The Alpha Twins and their Runaway Witch

80

Ariel was making her way through the forest slowly. Enjoying the peaceful feeling it shared with her. She wasn't running this time, she was walking forward. Knowing where she wanted to go. When suddenly she was certain that she was not alone. Three Hours Past Midnight was not nearby. Ariel stood still. Held her breath. There was something large crashing through the forest.

Ariel moved her hands, conjuring a tight, coiling bundle of her magic. Fire burning hot in her hands without burning her. Terrified but standing tall ready to fight for her life as the sounds moving through the forest grew louder and louder. Then Ariel heard a familiar percussive caw from overhead. Three Hours Past Midnight landed deftly on a nearby tree. Sending reassurance to Ariel that she was not in danger.

Practically the same moment Three Hours Past Midnight tried to calm Ariel down, Alex and August crashed out from the forest underbrush in front of her. Alex stumbling over his own feet and falling on his face, August running head long into a tree trunk, once his eyes found Ariel, only managing to stay on his own feet because he had wrapped his arms around the tree that had knocked the wind from his lungs.

As Ariel continued to juggle the large magical firebomb she was holding between her hands and trying to make sense of the situation. Binh strolled into view on the path Ariel had been following. Alex and August both trying to sputter out words, but both rendered  short of breath from the falls and crashes. Ariel let her magic dissipate and fade into nothing.

Binh's smooth, steady voice filled in the missing parts. "When their father Aspen returned, without you they became worried for your safety and well, did as they do." Binh looked at the gasping twins, August had leaves caught and tangled in his short hair, and Alex's face was now spattered with mud and moss. Binh smiled. "Hannah and Bryan made short work of shutting down the pack gossips, though no one was lying." Alex and August both starting to rally, tried to protest, but found they didn't want to lie to Ariel.

Binh was looking smug. Ariel's mind was working to try and piece this together. "Everyone has a past, I'm sorry you both did not get to tell me more of yours before others took that choice from you." She knew she was also keeping secrets. She just worried about one thing. "They. I mean. Um" Stammering over her words as her cheeks burned hot. "The girls the pack spoke of. They wanted to right? With you? Both?" Still tripping over her words.

Alex and August were now as frozen in place as when Ariel had held them still in bands of air magic. "Who wanted what?" August managed to get out truly confused.

Binh cleared his throat, while he enjoyed having the twins off balance, Ariel needed to know, yearned for reassurance "She is asking if all your previous paramours enthusiastically consented to any and all activity which transpired between you." Even the birds fell silent around them.

When the silence began to fill too much space, Three Hours Past Midnight cawed loudly. Bringing the Twins back to focus. "Fuck of course. Couldn't keep some of the girls from crawling in our damn windows at night when we were all teenagers. Only yes is yes." August finally said. Confidently.

Alex was pale. His words tumbled past his lips. "I licked Ella's asshole without asking the first night with her. She made the cutest sound but spent the entire night schooling me on affirmative consent." It had not been his proudest moment, a centuries old succubus had kept him naked sat on a chair as she while dressed fully, taught Alex a lesson he needed to prevent another mistake.

Ariel looked between them. They seemed truly horrified that she would think they would have forced themselves on girls. Alex was overly honest in his answer, which she appreciated. She believed both of them. "Oh. Thats, um good. Thank you for answering." Ariel looked towards Binh. He nodded, looked at her like he always did. Like no matter how broken she revealed herself to be. "I'd like to go home now? I'm tired." With those words, Alex, August and Binh jumped to attention, working together to get Ariel home. She looked at the ground and all could feel as her mind worked in overdrive. Sorting through her feelings and thoughts.

Binh marked a change in the twins, and suspected that their well connected family had themselves revealed more Ariel's past to the twins than she had been ready to share on her own. A shame she was not afforded the grace she wished for them in kind. Though their kindness and gentleness with her showed a rise in emotional intelligence Binh had not been certain they were capable of. Making him even more certain that he should make his exit quickly

His time with Ariel was over. "A few episodes of your show and some tea before bed?" Binh offered. The twins managing to keep their disgruntlement concealed rather well at his words.

Nearing the doorstep of the cabin now, Ariel nodded her head. "That sounds really nice." She turned to look first August in the eyes, then Alex. "Have you watched Degrassi? The 80's one? It's wild." Smiling at each of them in turn as Alex let them all into the cottage and August stammered that no they had not seen that show. Had never even heard of it.

Alex and August made their way to separate washrooms to clean themselves up from the forest they managed to get tangled up in themselves as they recklessly ran to find Ariel after growing impatient waiting for her to return after Aspen said he had spoken to her.

Binh made himself at home in the kitchen, brewing tea for Ariel, making sure they were extra hot water should the twins wish to partake as well. Ariel slowly figured out how to work the entertainment system and was pleased when she was able to find the exact episode she wanted in the available options. Hitting play at Alex and August joined her and Binh in the living room.

The familiar, cheerful opening song started to play. Ariel cradled her mug in her hands. Sitting in a small winged chair. Legs crossed and tucked up into the small space. Alex and August took larger pieces of furniture to each side of her. Watching her, as she watched the television and the strange Canadian show from the 80's.

Once they grew accustomed to her beauty as she became engrossed in the story of the latest of her episode. Alex and August began to mindlink between them. Trying to reconcile her asking them if they had forced themselves on partners, with what they knew of her history thanks to their father's and the endless prying of The Black Corporation.

What they were both thinking, were not the kind of thoughts that quieted their wolves. Someone had hurt their mate in the worst possible way. They could not deny it to themselves any longer. After a single episode, even though it was not that late in the night. Ariel said she was going to go to bed.  having taking the smallest, ground floor bedroom for herself. Giving Alex and August another awkward handshake each while she smelled of desire.

Tonight Alex and August held themselves in control. Ariel would make every single move forward. Would determine their speed. Alex and August still were not any clearer on her past. They just knew they would not add to her pain. They would not push her. They were young, and had their whole lives ahead of them. Alex and August were confident that being patient was their best course of action. Even when their wolves were screaming it was always safer to mark a mate once found. This time the men were able to override their beast natures. Give Ariel the peace and time she needed.