Twins of the Cursed Moon (wolf shifter werewolf romance)

4. The Twin Alphas

Evander sat on an ornate red velvet couch, outside yet another changing room, while he waited for any new developments and watched the news on a wall TV.
"In other news, two hundred more people have been reported missing, adding to a total of seven hundred reported missing in our beautiful state within the past three months. The missing people appear to be men and women, between the ages of eighteen and forty. They come from all ethnicities and walks of life, without any common noticeable indicators. The missing people always suddenly disappear after dark without any indication that they were planning to leave. The police refuse to comment at this time, except to ask people to not go out alone, and not to panic. Governor Kate is considering enforcing a state-wide eight-pm curfew, as well as a high-security state-wide lockdown. She has been receiving resistance from mayors, and businesses, and our poles indicate that she has a nearly forty percent dissatisfaction rating."

"Such a tragedy. It makes you wonder where all of those people have gone." says the woman behind the counter. "My boyfriend has been picking me up from work and the owner adjusted our opening hours to close at five until the criminals are found."

 
"Yes," said Evander while rubbing the side of his phone case and tapping his dress shoe against the white marble floor. He was wearing a full Egyptian silk suit, a gray button-down, and a silver die. Not a strand of his hair was out of place, nor a speck of dust could be seen on his clothing. He was trying to be in the moment for Gemma's sake, but he couldn't stop worrying about the glowing platform, and now the number of humans reported missing was becoming concerning. He didn't usually pay attention to human news, but it seemed like this was something he should have some shifters look into. All the wolf-shifters talked about recently were the upcoming bonfire at the end of the week and the glowing platform.

Shifters speculated that the glowing platform was just a stunt on the part of the Lupis clan, but he knew better. Evander had seen humans forced onto the sacred platforms and nearly all of them were dead or insane. He expected to see another death, he didn't want to be a witness, but if he was called, he had to go. It was his responsibility as a Ruling Alpha who was currently within the vicinity of the Lupis clan. He was only there because a bonfire was being hosted by the Lupis clan at the end of the week. His little sister Gemma was going to attend her very first mating bonfire, now that she'd turned eighteen.
Evander looked up from his phone when he heard his sister's footsteps exiting the changing room.

 
"What do you think of this one?" Gemma said while spinning around in a circle. Her long golden hair looked just like their late mom's, while he was black as onyx like their dad's, and both of their eyes were light blue like their mom's. She was a petite girl who hadn't found her wolf yet. He took her to the platform every year, but every year she stepped off the platform without a wolf. Sometimes shifters talked about her behind her back, but they wouldn't speak ill of her to her face; he wouldn't allow it.

 
The dress she currently had on was a light blue wrap dress made of silk. He stood up and walked over to the jewelry display case and pointed at a platinum necklace and earring set that had little blue sapphires that looked like raindrops dangling down.
The saleswoman pulled the set-out and handed it to him. When he turned around and held out the necklace towards Gemma, she grinned widely and walked over.
"Evander?"

"Turn around and I'll fasten it for you," he said.

 
"Alright!" She spun around and after he put the necklace on her, she reached up and felt the jewel drops. She walked over to the tall mirror against the wall and admired her reflection. "It's so pretty," she said quietly.

"I'll buy it. Along with this, this, this, this, this, and this set," I said while pointing out other jewelry that I knew Gemma would like. "I'll also buy all of the dresses that are in that pile," Evander said.