My Possessive Alpha Twins For Mate Chapter 309

Dahlia’s POV

We settled into our seats—Caden, Caleb, and Lilith joining us as the conversation unfolded with easy familiarity. Dad caught me up on news from home. There wasn’t much, but even the little updates made my heart tug. I missed it more than I’d admit, especially Isolde and Silas. Thankfully, I was set to see them both the following weekend.

Out of politeness, Finnian and Jovie had been invited to the gathering, though their absence was glaring—and entirely unsurprising. I hadn’t expected them to come. Honestly, I was relieved. After how things had ended between us, their presence would’ve only made things awkward.

Soon, the topic shifted to golf—my father, Caden, and Caleb exchanging stories of their most recent outings. Lilith listened attentively, ever the gracious Luna. But when the chatter turned to handicaps, birdies, and sand traps, I mentally checked out. Maybe she genuinely enjoyed golf, or maybe she was just being polite. Either way, she played her part perfectly. My mates eventually signaled it was time we mingled with others, and we excused ourselves with promises to reconnect with my dad later.

We found ourselves mid-discussion with the Alpha, Luna, and Beta female of the Cherry Mountain pack, deep in a debate about whether women should be allowed to train as warriors. It was getting heated when a man I didn’t recognize stepped in.

“Excuse me, Alphas. Might I borrow you for a moment?” he asked with practiced politeness. “Some of our allies are dealing with a rogue problem, and they could really use your input.”

Both Caden and Caleb glanced at me, as if silently checking whether I minded. Truthfully, they were probably just glad to have an excuse to escape the tense debate—or at least remove the Alpha from my line of sight before I gave in to the urge to claw his outdated opinions out of his skull.

“Go,” I said, waving them off. “I’m more than capable of holding my own.”

I turned back to the women, prepared to continue now that their Alpha couldn’t police their opinions.

“You really train alongside the male warriors?” the Beta female—Mireille, if I remembered correctly—asked, her voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of awe.

“I don’t just train with them,” I replied with quiet pride. “I beat them.”

Her eyes widened. “And your Alphas don’t mind you being out there with all those half-dressed, muscled-up men?” she asked, clearly astonished. “My mate would never allow it.”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes and instead offered a composed smile.

“Most of the time, my mates are out there training with me,” I explained, a bit sharper than I intended. “And even when they’re not, they trust me enough to know I’m there to work, not gawk.”

Luna Genevieve chimed in then, her tone bordering on dismissive. “I just don’t see the point, honestly. Once you’re officially Luna, you’ll be far too busy managing the household, tending to your mates, and starting a family to waste time training.”

“My mates’ needs,” I replied, the irritation creeping into my voice, “are thoroughly taken care of—on all fronts. So you needn’t worry about that.”

It was clear this woman had fully swallowed her Alpha’s archaic ideology. Nothing I said was going to change her mind.

Scanning the patio, I searched for an exit from the conversation. I spotted Nikolai surrounded by a crowd of fawning admirers—absolutely not where I wanted to go. Then I noticed Bastian, standing alone by the wall, drink in hand and a sulky expression on his face.

“Excuse me, ladies,” I said with a polite smile. “Looks like our Beta needs me.”

It was a lie, of course, but I didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty.

As I approached, Bastian looked up and forced a smile.

“Why are you hiding over here like some broody vampire?” I teased, giving him a gentle nudge with my elbow.

“Oh no, Luna—”

“Lia,” I corrected quickly.

“Lia,” he said, adjusting. “The party’s great! I didn’t mean to seem ungrateful or unhappy. I really am thrilled for the three of you. I just… needed a moment alone.”

His tone was a touch too enthusiastic, like he was trying to convince us both.

“Look, Bastian. My mates are your best friends, and you're our Beta. It’s inevitable we’ll be spending time together. I’d really like us to be friends, too. We haven’t had much time to connect, but I’m a good listener if you ever want to talk.”

He didn’t reply right away, so I gave him time. When he finally exhaled, it was as if he’d come to a quiet decision.

“I don’t know why I let myself hope anymore,” he said, voice low and rough around the edges. “Every time there’s a gathering with other packs, I think maybe she’ll be there. That this time, I’ll find her—my mate. The one person made just for me. But all I ever end up with is disappointment. Tonight, I even thought I caught a scent. For a second, I believed. But it vanished. Must’ve imagined it.”

My heart cracked for him. I didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t feel hollow, but I had to try.

“I’m so sorry, Bastian. I don’t pretend to understand the Moon Goddess’s reasons. But I do know she never makes mistakes—and that sometimes, when we stop looking, that’s when things fall into place.”

“I want to believe that,” he said softly. “But sometimes, I wonder what I did wrong to be overlooked. Why I wasn’t worthy. All those nights going out with Logan—he always left with someone, and I never did!”

I winced at the mental image and he noticed.

“Shit. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I won’t pretend I love hearing that, but it’s not like I didn’t know.” I gave him a pass with a small smile.

“Still, it was a thoughtless thing to say,” he murmured.

“Don’t worry about it, Beta.” I bumped his shoulder playfully. “You haven’t hurt me.”

He managed a faint smile. “Maybe I should stop waiting. Just live my life. Stop hoping for something that’s clearly not coming.”

“Don’t do that,” I said, more firmly. “Promise me you’ll hang on a little longer. I don’t know why, but I’ve got this gut feeling—we will find her.”

“We?” he asked, half-smiling.

“Yes, we,” I grinned. “I’m going to help you.”

With that, I pushed off the wall, deciding it was time to find my mates. But as I turned, I caught a glimpse of him still watching me—smiling wider now, with something warmer in his eyes.

We’d become friends, and I had every intention of keeping that promise.