IVY'S POV

One year later…

Tonight, I get my wolf. I stared at my reflection through the full length mirror. My nerves danced with anxiety at the thought, as I ran my hands over the silky flowing white robe I was wearing. I was going to shift into my wolf form in a few hours, under the illumination of the full moon.

I clasped and unclasped my hands. I didn't want to be a failure. Not just that, I wanted to feel the strength others felt when they finally shifted.

The door pushed open and Mom came in, “Are you ready?”

I nodded slowly. “Never been more ready,”

She walked to where I stood and squeezed my arms, “My baby, you'll be fine.” With that, mother led the way to the shifting arena. My heartbeat ratcheted up a notch when I saw more than half of the pack waiting. All eyes were on me as I trudged down the walkway.

Maya grinned. She curled her hands into a fist, ‘You’ll do just great.’ She mouthed. But I could make out the words like she'd screamed them.

The pavilion was silent. I could pick out a moth breathing. Luna Tovia walked down the aisle, holding a white cloth, and my nerves scattered all over the place. If I shifted in my clothes, it would rip out and I'll be covered with the one she was holding. It was a simple, yet delicate ritual for my clan, the Blood Moon pack.

Luna Tovia began, “Ivy Lorenzo, you know how important the shifting ritual is, especially as the daughter of a Beta.”

I swallowed past the apprehension that tightened my veins. “Yes…”

The kind Luna offered me a smile, and nudged me to step into the light. I counted up to three in my mind, and stepped into the light. Scratch what I said about the pavilion being silent. It was frozen, as if time paused.

I clamped my eyes shut and waited for the littlest sign of my body tingling, and my bones cracking.

Nothing happened.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pang of pain rip through my spine. I groaned and fell to the ground.

“Ivy!” My mom's voice pierced through the pains that blinded me.

“Evelyn, let her be. Her wolf’s trying to erupt, don't disrupt the process!” Luna Tovia cautioned mom. My head spun and I couldn't keep my eyes open.

Another jolt of pain, worse than the first, spiralled through my nerves. I groaned loudly. Then it happened. My bones cracked, like someone was breaking it in shreds. I bit hard on my lips to fight back the pain, tears leaked from the corner of my eyes.

In that instant, a surge of energy wound round me like a warm blanket in winter, it sprang through my muscles with the speed of lighting. Suddenly, I was standing on my fours.

Hind legs. Sparkling white furs. Heightened eyesight. My snout could pick out the faintest tinge of smell. Despite being in my wolf form, my veins sang with exhilaration.

‘Hey Ivy, I'm Kiana, your wolf.’ a soothing voice said. It sounded so ethereal I almost felt like I was trapped in the heart of a furry creature till a voice said.

“Ivy got her wolf—”

My wolf snapped its head to the silvery moonlight and howled. Another wolf responded. Soon the rest joined me, till howling sound rented the atmosphere. Per tradition, they let me take the first run through the woods and back to the pavilion.

When I got back, Mom's wolf strided to me and rubbed her fur against mine. ‘You did it my child. You did it,’ she said in a mindlink.

I rubbed mine against hers, whimpering. ‘I did Mom. I got my wolf,’

For the next hour, Maya's wolf Danica, and some other students from my school joined me. We sprinted till our wolves collapsed in exhaustion.

Slowly, I shifted and Luna Tovia covered me with the white cloth. She lifted me up and pulled me in a warm hug, patting my back gently.

“Ivy dear, you have a beautiful wolf.” Luna Tovia smiled, “Kiana is such a precious special wolf, with lots of res—” She swallowed the rest of her statement, like she had a rethink.

I didn't ponder much through the fog of exhaustion that gathered in my head. “Thank you Luna Tovia. But I'm so fagged out all I want to do is…” My voice trailed off when a strong masculine scent wafted through my nose.

It was so captivating, and possessive it made my toes curl in pleasure. The goosebumps that sputtered over my skin in the wake of the midnight's cold faded at the heat of the scent.

Kiana purred. ‘Mates! Our mates are close by,’ My heart bubbled with joy. Finally! I was going to meet him. I was going to relish in the joy of having my own mate.

I followed the scent and it led me to the pack house. My heart froze when the triplets stepped out, their eyes widened in shock. Dressed in casual joggers and white shirts, the triplets looked like they were sculpted with the perfect clay.

Their charisma rolled out from every damn pore in their veins. When my eyes took in their honed muscles, something heated between my legs. The sensation lasted for a few minutes, then I snapped out of it.

Fucking bullshit! Seriously? I could not believe it. Anger replaced the heat beneath my skin when I realized the moon goddess had tricked me. She'd given me my wolf to deal with these triplets jerks as mates? Even through the chokehold the matebond had on me, I’ll not be blinded by their excesses.

‘Mates. Ivy, the triplets' heirs are our mates.’ Kiana dripped with excitement.

“Ivy, are you— scratch that, you are our mate,” Jason had barely spoken when I looked away.

“Forget this ever happened. I'll never be mated to obnoxious brats who are self-centered and made my entire childhood hell!”

“What do you mean?” August reiterated. Ugh. Was he so dumb, or was he being courteous?

When my gaze shifted to their face, I almost took back my statement. His facial expression was torn between desperation, anger and was that regret? You've gotta be kidding me.

‘Don't do it. Don't do it.’ a voice cautioned in my head.

I drew in a deep breath and let it all out in one rushed breath. “I, Ivy Lorenzo re—”

“Stop! Don't do it Ivy.” Father walked up behind the triplets. His face was skitted with worry. “You can't reject the triplets.”

I flinched. My mouth fell apart, but I couldn't say a word. “Why?” I blurted out when I finally snapped out of the shock that blossomed in my veins.

“Your fate is attached to theirs,” Disappointment clouded his eyes when his heavy gaze landed on them. If looks could kill, the triplets would be in the abyss. “The prophecy. If you ever reject the bond with the…with the triplets, your wolf would lose her powers.”

What powers was he talking about? Asides the pain of shifting into my wolf, I didn't feel anything ‘special’

“What prophecy? What powers are you talking about?” I had so many questions, but those two stood out.

He let out an exasperated sigh, “Your path is left for you to figure out, with them of course.” Another long pause, “I know this is a lot for you honey. One step at a time you'll figure this out, I promise you.”

“Noo!!!!!” My heart pounded violently in my chest. The colour drained from my face, my head felt fuzzy and my legs were barely holding me. “I-I-I don't understand…” my tone came out shaky.

“Time would reveal everything to you child,” He added, breaking the silence that hung dangerously in the air. “I don't care if you're the sons of the Alpha, if anything happens to my daughter you'll have to face me headon.”

I blinked to brush past the tears that gathered in my eyes. “No. No. No. I can't. I can't be with those jerks—” I spun around on my heels, and made to run when a strong hand grabbed it.

His cold touch drove heat through my skin. I turned and it was Kieran. My heartbeat slowed to a crawl. Time, the swaying trees that lined the entrance of the pack house, and even the wind stopped.

Kieran's face was layers of remorse, pain and something else I didn't have a word for. A beat passed, the layers shredded to reveal a cold inscrutable expression.

A vicious growl erupted from his lips, his eyes blazing with “You'll never be good enough to be our mate.”