CHAPTER ONE: I HAVE A PLAN

MIRANDA'S POV

"I can't!"

My helplessness was plain in my eyes, my lips quivered with fear at the thought of what could happen if the Alpha realized such deceit. 

"Deceit is punishable by death." I reminded my twin sister. 

The way Lauren seemed so calm in this situation did nothing to calm me. 

"Alpha Norman is never going to find out, quit being such a wimp!" 

I blinked blankly at her. Lauren had lost her mind. This was the only explanation for this outrageous request. 

"You're his mate, he knows your scent, and he'll uncover me firsthand. You'll have me killed!" Tears welled up in my eyes. "I can't!"

"I can't either." A tear slipped from his eyes, "Either way one of us is going to die. Alpha Norman's going to kill me when he finds out I had deceived him..." She paused only to tug back her blonde tresses, "You have a chance of saving my life."

"At the expense of mine?" I gaped at her, "That's so selfish of you!"

"No! You're the selfish one!" She pointed accusing fingers at me. 

We both remained silent and calm. I allowed my brain to wander the possibility of me slipping into Alpha Norman's bed tonight and leaving without being caught. 

It's never going to work. I told myself over and again. 

Four days ago was our eighteenth birthday, Lauren was lucky to find her mate and not just anyone, Alpha Norman the strongest Alpha in the kingdom. 

But there was a slight hiccup. Lauren had presented herself as an innocent wolf to Alpha Norman, it was the reason he had accepted her as his mate. He believed she was untouched but the truth was she was far from being innocent. 

I looked into her eyes, I could've sworn I'd never seen her this scared in our entire life. 

"He says I smell of rosemary. We'll just mask your scent with rosemary oil, we'll make you look exactly like me tonight he's never going to know." Her cold fingers took mine. 

"He's going to mark me!" I watched her, "Your mate is going to fucking mark me, what if I get pregnant?"

A smile curled on her lips. 

"None of that is going to happen, I have a plan."

She settled beside me on my big bed. 

"Father has a party tonight, as the former Beta of the Pack, he's going to have Alpha Norman over, I'll have his wine tainted, and you can lay with him he's never going to mark you tonight. "

Lauren had completely lost her mind. Had she forgotten who Alpha Norman was? 

"You scare me!" My voice became thinned and clipped with fear. 

Grinning, she wrapped her arms around me. 

"It's going to work, stopped being such a weenie." She kissed me lightly on my temple, "Maybe this is why the moon goddess made us twins."

"To gift my virginity to your mate?" I huffed. 

"Stop being dramatic, you're eighteen girls have sex when they're eighteen too bad I just couldn't wait." 

My heart accelerated at the thought of getting in bed with the handsome ruler. His golden image filled my senses now I knew I was going to do it. 

Lauren and I were identical but the only difference was our hair and the colors of our eyes. We were both blondies, but she had straight tresses while I was the curly head. She had icy blue eyes while mine was green. 

The sudden knock on our bedroom door startled me. She chuckled and unwrapped her arms from me. 

"You're going to love it stop overthinking it!" She stuck out her tongue and moved to the door. 

My teeth were chattering as I watched her open the door leading Lady Rozelle in. 

"Your father wants you two down for breakfast in thirty minutes." Lady Rozelle announced, her eyes peered my way, "Everything alright?"

I managed a smile but it didn't meet my eyes.

"Poor thing, she's already missing me!" Lauren was back at my side with her arms around me again. "You can move into Alpha Norman's mansion with me. I heard there's about Fifty-seven rooms."

"I've selected your dresses, Alpha Norman's joining us this morning, your father needs you two to look your best!" Her eyes were on me. 

Lauren was the perfect daughter classy and elegant while I tilted to the hillbilly angle. 

"Got it!" I said flatly and she left us to get ready. 

"You can't come for breakfast!" Lauren spat when Lady Rozelle closed the door. 

"Why not?" My blank gaze searched her face. 

"You can't sit under his judgmental eyes in the morning and wiggle into his bed at night he'll know!"

"Did you not say you have a plan?" I gaped at her. 

"Having breakfast with Alpha Norman isn't a part of that plan."

"I can't be absent at the table, father's never going to forgive that!"

"Not if you're boiling with a fever!"

I agreed. I lay in bed watching her strip and head into the bathroom returning in a white bathrobe. 

I stood beside her by the vanity counter watching her apply her makeup. 

I helped her into her dress and she headed out in no time. 

I was left alone with my thoughts in the room. The sound of the car outside caught my attention. He was here. 

I ran to the window just in time to see the handsome Alpha get out of his car. His golden hair, his towering height, and his charming smile. I hadn't gotten over this childish crush of mine on him. 

I watched him shake hands with Father. My eyes settled on Lauren who stood shyly beside Father. 

This was never going to work. I mentally groaned. 

I looked away from the window to the beeping phone on my bed. Lauren left her phone. I went over to realize she had a text from Gilbert, Norman's third in command. 

I didn't open the message. I returned to the window with my thoughts on whether Gilbert was her latest boyfriend.

Before I could look away, Norman's head tilted up and his gaze snagged mine by the window. 

My heart dropped to my toes. I instantly pulled the blinds. 

He saw me. No, he didn't. 

I argued with my head backing away from the window as though I just come in contact with hot coal. 

He saw me. 

I worked on my breath trying to get it back to normal as I awaited breakfast to be over. 

That evening, Lauren rambled nonstop about what I needed to do and not do before Norman at the party.

"Why don't you do it yourself?" I snorted.

"I'm being liberal. I know you've had a crush on him all your life so here's a chance."

"Gross!" I scrunched my nose. 

She curled out her hair and slipped into cashmere nightwear. She returned to help me strengthen my hair and help me with the icy blue contacts. 

I looked more like her than myself. I was so confident no one could tell I was Miranda. 

"Lady Rozelle will have them do your make while I lock myself in with a movie to keep me company while you..."

"Don't say it!" I held out my hand. 

She clucked her tongue and waved me off. 

I was doing this for her. If I didn't then she was going to be killed for deceit. The chances of Alpha Norman telling us apart were slim. It was going to work. 

A few minutes of a complete makeover transformed me into Lauren. Now I had to socialize like she would. 

"Where is Miranda?" Father spat when I got down the stairs.

It worked!

"Pardon, sire!" Lady Rozelle came forward, "The poor girl is burning with fever."

Father looked even more relieved to have me not attend the party.

I was a nervous wreck in the backseat of the car, the rosemary essential oil and body mist were in my purse. I had to use it at intervals to mask my scent. 

The car pulled up in front of the enormous building Father rented to have the party. 

Lucas, our brother, stood beside Norman as his second in command watching as we approached them. 

My heart was close to convulsing as I got closer to them. To him. 

Norman's peered gaze was on me. His creased forehead unnerved me. I wanted to turn back out and run without looking back, but we've worked too damn hard for this just to give it up now.