Mated To My Supposed Brother

Mandatory Mate

The summons came with the first light of dawn, delivered by a pack warrior whose presence at their front door felt more like a threat than an invitation.

Aria had barely slept, her mind a chaotic loop of Liam’s cold gaze and the suffocating scents that had followed him home.

She dressed in a simple tunic, her fingers fumbling with the buttons as she felt the heavy thrum of Liam’s presence in the next room.

He was already awake, his energy a low, vibrating hum of suppressed power that made the very air in the cottage feel thin.

They walked to the Alpha’s long-house in a silence so thick it was hard to breathe.

Liam didn't look at her. He kept his eyes fixed on the path ahead, his stride long and predatory, while Aria struggled to maintain the pace of a dutiful sister.

The pack house was a massive structure of ancient oak and stone, a place where the history of their people was carved into the rafters and where the law was absolute.

As they entered the Great Hall, the heavy scent of old wood and wolf musk hit Aria, making her wolf pace restlessly beneath her skin.

Alpha Silas was waiting for them at the head of the long table.

He was a man built of scars and iron will, his eyes sharp enough to peel back the layers of a person’s soul.

Beside him sat the Beta, Cassie’s father, whose expression was a mask of professional neutrality that didn't quite hide the calculating glint in his eyes.

Liam, Aria, come in, the Alpha said, his voice a deep rumble that echoed off the high ceiling.

They stepped forward, stopping a respectful distance from the table.

Aria kept her head bowed, her heart hammering against her ribs.

She could feel the Alpha’s gaze sweeping over them, lingering just a second too long on the way they stood together.

Liam, your performance in the pits yesterday was the talk of the Council, the Alpha began, leaning back in his heavy chair.

You are perhaps the most lethal warrior this pack has produced in a century.

Your strength is an asset we cannot afford to see wasted or turned unstable.

Liam didn't flinch.

He stood like a statue, his hands clasped loosely behind his back. I serve the pack, Alpha.

I know you do, Silas replied, his eyes narrowing.

But a warrior without an anchor is a danger to himself and his people.

You are unmated, Liam. You have reached the age where your wolf’s aggression will only grow without a female to temper your fire.

We have waited for the moon to provide, but the moon is silent, and the pack cannot wait forever.

Aria felt a cold shiver of dread crawl up her spine.

She risked a glance at Liam, but his profile was an unyielding mask of stone.

To ensure the stability of our front lines, I am decreeing a Mandatory Courtship, the Alpha announced, his voice ringing with the finality of a death sentence.

You will begin a trial mating period effective immediately.

The air seemed to leave Aria’s lungs.

She reached out to steady herself against the edge of a bench, her knuckles turning white.

This was the nightmare she had feared, the one outcome she couldn't argue against without exposing their secret.

I have chosen a partner who matches your rank and your bloodline, Silas continued, gesturing toward the side entrance of the hall.

Elena, daughter of Elder Marek, come forward.

Elena was beautiful in a way that felt like a physical sting to Aria.

She was tall, with hair the color of spun copper and eyes that sparkled with a mix of triumph and genuine desire.

She walked with a grace that suggested she already knew her place at the Alpha’s table.

She stopped beside Liam, her shoulder nearly brushing his, and offered him a modest, flickering smile.

Elena is a skilled tracker and a daughter of our highest council, the Alpha said.

Her temperament will balance yours, Liam.

You will spend the next moon together.

You will hunt together, eat together, and learn if your souls can find a rhythm.

Liam remained silent for a heartbeat too long.

Aria could feel the internal struggle radiating off him, a dark, violent surge of rejection that made her own wolf want to snarl.

But then, he bowed his head with a mechanical precision that broke Aria’s heart.

I accept the Alpha’s decree, he said, his voice flat and devoid of the life that usually filled it when he spoke to her in private.

Good, Silas grunted, his gaze shifting to Aria. And Aria, as his sister and the one who knows his heart better than anyone, you will play a vital role in this transition.

You will guide Elena.

You will help her understand his moods and his needs.

It is your duty to see that your brother is well-matched and that this union succeeds for the good of the pack.

Aria felt like she had been slapped.

She had to stand there, her soul screaming in agony, and agree to help another woman steal the man who was her mate.

The irony was a jagged blade twisting in her gut.

She had demanded he act like a brother, and now the world was using that very lie to destroy her.

I understand, Alpha, she whispered, her voice sounding like it belonged to someone else.

It would be my honor.

The meeting was dismissed, but the torture was only beginning.

As they walked out into the bright morning sun, Elena didn't leave Liam’s side.

She tucked her arm through his with a proprietary air that made Aria want to howl.

Oh, Aria, I am so glad the Alpha chose us! Elena chirped, her voice bright and full of a hope that Aria wanted to crush.

I know Liam can be a bit... difficult to read. I’m going to need so much help knowing what he likes.

You’ll have to tell me everything. What is his favorite meal? Does he prefer the woods or the river?

Aria forced a smile that felt like it was tearing her skin.

She looked at Liam, but he was staring straight ahead, his jaw set so tight a vein was throbbing in his temple.

He was letting Elena touch him. He was letting her claim him.

He likes the quiet, Aria said, the words tasting like poison.

And he prefers the meat rare.

Elena giggled, squeezing Liam’s arm. Rare meat and quiet. I can do that.

Maybe we can all have dinner at your cottage tonight? You could show me how you prepare his favorite stew.

Aria felt the world tilting. The thought of Elena in their kitchen, standing in the space where she and Liam had shared their first kiss, was a level of agony she wasn't sure she could survive.

She looked at Liam, pleading with her eyes for him to say no, to make an excuse, to do anything to stop this.

Liam finally looked at her, his sapphire eyes dark with a cold, glittering anger that made her flinch.

If that is what the Alpha expects, then we should not delay, he said, his voice a low, dangerous vibration.

Aria will be happy to host you, Elena.

He didn't wait for her response.

He turned and walked toward the training grounds, Elena trailing after him like a bright, golden shadow.

Aria was left standing alone in the square, the heavy weight of the Alpha’s decree crushing the very air from her chest.

She spent the rest of the day in a trance of misery.

She went to the market to buy the ingredients for a dinner she didn't want to cook.

She cleaned the cottage until her hands were raw, trying to erase the scent of their night together before Elena could walk through the door.