Tabitha's POV

"You're Yoseff Beckett's son?" I gasp.

He sheepishly rubs his nape. "I guess you know my father."

"Everyone on this island knows your father!"

The Becketts own the majority of the fishing and shipping lines in Kaelara island which puts their family on equal footing in terms of wealth and influence with the Aldairs! Plus, Yoseff Beckett is the Alpha of Stormblood pack which makes this guy...

"You're the heir...the future Alpha of Stormblood pack?" My mouth blurts out the fact before I can stop it. Holy shit. This man is as much royalty as my asshole step brothers. That's why he's got the same powerful air around him-he's got the Alpha blood too!

"You sure know a lot about the packs around here," he notes. "Especially for someone who's..."

"Human?" I finish for him with a tilt of my head. "Well, yes. My father is human, and I got that from him. But my mom is a she-wolf which is the reason why I'm quite versed about all the pack stuff. I'm Tabitha Huxley."

Recognition flashes in his eyes. He snaps his finger in realization.

"You're Alpha Emery's stepdaughter!"

"Yup, that's me."

"That's awesome. Congratulations on your mother and Alpha Emery's engagement. This party is magnificent." Arthur says and raises his glass for a toast.

I chuckle and bump my glass lightly against his. "Thanks, my mom worked hard for it.."

Arthur offers a small smile.

"Have to say, you look a little familiar."

My brows lift slightly. "Really?"

"Yeah. Can't quite place it though. Have we met before?"

"I used to live here. My mom and I left the island five years ago. We only just came back recently." I shrug.

"Ah," Arthur nods. "Then that might be it. We probably crossed paths back then."

"Maybe," I say. "Though I doubt I would've forgotten you."

That earns a quiet chuckle from him. "A lot has changed on the island since then. Has anyone shown you around yet?"

I shake my head. "Not really. I don't think anyone's offering."

"Then maybe you're just waiting for the right guide." Arthur raises his glass again, a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Oh, he's charming and polite. Not what I expected from someone with Alpha blood. Guys like him are supposed to be too busy to waste time on girls hiding behind cakes, yet here he is, generous enough to offer his time without acting like I'm beneath him. He doesn't carry himself like a snob either, not like my broody step brothers who walk around like everyone owes them air.

Maybe this is finally my chance to meet a decent friend now that I'm back on the island.

"You know what? That sounds-"

"There you are." Jace suddenly pops out of nowhere and cuts through our conversation.

"J-Jace?" What is he doing here, interacting with me? It doesn't look like he's here to strike up a friendly conversation, not with his brows tugged into a frown as he glances between Arthur and me. His lips curve into a grimace like he just smelled something sour.

"Jace." Arthur nods at him. "I was just talking with your step sister here. She's got a way of making this place feel a little less stiff, I'll give her that."

Jace's jaw tightens and his eyes flick to me with a cold, sharp glance before he speaks. "You're out here flirting with a guest while our parents are looking for you?"

"W-What? I'm not flirting!" My face flushes in embarrassment as I shyly glance at Arthur.

"Hey, man. I was just striking up a friendly conversation. That's all," Arthur explains calmly.

Jace scoffs. "That didn't look friendly to where I was standing."

What's his problem? He's bulldozing in the middle of our conversation and now he's throwing this crap at me?

"Let's go. My dad and your mom are looking for you," he mutters without waiting for a reply, and completely ignoring Arthur who is staring at us in confusion. He looks one step away from arguing with Jace.

I stumble a little as Jace pulls me along, my fingers still caught in his grip. We barely make it a few steps before a familiar presence blocks our path.

"Well, look who decided to show her face." Yennifer steps right in front of us, her red gown clinging like blood to skin.

Yennifer's smirk stretches so wide it nearly splits her face. But nothing about it is friendly. If anything, she looks ready to tear me apart, especially when her eyes flick down to where Jace's hand is still wrapped around mine, then slowly rise back up to meet my gaze. She is being flanked by Vina and Eris.

"Well, hello there, Chubbyta." The insulting nickname rolls off her tongue like it's still scrawled on a bathroom stall in the Crystal Ridge High girls' restroom. "Not gonna lie, I didn't recognize you at first. I thought your mom had another daughter or something. You really gave up the snack drawer, huh? What happened? Did you run out of pastries back in the mainland?"

Bitch.

"Maybe that's why she decided to come back here," Vina seconds, snickering beside Yennifer. "She's probably looking for another fridge to raid."

Eris snorts. "I'll give her a month, tops. And she'll be back to her porky habits."

"I don't have time for this. Why don't you girls find another one to bitch with?" I snap.

"Oh look, she's learned to talk back. What is it, Chubbyta? You think you're part of the Aldair clan now, so that makes you untouchable? Is that it? You think you're one of them?" Yennifer takes a step forward as she mercilessly hurls the words at me.

"Yennifer..." Jace calls her in a warning tone.

But she only turns her grin on him, utterly shameless. She even has the brazenness to point at me as if to emphasize her point.

"Can you believe this, Jace? This clown is your new stepsister?" Her eyes narrow as her voice dips into that syrupy malice I remember too well. He stares at me with nothing but pure disdain. "No matter how you dress her up, she's still the same pathetic nobody who used to cry in the locker room."

"Yennifer! Mind your tongue," Jace hisses, stepping in like he's two seconds away from dragging her out of the party himself.

But Yennifer doesn't even flinch. She folds her arms and gives me a slow once-over, clearly enjoying the attention. The longer she stares, the more my skin crawls. A few nearby guests have started to glance our way, murmuring under their breath. I catch Evren and Luca a few meters away, their eyes trained on us with growing interest.

"I guess the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree," Yennifer says, then leans in closer to whisper so only I can hear. "Must be nice, slipping into the Aldair name like it's a free pass. No effort or backbone, just shamelessly riding on power that was never yours to begin with... just like your mother."

"Of course you'd be mad. You've been trying to claw your way up the social ladder since high school. And now someone else got a shortcut you didn't," I clap back.

Yennifer's eyes narrow. Her lips twitch in anger but no words come out of it as if she's taken aback by my words. Even Vina and Eris falter for a second, their smirks flickering as they glance at each other in awkward silence. For once, Yennifer doesn't have the audience laughing with her.

"Y-You bitch-"

"Oh, save it, Yennifer." I cut her off with a roll of my eyes. "You can have Jace all you want. Enjoy the drama. I'm going to see my mom. Unlike you, I don't have a habit of ruining parties just to be the center of attention."

I pull my hand free from Jace's and step away without looking at him. I keep my chin up as I stride towards the stage where Mom and Emery are still chatting with some of their guests.

Behind me, Yennifer hisses, "Watch her strut like she owns the damn pack now."

I don't look back, but the shuffle of heels against the tile and the sharp scrape of a table dragging across the floor yank my attention. My eyes flick toward the dessert table.

Yennifer's fingers are pressed against the edge, a glint in her eyes that sends a jolt through my chest.

"Oops," she mutters as she nudges the cake, causing it to wobble in the air and slide off the table.

Shit!

Gasps rise through the crowd as the cake descends to my direction. But before it can crash into me, a figure darts out from the crowd. Evren cuts between us and swats the cake midair, redirecting it toward the side. The towering mess of sponge and icing explodes against Vina, who shrieks as frosting splatters all over her pale yellow gown.

"What the hell, Yennifer?" Vina screams, icing dripping off her curls.

Yennifer stares at the scene in stunned disbelief, eyes wide as the cake splatters all over her friend's gown. Vina angrily stomps her teeth while wiping her cake-drenched dress. Around them, shocked murmurs rise and heads whip toward the chaos. Even Eris looks like she wants to disappear.

Yennifer snarls and shoves past Evren, dropping to snatch a chunk of ruined cake from the ground. "You can't even get humiliated right, you pathetic parasite!" she spits, then hurls the mess straight at me.

I gasp as the bits of the ruined cake smacks across my chest and neck, splatting all over my blue dress. I just stand there, stunned, while icing clings to my skin and soaks into the fabric of my dress. The guests around us gape at us in shock. The cozy music that has been playing since the start of the party halts to reveal the chaotic mess that is us.

"Yennifer!" Jace snaps, his voice cutting loud across the courtyard. "What have you done?!"

"Jace, it's her fault-"

"Enough!" Evren's shout follows right after. I've never heard him sound this furious.

But I can't focus on any of it. All I see are the rows of eyes of the guests that are glued to me like I'm some kind of circus act. Some of them whisper behind their glasses, others smirk like they expected this all along. I catch my mom's face in the distance, her head tilting as she cranes her neck to see what's happening. Emery stands beside her, following her gaze.

Too many curious eyes, too many ridiculing smirks.

Too many people around me...

I can't take it.

Tabitha's POV

Suddenly, their faces morph into the familiar faces of my high school bullies. I hear the laughter. Feel the heat crawling up my face. Just like back then. they're all looking. All judging and hurling painful words at me.

Suddenly, I'm back in the same hell that I fought so hard to escape five years ago.

I can't breathe.

I need to get out of here.

"Tabitha..."

I ignore Evren's voice and do the only thing that I'm good at... run away.

"Tabitha!"

I rip my arm from Evren's grasp when he tries to reach for me. I hear more people calling my name, maybe Jace, maybe my mom, but I don't look back. I can't look back. I need to get out of here!

I don't stop. I just run, pushing past the stone path. My aching heels scrape the edge of the gravel as I dart straight toward the trees beyond the estate. Away from the lights. Away from them all. The familiar spread of the woods welcome me as I dart towards the towering trees. It reminds me of the last time I went there, I was also trying to run away from the bullies who were chasing me.

Nothing has changed. I can't even keep the promise to myself not to run away again.

In the end, I just can't... I still haven't escaped, after all.

The sharp branches claw at my arms as I dive deeper into the woods, , brambles scratching my legs as I tear through the undergrowth. I just need to breathe. Just need to be alone. But something behind me snaps, like someone just stepped on a dry branch.

What's that?

I glance over my shoulder, just a quick look, but it's enough to throw off my balance. My foot trips over a root and I tumble forward, crashing hard onto the rough ground. Pebbles bite into my palms.

"Ouch..." I mumble while clutching my bruised knee.

My heart hammers nervously against my chest as my eyes drift to the three massive shapes emerging from the thicket.

Werewolves.

Oh shit.

Their muddy fur clings to their hulking bodies and their eyes glowing a sickly red. The look bigger than any I've seen during high school. And there's something menacing in the way they look at me... they look bloodthirsty.

They let out a terrifying growl. Their teeth glint wet as their tongues drag over their jowls like they've already imagined having me for lunch.

"S-Shoo!" I scramble back and blindly grope on the ground until I find a rock and a thick fallen branch. My fingers tremble, but I hurl the rock at the one who steps closer. "Get away from me!" I scream.

The rock bounces uselessly off its flank. It doesn't do anything but anger the werewolf closest to me. It snarls, lips peeling back, and then it lunges at me. I thrust the stick out with both hands, catching its jaws mid-snap. If it wasn't for it, the large canines of this beast would have snapped my head directly. The werewolf clamps down on the branch, the splintering wood groaning as the wolf thrashes, frothing like it's rabid.

"Tabi!" Jace's voice rips through the trees.

I whip my head toward the sound. Through the blur of branches, four figures break through the woods-Jace, Luca, River, and Evren. Their expressions harden as they catch sight of me, pinned beneath a snarling wolf.

Without hesitation, they shift mid-stride. They transform into four huge werewolves-even bigger than these three who are attacking me. Their eyes sheen in intense gold, contrary to the dull silver eyes of the rogue wolves around me.

Luca's wolf form, a storm-gray blur with streaks of charcoal down his spine, is the first to strike. He barrels into the rogue nearest me, his jaws locking around its hind leg as he drags it away from my body and slams it into the trunk of a tree.

Jace follows a heartbeat later, his pitch-black fur rippling like smoke across his powerful frame. He collides with the second rogue mid-pounce, slamming it into the dirt before pinning it by the throat, golden eyes burning with fury.

I press my back against a tree, clutching the broken stick like it'll still save me. I watch in horror as blood spatters across the ground.

Reed's massive figure crashes through the underbrush next. His coat is a deep, burnished bronze with russet tones catching in the moonlight. He leaps clean over a fallen log and sinks his teeth into the shoulder of the third rogue before it can lunge at Luca from the side. The rogue snarls and twists, but Reed holds firm, muscles straining as he yanks it to the ground and slams a heavy paw across its face.

The fight is so intense that the ground trembles beneath their weight. Snarls and crashing bodies echo through the trees and then, with a sudden crack, a rogue's heavy body smashes into a tree trunk, sending a huge chunk of jagged rock flying in my direction.

I don't have time to scream. My eyes go wide as the stone hurtles straight for me. But something silver-blue streaks across my vision.

Evren.

He throws himself between me and the rock, his massive wolf form absorbing the full brunt of the impact. The boulder bounces off his flank and thuds harmlessly to the side. He staggers slightly, claws scraping against the dirt, but doesn't fall. His glowing gold eyes flash back at me and then narrow as if silently asking if I'm okay.

I clutch on the branch tightly, unsure how to react.

My eyes flick back to the raging fight and realize that the rogues are no longer moving. They revert back to their human forms as their lifeless bodies twist half-hidden in the underbrush. It's over.

One by one, the brothers shift back in their human forms. Heat floods my face when I realize that they are all naked. I quickly avert my eyes. But they don't seem to care. None of them reach for clothes or shift to hide themselves as they approach me.

Jace steps into my space. He scans me from head to toe. He lifts a hand, almost hesitant, and reaches toward my face.

"Tabi... are you hurt?" His fingers graze my cheek.

A sharp jolt zips across my skin where he touches, like I'd brushed against a live wire. I gasp, recoiling slightly.

What was that?

It's not pain. It's heat... almost like his finger had left a scorching mark on my cheek. It burns in a way I don't understand.

He stares at me, confused. "Did you feel that?"

Before I can answer, Luca steps in. His hand brushes against mine as if testing a theory. Another spark rips through my wrist. I flinch again.

"What the hell?" Luca mutters, eyes narrowing as he looks between me and his brother.

Reed doesn't wait. He presses his fingers along my collarbone, and the reaction is instant. My breath hitches as another shock erupts through my nerves. It's like fire and static all at once. My entire body trembles.

Evren narrows his eyes when he also reaches out and cups my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. The second his skin touches mine, that same heat thrums in my stomach. The sensations grow overwhelming, like a cloud of heat that slowly envelops my whole body. I don't understand what's happening.

Something inside me stirs. It feels like a rush of invisible threads latch onto my soul and tug me closer to them. Something is pulling me towards them. It's like pieces of me have gone missing and the only way to be complete is to be with them. I don't understand what I'm feeling.

"No way," Luca mutters under his breath as if realizing something that I don't. He stares at me as if he is seeing me for the first time.

Reed steps back half a pace, chest rising like he can barely keep his voice steady. "Fuck. It's her."

Evren's grip on my chin tightens slightly, his intense golden eyes pierces into my skin as he leans in and whispers...

"Mine."

What? No... This can't be.

"You're our mate," Jace growls under his breath.

Tabitha's POV.

"T-That's impossible." My lips tremble.

I'm their mate? No way. No way! I'm... human. I shouldn't be mated to werewolves... especially not to them!

"Is this real? She's really our mate?" Reed asks his brothers. He looks just as shocked as me.

"The mate bond cannot lie. I know you felt it too," Luca answers, his eyes never leaving me.

My mind is in haywire. I can't process what is happening right now. I'm mated to my four step brothers? My bullies?!

"No, no, no. This can't be happening." I stumble back a step, heart hammering in my ears. The word mate echoes in my skull like a curse.

"Alright, look... maybe this isn't the place to freak out. We can talk about it later," Jace says. But I can definitely see in his eyes that he is also freaking out.

I am too shocked at the thought that the five of us are mated that it doesn't bother me anymore that the four of them are crowding around me naked.

Reed lets out a dry laugh. He combs his fingers through his hair and shakes his head. "Seriously? This has to be some messed-up karma. After everything we did to her? Fate really hates us."

Evren doesn't say anything. He balls his hand into a fist. He is no longer looking at me, his eyes are fixed on the ground beneath us as if it can solve this whole mess.

"Damn, this is fucked up," Luca blows a frustrated breath.

"T-There must be a mistake," I bluster.

"Mate bonds do not make mistakes. It is a gift from the Moon goddess herself," Luca states firmly.

"This can't possibly be a gift!" I snap. I push myself up and walk away from them. "Fate doesn't get to decide this for me."

"You don't get to pick! None of us do," he fires back.

"I want nothing to do with this! I don't care what you felt or what fate thinks. I didn't ask for this. I didn't want this."

I turn and start walking away. My legs are shaking, but I force each step. I don't even know where I'm going, I just need to move. I need to breathe.

"You're our mate, Tabitha. You can't change that and neither can we," Jace calls after me.

"Not by choice!" I spit back over my shoulder. "And if there's a way to break this bond, I will find it."

Evren's eyes snap at me. He looks... pissed.

"You want to what?" he asks, his tone is low it almost sounds like a warning.

"I want to break the mate bond!" I declare. "I don't care if it's hard. I'm human. This isn't natural. It's not supposed to happen."

"Werewolves being mated to humans is more common than you think," Luca says.

"Well, not to me! This shouldn't be happening! You're my... it's just not right. I refuse to accept this bond! I'm not going to let my life be tied to four men who used to make it miserable! Let's break the bond and forget it ever happened!"

"You think you can just cut a mate bond like it's a loose thread? It doesn't work that way. Especially not with us." Evren takes a step forward, and his voice cuts like ice.

"W-Why not?" I stammer.

"Breaking a bond requires a huge amount of life force, even among werewolves. It drains your power-your life. And it especially becomes harder to break a mate bond with an Alpha," Jace explains.

"And our dear stepsister, in case you missed it... you're mated to four Alphas. Breaking the bond to the four of us is next to impossible. You won't survive it, especially because you're human. The backlash that comes from breaking something too powerful will kill you," Luca states, shaking his head.

"We will survive, but you certainly will not. The broken mate bond will drain your life force until you're nothing but a lifeless corpse," Reed adds.

I shake my head, unable to accept the finality of this fate. Me bonded to them? I refuse!

Jace stalks closer. His hot breath caresses my cheek as he leans in and whispers, "You can't run away from us. Even if you try."

His words slam into me like a blow. I look up, meeting the intensity of his golden eyes and then everything goes black.

***

I wake up to the sight of unfamiliar wooden walls. My head pounds. I push myself upright, but a wave of dizziness hits me and I nearly collapse again.

"Where... where am I?"

"You're in our cabin. We brought you here after you fainted half an hour ago," Jace answers. I glance at the four of them. They are no longer naked-thankfully. All four are dressed in proper shirts and pants.

I close my eyes for a moment. My mind is still reeling. I try to recall everything that had happened before I passed out-the engagement party, Yennifer's bitchy fit, the rogue attack and... me being mated to the four of them.

A part of me wishes that this is just a dream but the evident tug of the mate bond that sizzles within my soul cannot be denied. I am connected to the four of them and it's something that I can't easily break. Shit, this is crazy.

I try to stand, but my leg gives out from under me. I cry out as I collapse, pain blooming in my right ankle.

"Ouch! Ughh..." My right ankle hurt when I try to move it.

"Tabitha!" Jace rushes toward me.

Luca also steps in to inspect my leg. "Her ankle is swollen. She must have sprained when she fell earlier."

Yup, it definitely looks sprained. I hiss as the sharp pain.

Evren walks over to the small fridge, grabs a bag of ice, and kneels beside me. He places the cold compress gently on my ankle while Luca lifts my leg and supports it carefully.

"Stay still," he orders.

Not that I can argue back. I'm too in pain to even start a fight.

Evren presses the ice against my skin while Luca strokes my calf, as if to ease the pain that I'm feeling. It definitely distracts me enough from the pain. Why is he touching me like that? Why am I not stopping him?

Shit. His touch feels so good.

Jace adjusts my back, placing a cushion behind me. His hand grazes along my spine and I have to bite my lip before I can hum in satisfaction. Okay, this is weird. Why is my body celebrating at the feel of their touch? Is this the effect of the mate bond?

I just stare at the ceiling and just remain quiet as they tend to me. Strangely, they look oddy relaxed about this whole thing. Shouldn't they be more tense or at least pissed that they are mated to me? To a human? To a girl they used to be disgusted with? Instead, they are treating me like I'm some fragile item they have to protect. It's making me confused.