The Alpha Twins' Lottery Mate

Mikhail and Nikolai exchanged a long, silent glance. Neither of them spoke. The air in the room grew heavy, almost suffocating. What kind of creature were they about to welcome through the gates of Asterion Academy?

After several long moments, Mikhail finally broke the silence. "I want every available researcher assigned to this."

His voice was calm once more as he straightened, effortlessly regaining his composure. "Suspend any nonessential projects if you must. I don’t care how many laboratories you need or how many specialists you bring in. I want every test repeated, every theory examined, and every possibility explored." His gaze hardened. "Find out exactly what Miss Dawson is."

He stepped closer to the monitor, his reflection staring back at him from the darkened screen. "I want a complete report before the Lunar Mating Ceremony."

Dr. Genesis inclined her head. "Understood, Your Highness. I’ll begin immediately."

"And one more thing."

She paused. Mikhail slowly turned toward her, his voice dropping into a low, quiet tone that sent a chill through the room.

"Everything discussed in this room remains confidential." His silver eyes locked onto hers.

"Not a single soul beyond those directly involved in this investigation is to learn of it. Not the Council, not even the Emperor, until we know precisely what we’re dealing with."

A flicker of surprise crossed Dr. Genesis’s face before vanishing. "My lips are sealed, Prince Mikhail. You have my word," she replied, bowing her head slightly before gathering the secured blood samples from the workstation. She collected several data tablets and quietly excused herself from the room.

The moment the automatic doors hissed shut behind her, Nikolai turned to his brother, his expression clouded with unease.

"What exactly are we supposed to do now?"

Mikhail’s eyes returned to the monitor, staring at the microscopic image of Starlight Dawson’s blood endlessly merging with the werewolf sample.

"It seems," he said quietly, "we’re going to keep a very close eye on Miss Dawson."

Nikolai rubbed the bridge of his nose, letting out a long, tense breath. "I don’t have a good feeling about this, Mikhail."

Mikhail looked at his brother. Nikolai rarely admitted to feeling uneasy. If even he was unsettled, then the situation was far stranger than either of them wanted to admit. He turned back to the monitor and watched the crimson cells for another few moments before, unexpectedly, the corner of his mouth lifted into the faintest hint of a smile.

"Actually..." he murmured, absentmindedly tapping a finger against the workstation, his gaze still fixed on the screen. "I think I do. I have a good feeling about this."

Nikolai looked at him as though he’d lost his mind. "Why would you say that?"

Mikhail remained silent for a long moment

"This might actually be the work of the Moon Goddess," he said. "Maybe what we believe was a mistake wasn’t a mistake at all." His eyes slowly lifted. "Maybe, for the first time in centuries... fate is trying to help us."

Nikolai frowned, his voice laced with deep skepticism. "You honestly believe the Moon Goddess is stepping in now? After abandoning our us for so long?"

Mikhail slowly shook his head.

"It was our ancestors who gave the Moon Goddess reason to turn her back on us. I don’t believe she ever truly abandoned us." His gaze returned to the monitor. "Think about it. The prophecy never explained exactly how the curse would be broken. It only said that our curse would be broken by someone who is not a werewolf. That’s the entire reason we revealed ourselves to humanity. The reason the Lunar Lottery even exists in the first place." He turned fully to face his brother.

"But what if we interpreted the prophecy incorrectly? What if it was never meant to be a human? What if the curse can be broken by any being, so long as it isn’t a werewolf?"

Nikolai watched as Mikhail’s silver eyes gradually brightened with growing excitement.

"Look at the results. It’s obvious this girl isn’t human, but she isn’t a werewolf either. Even her entire family is surrounded by mysteries we still can’t explain." A slow smile spread across Mikhail’s face. "I can’t wait to unravel all of it."

Nikolai studied him for a long moment.

"And if you’re wrong?"

Mikhail’s smile deepened. "I’m never wrong. That girl is the key we’ve been waiting for all this time without even knowing it."

Nikolai let out a quiet breath, shaking his head. "I don’t know whether you’re a genius or you’ve finally gone completely insane."

Before Mikhail could respond, his phone began ringing, the sharp vibration breaking the silence. He pulled the device from his inner pocket and glanced at the flashing caller ID. A faint sigh escaped him. Without answering the call, he declined it and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

"It’s time to make our report to Father," Mikhail said calmly, stepping away from the workstation.

Nikolai grimaced. "Is there any chance you could make the report alone?"

"No." Mikhail didn’t even spare him a glance.

"We wouldn’t be in this situation if you hadn’t made that mistake in the first place."

Nikolai scoffed. "I thought you said that mistake might actually be the Moon Goddess’s intervention," he pointed out. "Which means I helped the Goddess."

Mikhail shot him a flat look before walking toward the doors.

"Call the Student Council President. I want Starlight Dawson’s name placed on the Apex Rankings immediately. Then contact Eden and instruct him to use our funds however he sees fit to buy votes for her until she reaches the Top Ten at least. Have him encourage our supporters to cast their votes for her as well."

Walking beside him, Nikolai stared at his brother in disbelief. "You really are going all out for this girl, aren’t you? Don’t you think we should make sure she’s really the one before investing this much in her?"

Mikhail slowed to a stop. "Even if she’s not the one," he said, turning to face his brother, "which I don’t believe for a second, we still have to make her ours." The corner of his mouth curved into a faint smile. "If you’re not interested, I can keep her all to myself."

Nikolai snorted. "Since when did we start keeping things from each other? If you want her, then obviously I’ll want her too. We always share."

"Good." Mikhail resumed walking toward the laboratory doors. "Then start making those calls. That’s the only way we’ll be able to keep her close to us," he said. "By placing her where she’s beyond everyone else’s reach."

As the doors slid shut behind them, Nikolai pulled out his own phone. Wearing a faint, disbelieving smile, he began dialing.