POV: Phoenix
The old book in my hands burst into flames.
I jumped back from the library table, watching in shock as silver fire devoured the leather cover. The flames didn't burn like normal fire - they were cold and sparkled like stars. In three seconds, the book turned to ash that smelled like roses and moonlight.
"What the hell?" I whispered, looking at the pile of glittering dust where my research had been.
I'd been reading about mate ties for hours, trying to understand what happened to us earlier. Father's angry meeting was still going on downstairs, but I couldn't focus on politics when magic was yelling at me from every direction.
My wolf was moving like crazy in my mind. Something big was coming. Something that would change everything.
The library door creaked open, and I spun around, expecting to see Dante or Ryder. Instead, a small figure in servant clothes slipped inside, carrying a stack of books almost as tall as she was.
Red hair. Green eyes. The most beautiful smell in the world.
Our mate.
She froze when she saw me, her eyes going wide with fear. The books in her arms started to glow with the same silver light that had burned my research.
"You," I breathed, taking a step toward her.
She shook her head and backed toward the door. "I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was here. I'll come back later."
But when she turned to leave, something incredible happened. Every book in the huge library started humming. The sound was soft at first, like bees buzzing, but it grew louder until the whole room vibrated with force.
The girl - our mate - looked around in terror as books began lifting off their shelves, floating in the air around us like a magical storm. Her stack of books was shining so bright now that I had to squint to look at her.
"What's happening?" she whispered, her voice shaking.
I knew exactly what was happening, but I couldn't believe it. This kind of magic hadn't been seen in our pack for over a hundred years. The books were reacting to her power, recognizing something ancient and incredibly strong.
"You're not just an omega," I said, my voice full of wonder. "You're something much more."
Fear flashed across her face, and she shook her head harder. "No, I'm nothing special. I'm just a servant."
But the floating books differed. They began opening themselves, pages flipping quickly as if searching for something important. Silver light poured from the words on each page, forming patterns in the air that made my magical senses go wild.
I reached out with my own power, trying to understand what the books were showing us. Images flashed through my mind - old ceremonies, powerful wolves with silver eyes, prophecies written in starlight.
Then I saw it. A picture of a girl who looked exactly like our mate, standing with three wolves under a full moon. Words appeared below the picture, glowing with the same silver fire that had burned my study.
"The Moon's Lost Daughter shall return when darkness threatens the pack. Three hearts will guard her, and her power will heal what was broken."
My breath caught in my throat. She wasn't just our mate. She was the lost daughter from the old prophecy. The one Elder Lyra had been looking for her whole life.
"You need to see this," I said, pointing at the floating book with the forecast.
But when I looked up, she was gone. The books crashed to the floor as her power went with her, leaving the library looking like a tornado had hit it.
I ran to the door, but the hallway was empty. Her amazing scent was already disappearing, leaving only the smell of old books and confusion.
My hands were shaking as I picked up the prophecy book. The picture was still glowing dimly, showing that girl - our mate - surrounded by power that could save or destroy everything.
I had to find my boys. They needed to know what I'd found. Our mate wasn't just special - she was the answer to everything our pack had been waiting for.
But as I rushed toward the stairs, sounds from Father's meeting room made me freeze.
"The girl must be eliminated," someone was saying. "She's too dangerous to let live."
"I agree," Father's voice boomed through the door. "If she really is mated to all three boys, she'll destroy pack tradition forever."
Ice filled my blood. They were talking about killing our mate. Our innocent, scared mate who didn't even understand her own power.
I crept closer to the door, pressing my ear against the wood.
"The Bloodfang Pack has offered to take care of our problem," Beta Ravencrest said. "One mistake, and everything goes back to normal. Vivienne can still become Luna."
"When?" Father asked.
"Tonight. During the new moon, when her power will be weakest."
My wolf roared with rage, demanding that I burst through the door and tear them all apart. But I pushed myself to stay calm and listen.
"How do we know she won't sense the attack coming?" Elder Morrison asked.
"Because she doesn't know what she is yet," Vivienne's voice said, cold and cruel. "She thinks she's just an omega. She won't expect danger until it's too late."
The sound of chairs scraping told me the meeting was ending. I had maybe thirty minutes before they put their plan into motion.
I ran for the servants' quarters, my heart pounding with fear and determination. I had to find her first. I had to warn her.
But when I reached her door and knocked softly, no one answered. The room was empty, her smell cold.
She was already gone.
A howl echoed from the trees outside - not a wolf howl, but something older and more powerful. Something that made every magical book in the pack house start shining again.
I ran to the window and saw silver light bursting from the trees like a beacon. Our mate was out there, alone in the dark, with killers hunting her and power she couldn't control tearing through her body.
As I watched, the light suddenly went out.
Then I heard Vivienne's happy laughter from downstairs, and I knew we might already be too late.