Six Mates.

Cold Feet.

Something was wrong.

Mavira Lunaris stepped onto the porch, the hem of her purple flower dress flowing as her bare feet met the cold wood, her cold gaze drifting toward the dark stretch of trees beyond their home.

A chill ran down her spine.

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.

“Mavira?” her mother called softly from inside. “Come back in.”

Her purple eyes remained fixed on the treeline, unease curling tighter in her chest.

“Do you feel that?” she asked quietly.

“Mavira,” 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.”

Mavira Lunaris 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,” Mavira sighed in annoyance. “This is not about cold feet. I can sense it. The air feels… polluted.”

“Mavira,” 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.”

Mavira 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.

He was her mate. That much was certain. But what if he ended up hating her?

Mavira was an Omega. And she was only 4'2" tall. Who would want to be with an Omega like her? People barely saw her as an adult.

She was small, slim and delicate, with pale skin and long, wavy black hair that almost reached her legs.

Mavira couldn’t believe she was in such a situation… that she would have to get married tonight.

Her chest tightened.

Wouldn’t she be a laughing stock in her wedding gown?

Wouldn’t they all look at her and see nothing but a weak, fragile Omega? A child in a wedding dress?

Mavira had heard the whispers, and Nate 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 existed to control the alphas.

She wanted to change his mind about omegas, 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 but to comply. She sighed again.

This was her duty. She mustn’t fail the pack or worry about unnecessary matters. She was the only daughter of the leader of the clan. Of course, she would be fine, and nothing could go wrong.

At least, that's what she hoped.

A howl tore through the night, sharp and unnatural, cutting straight through her.

Mavira 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,” Mavira said, the words coming out tight and uneven.

Those were the rogues. They were attacking now? How did they get into their territory? It was hidden with a strong spell and guarded by the strongest warriors.

Mavira was terrified out of her mind. She knew something was wrong when the air felt uncertain earlier.

“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.

“Mavira.” He turned to her, his expression steady in a way that made something twist painfully in her chest. “You have to run.” He held her shoulders. “You are the heir to the clan—”

She shook her head. “No—”

He cut in. “Listen to me.” He almost roared, but he took a deep breath instead. “Do not turn back, Mavira. I love you.” He kissed her forehead.

The walls shook as something slammed into the house.

Mavira flinched, her breath catching as another impact followed, then another.

Her mother moved quickly, her hands firm as she pushed Mavira toward the back door. “Go.”

“I’m not leaving you.” The words came out fast, 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.

Mavira 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. She said within.

But something pulled at her, and she turned. Just for a second. Her mother hit the ground. The world seemed to tilt.

“No—” The sound barely made it out as she saw her father fall to the ground.

“No!”

The scream ripped raw and broken, tearing through her throat as everything inside her shattered at once.

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 do was scream in her head for anyone to save her from this nightmare.

Please. Help me. Anyone.

A force yanked her backward, cutting her momentum instantly.

Mavira gasped, twisting hard, trying to tear free, but the grip holding her was firm.

“Let me go!” Panic surged, sharp and consuming as she fought harder.

This was it. They had 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 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.