Page 28 of Dual Nature

nineteen

As I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Zander was giving me this room to call my own, he gently caught my chin in his hand. I glanced up at him, getting captured by his cool silver gaze that looked at me like I was his whole world. He leaned down, pressing his lips to mine, and the instant they touched, I melted, my wolf overwhelmed.

"I'll be back tonight, hopefully with more information about you and the elves in general. Be good. Don't make trouble for Mason and Noah, or else I'll have to do something about it," Zander warned, but I wasn't worried. The hunger in his eyes told me I wasn't in any real danger.

“Wait! Before you go, I had asked Noah about books on omegas. He thought you might be the best source to have them,” I inquired.

Zander smiled at me, caressing my cheek with his thumb. “The library is downstairs. Feel free to read whatever you find in there, but I know for sure there are a few that match what you’re looking for.”

With a quick kiss, he left the room, giving the twins a meaningful look. The moment the door closed behind Zander, Mason darted across the room and leapt onto the bean bag chair with me. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close, giving enough space for Noah to join us in a snuggle pile. All the anxious feelings that I'd been having since breakfast drifted away as I was cocooned with these two large betas. Noah started to play with my hair, something I found oddly comforting.

"Still not sure that snuggles is a good nickname for you?" Mason teased, poking at my side, making a giggle slip out.

I froze at the sound of it and looked between the two of them. "That never happened…"

Noah grinned and gave me a wink. "What do you mean? Twin, what could possibly have not happened just now?"

"I don't know, twin, but it might have been the most adorable thing I've ever not heard before. Think I should see if I can get her to not do it again?" Mason asked, his finger skimming down my side, threatening to poke me again.

Shifting to lay on my back, I pulled my knees up to my chest then shot them out, vaulting me forward and out of their arms. I tucked and rolled forward, somersaulting away before I stood and looked back at them over my shoulder. "Sorry, boys, but that's not gonna happen."

Both Noah and Mason gave me a look that told me I'd just triggered something primal in them. They turned to each other next, and the conspiratorial smile they exchanged had me racing out of the room with them hot on my heels. At the bottom of the stairs, I had a split second to guess what direction I was going to take before I spotted the library. I darted into the room, just barely managing to slip behind the couch before they entered.

“Oh, snuggles, you’re gonna need to try harder than that to hide from us,” Mason taunted. “You forget that we have super hearing and smell. Your heart is racing awfully fast.”

“Twin, that’s creepy! Don’t say things like that to her,” Noah scolded.

I squeaked as Mason’s face popped up above me. “Gotcha!”

Laughing, I came out from behind the couch. “Just you wait. Once I figure all this out, I’ll make it so it’s impossible to find me.”

“Ah, but you forget you named me a Hunter, the best there is at tracking their prey,” Mason pointed out, grinning from ear to ear.

“That’s the challenge, right, to be better than the best? I was once one of the best, and I plan on getting back to that some day, sooner than later,” I announced. “You know what helps make you the best?”

Mason frowned at me. “Practice?”

“Knowledge. Before any job was started, I spent a few days learning, researching, and stalking my hit. All of this is beyond overwhelming, so I’m going back to what I know, and I’m going to learn what I don’t know,” I shared as I took in the library. “Sorry to say it's not looking to be a very exciting day.”

“Love, as your Companion, I am happy to help support you in any way that I can. If that means we spend the day curled up reading, helping you figure out this new life, then we are all in. Right, twin?” Noah called out to Mason who was sprawled out on the couch.

“Yup, what he said. All in, snuggles, whatever you need,” Mason agreed.

My heart warmed at their understanding and support, knowing that this must be the last thing they wanted to spend their day doing. Well, maybe just Mason since Noah struck me as an intellect.

“Twin, why don’t you see if you can find a computer so we can pull up the chat rooms that Senator Vaughan set up for bitten wolves,” Noah suggested.

“This is why they say you're the brains and I’m the brawn,” Mason said as he hopped off the couch and headed out on his mission.

Walking over to Noah, I wrapped my arms around his middle and rested my head on his chest. “Thank you, I’m sure you had better things to do today.”

“That’s the thing about mates, even unclaimed ones. Once we know who we’re intended to be with, there’s nothing we won’t do for them,” Noah explained. “Come on, let's grab some books and head back to your nest.”

Zander’s library was a wealth of information on all kinds of things—music, business, history of humans and supernaturals, and some fiction scattered throughout. Between Noah and I there were about ten books we thought would be helpful. Mason even found a laptop that we could use as well.

“You two head on up and get started. I’m gonna raid this kitchen for snacks. There’s no way that you can have a study session like this without snacks,” Mason explained.

Shaking my head, I left him to it and headed back up to the nest.