The thought sent a cold wave through me.
An elder stepped forward, carrying a silver tray lined with black velvet. Upon it lay three identical crowns, each forged from black obsidian and silver, the symbols of power in our pack. A separate, smaller crown rested beside them, meant for me.
I felt Levi’s glare burn into the side of my face, but I refused to look at him. I had already seen the disgust in his eyes.
The elder raised his voice, silencing the crowd.
“Tonight, under the witness of our ancestors, our pack recognizes the rightful heirs of the Full Moon Pack-Lennox, Louis, and Levi. By blood and strength, they shall rise as our Alphas, bound not only by lineage but by destiny. Let them step forward.”
The triplets moved in unison, stepping toward the elder. Even now, their unity was effortless, natural. Despite their personal hatred for me, they were inseparable in their purpose.
The elder took the first crown, lifting it high before placing it upon Lennox’s head. “Lennox Lucianion, do you swear to uphold the laws of this pack, to protect its people, and to lead with honor and strength?”
“I swear,” Lennox said, his voice firm.
The crown settled on his head, its dark stones catching the light. He barely reacted.
Next was Louis. The elder repeated the oath, and Louis, still tense, gave the same vow. “I swear.”
When the elder reached Levi, he repeated the same line.
He answered, “I swear.”
The moment his crown touched his head, the pack erupted into howls of approval. The energy in the room shifted, jubilation filling the space. The Full Moon Pack had their new Alphas.
And now, it was my turn.
The elder turned toward me, his expression blank as he picked up the smaller crown. The whispers in the hall grew louder.
“Olivia Parker,” he said, his voice loud. “By the will of the Moon Goddess and the decree of our laws, you are to be named the Luna of the Full Moon Pack. Do you swear to stand beside your Alphas, to guide this pack with wisdom and strength, and to uphold the honor of this position?”
The triplets didn’t move. They didn’t even look at me.
The weight of their silence pressed against my chest, suffocating.
I swallowed hard. Do I swear?
Did I have a choice?
My father had already been branded a traitor. My family name had already been tarnished. If I refused, if I rebelled in front of the entire pack, I would be condemned as well.
So I did the only thing I could.
“I swear.”
The elder placed the crown on my head. It felt heavier than it should have, pressing down on me like an iron chain.
“The bond is sealed,” the elder declared. “Full Moon Pack, honor your new Alphas and your Luna.”
Another round of howls and applause echoed through the hall, but I felt nothing.
Standing beside the men who hated me, with a crown that felt like a curse, I moved my gaze around the crowd and noticed Anita standing in the front row.
Anger was etched on her face, but there was also a message in her gaze, a message that clearly stated. “You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
I looked away from her as I searched for my only family present-my mother.
Our eyes connected, and she gave me a comforting smile, but her eyes-those eyes were filled with tears, and I couldn’t tell if they were tears of joy or pity.
“Alphas, you may kiss your bride,” an elder suddenly said.
My eyes widened. I didn’t know this was part of the ceremony.
The triplets would kiss me. In front of the entire pack.
My first kiss.
Olivia’s POV
“Can we bypass that?” Louis said immediately, sounding irritated by the thought.
“Yes, I see no need for that,” Levi added.
“It’s not mandatory, so why do it?” Lennox groaned.
Standing beside them, I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole. The disgrace was unbearable. Right in front of hundreds of people, the triplets-my mates-were refusing to kiss me. Me. They were making it painfully obvious that they never wanted this marriage.
Suddenly, their father spoke. “Alphas, it is mandatory. Get on with it,” he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Where I stood, I could feel their anger seething. And it suffocated me. I wished I could reject this, wished I could ask not to be kissed, but I had no right to.
“Alphas, you may kiss your bride,” the elder announced once more.
Whispers rose from the hall, and I looked around to see people whispering something into each other’s ears. I felt their eyes on me-judging, pitying, or perhaps even mocking. My cheeks burned with humiliation, and my hands clenched at my sides as I forced myself to remain still. This was supposed to be a passionate moment-a lovely moment-but instead, it felt like a punishment.
Lennox, standing to my left, let out a frustrated sigh before finally stepping forward. His jaw was tight, his entire body rigid, as if the very thought of touching me disgusted him.
Louis and Levi exchanged glances before following suit, both clearly reluctant. I swallowed hard, my heart aching at their rejection. This wasn’t how I had imagined my first kiss to be.
Lennox was the first to lean in, his lips brushing against mine so briefly that it could barely be called a kiss. There was no warmth, no tenderness-just cold obligation.
This was the same man who, when I was younger, would kiss my cheeks and tell me he couldn’t wait for me to come of age so he could give me a proper kiss.
Louis was next, pressing his lips to mine for the barest second before pulling away, his expression blank.
Then Levi. He hesitated, his eyes boring into mine, filled with something like hate. For a moment, I thought he might refuse altogether. But then, with an exasperated sigh, he leaned in, his lips ghosting over mine before he drew back just as quickly.
The hall remained silent for a moment before whispers surged once more. I could hear the murmurs, the speculation, the hushed voices questioning the Alphas’ behavior.
My hands trembled slightly as I lowered them to my sides, my lips tingling from the sensation of their kisses. I wanted to scream, to run, to demand why they despised me so much. But I did nothing. Instead, I lifted my chin, forcing myself to look unaffected.
The ceremony continued, but I no longer felt present. I felt like a spectator in my own life, watching as I was bound to men who clearly didn’t want me.
The celebration began. Drinking and dancing filled the grand hall, but as I sat beside the triplets, I felt miserable. My wolf was silent, unable to find the right words to comfort me.
Guests came forward to offer their congratulations, but I noticed the change in their expressions. They bowed deeply to the triplets, full of respect and admiration. But when they turned to me, most of them frowned, clearly forced to acknowledge me.
More guests came and went, their fake smiles barely concealing their true feelings.
Then she walked up to us.
Anita.
She held a glass of wine in her hand, a sly smirk curling on her lips.
“Congratulations on your coronation, Alphas,” she purred, her voice slurred slightly.
Lennox was the first to respond.
“I love your dress, baby. It looks so good on you.” His voice was filled with warmth-warmth that had been absent when he kissed me.
I turned to him in disbelief.
Did he just say that?
Anita smirked. “Of course, it suits me. You got it for me, remember?” she said smugly.
I felt disgusted.
I couldn’t sit there and watch any longer.
Frustrated, I pushed my chair back and rose to my feet, ignoring the slight tremble in my knees. “If you’ll excuse me,” I said, my voice controlled despite the anger and pain burning inside me. “I should greet the rest of our guests.”
I turned before they could respond, walking away with my head held high.
I made my way to my mother, who stood among the other servants, and without a word, I wrapped my arms around her. She held me tightly, her embrace the only warmth I had felt all evening.
“Don’t cry. Please don’t. Don’t let them see you broken,” she whispered.
It was as if she knew I was on the verge of breaking down in front of everyone.
Swallowing my pain, I pulled away and looked at her. There was sympathy in her eyes, an understanding that no one else seemed to have.
She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, two maids approached us-Cynthia and Nala.
“Olivia, it’s time to get you prepared for your wedding night,” Nala said.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.