The Alpha Twins' Lottery Mate

Okami practically danced his way down the corridor towards his room, whistling a cheerful tune as he twirled his car keys around his index finger. Every few steps, he would throw in a little shoulder shimmy, his hips swaying to an imaginary beat only he could hear.

Today was a good day.

No, scratch that.

Today was the best day of his entire life!

He let out a delighted, ”Ooh!” before spinning around and breaking into a smooth moonwalk. He glided backwards for several steps, grinning like a fool, then snapped his fingers and pointed at absolutely nobody.

If anyone had told him that he would one day be this happy over a woman who had barely spared him a second glance, he would have laughed in their face.

Yet here he was.

Starlight Dawson had leaned against him. She had thanked him for defending her. She had exchanged phone numbers with him, and he had even opened the car door for her like a proper gentleman. Better still, she had smiled at him.

Smiled!

Okami pressed a hand to his chest, his grin widening.

He could die happy.

Well, no. He absolutely could not die. He still had to win Starlight’s heart, take her on dates, make her laugh, and eventually convince her that he was the only man worthy of her attention. He had an entire future to live for.

And the best part?

The Crown Princes had practically helped him along without even realising it.

Their ridiculous behaviour had given him the perfect opportunity to defend Starlight. If Prince Mikhail and Prince Nikolai had only behaved themselves and not pulled that corrective program stunt on Starlight, he might never have gotten the chance to show her just how dependable he could be.

He owed those two a thank-you.

A very sarcastic, thoroughly undeserved thank-you.

Okami twirled his keys again, whistling louder as he approached his door. He was just about to attempt another moonwalk when he caught sight of someone standing directly in front of it.

His smile vanished.

He stopped so abruptly that his keys nearly slipped from his fingers.

Kage.

His best friend stood with his arms folded across his chest, wearing an expression that suggested he had been waiting long enough to develop a personal grudge against the corridor.

Okami frowned immediately.

He looked at Kage, then at his door, then back at Kage.

”Seriously?” he muttered. ”What do you want, Kage?”

Kage raised an eyebrow. ”Oh, forgive me. I didn’t realise you were too important to acknowledge your best friend now that you’ve got Starlight all wrapped around your little finger.”

Okami rolled his eyes. ”Don’t start.”

”Don’t start what?” Kage demanded, gesturing at him. ”I’ve been standing here watching you dance shamelessly down the corridor like you’ve just won the lottery. You were whistling, spinning around, and doing whatever that backward slide was supposed to be. I genuinely thought you’d lost your mind.”

”Then you should have kept watching.”

”Unbelievable.”

”What’s unbelievable is that you think I want to entertain you right now.” Okami inserted his key into the lock. ”Today has been a beautiful day, and I refuse to let anybody ruin my mood. Especially a loser who couldn’t even produce a decent result for his clan head.”

Kage’s mouth fell open.

Then he let out a dry, sarcastic laugh.

”Ha! Yeah, whatever. Enjoy yourself while you can, Romeo.”

”Thank you. I intend to.”

Okami pushed the door open and walked inside, expecting Kage to take the hint and leave him alone. Unfortunately, Kage had never been particularly good at taking hints.

He followed him into the room and shut the door behind them.

Okami turned around slowly.

”Did I invite you in?”

”No. I invited myself in.”

”Wonderful. Then I presume you know how to uninvite yourself.”

”Relax. I won’t be staying long.”

”You’ve already stayed too long.” Okami tossed his keys onto a small table near the entrance and stretched his arms above his head. ”It’s late, I’m exhausted, and I have every intention of going to bed. I want to sleep peacefully and have the sweetest dreams imaginable. And if the Moon Goddess is feeling particularly generous tonight, Starlight will make an appearance in those dreams.”

He clasped his hands together, gazing towards the ceiling. ”Perhaps she’ll smile at me and even hold my hands.”

”I’m going to throw up.”

”Please do it outside my room.”

Kage shook his head and walked past him into the sitting area. He dropped onto one of the couches, stretching his legs out in front of him as though he owned the place.

Okami stared at him.

”I can see you’re making yourself comfortable already.”

”Very.”

”Wonderful. I hope you don’t enjoy your stay because I’m going to bed.”

”You do know Starlight is using you, right?”

Okami paused. Then, slowly, he turned to look at his friend. ”Of course I know.”

Kage blinked. ”I’m sorry, what?”

”I’m very much aware she’s using me.” Okami shrugged, walking towards the other couch. ”Who do you think I am? Some lovesick idiot who can’t recognise when a woman is taking advantage of him?”

Kage gave him a long, incredulous stare.

Okami dropped onto the couch opposite him, his expression suddenly brightening again.

”And who the hell told you I have a problem with being used? I love being used!”

Kage closed his eyes.

He looked like a man silently asking the Moon Goddess for patience.

”Did you see Mikhail and Nikolai’s faces when Starlight leaned against me?” Okami continued, practically vibrating with excitement. ”Oh, my word! I thought I was going to die right there. Nikolai looked like he wanted to rip my head off, and Mikhail was barely holding himself together. If jealousy could kill, I’d have dropped dead right there in the Red Lounge.”

He pressed a hand against his chest.

”I’m telling you, Kage, that was a beautiful sight. Absolutely beautiful. I would pay money to see it again.”

”I have never met a more shameless person in my entire life,” Kage declared, staring at Okami as though he had never been more disappointed in anyone.