A heavy silence followed Liana's discovery in the forest. Her breathing was shallow, her pulse frantic as she crouched low in the bushes, the eerie sound of low growling surrounding her like a predator stalking its prey. She had heard tales of the cursed woods beyond the mating grounds, but she never believed they were true.
Until now.
The ground trembled slightly under her feet, as though something massive was prowling just beyond the tree line. Twigs snapped. Leaves rustled. And then— a deep, primal snarl.
She turned to flee, but a rough hand clamped over her mouth.
"Shh!" a voice hissed in her ear. Familiar. Masculine.
Her eyes widened. Darian.
He pulled her backward into a thick hollow beneath an uprooted tree, his eyes glowing with fury—and something else. Fear?
"What the hell are you doing here?" he growled.
"I—heard something. I had to know what it was," she whispered.
"You should've stayed in the hall."
A monstrous silhouette passed by their hiding spot, tall as a tree, with twisted limbs and glowing red eyes. The forest spirit? A rogue? It wasn't clear. Liana held her breath as the creature sniffed the air.
"Don't move," Darian whispered.
The creature paused, head tilting, then suddenly let out a bloodcurdling shriek and vanished into the mist.
Liana sagged against the tree trunk, trembling. "What was that?"
Darian didn't answer immediately. His jaw clenched. "That... was not supposed to be anywhere near here. We have a bigger problem than we thought."
They returned to the estate under the cloak of night, but the air felt heavier than before.
Back at the Blackthorn manor, Riven and Kieran were waiting, both of them tense. Riven's brows furrowed when he saw Liana.
"You took her out there?" he asked Darian, his voice low with barely restrained fury.
"She followed the sound. I had to protect her."
"You should've kept her inside," Kieran snapped. "Do you have any idea what she saw?"
"She didn't just see it," Liana said, stepping forward. "I felt it. Whatever that thing is, it was looking for me."
All three brothers fell silent.
"You're certain?" Riven asked.
She nodded. "It stopped. Sniffed the air. Like it could smell me."
Kieran began to pace. "We need to talk to the Council. If those things have started hunting beyond their territory..."
Darian rubbed the back of his neck. "They'll never believe us unless we show proof."
A dark laugh echoed through the hall, sending chills down Liana's spine. A servant dropped a tray. The fire in the hearth dimmed.
Suddenly, a voice whispered in her mind.
Fated one... you are not safe here.
She clutched her head, the pain slicing through her skull like a hot blade.
"Liana!" Riven was beside her instantly, catching her before she collapsed.
"She's hearing them," Darian murmured.
"She's awakening," Kieran said grimly.
Riven carried her to the infirmary, and as they laid her down, Liana's eyes flickered open.
"They're coming," she whispered. "Not just for me. For all of us."
The brothers exchanged a glance.
The prophecy... it had begun.
But just when silence fell again, the infirmary doors burst open—Henry, the youngest Blackthorn cousin, barreled in holding a scroll.
"You'll want to see this," he panted, eyes wide. "It's from the old oracle. It's about her."
He unrolled it, and there in shimmering golden ink was a prophecy none of them had seen before:
She who bears the mark shall bind the Three, awaken the Flame, and either destroy the curse... or become its queen.
The brothers stared at Liana, now resting but glowing faintly.
Riven ran a hand through his hair. "Oh, f***."
Kieran whistled. "She's not just our mate. She's the key to everything."
Darian said nothing, but the way he looked at Liana was different now—like he'd just seen lightning kiss the earth and knew nothing would ever be the same.
The silence that followed her last sentence stretched like an invisible thread between them. Liana could feel it snapping against her skin, taut and humming with unspoken questions.
"You... saw that, didn't you?" Riven asked, voice low, dangerous.
Liana's heartbeat thundered in her ears, but she nodded. "Yes. I saw him. The man who tried to attack me in the forest. He had the Blackthorn crest hidden beneath his cloak."
Darian's eyes darkened, his hand clenching into a fist. "Then it's worse than we thought."
Kieran leaned back, eyebrows furrowed. "We need to figure out who he was and why he was wearing our crest."
Liana's voice was firm. "He said something strange. He called me the bond-breaker."
The triplets froze.
"That term hasn't been spoken in centuries," Darian whispered. "Only one woman in the old legends carried that title… and she tore the world apart."
Riven scoffed, but there was no humor in his tone. "You're saying Liana is like her?"
"No," Kieran said, eyes locked on Liana. "But someone wants us to think she is."
Liana stood, fire lighting her eyes. "Then we need to find out who. I'm done being a pawn."
Before anyone could respond, the heavy doors of the hall burst open. A tall figure stepped inside, soaked in rain and shadows.
"Forgive the intrusion," the man said, his deep voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "But I believe we need to talk about the prophecy."