“Yup. Win it and go on a date with my twin.”
“I don’t know what to say,” I murmured, taken aback at his generosity.
He stood up and stretched. “Don’t mention it. I’m pretty sure we’re family at this point.”
A surge of feeling flowed through me. Saffron’s acceptance made me so happy, I felt like I would float away.
Saffron paused, touched something in his pocket with a somber expression, then waved at me.
“Gaius is waiting over in that clearing.” He gestured to a light spot in the trees. “Go win that date.”
I held Aurum’s shirt and Saffron’s bandana tighter in my paws. “Right. Um... Thank you, Saffron.”
Clutching the scavenger hunt clothes like precious jewels, I made my way towards Gaius to become the first—and only—winner of the second challenge.
Fifteen
Aurum
“What doyou mean I can’t see Mylo until our date tonight?” I roared.
Jade held his hands up to calm my fury, but it was useless. I was two seconds away from ripping them off.
“We’ve got to build romantic tension somehow,” Jade explained. “Keeping you apart—however briefly—will excite the audience.”
“I don’t give a flying fuck about the audience,” I snapped. “Let me see Mylo.”
“Calm down,” Jade said patiently. “Nobody’s stopping you from seeing Mylo—”
“You are literally doing that right now.”
“In the grand scheme of things,” Jade finished, raising a brow. “It won’t kill you to be apart for a few hours.”
I scowled at him. Why did it feel like it would? My chest hurt when I couldn’t be around Mylo, and it freaked me out. I growled in frustration and paced the room, wearing a hole in Jade’s office floor.
Saffron stood up from his chair and put his hands on my shoulders. “Jade’s right. You’ll see him soon enough.”
I shot him a grumpy look. “Whose side are you on?”
“Yours. Duh.”
That felt good to hear. Come to think of it, Saffron seemed less agitated and argumentative than usual lately. Did something happen to chill him out?
“If you’re on my side, then help me convince Mr. Producer over there,” I grouched, glaring at Jade. He was unfazed.
Saffron leaned closer to my ear. “Trust me, bro.”
It was only loud enough for me to hear. A secret between the two of us—just like old times. Was our relationship finally on the mend?
I nodded subtly so Jade wouldn’t notice our undercover communication.
Sighing loudly, I announced, “Guess I have no choice but to wait.”
If Jade was suspicious, he gave no indication of it. “Good. I’ll leave you two to your devices until tonight. Just don’t leave the castle, Aurum.”
“I won’t,” I grumbled.
Despite my undyed hair, my identical twin plan fell apart since I took a shine to Mylo. Jade was the sharpest of our brothers, so once I caught feelings for an omega and Saffron didn’t, he was quick to differentiate us. I doubted it’d be long before the rest of our brothers caught on, too. So much for my amazing plan.
