My Possessive Alpha Twins For Mate Chapter 271

Dahlia’s POV

What a complete disaster this night turned out to be.

I’d planned to slip out of the pack house unnoticed, hoping to escape before the twins caught on. But that plan went straight to hell the moment they knocked on my door. I hadn’t even made it to the front steps.

I was dressed to kill—squeezed into the sexiest outfit I could find. After the emotional bruising Jenna handed me the night before, I needed something to remind myself that I was still desirable, still powerful. But the second they laid eyes on me, it was as if they wanted to devour me whole. The way their gazes clung to every inch of exposed skin nearly shattered my resolve. The mate bond tugged at me, ruthless and persistent, whispering that I still wanted them—despite the pain they'd caused.

Somehow, I managed to gather my pride and walk away. I even added a little sway to my hips, channeling every ounce of confidence I had left. By the time I climbed into Silas’s car, Isolde and Nia were already waiting. Their enthusiastic compliments on my outfit gave me the confidence boost I desperately needed.

For the first time that night, I actually started to look forward to going out. I loved these girls—it had been ages since we’d all been together like this. I was even ready to ignore Finnian and Jovie, determined not to let them ruin the vibe.

A couple of tequila shots in, I caught their scent.

My mates were here.

I should have known better than to tell them where I was going, but they'd caught me off guard earlier, and lying to them was never my strong suit. My wolf perked up immediately, giddy and traitorous at the thought of them being near. The pull of the bond was relentless, so I did the only thing I could think of—I got drunk and did my best to ignore them. The drinks were already flowing anyway.

Silas and I had just finished our go-to karaoke number—"Don’t Go Breaking My Heart." We’d performed that song together so many times, it practically felt choreographed. A polished act, full of chemistry. I selfishly hoped my mates had seen it. Maybe they’d feel a flicker of what I’d felt watching them with other women. They might not want me the way they claimed to, but seeing me look at another man like that? I hoped it burned—even just a little.

Of course, their usual crowd of admirers surrounded them. Every woman in the bar was practically salivating, which only strengthened my resolve not to let them get under my skin.

Just when I thought things couldn’t get more uncomfortable, the guys approached and asked to be introduced. Logan used my full name—always a bad sign. His tone made it clear he wasn’t happy. Like I cared. When he pointed out that I knew his friends, a vision of Rowena flickered through my mind, and my response came out sharper than I’d intended. I had no doubt she wasn’t the only “friend” he’d prefer I never meet.

I introduced Finnian and Jovie first, just to get it over with. I didn’t have feelings for him anymore—that wasn’t the issue. It was the history. Everyone in our circle knew what we used to be, and introducing Jovie as his Luna still stung, even if it didn’t make sense anymore.

I got through the rest of the introductions, but then Isolde, my so-called best friend, decided to stir the pot.

She asked the guys how they knew me.

She knew. She was the first person I called after everything happened. So what the hell was she playing at? She knew I wasn’t ready to tell the others about the mate bond yet. Thankfully, Silas stepped in before they could answer, repeating the cover story I’d fed him. Isolde just smirked, but at least she let it drop. For now.

Before anything else could explode, I was called up to sing again.

I picked Girl on Fire—one of my favorite songs. It always gave me strength when I needed it, and tonight, I needed it badly. But as I sang, I could feel eyes burning into me. Three sets—two from my mates, and one from Finnian.

The intensity of it made my skin prickle.

Why the hell was Finnian staring at me like that—with his Luna sitting right beside him? I glanced her way and found her just as confused as I was. That made two of us.

I tried to lose myself in the music, but my wolf wouldn’t let up, constantly urging me to look at our mates. I finally gave in—and immediately regretted it.

The look they gave me... I couldn’t decipher it, but it was potent. Powerful. No one had ever looked at me like that. Not even Finnian. My knees nearly gave out under the weight of it.

By the time the song ended, I practically ran off the stage.

My friends swarmed me, cheering and showering me with praise. Their support was a welcome distraction, but I could still feel those intense stares clinging to me like heat.

“I need to pee!” I blurted out.

Which, to be fair, was true. Between the alcohol and nerves, my bladder was not doing well. Isolde was quick to follow, as per our drunk-girl bathroom code. We’d made a pact ages ago—never let the other wander off alone when drinking heavily. This was the perfect chance to escape, even if only for a few minutes.

The moment the bathroom door closed behind us, I spun on her.

“What the hell is going on out there?” I demanded.

She gave a half-laugh, half-groan. “Depends on which part you mean. The fact that the Moon Goddess gave you two mouthwatering mates who can’t take their eyes off you? Or maybe that every guy in that bar is mentally undressing you, which is clearly driving said mates out of their minds? Or are you more concerned about the mated Alpha who’s been eyeing you like you’re dessert—while his Luna sits beside him?”

“All of the above,” I replied, slumping a bit. It was overwhelming—emotionally exhausting, honestly.

“Well, the first two? Pretty straightforward.” She shrugged, like it was obvious. “You think your mates are playing some twisted game, and maybe they are. If that’s true, I’ll kill them myself. But Lia, that’s not what it feels like. They look at you like they mean it. Like they want you. And no matter what’s happened, they’re not about to let anyone else touch you—not while the bond still holds.”

"I guess," was all I could manage in response. I didn’t have the energy to argue, especially when deep down, I was convinced they didn’t really want me.

"And as for all the eye-fucking happening out there?" Isolde continued, her tone shifting into playful mockery, "Well, can you blame them? Seriously, have you seen yourself tonight?" She turned me toward the mirror. "Damn, girl. You look hot. Where the hell did you even get this dress? It should be illegal to look this good. If we weren’t best friends, I’d honestly hate you."

We both burst into laughter, the kind that momentarily lightens everything. That was one of the things I loved most about Isolde—her uncanny ability to make me laugh even when my world felt like it was caving in.

But as the laughter settled, her expression sobered.

"The other issue… I don’t think I can help with that one," she admitted, her voice dipping with a sigh.

"I don’t know what Finnian’s deal is, Lia. But whatever’s going on with him—it’s not your burden. Just try to ignore it and have fun tonight, okay?"

I nodded, though my mind wandered. Despite everything, I couldn’t help but wonder why Finnian suddenly seemed so interested in me again. We hadn’t spoken in ages, and it made no sense for him to be acting this way.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t even hear the door open until a gentle hand touched my shoulder, and a soft voice pulled me back to the present.

"Lia?"

I turned to see Jovie standing behind me.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked, her voice unsure.

"Um… sure," I replied hesitantly.

We had never really been close—even before she and Finnian became mates. And after? Definitely not friends. Whatever she wanted to say, I had a sinking feeling it wouldn’t be something I was eager to hear.

"I just wanted to ask a favor," she said, her tone quiet, almost nervous.

It struck me as strange. She was the Luna, and I was just… me. She didn’t need to ask anything—she could order it if she wanted. So why the anxiety?

"Okay," I said, unsure what else to offer.

Isolde had drifted to the side, watching the scene unfold like she was mentally grabbing popcorn. I didn’t blame her.

Jovie took a breath, her voice trembling just slightly as she spoke.

"I wanted to ask you to please stay away from Finnian." Her voice cracked with emotion. "I’d have to be blind not to see the way he’s been looking at you tonight. I know he hasn’t crossed any lines—if he had, I’d feel it. But clearly, something’s going on with him, and I’m just asking you… please don’t take advantage of it. Respect our bond. Give us the time to figure this out."

Her plea hit me somewhere deep, twisting in a place I didn’t want to acknowledge. Because I knew what it felt like to watch someone you love drift further and further away from you. Her pain was real.

Still, a darker part of me—the bitter, hurting part—wanted to throw her past in her face. She hadn’t shown me the same respect back then. She knew Finnian and I were together, yet she accepted the mate bond without hesitation.

But that wasn’t who I was. I couldn’t be the kind of person who interfered in someone else's relationship, no matter how badly they'd once hurt me.

"Luna—" I started.

"Jovie," she interrupted softly. "Please… call me Jovie."

"Okay," I said with a small nod. "Jovie, I’ll admit… Finnian’s been acting weird around me tonight. But I swear, I don’t know why. I haven’t spoken to him, and I’m definitely not looking to rekindle anything. He made his choice the day he accepted your bond—and I’ve moved on." I looked her in the eyes, hoping she could see the sincerity in mine. "The most we’ll ever be now is two people who happen to share the same friend group. I really do hope you and Finnian can work through whatever’s going on between you. But if you can’t… it won’t be because of me."

She gave a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Lia. That’s all I wanted to hear."

I nodded, turned, and walked toward one of the bathroom stalls, needing to disappear behind a door—any door—for a minute.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a conversation that awkward, and all I wanted was to breathe, away from all the complicated emotions pressing in on me from every direction.

As the lock clicked behind me, I heard Isolde’s voice rise—smooth, effortless—as she struck up some light conversation with Jovie. Moments later, I heard them leave, the sound of the door closing signaling that I finally had a moment alone to pull myself together.