Akela woke up to the scent of spices, cookies and a weird sense of being home.

It almost felt as if Kira was in the room with her.

Her slightly unfamiliar human body was in a bed more comfortable than any she had ever slept in. And she was in a modern, heated house. The sounds around her whispered of a large home with many people, isolated from the cold wind outside.
She opened her eyes to see a window covered in frost on the outside. The blue sky revealed a cold day and Akela suddenly felt a gratitude for the warm blanket around her.
She looked around at the large room. A light shone from a door ajar. The faint sounds of crockery and voices told her it led to a hallway and onwards to the rest of the dwelling. Another door on the wall to her side was closed and opposite that was the window. The headboard of the bed was pushed up against the fourth wall of the room, next to a nightstand and a large bookcase. There was a comfortable looking armchair and a reading lamp pushed up to the corner by the window, with a small table between the chair and the bedside.
On the floor, a large, dark wolf lay curled as if watching over her. He lifted his head to look at her and Akela gasped as their eyes met.
Her mate!

His presence in the room felt terrifying, yet safe. As if he was someone she had been looking for. Her wolf was practically purring at the fiercely protective look in his eyes.

The wolf stood and approached her, his deep brown eyes never leaving hers.
Suddenly he turned to growl at the door as another person entered.

And Akela's heart skipped a beat.

Her jaw dropped and if she'd been in wolf shape, her tail would be wagging.
The man entering had a tall, well built and muscular human body.
And his face was that of a brown wolf with dark brown and golden patterned mask giving him a puppylike, playful look.
At his back, poking out of a hole in his jeans, hung a fluffy tail, tentatively wagging to reflect the weird smile on his face.
Akela's wolf wanted to whine with happiness at the sight of him.

"Relax Abel. I'm only bringing some food!" The one with the wolf face said.

Akela couldn't contain her surprise at hearing him speak!
A talking wolf!
There was a pleasant tone to his voice, but he pronounced the words with a weird accent as if his jaw and tongue didn't want to cooperate.

And then her eyes met his. And a jolt went through her.
Her eyes flitted between him and the big brown wolf in total bewilderment.
Two!
Two mates!
The brown wolf shifted until the single most gorgeous human male she had ever seen stood, stark naked, in the room. His perfect, symmetrical face and his well-developed physique were mesmerising.

"Wewax Abel..." he mocked the other man's speech.

"Really?" The man with the wolf face huffed and looked at Akela again.

"Hey. How are you feeling? I hope you like soup. It's fish... probably more of a chowder... but it's really good," he said and sat down in a seat next to her, placing a tray on the small table.
It was filled with a plate of bread, a large bowl with the delicious scent of creamy fish and herbs steaming out of it.

Akela couldn't shift her eyes from the man with the wolf face in front of her. Where the other man was the very image of male perfection, with a protective vibe to complete him, this one had Akela's wolf wanting to curl up in his lap.

Her heart was pounding and her mouth had never been so dry. She was nervous and scared and excited all at once.

"Oh. My appearance? I was born a halfie. I don't shift," he smiled once he realised she was staring at him in stunned silence.
His eyes on hers revealed that he knew she felt the bond, but he was kind enough to not push it. Behind him, his tail was slowly, contentedly wagging, and Akela somehow knew it was her presence that made him happy.

She was hypnotised by the golden spots in his brown eyes and the kind smile in them.
She stared at him. Speechless. While her inner wolf was ready to surrender every part of herself.
His wolf face was the cutest she had ever seen. He looked like a really sweet puppy. His eyes, nothing but kind. And oddly enough it looked like his wolf face was smiling.

Akela swallowed hard, resisting the urge to say the word "mate" out loud.

"My name is Zion. That naked show-off is my brother Abel," he said and offered his hand.
Akela carefully lifted hers to shake and gasped as another bolt of lightning zapped through her.
There was no doubt.
He was hers!
This man was made to complete her.
His smile widened as he felt it too, his tail starting an enthusiastic dance behind him as his fluffy ears straightened into happy points.
Akela was mesmerised by the human features of him. A perfect wolf head on a perfect human body.
She shook herself before melting into a puddle.

"I look forward to getting to know you," he said, smiling wider.

Akela felt his absolute happiness at her recognition. He was ready to jump for joy, but he held back because of her injuries and the feeling of fear he sensed in her.

"I'm Akela..." she said uncertainly.

"And I'm Abel," the other man interrupted the conversation. He had sat on the edge of her bed, still stark naked, but with a warning look at Zion.

She turned to look at him and was hit by that same jolt that had her wolf wanting to lick his face.

"I told her that, dumbass," Zion mumbled and received a push across the bed from his brother.

"Lovely to meet you," Abel smiled and took Akela's hand, kissing the back of it.
She nearly squealed as the flash of the connection with him as well coursed through her. He flashed her the most beautiful smile she had ever seen.
His even features and charm were offset by a body obviously used to manual labour.

"Why... both... mates?" She asked tugging both her hands from the men.

"We don't know. But both of us sensed you the moment you crossed the territory border so it looks like you're stuck with us," Zion grinned.

"I don't know if I want two mates... I don't know if I want a mate at all... I came to get help. I need to find the Cizinec heir. He can help me!" She said in panic.

"Cizinec heir?" Abel asked.

"Do you mean Erberus? He's been dead for 20 years," Zion asked.

"Not Erberus. The Alpha who took him down. The one they say live fearlessly among humans," she shook her head.

"Uncle Zeke killed Erberus... I was actually there," Zion nodded.

"You didn't actually do anything, though. Did you?" Abel raised an eyebrow at him.

"I stopped Drake from killing Auntie Allie," Zion said evenly.

"You were five! Zeke and Hunter were right there!" Abel declared.

"And Allie was injured!" Zion shrugged back.

"Don't you dare pull your hero card!" Abel declared.

"You threatened? Little brother?" Zion teased back causing both to burst into laughter.

Akela looked between them, seeing no aggression, only brotherly bickering.

"But you know the Cizinec heir?" She asked.

"Uncle Zeke refused to take the Cizinec name, but yeah," Abel nodded.

"Can you take me to him? I need him to help me get Kira away from Alpha Preston North," she asked and started sitting up to get out of bed. She had to keep moving. She couldn't give up until she was reunited with Kira.

"Whoa... Alpha Preston?" Zion exclaimed.

"Yes. As soon as possible. He's got my sister!" Akela begged.

"Okay. First of all. You are not going anywhere! You're not in a good shape," Abel said firmly, holding the covers down to stop her from getting up.

"But..." she protested.

"Second. Zeke won't fight. He's not a fighter," Abel continued. His eyes were serious and full of concern.

"But he killed Erberus!" Akela pleaded, tears slowly filling her eyes.

"He did because Erberus had Luna Allie. He swore never to kill again," Zion said softly and watched her tears spill over.

"I went all this way for nothing? I abandoned Kira for nothing?" She asked.
Both brothers looked at each other.

"You found us," Abel tried.

"No. Kira! I need to get Kira! You don't understand! I have to get someone to help me get Kira out! She will die if she stays there! He will kill her soul!" She cried.

Zion instinctively reached out and felt her fall into his chest sobbing.

"Get Gerry... And Luna," he told Abel.

"Why?" Abel asked.

"Because they might know what to do," he said.

Abel reluctantly pulled on a pair of shorts from a pile in the corner while Zion mumbled reassuringly into Akela's hair while selfishly inhaling the scent of her. The fresh air scent of snow mixed with something sweet filled his nostrils.
His lips tugged into a small smile when he realised she had stopped sobbing and was inhaling his scent as well.

"Look. I know it's a bit weird with both me and Abel. But it's your choice. I promise," he whispered softly.

"You're not going to... claim me? Or force me?" She asked.

Zion felt the pain of something flit through her.

"Not without your permission," he smiled.

Akela let herself be hugged. His warm embrace felt safe and warm. Her mind drifted to the other mate. He had felt protective and possessive.

Maybe she was one of the rare double mated ones. Her wolf certainly seemed to like the idea. But then her wolf was just happy to be in the presence of a pack.

The door flew open again and Abel came in. She felt Zion shake his head as Abel's chest emitted a jealous growl.

"Remember. Her choice," Zion mumbled as Abel sat down on the bed with them, stroking Akela's back.

"Gerry said to let you rest," Abel nodded and Zion lay her back down.

"You should. The bathroom is through the closed door, I think Diana is roughly the same size as you so we'll get you some clothes. The soup is there if you want it," Zion smiled.

"Bathroom? Indoors bathroom?" Akela asked.

"Yep. Abel made sure that all guest rooms have a bathroom," Zion said proudly with a nod to his brother.

"And until further notice. This room is yours so if you want different curtains or something changed, we'll fix it," Abel nodded.

Akela looked around at the opulent room. It was mainly cream walls with wood furniture. But to her, it looked like heaven.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You belong here, Akela," Zion said as the two of them left the room together.

Quickly she ate the soup. It was rich, creamy and very filling. Once she felt her hunger sated, she stepped out of the bed to discover she was in need of a shower. She was still muddy from her journey and to her embarrassment, the white bedsheets bore an Akela-size dirt stain.
Horrified she started removing the sheets, wondering how to get them clean when there was another knock on the door and a woman stepped in.

"Hey. I came for your plate," she said cheerfully before discovering what Akela was doing.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!" Akela whispered with tears running along her cheeks.
The stained sheets pooled around her feet. She looked down to see her legs were still grey with dirt. A quick look at her arms revealed a similar grimy condition and she was embarrassingly aware that she smelled to high heaven. The pillowcase was a mess of dry leaves from her hair.

"Hey... it's okay. They are only sheets and you needed to sleep," the woman reassured.
Akela dropped the filthy cloth and looked at the other woman in surprise.

"I'm River. Luna of this pack," she smiled and Akela instantly fell to her knees in submission, horrified that the Luna should see her naked, filthy and with the pile of muddy sheets in this beautiful, clean room.

"No, no, no! Get up!" River chuckled.

"Luna!" Akela said seriously but stood as asked to be studied by the other woman.

"Now. Why don't you go get showered and I'll make the bed with fresh sheets?" River smiled warmly.
There was a look of sympathy in the Luna's eyes at the sight of Akela's visible ribs and bony hips.

Akela bowed and scurried into the bathroom to do as told.

She returned, freshly scrubbed, with her hair in a clean braid and feeling a million times better in a dressing gown she found on the back of the door. Until she saw the Luna herself making the bed. The used sheets were in a pile and River had obviously done the work herself.

"Luna!" She gasped again, horrified at the idea that she had made the Luna change her bed.

"Don't be so surprised. I was raised to work..." River smiled.

Akela shook her head in disbelief.

"Now. Get back to bed. You still need your rest," the Luna ordered and Akela complied.

"Zion and Abel seem to think you have been through some rough times. Want to tell me where you came from?" River asked in a casual tone of voice that Akela wanted to trust.

"I'm Akela Kira James. My parents were rogues. Until they died and my sister Kira and I were kept prisoners of Alpha Preston North. Kira had his pup. His heir. And I ran south to find someone who can help me free my sister. But the two... men... said the Cizinec heir isn't who I thought and now I don't know what to do," Akela burst out in a hurried series of words before tears released from her eyes.

River looked at her quietly for a long time.

"I miss them so much! I miss my mum. And my dad. But it's killing me to know Kira is not with me. I just left her. I left her there," she sobbed.

Luna River nodded.

"We'll think of something," she promised.

"And now I have two mates and I have to explain to them that I don't know if I want a mate anymore... I mean... all I dreamt of was to find my one. But now I have two and I'm terrified... Because... what if they are like.... him?" Akela sobbed.

"Don't worry about that. Connor men are raised to respect women. Abel was a bit slow to catch on, but they won't force you. And if they try anything funny, you tell me and I will personally rip them both a new one!" River promised.

"Connor?" Akela asked in surprise.

"Yep. Beta Zion and Beta Abel Krystoph are the Alpha's brothers," River smiled.

"My... mate... is a Connor? As in Shadow mountain Alpha family Connor?" Akela asked in disbelief.

"Looks like it," River grinned and stopped a second.

"You said your wolf is Kira, right?" River asked.

Akela nodded.

"And your sister is Kira?" River asked again.

"We're twins," Akela replied sadly and broke into tears again at the thought of her sister and the kindness of the woman in front of her.

River nodded in some form of understanding.

"I see... Now. Lay down. See if you can sleep. Don't worry about anything. We'll figure it out in the morning," River reassured and tucked Akela in as if she was a child.

To Akela's relief, the Luna sat down on the bed, stroking Akela's back gently until she had stopped crying and was drifting to sleep.
Just like her mother used to do.

And for the first time in over a year, Akela felt safe.