Chapter 2

Kai

Sunlight streamed through the arched windows, casting long shadows across the polished oak table where I sat flanked by my officials as they murmured amongst themselves. As Alpha king, this was the part of my job that I enjoyed the least. The long hours of sitting and deliberating in a room full of pheromone-packed Alpha officials often felt stifling. I cleared my throat to bring the room to a silence as I prepared to address the assembled pack leaders and officials.

"Rowan, what's the report on security?" I asked my head of security and the second unit of the pack leaders.

"The scouting patrols haven't reported any unusual activity near the borders. We can proceed with the negotiations for the upcoming hunting." Rowan said, and a murmur of acknowledgment rippled through the room. I gave a curt nod, satisfied with the news.

"Rhys, any reservations about the rest of the plans?" I asked once more, and Rhys, the head of strategy and final member of our pack leadership, shook his head.

He was about to speak when a sudden clatter shattered the peaceful meeting. I heard the voice of my assistant as she called for whoever it was not to interrupt the meeting. The heavy oak doors slammed open and the doors opened to reveal a young warrior. His face was pale with dread, and it immediately made me spring to my feet. Before he could stammer out a single word, a foreign scent, sweet and intoxicating, like blooming night jasmine, slithered into the room. It was unlike anything I had ever encountered, yet a primal recognition flared within me.

In an instant, I was a blur of motion. I crossed the vast distance separating me from the warrior in a heartbeat. A growl, raw and primal, erupted from my chest. "What is it? Speak!" I roared. The warrior, gasping for breath, managed to croak out, "An Omega, Alpha. We found her unconscious at the border."

The revelation seemed to knock the air out of me and I reeled back as if I had been hit. It seemed I wasn't the only one affected by the news, because all the other people in the room looked like they had been hit with a physical blow as well.

The Golden Moon pack hadn't experienced an Omega in decades. Many of us sitting in the room had never even met an Omega, courtesy of the curse that had been placed on our lands many years ago. With the curse also came an ancient prophecy, a whisper that was passed down through generations. "Beware the Moonstruck Omega, for she shall bring about a new order, along with chaos, and claim the hearts of the three that lead."

To this day, I still wasn't sure who the Moonstruck Omega would be. It was hard to imagine the kind of chaos that the prophecy described.

The weight of the prophecy settled heavily on me as I heard this news. I knew that it was far-fetched that this Omega was the one who would bear the mark of the prophecy. Still, the news unearthed a deep-seated fear within me. It was incredible that any Omega had been discovered on our land at all. It was hard not to assume that this was the Omega the legends spoke of.

"Are you sure it's an Omega?" Rhys' voice brought me out of reverie, and I looked up to find him standing in front of the warrior with a primal look in his eyes.

"Her scent alone should confirm that it is. There's no mistaking it. The real question should be where has she come from?" Rowan replied from his seat, his voice steady but his eyes betraying a mixture of awe and apprehension. He was usually the calmest in situations like this, but I could see the uncertainty flickering in his gaze.

A flurry of suggestions filled the air as the officials clamored for a glimpse of the girl who might very well change our fate. Speculation moved quickly through the room like wildfire.

"We need to see her. We haven't encountered an Omega in generations. We have to be sure she even is one," Freya, one of the officials, said.

"Exactly. Maybe it's best we don't get involved at all. She shouldn't even be allowed within our pack. Take her outside of the borders and away from our territory and the rogues will deal with her before nightfall," Daniel, another Alpha, offered. His words caused an uncomfortable thrumming sensation at the base of my spine. The visceral reaction scared me. What did all of this mean and why was I having a physical reaction to all of this?

"How could you say such a thing? Maybe she is the bearer of the prophecy. Will you suggest we kill her and lose the chance of ever finding out?" another member of the council said.

"We've been fine ever since the Omegas left. I think we'll be fine without an Omega for a very long time to come," another official said.

"That's absurd and stupid. We should at least see her with our own eyes first and then decide what to do with her," Freya maintained.

"We haven't encountered an Omega in a very long time and the curse that made them extinct still lingers. Who is to say she will survive here with us at all? Besides, this could be the plan of our enemies to cause some kind of distraction. By the looks of it, it seems to be working. We do not need to have her blood on our hands. Cast her out and let someone or something else take care of her."

Different demands flew across the room all around me. Voices were raised louder and louder.

"Enough!" my voice boomed out as I silenced the room. I rubbed my temple with my fingers, hoping to drive away the headache that was beginning to form behind my eyes.

With all the arguments swirling around, the words seemed to mix together, just adding to the chaos in my mind. I knew that I couldn't risk exposing her to a lot of people. Not yet. Especially since a good number of my pack had very deep reservations concerning an Omega. I needed to see for myself first, assess the threat she posed, and confirm that she wasn't the bearer of the prophecy.

"Rhys, Rowan, and myself will assess the situation first and we will give a report as soon as possible. This meeting is over for now." My tone held no room for argument, and everyone knew better than to challenge it. As the room emptied, I caught Rhys's eye and nodded subtly, beckoning for Rowan at the same time.

The crisp air whipped at our fur as we sped toward the border of our territory accompanied by the warrior that had brought the news. The journey to the border was filled with an unsettling silence. Rhys and Rowan, usually brimming with easy banter, exchanged worried glances but otherwise kept quiet and that unsettled me even more. The strange scent grew stronger with every step, and it caused a twisting and turning in my guts. It was an intoxicating mix of jasmine and wildflowers, and it consumed me.

I felt a primal hunger within me, but I wasn't sure if it was hunger for some answers or something even deeper.

Finally, we reached the clearing that indicated the border of our territory and there, sprawled on the cold earth, lay the most breathtaking beauty I had ever seen in my life. I immediately transformed back to my human form as I approached her carefully. It was obvious she was unconscious, but I still felt the need to be wary. As I stepped closer to her, I caught the perfect view of her features.

Her raven hair cascaded down her back like a midnight waterfall, framing a face as delicate as a porcelain doll. Her alabaster skin contrasted starkly with the blood that trickled from her temple, a small, crimson stream that almost seemed to taint her ethereal beauty. Even unconscious, her features held a hint of defiance that almost immediately captivated me, but it was more than her looks. It was the way her scent wove itself around me that sent a shock through my system.

As I drew closer, the pull intensified, a magnetic force that seemed to be dragging me toward her. The moment I kneeled beside her, the air crackled with unseen energy. I could feel my wolf prance around in excitement, and a low growl rumbled in my chest. The sound was echoed in perfect unison by growls from Rhys and Rowan, who were flanking beside me.

Mate , my wolf called, and it made my heart skip a beat.

Logic told me to assess the situation, the potential threat that she posed. But my gaze kept flickering back to her face, the way her full lips were pressed into a thin line, the rise and fall of her chest with each shallow breath. An intense curiosity consumed me. Who was she? Where did she come from? And why did the pull toward her feel so primal, so undeniable?

I tore my gaze away, forcing myself to focus. This wasn't the time to be captivated. Yet, a part of me couldn't help but steal another glance at her.

I looked at Rhys and Rowan, who had both transformed beside me, and now had identical looks of shock on their faces that mirrored mine.

"We're all mated to her." Rowan voiced the obvious, and it hit us like a thunderclap.

"It can't be," Rhys whispered and he shook his head as if trying to convince himself.

"Where exactly did you find her?" I asked the warrior who had been on patrol.

"Inside the cave just by the border. Her scent drew us out. Seemed like she was being attacked and sought refuge inside of the cave."

"Did you check for her attackers? Pick up a scent or find something that might help point us in the right direction?" Rowan asked, and he shook his head no.

"I think they are long gone. The blood on her injuries had dried up when I found her, so I assume that she must have been hiding in there all night. I think her attackers might have gotten away."

"Gather the best of your men. See if you can pick up anything. Scents, footprints, anything at all that might give us a lead," I ordered with a nod toward Rowan. He hummed in understanding.

With one last longing look at the woman lying on the ground, he beckoned to the warriors nearby before leaving.

"Do you think she might be the one?" Rhys asked soon after, his voice barely above a whisper, almost like he feared to say the words.

"I'm not sure. I guess we'll find out soon," I confessed.

"I'll go to the pack and try to gather some information about last night without revealing much of the situation. Maybe someone saw or heard something that will help," Rhys offered, and I nodded in acknowledgment, unable to take my eyes away from the woman on the ground.

I scooped her up into my arms, her warmth a stark contrast to the paleness of her skin and I headed in the direction of my home. I was determined to find some answers as soon as possible.

All three of us, mated to the same woman? What were the odds?

Three Alphas, bound to a single Omega. The prophecy whispered of mayhem, but as I looked at her unconscious form, I couldn't help but wonder—what kind of havoc could an innocent Omega truly bring?