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Alora’s POV:

Kade's face flashed in my mind first.

Those dark eyes that had watched me like I was something to be studied, dissected. The way his jet-black hair fell just above that sharp jawline, perfectly calculated like everything else about him.

When he'd leaned in behind me, his breath on my neck, I'd felt the danger radiating off him. He moved like a predator who already knew how the hunt would end.

Then Keziah. God, Keziah with his dark hair catching the light like some avenging angel, except there was nothing holy about the coldness in those gray eyes.

He'd looked at me like I was a puzzle he was determined to solve or destroy. The way he'd said "filthy slave" with that sharp, aristocratic face... he wanted me to remember exactly where I'd come from. Wanted me to feel small.

And Thorne. His auburn hair was slightly messy, like he didn't care about appearances the way his brothers did, but those blue-gray eyes? They saw everything.

He'd barely spoken, but I'd felt his gaze tracking my every movement. There was something raw beneath that rugged exterior, something that made him feel like the most dangerous one precisely because I couldn't read him.

They were all impossibly handsome, each in their own way. But that only made this situation more dangerous.

I ran a hand through my hair, sinking down onto the bed. What was wrong with me? Why was I thinking about them like this?

This wasn’t right. It couldn’t be.

They were my mates. I could feel the bond pulling at me, tugging at my very soul. But it didn’t matter. I was married to their father.

Their father, who would have my head on a platter if he knew what I was feeling.

I needed to reject them. It was the only way to survive this year with my sanity intact.

Taking a deep breath, I stood and walked out of my room. My steps were hurried as I made my way back to the dining room. They were still there, their gazes landing on me the moment I entered.

“Are you feeling what I’m feeling?” I blurted out, my voice trembling slightly. They exchanged glances before looking back at me, their expressions unreadable.

“The mate bond,” I clarified. My heart pounded as I waited for their response, but they remained silent.

“Well, I’m feeling it,” I said, my voice growing steadier, “and I can’t accept it. It’s wrong. I’m married to your father.”

I took another deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to do.

“I, Alora Darkwood…” I began, but my wolf’s whimper cut me off, the pain in her voice echoing in my mind.

A sharp, searing pain shot through my chest, and I staggered backward. It felt as though my heart was being ripped out of my chest, but I forced myself to continue.

“...reject this mate bond between Keziah, Kade, and Thorne Darkwood.”

When I opened my eyes, their gazes were fixed on me, and the intensity of their stares sent shivers down my spine. There was something deadly in their eyes, something that made my blood run cold.

Without a word, they stood in unison and began walking toward me. My instincts screamed at me to move, but my feet were rooted to the spot.

They walked past me, their silence more unsettling than anything they could’ve said.

I stood there, frozen, confusion and fear swirling inside me.

What was that look? What was going on in their heads?

My rejection meant nothing without their acceptance.

Why didn't they said anything?

Their silence was deafening, and it left me with a gnawing sense of unease. My skin prickled with goosebumps as I stood alone in the empty dining room, their absence as visible as their presence had been.