunt?

Dad says and adrenaline rushes through me.

Of course I was ready.