Seducing My Ex’s Twin

Episode4

Chapter 4: The Weight of the Bond

ROSE POV

The first thing I felt was the warmth.

For years, my life had been defined by the cold—the cold stone of the servant’s quarters, the cold dismissal in Leo’s eyes, and the biting winter wind of the courtyard as my blood spilled onto the floor. But this was different. I was wrapped in something so soft it felt like a cloud, and the air around me smelled like expensive cedarwood, rain, and something heavy and masculine.

I opened my eyes slowly, my body screaming in protest. The memory of the whip came rushing back—the sharp c***k, the heat of the leather, and the sound of Leo’s laughter. I gasped, trying to sit up, but a large, heavy hand gently pressed against my shoulder, pinning me back into the plush mattress.

"Stay still, Little One," a deep, rumbling voice commanded. "Your back is still healing."

I blinked, my vision clearing. I wasn't in the dungeon or the courtyard. I was in a room that looked like it belonged to a god. The walls were made of dark glass and black marble, and a massive window showed the twinkling lights of the kingdom below. Standing over me were the twins. Malachi and Maverick.

They had stripped off their suits. Malachi wore a black silk shirt unbuttoned at the top, while Maverick was shirtless, his chest covered in scars and powerful muscles. They were looking at me with an intensity that made my heart race. It wasn't the fake, sweet look Leo used to give me. This was something darker. Something possessive.

"Where am I?" I whispered, my voice sounding like broken glass. "Why am I here?"

"You are in the penthouse," Maverick said, his voice a low growl. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a bowl of warm water and a soft cloth. "And you are here because you belong to us."

The word belong made me flinch. I thought of Leo. I thought of how I had given him everything, only for him to call me a thief and a stalker. I looked at the two giant men in front of me—men who were wealthier, stronger, and far more terrifying than Leo ever was.

"I don't understand," I cried, tears pricking my blue eyes. "I’m an Omega. I’m wolfless. I’m a servant who was just whipped in front of the whole world. Why did you say that word? Why did you call me your mate?"

Malachi stepped closer, his face like stone. "The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes, Rose. Our wolves recognized you before our eyes even saw you. Your blood is blue, even if you can’t shift yet. You are the other half of our souls."

I shook my head, my hair spilling over the silk pillows. "No. No, it’s a mistake. Leo said I was his soulmate for two years. He used me. He let them hurt me. The mate bond... it’s just a lie people tell to keep girls like me quiet. I don't want to be a mate. I don't want to be a trophy."

A dark shadow passed over Malachi’s face. He leaned down, his face just inches from mine. I could see the gold flecks in his dark eyes. "Do not compare us to that coward," he hissed. "Leo is a boy playing with a crown he doesn't deserve. We are Kings. And we don't use what is ours. We protect it."

Maverick didn't say anything, but he moved closer, his hand dipping the cloth into the warm water. He gently moved the silk sheets away from my back. I hissed in pain, but his touch was incredibly light. He began to dab the dried blood from my skin, his movements so tender it made me want to sob.

"The bond feels like a trap to you because you’ve only known cage-builders," Maverick whispered, his eyes fixed on my wounds. "But for us, it’s a tether. We’ve spent ten years in the cold, Rose. We’ve fought and killed to build our name. We thought we were coming back for a throne. We didn't know we were coming back for a heart."

I lay there, frozen, as they tended to me. Malachi took a jar of shimmering green ointment—something that smelled of ancient herbs and magic—and began to rub it into the lash marks. As his fingers moved over my skin, a strange, tingly heat spread through my body. It wasn't just the medicine. It was them. Every time they touched me, a spark of electricity shot through my veins, making my toes curl.

For the first time in my life, I felt the spark of the bond. It wasn't a soft, romantic glow like the storybooks said. It was a roar. It was a primal, hungry thing that wanted to reach out and pull these two men even closer. It scared me. It scared me because I was so small and they were so big.

"Leo will come for me," I whispered, my eyes wide. "The Empress... she hates me. She’ll find a way to finish what she started."

Maverick let out a dark, mocking laugh. He stood up, his tall frame blocking out the light. "Let them try. Leo is a dead man walking. He just doesn't know it yet."

Malachi finished applying the ointment and pulled the silk covers back over me, but he didn't move away. He sat on the other side of the bed, trapping me between them. The air was thick with their scent—the smell of a coming storm.

"Listen to me, Rose," Malachi said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, silky tone. "We didn't just save you from a whip. We saved you from a world that didn't deserve you. Tomorrow, the kingdom will wake up to a new reality. They think they can treat a Blue-Blooded girl like a dog? They are about to find out what happens when you touch the mate of a Thorne King."

He reached out and traced the line of my jaw with his thumb. The touch was electric. "We are declaring war. Not just for the crown, but for you. Anyone who mocked you, anyone who laughed while you bled, anyone who laid a finger on your skin... they are already dead. We will burn this palace to the ground and build you a throne from the ashes if that’s what it takes to see you smile."

Maverick leaned in from the other side, his lips brushing against my ear. "You think you’re a powerless servant? By the time we’re done, you’ll be the most feared woman in the UK. We’re going to mark you, Rose. We’re going to put our scent so deep into your skin that even the stones of this palace will know you belong to us."

I looked from Malachi to Maverick, my heart pounding. I saw the truth in their eyes. They weren't lying. They weren't playing a game. They were Alphas who had found their prize, and they were ready to kill the world to keep it.

For a moment, the fear of Leo and the Empress faded away, replaced by a new, terrifying heat. I looked at the two men who were supposed to be my stepbrothers—men who were now my mates, my protectors, and my Kings.

"What happens now?" I asked.

Malachi leaned down and pressed a firm, possessive kiss to my forehead. It felt like a seal. "Now, you sleep. And tomorrow, we show Leo exactly what he threw away."

Maverick leaned down and kissed my neck, right over the spot where his mark would soon go. "Tomorrow, the hunting starts. And we’re starting with everyone who stood in that courtyard."

As they pulled me into their arms, sandwiching my small body between their massive, warm frames, I felt a strange sense of peace. For the first time, I wasn't sleeping in a cold servant’s bunk. I was in a fortress. I closed my eyes, the scent of rain and cedar pulling me into a deep, dreamless sleep, while the two Kings of Silverfang watched over me like dragons guarding their gold.