MARKED BY THE TRIPLETS OF CRESCENT MOON

“Kill without hesitation!”

Alpha Thiago, my father growls and before anyone can react, he turns and cuts off the head of the warrior standing behind him.

My eyes widen in horror before I scream.

Then, with wide eyes, I stare at the severed head rolling in the training ground. The world spins and bile rises in my throat. I know that warrior. He is a kind wolf with no enemies within the pack and he just got married last week!

“Keith…” I cry.

His head stops rolling when it bumps into my feet, and his lifeless eyes stare at me like they’re asking why. I drop to my knees to close his eyes and give him peace but before I can even lift my hand, Dad kicks Keith’s head like it is trash.

Tears burn my eyes, but I grit my teeth. I won’t cry. I won’t give him that but then I glance at Keith’s body…headless, broken, I can't help it. A single tear slips down my cheek.

How could Dad do this? How could he be so cruel?

Keith woke up this morning thinking it would be just a normal day for warriors. He probably thought he would go home tonight and kiss his mate.

But he never will…because of my Dad’s cruelty.

Then I hear Francis sobbing. It’s almost inaudible but he is just a few inches away from me. So, I panic at the thought that Dad may hear him crying over a warrior’s death.

“No,” I whisper. “Don’t…”

But it’s too late already. Dad’s head snaps in our direction. Then he storms toward Francis and slaps him so hard, it knocks the boy to the ground.

“Francis!” I scream and throw myself in front of him. My arms spread wide. “Don’t you dare touch him again!” I warn.

Father stares at me like I’m dirt beneath his boots. “And what are you going to do, little girl?”

I lift my chin to speak but I am speechless. I don’t know what to say anymore…and my legs are trembling when he steps closer to me.

He chuckles upon seeing my reaction. “Weaklings must die, Vivienne,” he says before he grabs me by the neck.

“Let go of me!” I shout while kicking and twisting, but he never listens.

He drags me toward the edge of the cliff. “You want to act brave in front of the warriors? You want to embarass me, Vivienne? Then, let’s see how brave you are now.”

It wasn’t a threat, though.

“Stop it, Dad! Vivienne!”

Francis screams but Dad kicks me nonetheless…and I fall.

The world tilts, the sky spins, but I manage to catch a tree branch jutting from the cliffside. My arms shake, and my fingers cramp, but I hold on. I can’t die now. I’m not yet ready for it…especially because Francis is still young. He still needs me!

Dangling on the cliff, I look down. There’s nothing but jagged rocks and death waiting below. Then Dad’s voice cuts through the wind. Cold and thunderous.

“Finish her, Francis,” he orders from above in a loud voice.

“No!” Francis cries. “I don’t want to—”

“Kill her!” Father yells, voice like thunder over the cliffside.

I look up and see my brother’s eyes. My baby brother. His hands are trembling. His face is soaked in tears. He is torn between love and fear. I know he doesn’t want to do this but Dad…he never gave us choices.

Only pain. He is a master in hurting his children!

Francis’ lips part. He wants to say something while looking at me dangling below the edge but no words come out and I know why.

He is too scared to even utter a single word!

As his older sister, I can’t let him carry this guilt forever. I can’t let him live knowing he killed his own sister, not when I have spent my life protecting him from everything else.

So I make the choice for him.

“It’s okay, Francis,” I whisper…and then I let go.

Slowly, my fingers slip from the branch and my body free-falls through the air. The wind screams in my ears as I tumble down, and my dress is fluttering like torn paper.

I see nothing but the endless fall below.

This is it. This is how I die…not on the battlefield, not in a cell, but falling alone after talking back to the Alpha of Red Moon.

After Mom dies, I have been waiting for him to open his heart to Francis and me, but it’s not going to happen.

Above the cliff, Francis screams my name…and I can only cry while praying to the Goddess to watch my brother on my behalf.

Falling so fast, I close my eyes and accept my death…but just when the air starts to thin and I can feel the ground rushing to claim me, I feel…heat!

I furrow my brows in confusion

Arms?

I crash into a solid chest, gasping as the wind is knocked from my lungs but I am not dead…not yet!

Someone caught me but when I blink my eyes open, dazed and shaking, I see…not one, not two, but three faces staring down at me!

All of them blur together at first.

Sharp jaws, intense brown eyes, matching shadows on their skin like they have been carved by the same storm. They really look the same!

Or maybe… I’m just dizzy?

Am I hallucinating?

My wolf stirs weakly as my lips part to speak but the words get lost and everything starts to fade. The last thing I see is three pairs of eyes locked on me…then darkness.