The Girl Who Shouldn't Be Seen

Liora

The cold morning air cut through my thin dress like broken glass, making my chest tighten with each breath. I gripped the old broom tighter, my knuckles white against the worn wooden handle as I swept the cobblestones in front of Mrs. Harwick's bakery. The sun hadn't even risen yet, but Aunt Meredith had already kicked me awake.

"Get up, you worthless thing," she had hissed, her voice sharp as a blade. "The streets won't clean themselves, and I won't have the neighbors saying we don't keep our part of the village tidy."

My chest ached with each sweep of the broom, the familiar burning sensation that never seemed to leave me alone. I pressed my free hand against my ribs, trying to ease the pain, but it only made it worse.

"Liora!" Uncle Henrik's voice boomed from across the street. "Stop dawdling! You've got three more streets to finish before the merchants open their stalls."

"Yes, Uncle," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. The words caught in my throat like they always did when I was nervous, which was most of the time.

I hurried to the next section of street, my worn boots slipping slightly on the frost-covered stones. The other early risers gave me wide berths as they passed, their eyes filled with the same disgust I'd grown used to seeing. Mrs. Chen pulled her little daughter closer when they walked by me.

"Don't look at her, sweetie," Mrs. Chen whispered, though she made no effort to keep her voice down. "Bad things happen to those who associate with cursed ones."

The word 'cursed' hit me like a physical blow. I stumbled, catching myself against a wooden post. My chest seized up, and I had to stop sweeping to catch my breath.

"That's what you get for being born wrong," old Mr. Garrett muttered as he shuffled past with his cane. "Should've been left in the woods where you belong."

I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. Crying would only make things worse. Aunt Meredith always said tears were for the weak, and I was already weak enough.

The sun was finally starting to rise when I heard the commotion from the main road. Voices were rising in panic, and I could hear horses approaching fast. I looked up from my sweeping to see people rushing past me toward their homes, their faces pale with terror.

"They're coming!" someone shouted. "The Alphas are coming!"

My blood turned to ice. The Alpha Triplets. Everyone in the Northern Border territories knew about them - the three most powerful wolves in the entire region. They ruled with iron fists and showed no mercy to anyone who crossed them.

"Liora!" Aunt Meredith's shrill voice cut through the morning air. She was standing in our doorway, her face twisted with fury. "Get away from the main street! You are NOT to be seen when they arrive, do you understand me?"

"But Aunt Meredith, I haven't finished.."

"I don't care if the streets are covered in mud!" she screamed. "You will NOT bring your bad luck near those Alphas! Hide yourself in the merchant stalls until they leave!"

Uncle Henrik appeared beside her, his face red with anger. "If you so much as breathe in their direction, girl, I'll throw you out of this house myself. We've already got enough problems without you cursing us further."

I nodded quickly, gathering up my broom and the small bucket I'd been using. My hands were shaking so badly I could barely hold onto them. "Y-yes, Uncle. I'll hide."

I hurried toward the edge of the town square where the merchant stalls were set up. Most of them were still empty since it was so early, but there were enough wooden crates and canvas covers that I could hide behind them.

The sound of hooves on cobblestones grew louder, and I could hear the villagers gathering in the square. I crouched behind a large crate filled with apples, making myself as small as possible.

"Welcome, Alpha Rowan, Alpha Damon, Alpha Kieran," I heard the village elder, Mr. Blackwood, say in a trembling voice. "We are honored by your presence."

I couldn't help but peek around the edge of the crate. Three massive men sat on equally massive black horses, and even from my hiding spot, I could feel the power radiating from them. They were all incredibly tall and broad-shouldered, with the kind of presence that made everyone else look small and weak.

The one in the middle had dark hair and the coldest eyes I'd ever seen. The one on the left had lighter brown hair and a scar running down his left cheek. The one on the right had black hair and looked like he could snap a person in half without breaking a sweat.

"We're here for the monthly inspection," the middle one said, his voice deep and commanding. "I trust everything is in order, Blackwood."

"Of course, Alpha Rowan," Mr. Blackwood replied, bowing so low his forehead nearly touched the ground. "The tribute has been prepared, and our borders remain secure."

Every person in the square was bowing, their heads down and their bodies trembling. Even the children were silent, pressed close to their mothers' sides.

Suddenly, the horse belonging to the Alpha on the right, the one with black hair started acting strange. It tossed its head and snorted, its eyes rolling white with agitation.

"Easy, Midnight," the Alpha said, his voice puzzled. "What's got into you?"

But then I heard it a low, dangerous growl that seemed to come from the Alpha himself. My heart stopped beating for a moment as that growl was answered by similar sounds from the other two Alphas.

"Do you smell that?" the scarred one asked, his voice tight with something I couldn't identify.

"Impossible," the dark-haired one in the middle breathed.

All three of them dismounted their horses in perfect synchronization, their movements predatory and focused. The villagers pressed themselves even lower to the ground, some of them whimpering in fear.

"Spread out," Alpha Rowan commanded. "Find the source."

I pressed myself harder against the wooden crate, my heart hammering so loud I was sure everyone could hear it. My chest pain flared up worse than ever, making it hard to breathe quietly.

They were moving through the square now, their footsteps measured and deliberate. I could hear them sniffing the air like the wolves they were, tracking something.

"It's definitely here," one of them said, his voice closer than before.

"Getting stronger," another replied.

I tried to shift my position to get more hidden, but my elbow knocked against the crate I was hiding behind. It tilted dangerously, and before I could catch it, the whole thing toppled over, sending apples rolling across the cobblestones in every direction.

The sound was deafening in the silent square.

I looked up from where I'd fallen, my face burning with embarrassment and terror, to find three pairs of golden eyes staring directly at me. The Alpha Triplets had gone completely still, their faces showing a mixture of shock and something else, something that made my skin feel like it was on fire.

"Mate," all three of them said at exactly the same time, their voices rough with an emotion I'd never heard before.

The word hit me like lightning, and everything went black around the edges of my vision. The last thing I remembered was the sound of my own heartbeat drowning out everything else in the world..