Dark Moon Alpha Twins

Together

Chapter 25

Aiden POV

I blinked groggily against the intruding sunlight, a throbbing headache reminding him of the whiskey they'd consumed the previous night. Turning my head slowly, seeing Aric sprawled out on the other side of the bed, snoring softly. The sight was both familiar and comforting, a reminder that no matter how much had changed, some things remained the same.

I carefully slipped out of bed, trying not to disturb my brother. The room felt eerily silent, the absence of our parents' presence a stark contrast to the memories that flooded back. We had burned our parents to lay them to rest, a necessary but painful tradition, and now the weight of our new roles pressed heavily on my shoulders.

Rubbing my temples, I made my way to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. Staring at my reflection, I saw not just my own features but also a reflection of Aric. Identical twins, we were bound by more than just blood; our connection ran deep, strengthened by years of shared experiences and, now, shared responsibility.

Returning to the bedroom, I nudged Aric's shoulder gently. "Hey, wake up. We need to get started."

Aric groaned, rolling over and cracking one eye open. "What time is it?"

"Morning. Time to figure out how to run this pack," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the uncertainty gnawing at me.

Aric sat up slowly, his expression mirroring the mix of determination and confusion I felt. We both needed a moment to gather ourselves. After a few more minutes, we reluctantly parted ways to shower and get dressed. The cold water did wonders to clear my head, washing away the remnants of the previous night's drunken haze.

Once we were both ready, we met up in the hallway. The house felt strangely quiet without our parents' presence, the silence almost suffocating. We exchanged a look, silently agreeing on our next move. Without a word, we headed toward our parents' room.

Standing outside their door, I hesitated for a moment, memories rushing back. Aric placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, and together, we pushed the door open. The room looked almost untouched, as if they might walk in at any moment.

"Mom used to write in a journal," Aric said, breaking the silence. "I remember seeing her with it often. If we're going to figure out how to lead this pack, we need to find it."

I nodded, understanding the importance of what we were about to do. "Where do we start?"

Aric pointed to a small writing desk in the corner. "She usually kept it there. Let's start looking."

We moved toward the desk, our steps cautious, as if we were afraid to disturb the sanctity of the space. I opened the top drawer and began sifting through papers, letters, and trinkets. Aric checked the lower drawers, carefully going through each one.

After a few minutes, Aric let out a soft exclamation. "Got it." He held up a worn leather-bound journal, its pages yellowed with age.

I felt a surge of hope. "Let's see what it says."

We sat down on the edge of the bed, and Aric opened the journal. As we began to read, the words of our mother felt like a guiding hand, leading us through the darkness.

The first entries were filled with stories of our childhood, memories that we had long forgotten. Tales of our mischief and adventures, the times we fought and made up, and even the heated debates on who would one day take the position as Alpha. It was comforting to see our younger selves through her eyes, her love for us evident in every word.

"Remember this?" Aric asked, pointing to a passage about the time we tried to build a treehouse and ended up covered in mud.

I chuckled. "Yeah, I remember. We argued for hours about the best way to build it."