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 don’t want to talk about it, okay? Just… just drive.”
She blinked, startled by my outburst, but nodded without pressing further. Rachel climbed into the driver’s seat, and we sped away from the fair, leaving the three brothers—and the town’s curious stares—behind.
The kids chattered in the backseat, oblivious to the tension between Rachel and me. I stared out the window, biting my lip to keep my emotions in check. I couldn’t afford to break down. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.
When we arrived back home, I ushered the kids inside quickly, locking the door behind us. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see multiple messages—some from the other moms at school, others from random numbers I didn’t recognize.
What’s going on with the you and the Lycan king? Did you see those three hotties at the fair?
Are they really the father of your children?
I cursed under my breath, tossing the phone onto the counter. The whole town was talking about it already.
Rachel stood in the doorway, watching me carefully. “Briar, you have to tell me what’s going on. Why were the Lycan kings after you? It's as if they came here to Crimsgrove for you.”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Those people, the scammers, well they were the Lycan kings.” Her eyes widened. “They think they’re the fathers of my kids.”
Rachel’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what? Are you serious? How would they even know about Finn and Luna?”
“I don’t know,” I muttered, pacing the kitchen. “But they seemed pretty damn sure of it.”
Rachel leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “Do you think there’s any truth to it?”
I stopped in my tracks, turning to face her. “No. Absolutely not. They can’t be. It’s impossible. Three men? No…no…no...”
Rachel didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push further. “Okay… but what are you going to do if they don’t leave you alone? I mean, it sounds like they’re serious. And you know the Lycan kings, whatever they want, they get. And going into their world? It's like a death sentence. They have enemies, constant war, and most of all the rumored curse.”
“The curse of the eternal bond?”
Rachel nodded. “The curse where they turn into a beast during the full moon and kill whoever is on site. Imagine you were there.”
I rubbed my temples, trying to fend off the headache that was creeping in. “Thanks Rachel for the imagination. I just want this to be over. I can’t deal with this right now. ”
She nodded slowly, her expression softening. “Okay. I’ll help you any way I can.”
I forced a smile. “Thanks.”
****
Later that evening, I made my way to my other job at the local clinic. It was a small-town facility, but I liked the work. It kept me busy and grounded. My role was a pediatric nurse allowed me to focus on caring for children, giving me a sense of purpose outside of the chaos of my personal life. The clinic was always bustling, filled with parents bringing their kids in for routine check-ups, vaccines, and the occasional sprained ankle.
I spent the first hour of my shift checking vitals and chatting with the kids, trying to keep my mind off the day’s earlier events. But no matter how hard I tried to focus, the image of Kai, Kylan, and Kieran wouldn’t leave my head. Their confident voices, their intense stares—it all lingered, and I hated how unsettled it made me feel.
Then, just as I was about to step into another exam room, I heard a commotion near the front of the clinic. My heart skipped a beat, and I hurried toward the noise, a sinking feeling already growing in my stomach.
Sure enough, when I rounded the corner, there they were. The brothers. Standing right in the lobby of the clinic like they owned the place.
My breath hitched, and I froze, staring at them in disbelief. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Kai stepped forward. “We thought we might visit you here at work since you decided to make a fool of us earlier.”
“I’m at work,” I snapped, trying to keep my voice low so as not to draw attention. But it was too late—people were already staring. I saw a few of my colleagues whispering to each other, their curious gazes bouncing between the brothers and me.
Kylan smirked, his arms crossed over his chest. “We’ll wait.”
“You can’t just show up here like this,” I hissed, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. “This is completely inappropriate.”
Kieran tilted his head, his gaze softening slightly. “We’re not trying to make things difficult for you, Briar. But you need to hear us out. You won't understand unless we explain.”
Before I could respond, I saw a flash—someone had taken a picture. My stomach dropped. I glanced around and spotted a couple of people with their phones out, snapping photos of the scene.
“Are you kidding me?” I muttered under my breath. “Look–”
Boom!!
It happened so quickly. I didn't have enough time to breath when another book was heard.
The ground beneath my feet trembled, and I heard a loud book from outside.
My blood ran cold as the building shook. Panic spread through the clinic like wildfire. Patients screamed, nurses rushed to secure the area, and the front entrance was suddenly blocked by debris.
I turned back to the brothers, my heart racing. “What the hell is happening?”
Kylan’s eyes darkened, and he stepped closer, his voice low and urgent. “It’s an attack.”
“An attack?” I echoed, my mind spinning.
Before I could ask anything else, the fire alarm blared, and chaos erupted around us.
I felt a hand grab mine—Kai’s—and before I knew what was happening, he was pulling me toward the back of the clinic.
“We need to get you out of here. Now!”
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
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