GIVEN TO THE TWIN ALPHA KINGS - Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Alpha Kai
My eyes widened as Delaney's wolf started stepping forward, the platform trembling beneath her weight. Her muscles rippled beneath her fur with every step. She was so huge, standing at least two feet taller than the other alphas, almost our size. It was unheard of for a female werewolf to have such a big wolf, and yet there she was, even bigger than her father's wolf.
"A red wolf..." Ronan whispered beside me, nudging me gently with his elbow. Delaney's wolf snapped her head at him, her golden eyes narrowing into slits.
"I have never seen one, ever," I responded, swallowing hard. She turned to me, her eyes gleaming dangerously. I lowered my gaze, reprimanding myself from the inside for daring to have her killed. How could I ever forgive myself for sentencing her to death without proper investigations?
"What have we done?" Ronan spoke via the mind-link, his voice strained and broken. "Goddess, we almost hung..." He couldn't finish the statement, his shoulders slumping forward.
I closed my eyes for a moment as the image of the rope around her neck flashed behind my eyes. The heartbroken look on her face and the tears in her eyes sent a stabbing pain searing across my chest.
"We messed up, bro," I answered. "We messed up bad," I added in a heavy voice, observing Delaney's wolf as she stood at the front of the platform. She was steady and still, her broad paws anchoring her like tree roots to the earth. There was something about her demeanour, like a calm before the storm.
There was total silence as she raised her head, her snout pointing at the dark sky. Tension in the air tightened, as everyone waited. Then her jaw opened, revealing her long canines that dripped with saliva. Almost immediately she began howling, the sound nothing like I had ever heard before. It started low, deep enough to send creatures scrambling away, to a piercing, wild howl that vibrated throughout the square and the surrounding buildings.
"What the hell..." I mumbled as the clouds parted, revealing the sun. I could have sworn it wasn't a coincidence as the sunlight graced us, her red fur shimmering under the sun's rays.
Power was rolling off her in waves; I could feel it deep in my bones as gasps and whimpers filled the town square. People started dropping down on their knees, others collapsing entirely, baring their necks to her. It was the same reaction Ronan and I got from other werewolves, and now Delaney was proving to be almost as powerful as us.
"She's not just a red wolf," Ronan mumbled. "She's something else," he concluded, not once tearing his eyes off her. I couldn't agree more with him.
Delaney lowered her head, scanning the crowd. I watched her line of vision, with Elias coming into view, lips stretching into a smile while he was still on his knees. He then lowered his head, giving Delaney a brief bow. He was so subtle, I almost didn't catch it. She turned, searching the crowd once more until her golden eyes landed on Maribel, who managed to break free from the guards after they submitted to Delaney's power.
"Delaney," she cried breathlessly running up the platform. She dropped to her knees, hugging Delaney's wolf. Her tail flicked as she pressed her muzzle into the older woman's neck, low whimpers escaping her.
"My girl..." Maribel heaved, her shoulders shaking. "My beautiful girl."
"She's incredible," I admitted out loud, my arms itching to embrace her, to feel her soft fur beneath my fingers.
"And beautiful," Ronan added, closing his eyes briefly. I could feel his emotions rolling off him, the heaviness in his voice. He wanted to make it right just like I did, and I hoped it wasn't too late.
Her wolf turned towards us, and for a split second she looked at both of us and then began to shift. It was effortless, with bones realigning themselves quickly and fur shrinking back. After the first shift, werewolves usually struggled to shift back into their human form, but Delaney made it look easy. Maribel acted quickly, covering her with her black shawl poncho.
"Maribel," Delaney called, her voice rough and barely audible.
"Yes, baby," Maribel cradled her like a child, rubbing her back. "You did it; you are safe now," she soothed, tears streaming down her face.
Everything happened so fast; one moment we were standing, and the next my brother and I groaned at the same time, clutching our chests. I felt as if my lungs were on fire, with my wolf howling inside. Then I smelt it, a combination of peach and strawberry. The smell was rich and intoxicating; it made my mouth water instantly.
"Do you smell that, feel that?" Ronan asked beside me, sniffing loudly.
"How can I not?" My wolf was clawing to get out, to touch and feel her. Given the way Ronan was panting, he was feeling the same way.
"I can't control myself." Came Roman's voice in my mind.
"I want to hold her; it's killing me," I responded, dropping on one knee.
"What the hell is happening?" Ronan asked via the mind-link. Even when our control was slipping, we couldn't allow the crowd to perceive us as weak. Then it hit us, our mouths opening in the same way.
"Mate!" We uttered in synchronisation, looking at Delaney. Like a magnet, I could feel Delaney pulling me to her, every atom in my body floating in a charged electric connection.
The crowd cheered and clapped, already up on their feet. Delaney looked at us, her hair wet, eyes glassy with another emotion that I couldn't quite pinpoint. Everyone quieted down, waiting for her to say something, anything.
"N-o," she spat, lowering her eyes. I stumbled back, feeling like someone had torn my heart apart and then stomped on it.
"Del..." Ronan trailed off, his voice fading.
"I can't be your mate," she addressed us, a lone tear escaping her left eye. "Mates don't hurt each other," she finished, her lips trembling.