PROMISED TO HIM, TAKEN BY THEM

CHAPTER 4 - THE MATE BOND

Nadia

“What do you mean decide who our next ruler would be?” Asher was on his feet and his rage was visible from across the room. “I am the next in line to the throne. The heir to my father’s kingdom!”

I could feel the tension in the twins too, but I couldn’t turn towards them because I was trying to convince myself that none of this was real.

“Calm down Asher.” Elder Fabian spoke in a strict tone. “I am speaking based on the instructions of your father.”

After Asher sat down and the room had settled, he continued to speak.

“Yes Asher, you are the next in line to the throne. But you know well that it comes with the condition that Nadia is your mate.” He paused to let it sink in. “Nadia is mated to your brothers, and according to Alpha Alaric, as long as Nadia is the luna to his heir, that heir shall rule.”

I gasped, realizing what he was saying. I had never once assumed I would be mated to the twins, so I didn’t ever consider them being heirs.

“According to the prophesy, Nadia’s powers are necessary for the greatness of our kingdom, and we don’t know how many more years it would take for the goddess to choose her to be your mate, Asher.” He held up his finger to stop Asher from interrupting. “However, we agree that you are the one who is most fit to rule, and we are willing to gamble this situation.”

My head was spinning as I realized that they were deciding who I ended up with without my opinion on the matter, and that there was nothing I could do about it.

“Nadia’s powers would only grow when she fulfills the mate bond, and that is what would make our kingdom greater than that of our rivals, so her being mated to royalty on her first mating ceremony is a chance we don’t want to easily throw away.” He began walking around the room. “Yes, the twins are mostly incapable when it comes to matters of the kingdom, and they have never once achieved anything for the benefit of the kingdom, but these are things they can learn. And even if Asher is the greatest fit for king, him not being mated to Nadia automatically disqualifies him in normal circumstances.”

Caspian got up with a groan.

“So, what the hell are you saying, old man?”

Elder Fabian laughed lightly before speaking.

“We are saying that if Asher can prove that without the mate bond, he can be a better ruler than you two who have the mate bond, he will rule.”

“No.” I stiffened as I heard Zane whisper it beside me.

“But if you two can prove that you can be great rulers and use Nadia’s powers for the greatest good of the kingdom, you two will rule.”

“I do not want this!” Zane stood up with rage, but Elder Fabian spoke over him.

“I invoke the New Year Crown trials!”

Everyone in the room went dead silent. We all knew that once the crown trials were invoked, there was no going back.

The only sounds I could hear were the heavy breaths of Zane and Caspian beside me, and most likely through the mate bond, I could feel the anger brewing up inside me.

Caspian kicked the chair behind him before walking out of the room, but Zane stayed behind and sat down silently. Other people might have thought he had calmed down, but I could feel the rage through the link.

“Zane, we are giving you and Caspian a few days to prepare for the New Year Alpha trials, and I will coach you on how you could win so you can have an equal standing with Asher who was going to do this alone before and has been trained all his life for it.” He turned to Asher. “Do you have any complaints?”

Asher looked more amused than annoyed, because he knew his brothers too well, and one thing about them was clear to everyone – they didn’t want a hand in matters concerning the throne, and a few days was not enough for them to master the ways of the grueling trials.

“I accept.” He winked at me covertly, but unlike before, I did not feel any butterflies.

“Then it is settled.” Elder Fabian went on to discuss more matters of state before adjourning the meeting.

As everyone trailed out of the room, I sat there silently, trying to make myself wake up from what suddenly seemed like a nightmare.

“Nadia, can we talk?”

I looked up and saw Asher holding his hand out to help me up. Smiling softly at him, I began reaching out to accept his help, but right as I was about to put my hand in his, I felt a daunting feeling in my chest that made me pause.

“What do you need to talk to her about?” Zane asked the question with so much venom in his tone.

Asher looked at me quizzically before turning back to Zane.

“And since when did you speak for her?”

Zane got up and stared him down as he replied.

“Since when I became her mate.”

A part of me felt good about his protection, but then I remembered who he was and snapped out of it immediately.

“You do not speak for me Zane.” I took Asher’s arm and walked out of the room with him even though every part of me was screaming at me to turn back and stay with Zane.

Immediately we reached the orchard, I silently pulled my arm away from him. It felt too wrong for me to keep on doing it when I was not being watched.

“What is it Asher?” I avoided his eyes.

“You didn’t reject them yesterday.” He paused, but I didn’t speak. “If you did, we wouldn’t have to go through this, you know?”

I sighed and groaned before finally sitting on the large root of a tree. He stared at me for a moment before sitting beside me.

“Asher, I am sorry.” I ran my right fingers through my hair. “Yesterday was a lot, and with how fast everything moved, I passed out before any decisions could be made.”

He reached out to adjust something on my face, and I involuntarily flinched, but he simply paused for a second before carrying on and moving the hair back into place.

“Do you remember what happened last year before I rejected Leah?”

I flinched as the memories of him planning to run away with her after telling me I was nothing other than a forced burden came running through my head.

“Who could forget that?” I laughed dryly.

“Once again, I am sorry for almost becoming your runaway prince, but that wasn’t me, I swear.” He rose his arms up in surrender. “That was the mate bond speaking.”

I laughed as I mindlessly threw a stone into the pond.

“Nadia, I never told you this, but it was actually Leah who rejected me. I didn’t have the heart to do it, and I don’t know what my father told her, but she did it, and once the bond was broken, I returned to my senses.”

That was a big piece of information to leave out.

“I understand you, really. The mate bond will make you feel like everyone and everything else other than your mate – or mates – is trash, and sadly, I’m a part of the extra things now.”

I winced as he indirectly called himself trash, but I was grateful he understood.

“So, Nadia, for you, I would actually just go through this New Year Crown Trials of a thing, just so you are forced to reject them. I would never force you to do that on my own, because I know how cruel it can be in the moment.” He bumped into me playfully, and I smiled a bit. “But could you at least promise me one thing?”

“What?” I looked at his sad smile and felt a bit guilty.

“Don’t tell my brothers my secrets, and don’t give them tips based off my practice sessions.” He laughed and brought out a pinky. “I don’t want you helping them cheat off me. Deal?”

I laughed and locked my pinky with his.

“Deal.”

He got up and did a fake jubilation sequence that made me laugh a bit harder until I was clutching at my sides, then he sat beside me to silently watch the fish swim in the pond.

“Thank you, Ash.” I whispered, grateful that at least one thing felt almost normal.

“Shh, you’ll spoil the show.” He playfully nudged me, but I understood what he meant.

We needed to enjoy whatever was left of our normal before the trials began, and even if he was most likely going to win, he needed something to hold on to for now – something as mundane as this.