7 I Smelled Them First

Aria’s POV

I gasped, my fingers gripping the doorframe to steady myself. My stomach twisted, my mind scrambling to make sense of the impossible.

Second-chance mates existed—I knew that much—but it was rare. Almost unheard of. And for it to happen this quickly? It defied all logic.

My breath hitched as my gaze finally locked onto them.

Two men sat at the head of the long table, surrounded by powerful Alphas from neighboring packs. They didn’t just command attention—they owned the room.

I knew who they were before anyone spoke a word.

The twin heirs to the Lycan King.

Their presence alone was suffocating, radiating strength that made even the highest-ranking Alphas watch them with careful reverence. They were the future rulers of our kind, their power undeniable.

And both of them…

Were mine.

My heart slammed against my ribs as I took them in.

One had golden eyes, piercing and intense, watching me with unwavering focus. His presence crackled with dominance, like fire barely contained. The sheer power rolling off him made my knees weak.

The other had emerald-green eyes, sharp and assessing, as if he were carefully peeling back my layers and uncovering my very soul. His presence was quieter but no less commanding—a storm brewing beneath the surface.

And they were both staring at me.

A deep, pulsing heat ignited in my chest, my wolf practically singing with recognition.

Fate.

The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. This wasn’t coincidence. This wasn’t random.

This was destiny, rewriting my story before my very eyes.

My entire life, I had believed that Lucas was my path—that he was my fate. His rejection had shattered me, left me hollow.

But now… now the universe had given me something else. Something greater.

The bond that pulled me toward them was unlike anything I had ever known. It was more than a simple thread tying us together—it was a force, a gravity, an undeniable claim.

The air thickened, and for a brief moment, the rest of the room faded away.

I could feel the shift in the twins, the way their bodies tensed. They felt it too.

A deep, rumbling growl echoed through the space.

It was subtle, almost instinctual, but it sent a shiver down my spine. I wasn’t sure which of them had made the sound—maybe both—but my wolf responded.

A low whimper built in the back of my throat before I could stop it, my instincts betraying me.

I had thought the bond with Lucas had been strong.

But this…

This was something else entirely.

A rare, powerful second-chance mate bond.

With two men.

The weight of the revelation sent a fresh wave of confusion crashing into me. How was this possible? What did it mean? And why—out of everyone—did it have to happen now?

Before I could process it, the atmosphere in the room changed.

A low, menacing growl cut through the tension, and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

Lucas.

His presence stormed in behind me, dark and volatile.

I turned slowly, dread coiling in my stomach.

His expression was thunderous, his clenched jaw barely holding back the fury simmering beneath the surface. His piercing blue eyes flickered between me and the twins, his posture stiff with barely restrained aggression.

His fists curled tightly at his sides, his breathing uneven.

I knew that look.

Possessiveness.

Jealousy.

It was almost laughable. He was the one who had rejected me. He had made his choice—made it in front of the entire pack.

And yet, here he was, looking at me like I was his to claim.

I lifted my chin, forcing my expression into something unreadable.

His grabbed my wrist. His voice was sharp, each word laced with accusation.

“What are you doing here?”