Demon's POV
Matt Ryan and I handled the first section of the castle—the most heavily guarded area.
It was exactly as planned.
We caused enough chaos to force the guards to abandon their posts, clearing the path to the prison wing. Once there, the goal was simple: free three prisoners—Can, Ian, and Scott. Three betas from my pack.
My brothers in arms.
After decades of separation, my pack would finally be whole again. Then we would return to our city and reclaim what had always been ours.
I hadn't seen them in four years.
I didn't even know if they were still alive.
By sheer luck, Matt and I had been imprisoned in the same section before our escape, which allowed us to keep contact with them. We tried reaching out after we fled, but when the guards discovered our attempts, everything changed.
Alpha Lycans. Armed with guns and fire.
They threatened isolation.
My brother didn't stop at locking me in a prison—he exiled my most loyal friends, scattering my pack like ashes in the wind. To the world, he played the role of a gentle, righteous Alpha.
But I knew the truth.
I was the only one who had seen his real face.
"One minute," Matt muttered.
We ducked behind a stone pillar, surveying the area. Fifteen guards.
Five each.
"Now!" Matt shouted.
We moved.
We were faster—far faster. Bullets sliced through the air, but we dodged them with ease. I grabbed the first guard from behind and slammed him into the stone floor.
Two more charged at me, eyes glowing, weapons raised.
I vanished.
In the blink of an eye, I reappeared behind four others, taking them down before they could even react.
Minutes later, the guards lay scattered across the floor.
Matt smirked, wiping blood from his hands onto his shirt.
"We're still good."
I returned the smile. "Seems so."
A cry tore through the silence.
Matt and I turned at the same time.
Dylan was on the ground—two guards had pinned him down.
"Dylan! No!"
We rushed over, killing the remaining guards before pulling him free. Blood soaked his clothes, pooling beneath him.
"He's losing too much blood," Matt said grimly. "That's why he isn't healing."
"We have to stop it."
Suddenly, footsteps thundered toward us.
Eight guards.
"I can handle them," Matt said. "You help him."
"No," I snapped, shaking my head. "There are too many—"
But he was already gone.
Fuck.
On one side, my friend was bleeding out.
On the other, Matt—my brother in everything but blood—was charging straight into death.
I tore off my jacket, tying it tightly around Dylan's wound, praying it would slow the bleeding. Then I turned and ran after Matt.
---
## **Kale's POV**
"How?" I asked my mother, struggling to keep my voice calm. "How did he escape?"
"They must have bribed a guard," she said quietly. "We haven't found him yet."
"That's impossible." I shook my head. "The castle was surrounded by over sixty guards. And somehow he still got out?"
My chest tightened.
I knew he would come for us. And now that I had finally found someone—someone right for me—I wouldn't let him ruin everything like he always did.
"I'm sorry," my mother said softly. "All we can do now is wait."
"No." I straightened. "We can do more than wait. Issue an alert. Whoever finds him gets fifty thousand dollars."
Her arms crossed, disappointment etched into her face.
"You can't do this to your brother."
"Oh, he's done far worse to me."
"You have to be better than him, not worse."
"I have to protect myself. My family. And if that means catching him, then so be it. We're done with this discussion, Mom."
The doorbell rang.
I smiled.
"That must be Evelyn."
---
KALE'S POV
I never knew when my brother and I became enemies.
One day, it was as if we woke up and declared war.
Every battle after that only deepened the divide, pushing us farther apart until we stood on opposite ends of the world.
Sometimes, I wished we had a bond—the kind twins were supposed to share.
But deep down, I knew we never would.
It was strange how someone who looked exactly like me could be so different in spirit… in soul.
I sighed, catching the sadness in my mother's eyes. This war between us tore her apart.
But it wasn't her fault.
It was simply our fate.
The bell rang again, pulling my thoughts back to Evelyn. Just thinking about her made my chest warm. I had never imagined a mate bond could feel this strong—it was as if we had known each other for lifetimes.
I opened the door.
Joy flooded me instantly.
"Hi."
"Hi," she said shyly, her voice soft and gentle.
She was the kind of girl you wanted to protect. The kind you wanted to build a future with.
"How was the trip?" I asked, stepping aside.
"Good."
Her eyes wandered around the castle, taking everything in.
"Wow," she breathed. "This place is beautiful… and huge."
"This is where we usually spend our free time," I said. "Since you'll be staying here with me for the week, my mom gave us some privacy. You can choose any guest room on the second floor."
She blushed lightly, and I smiled. She was so pure—it was one of the things I loved most about her.
I gave her a quick tour. She paused in front of the portraits lining the high stone walls.
She pointed to one.
A painting of my twin and me as children—staring at each other, back when things were simpler.
"This is beautiful," she said softly.
I nodded.
Then she pointed to another.
"He looks like you. Is that your father?"
"Yes," I said.
She smiled.
I reached for her hand, intertwining our fingers.
"We—"
The words died in my throat.
The air shifted.
Heavy. Sharp. Wrong.
Evelyn stiffened beside me, her smile fading as she glanced down the long hallway.
---
Evelyn's Pov
It hit me all at once.
My skin prickled. My stomach dropped.
My heart thundered so violently I thought it might burst. Joy and excitement flooded my veins as my body trembled. My knees weakened. My fingers tingled. The world spun.
Finally.
The feeling I had been waiting for.
My wolf stirred—awake, alert, *recognizing*.
I looked down at my bracelet.
It glowed.
My breath caught as I whispered, trembling,
"You're my mate."
Then—
The castle shook.
Walls groaned. My heart skipped a beat.
"What was that?" I whispered.
Before Kale could answer, the windows shattered.
The bond intensified, fire racing through my veins. Footsteps echoed through the shadows—slow, deliberate.
My wolf went wild, desperate, drawn to the presence.
I swallowed hard.
I was wrong.
The bond wasn't with Kale.
It was with someone else.
Someone breaking into the castle.
Emotions crashed over me—confusion, fear, longing—
Until a voice cut through everything.
"Showing her around, brother?"
My blood turned to ice.
We spun, searching the room—but there was no one there.
A ghost.
My wolf inhaled deeply, intoxicated by his scent.
Was this destiny's cruel joke?
Was I truly mated to the *wrong twin*?
Could life be any more unfair?