Chapter 9

Kai's POV

"I really don't get why you're so hot headed all the time," Dax growled at me after I snapped at Keira. 

"I've made it clear that I don't like her, yet you refuse to respect that," I shot back. 

"You need to realize that you're not just one person, and stop being irrational," Riven supported him. 

"For someone who's in charge of her bullying, such things shouldn't matter to you," I said, running my hands through my hair. I was in the bathroom at school, staring at my reflection in the mirror. Riven and Dax didn't let my ears rest after I sent Keira going. 

I didn't even get what they saw in her. 

"What? Are you any better with how you ignore her all the time? Besides, it'll help me become her hero. That's what I'm going for," Riven said back, itching to come to the surface. 

Handling three different personalities in one body was tiring. But we were under a curse, so we had to stay this way, always binded to each other. Of course, we could separate from each other physically, but we never really wanted to. 

That was until Keira showed herself. 

My wolf was itching to let Riven and Dax loose, because both their wolves wanted her, and I didn't. 

My wolf did, it was just me. Of course she was our mate. I'd felt the pull that day she turned eighteen, strong and inexplicably hard to resist. But I didn't want her. I wanted Alia. I already promised her she'd be Luna, and there was no way I'd let a lowly worthless omega take her place. 

But the Luna Trials...if she really were our mate, it wouldn't be hard to win. A part of me hoped she did, while the other... wasn't so sure. 

"Earth to Kai, would you not get lost in your thoughts for a minute?" Riven's annoying voice bellowed in my head. 

"You know what, just leave my body for a sec," I grumbled. 

Silence stretched in my mind before Riven scoffed. “Fine. But don’t cry when you realize you need me.”

In the next second, my chest burned hot, and a swirl of black mist curled out from my skin. Riven stepped out first, tall, muscular, dark-eyed, with his usual cocky grin plastered on his lips. Dax came out next, his aura calm and quiet, his green eyes flickering with sadness as he stood beside Riven.

I exhaled shakily, finally feeling alone in my body again. My wolf stretched out fully in my body, purring and finally having space to himself. 

“Better?” Dax asked softly.

“Much,” I replied, turning back to the mirror. My reflection looked tired, shadows beneath my eyes deeper than usual. Handling school, the trials, and my brothers was wearing me thin.

“You’re being unfair to her,” Dax said. “She’s our mate, Kai.”

I clenched my jaw. “Don’t start this again.” He was the youngest, yet so compassionate and warm it ached to look at him sometimes. I never understood it. 

I was always trying to keep myself in check, but he had it so...easy.

“It’s true,” Riven cut in, leaning against the bathroom stall with his arms crossed. “If you just accepted her, everything would be easier.”

“I’m not rejecting her because it’s easy or hard. I’m rejecting her because I don’t want her,” I snapped. “I’ve already promised Alia. The pack expects her.”

“And what about what we want?” Riven asked, his smile fading. “I’m done hiding. They deserve to know the truth.”

“No,” I growled. “We’ve kept this secret for years. If the pack finds out there are three of us, it’ll cause chaos.”

Dax sighed, brushing his hair back. “They’ll find out eventually, Kai. The Lunar Trials are tomorrow. Father is going to announce it anyway.”

My chest tightened at the thought of seeing Father again. He never liked our curse. We were a disappointment to him. Three sons trapped in one body. Unnatural. Unfit. No one understood it, and even though it wasn't our faults, he didn't care. 

The bell rang in the distance, signaling the end of break. I pushed past my brothers and headed for the exit. They followed closely behind, silent.

When we reached the pack house, the guards bowed deeply. Inside, the grand hall was quiet except for the heavy footsteps of Father pacing by the window. His silver hair glinted under the fading evening sun. He turned, his eyes sharp on me.

“You’re late,” he barked.

“Sorry, Father,” I said, bowing my head slightly.

His gaze flickered to Riven and Dax behind me. His jaw tightened. “And why are they not in your body?"

I straightened. "It's much of a struggle keeping them in. I needed to breathe."

He stared at me for a bit before looking away. " Doesn't matter anyway. Tomorrow is important. The pack needs to know the truth before the trials begin. I will announce it during tonight’s gathering.”

“Father, please—” I started, but he cut me off with a glare.

“No more hiding,” he said firmly. “If anyone is to compete for the Luna title, the truth must be known. The people must know the Alpha heirs who will rule them.”

Riven smirked behind me. I could almost hear his thoughts screaming, Finally. I never got why he wanted to leave so badly. We had been used to this since we were kids. 

Dax stayed silent, his eyes locked on the ground.

“Dismissed,” Father said, turning his back to us.

We left the hall, and my legs felt heavy as we walked to our chambers. My heart pounded in my chest. Tonight, everything would change.

Riven clapped my shoulder roughly. “Don’t look so dead inside, Kai. The sooner we reveal ourselves, the sooner we can claim her.”

I shrugged him off, slamming the chamber door behind me. Dax stood by the window, staring out into the darkening sky.

“Do you think she’ll hate us?” he whispered.

I didn’t answer him. Because deep down, I already knew.

She would.