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?"

Caelan's POV

I ran.

Not away from the dining room mess, but toward it. Because while Kieran was yelling at Lucien and Elaria was screaming about treason, all I could think about was her.

Aisla.

The girl whose name tasted like honey when I whispered it in my head.

The girl who was my mate. My bros' mate. Our mate.

How was that even possible?

My wolf was roaring inside my chest, demanding I find her and make sure she was okay. The broken dishes, her bleeding finger, the fear in her eyes - it all made my protective instincts go crazy.

I pushed through the crowd that had gathered to watch the action. Everyone was talking at once, asking what happened, why Elaria looked ready to kill someone. But I ignored them all.

I had to find Aisla.

Her smell trail led back toward the kitchen. That sweet smell of wildflowers and summer rain that made my heart race and my hands shake.

The kitchen door was open, swinging back and forth like someone had rushed through it in a hurry.

I stepped inside and found her.

She was pressed against the far wall, exactly where we'd first seen her. But now she was crying. Silent tears running down her face while she hugged herself like she was trying to hold her pieces together.

My heart broke into a million pieces.

"Hey," I said softly, not wanting to scare her more than she already was.

She looked up at me with those huge dark eyes, and I saw pure fear there.

"Please don't hurt me," she whispered.

Those words hit me like a punch to the gut. Hurt her? I would rather cut off my own arm than hurt her.

"I would never hurt you," I said, taking a small step closer. "Never, Aisla. I promise."

She flinched when I said her name. Like hearing it from my lips was painful.

"You shouldn't know my name," she said. "Alpha's sons don't know omega names."

The way she said it made my wolf snarl. Like she thought she wasn't important enough for us to notice. Like she was used to being unseen.

"Well, I know it now," I said gently. "And I'm not going to forget it."

She shook her head furiously. "This is wrong. All of this is wrong. You're supposed to mate with Elaria. Everyone knows that."

"Maybe what everyone knows is wrong," I said.

She laughed, but it sounded broken. "You don't understand. I'm nobody. I'm the lowest omega in the pack. I clean dishes and scrub floors and try not to get in anyone's way."

"You're not nobody to me."

The words came out before I could stop them. Raw and honest and possibly too much too soon. But they were true.

From the moment I smelled her scent, she became the most important person in my life.

"This can't be happening," she said, more to herself than to me. "The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes like this."

"What if it's not a mistake?"

She stared at me like I was crazy. Maybe I was. Everything I thought I knew about my future had just burst into pieces.

"Your brothers hate me," she said quietly.

"They don't hate you. They're confused. We all are." I took another step closer. "This has never happened before. Three brothers sharing one mate? It's impossible. But it's happening anyway."

"I felt it too," she whispered so softly I almost didn't hear her. "When I looked at all of you. Something just... clicked into place. Like I was finally whole."

My wolf practically purred at her words. She felt it. She felt the bond just like we did.

"Then why are you crying?" I asked.

"Because this is going to destroy everything," she said. "Your father will never allow it. The pack will never accept it. And Elaria..." She shuddered. "She looked like she wanted to kill me."

She was right. This was going to cause trouble. Big problems. But looking at her tear-streaked face, I realized I didn't care.

"Let me worry about my father," I said. "And Elaria. And the pack."

"You can't protect me from all of them."

"Watch me."

For a second, something like hope flickered in her eyes. But then it died.

"I have to go," she said, pushing away from the wall. "I have work to finish."

"Aisla, wait-"

But she was already moving, running past me toward the door. I reached out to stop her, and my fingers brushed her arm.

Lightning shot through me at the touch. The mate bond flared so bright I saw stars.

She gasped and stumbled.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I didn't mean to-" "I have to go," she said again, but her voice was shaky now. "Please. Just... let me go."

Everything in me screamed to follow her. To not let her out of my sight. But she looked so scared, so overwhelmed, that I pushed myself to stay put.

"Okay," I said. "But this isn't over, Aisla. We need to talk about this."

She nodded but didn't look back as she ran out of the kitchen.

I stood there for a long moment, breathing in the lingering traces of her smell and trying to figure out what to do next.

My phone buzzed. A text from Kieran: "Emergency pack meeting. Dad's office. Now."

Great. Time to face the music.

But as I headed toward Dad's office, I caught something that made my blood freeze.

Aisla's smell. But not from the kitchen.

From outside.

She wasn't going back to work. She was running. Actually running away from the pack house, going toward the woods.

My wolf went wild. Our mate was running, possibly in danger, definitely upset because of us.

I changed direction and ran for the back door.

The woods were dark and full of shadows. Perfect for hiding. Perfect for getting lost.

Perfect for getting hurt.

I followed her smell deeper into the trees, my heart pounding with every step. She was going fast, but I was faster.

Then I heard it.

A scream.

Not just any scream. Aisla's scream. Full of fear and pain.

I ran harder than I'd ever run in my life, crashing through trees and jumping over fallen logs.

I burst into a small area and found her.

She was on the ground, backing away from something I couldn't see in the dark.

"Aisla!" I shouted.

She looked at me with wild, frightened eyes.

"Caelan, run!" she screamed. "It's not what you think! I'm not-"

A growl cut off her words.

But it didn't come from the darkness.

It came from her.

Her eyes flashed gold. Her fingers grew claws. Her teeth became fangs.

And I realized with shocking, impossible clarity that Aisla wasn't just an omega.

Aisla was something more dangerous.