Wrong Turn, Right Path

Chapter 3- Nick's POV

I was dragging my feet on finishing packing a small duffle with a few changes of clothes and other necessities when my brother tapped on my open door. I glanced up at him as he was leaning against the door jam holding an identical bag to the one I was packing. Everything about us was identical from our looks to our wardrobe, which we end up matching without even trying most days. But our personalities are very different. I'm blunt to a fault and tend to lack tact and finesse, Nate is a smooth talker, he can charm just about anyone.

"You're not done packing yet?" He asked dropping his bag on the floor and walking over to watch me finish up.

"I don't know why you're in such a fucking rush. The weather sucks and the roads are closed. Remind me again why we have to go looking for our mate right now." I begin to growl at him.

"You know why. Besides you love running through all this fresh powder. I thought you would be jumping at the chance to leave the cars behind and go for a good long run." He replied dropping onto the edge of my bed.

Normally this would be true but Layla had been exceptional in bed last night and I really wanted to spend as much time buried in her as possible. I wouldn't say I love her and I know I'm not the only one she entertains but I like it rough and she not only doesn't complain she seems to enjoy it. The harder I go the more she responds. But she's just a place filler until we find our mate. I thought that could be Layla and even pushed for her and Nate to try things without me but neither seemed particularly interested in the other. That was the deal breaker.

You see, Nate and I have known our entire lives that we would have the same mate. We've had multiple lucid dreams about her. Not what she looked like but what she felt like, what we would feel like when we finally found her. She's strong, she's a fighter, she's loving, she would be the Luna that not only we need but our pack would need. She's smart and would push us to be better. The Moon Goddess blessed us with dreams that told us all of this but didn't give us one clue as to what she looks like. But a few nights ago we had our most vivid dream yet and this one was scary. Instead of our Luna it was Layla standing by me and our pack house was burning with Nate inside. I was trying to run in to save him and as many other people as I could but she was holding me back. She said that it was pointless and that everyone was already dead but I could hear their screams.

"You were thinking about the dream again" Nate said. "I'm telling you it's a warning. If you continue with Layla, if you push for her to be Luna like I know she is pushing you for, it will destroy the pack."

"You don't know that!" I growled out but he did know and so did I. I just didn't want to admit it. "She's everything on the list. She's strong, she's one of our best fighters, she"

"SHE IS NOT OUR MATE!" Nate shouted in a growl as he jumped off my bed. This action startles me. Nate is typically the easy going calm one that balances out my temper. I'm usually the one to make outbursts. He takes a deep breath "Layla is not our mate. I don't want anyone but our fated mate. That's why we need to go now. You are going to go to the Nightshade Pack and first search there then branch out and search the surrounding areas, while I go to the Crater Pack and search there."

His outburst effectively took all the wind out of my sails. "I know the plan Alpha, we came up with it together. What I don't understand is why it's all of a sudden such a huge rush. We were going to do this over the summer not in the dead of winter." I knew Layla wasn't meant to be ours and I would need to break things off with her. That's what I had intended to do last night but she... well she distracted me with a much more appealing offer. I just didn't want Nate telling me to do it. I don't like taking orders from anyone, not even my twin.