My heart dropped into my stomach as I recognized them—the three men who had shown up at my doorstep just hours earlier. Now, standing in front of the entire town, they looked even more powerful than before. Their presence seemed to command the crowd without a single word, and people instinctively parted, allowing them to walk through with ease.
Rachel’s grip tightened on my arm, her excitement palpable. “Briar, that’s them! The Lycan kings! Oh my god, they’re even hotter in person!”
I barely registered her words, my mind reeling as I stared at the brothers.
They were…the Lycan kings…the…triplets born on a leap year. Who had rules for years.
I had called them a scammer…I couldn't believe it.
Kai was the first to spot me, his intense gaze locking onto mine from across the crowd. My stomach flipped. Kylan and Kieran quickly followed his line of sight, and all three of them began walking straight toward me.
Panic surged through me, and I instinctively took a step back. I didn’t want to cause a scene, but I couldn’t let them corner me here, not with half the town watching.
These people were powerful. And with power comes bad deed. And hell no am I going to let them come close to me or my kids.
That's if I believe them being the father or fathers.
Shit.
“What are you doing?” Rachel asked, frowning as I tried to retreat. “This is your chance! Go talk to them!”
“Are you insane?” I hissed, my pulse racing. “I’m not talking to them. I’m leaving.”
Before she could respond, I spun on my heel and headed toward the exit. But I wasn’t fast enough.
“Briar, wait!” Kylan’s voice boomed from behind me, drawing even more attention from the crowd.
Fucking hell.
Great attention.
I cursed under my breath, speeding up my pace.
But I hadn’t gotten far when Kai appeared in front of me, his eyes narrowed. He moved so fast, I hadn’t even seen him coming.
“Get out of my way,” I snapped, trying to push past him. But he didn’t budge.
“Briar, we need to talk,” he said, his voice low and firm.
“I have nothing to say to you,” I shot back, my anger bubbling to the surface once more. “I told you already—stay away from me and my kids.”
Kai’s jaw clenched, but before he could respond, Kylan and Kieran caught up to us, flanking me on either side. I felt trapped, surrounded by the three of them, their imposing forms blocking any route of escape.
“This isn’t the place for this conversation,” Kieran said, his voice softer than his brothers’, but no less insistent. “But we’re not leaving until you hear us out.”
“Indeed, you are quite a hard to find.” Kylan said with nonchalance.
I glared at him, crossing my arms defensively. “I’ve already heard enough. You’ve said your piece. Now go.”
I was nervous looking at the way everyone was looking at me.
I didn't want to be the talk of the town. Simple, alone life that's what I had wanted.
Kylan sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, we know this is a lot to take in, but we’re not lying, Briar. We have proof.”
I scoffed. “Proof? Proof of what? That you’re all insane?”
Kai took a step closer, his eyes searching mine. “That we’re your children’s fathers.”
A cold shiver ran down my spine, but I quickly shook it off. “You’re delusional. I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but I’m not interested.”
“Quite a way to talk to your king.” Kai said.
“You are not my king. I am a werewolf. I do not call to Lycans, in case you have forgotten the treaty. You accept refugees, but we are not deemed to serve you.”
He smirked making me tick.
“It’s not a game,” Kylan said, his voice taking on a harder edge. “We don’t play games when it comes to our family.”
I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could say anything, Finn and Luna came running over, their laughter ringing out as they darted between the stalls.
I forgot, they had shorter day at school today because of the fair.
My heart dropped as they headed straight for us.
“No,” I muttered under my breath, my panic rising. I needed to get them out of here before the brothers could say anything. “Stay away from them.”
But it was too late. Finn spotted me first, his face lighting up with a big grin. “Mama!”
Kai’s eyes widened as he looked down at Finn, and I could see the shock and recognition in his expression. Kylan and Kieran both went still, their gazes shifting between the children and me, as if they were putting the pieces together in real-time.
“Briar…” Kylan’s voice was low, almost a whisper. “Is that…?”
I stepped in front of Finn and Luna, blocking them from view. “Don’t even think about it,” I warned, my voice trembling with both anger and fear.
Kai’s gaze softened as he looked at me, but there was something else in his eyes now—something deeper, more primal. “Briar, they’re ours. We can feel it.”
I clenched my fists, every muscle in my body tensing. “You don’t know anything.”
“They’re Lycan,” Kieran said quietly, his eyes locked on Finn. “We can sense it.”
My breath caught in my throat, and for a brief moment, my resolve faltered. But then I remembered everything I had fought for—everything I had sacrificed to keep my kids safe.
From Slade. From power. To have peace. For someone who have had a taste of popularity and power once, it never ended well for me. I couldn’t let them tear my world apart with their wild claims.
“I don’t care what you think,” I said through gritted teeth, my voice shaking with emotion. “I don't care who you are. I don't care if you kill me for disrespect. But you must know they’re my children. Not yours. Now get the hell out of my life.”
Before any of them could respond, I grabbed Finn’s hand and Luna’s as well, pulling them away from the brothers. My heart was pounding in my chest as I hurried through the crowd, desperate to put as much distance between us as possible.
But even as I walked away, I could feel their eyes on me, could hear their words echoing in my mind.
“They’re ours.”
I shook my head, t
rying to push the thought away. It didn’t matter what they said. They couldn’t be right.
Could they?
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
The battlefield was a wasteland. Bodies, both fresh and decaying, were strewn across the ground. A thick, unnatural fog hovered over the earth, masking the stench of death, but not enough to hide the horrors from anyone still standing. Still fighting for this war that had gone for more than a week. "Hold the line!" Marcus's voice boomed across the clearing, his silver hair matted with dirt and blood. His piercing blue eyes darted from one corner of the field to another. "Don’t let them break through!"To his left, a Lycan tore through a vampire’s throat with a savage snarl. Blood splattered across his chest, the vampire’s body falling limp before hitting the dirt. The Lycan grunted, his yellow eyes flaring. "This is getting worse, Marcus. They’re faster. Stronger than normal. We can’t keep up."Marcus spat on the ground, his jaw clenched. “We don’t have a choice, Jax. We either fight or die. You wanna run? Then go. But I’m not going down without tearing a few more apart.”Jax wiped
Years later…Briar's POV"Congratulations, Luna Briar, you are officially carrying the Alpha's heir."The words should have filled me with joy, but instead, they felt hollow. I sat on the edge of the hospital bed, staring at the nurse as she recorded the results in her clipboard without so much as a smile. Her tone was flat, indifferent, as if my news was nothing special.It should be though. The alpha's heir. It was great news. But not for the people of Crimson Pack. It was a nightmare and a weakness."Thank you," I said, my voice quiet.She didn’t bother to look up.No smile. No warmth. Just a curt nod. I wasn’t surprised. As far as the pack was concerned, I was just an omega who had lucked out. The Alpha’s mate, sure, but still an omega. And an omega carrying the Alpha’s child was an inconvenience to most.Here in the crimson pack, mates weren't taken seriously. They had expected their alpha to get another wife, to rule, whereas I would just be a mistress. But he never did. He
I woke up in the hospital feeling empty. Like a void. The sterile scent of antiseptic burned my nose as the fluorescent lights hummed overhead. My throat was dry, lips cracked, but none of that mattered. My hand instinctively went to my stomach, trembling fingers pressing against the soft skin there. It felt empty. "No... no, no, no," I whispered, my heart pounding as the memories flooded back. The fight. Slade’s rage. His fists. Zaya’s mocking laughter. And then the pain—so much pain.And blood. A nurse must have heard me because the door swung open, and she hurried over. Her face was sympathetic, so different from the hate I was used to. “Luna Ashford…”I flinched at the title. Luna. That wasn’t me anymore. I was nothing.“Don’t call me that,” I rasped.She hesitated before nodding. “I’m sorry. You need to rest.”Rest? How could I rest? My baby…our baby… was gone. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the reality that was clawing at me, threatening to consume me whole.“I’m
I remembered the first time I had come here. I was eighteen. Young and foolish. Happy to have been released from the orphanage. Lizbella and I had come here to celebrate. Our hands were calloused, we smelt of oil, we had begged for money so we could buy a drink.We didn’t care that night. We just wanted to party and enjoy life.We were eighteen meaning we could leave this pack and stopped working in the mines or as slaves. And I had met him. Alpha Slade and he had been my mate. My love. The moment I became Luna, Zaya tried to replace Lizbella, and I let her, now she ruined me. I was stupid. Still am it seems. I ordered a drink and stared into the glass, my reflection distorted in the amber liquid. Who was I now?“Looking for company?” a deep voice asked.I didn’t bother turning around. “Not in the mood.”“You look like you could use someone to talk to.”I sighed, finally glancing over my shoulder. The man standing there was tall, his dark eyes studying me with far too much interest.
As the second man pressed against me, his lips grazing the sensitive skin of my neck, I let out a low moan, my body arching into his touch. My breath hitched as the pleasure went through my veins, both of their hands on my body, igniting sensations I hadn’t felt in years—or maybe ever. I was no longer thinking, just feeling. The heat between us swelled, growing more urgent with every touch, every kiss. The second man’s fingers traced along the curve of my back while the first one pulled me tighter against him, his movements hard and insistent.I felt lips on my hardened nipples, I almost screamed from the pleasure.My heart pounded in my chest, my mind slipping further away from reality, giving in completely. They kissed me everywhere—lips, neck, chest. There was nothing but them, nothing but the feeling of their hands, his hands on my clit, their lips, the heat of their bodies pressing into mine. My mind was spinning, the alcohol still swirling in my veins, making everything feel
Seven years later…The early morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft, golden glow over the small room. I stretched, careful not to wake the two small bodies nestled on either side of me. My twins, Finn and Luna, slept soundly, their little faces peaceful in the morning light. Watching them, I couldn’t help but smile. Life was different now. It had to be. After that night, the night I left everything behind, I promised myself that I would never look back.And for seven years, I hadn’t. I had built a life here, in the Lycan territory, far away from the pain of the past. I was no longer the broken woman who had stumbled into that motel room. I was Briar Ashford—mother, therapist, survivor.“Mama,” a small voice murmured, breaking into my thoughts. Luna, her big brown eyes still heavy with sleep, reached out to me. Her tiny hand clutched at my shirt as she blinked up at me with a smile that could light up the darkest day.“Morning, sweetheart,” I whispered, pressi
What do you do when three hot men appear at your doorstep saying they are the father of your kids?I would slam the door.And that’s exactly what I did. Or at least, I tried to.But Kylan’s hand shot out, stopping the door just as it was about to close. “Briar, wait—”I glared at him, shoving the door harder against his hand. “Wait? For what? For you to come in here and spew some more ridiculous claims? Because, trust me, I’ve heard enough. You guys are bloody psychos or some pranksters and trust me it's a Monday morning, I could hardly care.”Kai chuckled, his face filled with amusement that seemed to tick me off. “We’re not here to cause trouble, Briar. We just want to talk.”“Talk?” I repeated, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “There’s nothing to talk about. What you’re saying is impossible. Scientifically impossible! You are not the father of my children.”Kieran, the chiseled jaw Adonis, who had been silent up until now, smirked, “Impossible is our speciality, sweetheart.”I roll