Three Hearts, One Bond

Aria woke up on her birthday with the strange feeling that someone was watching her. She sat up quickly and looked around her small cabin. Empty. Just the usual worn furniture and the single window where morning light streamed in. But the feeling remained.

She touched her shoulder where the crescent birthmark lay hidden under her nightshirt. It felt warm, almost tingling. Ever since last night's weird meeting with the Alpha's sons, something felt different inside her. Like a door that had been locked for years was starting to crack open.

A loud bang on her door made her jump.

"Wake up, birthday girl!" Cira burst in, carrying a small package wrapped in leaves. "Eighteen years old today! How does it feel to be all grown up?"

Aria smiled and pushed away her worries. "Exactly the same as yesterday."

"Well, that's about to change." Cira plopped down on the bed and handed Aria the package. "Open it!"

Inside was a delicate bracelet made of silver threads and tiny blue stones.

"Cira, it's beautiful!" Aria gasped. "How did you—"

"My cousin works with the pack metalsmith. Don't worry about it." Cira helped Aria put it on. "There's something else too. The Alpha has requested your presence at noon."

Aria's stomach dropped. "What? Why would he want to see me?"

Cira shrugged, but her eyes sparkled with excitement. "No idea. But after all three of his sons were staring at you last night, I'm not surprised. Speaking of which, you disappeared! Where did you go after I left you?"

"I didn't disappear. They talked to me."

"Who?"

"All three of them. The brothers."

Cira's mouth fell open. "What? All three? What did they say?"

Aria told her about the strange conversations and the moon mark in the cake frosting.

"This is huge!" Cira grabbed Aria's hands. "Don't you see? Something's happening. Something big!"

Fear crept up Aria's spine. "But I don't want big things to happen. I just want to be left alone."

Cira's face softened. "No, you don't. You've spent your whole life hiding in shadows. Maybe it's time for you to step into the light."

Before Aria could argue, Cira pulled her out of bed. "Now come on! If you're meeting the Alpha, we need to get you ready!"

At exactly noon, Aria stood outside the Alpha's house, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst from her chest. She wore her cleanest dress, and Cira had braided her hair with small white flowers.

"Enter," called a deep voice from inside.

Taking a deep breath, Aria pushed open the heavy wooden door.

The Alpha's meeting room was larger than her entire cabin. Animal skins covered the floor, and weapons hung on the walls. At the center sat Alpha Magnus Thorn behind a massive oak table. His silver-streaked dark hair and sharp features showed where his sons got their looks.

But it wasn't just the Alpha waiting for her. His three sons stood around the room.

Riven leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching her with those intense blue eyes. Kade sat casually on the edge of the table, flashing her a smile that made her cheeks warm. And Silas stood by the window, a heavy book in his hands, his amber eyes curious and calculating.

"Aria Vale." The Alpha's voice filled the room. "Thank you for coming."

Aria bowed her head slightly. "Alpha, you called for me?"

"Yes." He studied her face. "Do you know why?"

Aria's mind raced. Had she broken some rule? Was she in trouble?

"No, Alpha."

"Because you turn eighteen today." He stood up and walked around the table. "And for our pack, eighteen is when certain... connections become clear."

Connections? Aria glanced at the brothers, but their faces gave nothing away.

"I don't understand," she said quietly.

The Alpha sighed. "When my sons returned yesterday, they informed me of something unusual. Something that has never happened in our pack's history." He paused. "All three of them sensed a pull toward you. A bond."

Aria's breath caught. "A... bond?"

From his corner, Riven spoke. "A mate bond."

The words hung in the air like smoke. A mate bond. The sacred connection between wolves that couldn't be broken or denied. But that was impossible. She was just an omega. And there were three of them.

"That can't be right," Aria whispered. "Omegas don't mate with Alphas."

Kade pushed off from the table. "That's what makes this so interesting." He moved closer to her, and Aria felt that strange pull in her chest again. "We all felt it the moment we saw you last night. Right, brothers?"

Silas nodded. "It was... unexpected."

"It's impossible," Riven growled. "One wolf, one mate. That's the way it's always been."

The Alpha raised his hand for silence. "And yet, here we are. Three sons, one mate. The moon goddess works in ways we can't always understand."

Aria's head spun. This couldn't be happening. "There must be a mistake."

"There's no mistake." The Alpha walked toward her. "Show me your shoulder."

Aria stepped back. "My... shoulder?"

"Your birthmark. Show me."

How did he know about that? Only Cira had ever seen it. Hesitantly, Aria turned and pulled down the collar of her dress just enough to reveal the crescent moon mark on her shoulder.

The room went silent.

"Just as I feared," the Alpha murmured. "The mark of the moon daughter."

Silas moved forward suddenly, his book forgotten. "The prophecy," he whispered. "It's her."

Kade looked confused. "What prophecy?"

But the Alpha ignored him, focusing on Aria. "Have you ever felt different? Strange powers or feelings you couldn't explain?"

Aria thought about the times when she could sense others' emotions, or when flowers seemed to grow better under her touch, or how animals never feared her. She'd always hidden these things, afraid of being even more different than she already was.

"Sometimes," she admitted quietly.

The Alpha nodded grimly. "From this moment on, your position in the pack changes. You are no longer just an omega. You are to be protected at all costs."

"And trained," Riven added. "If the bond is real, she needs to learn what that means."

Kade grinned. "I can think of a few lessons I'd like to teach her."

Riven shot him a dark look. "This isn't a game, Kade."

"No," Silas said softly. "It's a curse."

The word fell like a stone in the quiet room. Curse?

"Enough," the Alpha commanded. "Aria needs time to understand what's happening." He turned to her with kinder eyes. "The mate bond is pulling all three of my sons to you. This has never happened before, and we don't fully understand why. For now, you will stay in the protected quarters near our house."

"But my cabin—" Aria started.

"Is not safe," Riven cut in. "Not anymore."

"What do you mean?" Aria asked, fear creeping into her voice.

"He means," Silas explained gently, "that once others learn about this bond, you'll become both precious and a target. Not everyone will be happy about an omega rising in rank."

The reality of her situation crashed down on Aria. This morning she had been nobody—just a quiet omega that people barely noticed. Now she was the center of something that could tear the pack apart.

"What about my friend Cira?" Aria asked.

"She can visit," the Alpha said. "But your safety comes first."

A knock at the door interrupted them. Elder Varyn entered, his ancient face tightening when he saw Aria.

"So it's true," he said, his voice scratchy with age. "The cursed bond has awakened."

The Alpha frowned. "We don't know that it's cursed, Elder."

"Three alphas, one mate?" Elder Varyn shook his head. "The unbalanced bond brings only pain. You know the old stories, Magnus."

"Stories can be wrong," the Alpha replied firmly.

The elder shuffled closer to Aria, his eyes narrowing. "Girl, have you had any dreams lately? About blood? About the moon?"

Aria's heart skipped. Last night she had dreamed of running under a blood-red moon while three wolves chased her through the forest. She'd woken up with her sheets soaked in sweat.

Before she could answer, Riven stepped between them. "That's enough questions for today. She needs rest."

Elder Varyn backed away, but his eyes never left Aria. "Watch her closely. When the bond fully awakens, we'll see what kind of monster we've invited into our midst."

"Elder!" The Alpha's voice boomed. "You will show respect."

The old man bowed slightly, but as he turned to leave, he whispered just loud enough for Aria to hear: "When the three become one, blood will run under the cursed moon."

After he left, silence filled the room. Aria's legs felt weak. Monster? Blood? What was happening to her?

Kade was the first to break the tension. He moved to Aria's side, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him. "Don't mind that old wolf. He thinks everything is a sign of doom."

"But what if he's right?" Aria whispered. "What if there's something wrong with me?"

"There's nothing wrong with you," Silas said, coming closer too. "You're just... different. Special."

Aria felt it then—that pull, like invisible strings drawing her toward each brother. To Riven's strength, to Kade's warmth, to Silas's understanding. It was terrifying and thrilling all at once.

"I need to go," she said suddenly. "I need to think."

"I'll take you to your new quarters," Riven offered, his voice softer than before.

As he led her out, Aria caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror hanging on the wall. For a second—just a flash—her eyes weren't their normal silver but glowing like moons. She blinked, and they returned to normal.

Outside, the entire pack had gathered, watching her with curious eyes. Whispers followed her as Riven guided her across the grounds. "Mate," they said. "Omega." "Cursed." "Blessed."

In just one day, on her eighteenth birthday, Aria Vale had gone from invisible to the most watched wolf in the pack. And somewhere deep inside her, where that strange power had been sleeping all her life, something was finally waking up.