The music swelled as the massive double doors of the pack hall swung open. All eyes turned to me, standing frozen at the threshold. My grip tightened on my mother's arm as we prepared to walk down the aisle.
"Head high, Seraphina," my mother whispered. "Don't give them the satisfaction of seeing you afraid."
I forced my chin up, even as my heart hammered against my ribs. The long carpet stretched before me like a prison corridor, leading straight to my three captors. The hall was packed with members of the Silver Crescent Pack, their faces a blur of curiosity, pity, and thinly veiled disdain.
The first step was the hardest. Each one after felt like wading through quicksand.
"She looks terrified," someone whispered from the crowd.
"Can you blame her?" another replied. "Marrying three men who hate her..."
I blocked out their voices, focusing instead on the three tall figures awaiting me at the altar. The triplets stood in matching black suits, each with subtle differences—Kaelen's with emerald accents matching his eyes, Ronan's with deep blue to match his, and Orion's with amber piping along the lapels. They were devastatingly handsome, and utterly cold.
Kaelen, standing in the center, watched my approach with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw. Ronan's gaze drifted over my head, refusing to look at me directly. Only Orion met my eyes, his expression unreadable but intense.
My wolf whined inside me, confused by the contradiction of our mates rejecting us so completely.
As I neared the altar, my eyes caught a flash of burgundy to the side. Lilith stood among the bridesmaids, her dress clinging to every curve, her smile sharp as a knife. She winked at me, a silent reminder of her promise from earlier. The sight of her made me falter for a moment.
When we reached the end of the aisle, my mother squeezed my hand before placing it in Kaelen's waiting palm. His touch was impersonal, clinical. Like touching a stranger.
"Who gives this woman to these Alphas?" the officiant asked, his voice booming through the hall.
"I do," my mother answered, her voice steady despite the tears in her eyes.
She stepped away, and I had never felt more alone.
"We gather today," the officiant began, "on this momentous occasion to unite Alpha Kaelen Nightwing, Alpha Ronan Nightwing, and Alpha Orion Nightwing to their fated mate and Luna, Seraphina Moon."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd at the word "fated." Some still couldn't believe the Moon Goddess had chosen an Omega—the daughter of a traitor—to be mated to their future Alphas.
My veil obscured the worst of my expressions, but I could feel tears threatening. This should have been the happiest day of my life. Instead, it felt like a public humiliation.
"The bond of true mates is sacred," the officiant continued. "A gift from the Moon Goddess herself. Though rare, a shared mate bond between brothers is a sign of great blessing upon the pack."
Kaelen shifted beside me, his discomfort obvious. I could practically hear his thoughts: This is no blessing.
"Do you, Kaelen Nightwing, accept Seraphina Moon as your Luna and mate, to protect and honor until the end of your days?"
A heavy pause. The crowd held its breath.
"I do," he finally said, the words clipped and formal.
The officiant turned to Ronan, who answered with an equally terse "I do" when prompted.
Orion's response was softer, almost thoughtful, but no more enthusiastic.
When my turn came, I swallowed hard. "I do," I whispered, sealing my fate with two small words.
The ring ceremony followed. Three identical platinum bands were placed on my finger, one after another. I received nothing to give in return; as Luna, I would wear their marks, but they needed no symbol of belonging to me.
"And now," the officiant announced, "we proceed to the coronation of our new Alphas and Luna."
The crowd shifted, the atmosphere changing from wedding to ceremony of power. Elder wolves approached with ancient wooden boxes containing the crowns of leadership.
The current Alpha—the triplets' father—stepped forward first. Tall and imposing, with silver threading through his dark hair, he commanded respect with his mere presence.
"My sons," he said, his voice carrying throughout the hall. "Today, I pass to you the mantle of leadership of the Silver Crescent Pack. May you lead with wisdom, strength, and justice."
One by one, the triplets knelt before their father. He placed a silver crown with moonstone inlays on each of their heads, speaking the traditional words of succession.
"Rise, Alpha Kaelen, Alpha Ronan, and Alpha Orion Nightwing. May your reign be long and prosperous."
The pack erupted in applause and howls of approval. This part, at least, they celebrated wholeheartedly. The triplets were respected, even beloved by most.
Then came my turn.
An elderly female elder approached with a smaller crown—the Luna's diadem. Unlike the celebration moments before, the hall fell into an uncomfortable silence.
"Kneel, Seraphina Moon," the elder instructed.
I sank to my knees, feeling the weight of hundreds of judging eyes.
"Do you swear to serve this pack with loyalty and devotion? To put their needs above your own? To stand beside your Alphas in times of peace and war?"
I looked up, past the elder to the triplets now standing behind her, their new crowns glinting in the light. They watched me with varying degrees of resignation and resentment.
"I swear it," I said, my voice stronger than I expected.
The crown was placed upon my head—heavier than it looked, the metal cool against my skin. The elder's hands lingered for a moment.
"Rise, Luna Seraphina Nightwing, and take your place beside your Alphas."
The surname hit me like a physical blow. No longer Moon, but Nightwing. My identity, like everything else, had been claimed by them.
I rose unsteadily, the crown feeling like it might topple at any moment. Turning to face the pack—my pack now—I searched the crowd. I found my mother's face, tears streaming down her cheeks. Was it pride? Worry? Both?
Then Lilith caught my eye, her expression thunderous beneath her painted smile. This was the moment she had coveted for herself, snatched away by fate.
Behind her stood her father, Beta Malachi Thorne. His gaze was calculating, assessing, as if I were a chess piece that had unexpectedly changed positions on the board.
"And now," the elder announced, returning me to the moment, "to seal both marriage and coronation as tradition demands..."
My stomach dropped at his next words.
"Alphas, you may kiss your bride."
The room went deathly silent. I stood frozen, my eyes darting between my three new husbands. Which one would step forward first? Would any of them?
Kaelen's jaw tightened, his green eyes flashing with something unreadable. Orion looked away, his posture rigid. It was Ronan who moved first, stepping toward me with determination in his blue eyes.
As he reached for my veil, I caught the briefest whisper, meant only for me.
"Let's get this over with."