Chosen Bride of the Seven Dark Princes

Jason narrowed his eyes in disbelief.

Since when did all this come about? He had always been regarded as just one-half of a twin Prince.

Half the people he met couldn't even tell the difference between him and Jared. The other half didn't care who was who as long as he and Jared delivered to them the clothes and jewels they ordered.

He had only extended his offer of help to Anaïse because she looked so sad and pathetic. What in the world did it have to do with her being his bride?

Couldn't he just do something nice for someone without getting misunderstood that he was going after them?

Jason pursed his lips. This marriage proposal was a complete non-starter.

He was a married man, for crying out loud!

Jason was about to turn her down flat when Candace jumped off Jared's arms and faced Anaïse, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Never EVER mistake kindness for infatuation. Prince Jason is not available, and furthermore, he is not interested in you."

"Candace," Anaïse's eyes softened. "I know you and I have not had much interaction, but I'd like to get to know you better. We will be sisters-in-law in the future and I'd like for us to be friends."

Candace shook her head. "There is absolutely no way we can be sisters. I don't have a brother you can marry."

"No, I meant you will be married to Jared and I will be married to Jason." Anaïse reasoned with a tolerant tone of voice. "We will be sisters to twin brothers. We should try to get along."

Jason opened his mouth, about to retort to Anaïse's insistence of their impending marriage.

Again, Candace held up a hand holding him back. This was her cat fight. He didn't need to involve himself.

She had to be very clear with Anaïse about the situation between her and the seven brothers.

"Again, Anaïse." She waggled a finger at the tall glass girl. "That's not going to happen."

"Candace. You can't be jealous of everyone who approaches your man's twin brother. Jared loves you and he has your love. Jason deserves love too."

Anaïse gave Candace a look as if to imply that Candace was unreasonable and making things up just to throw a tantrum.

Furthermore, her gentle conciliatory tone made Candace look as if she was an unreasonable, jealous, selfish woman who could not let go of her husband's brother.

Candace gritted her teeth. She placed both hands on her hips and looked up at the tall glass woman with steely hazel eyes.

"Anaïse. I'm only going to tell you this once, so pay close attention."

"Prince Jason is NOT interested in you because he already loves someone else. Furthermore, he is NOT available to you because he is already married. Have I made myself clear?"

Anaïse sighed and pursed her lips. She had tried her best to placate a very unreasonable person and was starting to lose her patience with such a stubborn immature girl.

"Who, Candace? Who is his lover and who is he married to?"

Candace opened her mouth, but Anaïse never gave her a chance to respond.

"Look," Anaïse reasoned with her. "He's an Imperial Prince of Erenveil. If he was married, the entire galaxy would already know."

Anaïse raised a hand, as if to prove a point. "How come I've never heard of any wedding? How come I never even heard that he's engaged to any woman? The answer is simple. There's nothing to hear. He's still single!"

"No, He's/I'm not!" Both Jason and Candace spoke up at the same time.

"What?" Anaïse's eyes bulged from her sockets.

"You heard me." Jason reached for Candace and pulled her into his chest. He cradled her head within the crook of his arm, his hand over her face. It was his turn to shield his woman.

"This is my wife you've been degrading and disparaging. Either you apologize to her sincerely or I take back my offer to help you heal and I charge you full price for that Avgo gemstone."

In the moment of Anaïse's shocked silence, Jason continued his rebuke.

"The fact that we haven't thrown a huge wedding to celebrate our union yet doesn't mean it's not real. It just means there's a war going on at the moment and it's not a great time to be throwing huge galas."

"What are you talking about?" Anaïse choked out in a shocked voice.

"She's married to the Crown Prince, while at the same time cheating on him with your twin brother." Anaïse scowled. "Are you wanting to be this slut's next boy toy?"

Jason's face contorted in anger. Reaching out with forceful fingers, he yanked the Avgo gemstone pendant from her neck, breaking the gold chain.

"Owww!!!" She screamed, reaching out to rub her neck where the chain had broken.

"You do not deserve this. I'm taking it back." He shoved the gemstone into his pocket. "As for my offer to help you heal your shattered body, I am retracting that too."

"What???" Anaïse gasped.

"You heard me. You are not worthy of my help or my creative talents."

"She's already married and going around, cheating on her husband with your brother!" Anaïse pointed at Candace. "Why are you still hanging onto her? Let her go! I can help you move on from this heartbreak!"

"I think we're done here." Jason quipped. "Guards. Escort her off this ship."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness."

"What??? How dare you! Do you know who I am? Do you know what my father can do to you?"

Jason narrowed his eyes. "I don't care who you are or what your father can do to me. I never want to see you again."

She sputtered and struggled as the guards came and took her away.

"Wow." Jared whistled as he watched Anaïse being led away. "That was abrupt and decisive."

Jason snarled, showing his lengthening bat fangs.

"She seemed nice and gentle when I first met her, but she really showed her true stripes when she began interacting with my woman."

Jared shook his head. "I couldn't believe the things that were coming out of her mouth. She really thought Candace was a two-timing cheater."

Candace freed herself from Jason's protective stance and turned to Jared.

"People are not going to understand the situation. They will see me with all seven of you and wonder why I'm acting this way."

"We don't give a shit.' Jared tilted his head in devil-may-care attitude. "You're our wife and that's just how it is."

"But the world's reaction will be very much the same as Anaïse's." Candace reasoned. "We will be facing this sort of prejudice from many sources for a long time to come."

"Whatever happens, we will face all of it together." Jason insisted firmly.

Jared nodded. "I'm fully expecting we're going to be called all sorts of names and derided for our unique family situation with you."

"Yes. Didn't you hear? That woman called me a boy toy."

The twins looked at each other. For a moment, their eyes locked, and then suddenly, they roared with laughter.

"Haaaaahhhh!" Jared shook with mirth.. "You're going to be stuck with that new name, Jay. I'm forever going call you Boy Toy!"