"Shattered Illusions"

I woke to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar windows and an empty bed.

The sheets beside me were cold. Kael was gone.

My body ached in places I'd never felt before, a delicious soreness that made heat creep up my neck as memories of last night flooded back.

 His hands, his mouth, the way he'd looked at me like I was something precious even while he took me apart.

I touched the bite mark on my shoulder. Not a claiming mark we hadn't gone that far but a possessive reminder nonetheless.

The door opened. I grabbed the sheet, covering myself.

But it wasn't Kael.

A woman stood there. Mid-thirties, beautiful in a cold way, wearing an expensive suit. Her eyes swept over me with obvious disdain.

"So you're the wolfless girl." Her voice dripped with contempt. 

"How disappointing."

"Who are you?"

"Sienna Blackthorn. Kael's mother." She stepped into the room like she owned it. 

Which, I supposed, she did. "Get dressed. We need to talk."

Ten minutes later, I sat in a formal sitting room, still wearing one of Kael's shirts because I couldn't find my dress from last night.

Sienna sat across from me, perfectly poised, drinking tea like we were having a pleasant chat.

Let me be direct, she said. "This bond is a mistake."

"The bonds don't make mistakes."

Don't quote Elder Marcus at me, child.

Her eyes flashed. "I don't care what the Moon Goddess thinks she's doing.

You are completely unsuitable to be mated to my son."

"Tell that to the bond."

"The bond is a biological impulse. Nothing more." She set down her teacup with deliberate care.

 "Kael is destined for greatness. He needs a mate who can stand beside him as an equal. 

Someone with power, breeding, connections. Not some pathetic wolfless orphan who scrubs floors for a living.

Each word was a knife, precisely placed.

"If you care about Kael at all," she continued, "you'll reject the bond. Walk away before you destroy his future."

He hasn't asked me to leave.

"Because he's thinking with his cock, not his brain."

 Her smile was cruel. "Men are simple creatures. But surely you see how this ends.

You'll be a liability. Such an embarrassment.

The other Alphas will mock him for being tied to someone so weak."

I wanted to argue. Wanted to tell her she was wrong.

But everything she said echoed the voice in my own head. 

The one that whispered I wasn't good enough. That this was all some cosmic joke.

"I'll give you twenty-four hours to think about it," Sienna said, standing. "After that, things will become unpleasant."

She left me there, shaking.

I found Kael in his office, staring at papers he clearly wasn't reading.

"Your mother was here."

His jaw tightened. "What did she say?"

"That I should reject the bond.

 That I'm not good enough for you." I crossed my arms. "She's probably right."

"Aria..."

"You haven't told anyone, have you?" 

The realization hit like ice water. "About last night, about us."

Silence.

"Kael?"

"It's complicated."

"What's complicated? 

It's either you want me or you don't."

"I do want you." He stood, moving toward me. 

"But my mother is right about one thing. You being wolfless makes you vulnerable. There are people who will use that against us."

"Against you, you mean."

"Yes." At least he was honest. "I have enemies, Aria. Wolves who would love nothing more than to see me fall. And if they think you're my weakness..."

"So what? You fuck me in private but pretend I don't exist in public?"

"That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?"

He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "I need time. To figure out how to protect you."

"I don't need your protection. I need you to decide if I'm actually your mate or just some inconvenient bond you're stuck with."

"Aria.."

"No." I backed toward the door. "I'm done. 

Call me when you figure out what you actually want."

I left before he could stop me.

I went to Asher's place.

He lived in a sprawling estate on the edge of pack territory where Kael's house was cold, full of life and light.

"Aria?" He opened the door looking surprised and concerned. "What's wrong?"

I told him everything. Sienna's visit, Kael's hesitation, my own doubts.

"That fucking idiot," Asher muttered. "Come here."

He pulled me into a hug. Warm and solid and uncomplicated. The bond between us hummed contentedly.

"For what it's worth," he said, "you're more than good enough. Kael's just scared."

"Of what?"

"Of caring about something more than power." 

Asher pulled back, studying my face. "He's spent his whole life being told emotions are weakness. 

But you? You make him feel things he can't control. That terrifies him."

"So I'm just supposed to wait around while he figures his shit out?"

"No. You're supposed to live your life and let him catch up." His thumb brushed my cheek. 

"And maybe spend some time with the mates who actually appreciate you."

The way he looked at me made my pulse quicken.

"Asher..."

"I know the timing's bad. But I'm not Kael. 

I'm not afraid to tell you how I feel." His hand slid to my waist. "You're beautiful. Smart. Strong. 

And that thing you did last night, with Kael? 

I could feel it through the bond. It drove me absolutely insane."

Heat flooded my face. "You could feel...?"

"Not the details. Just the emotion. The connection.

" His eyes darkened. "Made me jealous as hell."

"We shouldn't..."

"Why not? We're mates too." He leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear. 

"Unless you don't want me."

I did want him. God help me, I wanted all of them. 

Even Kael with his emotional constipation.

"This is insane."

"Welcome to having four mates." Asher grinned. 

"Nothing about this is going to be simple."

His lips found mine, soft and teasing where Kael had been rough and demanding.

Different but equally intoxicating.The bond sang between us.

Then the front door burst open.

"Get your hands off her."

Kael stood in the doorway, eyes blazing red, looking ready to commit murder.

"Kael…" I started.

"Now, Asher."

"Make me." Asher's arm tightened around my waist. "She came to me because you were being an idiot."

"I'll kill you."

"Try it."

The air crackled with Alpha dominance, both of them on the edge of shifting.

"Stop it!" I shoved away from Asher. "Both of you, just stop."

"You're coming home with me," Kael said.

"No, I'm not."

"Aria…"

"I'm not some prize you two can fight over. I'm a person. 

And I'm tired of being treated like my feelings don't matter."

 I glared at both of them. "Kael, you want me to wait while you figure out if I'm worth the risk. 

Asher, you want to prove you're better than Kael. Well guess what? I'm done with both of you."

I stormed past Kael, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"Somewhere neither of you can find me."

I made it three steps before pain exploded in my chest.

The bonds. All four of them, suddenly pulling tight. Not just Kael and Asher, but Lucien and Rowan too, wherever they were.

Something was wrong.

"Aria!" Asher caught me as I stumbled.

"The bonds," I gasped. "They're... burning."

Kael's expression shifted from anger to alarm. "Someone's attacking them."

"Who?"

"I don't know. But if someone's figured out how to target the bonds..." His eyes met mine. "You're in danger."

The pain intensified. I screamed, feeling like someone was ripping my soul apart with hot knives.

Then the world exploded into chaos.

Windows shattered. The front door blew off its hinges. Wolves poured into the room at least a dozen, moving with military precision.

"Rogues," Asher snarled, already shifting.

But these weren't ordinary rogues. They moved too well, fought too smart. This was planned.

One of them grabbed me, yanking me away from Asher. I tried to fight but I was weak, human, useless.

"No!" Kael's roar shook the house.

But there were too many. They swarmed him, drove him back.

The wolf holding me pressed something cold and sharp against my throat.

"Try anything and she dies," he said.

Kael froze, red eyes fixed on the blade at my neck.

"Good Alpha. Now, you're all going to do exactly what I say.

Because this little wolfless girl? She's the key to everything."

"Who are you?" I managed to ask.

The wolf laughed, breath hot against my ear.

"Someone who's been waiting a very long time for the four bonds to finally appear." His grip tightened. "And now that they have, the real game can begin."

He dragged me toward the shattered doorway. Toward a van waiting outside.

"Aria!" Kael lunged forward.

Three wolves tackled him. More held back Asher.

"Don't worry," my captor said. "She'll be perfectly safe. As long as you four Alphas do exactly what we want."

Then something sharp pricked my neck.

Poison. I could feel it spreading, making my limbs heavy, my vision blur.

"Sleep now, little Luna. When you wake up, everything will have changed."

The last thing I saw was Kael's face, twisted with rage and something that looked almost like fear.

Then darkness took me.

And somewhere deep in my chest, beneath the burning bonds and spreading poison, something else stirred.

My wolf.

Finally waking up.

And she was furious.