Triple Temptation

"You don't have to do this, Rhea," Micah growled. I could hear the Beta in him aching because I was in pain.

I shook my head, my hands shaking as I straightened my ritual robe. The fabric was heavy and suffocating. The silver threads felt like hot wires burning against my skin. "I have to, Micah. Theon was very clear. The law says an Omega’s first heat must be shown to the pack."

"The law is cruel," Micah snapped. He looked out at the Lunitas ceremonial grounds. The stands were overflowing with members of the Silverfang Pack. Every face was filled with judgment. "This isn't a celebration. It’s a show. He’s doing this to remind everyone that you're just an Omega."

"She is a Mooncrest. She has duties," a sharp voice interrupted.

It was Eris Vale, the Elder’s daughter. She stood behind us with a smug, mean look on her face. She stared at the faint mark on my neck from my first heat. "It’s an honor to serve the pack. That is what your kind is for, after all."

Micah stepped toward her, his fists tight. "Watch your mouth, Eris."

"Stop, please," I whispered, touching Micah’s arm. I didn't want a fight. Not here. "Some of us believe we are worth more than our ability to breed."

Eris looked angry for a second before putting on a fake smile. "That’s what your mother believed. Look where it got her." She turned and walked away, her boots clicking against the stone.

I held my breath. My mother, Lira, had been a rebel. Elder Theon wanted to crush me publicly today just to make sure I never followed in her footsteps.

A horn sounded, silencing the crowd. Elder Theon Vale stepped onto the stage. He was a hard man with a face like stone. He held a staff topped with a glowing crystal.

"Silverfang Pack!" he boomed. "Tonight, we honor our traditions. Tonight, we present a new Omega to the light of the moon." He locked his cold eyes on mine. "Rhea Mooncrest. Step forward."

My legs felt like lead, but I forced myself to move. I climbed the stairs onto the stage. The stone was freezing under my feet. Theon pointed to the center of the stage where a beam of moonlight was starting to fall.

"Step into the light, Rhea," he commanded. "Let the moon bless your future."

I stepped into the center. The air felt thick. The moonlight hit me like a bolt of lightning, sending a strange energy through my blood.

Then, it hit me. It wasn't pain—it was a massive, heavy connection. I felt four separate souls slam into mine. My head spun, and the world felt like it was turning upside down.

"What in the name of...?" Theon whispered, sounding shocked.

I blinked, trying to see. I looked at the front row of the crowd.

Ash Ryder, the mean Alpha who had bullied me for years, was clutching his chest. His face was twisted in pain. He groaned and collapsed to the ground.

Next to him, Zane Valez, the Alpha who always teased me, wasn't smiling anymore. He looked horrified. He grabbed his head and fell to his knees, making a choked, gasping sound.

Kai Wolfe, the cold, smart Alpha, looked terrified for the first time in his life. A shiver ran through his whole body before he dropped like a stone.

And Blaze Draven, the angriest Alpha of them all, let out a loud growl. He clawed at his skin as if he were being attacked. He hit the ground, his body twitching.

Four of them. My bullies. My enemies. My fated mates.

The crowd exploded into screams and whispers. Micah jumped onto the stage and grabbed my shoulders. "Rhea! Are you okay? What happened?"

I couldn't speak. I just stared at the four men on the ground. We were now bound together by a fate I never wanted.

Elder Theon marched toward the fallen Alphas, his face red with rage. "What is this? An accident? A curse?" He kicked the dirt near Ash’s head. "Ryder! Get up!"

Ash opened his eyes. They weren't gray anymore—they were burning gold. He stared at me. "Omega," he rasped. It sounded like a threat and a promise at the same time.

Blaze tried to stand up, his teeth gritted. He looked at me with pure hatred. "No. Never. I won't accept this."

Zane sat up, looking panicked. "This has to be a joke," he muttered, shaking his head.

Kai was the first to stand. He brushed off his clothes, but his eyes were wide with shock. "The Mooncrest Omega," he said, his voice cold. "The legends were true."

"Legends?" Theon sneered. "One Omega bonded to four Alphas? This is an abomination! It’s a disgrace to our pack!"

"The bond is sacred, Elder," an older woman named Elya called out from the crowd.

"Silence!" Theon yelled. "This is a disaster. Our four best Alphas are now tied to this... broken girl. This ceremony is over!"

He pointed at me. "Rhea Mooncrest, you are under house arrest at your estate until the Council decides what to do with you. And as for you four," he glared at the Alphas, "you will be held responsible for this mess! Guards, take them!"

As the guards moved in, a cold fear filled my chest. I was trapped. I could feel the bond now—a burning, aching pull in my heart. They were a part of me, and I was a part of them.

And I was terrified.

The silence of Mooncrest Estate felt like a heavy blanket. The house smelled like dust and old memories—a smell that was both comforting and scary. I ran my hand over the wooden banister of the stairs. As a child, I used to slide down this railing. Now, being locked in this house felt like returning to a prison I thought I had escaped.

I walked into the grand room. Above the cold fireplace hung a painting of my parents, Calix and Lira. My mother’s eyes looked just like mine: brave but sad. I slumped onto an old couch as moonlight streaked across the floor. This was the same room where my nightmare had begun years ago. A chill ran through me, pulling me back into a memory.

The Memory: Lunaris Academy

"Micah, wait up!" Ash’s voice boomed through the hallway. Even back then, he sounded like a leader.

I hid behind a stone pillar, clutching a history book to my chest. I was trying to get to the library without being seen. In this school, being