Two Knot And Tie

Nadia's POV

The world stopped spinning. The only thing I could feel was the cold, hard press of Neal’s lips on mine. It wasn’t a kiss. It was a claim, a brand. My mind went blank, white and empty like fresh snow. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. A scream built in my throat, a silent, trapped thing with no way out.

Then, the gasps from the crowd rushed in.

Before I could even push him away, Noah was there. His face was cold. He ripped Neal away from me and his fist smashed into his brother’s face with a sickening crack.

Neal just laughed, a bitter, bloody sound. He wiped his lip, saw the red on his hand, and then he swung back. The two of them became a whirlwind of fists and fury, right there in front of the holy elder and all our guests.

I stood frozen, my wedding dress felt heavy. My eyes found Malia and Lucien. They weren’t shocked. They weren’t trying to stop it. They were smiling, leaning into each other and whispering.

My hands flew up, trying to make a sign, to beg them to stop, but no one was looking at me. My voice was a ghost that lived only in my head.

It was Noah’s men who finally pulled them apart. Both twins were breathing hard, their fine suits torn, their faces already bruising. Noah shook off the men holding him and stalked towards me. His eyes were wild, only for me.

“We are finishing this,” he said, his voice rough. He grabbed my hand. His grip was too tight.

My free hand moved quickly, signing, You’re hurting me.

He didn’t see. He never saw it. He started pulling me towards the elder, who looked as pale as a ghost.

“Wait!”

The voice was Neal’s, but it wasn’t a shout. It was cold and clear, and it made everyone freeze.

Noah turned, his body a tight line of anger. “What now, brother? Haven’t you ruined enough?”

Neal stood tall, even with a bloody lip. He looked straight at the elder, then at the crowd, and finally at me. His eyes held mine for a moment, and I saw something strange in them. Not just anger. Something else. “I will not allow this wedding to happen.”

A fresh wave of murmurs went through the crowd.

“You cannot stop it,” Noah snarled.

“Oh, but I can,” Neal said, his voice dropping, becoming dangerous. “I have the same right as you. The same blood. The same claim.” He pointed a finger at me. “The only way this wedding happens today is if I marry her, too. Right here. Right now. Both of us.”

Silence.

It was so quiet I could hear my own heart beat . Marry them both? At the same time? This wasn’t our way. This was madness. My head felt light, the room starting to turn. Two husbands? Two mates? A life forever caught in the middle? 

My mother was suddenly there, her arm firm around my waist, holding me up. “Nadia? Baby, are you okay?” She looked from Noah to Neal, her face hard with a mother’s fury. “Look at what you are doing to her! Both of you! Are you trying to kill my child with this stress? She cannot even cry out! She is silent in her fear! She is not a piece of meat for you to fight over!”

Her words seemed to snap something in the room. The crowd muttered in agreement.

Noah was still glaring at Neal, his chest heaving. I could see the war in his eyes. He wanted to refuse. He wanted to tear his brother apart. But my mother’s warning hung in the air. My pale face and dizzy eyes were a weapon she had used perfectly.

He looked at me, really looked at me, and some of the anger drained from his face, replaced by a grim, cold resolve. He gave a short, sharp nod.

“Fine,” he bit out, the word tasting like poison. He leaned close to Neal, his voice a low growl only his brother and I could hear. “But I will kill you for this later. I swear it.”

Neal just gave a slow, mocking smile. “We will see, brother.”

What happened next was a blur. The elder, looking terrified, was given quick, sharp instructions. Two simple, rough cords were brought forward, each dyed with the deep blue of the royal family.

Noah took one cord. His hands were rough as he wrapped it around my right wrist. He tied the knot tight, his eyes locked on mine. It felt less like a promise and more like a chain.

“With this knot, I bind you to my life and my rule,” he said, his voice flat.

Then it was Neal’s turn. He was slower, more deliberate. He took my left hand. His touch was cooler, his fingers more careful as he wrapped the second blue cord around my wrist. He tied the knot just as firmly, but his thumb gently stroked the inside of my wrist for a second, a hidden, confusing touch that made me shiver.

“With this knot, I bind you to my protection and my truth,” he said. His eyes were blank.

There were no happy cheers. Only a heavy, confused silence, broken by a few sighs and worried murmurs. I stood there, my arms slightly outstretched, a blue cord on each wrist, tying me to two men who hated each other. I felt like a prisoner. I felt like a prize. I felt the feeling of my own silence more than ever before.

The ceremony was over. Just like that, I was married. To both of them.

Noah immediately dropped my hand. He didn’t look at me. His whole focus was across the room. His eyes were fixed on Lucien, who was still standing with Malia, that same smug smile on his face.

Noah suddenly left my side as he walked towards Lucien. Everyone watched and wondered why.