Mated To The Wrong Twin

Amara's POV Look, let’s just get one thing straight from the jump.. this day was a certified s**t-show! The kind of day that makes you want to punch a wall and then apologize to the wall for getting blood on it. That was me.. Amara.. the apologetic wall-puncher. And the kicker? It was my eighteenth birthday.. the big one.. the night I was supposed to get mated, find my other half, my ride-or-die wolfy soulmate. You know, the whole shebang. Instead of being pampered and prepped for the biggest night of my life, I was playing fetch-for-my-parents. It was like my birthday was a national holiday for everyone but me. My internal monologue was running a mile a minute as I practically flew through the pack grounds. Okay, Amara, don’t panic. You just had to pick up Mom’s “special” dry-cleaning from the other side of the territory. And then Dad’s “urgent” package from the post office. And then find Brielle’s “favorite” hair clip that she “absolutely couldn’t mate without.” Which, newsflash, I found under her bed.. she probably kicked it there. I was running so fast my lungs were screaming. I dodged an old lady carrying a pie. “Sorry, Mrs. Gable!” I yelled over my shoulder, not even stopping. “Watch where you’re going, you clumsy pup!” she shouted back. “I know, I’m so sorry!” I called back. See? Apologizing to everyone. It’s my default setting. I nearly plowed into a group of warriors. “Coming through! So sorry!” One of them grunted. “Jeez, Amara. The mating ceremony isn’t until tonight. Chill.” If I had the breath, I would have explained that for some of us, chilling wasn’t an option. The sun was already starting to dip and the ceremony was in, like, an hour. I still had to shower, do my hair and put on my dress… crap, crap, crap! I finally skidded up to our house with my heart pounding against my ribs like it wanted out. I burst through the front door, expecting to be met with frantic energy, maybe a “There you are!” or even an “Oh, thank the Moon Goddess!” What I got was a room full of silent, disapproving stares. The whole freaking family was there. Mom, Dad and my twin sister, Brielle. And they were all just… looking at me. Like I’d just tracked mud all over their perfect lives. And Brielle. Oh, man. Brielle. She was standing in the middle of the living room like she was already on stage. She was wearing this stunning deep blue dress that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe and it shimmered under the lights. Her makeup was flawless... smoky eyes, perfect red lips, not a hair out of place. She looked like a goddess. She was smiling this smug little smile that made me want to sneeze on her dress. My mom was the first to break the silence. “Amara. Finally. You cut it awfully close.” “I’m so sorry,” I gasped, still trying to catch my breath. “The post office was closed, and then...” “Excuses are like assholes, Amara,” Brielle cut in, not even looking at me as she admired her reflection in a handheld mirror. “Everyone has one, and they all stink.” In my head, I had a comeback. Well, yours must be a real septic tank, then. But out loud? I just said, “You’re right. Sorry. I’ll go get ready.” My dad shook his head. “You knew how important today was for your sister. The least you could do is be on time to support her.” For your sister.. That’s what he always said. Everything was for Brielle. See, we’re twins, but not identical. Where I’m all soft edges and quiet words, Brielle is sharp angles and louder-than-a-fog-horn opinions. My parents think her rudeness is “confidence.” They think her vanity is “self-assurance.” She’s the golden child and I’m the… beige child.. the one who blends into the wallpaper. I just nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I know. I’m sorry.” I didn’t wait for another lecture. I dashed to my room and hanging on the back of my door was my dress. It was simple.. very simple.. kind of a sad pale yellow color and it looked like something a maid would wear to a wedding, not what a girl would wear to her own mating ceremony. But it was clean and it was mine. I got ready in record time with no fancy makeup. I just brushed my hair and let it fall down my back. I slipped into the dress and looked in the mirror.. and I smiled. It was a dorky, genuine, happy smile. Because despite the cheap dress and the lack of makeup, I knew the truth. I was prettier than Brielle. Everyone knew it. She had to cake on the makeup to look good. I just… woke up like this. It was the one little secret victory I had. *** We arrived at the pack house just as the ceremony was about to begin. The place was packed and the air was buzzing with excitement and energy. I stuck close to my family, feeling like a plain sparrow next to Brielle’s glittering peacock. The Moon Goddess’s priest stood at the front and as usual, he gave a speech about destiny and bonds and the moon’s eternal wisdom.. the usual stuff while my heart was doing a tap dance in my chest. “Let the bonds snap into place!” the priest finally announced. “May the Moon Goddess bless her children tonight!” For a second, nothing happened and then, a girl to my left gasped. Her eyes locked with a guy across the room and they both smiled this goofy lovesick smile and moved toward each other as the crowd cheered. Then it happened again.. and again. All around me, pairs were finding each other with the sound of happy applause filling the air. I stood there with my hands clenched together. How would I know? What would it feel like? I was told I’d just… know. And then, I did. It was like a live wire suddenly connected my soul to another. A jolt of electric energy shot through me and it was warm and thrilling and terrifying all at once. My head snapped up with my eyes searching the crowd on the other side of the room, pulled by an invisible string.. and I found him. Oh. My. Goddess. Caspian..! Prince Caspian..! Future Alpha of the Silverwood Pack.. the guy whose face I pictured when I finger banged my p***y, squirting countless of times each night! The guy I’d doodled my name next to in my notebook since, like, forever. Tall, built, with dark hair and eyes that could make a girl forget her own name. It was him. My mate was him..! A gasp escaped my lips. This was it. This was the moment. All the crappy errands, all the insults, all of it was worth it for this. I was mated to a prince! And he felt it too. I saw the recognition flash in his incredible eyes and he smiled. It was a slow breathtaking smile that was meant for me.. just for me. He started walking toward me. My feet moved on their own.. I was floating. I was walking on sunshine and I couldn’t stop the deliriously happy smile spreading across my face. This was really happening. I even started to lift my hand, ready to take his. He got closer and his eyes were right on mine but then he walked right past me! He didn’t even break stride.. he just put a hand on my shoulder and shoved me aside like I was a inconvenient curtain in his way. I stumbled with my perfect fantasy shattering into a million confused pieces. I watched with my heart stuttering to a dead stop in my chest as Prince Caspian walked up to my sister. He took Brielle’s hands in his and he beamed at her like she was the only girl in the world. “Brielle,” he said, his voice full of awe. “My mate.” The pack erupted and the applause was deafening. Whistles and cheers echoed through the pack house. It was the loudest it had been all night. It was the future Alpha and the perfect, golden Brielle.. a storybook match. I just stood there, shoved to the side, completely and utterly alone. I looked around and every single other person had found their mate. I was the only one left standing alone in the middle of the floor. My mind went completely, utterly blank and the only thought that managed to fight its way through the static was a silent, screaming scream. What the actual f**k, Moon Goddess?!