Rejected at Birth

Zane and Caseus

Bryce’s presence unnerved me. His wolf was powerful, his loyalty to the pack unwavering. But there was darkness in him, a hunger that went beyond the hunt for rogues. He wanted something from me, something my soul yearned to give.

Sebastian’s protective stance didn’t go unnoticed. His hand brushed mine, a silent reassurance. “Trust me,” he whispered, and I wondered if he could hear the rapid beat of my heart.

Bryce’s voice cut through the silence. “Grace, you’re not the first rogue to seek refuge here. But you are the first with a bond to our Alpha, nonetheless the alpha and the beta, that is almost unheard of.”I’d heard her stories—the brutality of her father, the twisted lack of love that had warped her perception of safety.

“Grace,” I said, my voice gruff, as I approached, “You’re free now,” I said, my fingers brushing her cheek. “You’re safe here.”

Grace leaned into my touch, her eyes searching mine. “Bryce, I’ve never had anyone protect me. Not like this. I don’t know how where to begin or how to trust.” My chest tightened. “You have us now. Sebastian and me.”

But it was more than that. The dormant bond had awakened, and with it came a possessiveness I hadn’t anticipated. I wanted to shield her from every hurt, to erase the scars etched into her skin. She was our mate, and no one would harm her again.

As if sensing my turmoil, Sebastian joined us. His eyes, a swirl of silver and blue, held a mix of understanding and determination. “We’ll keep her safe, Bryce. No matter what.”

I nodded, Zane pacing within me. “And anyone who threatens her will answer to both of us.” Zane Growled his agreement.

Grace’s gaze shifted between us, and I saw the longing—the need for acceptance, for love. She never had a pack, but she has us—an Alpha and a Beta, bound by more than words. Grace needed air and a distraction. Sebastian and I guided her along the lake as she watched the water and the moon shift in its ripples.

The forest hummed with anticipation as Bryce stepped deeper into the moonlight. Zane, his inner wolf, paced restlessly within him. The scent of pine and earth filled their senses, but it was another scent—a tantalizing mix of lavender—that set Zane on edge.

“Mate,” Zane growled in Bryce’s mind. “I smell our mate.”

Bryce’s heart skipped a beat, a triad of souls linked by fate. But he hadn’t expected it to happen to him, to them and still had to wrap his head around it. Yet, here they were, drawn to the same spot where Sebastian awaited.

“Caseus,” Zane spat the name like a curse. “He’ll want our mate too. Share him? Never.”

Bryce tried to calm Zane, but the wolf was a tempest of possessiveness and desire. The moon above seemed to pulse with understanding, casting its silvery glow on the tangled emotions within Bryce’s chest.

“We can’t fight him,” Bryce reasoned. “Sebastian is our friend. We’ll find a way to make this work.”

“Friendship be damned,” Zane snarled. “Our mate is ours. No sharing. No compromise.”

Bryce’s thoughts swirled. He’d never imagined love could be so complicated. Sebastian was kind, and had always loved us as a brother—a balm to Bryce’s wounded soul. But now, with the scent of their mate in the air, everything shifted.

“We’ll talk to Sebastian,” Bryce said, trying to soothe Zane’s fury. “Maybe he feels the same. Maybe we can find a way to balance this bond.”

Zane’s mental growl vibrated through Bryce’s bones. “Balance? There is no balance. Our mate is ours alone.”

Bryce made eye contact with Sebastian. His gaze locked with mine, and something passed between them—a recognition, a longing.

“Sebastian,” Bryce called out, his voice echoing in the stillness. “We need to talk.”

Caseus circled Bryce, his eyes flickering between human and wolf. “Mate,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble. “Both of us.”

Bryce glanced at Zane, who seethed within him. “We’ll figure this out,” Bryce promised. “Together.”

And as the moonlight danced at their feet. Grace watched the two men, her men, as they linked each other the tension in the air was noticeable as they worked through what this new bond meant

The moon’s revelation had changed everything. Grace’s powers were awakening, and the bond between us pulsed with newfound energy. We stood in the moonlit glade, the air thick with anticipation. The small waves of the pond lapping at the edges.

As the clock struck midnight, Grace’s skin shimmered. Her eyes glowed silver, and her breaths came faster. The constellations within her awakened, mapping a destiny written in stardust.

“It’s happening,” she whispered, her voice both awe-struck and terrified.

Bryce stepped closer, his wolf senses attuned. “Embrace it, Grace. Let the magic flow.”

And then, it hit—the surge of power, the merging of souls. Grace’s body trembled, her bones shifting. She gasped, her skin stretching, fur sprouting. Her first shift was upon her.

I watched, my heart pounding, as Grace transformed. Her human form dissolved, replaced by a creature of myth—a wolf, but not just any wolf. She was albino white, her fur iridescent, shimmering like moonlight on water. Her eyes held galaxies—the same silver as Selene’s gaze.

Bryce’s shifted in wolf circled her, their scents mingling. “Grace,” he said, his voice both possessive and reverent, “you’re magnificent.”

She tested her legs, her movements fluid. “I feel—”

“Powerful,” I finished. “You’re the bridge between worlds, Grace. The moon’s revelation made you more than a triad’s bond. You’re a cosmic anomaly.”

And then, she howled—a sound that echoed through the forest, reaching the stars. The pack stirred, drawn to her—their hybrid, their luna.

Dawn approached, Grace lay down, her fur glowing. “What now?”

Bryce nuzzled her, his eyes soft. “We protect you. Nurture you. And together, we’ll fill in the pieces.”