Of Rogues & Royals

Pressure

JANESSA POV

After an hour of rest, I was able to feel that both of my mates were in a deep sleep. I peeled myself out of their grasp and threw on a t-shirt and athletic shorts I found in their closet, tying the drawstring on the shorts tight. The shirt hung off me like a dress. Using a cloaking spell, I tip-toed out of their room and down the grand staircase and out the front door of the pack house. I wasn’t a very good witch, but I knew a few things to keep myself safe. My mother was waiting for me at the treeline, just as she promised.

Her black hair and matching purple eyes practically shone under the full moon. She lifted her arms out to me and I let her pull me into an embrace.

“How are they?”

“Delicious.” I smirked back.

“You lucked out that they weren’t actually mated to that Beta. Or anyone else in the pack for that matter.”

“I know, but I figured they would be destined for someone outside the pack. Forge alliances. But I was worried about the Beta girl.” Like I said, I may not be a very good witch, but I was smart. I had to be under my mother’s domineering and manipulative, watchful eye.

“Well then, you got what you wanted. Wait, why are you not marked?” Her disappointment ran thick in her tone as she forcefully jerked my head to each side, looking for the scar that should be decorating my neck already.

“They want to accept and mark me in front of the pack. They wanted to wait a week, but I told them I wanted it done tomorrow…”

“Good girl. We have to get all of this settled before Arista figures out what we’re up to.” Arista was our coven mother. But she hadn’t been around much the last eighteen years. She had found her mate- the old ex-Alpha King- and since then, they would jet off and honeymoon for weeks at a time. Making up for lost years, I suppose. But with her out of the way, my mother was hoping to make her play.

“We have very little time, Love. The spell is only good for a few days. And I don’t know how much of it they ingested.” She had cast the spell on a swarm of gnats that the boys walked through, creating a fake mate bond to me. It was dark magic, a spell that hadn’t been attempted in over a thousand years. But once they marked me, they would complete the process and they would never know it wasn’t genuine. What terrified me is that their grandmother was the Goddess herself, the creator and decider of mate bonds. We were in dangerous territory, but I’m praying that once the deed is complete- she will continue to stay uninvolved. We’ve done our research and it seems like she doesn’t come around often. So, I’m banking on that. But this is her family…so I’m eager to get this done before she rolls up and there isn't much she can do.

“It seems like the elder twin ingested more. He seems to believe it a little more fully than the younger. I’m trying to be careful, mother. But you’re right. We need to hurry the process along.”

“Or else you’ll be dead. Or worse, lose your chance at the crown.” I gave her a sharp side eye. My mother had a darker and far more intricate ulterior motive. She wanted control, and in order to get it- she needed Arista out of the way. But the only way around Arista was from above. So, she was using me as her chess piece. I didn’t care. All I wanted was mind-blowing s*x and power for the rest of my life. I had a liking for the finer things and if I was going to get them, I was going straight to the top of the food chain. And it was so close I could taste it.

“I need to go…”

“Go. Don’t get sloppy. Make them want you and finalize it in the next twenty-four hours, Janessa. Do not disappoint me.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“And get some f*****g clothes, child.” With that she was gone in a literal flash of purple.

I took a moment of quiet to curse under my breath and pull at my hair, clenching my teeth until it hurt. She was such a b***h, but she was all I have. Well, had. Now I have my mates and I needed to get things tidied up before the rest of his family is onto me. Their mother was a little too inquisitive earlier and it made me uneasy. Ugh….if I f**k this up, I am dead. Literally, dead. No time for mistakes.

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CODY POV

I woke up to Janessa’s scent filling the room. It really was addictive. I trailed my fingers over her bare back just to feel the sparks of the bond again. They were there, I hadn’t imagined it. But what was holding me back? What was that pain that shot through my brother last night?

It was strong enough for me to register it... and it f*****g hurt like a b***h. Almost like we had been run through with a blade or arrow. But it was fleeting. I was shaken, so I didn’t even attempt to take my turn with Janessa, even though I wanted it….badly…and I’m sure she’ll want to complete our bond today. She was pretty adamant last night.

My brain just can’t seem to register something. It’s like my wolf and I are trying to make sense of things, but there is a fog or a block on reason. It was infuriating when I sensed it, but I just couldn’t seem…. to… Wait. What was I thinking about? f**k.

Janessa…that’s right. My mate.

I stood and Janessa cuddled into Colby at the loss of my contact. I couldn’t help but admire her. She really was stunning with her rich, dark hair and sharp features. I jumped in the shower quickly to head down and make coffee for my new mate. Maybe Colby is right. We just need to complete the process and everything will be as it should be.

I met Ms. Boudreaux, our head of kitchen, already fast at work. I helped out as best as I could, stocking the buffet line with clean plates and silverware before she shooed me off with a tray of fresh French-pressed coffee and an assortment of muffins to take upstairs. I gave her a heads up that we would have a gathering this evening before dinner to publicly accept our mate. She pinched my cheek and congratulated me, promising she’d have everything taken care of. She always did. I loved and respected that woman. She was as much a part of our family, and I couldn’t help but give her a hug before rushing back upstairs.

Uncle Thatcher was on the stairwell, and it seemed like he hadn’t slept at all. He looked like absolute s**t and barely saw me even though I was two feet away.

“Uh…hey Uncle Thatch. You okay?”

“Oh, hey Cody. Sorry, bud. Long night. Yes….yes I’m fine.”

“Is Ainsli alright? Did everything work out with her….you know.”

“Her mate. Yes, she has accepted Aarick. It’s tough on a father, Cody. But he is rogue. We have a lot to discuss with your dads. I just hope they’ll be open to hearing him out.”

“They will be. Ainsli is family to us. And if there are wolves that need our help, they’ll listen. And if they won’t, mom will make them.” Thatcher’s laughter filled the hall.

“You’re absolutely right about that.” He turned to head back toward the kitchens. “And Cody?” He stopped and I looked back, working not to spill the coffee balanced on the tray. “I am sorry. I know we all thought….and maybe hoped…. but it just wasn’t meant to be.”

“Thank you, Uncle Thatch. You’re right. It just wasn’t meant to be.” I gave him a small smile and turned back to my quest. I thought back to Ainsli’s face yesterday morning at breakfast. How my heart stopped when I saw her. How I loved her….

My grip on the tray shook. Again, it was that love that I was missing for Janessa. Why didn’t I love her?

I could tell my brother was up and moving before I even got to the room. I felt him open a link with our parents informing them of the ceremony we wanted to hold today.

Would have been nice to talk with him first before informing our parents….but…okay…ass. I guess I had done the same with Ms. Boudreaux.

I walked into the room and Colby had just come out of the shower, a black towel wrapped around his waist. Janessa was sitting up in the bed with the sheet pulled up over her chest. Biting her lip at the two of us entering the room.

“Well, I’ll be happy to wake up to this every morning.” My brother and I shared a sly look, my d**k already twitching in response to her scent and the way she boldly raked her eyes over each of us.

She instructed me on how to fix her coffee, light cream, no sugar. Colby dressed and answered the door. Our sister, Camila was delivering some clothes for her new sister-in-law to borrow until we could have her things delivered here.

Janessa made a face at the jeans and t-shirts Camila had provided but laughed it off as normally being a dressy kind of girl.

“Well, we have rounds out at the farms today. You’ll definitely be more comfortable in these.” Colby tried to appease her.

She took a bite of her muffin and practically spit it back onto the plate. “Blegh. Ugh, seems like I’m going to have to help you find a new cook.”

I couldn’t help the growl that escaped my lips. Ranger was now up and pacing angrily in my head. How could our mate be so ungrateful? I took her muffin and shoved the entire thing in my mouth and ate it in one bite. Poppy seed. And it was f*****g delicious.

Colby cleared his throat and announced that he would get the shower running for our mate. She crawled over the bed toward me, and pressed her naked form up against my back. I could feel her bare t**s pressing through the thin fabric of my shirt, and she ran her tongue up over my neck, nibbling lightly at my ear.

“I can’t wait to ride you next, Cody. Maybe you can join me in the shower? See how quickly we can steam up the room?” I couldn’t help but lean into her and moan at the way her lips felt on my skin, but Ranger was shaking his head violently in my mind again.

“Mmmm…as wonderful as your offer is, Little Mate, I need to get everything situated for tonight. We’ll have plenty of time to steam things up after that. Enjoy your shower. I’ll see if I can find an outfit more to your liking.” She gave me another sly grin and pecked me on the cheek before strutting her naked form through the room and into the bathroom, where I could hear her make a similar offer to my twin.

Moments later, he joined me in our room. He looked defeated.

“My chest still f*****g hurts.” He rubbed the spot with force, as if he was trying to remove the ache with pressure.

What if she’s not our mate? I whispered through link, unsure if I should speak the words aloud.

She’s our mate, Cody.

I shook my head. I don’t know if I believed it yet.

We need to complete the process. I got the pain when I didn’t mark her. I think the bond is being stressed. Once we accept her and mark her, everything will be perfect.

I don’t think I love her, Colby.

I know. But love comes as we get to know her.

I shook my head again. That wasn’t real.

I don’t even think I like her, dude. I don’t know if I can do this.

Do what you want, Cody. But I’m accepting her and marking her today. Our mate is a blessing from the Goddess, and we cannot disrespect her that way.

But what if she’s not?

He looked at me as if I had twelve heads. I put my hands up, before running them over my face and staring at the ceiling again.

Colby sighed, hard. And pressed his hands into the wall before resting his forehead against his knuckles.

Listen man, I get it. I’m feeling the same way….

THEN LISTEN TO ME… I was practically shaking at the stubborn idiocy that was my brother.

Stop, Cody. Stop. We’ve loved Ainsli for as long as we can remember. I think we just don’t know how to love someone else. And it isn’t fair to Janessa that we had our sights set solely on another woman. We can’t do that to her.

Goddess. f***k. He was right.

Alright. Tonight. We’ll make it official. The words felt wrong, even in my head.

Colby nodded, gripping my shoulder before I pulled him into a hug. I still just couldn’t shake the feeling of fog from my mind.

We made it through breakfast before heading out on our rounds. We needed to visit the farms to the northwest of our pack grounds today. We left for Aysteria, my father’s fae Kingdom, next week for our monthly check in. We would spend a few extra days there, as a holiday, to celebrate our birthdays.

Our family was rather complicated. We all lived at the Blue Harvest Moon pack. My biological father, Alpha Ryker, was pack Alpha here, but he also ruled over the fae kingdom as one of the last remaining royal bloodline, other than my aunt Celeste, his cousin. She was mated to our Gamma, the vampire Elliott, who I secretly adored. He was a proper smart ass. We shared a similar sense of humor, but our rivalry was way more fun.

My other father, Alpha King Jacob, was Colby’s biological father. He and my mother ruled over the entire kingdom and those we had alliances with across several different realms. Inclusive of the vampire realm of Belle Montagne, the sea wolves in several packs across the oceans, and a few different witch covens spanning across four realms. There were still many supernatural species we were unaware of, but slowly and surely - they were all reaching out, deeming my parents worthy leaders, and committing themselves to peace and acceptance.

My mother was a prophecy, The Beloved. Her goodness was destined to rule over the supernatural species of our world. My fathers, both Ryker and Jacob, were made stronger by being mated to her. They were a dynamic trio that literally rewrote the expectations and culture of our world as we knew it. Supernaturals flocked to them at every turn. They were immortal. We were immortal. So, they would remain in power as long as they willed it.

However, for Colby and I, being their eldest sons. That s**t was a lot of pressure.

We headed out for our rounds, our little sister Camila being assigned to Janessa duty. We’d be close by, obviously, but it would be good for our mate to get a sense of our family bond.

But Camila is a spit fire. So I’m not sure who I’m more worried about. My mate. Or my sister.