My fated mate rejected me at 4 AM in my own kitchen. Best thing that ever happened to me. Because here's what that @sshole didn't know when he called me tr@sh: I'm a gold wolf. The rarest, most powerful wolf alive. And my second chance mate? The Alpha King himself. So to everyone who shoved me in hallways, who laughed, who thought I was nothing— Buckle up. You're about to see what happens when your "weak little nerd" becomes your Queen. "Alaric! Brielle! Caelan! Get down here and eat your breakfast right now!" Mom—Elowyn Emberfang, our pack's Luna—her voice boomed up from downstairs. Oh yeah, forgot to mention—we're triplets. Tomorrow's our eighteenth birthday. Which means two things: we'll find our mates, and at exactly 11:59 PM—the moment we were born—we'll shift for the first time. Most wolves shift between sixteen and eighteen, but we're late bloomers. "The ABC Crew! Last call or you're gonna be late!" That's what Dad calls us when we're dragging our feet—Alaric, Brielle, Caelan. A-B-C. Real creative, Dad. I dragged myself out of bed, rubbed my eyes, and while I brushed my teeth, let me give you the rundown on the three of us. Alaric's the oldest—beat me out by four minutes. He got Dad's build—broad shoulders, all muscle, the kind of guy people just move out of the way for. Skin's that warm bronze from Mom's side, eyes this intense amber that can pin you in place. He keeps his locs tied back, always neat. Girls at the academy throw themselves at him, but Alaric shuts it down every time. Future Alpha of the Emberfang Pack can't just give his heart away to anyone. Still my best friend, though. Not that I'd admit it out loud. I'm number two. Got Dad's coloring—copper skin, eyes like autumn leaves. The Moon Goddess told my parents before we were born that my wolf would be... different. But they never told anyone. Fine by me. I learned early how to make myself invisible. Oversized hoodies even in summer, glasses I don't actually need, hair pulled up and stuffed under my hood. Let them say whatever. Being the weird one beats being stared at. And it's not just about hiding my body—it's about what happens when I shift. What my wolf looks like. That's the real secret. Then there's Brielle. My sister—if you wanna call her that—is gorgeous, I'll give her that. Honey-toned skin, deep brown eyes, hair down to her waist that she spends an hour straightening every morning. But she's also the entire reason I learned to keep my head down. Because Brielle's already claimed the future Alpha from the neighboring pack as hers. The Nightveil Pack's school bvrned down last semester, so now they're sharing space with us at the Emberfang Academy. Which means we see him every single day. Thaddeus Nightveil. I try not to think about him. We finally made it downstairs. Alaric was already good to go—dark jeans, a henley that didn't hide the muscle underneath, boots that cost more than most wolves save up for in months. I looked the same as always: oversized hoodie, baggy joggers, my most beat-up sneakers. Brielle, as usual, was dressed like she had a red carpet appearance—that top was so small you had to squint to call it a shirt, the skirt was basically a wide belt, and she had on four-inch heels. Dad was already by the door, keys in one hand, coffee in the other. "Let's move. Alaric already left." "I am NOT riding with her!" Brielle said, looking at me like I was tr@sh on the sidewalk. Dad didn't even glance up. "You're riding with her. You totaled three cars, Brielle. Deal with it for ten minutes." She whipped around to face me, eyes blazing. "Stay away from me at school! Don't talk to me, don't look at me. Don't even breathe in my direction!" I didn't answer. She's been saying the same stuff to me since we could walk. I slid into the driver's seat of the black Challenger—Dad gave it to me after my last growth spurt, and it's the only thing that makes me feel like I have any power at all—the engine rumbled under my palm. Brielle slammed the passenger door and immediately pulled out her phone, pressing herself against the door like she could teleport away from me if she tried hard enough. Long day ahead. But at least it's Friday. Thank Goddess for that. We got to school. Caelan didn't shut up the entire ride. I pulled the black Challenger into the Alpha kids' reserved spot. Next to me was Alaric's black Charger—he was already here. One spot over sat a deep blue Corvette. Caelan started screaming the second she saw it, so I didn't need to guess whose it was. Thaddeus Nightveil. Future Alpha of the Nightveil Pack. I try to avoid him. No special reason—the guy just hates me for no reason at all. He's the worst bully in this entire school. Bar none. His twin sister Wren's birthday is also tomorrow. My dad and his dad figured they'd just combine the parties—mostly because Caelan's convinced he's her fated mate. Even though Thaddeus treats me like garbage, I have to admit... he's hot. About six-three, same height as Alaric. Blue eyes—yeah, this dark-skinned @sshole has blue eyes that could svck you in if you stared too long. His short hair's always styled in perfect waves, and those tight T-shirts he wears show off abs that are way too defined. Wait. Stop. Brielle, what are you doing. I hate him. He hates me. We're even. I barely made it to my locker before the insults started flying. "Hey fatty, nerd, loser, ug1y, four-eyes—" That's just some of it. They only do this when Alaric's not around. Caelan, her crew, and Thaddeus—those three lead the pack. I don't say anything. They always say "snitches get stitches." Honestly, I'm not scared of them. Dad told me I could take down anyone, even an Alpha. When we spar, I can make him tap out. Thaddeus hates me, but his sister Wren is my best friend. Wren's always trying to get me to dress more girly, wants me to ditch these big-@ss glasses. We're wolves—she knows I don't actually need them. She walked over, threw her arm around my shoulder. "Brielle, you just gonna let them tr@sh-talk you like that? You know you could beat the sh!t out of them. Why put up with it?" I didn't answer. Just grabbed my books from my locker and sighed. "Let's get to class." Wren and I have every class together. She didn't push it, just tightened her arm around my shoulder a little. We walked to class together. Behind us, I could hear Caelan laughing. I pretended I didn't. --- Wren and I walked into the cafeteria. "Wren, why are you hanging out with that loser?" "Hey fatty, you should skip lunch." "Wren, come sit with us and leave that waste of space alone." Everyone was pointing at me, laughing. My eyes bvrned, but I wouldn't let the tears fall—no way I'd give them that satisfaction. Suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore. I turned to run and slammed into something, hitting the floor hard. "Watch where you're fvcking going, ug1y!" Thaddeus yelled, kicking me in the side. "I feel sorry for your future mate. He's gonna take one look at your face and reject you. Who'd want a weak, pathetic, fat four-eyes as a mate? I bet you'll die alone. Look at what you're wearing. Who'd want to be seen with someone like you?" He kept going. Finally kicked me in the face and walked off. I knew it was gonna swell up. I stayed on the floor, didn't move. Just wondering how people could be this cruel. Alaric walked in and saw me lying in the hallway crying. He immediately sat down next to me, pulled me into his arms, voice almost a roar. "Who did this? Brielle, who did this?" Viggo and Cade came over too. Both just as pissed—they've always treated me like a little sister. I didn't answer. Just cried against Alaric. "Brielle, you tell me right fvcking now! Who did this?" Dad was at school, in a meeting with the principal. Something about rogues showing up at the edge of the woods near campus. I didn't want him to see me like this. Someone would end up dead. I hate Thaddeus, but I don't want him to die today. Whether it's Dad or Alaric who does it, he's a dead man. My dad's the kind of Alpha you don't mess with. Piss him off and he'll snap your neck. He never jokes around, especially when it comes to his daughters. Yeah, I'm a daddy's girl. You probably figured that out already. Mom texted saying I could come home. Thank Goddess, I need to get out of this he11hole. Maybe she can get me out of tomorrow's party too. Alpha Alton, Luna Amira, Thaddeus, Wren, and his future Beta Cole and Gamma Lane are all staying on our territory to help set up for the party. Fvck. Why couldn't they just throw the party at their own pack? Caelan's POV I was sitting on Thaddeus's lap, tongue down his throat, when I caught Brielle and his sister walking into the cafeteria out of the corner of my eye. I immediately started tr@shing her. That's how you get the popular kids to accept you. Everyone was laughing. I know she's my sister, I should feel guilty, but I don't. She deserves it. Dad thinks she's so special, treats her like a princess. Yeah, she gets straight A's, does everything Dad tells her to. I know I've screwed up a lot, but fvck, I'm his daughter too. Brielle and Alaric both got new cars for their birthdays, and I'm stuck riding with that b!tch just because I totaled my last three cars. We have money. Dad could easily buy me another one, but he won't. Says I can work a few hours at his company every day like Alaric and Brielle do, save up and buy my own. Fvck that. Why should I have to do that? I'm gonna be Luna of the Nightveil Pack someday. They've got just as much money as we do. We'd just finished humiliating her when she ran out of the cafeteria. She won't tell anyone. I told her if she does, I'll make her life he11. I'll make her pathetic existence even worse than it already is. I can't wait to shift tonight. Legend says one of us three is a gold wolf, with special abilities from the Moon Goddess. I know it's gonna be me. That way my mate and I will be the strongest pair. We'll be a power couple. Brielle's weak and pathetic, so it definitely won't be her. Alaric's too soft, always running after Brielle to check if she's okay. Though maybe that compassion is what'll make him a good Alpha. He's a good brother. But I'm kinda jealous of how close he and Mom and Dad are with Brielle. Just wait. Wait till they find out I'm the gold wolf at the party. --- Luna Elowyn's POV I can't believe the triplets turn eighteen tomorrow. I remember when my mate and his father—he was still Alpha back then—came to my old pack, Ravencrest, to sign a treaty. I was nineteen, daughter of the Beta. Corvin Emberfang was twenty-one. The second our eyes met, we knew we were fated mates. I remember thinking, this gorgeous brown-skinned man is mine. That night after everyone went to sleep, he snuck into my room. We went at it all night. Then the next morning, he rejected me. Said a Beta's daughter wasn't good enough to be his future Luna. "I, Corvin Emberfang, future Alpha of the Emberfang Pack, reject you, Elowyn Ravencrest, as my fated mate and future Luna." I accepted his rejection. What neither of us knew at the time—he wasn't just leaving me. He was leaving three little surprises behind. I was halfway through my pregnancy with the triplets when the Emberfang Pack held a ceremony celebrating Corvin becoming the new Alpha. Beta families had to attend. My parents knew my situation, but I begged them to let me handle it myself, or I'd run away. They were always supportive. I was packing my stuff in the guest room at the Emberfang Pack when Corvin burst in and grabbed my arm, hard enough to scare me. "You let another man touch what's mine?" I yanked my arm away. "I don't belong to you. You gave up that right." His voice got deeper, his eyes darker. I knew his wolf had taken over. "Whose kids are those, Elowyn?" I wasn't scared of him. I was just as pissed as he was. I met his gaze head-on. "The only man I've ever s1ept with—if I'm still willing to call you that—is you. You're the sperm donor for my three kids. You don't get to go near them. You rejected me, which means you rejected them." That day, he completely broke. A single tear slid down his face. Then he jumped out the window, shifted mid-air into that beautiful black wolf of his, and took off into the woods. Thinking back on all this now, I'm busy getting ready to welcome my old pack for the party. I definitely didn't make it easy for him to win me back. I finally forgave him before the kids were born, and we got married. Not necessary for us wolves, but he wanted the pack to know I was his fated mate, and humans to know I was his wife. Eighteen years ago, I officially became Luna of the Emberfang Pack. I love that Alpha to death! Brielle's POV Party day. Four in the morning, wide awake. Eighteen. Can't believe it. Even though I won't shift till 11:59 tonight, I'll be able to sense my fated mate before then. Maybe it'll be someone from Mom's old pack, someone who can get me out of here. I've already got enough credits to graduate early. I'll miss Mom, Dad, Alaric, and Wren, but the rest of those @ssholes? Not one bit. Can't sleep anyway, might as well go downstairs and grab something to eat. Suddenly craving Oreos dunked in milk. Threw on my oversized hoodie and matching baggy pants, ran downstairs. The second my feet hit the first-floor landing, a scent hit me. Best thing I've ever smelled in my life. Musk mixed with my favorite cologne. I know this scent—Alaric wears it too, but this definitely isn't him. I stood there, pinned in place by that scent. Who? I think I'm already in love with him. Then a hand slapped across my face, snapping me out of it. Then fingers wrapped around my throat. Sparks. Those sparks I've been dreaming about, bvrning from his fingertips into my skin. Then I heard the words. Don't know why, but I always knew these words would come someday. "It's you! You're fvcking tr@sh to me. How could the Moon Goddess make this kind of mistake, pairing me with a disgrace like you. You're weak! Ug1y! Fat! No class at all! Just a nerd!" "I'd rather die than be seen with a pathetic b!tch like you! I, Thaddeus Nightveil, future Alpha of the Nightveil Pack, reject you, Brielle Emberfang, as my fated mate and future Luna." Fine. Fated mates are supposed to be loyal, kind. What about those love-at-first-sight stories? I remember Mom telling us the story of how Dad rejected her then won her back. She forgave him, and he's treated her like a queen ever since. But I won't forgive this @sshole. And I won't chase him back—though a heartless piece of sh!t like him probably won't come begging anyway. He already fvcked Caelan, I don't want him. Disgusting. Strange thing is, the rejection didn't hurt like they say it does. Didn't hurt at all. Just pure rage. I yanked his hand off my throat and looked him straight in the eye. "You think I want you? The guy who screwed my b!tch of a sister? The guy who's treated me like sh!t from day one? I, Brielle Emberfang, accept your rejection!" That shocked look on his face. Beautiful. I turned and went back upstairs. Completely forgot about getting snacks. --- Alpha Corvin's POV Sitting in the conference room, still doesn't feel real. My three kids turn eighteen today. Eighteen years ago, I almost lost my beautiful Elowyn. The moment she accepted me again as her fated mate, I became the happiest man alive. Those sparks when we touch still send shivers down my spine. Just thinking about it is making a certain part of me react. Should I go back and get in bed with my sєxy Luna again? Someone's walking toward the office. Getting closer, I recognize Brielle's scent. My girl. I can feel her emotions too. Before she even knocked, I told her to come in. "What's up, princess?" She sighed. "Dad, that offer you made—about me going to the Alpha King's territory to train his female warriors. I accept. They all know I'm the strongest she-wolf alive anyway." "What made you change your mind?" She gave a small smile. "Don't get mad. Thaddeus rejected me. I just don't want to see him at school anymore." I was pissed, but I didn't let her see it. I told her they'd be thrilled she changed her mind. I'd arrange for her to get her diploma early, she could leave Monday morning. I told her to go get ready for tonight's party. She doesn't know the real reason I want her to go. But she'll find out soon enough. That punk rejected her? I'm actually glad. It's all part of the Moon Goddess's plan. Oh yeah, I left a surprise in her room. Tonight my daughter's gonna make everyone's jaws drop and eyes pop out. Her beauty's gonna shine like moonstone tonight.
