POV: Aria Blackthorn
ARIA
Get out.
The three Alphas blocking my destroyed room didn't move.
Dante leaned against the doorframe like he owned it, silver eyes glowing in the emergency lighting. Kieran stood with his arms crossed, golden charm completely gone—something dark and hungry moving beneath his skin. Zane positioned himself between me and the hallway, silent as death.
The bonds connecting us hummed with tension. I could feel their emotions bleeding through—possessive rage, desperate need, protective devotion.
It made me want to scream.
We need to talk, Dante said.
No. We don't. I pushed past him into my cell, stepping over broken furniture. I need you all to leave me alone so I can figure out how to survive tomorrow.
You won't survive without us, Kieran said quietly.
I spun on him. I survived eighteen years without you. I'll manage.
You weren't a Nullwolf then, Dante countered. You weren't marked as the most dangerous student in this academy. And you didn't have three Alpha bonds trying to complete whether you want them to or not.
The mark on my chest pulsed, like it was agreeing with him.
I hated that he was right.
DANTE
She was magnificent when she was angry.
Dante watched her pace the tiny cell, dark hair wild, eyes blazing with defiance. His wolf was going insane, demanding he claim her, mark her, make her submit.
But she wasn't the submitting type.
And that made him want her more.
Break the other bonds, he said, keeping his voice cold and controlled. I felt it snap into place. You're mine. Let Ashwood and Frost find their own mates.
Excuse me? Aria turned on him with fury in her eyes. I'm not a toy you get to claim first because you're fastest.
I'm not asking. He stepped closer, using his size to intimidate. I'm an Alpha. You're my mate. That's how this works.
Her laugh was sharp and cruel. That's how it worked when you had all the power. Things changed the moment these bonds formed. She touched her chest. Now I can break you with a thought. Want to test that theory?
His wolf whimpered.
Dante had never backed down from a challenge in his life. But something in her eyes made him pause.
She wasn't bluffing.
KIERAN
This isn't working, Kieran interrupted before Dante did something stupid. Fighting over her like she's property.
He moved into the cell slowly, hands visible, non-threatening. His berserker was unusually calm—had been since the bonds formed. Just being near her soothed the monster that had been screaming in his head for years.
Mate with me instead, he said to Aria, trying diplomacy. The Ashwood pack is the wealthiest in North America. We have resources, political connections. I can protect you from everyone who wants you dead.
I don't need protection, she said flatly. I need weapons.
Then I'll be your weapon. The words came out more intense than he meant. My wolf wants to slaughter everyone who's hurt you. Let me.
Her expression softened slightly. I don't want you as a weapon either. I don't want any of you claiming me like I'm a prize to be won.
The berserker surged. Before Kieran could stop himself, he'd crossed the space between them. You don't understand. Without you, I'm just the monster underneath the golden mask. You make me whole.
Their eyes locked. The bond between them flared hot and bright.
Then Dante grabbed his shoulder, yanking him back. Get your hands off her.
Make me, Nightshade.
ZANE
Zane watched the two Alphas square off, ready to rip each other apart over a girl neither of them actually knew.
Idiots.
He moved silently between them, one massive hand on each chest, forcing them apart.
Stop, he said. One word, but they both froze.
Then he turned to Aria. Pulled a knife from his belt—his favorite one, perfectly balanced for killing—and held it out to her.
She stared at it, confused.
Sister died because I couldn't protect her, he said quietly. More words than he'd spoken in months. You're mine to protect now. Take it.
I'm not yours, she said, but her voice was gentler with him than with the others.
Are. He pressed the knife into her hand. All three of us. Bonded. Whether you want it or not.
She looked at the weapon, then at him. Why do you care? You don't even know me.
Know you're brave. Know you're strong. Know you refuse to break. His ice-blue eyes held hers. Know my wolf claimed you the moment you walked through those gates.
Her hand closed around the knife handle.
Behind him, Dante cursed. We're not doing this. Sharing. It's not how mate bonds work.
Nothing about this situation is normal, Kieran snapped.
ARIA
They were going to kill each other. Over me. Over bonds I didn't ask for and didn't want.
ENOUGH! Power exploded from my chest.
All three Alphas staggered back, hands flying to their hearts as the bonds pulled.
I felt it too—the connections between us, visible now as glowing threads. And I realized I could grab them, sever them, make this all go away.
You want to know what I am? I asked, voice shaking with rage and power. Fine. I'm a Nullwolf. I can break pack bonds, sever mate ties, strip Alphas of their wolves with a single touch. Corvus told me everything.
I reached for the bonds, wrapped my power around them, and pulled.
The pain was instant and excruciating.
All four of us screamed.
The bonds stretched, strained, fighting against my will to break them. But they didn't snap. They were different somehow—stronger than normal pack bonds, reinforced by something I didn't understand.
I released them, gasping. We all collapsed—me on the bed, the three Alphas on the floor, clutching their chests.
What... the hell... Dante wheezed.
They won't break, I whispered in horror. I can't break them.
Kieran looked up, golden eyes wide. We're stuck together.
Whether we like it or not, Zane finished.
The four of us stared at each other, the weight of that realization settling in.
Finally, Dante dragged himself up. Fine. Temporary truce. We protect each other from external threats while we figure out how to break these bonds.
Agreed, Kieran said.
Zane just nodded.
They all looked at me.
I wanted to refuse. Wanted to tell them to go to hell. But Corvus's words echoed: You'll be dead within a week without protection.
Fine, I said. But no claiming. No ownership. And if any of you try to dominate me, I'll make you regret it.
Dante's smile was sharp. I still plan to make you mine. Exclusively.
We'll see about that, Nightshade, Kieran countered.
Zane just stared at them both—a silent promise of violence if they hurt her.
They left, still arguing.
I collapsed on the destroyed bed, exhausted and terrified. Stuck with three rival Alphas who wanted to claim me. Marked as an abomination by an entire academy of wolves. And apparently unable to break the bonds that tied me to them.
I started cleaning mechanically, trying not to think.
That's when I found it—a piece of paper hidden under my shredded mattress. Old, yellowed, the edges burned like someone had tried to destroy it and failed.
The handwriting made my blood freeze.
My mother's handwriting. I'd seen it in old letters my father kept locked away.
If you're reading this, I failed to protect you. The ritual wasn't meant to kill you—it was meant to save you. You're not a mistake, my daughter. You're a revolution. Trust the wolves who mark you. They'll be your salvation or your damnation. Choose wisely. -Elena Blackthorn
My hands shook. My mother had written this. Had known what I would become. Had planned it.
The ritual wasn't Lyanna's idea. It was my mother's.
She'd made me this way. On purpose.
But save me from what? What could be worse than being a Nullwolf?
I flipped the note over. On the back, in different ink, fresher writing, one more line:
The Primordials are coming. And they're hungry.
The paper burst into flames in my hands, crumbling to ash before I could save it.
Outside my door, I heard footsteps running. Alarms started blaring.
Someone screamed.
And through the bonds, I felt all three Alphas react simultaneously—pure, primal terror flooding through the connections.
Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.
I grabbed Zane's knife and ran for the door.