Chaos exploded in the pack hall. The injured stranger lay bleeding on the floor while Alpha Braden barked orders. "Seal the doors! Warriors to the perimeter!" The triplets sprang into action. Raiden and Ash rushed to secure the entry while Cade helped the wounded man. "Everyone stay calm!" Alpha Braden controlled. "Return to your homes immediately. The meeting is over." As pack members rushed to leave, Maeve stood frozen. Those red eyes in the darkness—they were after her, she was sure of it. "Maeve!" Her mother grabbed her arm. "We need to go home. Now!" Before she could move, Alpha Braden's voice cut through the noise. "Not you, Maeve. You'll come with us to the Alpha house. It's safer there." Calla, who had been listening nearby, marched forward. "What about me? I was going to stay at the Alpha house tonight to discuss Luna duties!" Alpha Braden barely looked at her. "Not tonight, Calla. We have more important matters." Calla's face twisted with rage. She glared at Maeve with eyes full of hate. "This isn't over," she hissed before stomping away. The Alpha house was massive—a stone castle on the highest hill in pack territory. Inside, Maeve sat uncomfortably in the grand living room while the triplets and their father spoke in hushed tones nearby. "The stranger is from the Shadow Pack," Alpha Braden finally revealed. "They've been tracking something... or someone." All eyes turned to Maeve. "Me?" she squeaked. "Why would anyone track me?" Ash stepped forward, holding a familiar object—his notebook. "You took this from the creek." Maeve's cheeks burned. "I—I was going to return it." "Did you read it?" His voice wasn't angry, just worried. She nodded slowly. Cade whistled. "Well, that explains why she looks terrified." "Enough," Alpha Braden said. "Maeve needs safety while we figure this out. She'll stay here tonight." A maid showed Maeve to a guest room bigger than her entire house. Despite the comfort, sleep was impossible. Her phone buzzed constantly with texts from Calla: How could you do this to me? I was going to be Luna! You're nothing but a backstabbing lie Maeve turned off her phone and cried herself to sleep. Morning came with bright sunlight and new problems. When Maeve checked her phone, her heart sank. Calla had been busy overnight. Social media was filled with posts about her: Maeve Graham: Pack Traitor How an omega stole the Alpha sons with dark magic #FakeLuna trending Worst of all was a photo of her grandmother's bracelet with the caption: Stolen magic charm used to trick the triplets—spread the word! A knock on her door made her jump. Raiden entered, his face grimmer than usual. "We have a problem," he said. "You should see this." Downstairs, pack members were gathering outside the house gates.
They brought signs with hateful messages: OMEGAS CAN'T BE LUNAS CALLA FOR LUNA SEND MAEVE HOME Maeve's stomach twisted. "Calla did this." "She's turned half the pack against you overnight," Ash said, appearing beside her. "Impressive, but dangerous." Cade joined them at the window. "Don't worry, little omega. We won't let the angry mob get you." His smile was meant to be comforting, but fear still gripped Maeve's heart. Alpha Braden walked into the room. "I've called an emergency council meeting. This nonsense ends now."
The council room was small but grand, with wooden panels and a large round table. Pack elders sat stone-faced as Alpha Braden described the situation. "The triple mate bond is rare but real," he declared. "Maeve is the chosen Luna, whether we like it or not." "With all due respect, Alpha," Elder Morris said, "we've been prepping Calla for years. She knows our customs, our ways. This omega knows nothing." "I agree," said Elder Peters. "And the pack is already split. A Luna needs respect to lead." The door burst open, and Calla walked in with her father, Beta Thomas. "I demand to be heard," Calla announced. Alpha Braden's eyes narrowed. "This is a closed meeting." "My daughter has information relevant to this... situation," Beta Thomas insisted. The Alpha nodded unwillingly. "Speak." Calla stepped forward, looking beautiful in a white dress that made her auburn hair shine. "Maeve has been my friend since childhood," she started, her voice sweet. "I love her dearly. That's why it breaks my heart to reveal her deceit." Maeve gasped. "What deception?" "The bracelet," Calla said, turning to the elders. "It's not a family heirloom as she says. It was stolen from the Luna files three years ago. A magical artifact meant to make false mate bonds." The room exploded in whispers. "That's a lie!" Maeve shouted, jumping to her feet. "My grandmother gave me this bracelet!" Calla made a photograph. "This is from the library catalog. The lost Moon Charm bracelet, last seen eighteen years ago. Notice the wolf charm? Exactly like Maeve's." Elder Morris studied the photo. "They do appear identical." Maeve felt the room spinning. "I didn't steal anything! I've worn this ring my whole life!" "Perhaps she didn't steal it," Calla suggested kindly. "Perhaps someone gave it to her, knowing what it would do when she turned eighteen." Alpha Braden looked worried. "These are serious accusations, Calla." "I'm only thinking of the pack," Calla replied, her eyes shining with fake tears. "And poor Maeve! She's being used as a pawn in someone else's game. For her safety, I suggest she surrender the bracelet for inspection." Maeve clutched her wrist protectively. "No! It's mine!" "This meeting is adjourned," Alpha Braden announced suddenly. "No decisions will be made today." As people filed out, Calla neared Maeve. "You look upset," she whispered. "Did you really think you could take what's truly mine? I've worked my entire life to become Luna. I've earned it." "I never wanted any of this," Maeve answered, her voice trembling. Calla laughed softly. "Too bad. You're in my way now, and I remove hurdles. By tonight, the entire pack will hate you. By tomorrow, you'll be begging to leave." She walked away, linking arms with pack members who cast disgusted looks at Maeve. Alone in the hallway, Maeve felt her world falling. Her best friend now hated her. The pack thought she was a liar.
And the three most powerful wolves in the area were supposedly her mates. "Don't look so defeated," came a gentle voice. Liam, the quiet fighter, leaned against the wall nearby. "The pack is turning against me," Maeve said. "My best friend betrayed me." "Friends who were only friends when you were beneath them were never friends at all," Liam responded. "What do I do now?" "Fight back," he said bluntly. "You're stronger than you think." Before Maeve could ask what he meant, a howl split the air—the warning for danger at the pack borders. Liam tensed. "They're back. The red-eyed dogs." Footsteps thundered down the hall as the triplets rushed past. "Stay inside!" Ash ordered Maeve. "We'll handle this," Cade added with a wink. Raiden said nothing, but his eyes met Maeve's in a look that sent shivers down her spine. After they left, Maeve noticed something on the floor—a piece of paper that must have dropped from one of the triplets' pockets. She picked it up and unfolded it. Inside was a simple message that made her blood run cold: The omega girl is the key. Bring her to the old oak at midnight, or the pack burns. Heavy footsteps neared. Maeve quickly stuffed the note in her pocket as Alpha Braden rounded the turn. "Maeve," he said seriously. "There's something you need to know about your mother." "My mother?" Maeve asked, confused. The Alpha's face was grim. "She's lost. And there's a wolf's bloody paw print on your front door."