~Nyra

"What?" I exclaimed, glaring at her in shock.

None of this made sense to me anymore.

"H–how?" I blinked multiple times at her. "You're a human and he's a werewolf. Not just any kind, but a Lycan-and the King, too."

She folded her arms and waited for me to finish ranting.

"You're not of the same status or species. He's not even in your league. Where did you even meet him? When did you fall in love? When did you get married?" I screamed.

Mother smiled. "I told you I still had charm, but you never believed me. I'm not that old, Nyra. I gave birth to you. I know my worth-even as a human. No man can resist me. Not even a Lycan King."

I parted my lips, baffled by the fact that she chose now, of all times, to brag.

"Mom, do you even realize what you're walking into? It means you're automatically his Luna, and that pulls you into his world of supernatural beings. Do you think the other werewolves here will welcome a human Luna?"

She sighed. "You worry too much. The werewolves here respect their king. They won't dare do anything that could anger me. And since we're in love, they'll accept me."

I scoffed at the word. "In love? Mom, I've never seen you interested in a man before. Sometimes I wonder how you even charmed my father-may his soul rest in peace."

She waved me off. "Believe what you want. It won't change the fact that I'm already married, and we're moving in with him immediately."

"We?" I shrieked.

"Shut up. Don't scream at your mother!" she snapped. "I'm doing this for us. How long do you plan on running from Eryndor? Aren't you tired of moving from place to place? We can't keep doing this forever. Eventually, they'll catch up to us."

I released a shaky breath, an involuntary shiver running down my spine. I was no longer just afraid of Eryndor- but also the triplets I'd encountered the night before.

"Mom, it's not safe here. I didn't escape those vampires on my own. Some werewolves showed up-and they wanted to claim me." I paused, giving her the most terrified look I could muster. "I've never been so scared in my life. They were worse than Eryndor, and they promised they'd come back for me."

Mother clenched her jaw before sighing-something we both did when we were overwhelmed.

"The fact that they let you go means they don't intend to hurt you... Besides, once we move in with Reid, he'll make sure no one lays a hand on you. He's ready to accept you as his daughter, Nyra."

I swallowed hard. "But Mom, we don't know what we're walking into. You're tying us to Blood Hollow with this marriage. Once we move in, there's no going back."

"Don't you want to feel protected for once? Don't you want to sleep peacefully at night?" she pressed.

"I'm scared, Mom. I don't want to be trapped again..."

She hugged me then. "I'm sorry I couldn't give you the protection you deserved as a child. But I promise this is the best path for us. Reid will protect us from Eryndor. We can finally stop running."

In the end, I gave in. I had to go with the flow and let her handle things this time.

By evening, a luxurious black car came to pick us up.

Cars were almost extinct now, and only the elite had access to them. Never in my life did I think I'd ride in one-until now.

"I told you things would get better, didn't I?" Mom said, wiggling her brows.

A man stepped out and bowed. "I am Kelvin. I will be your driver to the Thornevale Estate. Please, allow me to carry your luggage."

For the first time in my life, a man of higher status was speaking to me with respect. It felt like a dream.

"Mom, pinch me."

"You're not dreaming, Nyra. It's real." She smiled at Kelvin. "Our luggage is over there."

She pointed to the door where we had stacked everything. He nodded and lifted them two at a time.

I blinked as he loaded our bags and opened the car door.

It wasn't until we started driving that everything truly hit me. I began trembling-a strange mix of fear, nerves, and excitement swirling inside me.

I stayed silent the entire ride, gasping only when Thornevale Estate came into view. My breath caught. My nerves spiked.

"We're here," Mom whispered as the enormous mansion emerged from the trees.

It sat on vast land, surrounded by beautiful landscape-and yet, it gave off an unsettling feeling. I couldn't shake the sense of dread.

Kelvin parked in front of the grand entrance, where a tall man stood flanked by maids and guards.

"Reid!" Mom called as we stepped out.

"Lyora, my beloved. I almost thought you wouldn't come," he said, his voice heavy with authority.

"Why would I stay away from you? You're my husband now. You're stuck with me," she giggled.

Reid turned to me. "You must be Nyra. I've heard a lot about you from your mother. You're just as beautiful as she said."

He took my hand and kissed the back of my palm. "It's an honor to have you as a daughter."

I widened my eyes. Mom wasn't lying-he was really ready to accept me.

"Nyra, meet my sons- Sylver, Cassian, and Rylan," he said, stepping aside. "Boys, come out and welcome your new sister."

My breath caught in my throat. My mother had forgotten to mention one very important detail.

He had children.

And those "children"...

Were the exact triplets I'd run into last night.

"What a small world..." the green-eyed one whispered.

My blood ran cold. My mind blanked out. The world tilted beneath me.

I had walked right into the hands of the monsters I thought I'd escaped.

"Nyra? Are you okay?" Mom's voice came from somewhere distant.

My legs gave out beneath me. I started to fall-

And just before darkness claimed me, I felt warm arms catch me.

The last thing I saw were glowing green eyes.

And the last thing I heard-

"Welcome into my territory, sister..."

~Nyra

I stirred awake, and my surroundings felt unfamiliar.

The room was larger than our entire house back home, and the walls were painted a soft lavender purple. The bed I was lying on was massive- a luxury my mother and I could never have afforded.

Sunlight flooded in from the balcony to my left. Judging by its angle, the sun was already setting. I wondered how long I'd been asleep.

"Where am I?" I whispered as I slowly sat up.

That's when flashes of what happened before I blacked out rushed back. My eyes widened in horror.

"Oh fuck! No!" I cried as the weight of my predicament dawned on me. "This can't be happening. My luck can't be this bad!"

I began trembling, pacing the room in panic. I couldn't stay here. This was the monsters' lair-the very ones who saved me from vampires only to haunt me themselves. They could barge in at any moment.

My nails dug into my skin as I bit them nervously. I nearly started chewing through flesh when it suddenly hit me-

"I need to see my mother."

Swallowing hard, I closed my eyes, trying to brace myself for whatever awaited on the other side of the door. When I felt ready, I threw it open-nearly yanking it off its hinges.

Big mistake.

I collided into a solid, warm wall of muscle.

Gasping, I looked up-and met those forest green eyes. An involuntary shiver ran through me as I backed away.

"I-I'm sorry- I didn't mean to-"

"I'm beginning to think you enjoy running into me," he said quietly, his voice deep and velvety enough to weaken my knees.

He wore all black: a long coat, a dark shirt underneath, and loose-fitting pants. His dark hair was parted down the middle, some strands falling over his forehead.

He radiated dominance, and I suddenly couldn't find my voice. I couldn't even defend myself.

"Sylver... cut the girl some slack. She's our little sister now," a more playful voice chimed in from my left.

I turned to see golden eyes, warm like desert sand. His hair was longer than Sylver's and tied in a low ponytail. A few loose strands framed his face, and I found myself oddly drawn to them- wanting to touch them.

He wore a white shirt and loose dark pants. He grinned, revealing perfect teeth.

Sylver chuckled. "I haven't done anything to her, Cassian- not yet."

I looked back at Sylver in time to catch the smirk playing on his lips.

"When you two are done with your little show, bring Nyra downstairs," a voice said from the staircase, cool and unbothered.

I turned to see ocean blue eyes-eyes I recognized from last night. He looked calm, aloof, as if nothing about this situation fazed him.

His dark hair was tousled, and he wore a loose white shirt beneath an unbuttoned brown vest with matching brown pants. He had an arrogant glint in his eyes, like the world bored him. Yet, there was something else in those eyes-something mysterious.

Something I suddenly wanted to understand.

Before anyone could say more, he turned and disappeared down the stairs.

Cassian chuckled. "Classic Rylan, always popping in and vanishing like smoke."

"You heard him," Sylver said to me. "Let's go downstairs."

I swallowed hard, still unsure what to say. I didn't know how I was supposed to act around them. Accepting them as my brothers was out of the question. Especially when their intentions weren't clear.

Sylver pointed ahead, and Cassian led the way, pausing only to give me a charming smile before heading down the stairs.

I followed, fully aware that Sylver trailed behind me like a shadow. I felt like a caged animal. That was how I'd always feel if I remained here- trapped. These boys would torment me forever.

At the bottom of the stairs, we entered a large hall. King Reid stood beside my mother. Rylan leaned against the far wall, looking disinterested, as if even his father bored him.

"There you are," Mother said. "I told Reid you only fainted from exhaustion, but he insisted we take you to the hospital."

She turned to the king again. "There's no cause for alarm. She's fine. She's been overworking herself to take care of us, and she barely slept last night."

The king nodded, then gestured for me to approach. I hesitated, then slowly obeyed.

It still felt unreal to be standing before a Lycan King. I couldn't wrap my head around how my mother had pulled this off.

Reid took my hand and stared at me with something startlingly close to kindness. His obsidian eyes felt like they could see into my soul. I was too overwhelmed to respond.

"Lyora has told me how hard you've worked," he said. "You are now under my protection. Whatever you wish- ask. Anything you want, I'll give it. You are now my daughter... and a sister to my sons."

My chest tightened as a strange warmth bloomed inside me- until Rylan scoffed in the corner.

Reid shot him a warning glare before turning to his sons. "Promise me you'll all protect her."

Sylver locked eyes with me. "Consider yourself under our protection now, little sister..."

Something in the way he said it didn't sound comforting at all. My skin crawled, and another shiver ran down my spine.

I couldn't take it anymore.

"Mom, we need to leave. Now!" I blurted, turning sharply to her.

Her expression twisted with alarm. She stared at me like I'd lost my mind.

"Nyra!"

~Nyra

I was trembling all over as I glared at my mother-

Hoping that she would back me up, hoping that she would understand and take me away from this hellhole. Hoping that she would save me from those terrifying triplets.

"Leave? Why would you need to leave now?" King Reid asked, a frown suddenly overtaking his face.

Almost as if I had succeeded in angering him.

"You do not like my hospitality? Is my house not to your liking?" His voice dropped lower with every word, and I unknowingly backed away.

Suddenly, my mother broke into laughter. "Nyra got you good!"

I frowned in confusion as I turned to face her, and the rest of the room followed suit.

"Nyra always likes throwing serious jokes around when I least expect it. I didn't expect her to pull one here. She must really feel comfortable with you, my love," she went on, walking to Reid and touching his cheek.

Strangely, just like that, his anger vanished, and he smiled at her like she was a light at the end of his tunnel.

"Indeed, she got me. I thought she seriously wanted to take you away from me, after we just got married," he muttered before turning to me. "I'm sorry I lost my temper earlier."

All I could do was blink rapidly at what had just happened as I struggled to comprehend the situation.

"Nyra," Mom called again when she noticed how quiet I'd gone. "Don't you need help unpacking? Come, let's do it now."

Yet Reid grabbed her wrist just before she walked away from him and claimed her lips. "Don't be gone too long."

He sounded clingy, and I questioned again how any of this was even possible.

"We'll come back down for dinner once I'm done with her, boys. Then you can get to know your sister better," she added.

Cassian chuckled. "Indeed, there's a lot I want to know about Nyra. I cannot wait for us to get our alone time..."

Another chill scattered across my spine at his choice of words, and when I looked into his golden eyes- so much like his father's- they stared deep into my soul.

"You have more than enough time to do that," Reid called before walking away.

Mother instantly grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs. I was too shaken to snap out of it. It was only until we were alone in my room that I released a heavy breath I hadn't even realized I was holding.

"What the fuck was that out there? Are you trying to ruin this perfect marriage? Our perfect escape?" Mother scolded me.

I released a shaky breath as I sank into my bed. "Mom, those men- the triplets- they are the same werewolves who threatened to come for me."

She froze for a split second, then glared at me before snapping out of it. "They must have been toying with you. They like to play around."

"Mom!" I cried, tears filling my eyes. "Mom, they are dangerous. I watched them tear vampires to shreds. I watched them carry out a massacre within seconds, and there wasn't even a hint of remorse."

"They didn't massacre humans or werewolves, did they? They killed the vampires that were after you-and they let you go. Do you really think that if they wanted to harm you, they wouldn't have done it immediately?" she demanded.

I stopped lamenting for a moment and considered her point, but it did nothing to ease the fear I felt toward them.

"Either way, I watched them kill-and they enjoyed every part of it. It was like a game to them. They are monsters and they enjoy killing." I wiped my tears and looked into her hazel brown eyes. "We need to leave. We need to go. It's not safe for me- for us here."

Mother only pulled me into a hug. "I understand how you feel, but I think that you're overreacting. I understand that you're scared, but you need to know that Reid will not let harm come to you. You're perfectly safe here. If they try to harm you like you believe, then you can just take the matter to Reid. He will discipline his triplets."

She pulled away, and I stared at her for a long time, realizing that there truly was no turning back from this. I was already doomed to be stuck with them forever.

"You're sure King Reid won't be impartial and favour his own sons?" I blinked at her, waiting for clarity.

"Not with me by his side, waiting to use the power of emotional blackmail." She winked at me before smiling warmly. "You're safe. I'm your first protector, and as long as I'm alive, I won't let anyone hurt you."

I sighed heavily, her words bringing some assurance to my soul, and I nodded.

"Fine. Let's unpack already."

Mother smiled at my change in mood and led me to my bags, which had already been brought to the room.

It took us a while to finish, and by the time we were done, I was giggling again like my usual self.

A gentle knock sounded at the door, and I gasped. Mother touched my shoulder, as if to reassure me, before answering the door.

"Come in."

A petite maid walked into the room. "The King asked that you both come down for dinner."

Mother nodded, and the maid walked away. She raised her brows at me, silently asking if I was ready.

I exhaled sharply and rose to my feet, changing into a dress my mother insisted I wear. It felt like there was a silent pressure in this castle to always be well-dressed for dinner.

It was a red silk dress that flowed over my body and fit me perfectly. She led me out of the room, down the stairs, and into the grand dining hall.

The hall was enchanting, lit with dim, warm lights designed to give a romantic atmosphere.

Reid and his sons were already seated when we arrived, but he stood to welcome my mother and help her into her seat. I was about to find an empty seat beside her when Cassian suddenly rose and pulled out a chair for me.

It was between him and Rylan, who only glanced at me for a split second before looking away again.

I wanted to ignore them, but Reid was watching, and I couldn't risk angering him a second time. Mom couldn't keep saving me.

Cassian flashed me his charming smile as I reluctantly sat in the chair, and he gently pushed it into place.

"Dearest Nyra... the most fascinating person in the room right now," he whispered into my ear before sitting down.

The air from his mouth made my ear tingle, and I tried to act unaffected as I looked straight ahead-only to meet Sylver's piercing green gaze across the table.

He was openly staring at me.

"I have an announcement, everyone," Reid broke the silence.

We all turned toward him, under the soft glow of the chandelier above us.

"Lyora and I are leaving for our honeymoon tomorrow," he announced.

And my blood ran cold.

Because that meant I would be left alone in this house- with the triplets.