Caught by the Alphas

ALEXANDRIA

"You have to let him go, Alex," Ryland, our pack's Beta, said, his voice trembling as he grasped my arm, trying to pull me away from the most important man in my life-my twin brother. 

I turned to him, my eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I can't just let him go! He has to live!" 

My gaze drifted back to the hospital bed. Just hours earlier, the pack had gathered for dinner, sharing laughs and stories, when a chilling call from Alpha Academy shattered our world. My brother-the only family I had left-had been found in a car crash, and now he was fighting for his life. 

Each ragged breath he took felt like a thread pulling me closer to an abyss I couldn't bear to face. If I lost him, I would lose everything.

After years of struggling as a small pack, desperate for recognition from others, Alexei had finally been accepted into Alpha Academy. With less than twenty members, other packs often looked down on us, many unaware of our existence. 

"I need to keep trying," I muttered, breathless, as I focused on summoning his fighting spirit. As the lead medic, or Theta of the pack, I desperately wanted him to hold on. The doctors surrounding us seemed indifferent, labeling it a "lost cause." 

"Alex," I whispered, caressing his cheek. We shared the same nickname growing up, a connection that made us feel inseparable. Although he pretended to dislike it, I knew he secretly cherished it. 

Suddenly, his eyes fluttered open, and relief surged through me. But that relief quickly morphed into dread as I saw the hopelessness behind his gaze. 

"Alex," he managed, forcing a small smile despite his condition. 

My tears intensified. "I'm here. I'm right here." 

"W–who did this to you?" 

He opened his mouth, but only a rattle escaped. I recognized it-the death rattle. I had witnessed it with my father, my mother, and now my brother. 

"The Academy," he finally breathed. "They-they're going to bury me." 

His breaths grew more ragged. I gripped his shoulders, searching for help, but the doctors passed us by, as if we were invisible. I heard Ryland's choked sob from behind me. 

"Alex! Alex! You can't die, please! You said we were going to grow old together," I cried. "We haven't even met our mates. What about our dream pack house?"

All of the desires I shouted were sent into oblivion. I watched as my brother took his last breath, the light in his eyes fading away. I stood there for a while, my throat raw from the volume of my voice. 

I wanted to shake him awake, but I knew that, too, was futile. 

He was dead. 

The only family I had left was gone. 

My tears continued to fall, but my body no longer shook; the pain had become so overwhelming that I felt numb. 

Unfamiliar footsteps snapped me back to reality. I covered my brother's body with a white cloth, leaving his face exposed. I turned around and found a man in his mid-40s staring at Alexei without an ounce of remorse. 

The crest on his chest revealed he worked at Alpha Academy. When he spoke, I realized he was the one who had delivered the dreadful news over the phone. 

"How is he?" he asked, a tired sigh escaping his lips. 

My grip tightened on the sheet that covered my brother, shielding him from the man's sight. 

"Who are you?" I demanded, refusing to answer his question. 

He sighed again and shook his head. "I'm Christian Ford, a professor from Alpha Academy. I was on my way to our monthly party when I saw the crash." 

He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Some of the kids these days are really ill-behaved. He was intoxicated when we found him. Although he's an Alpha, he's quite weak, so his tolerance isn't that good. He shouldn't have driven." 

My hands trembled with rage as I looked at his indifferent face. He was acting like this was merely an inconvenience to him. 

"So, you're saying it's Alexei's fault he's in the hospital?"