POV: Maya
SPLASH!
Cold water hit my face like a slap as I tripped over the bucket I'd left by the sink. Water soaked through my shirt and dripped onto the floor, making me shiver in the late evening air.
"Perfect," I muttered, taking a towel to clean up the mess. "Happy birthday to me."
It was past midnight now, which meant my eighteenth birthday was finally over. What a day it had been. First, I'd broken dishes and gotten yelled at by Beta Karen. Then I'd embarrassed myself at the afternoon party when Ryan Blackwood helped me clean up broken tea cups. And finally, Logan had told me that Mrs. Torres thought I was some kind of dangerous spy.
I finished cleaning up the water and sat down heavily on my small bed. My tiny room in the omega quarters felt smaller than usual tonight. The walls seemed to press in on me, reminding me of how trapped my life really was.
Eighteen years old, and what did I have to show for it? A job cleaning dishes, a reputation for being clumsy, and now people thinking I might be a traitor.
But the worst part was how the three Blackwood brothers had all noticed me today. Not in a good way - in a "poor omega girl who needs help" way. Ethan had watched me work at the party with curious eyes. Ryan had knelt down to help me clean up broken dishes while everyone watched. Logan had risked getting in trouble just to warn me about Mrs. Torres.
They'd all been kind to me, but it just made me feel more sad. I didn't want to be the girl they felt sorry for. I wanted to be someone they could actually respect.
I walked to my small window and looked out at the night sky. The full moon hung huge and bright above the pack property, casting silver light across everything. In the distance, I could see lights still on in the main house where the Alpha's family resided.
Were the boys awake right now? What did they think about when they looked at the moon? Did they ever wonder what it would be like to be someone else, someone ordinary?
Probably not. They were born to be important. They'd never know what it felt like to be unseen.
I pressed my face against the cool glass and closed my eyes. "I wish," I mumbled to the moon, "just once, I could be seen as more than just an omega. I wish someone would look at me and see Maya, not just some girl who serves their food."
The words felt silly as soon as I said them. The moon goddess had bigger things to worry about than one lonely omega's birthday wishes. But something about saying my dream out loud made me feel a tiny bit better.
My wrist started to itch, and I rubbed it absently. The skin felt warm and tingly, like I'd been holding something hot. Strange.
I was about to turn away from the window when movement in the main house caught my eye. Three people stood on the balcony, looking out at the night. Even from this distance, I could tell it was Ethan, Ryan, and Logan.
They seemed to be talking about something important. Logan pointed toward the omega apartments - toward my building. My heart jumped. Were they talking about me? About Mrs. Torres' accusations?
Suddenly, Logan grabbed his chest like he was in pain. Ryan did the same thing. Then Ethan staggered backward, gripping his heart.
What was happening to them?
Before I could figure it out, all three brothers turned and looked directly at my window. Even though they were far away, I felt like they were looking right into my eyes.
I jerked back from the glass, my heart racing. That was impossible. They couldn't see me from that distance, especially not in the dark. But it had felt so real.
My wrist was really burning now. I pulled up my sleeve to check if I'd hurt myself somehow, but the skin looked normal. Just warm and tingly.
Exhaustion hit me like a wave. The long day, the emotional stress, and the strange event with the brothers had drained all my energy. I needed sleep.
I changed into my pajamas and crawled under my thin blanket. But as soon as I closed my eyes, the dreams started.
Silver light everywhere. Bright, pulsing, living. It wrapped around me like warm water, filling me with power I'd never felt before. In the light, I wasn't small or weak or unnoticeable. I was strong. Important. Worthy.
Three wolves appeared in the silver glow. They were big and beautiful, with eyes that seemed to see straight into my soul. One wolf was golden with amber eyes - confident and royal. Another was dark brown with green eyes - angry and protective. The third was black with blue eyes - soft and wise.
They circled me slowly, and I felt no fear. Instead, I felt... complete. Like I'd been missing something my whole life and finally found it.
"Maya," the golden wolf spoke without moving his mouth. His voice rang in my mind.
"Maya," said the brown wolf, his mental voice warm and strong.
"Maya," whispered the black wolf, his tone soft and caring.
They were calling to me, but I didn't understand what they wanted. I reached out to touch the golden wolf's fur, and electric energy shot through my arm. The feeling was incredible - like coming alive for the first time.
"Who are you?" I asked.
But instead of answering, all three wolves threw back their heads and howled. The sound filled my mind, beautiful and wild and sad. It spoke of longing and fate and connections deeper than anything I'd ever imagined.
I tried to move toward them, but the silver light started to fade. The wolves grew more distanced, though their eyes never left mine.
"Wait!" I called out. "Don't go!"
"Soon," the golden wolf's voice grew faint. "Very soon."
"Find us," added the brown wolf.
"We're waiting," finished the black wolf.
The dream disappeared, and I jerked awake in my bed. Pale morning light seeped through my window, and birds were singing outside. But the dream had felt more real than being awake.
I sat up, my heart still racing from the vivid pictures. What did it mean? Who were those dogs, and why did they seem so familiar?
I pushed back my sleeve to rub my still-tingling wrist, and my world stopped.
There, on my skin where the burning feeling had been, was a mark. A glowing, metal mark that pulsed with its own light.
It looked like three wolves running in a circle, their forms intertwined and hard to separate.
A mate mark.
But that was impossible. Mate marks only showed when you turned eighteen and found your destined partner. And they sure didn't glow like this.
I stared at the mark in shock, my mind running. The three wolves in my dream. The three boys on the balcony last night. The way they'd all been kind to me yesterday.
"No," I whispered. "This can't be happening."
But even as I said it, I knew the truth. The moon goddess had heard my birthday wish after all.
And her answer was going to change everything.