The closer it got to their eighteenth birthday the more afraid Ben got and the more Blair tried to find a way to help him. She poured over the archives after school and could barely stay awake in class, "Miss Brenner," Mr. McCourt called. "Huh," she perked up blinking a few times. "Given you being a twin I figured this question would be easy for you," he scolded. "I'll repeat myself, what is a monozygotic set of twins?" He asked. "Oh, twins that were once one egg fertilized by two different sperm, causing the egg to separate and create identical twins," she answered. "Correct, Blair and Ben are dizygotic, meaning they were two separate eggs fertilized by two separate sperm to create two separate individuals," Mr. McCourt explained. Ben raised his hand, "Yes, Mr. Brenner," Mr. McCourt called. "Blair and I aren't dizygotic," Ben told him. Mr. McCourt furrowed his brow in confusion, "You have to be, identical twins are always the same sex, only Fraternal twins can be boy and girl," Mr. McCourt answered. "With all due respect sir, Blair and I are semi-identical twins, we came from one egg, that split," Ben explained. Mr. McCourt paused, "Ben, do you understand what you are saying?" He asked. "I do sir, Blair and I had a lot of tests done when we were younger," Ben continued.
The bell rang as everyone eyes darted back and forth between Blair and Ben. "Don't forget to study for the exam tomorrow," Mr. McCourt called out as everyone got up. "Ben and Blair can I see you a moment?" He asked. Blair had never felt more self-conscious in her life. "Have you two looked into the archives about semi-identical twins?" Mr. McCourt asked. "I read that they were rare, but there isn't much there," Blair told him. "That's because I have it, I'm sorry," Mr. McCourt remember reaching into his desk drawer. "Here," he said handing over a book with leather cover, "It's the journal of a pack doctor and an Elder. You two have no idea how rare you are," Mr. McCourt explained. Blair and Ben looked at each other, "Thank you," they said in unison and left with the book.
That evening after dinner Blair sat in bed reading the journal. It was an Elder and Doctor who delivered a set of semi-identical twins over a hundred year before. There wasn't a lot of information, on how they occurred or with the particular problem that Ben and Blair had, with Ben's aggression. There was something about them being a distich, Blair sat up. "It seems in a distich someone will always ground the other. They seem to always be able to reach the other, even in the unstable situation," Blair read. She sat up, "Even in the unstable situation," she reread.
She opened her door and went across the hall and walked into Ben's room, "Hey," he said irritated covering himself and his phone. Blair stopped, "Please tell me Simone isn't still sending you nudes," Blair grimaced. "What do you care?" Ben asked. "It's trashy," Blair replied. "What'd you want, Blair?" Ben asked frustrated. "Look what I found," she said handing him the book but maintaining a distance. He quickly read it, "Yeah, so?" He questioned. "Don't you see, even if you lose control, I should be able to reach you and help you," Blair explained excited. "How do we know? I don't think the twins in this journal had the same problem, you heard dad and Elder Wallace, we have to be prepared," Ben told her.
Ben and Blair had overheard their father and elder Wallace talking about Ben and his aggression when they were thirteen. That was when Ben began noticing it, himself, but no one was able to tell him how to control it. "Ben we are running out of time, we turn eighteen next month, I can't live without you," Blair said her eyes filling with tears. Ben stood up, his boner gone, never to return tonight no matter how hot Simone was. "No matter what happens at the alpha ceremony, we will always be part of each other," Ben assured her.
He had already come to terms with the fact that if his aggression gets out of control his pact will have to stop him, now he needed Blair to come to terms. Blair felt defeated, he didn't care, she found something to help, but he didn't even want to test it. She had reach him once when they were fighting, it had taken her some time, but now she knew it was possible and would help. "I'll let you get back to Simone, I guess," she sulked heading to the door. "Hey," Ben called as she opened the door. "If you're really freaked out and think you can help, ask James about the Gwen diary," Ben offered. "The Gwen diary?" she repeated as a question. "Yeah, that old lady, who's mate left her for a witch. He found her diary in an old shack," he explained. Blair thought for a minute and walked back to her room. She looked back at his door, as he closed it and he locked it. It hurt; they never use to lock each other out. Instead of trying to figure out how to stay normal he was more concerned with getting his rocks off, she shut her door.
As winter break grew closer the student grew restless, and Blair grew anxious. "Earth to Blair," Jen, her best friend called from across the lunchroom table. "Huh," Blair said looking up from her book. "What are you studying?" Beth asked taking a bite of her salad. "This journal Mr. McCourt gave me," Blair replied putting it away and pulling her glasses off. "You've read that cover to cover three times since thanksgiving," Jen complained. "I know," Blair admitted at she took a sip of water. "What's so special about it?" Beth asked. Blair and Ben hadn't told anyone anything about his aggression problem or the things they overheard their dad talking about. "It's just interesting, it's the only record of semi-identical twins," Blair shrugged off. "Can you tell when your brother is turned on?" Jen asked. Blair and Beth looked at each other, "No, that's gross," Blair answered. "I heard Simone is still sending him nudes," Beth said shattering Jen's world. "Is your father still inviting her and her father to the alpha ceremony?" Jen asked hopeful. "I don't know, honestly I haven't really asked my mom what's happening with that," Blair confessed suddenly feeling bad. The bell rang and the girls got up threw their trash away and headed to class.
After school Blair went home and knocked on her mother's office door, "Come in," her mother's quiet voice called from the other side. "Mom," Blair said walking in. Her mother's expression eased into a smile, "Oh hi Daddy," Blair said seeing her father sitting in a chair across from her mother's desk. "How was school darling?" Her mother asked. Blair shut the door and walked in further. "Fine, I was wondering if you needed help with planning, Ben's alpha ceremony," Blair replied. "Blair, you're going to be busy planning your claiming ceremony," Kaspar chimed in. Blair looked at him confused, Kaspar was surprised, "Did you forget? James has been back at ever-green for the last three years waiting," Kaspar reminded. Blair looked at her mother, "It's been so long since I've seen him," Blair said smiling at the thought of James.
She had been so consumed with Ben and helping him, James hadn't mentioned coming to claim her in any of his emails or text. Blair got a little worried, what if something changed? Kaspar could see the worry in Blair's eyes, he felt just as worried. How was Blair supposed to be a Luna and a true alpha, he thought about talking to James but there was nothing James could do. Right now, it was a wait and see game, there was no way to prepare for their birthday or the alpha ceremony or whenever the possession would take hold. "We should go shopping for your dress," Sofie told Blair. She smiled at her mother and nodded, "Perhaps we should have the claiming after Christmas and before Ben's alpha ceremony," Kaspar suggested wanting some happiness for Blair before the difficultly. Maybe if James had already claimed her and would be there to give her the support, she needed to banish the possessed wolf her brother would turn into. "That's a great idea, I'll call Maggie, we could have her ceremony on Friday evening and Ben's on Saturday," Sofie replied happily. "I'll leave you to it, then," Kaspar said getting up and leaving.
Blair followed him out, "Dad, can I talk to you?" She asked. "Sure," he answered, and they went across the hall to his office, "What's wrong with Ben?" She asked, as he sat down. Kaspar sighed, "How much do you know?" He questioned back. "We heard you and elder Wallace talking a while back, but you never named what wrong with him," Blair explained. Kaspar looked down, "You brother was cursed with a demon," he told her looking back up at her. Blair sat down, "A demon," Blair replied almost in a trans. "If the demon comes out, Blair do you know what you need to do?" Her father asked. Her head snapped up and she looked at her father, "No," she squeaked out, tears forming in her eyes. "Blair, I will need you to challenge your brother and win," he explained. "No, daddy I can't do that," she cried. Kaspar looked down at his desk, "How do you know the demon won't arise in me?" She asked as the tears rolled down her face. "I've watched it grow in him. The aggression and rage he feels, for no reason," her father told her. "Daddy, I won't kill him," she protested. "You have to, or at the very least banish him," he commanded. Blair pulled herself together, before getting up to leave his office. Kaspar prayed she would be strong enough to handle the rejection she was about to receive from Ben.