My Two Fated Alphas

Jax leaned closer, his nose grazing the sensitive skin of my neck. I froze, locking my knees to keep from collapsing against the cold concrete.

"Please," I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. "I'm sorry. I swear it was an accident. Just let me go."

He pulled back. His icy gaze dragged over my faded jeans and oversized sweater, taking in my trembling frame.

"You're that wolfless girl," he stated.

My cheeks burned under his intense scrutiny. "Yes. I am."

"The one everyone calls a dud."

"I'm a late bloomer," I argued, though the defense sounded hollow even to my own ears. "Look, I'm a nobody. You don't want to waste your time bullying me. I have zero pack status."

"I decide who I waste my time on," Jax replied, stepping directly into my space. "And right now, you're wasting mine by lying."

"I'm not lying!"

Jax planted a hand on the wall beside my head, trapping me completely. "Did you smell it?"

His voice dropped to a low, dangerous rumble that vibrated right through my chest.

"Smell what?" I asked, forcing my voice to stay steady.

"Don't play stupid." His fingers tapped a harsh rhythm against the painted cinderblock. "When you crashed into me. The scent."

Panic flared in my throat. If I admitted it, he would know. He would figure out we were mates. A volatile, aggressive Alpha like Jax wouldn't accept a weak, unshifted Omega. He would reject me on the spot, and the severed bond would tear my dormant wolf to shreds.

"I didn't smell anything," I lied.

"Nothing at all?"

"Just leather and floor wax," I insisted, meeting his stare. "Someone shoved me, I fell, my face hit yours. That's the entire story."

Jax studied my eyes, searching for the crack in my armor. A muscle feathered in his jaw. "Omegas always notice an Alpha's scent. Especially mine."

"I told you, I'm wolfless. My senses aren't like yours."

"So you felt absolutely nothing."

"Only panic," I shot back, pushing my shoulders against the wall. "Because you dragged me out here like a criminal."

He opened his mouth to argue, but the heavy metal fire door groaned open.

"Jax? You out here?"

I flinched. That voice.

Kane stepped onto the landing. The golden boy of our school stood bathed in the harsh fluorescent light from the hallway, wearing his varsity jacket, looking every bit the perfect Alpha.

Then, the scent hit me.

Pine and rain.

It rolled off Kane in heavy waves, instantly tangling with the exact same aroma radiating from Jax. My stomach bottomed out. The air suddenly felt too thick to breathe.

Two mates. Two Alphas. Both smelling like the exact same forest storm.

I pressed my palms flat against the wall, trying to ground myself. This was impossible. A werewolf only had one fated mate. Having two was a myth, a ghost story elders told pups around the fire. It broke every law of nature.

Kane stopped halfway down the stairs. His relaxed posture vanished the moment he saw us tucked into the shadows.

"What's going on?" Kane asked, his brow furrowing.

"Nothing that concerns you," Jax shot back, not moving an inch away from me.

Kane descended the remaining steps. As he got closer, his nostrils flared. He stopped, his gaze snapping directly to me.

He stared. Not with the usual indifference he showed everyone else, but with a sharp, piercing focus.

"Who is she?" Kane asked. He took another step forward. "She smells... different."

My heart hammered against my ribs. He noticed my scent. Even without a wolf, my Omega nature was reacting to him, calling out to him just as strongly as it reacted to Jax.

"She's nobody," Jax answered, his tone turning possessive.

"She doesn't look like nobody," Kane countered. He tilted his head, his eyes locked on mine. "I've never noticed you before."

"I keep to myself," I managed to say, my voice cracking slightly.

"She's the girl who just threw herself at me," Jax announced, a cruel edge entering his voice. "Kissed me right in the middle of the crowded hallway."

Kane froze.

His jaw clamped shut. A strange, dark shadow crossed his features. His hands curled into tight fists at his sides, his knuckles turning white. He stared at my lips, then back up to Jax.

"She kissed you?" Kane repeated, the words sounding heavy, almost bitter.

"It was a mistake!" I yelled, desperate to fix whatever terrible dynamic was forming between them. "I tripped! It meant absolutely nothing!"

Kane blinked, the dark expression vanishing as quickly as it appeared. He shook his head, letting out a short, forced laugh.

"Right," Kane muttered, dragging a hand through his blond hair. "Must be losing my mind. Why would I care who kisses who?"

He forced a casual smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Coach is looking for you, Jax. Don't be late for practice."

Kane turned his back and pushed through the heavy doors, disappearing into the school.

The moment the door clicked shut, the oppressive tension broke.

This was my chance.

I ducked under Jax's arm and bolted toward the exit. My sneakers squeaked against the concrete as I lunged for the handle.

A heavy hand clamped around my wrist, yanking me backward.

My shoulder wrenched as Jax spun me around, pinning my back against his chest.

"You kiss me and plan to run away?" he growled, his breath hot against my ear.

"I told you, I didn't kiss you!" I fought against his grip, kicking my legs. "Let me go!"

He twisted my arm just enough to keep me still, ignoring my struggles completely.

"Sara," Jax commanded, his voice echoing sharply in the empty stairwell.

I froze. He knew my name.

"As punishment for your little stunt," he continued, his tone leaving absolutely no room for negotiation. "Starting today, you must do exactly as I say."

I twisted my neck to look up at him, my eyes wide with horror. "What? No. You can't do that."

"Until next month," Jax finalized, a dark, victorious smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "You belong to me."

A cold dread washed over me, settling deep in my bones. Trapped with a volatile Alpha who shared the exact same mate scent as the golden boy. My secret was a ticking time bomb, and the countdown had just begun.