The Wrong Twin

Bree’s POV

Sandra's furious stare followed me as the guards escorted me out of the royal hall.

The wedding she had been waiting for was postponed, her relationship with Adrian was now under scrutiny, and the entire royal family was discussing my supposed affair with his twin brother.

For once, my sister wasn't the woman everyone wanted to celebrate and I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy that.

Still, my satisfaction didn't last long, because while Sandra would eventually return to Adrian's arms, I was being taken to Alpha Lucien's chambers.

The very man who had spent years making it clear that he couldn't stand me.

The guards continued escorting me down the corridor until we reached a pair of enormous doors.

One of them pushed the doors open.

"Alpha Lucien's chambers, my lady."

I stepped inside. The room was beautiful, although I found little comfort in its magnificence.

It was the sort of room I had once imagined sharing with Adrian after our wedding.

I had pictured waking up beside the man I loved, feeling his arms around me as he whispered good morning.

I had imagined being his wife, his Luna, the mother of his children. Instead, I was standing in another man's bedroom, waiting for an Alpha who had admitted that he was only using me to torment his brother.

My throat tightened.

How had my life fallen apart so quickly?

A bitter laugh escaped me.

"Wonderful, Bree. Just wonderful” I muttered.

"My lady?"

I turned toward the maid who had entered behind me. She bowed her head.

"The Luna Queen has instructed us to prepare you for tonight” she said.

I frowned.

"What exactly does that mean?" I asked.

The maid exchanged a glance with another woman standing beside her.

"You are expected to share Alpha Lucien's bed tonight, my lady. Her Majesty believes it would be best if you were prepared” she explained.

Prepared?

It took me several seconds to understand what she meant then my cheeks burned.

They meant I needed to be prepared to have sex with Alpha Lucien.

"You're saying I should take a bath?" I asked.

"Yes, my lady. We have prepared everything” the maid said.

I stared at them.

"Listen, I don't think—"

I stopped myself.

What was I going to say? That Lucien and I weren't lovers? That our supposed relationship was a lie? That I had never even kissed him?

If I revealed the truth, the Alpha King had already made his intentions clear.

My life would be over. LITERALLY.

I swallowed my objections.

"Fine."

The maids led me into the adjoining bathroom, where a large bathtub had been filled with warm water. Scented oils and rose petals floated across its surface, and fresh towels had been arranged beside it.

They helped me out of my ruined wedding dress and left me to bathe.

As I lowered myself into the water, I covered my face with both hands.

I had imagined my wedding night a thousand times.

Not once had I imagined sitting alone in the bedroom of a man who didn't love me, preparing to give him something I had carefully saved for the man I thought would be my husband.

I was still a virgin and I had wanted my first time to be special.

I had wanted tenderness, affection, and the comfort of knowing that the man touching me actually wanted me for who I was.

Instead, I had been given an ultimatum to become pregnant by the end of the month or die.

My eyes stung but I wiped away the tears before they could fall.

I couldn't afford to be weak now, not when my life depended on convincing everyone that Lucien and I were lovers.

By the time I finished bathing, the maids had laid out a black silk nightdress on the bed.

I stared at it for a long moment then put it on. The fabric felt soft against my skin, but I couldn't stop my hands from trembling.

I climbed into bed and pulled the covers over myself.

Hours passed and Lucien didn't return. Outside, the sky darkened, and distant thunder rumbled over the royal estate.

Rain began tapping against the windows as I watched the door.

Every time I heard footsteps in the corridor, my heart jumped and I sank deeper into the pillows.

What if Lucien refused to go through with this? What if he decided that annoying Adrian wasn't worth risking his own life?

What if he walked into the room, laughed at my nervousness, and reminded me that I was nothing more than a pawn in his little game?

I pressed my lips together. I didn't want him to touch me, but if he didn't, I could lose my life.

The thought made my stomach turn.

Another clap of thunder shook the windows and I pulled the covers closer to my chest.

"Please," I whispered into the darkness. "Let tomorrow be better than today."

The door suddenly opened and I sat upright. My heart hammered against my ribs.

"Alpha Lucien?"

A figure stumbled into the room.

For one brief moment, I couldn't make out his face. The room was dim, and the storm outside cast shifting shadows across the walls.

Then lightning flashed and I stopped breathing.

It wasn't Alpha Lucien. It was Crown Prince Adrian standing in the doorway.

His black shirt was soaked, clinging to his body, and rainwater dripped from his hair onto the polished floor. He smelled strongly of alcohol, and his eyes were bloodshot.

He looked nothing like the composed prince who had humiliated me at the altar. He looked furious and drunk.

I scrambled backward across the bed.

"Adrian? What are you doing here?" I asked.

He shut the door behind him then he stared at me in my black silk nightdress.

His expression changed and something dark flickered in his eyes.

"You really thought you could move on from me that quickly?" he slurred.

I stared at him in disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

He took an unsteady step toward the bed.

"You belong to me, Bree” he said.

My blood ran cold and I clutched the covers against my chest.

"Adrian, you're drunk. You need to leave” I said.

He laughed bitterly.

"Leave? You’re joking” he replied.

Adrian took another step toward the bed and I realized with growing horror that he had absolutely no intention of leaving.

"You're not going to become my brother's woman," he growled. "Not while I'm still alive."