Aisla’s POV

The glass shattered in my hand.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no!” I whispered, staring at the fragments scattered across the marble floor. Red wine spread like blood, dark and glistening under the light.

My stomach twisted. The Luna would kill me if she found out. One of these glasses probably cost more than I made cleaning the pack house in a month—maybe even three.

I dropped to my knees, picking up the shards with my bare hands. I had to clean it up before anyone saw. Before anyone remembered I existed long enough to punish me.

“Stupid Aisla,” I muttered under my breath. “Why can’t you do anything right? Why are you always a mess?”

Today was supposed to be special. My eighteenth birthday. But like every other day, I was invisible. No one remembered. No one cared.

Upstairs, laughter and music drifted through the walls. The Alpha’s sons—the infamous triplets—were returning after two years of warrior training. The whole pack was celebrating. Everyone except me.

A sharp sting burned my palm. I glanced down—blood welled up, sliding across my skin. But something was wrong.

Under the moonlight spilling through the window, my blood shimmered silver.

I blinked. Once. Twice.

No. That wasn’t possible. Blood wasn’t silver. It was red. It had always been red.

“Great, Aisla,” I whispered, shaking my head. “Now you’re hallucinating too.”

I wiped my hand on my apron, and the glow vanished. Maybe I was just tired. Maybe being unseen for so long was finally making me lose my mind.

Footsteps clicked down the stairs. My breath caught.

“Aisla!” Elaria’s sharp voice sliced through the quiet.

Panic jolted through me. The Beta’s daughter—the pack’s golden girl. Perfect blonde curls, emerald eyes, beauty that made everyone adore her. The Luna doted on her like she was a princess. The triplets probably would too.

“I’m cleaning, Miss Elaria,” I said, my voice small.

Her heels tapped closer. I picked up the glass faster, cutting my fingers again. Pain flared, but I didn’t stop.

“The triplets will be here any minute,” she said, not even looking at me. “Make sure you stay in the kitchen. No one wants to see you at the party.”

My chest tightened. “Yes, Miss Elaria.”

“And clean up that mess. You’re always breaking things.” She turned, then glanced back with a smirk. “Try not to embarrass the pack tonight, Aisla. Some of us actually matter.”

She left. Her laughter echoed upstairs, joining the music.

I sank back on my heels, fighting tears. Eighteen years old today, and I was still nothing. The invisible girl. The forgotten omega.

My wolf stirred inside me—angry, restless. She wanted to run, to escape this place. But where would we go? We had no one. No family. No friends. No home beyond this pack that didn’t even see us.

I forced myself to keep cleaning, ignoring the sting in my hands. Pain was a familiar companion.

Then—the front doors burst open.

Male voices filled the house, deep and confident. My wolf snapped to attention.

“We’re home!” someone shouted.

The triplets. Kieran, Lucien, and Caelan—the Alpha’s heirs. Every girl in the pack dreamed of them.

I scrambled toward the kitchen, desperate to disappear. But before I could slip through the door, a scent hit me—wild and intoxicating.

Pine and snow. Leather and smoke. Power and danger.

It wrapped around me like fire and ice. My knees trembled. The mop fell from my hands.

My wolf went wild.

“What’s happening to me?” I whispered, clutching my chest. My pulse thundered.

Footsteps echoed closer.

“Do you smell that?” a deep voice asked.

“Honey and wildflowers,” another replied, rough and dark. “It’s intoxicating.”

A third voice, low and calm, said, “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever smelled.”

My heart stopped.

They were talking about me.

But that was impossible. I was no one. Just the invisible omega girl who cleaned floors and tried not to exist.

Their footsteps drew closer—three sets, heavy and sure. My wolf clawed at my insides, howling. She wanted to run to them, not from them.

“There,” the calm voice murmured. “In the kitchen. She’s in there.”

The handle turned.

My breath hitched. My blood—silver blood—glowed faintly against my skin again, brighter now.

And somewhere deep inside my mind, I heard it—three wolves roaring in unison.

The door began to open.

And I knew my life would never be the same again.

Kieran’s POV

I slammed my fist into the car door as we pulled up to the pack house.

“Easy there, brother,” Caelan said from the driver’s seat. “What’s got you so angry now?”

Everything. That’s what I wanted to say. But I couldn’t tell my brothers I was sick of being perfect. Sick of everyone expecting me to be the flawless future Alpha. Sick of pretending I wanted to marry Elaria when she made my skin crawl every time she touched me.

I was tired of being what everyone else wanted instead of who I really was.

“Just tired,” I lied, hating how easily the words came out.

Lucien snorted from the back seat. “You’ve been ‘just tired’ for two years, Kieran. Maybe try being honest for once instead of pretending everything’s fine.”

I wanted to punch him. My wolf wanted to challenge him right there in the driveway. But that would prove everyone right—that I couldn’t control myself. That I wasn’t ready to lead. That I was just another hot-headed monster who couldn’t handle pressure.

The golden-boy image would crack, and then what would I be?

“Let’s just go inside,” I muttered, climbing out before I said something I’d regret.

But as soon as I opened the door, something hit me—like lightning striking twice.

A scent. The most intoxicating scent I’d ever experienced.

Honey and wildflowers. Summer rain. And something else I couldn’t name—something that made my wolf howl and claw at my insides, desperate to escape and find its source.

I stumbled back, almost losing my balance.

“Whoa!” Caelan caught my arm. “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I couldn’t speak. The scent filled my lungs, my head spinning like I’d downed an entire bottle of whiskey. My wolf was going feral, pacing and growling.

“Do you smell that?” I rasped, my voice rough and alien.

“Smell what?” Lucien asked, stepping out and sniffing the air. Then his eyes widened. “Oh. Oh, damn. What is that?”

Caelan joined us, and I watched the same transformation sweep across his face. His eyes darkened. His breathing quickened. His hands trembled.

“What is that?” he whispered, sounding just as lost as I felt.

I didn’t know. But I had to find out—before I lost control completely.

We walked toward the pack house like we were in a trance. The scent grew stronger with every step, pulling us forward like invisible chains. My hands were shaking. My wolf was screaming.

This had never happened before. I was always composed, calm, collected—the perfect future Alpha. But right now, I felt like a wild animal pretending to be human.

“Kieran,” Lucien said, gripping my shoulder. “Your eyes are glowing.”

I turned toward the car window and froze. My reflection stared back with bright golden eyes. My wolf was so close to the surface, I barely looked human.

“What’s happening to us?” I asked, hating the fear in my voice.

No one had an answer.

We opened the front door—and the scent slammed into us like a wall of raw need.

“We’re home!” Caelan shouted, though his voice sounded strained and breathless.

Pack members rushed over, hugging us, laughing, welcoming us back. But I barely heard them over the pounding in my head.

Find her. Find her now. She’s here. She’s close.

My wolf’s voice echoed so loud, I half-expected everyone to hear it too.

“Where is everyone?” I asked my father, trying to sound normal. My voice didn’t sound like mine at all.

“Most of the pack’s here,” he said, studying me with concern. “Are you alright, son? You look pale.”

No. I was not alright. I was falling apart because of a scent.

“Kieran,” Lucien hissed, tugging my sleeve. “Follow me. Now.”

He was already moving toward the back of the house, following his nose like a hunter. Caelan trailed behind him, eyes still glowing gold.

We wove through the crowd, ignoring everyone’s chatter. The world felt muffled, distant—except for that scent.

“Do you smell that?” I asked, though I already knew they did.

“Honey and wildflowers,” Lucien said hoarsely.

“Like summer and sunshine,” Caelan added. “Where is it coming from?”

I inhaled deeply. The pull was strongest near the kitchen. Whoever she was—she was there.

She.

I didn’t know how I knew that, but I did. My wolf was howling one word in my mind: Mate.

That couldn’t be right. My mate was supposed to be Elaria. The arrangement was set. My destiny was already decided.

“There,” Caelan whispered, pointing at the kitchen door. “She’s in there.”

We moved as one—silent, focused, dangerous.

The door was closed, but I could hear her inside. Quick breaths. A fast heartbeat that fluttered like wings.

“She’s scared,” I murmured, surprised by the ache that stirred in my chest.

“We’re scaring her,” Lucien growled softly. “She can probably smell us too.”

“Should we knock?” Caelan asked.

“No,” I said. “If we knock, she might run.”

And I couldn’t let that happen. I needed to see her. Needed to know who she was and why my soul was breaking open for her.

My hand trembled as I reached for the handle.

“Kieran,” Lucien said quietly, “what if this changes everything?”

I looked at them both—my brothers, my packmates—and saw the same confusion, the same fear.

“What if it’s supposed to?” I said.

The handle turned. The door creaked open.

And there she was.

Pressed against the far wall like a trapped doe. Dark hair. Wide, terrified eyes. Small, delicate—and yet she made my wolf bow in submission.

Our eyes met.

The world shattered.

Pain lanced through my chest—sharp, consuming, beautiful. Not the pain of breaking, but of becoming whole.

The mate bond snapped into place.

I was looking at my mate.

But then I felt it—two other connections sparking beside mine.

My brothers.

All three of us. One girl.

Impossible.

This would destroy everything.

Lucien's POV

I punched the wall so hard my knuckles cracked.

"What the hell was that?" I snarled, looking at the kitchen door that Kieran had just slammed shut.

My dog was going crazy inside my head. Pacing and screaming and demanding I go back in there. Demanding I find that girl again and never let her go.

But I couldn't. Because what just happened made no sense at all.

That smell. That incredible, perfect smell that made my whole body shake with need. And then seeing her face and feeling something snap into place in my chest like a puzzle piece I'd been missing my whole life.

The mate bond.

But Kieran felt it too. I saw his face. I felt his shock through our twin link.

How could we both be mated to the same girl? That was impossible. It had never happened before in pack history.

"Lucien," Caelan grabbed my arm. "We need to talk about this."

"Talk about what?" I yanked away from him. "Talk about how our lives just got completely screwed up?"

My hands were shaking. My wolf was so angry I could barely think straight. He wanted to go back in there. He wanted to claim what was ours.

But she wasn't ours. She couldn't be ours. We were meant to mate with Elaria or some other Beta's daughter. Not some random pack member who smelled like heaven and looked at us like we were monsters.

"Did you see how scared she was?" Caelan asked softly.

Yes. I saw. And it made my wolf whine like a kicked puppy.

"She should be scared," I said, even though the words tasted like lies. "We're Alpha's sons. We're scary."

"Not to her," Kieran said. His voice was rough. "Never to her."

I looked at my brother. Perfect Kieran who never lost control. Perfect Kieran who always did what was expected. Perfect Kieran who looked just as messed up as I felt.

"This can't be happening," I said.

But it was happening. The truth was burning in my chest like a fire that wouldn't go out.

"We need to find out who she is," Caelan said.

"We need to stay away from her," I snapped back. "Whatever this is, it's going to cause trouble. Big problems."

But even as I said it, my wolf was laughing at me. Stay away? From our mate? Never going to happen.

I could still smell her. Even out here in the hallway, her smell was stuck in my nose. Honey and blooms and something sweet that made my mouth water.

"I'm going back to the party," I said, because I needed to get away from that door before I broke it down and scared her even more.

The pack house was full of people enjoying our return. They were laughing and talking and having a great time. But all I could think about was her.

Who was she? Why hadn't I noticed her before? How long had she been in our pack?

I grabbed a drink and tried to act normal. Tried to smile and joke with pack members like I always did. But my wolf was hunting. Searching the crowd for any sign of that incredible smell.

Then I caught it again.

Faint but definitely there. Coming from the direction of the dining room.

My feet started moving before my brain caught up. I pushed through the crowd, following my nose like a bloodhound. People were calling my name, trying to talk to me, but I couldn't hear them over the noise in my head.

She was close. Very close.

I turned the corner into the dining room and froze.

There she was.

She had her back to me, holding a tray of dirty dishes. Her dark hair was pulled back in a simple knot. She was small and delicate, but something about the way she moved made my wolf sit up and pay attention.

She was graceful. Quiet. Like she was trying not to be noticed.

Why would someone try to be invisible in their own pack?

I took a step forward, and she must have heard me because she turned around.

Our eyes met for the second time.

The world turned sideways.

The mate bond hit me again, stronger this time. Like lightning hitting the same place twice. My knees almost buckled from the force of it.

She was beautiful. Not pretty like Elaria with her perfect makeup and fancy clothes. Beautiful in a quiet way that made my chest tight.

Her eyes were huge and dark, and right now they looked frightened.

Of me.

That hurt more than it should have.

"Hi," I said, because I couldn't think of anything else to say.

She dropped the tray.

Dishes crashed to the floor, breaking into a million pieces. The sound echoed through the dining room like gunshots.

"I'm sorry!" she gasped, dropping to her knees to pick up the broken pieces. "I'm so sorry! I'll clean it up!"

Her hands were shaking so bad she could barely hold the broken dishes. A piece of glass cut her finger, and she winced.

The smell of her blood hit my nose, and my wolf went totally insane.

She was hurt. Our mate was hurt.

I was across the room and kneeling beside her before I even realized I was moving.

"Don't," I said, catching her hands to stop her from picking up more glass. "You're bleeding."

Her skin was so soft. So warm. Touching her sent electricity shooting up my arms.

She looked up at me with those big dark eyes, and I forgot how to breathe.

"Who are you?" I asked quietly.

"Aisla," she whispered. Her voice was like music. "I'm... I'm just an omega."

Just an omega.

Like she was apologizing for living.

That made my wolf snarl with rage. Not at her. Never at her. At whoever had made her think she was "just" anything.

"Aisla," I repeated, trying her name on my tongue. It felt perfect.

She tried to pull her hands away, but I couldn't let go. Didn't want to let go.

"You're bleeding," I said again, looking at the small cut on her finger.

Without thinking, I brought her finger to my mouth and licked the blood away.

She gasped.

The taste of her blood on my mouth sent fire through my veins. My wolf howled in victory.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

"Lucien!" Kieran's voice cut through the haze in my head. "What are you doing?"

I looked up to find both my brothers standing in the doorway. Kieran looked angry. Caelan looked worried.

But that wasn't the worst part.

The worst part was Elaria standing right behind them, her face twisted with rage and something that looked like murder.

"What," she said in a voice like ice, "is going on here?"