I barely noticed the murmurs of the crowd as I dragged Finn and Luna away, their small hands clutched tightly in mine. My heart pounded in my ears, drowning out the sounds of the bustling fair. All I could focus on was getting as far from those men as possible.Rachel rushed after me, calling out, “Briar, wait up!”I ignored her, my mind spinning. How did they know? How could they be so sure? No, they were wrong. They had to be.It wasn't possible that I had slept with them and have their children. But everything I was thinking was against logic. Yes it was possible. I had slept with multiple men that night. But I was scared to admit it. By the time we reached the car, I was shaking. I helped Finn and Luna into the backseat, my hands trembling as I buckled them in.Rachel finally caught up, her face flushed from running. “What the hell just happened?” she asked, breathless and wide-eyed. “The Lycan kings and you…”I slammed the car door shut and whirled on her, my voice sharp. “I do
I was stunned when Kai grabbed my wrist, pulling me toward the back of the clinic without so much as an explanation. My head spun, caught between the chaos around us and the raw panic rising inside me. I dug my heels in, trying to yank my hand free, but his grip was like iron."Let go!" I shouted, my voice drowned out by the blaring fire alarm and the frantic voices of people rushing past us.“We need to get you out of here,” Kai growled over his shoulder, as if my safety was the only thing that mattered. As if my children weren’t at home, unprotected, and completely unaware of what was happening.“No! I need to get to Finn and Luna!” I screamed, twisting against his hold, but he didn’t slow down. My pulse was hammering, and I felt like I could explode from the panic.“They’re safe,” Kai snapped, his voice rough with impatience. “There are guards at your house.”“I don’t trust your guards!” I shot back, “I don't know you and I don't trust you. I’m going to them, and you can’t stop me
Kieran’s jaw tightened, his gaze fixed on the horde gathering outside. “They’re not here because of us,” he said, his tone steely. “Vampires don’t hunt on a whim, especially not in these numbers. They’re organized. This was planned.”Kai nodded, his face dark as he turned back to me. “They’re after something specific.”“Or someone,” Kylan added quietly, grimacing as he straightened, though the strain was clear on his face.I glared at them, not buying their cool explanations. “So they show up at the clinic the moment you’re there, and then suddenly my house is crawling with vampires?” My voice was sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. “Explain that.”Kai held my gaze, his expression like stone. “If we knew, we’d be handling it.”“Lycans draw vampires like moth. The ones here aren't important. Just wolves. So when a Lycan king or kings comes into town they follow.” “Then come with us to our home. And we would not have to worry about this.” Kieran added with a goofy smile. He wa
"Briar… I am sorry. It's just that it’s late, and it’s risky,” Kai said, his voice softening but still edged with his usual impatience.I squinted at him, feeling the frustration bubble up. “Who gave you the right?” I asked, my voice sharp. He might be a king in his world, but here, in my house, his authority meant nothing to me.Kai’s eyes flicked over me, a strange expression passing over his face, but he didn’t say anything. For a split second, I thought he might actually consider what I was saying. But no—he only sighed and crossed his arms, like he couldn’t understand why I was even questioning him."Look," he said, his tone still laced with authority. "I get it—you want to help, but you don’t have our strength, Briar. And there’s still danger out there. I’m just trying to keep you safe."I let out a bitter laugh. “Safe? You don’t even know me. And I don’t need your permission. I’m not part of your pack.”Kai’s jaw tightened, and he dropped his gaze. “Fine,” he muttered. “I just
We all stared at the three handsome Lycan kings, waiting for them to answer.Were they going to reveal that they were here for my kids?I prayed they wouldn’t. This was a small town, and Finn and Luna already faced enough shame at school for not having fathers. I had told them—and everyone else—that their father was dead. If the truth came out, it wouldn’t just be gossip. It would ruin us. People would see me as worse than a joke. Worse, my kids might be ostracized for my mistakes.Having three fathers. Kai’s piercing blue eyes swept over the crowd, his jaw set as though deciding how much to reveal. Kieran, the calm one, exchanged a glance with his brother, his red hair catching the dim light. Kylan, the most reckless of the three, smirked, like he was enjoying this standoff.“Well?” Elder Nilo prompted, his tone sharper now. “You haven’t answered the question. Why are you here?”Kai stepped forward, his voice steady but unyielding. “We are the kings. We go wherever we like but
Rachel. Dead.The image of her blood-soaked body wouldn’t leave my mind. Her face pale, her lifeless eyes closed like she’d gone in her sleep. But she hadn’t. The vampires had done this.Put her in a state of death and life. She did not transition into a vampire. Nor did she die fully as a wolf.She became the in-between.My assistant. My friend. Gone.I stumbled away from the stretcher, my breaths coming in shallow gasps. My vision blurred with unshed tears, and my body trembled as a storm of grief and rage coursed through me. Lizbella trailed after me, her expression unusually somber.“Briar…” she began, her voice softer than I’d ever heard it.“Don’t,” I choked out, shaking my head. “Don’t say it. Don’t tell me it’s going to be okay, because it’s not. Rachel…rachel is dead..”She stopped, biting her lip. For once, Lizbella had no sarcastic quip, no lighthearted joke to ease the pain in my heart.I couldn’t be here. I couldn’t see Rachel like that again.My heart was breaking the
I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head. Couldn’t they argue just once without waking the entire neighborhood?“It’s not your stuff!” Luna’s voice carried into my room, filled with anger. “It’s our stuff! You’re just selfish!”“Oh my God,” I muttered, tossing the blanket aside and sitting up. My body still ached from the chaos of the previous night, but the twins didn’t care about that. No, they were too busy acting like they lived on a battlefield.They were toddlers. The next day, they have forgotten all about it. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, shoved my feet into my slippers, and shuffled into the hallway.“Guys—” I started, only to stop when I saw Finn and Luna locked in an epic tug-of-war over a ratty old stuffed wolf.“Let go!” Finn shouted, his small frame straining as he yanked the toy.“You let go!” Luna retorted, planting her feet like she was about to go full alpha.“ENOUGH!” I said, my voice louder than I intended.Both of them froze, their wide eyes snappi
The town square was quieter than it had been the night before, but the tension was still there. Everyone was looking at each other with fear.There were whispers, people pointing at me as if I was a vampire myself. I ignored them, tucking my hands on my dark blazer pockets. I found the elders near the center, their grim faces locked in discussion.“Elder Nilo,” I called, my voice cutting through their conversation.He turned to me, his expression neutral. “Briar. What can we do for you?”“You can start by explaining why Rachel and the others are being burned,” I said, crossing my arms.“It’s a precaution,” he said evenly. “The vampires who attacked carried venom. It’s too dangerous to bury them as we normally would.”“That’s ridiculous,” I snapped. “Rachel wasn’t a danger to anyone. She deserves a proper burial, by the river, the way she wanted. The family's of the others can vouch for them. Or a friend, you can't just burn them and throw their ashes away. .”Elder Maura frowned, st
Kai’s POVShe hadn’t moved in over an hour.Not even a twitch.I stood near the window, arms crossed, eyes locked on her still figure as the storm inside me brewed heavier than the clouds outside. The kids had fallen asleep again, one on each side of her, their small hands curled against her arms like they were trying to keep her tethered to the world.I couldn’t stop staring.Because if I stopped staring… I might have to admit how scared I actually was.The power he felt emitted from her wasn’t wolf. Wasn’t anything I’d seen in a long time. It smelled old. Too old. Old like the vampires. Kylan entered the room quietly, a bottle of water in his hand and his entire posture screaming guilt.I hadn't asked him what had happened because I was thinking about ways to sort this out. I didn’t look at him when I asked, “What happened out there?”He sat on the edge of the table across from me, rubbing the back of his neck. “She passed out. After vaporizing a group of rogues and vampires. All
Kylan’s POVI could feel her heart beating erratically against me, her body still limp in my arms as I carried her through the forest, away from the wreckage.Briar was barely conscious, her breathing shallow, and that alone sent a panic that ran through me faster than I’d ever run in my wolf form.I knew something was wrong, but the sight of her collapsing—her body betraying her like that—had set off every protective instinct I had.I couldn’t wait for any help. I didn’t even think. I just needed to get her somewhere safe.Her head hung in my arms like a ragdoll, and I felt her weak pulse in my hands, her skin clammy with the sweat of whatever fever she’d caught from the siren power taking over.I abandoned the car the second I realized she wasn’t waking up. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t alone. What mattered was her. Always her.I shifted fast, fur sprouting across my body. The moment my Lycan form took over, I scooped her up, feeling the heat of her skin against my fur. My paws hit
The silence was suffocating.The last rogue fell as ash to the earth, drifting like dust on a dead wind.My chest heaved. My vision blurred.I didn’t understand what just happened. My scream—it had done something. Something terrifying.How? I had killed someone. Well not someone. Couple of people. Wait…Kylan.The screwdriver was still at my feet, but I barely noticed it now.I pushed open the car door stepping outside. “Kylan!” I screamed. Please no. Ease let me not have hurt him.“Briar!” He called out. I turned to see him and I sighed in relief. He was already shifting mid-sprint, fur retracting into skin, claws vanishing as his towering figure emerged from the trees, shirtless, panting, his eyes wild.“Briar!” he called, panic etched into every corner of his voice. “Where are you—”His eyes locked on me.And something in his face… froze.I turned to him fully now. I didn’t run to.him. I didn’t cry or shout in anger. I… smiled.My lips curved, slow. Calculated. Seductive. My
Silence settled between us again. Information overload. I was confused on how to feel. How to react. I had kids. I had a life. And right now, I am not sure who I am. I have something growing inside of me and surprisingly, I am from a bloodline of sea creatures. How? All my life I had grown up at the orphanage. Yes, people listened to me. Yes…my beauty and sometimes my voice…had…attracted people to me. A crown marred my forehead. As I looked to the ground. Kylan was the first to speak. “So, what’s our next move?”Theo exhaled. “You need to learn control. Fast. Before someone figures out what you are and comes looking.”A chill ran down my spine. “Someone is looking, aren’t they?”Theo’s expression didn’t change. “Wouldn’t you be?”I didn’t know what to say.I was just… confused.Me? A siren? It didn’t make sense. It didn’t fit.I wasn’t some mystical creature from a legend. I wasn’t powerful. I was just… me. An adopted girl with too many scars, too much baggage, and a history of r
I was surprised. Not because of the book or the drawing or even the words coming out of Theo’s mouth. I was surprised because, deep down, something inside me already knew that I wasn't okay. But being told this, not on my list of things. Kylan sat beside me, staring at the page with a deep frown, his fingers tapping against the table as if trying to piece everything together. But I couldn’t look away from the image in front of me. A woman, drawn in ink so old it had faded into the parchment. Long, flowing hair. Eyes that seemed to glow even in the faded artwork. Strange, swirling snake marks along her arms—marks I had seen before. On me. Theo exhaled, leaning back slightly. “She was a Siren Goddess,” he said simply. I finally forced my eyes away from the book. “A what?” Kylan let out a low whistle. “I was hoping for something dramatic, but this? Yeah…it didn't fit what I had in mind.” Theo ignored him, his sharp green eyes locked on me. “She wasn’t just any siren.
I sat in my car outside the diner long after Kylan had left, staring at my phone screen, debating how to even start this conversation.A trip.It was reckless. Dangerous, even. I should’ve shut it down immediately. But Kylan was right—I was lost.And if this person he knew really could help me…I inhaled sharply and opened the group chat with Kai and Kieran.Me: We need to talk. It’s important. I’ll be home soon.A response came almost immediately.Kai: What happened?Kieran: Are you okay?I stared at their messages, hesitating before replying.Me: Just meet me at the house.I put my phone down before they could respond, gripping the steering wheel tightly.This was going to be a fight.---By the time I walked through the front door, they were both already there—Kai leaning against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, and Kieran sitting at the table, watching me closely.The moment I stepped inside, Kai’s eyes narrowed. “What’s going on?”I exhaled, dropping my keys onto the counter. “
After dropping the kids off at school, I felt useless. I sat in my car for a while, staring at the wheel, trying to figure out what to do with myself. There was always something to handle, always another crisis waiting, but today, there was nothing. It felt wrong. I exhaled sharply and checked my phone. A single message stared back at me. Council Hall. Now. I sighed. No explanation, no warning, just an order. By the time I pulled up to the hall, my mood had soured. The council building was old, built with stone that made it look more like a relic than a functioning place of authority. I pushed through the heavy doors, the cool air inside making my skin prickle. Elder Ama was waiting at the long table, along with three other council members. They watched me with expressions that gave nothing away. “Briar,” Ama said, motioning for me to sit. I didn’t move right away. “This about the clinic?” “It is.” I sat down, crossing my arms. “If this is another attempt to pin som
“I messed up,” Kylan said, groaning and running his hand over his face.“You think?” Kieran said, standing up, his silver eyes sharp with irritation.Kylan growled, his hands clenching into fists. “You… How dare you bring up Kayla?”“Because you’re trying to do the same thing to Briar,” Kieran shot back, his voice rising. “You don’t connect with her. You don’t listen. And now you’re throwing yourself at her like that’s going to fix anything. Kayla is six feet under because you couldn’t hold yourself together, and now—”“You bastard!” Kylan roared, his voice breaking as he swung at Kieran.The punch landed hard against Kieran’s jaw, the sound of it echoing in the room. Kieran staggered back, but his silver eyes flashed with fury as he wiped at his lip, which was already swelling.“You want to do this?” Kieran growled, his voice deeper now as his wolf pushed to the surface.“You brought her up,” Kylan spat, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. “You know how she was to me. You know
There was a weird thing between triplets. The called it ‘the tingling.’When one was going through a single vulnerability, they all felt it.And Kylan felt it from Kai. This wasn’t the first time. Or the second.Anytime Kai was with Briar, he softened. His tone changed, his walls cracked just enough for it to be noticeable. It was like a gravitational pull existed between them, and Kylan, no matter how hard he tried, felt like an outsider.A goddamn third wheel. It stung more because, out of all of them, Kylan had been the first to meet Briar. He’d noticed her spark, her fire, before either of his brothers had the chance. And yet, it was always Kai who seemed to draw her attention.Kylan stood in the living room, arms crossed, watching Kieran gently arranging blocks on the coffee table.“Aren’t you jealous?” Kylan asked suddenly, his voice tight. “Of the fact that Kai is the closest to her?”Kieran sighed without looking up. “I’ve known since the day Mother spat us out of her womb