The Bride Games

The Two Brothers

Most of the men had left the lodge, probably preparing for the competition, but Lucas stayed back. He walked over to me and grabbed my arm, saying, “I’ll take you to the restroom to freshen up.” As I stood, Ava clung to me, and I knew I couldn’t leave her, so I took her with us. Lucas pushed me up against the wall and cupped my face. “I will win the honor of having you today. I love you, Ember.”

Ava looked at us with her mouth open in amazement and blushed, excusing herself to the other side of the room. “I’m worried about her, Lucas. She’s so young and not ready to be taken as a wife. Can you talk to your brother and ask him to wait to have her married?” “The council has deemed that all the women are within the age and capabilities to be mated.

I’m sorry, Ember. James is a good man, but once he has made up his mind about something, that’s the end. We have waited and prepared for you to come; the men are desperate to see this through. I will make sure whatever man claims her will take good care of her.” I look into his handsome face and hesitate before asking, “What if...you don’t win? I only want to belong to you. I’m scared.”

Lucas grabbed my waist, pulled me into his safe, broad chest, and laid sweet kisses all over my neck. “Oh, Ember, the only wolf that could beat my own is possibly my brother. I’ll tell him that I want you, and I’m sure he will pick another. We have a sacred connection that he cannot deny.” “Wait, what do you mean, wolf?” “We are not like other men, Ember; I told you that.

You will see it during the games. It’s hard to explain, but we are wolf shifters. Listen, I can’t stay much longer. I have to see my brother and talk about us; I’m sure he will understand. I believe he has a woman he wants, too. I’m just not sure who. Even if he did set his eyes on you, I’ll tell him how I feel, and I’m sure he will relent. We haven’t had much time to talk since you arrived, but he told me he picked his bride already, so someone else must have caught his eye. I didn’t think these games would mean anything to me, but now they mean everything. It means I can have you.” Lucas reached down and stroked my cheek sweetly, latching his lips to my own. Although fear of the unknown scared me, I knew I wanted him. I loved him. “I love you, Lucas. Be safe today.” “Just be ready for me to claim you; I have to go, my love.” Ava looked at me with confusion.

“Did you tell that man you loved him?” “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but it all happened so fast. He is a good man; I would stay with him even if we were set free. I hope that whatever man claims you today will be kind, and Lucas and I will look after you. If you want to leave, I will find a way to get you out of here; I promise I will do anything I can to protect you.” “And I’ll protect you too.” Ava smiled sweetly, wiped her tears away, and grabbed my hand. “I’ll be okay if I have you.”

Lucas-

“All the hard work we put in, and now it’s finally happening. We are going to rebuild and make good on the promise made to the warriors. Can you imagine a year from now having pups born? After all the suffering, we can give them hope again.” My older brother James clamped his hand on my shoulder and smiled. I have so much love for him after everything that has happened; he was my rock. He led us out of the darkness and gave us something to believe in again; he has given us a future. Seeing the pack have purpose again after all the pain is like a balm to all the suffering we endured.

I am excited to tell him about Ember. I can’t tell him about making love to her. He would be beyond pissed; I knew the rules; I just couldn’t help myself. How could I with the way she looked at me with trust and with that sinful body that had been untried? We weren’t allowed to claim any woman before the competition; it had to be about strength and fairness. I could only imagine the uproar if the men found out. He will understand when I tell him I think she’s my true mate. I know he believes in the mate bond, even if it is uncommon now.

We took the gifts the moon goddess gave us for granted; now, she rarely graces us with them. I will treasure the gift of my mate; the pull is so strong that I knew when she came into the room to be interviewed, her smell and her pale blue eyes drew me so powerfully. That’s why I followed after her; I sensed her being in danger when that f*****g psycho Ian put his hands on her. I can’t think about him now. It makes me murderous to know he’s touched her; if I had my way, he’d be dead, but my brother thought his being publicly whipped and excluded from the games was a fitting punishment.

He wanted the fact that he couldn’t compete for a wife and the shame attached, known by the other pack members. The shame of being deemed unworthy also serves as a reminder for the rest of the pack. Being excluded is a fate worse than death. At least with death, there can be honor and peace; Ian will be hard-pressed to find anyone who will accept him now. In truth, he will probably leave the pack, forced to make his own way in a world cruel to people like us. We were forbidden from hurting or claiming any women before the games. Only the council members may dull out punishment to the women, if necessary, before the games. I am guilty of laying claim to a mate; if I am unable to compete, I don’t know what I would do. Ember is so beautiful. Of course, someone else would try to take her; I can’t let that happen.

I am excited to share my love for Ember with James. I also wanted to hear about who he had chosen. After the interviews, he told me he had chosen someone, coming from him that was huge. When his wife and young son died in the attack, I thought he would never want another, and I am happy he is ready to try again. Any woman he chooses will be well-loved and safe.

I was lucky enough not to have a mate when the attacks happened, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t suffered a great loss. My body held the scars from that horrible night. I tried to save my brother’s family, but they were already gone by the time I got back to them. Rebecca was like a sister to me; we all grew up together. To be truthful, I wanted to claim her for myself, but when I saw she and James had grown close, I let go of those feelings, knowing my favorite people would be happy together. I felt satisfied in my own way seeing them live peacefully and start their family.

There were other beautiful women in our pack, but I never felt strongly for any of them. After our devastation, I felt fortunate that I had not yet chosen a mate. Even when we discussed and planned to bring the women here to rebuild, I was unsure if I would even want to participate. Now, I am bubbling over with excitement; I have never felt this giddiness before. “James, I wanted to talk with you about the games today; I found the woman I want to claim.” His face lit up with his big, toothy smile. I know my brother wants my happiness; he is my biggest supporter and friend. “I knew you would come around, brother. I know you didn’t like the idea of taking brides, but it is a common occurrence in other packs, and most of the women around here have such awful ideas about shifters, poisoned by their schools and families. This is definitely the way to move forward. It might take the women some time to settle in, but I know all will be right soon.

I also found a woman; she has a strength and beauty about her that has stirred something in me. I feel a pull towards her that I haven’t ever felt before. Anyway... enough about me, Lucas. Let me hear about the woman who has captured your attention.” “I love her brother, everything about her. She is so beautiful and brave that I want to protect her and see her stomach full of my child. Something clicked in me when I went to her after she was attacked. I have never felt this way before.” A low warning growl came from James, and his eyes flashed red. He kicked the table over and put his face inches from mine. “What’s her name?!”

“What’s going on, brother? Why are you...” Then it dawned on me that we had both wanted to claim Ember. We have both been sitting here pouring our hearts out about the same woman. He closed his eyes briefly and then stood straight with his chest puffed out. “Her name is Ember Black, and she will wear my mark by the end of the mating games.” James growled out furiously at my reply, “Ember is mine!” Both of us were on the verge of shifting, the brotherly ease now gone from the room. “If you want her little brother, you will have to fight me for her. I don’t think you have it in you to take over the Alpha position. Pick another, or I’ll destroy you.”

I take a deep breath and try to calm the rage burning inside me. This is not how I expected this conversation to go. I need to give him all the information, even if that means disappointing the person who has always been beside me. Ember and our life together are worth his wrath. I don’t want this to tear us apart, but I will not let go of her. “You can’t have her; she loves me. I’ve claimed her in all ways but one.”

“YOU MARKED HER?! How could you try to destroy what we have worked so hard to build?” “No, brother, I haven’t marked her, not yet.” Realization dawned on him. “How dare you touch what’s mine! I’ll kill you now before the games even start. I never thought you would betray me like this.” Titus opened the door to the room that we were in, looking around, clearly concerned that we were fighting.

“Everything okay in here, Alpha? The women are seated, and everything is set.” “Thank you, Titus. Everything is fine here; I was telling my brother about the woman I have chosen to bear my mark.” Titus looked between us brothers and nodded. Titus had known us all his life; he wouldn’t pry, but he definitely knew that everything was not fine. James and I almost never fought, at least not since we were children. I had no idea that this would turn out this way. I wanted my brother’s support and for him to share in my happiness, not try and take it from me. Why can’t he just pick someone else? Yes, Ember is beautiful, but so are a lot of the others.

She is my true mate; I know in the depth of my soul that I belong to her and her me. “We will deal with your betrayal later. Now I have a mate to claim.” James pointed his finger at my chest, putting himself in my space. “Back down, brother; if you don’t, I’ll kill you. If you were anyone else, you would already be dead. I can’t believe that out of everyone in this pack, you are the one to break the rules. I need you to remember who you are. You are the Beta of this pack, and with that comes enormous responsibility. You are lucky I don’t just ban you from the games today, but it would weaken me for everyone to know of your betrayal.” I fall to my knees, and the sweet joy I felt before turns sour in my mouth.

James-

Hearing my brother say he wanted Ember brought out a rage in me. Being near her since she was brought here has filled me with both peace and excitement. I instantly felt a strong pull toward her. Yes, she’s beautiful with her fiery hair, but it’s more than that. I see the queen in her quiet strength and a hunger for more of what life has to offer. When Rebecca and our beautiful son were taken

from me, I wanted to die along with them. I never thought I’d want another.

I knew she wasn’t my true mate, but I loved her and chose her. We grew up together and shared everything. With Ember, I see a future one I can build along with our pack. I know Lucas believes himself to be in love, but I can’t just give her up, not when I feel like my body is being electrocuted when I’m near her, not when I know she belongs to me. I left the room and looked at the arena fury radiating through my body. Nobody would take Ember from me; I had decided the moment I clamped eyes on her as she left the ship that she would be mine, even if I had to kill my own brother for her.

I saw my little brother fall to his knees as I left the room. I knew Ember was beautiful, but they had brought many beauties over on the ships. Why couldn’t my brother give her up? With resolve, he stood, followed after me, and said, “I will fight you for Ember even if it kills me. I gave up any feelings I had for Rebecca when I saw you wanted her, but I won’t with Ember. I love you, but Ember belongs to me.” I turned to him with a mix of rage, despair, and resolve and said, “We’ll see, won’t we.”