Silence fell over the Great Hall. Everyone stared at Aria, who stood frozen between the three Blackwood brothers. Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest. Alpha Raphael's words boomed across the room. "What is the meaning of this?" He glared at Rowan Vale. "Fix this mistake immediately!" The old seer stepped forward, his white braided hair swinging as he moved. His milky eyes seemed to see everything despite his blindness.
"There is no mistake to fix, Alpha," Rowan said, leaning on his carved wooden staff. "What we have witnessed is older than our laws." Aria's knees felt weak. Just moments ago, she'd expected to be paired with another Omega. Now, all three princes Dorian, Tobias, and Marcus were looking at her with a mix of wonder and confusion. "Explain yourself, Seer," Raphael ordered. Rowan Vale lifted his crooked hand toward Aria. "This child holds ancient magic in her blood. Each prince holds a piece of her soul. This is why the event called to all three." Whispers exploded throughout the hall. Aria caught sight of her father Sebastian's pale face. Next to him, Elias Crow watched with narrowed eyes and a tight smile.
"Impossible!" Raphael slammed his fist down. "Pack law states a Luna must bond with ONE heir, not three!" Dorian stepped closer to Aria, his green eyes fierce. "I felt it, Father. The moment the bond formed, I knew she was mine." "As did I," Tobias added quietly, adjusting his glasses. "It was like finding a missing piece of myself." Marcus crossed his arms over his chest, tribal tattoos quivering. "We all felt it. Denying it won't change what happened." Aria's heart fluttered as each brother spoke. With Dorian, she felt safe. Tobias made her mind light up with interest. And Marcus his gaze sent shivers down her spine.
"I don't understand," Aria whispered. "How can I be bonded to all three?" Rowan Vale tapped his staff three times on the stone floor. "Come with me, child. And you three princes as well. This discussion requires privacy." Alpha Raphael growled. "Whatever you say to them, you say to me." The old seer nodded. "As you wish." They moved to the council room off the main hall. Aria's friend Selene tried to follow, but guards blocked her way.
The worried look in Selene's pale blue eyes made Aria's stomach twist. Inside the room, Rowan Vale settled into a chair by the fireplace. The dancing flames cast strange shadows across his wrinkled face. "Long ago, before the Blackwood line ruled these lands, a prophecy was made," Rowan started. "It spoke of a Luna whose soul would be divided among three heirs, testing the true leader of the pack." Aria hugged herself. "But I'm nobody just the Beta's daughter." Sebastian stepped forward. "Rowan, you can't possibly suggest" "Silence!" Raphael commanded. "Let the seer speak." Rowan's milky eyes seemed to focus directly on Aria.
"You are far more than you believe, child. The triplet bond would not have formed otherwise." Marcus paced like a caged animal. "So what happens now? We can't all claim her." Tobias opened the leather bag he always carried and pulled out an old scroll. "I've read about this in the ancient books. A broken soul bond is dangerous." "Dangerous how?" Aria asked, her voice shaking. Dorian moved to her side, his warmth steadying her. "Whatever it is, I will protect you."
Aria noticed the scar across his eyebrow glowed slightly, pulsing with strange light. Rowan nodded at the scroll in Tobias's hands. "The young scholar is right. A fractured bond pulls the Luna in three ways. It can tear her apart unless..." "Unless what?" Aria demanded. "Unless she chooses one heir to complete the bond," Rowan finished. "The others must surrender their claim." The three brothers traded dark looks. Aria felt their emotions crashing into her Dorian's fierce protectiveness, Tobias's analytical worry, and Marcus's wild desperation. "How long do we have?" Sebastian asked, his face lined with worry. "Until the blood moon," Rowan answered. "Four weeks from today."
Alpha Raphael stalked toward Aria, his massive figure towering over her. "You will choose Dorian. He is my firstborn, the proper heir." Aria stepped back, bumping into Marcus, who stabilized her with strong hands. "The bond doesn't care about birth order," Marcus snapped. "The choice is hers." Tobias cleared his voice. "There's more to this scroll than Rowan is sharing." All eyes turned to the middle boy. Tobias's fingers traced old symbols on the parchment. "It says the fractured link is a test. The Luna must discern which person truly deserves to rule." Elias Crow, who had slipped into the room unnoticed, laughed coldly.
"How convenient for the Beta's daughter to suddenly hold such power." Sebastian glared at him. "Watch your tongue, Crow." Rowan Vale rose slowly from his chair. "Tonight, we announce what has happened. The pack must know that Aria Blackwood will choose our future Alpha before the blood moon rises." "And if I refuse?" Aria asked, finding her courage.
The room grew still. Rowan's milky eyes seemed to look straight through her. "Then all three pieces of your soul will be lost, child. The bond will devour you, and the pack will fall to ruin." Aria's heart sank. She glanced at each brother in turn Dorian with his protective stance, Tobias with his thoughtful look, and Marcus with his wild intensity. How could she possibly choose? As they left the chamber, Selene ran to Aria's side. "What happened? Everyone's talking!" Before Aria could answer, she noticed Elias Crow saying something to her father. Sebastian's face turned ashen.
"Father?" Aria called. Sebastian looked at her with haunted eyes. "Not now, Aria." That night, Aria couldn't sleep. She stood at her window, watching the rising moon. Its light cast silver shadows across her room. The bond inside her pulsed with three distinct rhythms, each pulling her in a different way. A soft knock sounded at her door. Aria opened it to find Rowan Vale standing in the hallway. "May I enter?" the old seer asked.
Aria nodded, stepping back. Rowan moved to the center of her small room. "There is something I couldn't say in front of the others. Something about your true background." Aria's breath caught. "What do you mean?"
"The mark on your shoulder the one shaped like a crescent moon. It's not a scar." Aria's hand flew to her left shoulder. "How did you know about that? I've never shown anyone except Selene." Rowan's face grew grave. "Because I placed it there the night you were born, to hide your true identity."
"My identity?" Aria whispered. Rowan leaned closer. "You are not just the Beta's daughter, Aria. You are" A crash echoed from outside. Aria rushed to the window and gasped. Flames were rising from the edge of the forest. Shouts and howls filled the night air.
"We're under attack!" someone yelled. When Aria turned back, Rowan Vale was gone. In his place lay a small moonstone pendant, glowing with blue light. And outside her window, a pair of glowing eyes watched from the darkness.