POV: Ethan
BANG!
The door to my father's office slammed shut behind me so hard that the family pictures on the wall rattled. My hands were shaking with anger as I stormed down the hallway.
"Choose a mate by the festival's end, or I'll choose one for you."
Dad's words kept playing over and over in my head like a broken record. Three days. I had three days to pick the girl I'd spend my whole life with, or he'd make the choice for me.
"Ethan!" Ryan's voice called from behind me. "Wait up!"
I didn't slow down. My brothers' footsteps pounded after me as I headed toward the main hall where the pre-festival party was already starting. Music and laughter drifted through the hallways, but I felt like my world was falling apart.
"Dude, what's wrong?" Logan caught up to me first, his face worried. "You look like you're about to punch someone."
"Maybe I am," I mumbled, pushing through the double doors into the crowded hall.
The party was in full swing. Pack members danced and talked while servants moved between them bringing trays of food and drinks. Everything looked normal and happy, but all I could think about was Dad's threat.
Ryan grabbed my arm, stopping me near the wall. "Talk to us. What did the Alpha want?"
I looked at my brothers - my triplet brothers who shared everything with me. We'd been born on the same day, raised together, trained together. But right now, I felt completely alone.
"He wants me to choose a mate," I said quietly. "By the end of the festival."
Logan's eyes went wide. "But that's only three days away."
"And if I don't pick someone, he'll arrange a marriage for me." The words tasted bitter in my mouth. "Because apparently, the future Alpha can't be trusted to make his own choices."
Ryan punched his hand into his palm. "That's not fair! We're only nineteen. Why the rush?"
"Because other packs are getting stronger," I explained, repeating Dad's lecture. "He thinks having a Luna will make me look more stable, more ready to lead."
The worst part was, I understood his logic. Being Alpha meant putting the pack first, always. My personal feelings didn't matter if the pack needed something from me. But understanding didn't make it hurt any less.
"So who are you thinking about?" Logan asked carefully.
I looked across the room to where Sophia Torres stood surrounded by fans. Her golden hair sparkled under the lights, and her laugh rang out like music. She was beautiful, smart, and her father was our Beta. Everyone expected me to choose her.
"Sophia's the obvious choice," I said, watching her chat with some of the other young women.
"But?" Ryan raised an eyebrow.
"But nothing. She's perfect for the part." I tried to sound strong, but the words felt fake coming out of my mouth.
The truth was, I barely knew Sophia beyond pack events and formal parties. We'd talked, sure, but always about safe themes like weather and pack business. I had no idea what she dreamed about or what made her really happy. How could I promise to love someone forever when I didn't even know her favorite color?
"Come on," Logan said, pushing me toward where Sophia stood. "Let's go talk to her."
We walked over to join her group. Sophia's face lit up when she saw us coming, and she quickly made room for us in the circle.
"Ethan!" she said warmly. "I was just telling everyone about the new decorations for tomorrow night's event. Don't you think they'll be gorgeous?"
"I'm sure they will be," I answered, trying to sound interested.
As Sophia kept talking about festival plans, my attention started to wander. That's when I noticed her.
A girl with dark hair walked quietly between the tables, refilling drinks and collecting empty plates. She worked fast and quickly, like she was trying to be invisible. Most people didn't even look at her as she served them.
But something about the way she moved caught my eye. She was careful and graceful, setting each glass down without making a sound. When an older pack member accidentally knocked over his drink, she cleaned it up quickly with a gentle smile, not making him feel embarrassed about the mess.
"Who is that?" I asked Ryan quietly, pointing toward the girl.
He followed my eyes and shrugged. "Some omega from the cooks. Maya something, I think."
Maya. I watched as she picked up a big tray and carried it toward the kitchen doors. An older woman - probably her boss - said something sharp to her, making Maya's shoulders tense up. But she just nodded and kept working.
There was something about her that made me curious. Maybe it was the way she really looked at people when she served them, like she actually cared about their needs. Or maybe it was how she seemed to notice everything going on around her, even while staying out of everyone's way.
"Ethan?" Sophia's voice brought me back to the talk. "What do you think?"
"Sorry, what?" I blinked, realizing I'd been looking at Maya instead of listening.
Sophia's smile flickered for just a second. "About the mating ceremony ornaments. Should we use silver or gold ribbons?"
"Either one sounds great," I said quickly.
But I could feel my brothers swapping looks behind Sophia's back. They'd noticed me watching the omega girl too.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of small talk and fake smiles. I danced with Sophia twice, complimented her dress, and tried to act like the right future mate. But my eyes kept moving back to Maya as she worked quietly around the edges of the party.
Later, after most of the guests had gone home, I found myself standing alone on the balcony viewing the courtyard. The moon was full and bright, sending silver shadows across the empty space below.
"Having second thoughts?" Logan appeared beside me, his voice gentle.
"About what?"
"About Sophia. About getting matched. About becoming Alpha." He leaned against the wall. "Take your pick."
I sighed deeply. "All of the above, I guess."
"You know," Logan said slowly, "you don't have to choose someone just because Dad says so. The right mate will make you stronger, not just check off boxes on his party list."
Before I could answer, a scream pierced the quiet night air.
We both spun around, looking for the source of the sound. Down in the courtyard, a figure in white stumbled out of the kitchen building, grabbing their arm.
It was Maya.
Even from this distance, I could see something was terribly wrong. She fell to her knees in the moonlight, and that's when I saw it - a bright silver glow coming from her wrist.
"Logan," I whispered, my heart suddenly pounding. "Do you see that?"
"The light?" His voice was barely heard. "Yeah, I see it."
We watched in shock as Maya's scream echoed through the night again. The silver glow around her wrist pulsed brighter, and I felt something impossible happen inside my chest.
A warm, electric feeling spread through my body, starting from my heart and racing down to my fingers. Next to me, Logan gasped and grabbed his chest.
"What's happening to us?" he choked out.
Before I could answer, Ryan burst through the balcony doors, his face pale with fear.
"Something's wrong," he said anxiously. "I feel like I'm on fire inside."
All three of us looked down at Maya, still kneeling in the courtyard with that strange silver light blazing around her arm.
And that's when I discovered the impossible truth that would change everything.
That light wasn't just coming from her.
It was calling to us.