LORD AKBAR'S CHOSEN SUBSTITUTE

ROSE’S POV

“Now, with the wish of the goddess, the two of you are now pronounced mates and legally married couple, till death do you part” the priest announced.

Ruby and Brian took each other’s hands and kissed.

The priest clapped and exited the room leaving the supposed couple, Ruby my twin sister and Brian, my mate to themselves.

Watching them from the window, I staggered back, my vision blurring. My heart slammed against my ribs — this could not be. Today was Ruby’s marriage to the man Dad chosed for her, she couldn’t be getting married to my mate in secret like this?

“Baby, we’re now pronounced husband and wife, no one can separate us” Ruby cooed like a baby and rested her head on his chest.

Brian looked very euphoric too as he patted her back, “Yes, we should hurry and elope now before someone comes”

I almost went insane with fury, are they both going mad or what? After I had arrived earlier, the groom she was supposed to marry was already waiting at the alter and all guests are there too, Dad asked me to bring her only for me to meet this?

I refuse to understand anything so I barged in without respecting their privacy.

“What are you guys doing!!” I yelled angrily making them jolt out of each other’s embrace.

Ruby’s grey eyes were frozen in fear and Brian look less concerned about my intrusion.

“Rose….” Her voice was soft and full of regret, and that’s all it takes to break me.

“Ruby, No you can’t…..” I whispered as I imagined what has already happened, given the disheveled state of the both of them and the attire they’re both wearing….. wedding outfit.

Brian walked forward nonchalantly, “Don’t you know how to knock?”

‘Sniff, Sniff’ Plastered all over him was Ruby’s scent and I looked up at him with shock, Ruby’s lipstick had strained his white suit.

“Don’t tell me… it’s… it’s true?”

~EARLIER THIS MORNING AT MY HOUSE~

“Arrrgh!” I yelled in pain as I tried walking out of my bed.

“Mmmm” the pain shot into my chest in a way I couldn’t explain. I must say I’d never felt such pain before.

So painful that I felt two lumps of tears rolled down my face in quick successions.

My chest tightened and clenched as if someone just ripped it off, I grabbed my door and screamed in pain.

“No!!!” I assure myself trying to get to the first aid kit.

“Rose you can do this” I persuade myself again as I took each steps towards the first aid kit.

Today is my twin sister’s wedding and nothing must jeopardize this day.

I gasped again, in horror when the pain shot down my abdomen.

This is so crazy man!

With such staggers, I got to the living room and grabbed the first aid.

I couldn’t tell, with which intensity I used to browse through the first aid kit and fetched the painkillers which I shoved down my throat.

Gulping it down with water, the pain subsided a little but the stinging pain couldn’t just disappear.

I could now stand properly and think straight, that’s when I heard my phone ringing.

“Hey Rose, we’re at your family house, where are you?” My friend’s voice asked just immediately as I picked the call.

“Oh I….”

“Come here fast!! The groom’s family has arrived”

“Oh okay…” I was about to end the call when I thought of asking Clara if she knew anything a the pain I’d felt just now. “Oh yes Clara, can I ask a question?”

“What?”

“Have you…..” I explained everything to her in details and my friend sighed,

“Rose, did you trust Brian?”

I squinted my eyes, “Brian? Why Brian all of a sudden?”

“Such pains only happen when your mate cheated on you or has marked another woman”

“What, how can…….” She didn’t let me complete my sentence before ending the call.

***

So I experienced that pain because my mate was cheating on me? Not just cheating on me but was wedding my twin sister?

“No…” I staggered back again, unable to control my tear gland, I broke into sobs.

Ruby came to me and grabbed my hands, the telltale sparks coursing through my heart and I cried the more as the pains intensified.

“Rose I’ve been in love with Brian before you met him” She started and I look at her, “After you guys became mates… We… We tried every option to tell you about us, but you never give us a chance”

“That’s why I never hold hands with you or even kiss you despite all your advances” Brian expressed in a disgusted tone that made me tremble and feel less of myself. “Ruby and I have been dating for three years now, and I met you last year? We didn’t device this plan until your Dad chose a groom for her, and I really love her so I wed her instead”

Ruby didn’t look justified, she looked broken and guilty, but that doesn’t mean I’ll accept this madness. I snapped my hand away from hers, “I don’t care!” I said, “Either you’re married or not, dating or not…Brian is mine and will always be mine because we’re both mates, sister go and marry the man Dad chose for you and then case closed!”

“Rose I can’t” Ruby’s voice broke into sobs and she tried grabbing me again but I stepped back.

“Don’t touch me!” I yelled. “You slept with the man I love and you called it dating?” I ask, swallowing down the burn of acid in my throat before continuing, “Weren’t you there the day I met him? Why don’t you talk? And I’ll have rejected him right instantly??”

“I never loved you! Infact, it was mine and Ruby’s plan that I play along with you and see what you’re really made of, but lucky you, we never even hold hands not to talk of having sex” Brian chuckled sinisterly, “It’s all a prank, A mere prank, don’t you fuckin understand?” Brian explained to me finally as he took a drag of the cigarette he’d just lit.

I looked at my twin sister in shock, she bowed her head in shame and tears that I couldn’t tell if it’s crocodile’s or real as they fall from her face uncontrollably.

“Sister you really did this purposely?” I demanded as each clots of trust in my heart melted into nothingness.

“I.. I’m.. I’m sorry. It was meant to be a prank, I mean we just.. just made a bet and you fall for him— I don’t want to break your heart so we..." she confessed slowly.

“You dare play pranks with my heart!!??” I angrily yelled and dashed her a retorting slap. “I loath the second we both came out of the same womb, Ruby. If I’m grateful for one thing that is, we’re not identical or else I’ll have scarred my face so I won’t have anything to do with you!”

Brian growled as he paced with the cigarette still hung on his lips, “But you never want to listen! All you do is to clung to me like a leech! So how will I tell you?”

Bile rose in my stomach as he said this, not even an ounce of regret from his voice? I angrily pushed past Ruby who still hold her cheeks and grabbed his collar, “Reject me now Bastard!!—End this pain and let me free!!”

To my surprise, Brian laughed sarcastically and yanked his collar from my grips, he raised his hand up his head and nothing like the mate bond appear. I fell on my butts immediately.

But he pulled Ruby’s hand and raised it up, and there, was the mate bond that should’ve been mine.

“I’ve rejected you Rose. Or did you think I’ll be comfortable with your sister despite being mates with you?”

“Ruby” I called out in a shaky voice, “You also know of this?”

More tears cascaded her face, “I don’t know it will come to this”

Unable to control my sanity, I flew up to my feet and bolt past them, “I’ll expose everything to Dad and everyone, I’ll make sure the two of you are beaten to death”

That being said, I made towards the door and was about to open it when a real desperate voice from Ruby stopped me.

“Rose….. I’m Pregnant”