The Alpha Twins Rejection
Chapter Forty-Three- Ashley's P.O.V

My mind whirled violently, earnestly trying to comprehend the implications of the words Rayne and Kane had just spoken. Death sentence. Surely, they would not consider intentionally killing Zac. They had obviously not thought this through.

"STOP" I screamed hysterically via mind-link, making all three of them snap their heads towards me in genuine surprise. Cautiously approaching the twins on unsteady legs, I spoke in a whispered voice, knowing that their wolves were dangerously close to the edge, fighting for dominance to come forward and kill the man who dared to lay claim to their mate.

"Rayne, Kane. Would you please think about what you are doing? If, for some fucked up reason, the moon goddess gave me three mates, it must be fate. I mean, why me? I am not special and definitely don't deserve the love of three mates. If you kill Zac, you will be killing a piece of me, and I may never recover from the loss" I pleadingly choked out.

The twins eyes widened as the realisation of my words washed over them, their pupils instantly starting to come back into focus as they carefully considered my words. After a few terrifying seconds, large snarls left their throats as they inevitably come to the same conclusion I had, it would destroy me.

As much as I loved Zac the precarious situation I currently found myself in was not one I would wish on even my most despised enemy. Even though he was now six feet under, pushing up daisies, I thought with a sneer. To see the ones you loved torn apart and willing to ruthlessly slaughter one another was almost too much to bear.

Zac stumbled to his feet. Still, in shock from the death sentence that the twins had just imposed on him moments ago. "I think it would be best if I just left," he said in a low voice, pleading desperately with his eyes for me to let him go so as not to cause any further problems.

"No," I replied sternly. "This needs to be sorted out today. Right now. This is not being left another minute."I growled fiercely while glancing nervously between the three of them. There was no chance in eternal hell I was letting something as crucial as this go, nor would I allow it to cast a shadow over our successful take over of territory and packs.

"I get that the two of you are protective and despise the idea of sharing me, but Zac was in your shoes not so long ago when the moon goddess mated me to the both of you," I said gently as I carefully approached them, aware that their wolves were still close to the surface and not wanting to set them off.

Once they realised my intention, their postures loosened and a small sigh escaped their mouths as they drank in my words. They knew all too well what Zac and I had both gone through recently over the separation and how it had nearly destroyed us.

"There is no chance in hell that Zac will ever get his hands on you ever again", Rayne fumed, clenching and unclenching his jaw while shooting daggers in his direction. "Don't you get it, Rayne", I half screamed, "IT IS NOT UP FOR DEBATE. ZAC IS MY MATE". Watching his face crumble ripped a hole in my chest.

Rayne shook his head and stormed out of the room, splintering the door violently as he left. "Rayne" I screamed to his retreating form l. I started to go after him but Kane's arms snaked around my middle, pulling me back into his loudly thumping chest. "Let me go, Kane", I wailed.

"No, Ash. Rayne needs time to himself. To process the situation," He said in a small voice as he released me. Turning around slowly, a sob caught in my throat. I looked into Kane's eyes, trying to gauge his feelings. "What about you" I whispered fearfully. Kane didn't bother to reply, seemingly lost for words. He just let out a straggled breath and shrugged his shoulders before turning away from me and going after his brother.

"I love you both," I said passionately via mind-link to Rayne and Kane. The only reply I got was "You too" from Kane. It broke my heart a little more that Rayne had not replied. Today could go and fuck itself.

"I am so sorry, Ash," Zac said in a defeated, flat voice. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Zac", I replied gently, trying to reassure him. "No one could have foreseen that I would be mated to three men. My heart is happy that you will not pine away after losing your first mate".

Looking towards Zac, my anxious heart lurched as tears streamed down his handsome face. "Shit. I am so sorry, Zac. That was very insensitive of me. I am sorry for what happened to Mia," I said softly while looking into his teary eyes. "It's ok, Ash. My tears are not for Mia", he replied whilst reaching his hands towards me. On instinct, I covered the distance between us and allowed Zac to envelop me in his strong arms.

Inhaling sharply, he continued, "My tears are for being gifted a second chance mate Ashley. And not just any second chance mate but one I have desired for as long as I can remember. For years I have dreamed of nothing more than to be mated to you, Ashley, and it just overwhelms me that it has finally happened. No matter how bizarre the situation currently seems".

Zac's passionate words had tears leaking from my own eyes. The unusual situation was fucked up at present, but there was no denying my feelings for Zac. I had always loved him. My genuine fear was the thought of losing the twins over this, they were my world, we had grown inseparable. I could feel their pain. Their fury. Their sense of loss. And it cut me deep.

Gently kissing Zac on the temple, I left him to go in search of Rayne and Kane. It didn't sit right with me that they had left with their hearts troubled. I had to make things right between us. All of us. How I was going to make that happen, I had no idea. I just knew that I needed to.

After several minutes of methodically searching for the twins around the packhouse, I heard angry howls coming from the nearby woods. Racing towards the sound, I quickly shifted and allowed Callie to come forward, hoping she would be able to calm them down. There was no point in me approaching Jax and Hunter when they were in full beast mode.

They could be just as stubborn as Rayne and Kane, if not worse. It didn't take me long to replace them, circling each other in a clearing, clearly at war with one another. Thinking back on how Rayne had stormed out earlier, I could only guess that Kane was possibly trying to reason with his brother over the development of our complex relationship. I couldn't blame Rayne for being upset, but I had to admit that it was unfair that he was taking it out on Zac when he had no control over being given a second chance mate and not in a million years could we have guessed that he was fated to be mine along with the two of them. Having three fated mates was unheard of and another thing our pack would go down in history for.

Callie cautiously approached Jax and Hunter with her head low. When she was close enough she let out a slight growl to forewarn them to her approach, which neither seemed to hear. Just as she was about to signal her arrival once more, Hunter launched himself at Jax, his mouth dripping with foam. He wasn't playing around. He was out to injure Jax seriously.

"STOP", Callie roared via mind-link to no avail. Neither was backing down from the vicious fight, blood and fur flying in all directions as they wrestled violenty to gain the upper hand on the forest floor.

I could sense Callie's next move and tried to warn her, but it was too late. She dove into the middle of the fight, trying desperately to break them apart. A loud snap pierced the air, followed by an agonised howl from Callie. The dreadful noise snapped Jax and Hunter out of their fight, and the three of them swiftly shifted back to their human forms.

Panting in the dirt with tears streaming down my face, I shuffled into a sitting position to critically inspect my leg, wincing as red-hot pain shot up my side with the movement. Looking down, I could see a nasty gash that was currently pooling blood underneath me. I didn't have to test my leg to know that it was also broken. The odd angle it was now resting at was a dead giveaway. Fuck my life.

At once, Rayne and Kane both knelt before me in the dirt, their fight seemingly forgotten. "I am so sorry," they said as one, pain and regret etched on their attractive faces. Before I had a chance to reply, they were on their feet, deep growls leaving their chests as Zac entered the grassy clearing, a furious expression on his face as he took in my bleeding form.

"What the fuck did you two assholes do to Ashley" he snarled viciously his fists clenching and unclenching as he approached us, a girl couldn't catch a break. "Fuck you, pup", Rayne spat venomously while getting into a fighting position. "STOP", I roared for what seemed like the hundredth time today. "All of you", I continued sternly. "The twins are not to blame for my leg" I huffed. Kane tried to speak up, but I growled menacingly at him in warning to let me continue."Just as Zac is not to blame for being given a second chance, mate. I have no idea how we are going to work relationship-wise, but I am not about to let either of you kill my other mate," I said solemnly whilst giving Rayne and Kane my best stern look, though I am unsure how convincing it was due to the pain that was radiating through my body. Shit. The break must be a bad one, I thought sadly. Ah well, what are a few more scars and a slight limp?

All three noticed me gritting my teeth as I spoke and knelt before me as if to pick me up. "I am NOT going anywhere until we have sorted this bullshit out", I hissed, slapping hands away from me. "You are bleeding out," Rayne said pleadingly. "I guess you three had better sort your shit out quickly than", I replied hotly.

"What are we supposed to sort out"? Kane huffed. "You are ours. I get that the moon goddess has given Zac a second chance mate. I also get that the second chance, mate is you. What I don't get is how we are supposed to share you," he snorted contemptuously while looking down his nose as Zac.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, I turned to look at Rayne. "I am not sharing you with Zac", he growled. "Period". "I guess I am inevitably doomed to die here today then," I said and then stretched out onto the dirt beneath me, wincing as my leg attempted to straighten out with the rest of my body. I made no attempt to initiate the healing process. It was probably a dick move to use my injury against the guys, but I couldn't think of anything else to get through to them. We couldn't afford for this to blow out to enormous proportions now that we had such a large pack to rule.

Thinking about it, four rulers sounded like an excellent way to run such a vast pack. Not long ago we had received word that distant Alphas had sprouted that they would love the opportunity to brutally kill Rayne and Kane and to take over the biggest pack in the world. That would happen over my dead body. I would like to see anyone try and take on the four of us.

"I am so sorry that you are hurt," I said tearfully whilst looking between Rayne and Kane "But we need to replace a way to make this work. To make us work," I gestured between the four of us. "We need to make the announcement as soon as possible and hold a ceremony." All three looked at me with their heads cocked to the side. If I wasn't so pissed off and in a world of pain, my panties would have melted right off of me. "A ceremony", Rayne inquired."What the fuck for".

"Once Zac and I are properly mated, we will have a marriage ceremony for the four of us. I know it is unheard of, but I want to show our pack and every other pack a united front. And if we don't show any unease between us, neither will our pack," I continued, narrowing my eyes at the twins as they glared at Zac and then back towards me where their eyes were glued to the marks on my neck that claimed me as their own. I didn't have to be a mind reader to know what they were thinking. They were not thrilled about the idea of Zac and me being mated less so the idea of being marked by him.

Kane and Rayne just grunted at me, seemingly agreeing to my plan. Zac leaned forward as if to pick me up but was swiftly knocked to the ground by Kane as he scooped me up in his strong arms. "If you are going to act so childish towards Zac, you can put me down, Kane," I said. I felt his shoulders slump as he strode off towards the packhouse, no doubt in search of the pack doctor.

"Are you two coming" I desperately called over my shoulder. "Shortly", Rayne replied through clenched teeth. I tensed in Kane's arms, trying to wiggle free. "They need to do this, Ashley," Kane said softly. "Rayne just needs to let off some steam, so does Zac. And don't worry, I have told Rayne not to kill him".

"It's not Zac who I am worried about", I replied, much to Kane's amusement. Even he had to admit that Zac was a deadly fighter, lethal when provoked. "They won't take things too far. They both love you", Kane replied. "Let's worry about your leg, ok.