Six Mates.

Something was wrong. Violet Lunaris felt it before the first sound broke the night. The silence was too thick. It pressed in around her, settling beneath her skin in a way that made her chest tighten. Even the wind had stilled, the trees standing motionless as if the forest itself were waiting. She stepped onto the porch, her bare feet meeting the cold wood, her gaze drifting toward the dark stretch of trees beyond their home. Nothing moved. That was what made it worse. “Violet?” her mother called softly from inside. “Come back in.” Violet didn’t turn. Her purple eyes remained fixed on the treeline, unease curling tighter in her chest. “Do you feel that?” she asked quietly. “Violet,” her mother called again, almost rolling her eyes. “It is time for the moon ceremony. You can’t be late.” She walked up to her daughter, her hand resting on her shoulder. “Your father will be pissed.” Violet turned to her mother, Alice, Luna of the Moonborn pack. “Mother, the weather is strange. It is…” Her mother chuckled. “Don’t tell me you are getting cold feet because you are about to marry your mate.” “Mom,” Violet sighed in annoyance. “This is not about cold feet. I can sense it. The air feels… polluted.” “Violet,” Alice said, stopping her and taking her hand. “Once we are done with the moon ceremony, we will talk about it, okay?” “Mother.” She insisted. Alice persisted. “Don't keep the clan waiting.” Violet nodded, though she wasn’t satisfied with her mother’s reassurance. She had a terrible instinct that something wasn’t right. If only she could tell what it was. Whenever she felt this way, things never went as planned. She glanced back one last time before turning to face her mother. Maybe it would be better to talk about it after the wedding, with her mate, Nate. She couldn't believe this was happening. Was it too soon to get married when she barely knew him? He was her mate. That much was certain. But what if he ended up hating her? She was an Omega. Violet had heard the whispers, how he only dated Betas and Alphas. They met for the first time under the full moon, and she knew immediately who he was. Nate, the son of her father’s best friend, was her mate. The realization shocked her. She hadn’t expected them to be fated. She had heard a lot about him. She admired him and once thought she would want him as a husband. But Nate despised omegas. He believed they exist to control the alphas. She didn’t agree. She wanted to change his mind, but she was afraid. What if she failed? They could reject each other and walk away. But before she could even consider it, their parents had already arranged the wedding. She had no choice than to comply. She sighed again. This was her duty. She mustn’t fail the pack and worry about unnecessary matters. She was the daughter of the leader of the clan. Of course, she will be fine and nothing can go wrong. A howl tore through the night, sharp and unnatural, cutting straight through her. Violet froze. Her heartbeat slammed against her ribs as cold realization set in. “Inside. Now.” Her father’s voice was immediate, sharp with a command she didn’t question. He was already at her side, gripping her arm and pulling her back through the door. The door slammed shut behind them. The lock clicked into place. “They’re not ours,” Violet said, the words coming out tight and uneven. Those were the rogues. They were attacking now? “I know.” His grip didn’t loosen. “Listen to me. If I tell you to run, you run. Don’t look back.” Fear spiked, sharp and immediate. “No.” She wasn't leaving her parents behind and running for the hills. “Violet.” He turned to her, his expression steady in a way that made something twist painfully in her chest. “You run.” The walls shook as something slammed into the house. Violet flinched, breath catching as another impact followed, then another. The sound circled them, testing, closing in. Her mother moved quickly, hands firm as she pushed Violet toward the back door. “Go.” “I’m not leaving you.” The words came out faster, desperate. “Go!” The door was thrown open. Cold air rushed in, and with it, chaos. They came out of the trees like shadows breaking loose, fast and brutal, their movements wild and unrestrained. The Rogues. There was no time to think. Her father shifted first, bone and muscle snapping into place as he launched forward, colliding with the nearest attacker. Her mother followed, just as fast, just as lethal. “Run!” he roared. Violet ran. Branches tore at her arms as she pushed into the forest, her breath coming fast. Behind her, the night erupted, snarls, crashing bodies, something breaking under force. She stumbled, catching herself just before she fell, forcing her legs to keep moving. Don’t stop. Don’t look back. But something pulled at her, she turned. Just for a second. Her mother hit the ground. The world seemed to tilt. “No—” The sound barely made it out, seeing her father fall to the ground. “No!” The scream ripped free, raw and broken, tearing through her throat as everything inside her shattered at once. They were gone. Terror surged violently back through her, snapping her into motion. She turned and ran harder, faster, her chest burning as she forced her body forward. They were chasing her. She could hear them, closing in. Her lungs burned. Her vision blurred. Every step felt heavier than the last, but stopping wasn’t an option. All she could scream in her head was for anyone to save her from this nightmare. Please. Help me. Anyone. The force yanked her backward, cutting her momentum instantly. Violet gasped, twisting hard, trying to tear free, but the grip holding her was unyielding, iron-strong, impossible to break. “Let me go!” Panic surged, sharp and consuming as she fought harder. This was it. They’d caught her. Before she could react, everything shifted. The forest blurred around her, the ground slipping away beneath her feet as movement took over. The sounds behind her faded. Dizziness hit hard, her strength draining so fast. Her body went weak. Her vision darkened at the edges. The last thing she registered was the grip holding her steady. And then the darkness closed in.