GIVEN TO THE TWIN ALPHA KINGS - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Delaney
The next morning I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my pale reflection, coils of dread curling in my gut. I hadn't slept a wink, trying to come up with a way to avoid the run. I had sneaked in the dead of the night to the kitchen for ice packs to help with the slight swelling around my ankle and still took the painkillers dad had packed. The pain had significantly reduced, making things a bit easier.
"What am I going to do?" My hands trembled as I put on black leggings, a white sports bra and a loose black hoodie. I was sweating even though I had just taken a cold shower. Runs back in my pack were not mandatory, so it was hard to be suspected. As for mind-link, I just lied that I preferred the phone, and as luck would have it, my friends never really asked questions.
"This is not happening," I whispered in the empty room, taking in a deep breath. Then a soft knock sounded, indicating that Kai was waiting outside.
"Ready?" His deep voice came through, making my heart respond by thudding inside my chest. I debated between opening the door or locking myself in the bathroom, the resolve within me just melting. With as much courage as I could master, I opened the door, my eyes scanning him. He looked devastatingly hot in a simple black t-shirt and black sweatpants.
"You look nervous," he observed, while I directed my eyes behind him, unable to meet his eyes.
"Of co-urse I am." I cleared my throat. "It's my first run with strangers in the Kingdom's capital." I forced the words out, feeling my heart beat in my ears.
"I'll run beside you." His assurance meant nothing when, in the first place, I couldn't shift.
The walk to the edge of the woods surrounding the alpha kings' estate was quiet. Kai kept on glancing at me, while my thoughts kept on eating at me. What if they banished me for having no wolf? There could be a million consequences, and yet I was doing nothing to abscond the run.
"You are awfully quiet." He broke the silence just as his brother and other people came into view. I was not sure whether the run entailed the entire kingdom capital or those surrounding the alpha's estate.
"I have nothing to say," I answered in a low voice, my throat tightening on me. I was minutes away from being labelled as the cursed wolf, weak, scarred, a freak or whatever names they would come up with.
"I can hear your heartbeat, Delaney, relax," he said, then jogged ahead, interacting with his people. Some turned to look at me; others seemed to mind their own business, and that gave me a little assurance.
When we got closer, Ronan approached, his lips stretching into a smirk that had my belly fluttering. He was shirtless, revealing his sculpted body that I wanted to just cling on to and never let go of. His proximity reminded me of the eventful dinner we had had the previous night. The memory ignited something within me: the feel of his fingers on my thigh, the sexual words he had spoken to me.
"Morning, little mouse," he murmured, stepping closer to me. "Slept okay?" he added.
"Don't call me that," I warned, glaring up at him.
"Relax, no need to be grumpy this morning. Are you getting cold feet?" He enquired, arching a brow.
"Does this run entail the whole capital?" I asked instead, looking around.
"Not really, just those close to our estate, and of course our guards and the staff."
"Hey, babe." That voice, sickly sweet and high-pitched, filled my ears. I didn't need to turn to know that it was Chloe.
"You never picked me up for the run; I almost got late," she added, wrapping her hands around his midsection, laying her head on his back.
"Since when have I picked you up for runs?" Ronan asked, the tone of his voice changing. I bit off a smile when the bitch huffed, letting go of him. I didn't miss the way she practically glared at me; if only looks could kill.
Then Kai's voice boomed over the pack members, full of authority and power. "Today's run is for strength and unity. It's not about pace or competition."
"Run free; allow our beasts to enjoy the nature, the fresh, crisp air and the thrill of the hunt," Ronan joined in, his voice equally deep, firm and assuring. I didn't hear any other word after that; I tuned them out. I was almost anticipating the humiliation that was awaiting me. Perhaps I could just slip away while everyone was shifting and run back to the mansion.
One by one they began to shift, the sound of bones cracking and rising growls filling the air. The pack were transforming around me, beautiful monstrous wolves running into the forest. Yet I stood there, frozen, taking in forced breaths.
"Delaney," Alpha Kai called, his voice curling through me like smoke. "You are not shifting."
I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I closed my eyes, waiting for the worst to happen when a sharp cry pierced the air. I snapped my head towards the sound, my jaw dropping when a middle-aged woman fell to the ground mid-shift, convulsing.
"Lucy!" Someone shouted, as those who hadn't shifted ran to her side. Instead of her bones rearranging themselves, they broke and pierced through her skin, sending blood spluttering around. Her screams were so raw that I could feel my ears ringing from the sound.
Kai and his brother responded fast, crouching beside the woman, trying to restrain her. They tried using alpha king command on her wolf to stop shifting, but it got worse. She thrashed, and before they could come up with a solution, she arched once, then stilled. Ronan pressed two fingers on the side of her neck, then lowered his head.
"She's dead," he muttered, exchanging a silent look with his brother.
"No one should touch the body until the healer arrives to examine it," Kai warned, standing.
"Elias, take Delaney back to the house; keep her safe." Ronan ordered Elias, who was yet to shift.
"What the hell just happened?" I muttered as Elias guided me away. Yes, the death had stopped my secret from coming out, but was it really just a coincidence, or was there something more to it? My heart was still racing, but for an entirely different reason.
"Sometimes bad things happen to prevent even worse things from happening," Elias said after a while, looking over his shoulder at the body.
"B-ut, there is nothing worse than death," I responded, blinking rapidly.
"Let's just say that collateral damage is necessary for a necessary good." His vague words had me swallowing hard. Did he know about my secret?