Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

RIVER

R iver sat at a large, highly polished wooden table. At one head seat sat Ares, and on the opposite side, Apollo sat in the head seat. River sat between them, with over five seats on either side of her. Across from her sat three older Lycans, all members of the Elder Council. The men stared at her, making her wolf pace uncomfortably.

"May I call you River, Highness?" asked one Elder.

"No," Ares and Apollo said together.

The tension in the air grew so thick that River didn't think she could have bitten through it with her fangs.

Her wolf whined, looking from Ares to Apollo and back again.

"Highness," repeated the Elder. "I am Osmodius, High Elder and uncle to Ares and Apollo. I welcome you to our lands and your new home."

River nodded and fiddled with the seam on her jeans.

"Highness, can you please try to explain what you are feeling?"

"Confused."

He nodded. "I'm sure you are. We all are."

"Is it even possible?" she asked. "That I could be both of their mates?"

Osmodius looked between the brothers and sighed. "It's… not unheard of, but it's exceedingly rare. But then, so are identical twins."

Ares slammed his fist into the table. "This is bullshit. She's mine. She said she's mine. I know she's mine."

Osmodius held up his hand. "I understand. But it is possible that you are not the only one she is right for."

"Tell them," Ares said. "Tell them you are mine, Beloved."

River looked at her hands. "It's true I did accept Ares."

"But he hasn't marked her," Apollo said. "That means the bond hasn't been completed."

River didn't like the pit that grew in her stomach as each moment passed.

"It's only because, due to my status, we knew that it was important to do things in the traditional manner," said Ares.

"But it hasn't been completed," Apollo said again.

Ares growled, and she glanced up at him. More than anything, she wished she could feel the comfort of his touch. As if sensing her distress, he stood and stepped toward her.

Apollo stood as well and growled. "Don't."

"Let's not get blood on your mother's favorite table, please," said Osmodius.

The brothers looked at each other, and then they both sat at the same time.

Identical faces. Identical mannerisms. Identical personalities. Great. Just great. River didn't now have just one overbearing Alpha to deal with; she had two. She just wanted to run away. To get on her motorcycle and ride back to New York.

Oh, wait. She didn't have her motorcycle. Dammit. Man… when her mom found out…

She sighed.

"I think there is only one good way to settle this," said Osmodius. "We must let Her Highness decide which mate to take."

She looked to Ares. He smiled at her in triumph.

Ares. She chose Ares.

"Wait!" Apollo yelled. "It's not fair. He's had an entire week with her. She doesn't know me at all. If you make her choose now, I don't stand a chance."

"Then I challenge you for her," said Ares.

"Wow!" said Apollo. "You are willing to give her up so easily, brother?"

Ares' fangs descended. "No. I'm ready to kill you to have her."

"Enough," said Osmodius. "The choice must be Her Highness's. But Apollo is right. To make her choose now would be unfair. Therefore, we will give her one month to decide. One month to spend with both of you and decide between you."

"That still gives him the advantage," said Apollo. "He's already had a week with her. Her bond with him is stronger. How can I compete with that?"

"If you don't think you can win her over, you can always relinquish your claim now."

"Not on your life," Apollo growled.

Osmodius looked at the other two elders, and they nodded.

"Very well. We will give Apollo one additional week to spend with her."

"Alone," said Apollo.

Ares jumped to his feet. "Absolutely not."

"What? Are you afraid that away from your Alpha-hole ways she might pick me?"

Ares grabbed the table's edge, and River could feel him hanging on by a thread.

"All right," she said.

All eyes turned to her.

"I'll do it. I'll spend time with Prince Apollo for four days."

"A week," Apollo corrected.

"Ares and I didn't spend a full week together in New York. He had meetings most days and was gone quite a bit." She wasn't about to tell Apollo or the elders that he'd moved into a different hotel room for four of the days and that she'd hidden from him for a day and a half.

"And she had a guard with her at all times. I want Zeke to go with them."

"No," said Apollo. "We'll take Silas and Bennett."

"No," Ares bellowed.

"Five days," said Osmodius. "You may pick which days-"

"Now," said Apollo. "Right now."

"She's just arrived and needs time to adjust," said Ares.

"Which is why it should be right now. Before she gets too cozy with you here at the estate." Apollo looked to Osmodius.

"I'd like Lachlan to come," River said. "Zeke and Bianca are trying to settle things back in the States so she can move here. I wouldn't want to take him away from her. But Lachlan… I would feel comfortable if he came." She hoped that her inference to how Apollo was taking her away so soon wouldn't go unnoticed.

"I would be honored," Lachlan stepped forward.

"Agreed," the other two said in unison.

"Where are you taking her?" Ares asked.

"Why? You gonna show up?"

"No. Because someone should know where she is in case you don't bring her back."

"We will make sure that he leaves the address with us," said Osmodius.

"Fine. But at least let her eat before leaving," said Ares. "She hasn't eaten in hours."

"We can get something on the way." Apollo stood. "And no need to pack; we can get whatever we need when we get there."

River's heart hammered, and her hands shook. They talked about her like she wasn't even in the room and that she wouldn't have. Yes, they may have just decided that she had to spend time with Apollo, but her life was still her own, and if she wanted to, she could just walk out the door and tell them all to screw themselves, and there was nothing they could do about it.

"I want to eat now," she blurted. "And change my clothes. And pee."

The men looked at her, and Osmodius nodded. "Of course, Highness. Take as long as you need."

"One hour," said Apollo.

"Two," she countered. "If I am about to go to an undisclosed location in a foreign country with a man I don't even know, the least you can do is give me two hours to prepare."

"Agreed," said one of the elders.

Her shoulders relaxed a fraction.

Osmodius looked at his watch. "Very well. Please be ready by five p.m., Highness."

Apollo burst from the room and disappeared. River waited until the three elders left before running to Ares and being swept into his arms. He kissed her head, and she held back a sob. Just when she'd gotten used to the idea of being his mate, she had to start all over again with someone else. It felt worse than cheating. Despite Apollo's pull on her wolf, she'd already made her choice.

"I don't want to go."

Ares kissed her hair again and pulled her even closer. "I don't want you to."

"Why do I have to go with him? Why can't they just let us be?"

Ares stiffened. "Because… He is the Alpha of Alphas."

She stepped back and looked up at him. "The what?"

Ares blew out a breath. "The Alpha of Alphas. When more than one Alpha is born into the pack, it falls on the oldest to take charge. He was given the title of Alpha of Alphas."

"But… you're twins."

"And he's five minutes older."

"Five minutes? Are you joking? They are basing all of this on five minutes?" The fate of her future came down to the fact that Apollo evacuated his mother's womb first.

"I am not the Alpha of Alphas. I am only second in line. Therefore, they have to give him a chance. They have no choice. Alphas need mates, and their mates need to bear pups. Apollo and I are way past the age where we should have found you. As much as I hate it with every hair on my body, they must give him a chance. If you are indeed his fated mate as you are mine, then not giving him a chance would go against everything we believe in."

"But… I don't want him," she whispered.

Ares cupped her face and kissed her. "Believe me, I don't want you to want him, Beloved."

* * *

ARES

Ares tried to keep from losing it in front of River. Just the thought of her alone in the company of another male, especially his brother, scared him more than words could describe.

His whole life Apollo had tried to take everything Ares cared about. Their father's affection. Then their mother's. And now his fated mate's.

They lay on his bed, wrapped in each other's arms, listening to the clock ticking on the wall. She'd not spoken in almost thirty minutes, and the tension in her posture told him everything he needed to know.

"Tell me something about yourself," she said into his chest. "Something… special."

Special? What was special about him?

He thought for a moment. "When I was young, I used to have a favorite blanket. I took it everywhere with me. One day, it disappeared. I was devastated. My mother had made me the blanket out of her nightgowns."

River squeezed him. "Do you know what happened to it?"

"I have a pretty good idea." Apollo.

A knock on the door pulled their attention, and Ares looked at the clock. Four fifty-five.

"Come," he called.

Lachlan opened the door and peeked inside. "It's time, Highnesses."

"We're coming."

His wolf snarled and paced in his chest so hard that every ounce of his body focused on not shifting.

"I should go," she said. "I don't want to make him mad."

Ares tipped her chin, so she looked at him. "Who cares if he does?"

"I don't want him to hurt you."

"If he hurts you in any way, I will kill him. Elders or no elders."

She gave him a sad smile and then slid off the bed. He rose as well, but she stopped him.

"No. I don't want you to see this."

"River-"

She ran to him, slammed her lips into his, and quickly broke away.

"I should have let you mark me. I should have asked you to last night."

His heart shattered at her confession, and he pulled her close. "No, Beloved. We both know that you would have regretted it later if you had. This is better."

Her eyes narrowed. "You don't mean that."

Did he? "I do," he finally said. "This way, when you choose me, there will be no doubt in your mind."