The Differing Twin Princes

Very different brothers

Reagan POV

I groaned at my own reflection. Yet another ball, meaning yet another uncomfortable tux.

I hated these large gatherings. Whatever happened to the idea of finding your mate by chance? If you are destined to meet, then why is it necessary to hold a bloody ball to find them?

Every one of these affairs were the same, be it balls, dinner parties or cocktail evenings. The parents or older brothers of the unmated females would parade them around the room, waving them in front of mine and my family’s noses, hoping that their spoilt little darling may be fortunate enough to be mated to one of the royal family. Not once had anyone been successful in their efforts.

I plucked a tumbler of brandy from the bar and joined my brother. He was doing the same as he did at every one of these occasions; searching for his next victim. Skoll scanned the room, eyeing each girl carefully to see who would make the best bedpartner for the night.

I knew my brother’s main goal; bed the best looking girl in the room. It was like a routine to him, find them, sleep with them, then finally toss them out when he’d had his fill.

He had often tried defending his actions, but the truth was that he was just using his position to get laid. It was inappropriate and foolish on his part. His dishonourable behaviour was giving the royal family a bad reputation. Not to mention, goddess knows what hoops he would have to jump through when his mate found out he hadn’t waited to find her.

“Anyone catch your eye brother?” I queried, taking a sip from the amber liquid. “Or maybe you’ll find your mate tonight.”

I sniggered at the panicked expression on his face, when his head snapped in my direction.

“I f*****g hope not!” He groaned. “There are far too many women out there that need my attention first.”

My teasing was short-lived as I cursed a little too loudly.

“What’s wrong?” Skoll questioned, resting a wary hand on my shoulder.

My wolf, Con, was beginning to stir. I knew what was happening.

“There’s one here…” My breath became ragged, through excitement or pure terror I was not too sure. “One of my mates is here.”

Skoll let out a gruff chuckle, while clapping me on the back.

“Better you than me, brother…Better you than me. Now tell me who is the lucky girl?”

I scanned the room, picking up the scent of strawberries from the far side of the room.

“Over there.” I nodded in the direction, before taking slow steps towards the area where the fragrance was coming from, Skoll hot on my heels.

I could barely get a glimpse of her through the swarm of men that were gathered around her. She must be a true beauty to attract this amount of attention, I thought to myself; but she was mine.

Luckily, one of the males moved away, seemingly realising he didn’t stand a chance with such a woman. I took in the sight before me and I was far from disappointed. I should have been over there, staking my claim, inserting my dominance, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of her body. Long slender legs, a tight arse, delicate fair skin.

I was still admiring her figure when she turned. I didn’t even get a chance to see her face before she dropped into an overexaggerated curtsey.

“Prince Reagan…” Her voice held an abundance of confidence. “I am overjoyed to meet you.”

It was when her head raised and her brown eyes met mine that the spell broke for me, an arrogant, smug smile graced her cherry red lips, while her eyes practically flashed with pound signs. But it was the dark aura that surrounded her, I sensed that she was not to be trusted, that she would break my heart if I entrusted it to her.

My heart and more importantly my c**k were yearning for her, but the rationality of my mind was telling me she was a no-go. Like always, my logic had triumphed over my desires again.

I was next in line to the throne, I needed a mate who had a certain amount of modesty, who would support me through our life together, but I could sense that this woman would try to eclipse my presence at every opportunity that arose. She would only care for the power, prominence and prosperity that came with the title.

I prayed to the goddess for forgiveness. This woman may be my mate, but my senses were never wrong, she could never be my true mate. There was no way around it, I would have to man up and shatter all of her obvious dreams.

The glee on her face was swiftly replaced with nervous confusion as she noticed my hesitation.

“I am sorry, I was stunned by your beauty for a few seconds there…” I lied. “Your name? I didn’t catch your name?”

“Megan Sully, of the waning moon pack, Your highness…” Her smug grin returned. “But you may call me Meg.”

“I am sorry Megan.” I ignored her invitation. “But I have no other option, but this… I, Reagan Lycaon, future king of the Lycaon kingdom, reject you, Megan Sully, as my true mate.”

I stumbled back slightly when I felt the bond break, only to be caught by Skoll. It felt like the snap of an overstretched rubber band. Megan, however, felt it more. She collapsed to her knees, gasping for air while her hand clawed at her chest.

I couldn’t help the feeling of guilt that I felt, but the moon goddess would undoubtedly gift her with a second chance. I was sure that Selene would not give her descendants the opportunity to choose their own mate out of many, and leave the rejected ones with a lifetime of solitude. It seemed too unfair.

Would you mind? It took a minute to decipher what Skoll’s mind link meant, but of course he was once again thinking with his d**k.

All yours brother.

I had barely finished my sentence before Skoll had stepped around me and was offering my former mate his outstretched hand.

“Meg, are you OK? What am I talking about? Of course you’re not OK. Please let me make up for the pain that my brother has caused you.”

“Brother?” Megan rasped, the stars in her eyes returning. “You are the king of wolves’ son?”

“The very same…” He gave a dashing smile. “But people usually refer to me as Prince Skoll.”

No sooner had he muttered the words, had she placed her perfectly manicured hand into his and was allowing him to guide her away from my proximity.

I rolled my eyes as I took another sip from the glass in my hand, yet another pointless ball that was amounting to nothing.

“What did you just do?” I heard my mother’s irritated voice from behind me. “You just rejected that poor girl without a second thought!”

“She isn’t the woman for me.” I said simply, hoping my mother would give up nagging, but no such luck.

“How would you know that?” She hissed. “You barely even spoke to her. I was watching everything.”

The melting cubes of ice clinked against the glass tumbler, as I turned so suddenly to face my mother’s disgruntled expression.

“I didn’t need to speak to her to know she wasn’t right for me. If you had used your powers, and jumped into her mind, you would have realised her narcissistic character, you would have seen that she would have made an awful queen.”

“It’s just as well Skoll was here to comfort her.” She ignored my suggestion.

“Comfort her? You know as well as I do that he isn’t thinking about consoling her right now.” A chuckle escaped my lips. “Why do you turn a blind eye to his behaviour? Why aren’t you nagging him about finding his mate? He has one too, you know.”

“Because he is not the heir to the Lycaon throne, whereas you are. The kingdom will need a queen to rule by their king’s side.”

“Maybe so, but I will need to find a woman who is perfect for the role. A power-hungry she-wolf could make a dangerous queen, for both myself and the kingdom.”

“So what qualities are you searching for exactly? What would make the perfect queen in your opinion?” My mother asked, crooking her perfectly shaped brow.

“She would have to be modest to start, and selfless. I would require her to be trustworthy enough. I would need to know that she would never disclose any confidential matters to anyone else. She would be intelligent enough to aid me in making hard decisions concerning the kingdom, as well as with our own family. And then there is the obvious fact that she would have to look and carry herself in the correct way.”

“That is a lot to ask of a mate, Reagan. I think it will be difficult to find such a mate that will hold so many fine attributes.”

“Dad found them in you.”

“I will not lie to you, I had to adapt to the role.”

“But you are the ideal queen for this kingdom.”

“I am a selfish woman, I have never wanted to share your dad with anyone else, yet I have to share him with the entire werewolf population. Do you know how many people I have wanted to destroy because they have interrupted a private moment or someone has looked at him in an inappropriate way?”

“So how did you get over your jealousy?”

“Selene gifted me with two mates for a reason, Reagan. Whenever Gray feels my anger, he will always come to calm me.”

“Do you think Skoll and I will share a mate?” I anxiously pondered aloud.

“Goddess, I hope not. Brothers sharing a mate? Having to… with the same woman..?” My mother shuddered dramatically. “Even though you are half-brothers, it would still be wrong.”

“I don’t think I would want to share either.” I agreed with her horrified ramblings.