Mated to Twin Brothers

The Hateful Kisses

Peniel

This is just the beginning . . .

I woke up in a secluded room designed by brothers who don’t get along. After I promised to submit to both of them, I knew I was choosing danger and potential consequences, but none of that matters anymore. I have to live this life—to prove my worth, to hide my true identity, and to avenge my mother.

I moaned as I felt the sting of the mark the princes left on my neck.

“We have two mates . . . ” Nyx, my wolf, murmured in my mind, I could sense her restlessness.

“Two mates who could destroy us,” I replied, pushing back the thoughts that could destroy me anytime soon. Nyx growled softly, not in anger but in contemplation.

“Or save us,” she whispered, her sounds tone more hopeful than I felt. “They are powerful, Peniel. We could use their strength.”

“But at what cost?” I shot back, frustration leaking into my thoughts. “Submitting to them, letting them in . . . It’s a risk, Nyx. One that could end us before we get the chance to finish what we started.”

“Prince Cassian is fated to be with you,” she gasped. “He’s my mate, his wolf, Ragnar, is bonded to me . . . It feels like I was bewitched not to feel anything when you were risking your life in this cursed place. And Prince Lucian, there must be a reason he can’t stop himself from claiming you.”

I shook my head, deeply disappointed in the bond I’ve accepted. There’s no turning back now. As I think about the two princes, my thoughts turn to my mother, who took her last breath in this pack. I can’t let my wolf take over my emotions. I can’t fall in love with either of them.

I pushed my wolf’s thoughts aside and rose from the bed, taking in how much this place resembles a cage. I refuse to become a slave to their lust, to their hunger for the Alpha King’s power over the most powerful pack led by their lineage.

I gasped as a familiar scent filled the room, wrapping around me like an invisible tether. My body reacted instinctively, my senses sharpening, heart racing as my pulse quickened in recognition. Nyx stirred within me, her presence pushing against the surface, drawn to the scent as if it were a call she couldn't ignore.

The door suddenly creaked open, and I found myself tensing, every muscle in my body on high alert.

Prince Lucian stood in the doorway, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made it hard to breathe. He was every bit the powerful Alpha-to-be—by his looks—it gives me no space for escape. His gaze roamed over me, lingering on the marks at my neck.

“I see you're awake,” he said, his voice smooth and controlled. He stepped into the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

“What do you want, Your Highness?” I asked, keeping my tone as neutral as I could manage.

He moved closer like a predator stalking its prey with those darkened eyes. “Is that any way to greet your mate?” he teased, though his eyes were far from playful. “I thought you'd be more... welcoming, considering our situation. I would love you to call me by my name.”

I straightened my back, refusing to show any weakness. “You mean the situation where you and your brother are using me as a pawn in your little war for the throne?”

Lucian smirked that sent a shiver down my spine. “You think too little of yourself, little thief. You're far more than just a pawn. And I told you, if I need that throne, I would have send you to the Alpha's room and kill you off,” He steps even more closer, his thumbs brushing my jaw that made me froze.

I could feel Nyx bristle at his words. “Well, I know what you want,” I whispered coldly, referring to my body.

His hand reaching out to brush a strand of hair from my face. His touch feels soft and dangerous at the same time. “Instead of being a b***h, why not instead feel this moment with me?” His fingers went to my lips. I can't help but gasps, this feeling is what I hated the most.

I hate that my body reacts in ways I don’t want it to, giving him the satisfaction he craves. I can’t let him see that I feel defeated, so I stay still and act as if I’m not bothered at all. He holds my secrets, and I can’t let him have the upper hand.

I swallowed, trying to ignore the way my skin tingled where his fingers had touched. “What do you expect? You think I will beg you to stop? You're sadistic, right, Your Highness—Lucian?” I teased him back, instead there's a little smile in his darkened eyes as his hands lowered to my neck.

“We both know you're gonna beg for me to continue, Genny,” Lucian laughs, his voice dropping to a low murmur as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against my ear, “and that's no need to hide that truth.”

He pulled back slightly, just enough to look into my eyes. “Then you'd better get used to it,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Because whether you like it or not, you're mine now. And I protect what's mine.”

“You don't own me, Prince Lucian.”

“Oh because my brother also owned you?”

The question, laced with venom and possessiveness, made my blood boil. I hated him for what he was doing to me, for the way he made me feel so powerless, and yet . . . I couldn't deny the pull. The connection between us was maddening, like a fire that burned hotter the more I tried to extinguish it.

“Neither of you owns me,” I spat back, my voice trembling slightly despite my best efforts. “I guess I am not so scared to get f****d, but I am scared to die. That's just it, and it doesn't mean that I like one of you that I choose to submit.”

Lucian's smile didn't waver. If anything, it deepened as he moved closer, his body pressing against mine, trapping me against the wall. His hand slid up my neck, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw with a gentleness that contrasted sharply with the danger in his eyes.

“Is that what you tell yourself?” he whispered, his voice a dark caress that made my pulse race. “That you have control? That you can resist this?” I could feel his fingers roaming my skin.

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell him to get away from me, but the words died on my lips as he leaned in, his mouth hovering just inches from mine.

The heat of his breath mingled with mine, the tension between us so thick I could barely think.

"You hate me for marking you," Lucian murmured, his lips brushing against the corner of my mouth, teasingly close but not quite touching. "But that won't stop you from wanting me—that won't stop you from betraying Cassian for me."

His words sent a wave of anger and frustration through me. He was right, and I hated him for it. My body betrayed me, reacting to his touch, to his presence, even as my mind screamed for me to push him away.

"Admit it, Genevieve," he continued, his hand slipping down to my waist, pulling me closer until our bodies were flush against each other. "You want this just as much as I do,” he smirked, his eyes looking through my soul.

Stop this. I believe he can read my thoughts. But no at the same time. It’s hard.

"I hate you," I whispered, my voice trembling as I fought against the desire that was threatening to consume me. "I hate everything about you. I hate you and your brother, and this pack!" I angrily screamed against him.

Lucian chuckled softly, his lips finally brushing against mine in the lightest of touches, a tease that left me breathless. "Hate me all you want," he murmured in a seductive way. "But we both know that hate and desire aren't so different. And I am gonna make you hate yourself for not being able to not love me very soon."

Before I could respond, his mouth descended on mine, claiming me in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was fierce, demanding, and all-consuming, a clash of wills that left me no room to think, only to feel. His hands roamed over my body, each touch igniting a fire that I couldn't control, couldn't resist.

I wanted to push him away, to fight against the pull that he had over me, but instead, my hands betrayed me, fisting in his shirt as l kissed him back with just as much an aggressiveness. The room seemed to spin, the world narrowing down to just the two of us.

Lucian groaned against my lips, his hands tightening on my waist as he pressed me harder against the wall, his body pinning mine in place. There was no escape, no room to breathe, only the relentless heat between us.

He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes, his breath ragged, his pupils blown wide with desire. "You see, little thief," he said, his voice low and husky, "you can't resist me. No matter how much you try."

I hated him in that moment more than ever, hated the way he was right, the way my body responded to him despite everything. But even as that hatred simmered in my chest, it was laced with a need that I couldn't deny, couldn't control.

"f**k you," I spat, but the words lacked any real venom, coming out more like a plea than a curse.

Lucian's eyes darkened, a dangerous glint in them as he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against my ear. "Oh, I plan to," he whispered with a chuckle.

His hand slipped beneath my shirt, his touch burning against my skin, and I bit back a gasp, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing just how much he was affecting me. But it was no use.

Every touch, every kiss, pulled me deeper into the web he was spinning, until I could barely remember why I hated him in the first place.

Lucian's mouth moved down my neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin there, sending jolts of pleasure and pain through me. My breath hitched, my hands clenching in his shirt as I fought against the urge to give in completely.

"Tell me you need it, my little thief . . . “ he gasped and before I could respond, a familiar scent pulled me away from Lucian.

Prince Cassian.