"We may have our differences but nothing's more important than family."- Coco

Have you ever wanted the ground to swallow you whole? The earth would really be doing me a favor right now if it did.

Amir is still trying to catch his breath after Zane almost killed him. Isabel is screaming up a storm and my brother is ready to murder anyone else I could have possibly been involved with when I was here.

Fuck.

My eyes stay on the ground. Usually, I refuse to let my head fall but this situation is too much. It's all too much. None of this makes sense. Why us? Out of all the werewolves in the world, why did this happen to us?

"This is a family matter, everyone head back to the palace!" Alpha Gio booms. Everyone scurries off but it is clear they want to stay and watch the drama unfold. Salvaza and Donata remain, watching with eyes that almost appear to be excited.

I look at Gio's dark eyes that show far more than he would like. His eyes are those of a leader, powerful and calm. Yet the wrinkles surrounding them prove the stress that comes with the job of alpha. If I look close enough, I can see heartbreak. Most mates live a long life together and though Lucile and Gio were nearly 40 when Lucile died, it's not the ideal life span of a wolf.

Just like his father, Zane's eyes carry the same heartbreak. The difference is that Gio's eyes hold sadness while Zane's hold anger. He was always a jerk, even when we were little kids playing on the jungle gym. However, back then he was a tolerable jerk. One whose scowl would soften when his mother was near.

I remember when Alpha Gio and Luna Lucile would go away on pack business and couldn't bring Zane along. He was still in elementary at the time, one grade above me.

11 years ago

"Do you think daddy will be happy on my birthday this year Alessia? It always makes him sad," Callie said.

"He just misses your mom and sister Callie," I tell her. I pitied my friend. She had lost half her family before she could even have any memory of them. Callie was a happy girl though, and she let me have a sip of her Capris—

"AHH!"

Everyone on the playground turns to look at me. My cheeks turn red from embarrassment and I whip around to catch who was responsible.

Zane De Luca. Of course.

Mama said I can't be mean to him because he's going to lead our pack one day but I think he's a big jerk. His smile looks mean and his friend Hiro stands behind him.

The good thing is that Papa said if a boy bothers me I'm supposed to kick him in the balls.

"What is wrong with you?" I yell at him. If he would have pulled any harder I'm sure my braid would be clutched between his band right now.

"Aww is Ally mad I ruined her braid? I did you a favor it looked ugly anyway."

"That's not my name!"

"Oh sorry, I meant to say Alyssa."

He knows damn well my name is Alessandra. He also knows I even let my friends call me Alessia.

"Wait that's not quite right is it. Hmm, what is it? Oh ya, Isabel!"

I didn't hate people. I really didn't because hate is too strong of a word. But goddess I think I hate this boy! I hate being compared to Isabel.

"Isabel's prettier."

"Are you sure you guys are twins?"

"But she's so out there and you barely talk."

"Isabel's more fun."

The amount of times I've heard people say these things is ridiculous. Just because we are twins doesn't mean we are the same person.

"Aww, are you mad? Little Alessandra is mad at me! How will I ever repair my heart?"

At this point, I don't care anymore. I push my shoulders back and put one foot in front of the other like my dad taught me. I push off the back foot and tackle Zane to the ground.

He wasn't expecting it so I bring him down pretty easily. He looks at me, still pinned under my body, but his eyes aren't angry like I expected them to be. Instead, he almost seems happy.

"Tesoro?"

I'm brought back from my daydream by my dad. His face is pulled in worry and for the first time, he seems unsure of himself. It's difficult to look at him. Will he be angry I stole Isabel's boyfriend? Will he shun me away?

Instead, he wraps me up in his large arms. His strong earthy scent immediately brings me peace, just like it did when I was little. I bury my face into his chest and my mood instantly improves.

"Papa.."

"I've missed this Alessia," he says. His right hand is holding my head against him.

"Why didn't you tell me, Tesoro? I would've helped you, you know that right?"

"I just, I don't want this Papa. I know you're supposed to want your mate but I just can't. I don't want to live in her shadow like I have my whole life. I can't do it again."

His sad eyes stare down at me.

"Alessia, you are your own person. You've never lived in Isabel's shadow."

"But I have Papa! You don't know what it's like to be compared to someone since the moment you were born!"

He gives me a sad smile.

"She wanted him first."

"What?" I ask.

"Your mother. She liked my brother first."

I stare at him in shock.

"Uncle Alessandro?"

"Alessandro was an amazing person. He was the better brother. I was quite the whore if I do say so myself."

"Eww Papa."

He chuckles.

"I felt like I was on top of the world. Girls would fight over me all the time."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I could have any girl I wanted, but the one I truly desired didn't even look at me."

"Mom?"

If this was a cartoon his eyes would be hearts right now.

"Ah yes, my Valentina. Except back then she was Alessandro's."

"What? But you are mates! And you love each other!"

"We do, of course, we do. But we didn't know we were mates back then. Even when I didn't know, I still wanted her. And when we discovered we were mates I always felt like I would never compare to my brother."

"But you're perfect Papa."

"Thanks, Tesoro. But Alessandro was such a gentleman. He always got your mother flowers and the best gifts. I didn't know how to do those things. I could barely express my emotions."

"Then how did you get mama to love you?"

"He didn't have to," my mom says from behind him. She reveals herself and gives me a small smile.

"I loved Alessandro, I did. But what I felt for your father was deeper. With him, it was as if we already knew each other, like our souls had met before."

She pauses then continues.

"When Alessandro died, I remember the anguish that passed through me. He was such a bright soul but I knew that the love he received from his mate was stronger than what we had before."

She takes a deep breath, her eyes full of tears.

"I was pregnant with you and Isabel at the time and I knew I was going to name one of you after him. Then soon after when his mate passed, I knew I would name one of you Isabel, after her."

"I wanted to name you Antonia," my dad says. He is met with a glare from my mother.

"When you were born I knew you would be Alessandra, you know why?"

I shake my head.

"Your eyes. They were so warm and bright exactly like Alessandro's. You even have his heart, so kind and strong. Sometimes you act like him and it makes me happy to know that even though you never met your uncle, you know him a little."

"She looks just like me and she has my eyes!" My dad says with a pout. I almost laugh at his antics. Who gets jealous about a dead man? Especially when he was your brother.

"You were twins idiot," my mom responds with a roll of her eyes.

"Alessandra, a mate never compares to anyone else. You will never be in anyone's shadow because you're his mate. What he feels for you is like nothing else in this world."

How do I tell my parents that he doesn't feel anything for me?

My dad places a hand on both sides of my face and looks into my eyes.

"What you have to remember Alessandra, is that family is number one. My brother and I nearly ruined our bond over your mother. It wasn't until he found his mate, Isabel, that our relationship straightened out."

"Isn't it kind of weird to name your kids after the man that almost stole your mate and his mate?"

My dad chuckles.

"Maybe. My brother was a great man, I wouldn't have blamed your mother if she chose him over me. I definitely would have killed him though," he replies with a grin.

"Antonio! Have some respect for the dead," my mom tells him.

"Are you kidding me? He died in my car! My sweet Angelina has never been the same," he says.

"Papa that's your brother!"

"That's why it is ok for me to joke about it Tesoro. I do it with love because he wouldn't want me to be sad."

"I hate to interrupt, but we should really discuss what happened," Donata says.

"You're right. We should discuss how my sister betrayed me!" Isabel shouts.

"Isabel Valentina Romano! Did you leave your manners at home?"

My sister looks at the ground and I don't blame her. My mom has that effect on people.

"Salvaza do you have any ideas as to what happened?" Gio asks.

"I know the goddess interfered. She caused the blood moon, but she made it in a way that only Zane and Alessandra would be affected," Salvaza says.

"I've never seen anything like this before. It's amazing really, the lengths Selene went to in order to bring these two together," Donata adds.

"I think I might know why," I tell them.

"What do you know Alessandra?" Zane asks.

"I talked to Salvaza about a statue of one of the past lunas of the Luna Rossa Pack. She looked a lot like me and all Salvaze told me was to go west."

"And?" Zane questions.

"I went to the west wing."

Everyone gasps. The west wing is known for its ghosts but most importantly its history. The place is not to be touched out of respect for the last Morettis.

"There was this painting of Lorenzo and Rosanna Moretti."

"What does a painting have to do with anything?" Isabel asks.

"Lorenzo and Rosanna looked exactly like me and Zane."

Everyone's eyes are wide.

"I don't know what it means, but it was us, the painting was of us Zane," I tell him.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get to the west wing. I'm sure Donata and I will be able to figure out an explanation for this," Salvaza says. She starts to walk, leading us all towards the west wing but she abruptly turns around.

"No. This is a trip for Alessandra and Zane only. The rest of you have to stay here," Salvaza says.

"This could be dangerous Salvaza. No one has been in the wing since the deaths of the Morettis!" Gio says.

"Alessandra went and she returned safely. I don't think the spirits will hurt us."

Salvaza had a point but it turns out she was wrong.

There was a certain alpha they had a bone to pick with.