The Alpha Twins and their Runaway Witch

34

August had been building his own plan late into the evening. It boiled down to a rather simple action point. He planned to call the dinner while she was working. Try and arrange a simple date for her to meet himself and his brother.

By all accounts from anyone who had found their mate, once she had both of them nearby the pull of the mate bond would be undeniable. Mom said she felt the bond with Dad Max before she was marked, but since she was human, and had no idea what her feelings were she didn't understand and fought against the bond. Told herself she was crazy.

Their mate couldn't understand what she was feeling for strangers and she was scared. A perfectly logical reaction in August's mind to their slightly stalkerish behaviour of late. A few details were stuck bouncing around in August's mind. She was certainly not a teenager, she was a full grown, if small and frail looking woman. Yet she had looked at the fire in her hands as she threw it like she did not know where it had come from. She had been scared. Of them, of the fire, of everything.

She had a dark past. Nightmares based in her reality that were strong enough to have drawn a demon to her. August felt they would need to take this slow. Lure her to reveal herself. Prove to her that they did not mean her harm. Explain what a mate was, like Holland, Caspian and Max had all done with mom when they had caught her. Prove it to her with their actions.

August was planning a slow, courtship. Trying to consider their mate, what he knew, and how he could best meet her where she was to start their lives together. On the other side of the house, in the small office like space, Alex was not of the same mind as his brother.

Alex did not have the emotional intelligence his brother had. Alex felt the demon and his warding spell were an obstacle to be surmounted. A problem that needed to be solved. Once they had a chance to actually talk with their mate, she would feel the pull. If she's a witch then she should already know about mates and wolves. Alex was certain they just needed to catch her, have her talk to them and everything would become easy.

Alex was not scripting out all possible ways a phone conversation could go to try and ensure she would meet them of her own free will. Alex was instead considering a plan to hire an appropriate team to tail his mate until she left the warded area of her own free will, or a team to gently escort their mate out of the safe buffer zone, to intentionally arrange a meeting. Assured that once they were all together, it would all work out. Fate demanded that it would all work out.

Alex was so assured that any ends would justify the means used to get there. The moon goddess had paired them all, joined their souls. They were meant to be. If Alex could just get everyone together, it would all work out. He did not have space for any other considerations in his mind. Alex had no idea what August was planning, just as August had no idea what Alex was planning.

Make plans, and the fates laugh.

***

After her impromptu day off. Ariel did her best to fall back into being Jenny. She had slept in her own bed the night before, after promising Binh that she would not run again without at least letting him know. He had forced a brand new cell phone into her hand. His number, Tyrone, Beth-Ann, Kit, Monique all set up as contacts for her in case of an emergency.

Her ear had healed, only a jagged red scar left. It would fade in time. Beth-Ann's generous makeup donations and lessons had ensured Ariel could appear to be Jenny in all the ways that mattered. She had banter ready to go for the few regulars at the dinner. Knew all the menu short hand calls that made life easier for Tyrone while he worked alone during the first part of every day.

Ariel got herself dressed in borrowed and thrifted clothes. Did her hair and makeup, and went to the diner to work. Completely separate from Binh. He was her friend, but it would be easier if there was a separation of work life and personal life. Beth-Ann looked at Ariel pretending to be Jenny when she arrived to work through the kitchen back door. "Feeling better?" Beth-Ann asked as Binh breezed in through the front door and walked directly to his office.

Beth-Ann was not stupid. She watched Binh the entire time he was in motion, he looked towards her, inflected his head. He did not glance towards 'Jenny'. Not even for a moment. Beth-Ann looked at the still too thin Jenny, she had brightened up the short time Beth-Ann had known her. Beth-Ann could still feel it. There was something extra dark inside Jenny and now it was clear that Binh liked it.

Apparently Jenny had not been as truthful as Beth-Ann thought when she had said on her first day that she was not interested in dating. Binh was polite and always acknowledged everyone under his employ when he came in. Ignoring Jenny was a blatant sign that he felt something more for her. Jenny being extra awkward this morning practically confirmation in Beth-Ann's eyes.

Neither Jenny nor Binh said anything to Beth-Ann. Even though there was clearly tension between them. Binh did not want to out Ariel. But this was now uncharted territory. He had a favorite, and he knew it. He did not want that to affect his business. But perhaps that was impossible and foolish.

Beth-Ann had a keen eye. Binh had been trying to arrange a job for her with The Council for a month now. Beth-Ann had too sharp a mind to be wasted in minimum wage and low skill level jobs for long. Binh wanted her to find her own path, was willing to nudge her towards where he thought she might find fulfillment.

Ariel, pretending to be Jenny had absolutely no idea Beth-Ann now suspected Ariel had some sort of extra-work-sex relationship with Binh. Because that was so far away from how their non-work relationship functioned in reality. Ariel was so caught up in being a perfect Jenny, that she didn't notice the subtle shift in how Beth-Ann was speaking to her now. Leaving her unaware that anything had changed.

Ariel felt bad about burning Binh's apartment last night. She wanted to make more money to help replace the things she had damaged. He said she didn't need to worry about it. She still did though, he had already been too generous. It didn't feel even, she didn't want to be left feeling like she owed him.

Binh was paying attention to everything that happened in his restaurant. Beth-Ann was almost at the end of her training for beauty school, would be moving to her apprenticeship in a salon in less than a week from today. One Owned and managed by The Council or otherwise. Hopefully the foolish, jealous girl could behave herself well enough to work out her notice period. It would be difficult if Binh had to fire her pre-maturely.

Binh watched Ariel on the security camera monitors. She even walked different when she was being Jenny. Smiled with her eyes lighting up like she meant it. A truly talented actor. Or a very fractured broken person. Binh watched her all day. When the diner was quiet, and while she was eating her lunch, Binh saw her body language change, and a look in her eyes that told him she was scheming a plan that he was certain he was not going to like.

Three Hours Past Midnight had warned Binh to watch her carefully. She had outrageous ideas when left on her own and quite possibly the worst luck in the world. At the end of their shift, Beth-Ann practically snatched her pay from Binh and was out the door without so much as a hello to Monique who was going to start with Jenny until Kit came in after her appointment.

Binh smiled at Monique who made a sour face looking at Beth-Ann's back through the window as she walked away down the sidewalk. "What's up with the ice-queen treatment?" Monique had asked Ariel, who had not been paying attention as she wiped down a table.

Binh realized Ariel had just experienced a small nightmare, revealing her plans for this evening as she mumbled that she didn't know what Monique meant. Unaware that Beth-Ann had been just slightly colder and shorter with Ariel all day. Binh shook his head, Three Hours Past Midnight was right, she was too much of a handful for just a raven to try and keep safe. 

Hello friends! Hope you are enjoying, I'm having fun writing this one.  I'm excited for what is coming next, stay tuned :)