The three princes of Salvador are my mates.

~Freya~

I held onto the expensive dress tightly as the majestic golden doors of the throne room swung open, beckoning me to step through. With a heart pounding in my chest and a vengeful frown etched on my face, I entered the room, bowing my head in remembrance of Amaya’s instructions.

Sensing the weight of countless eyes upon me, I kept my eyes lowered. "Greet the royal highnesses," Amaya’s command echoed in my mind, prompting me to drop to my knees.

"Your Highnesses," I managed to greet, my fists clenched at my sides. At that very moment, a single thought consumed my mind—I imagined removing the hairpin from my hair and thrusting it into the heart of the Alpha King, consequences be damned. I was prepared to sacrifice my own life for the chance to strike him down. Yet, I restrained myself, closing my eyes and suppressing the seething resentment I harbored toward the Royal family because of my brother. I had someone to lose, and I didn’t want him to suffer all because of me.

"Is she the one mentioned in the prophecy?" a husky voice inquired, laced with unmistakable disgust. The question was posed again, and a woman replied softly.

‘’ Yes, Your Highness. She is the one destined to bear the heirs of the kingdom.’’ The woman replied.

"Why must she be a common wolf?" another voice interjected, its tone softer than the first woman yet brimming with elegance and pride. I wondered who it belonged to—the Luna Queen, perhaps. "If it were up to me, I would never allow a worthless girl to mate with my sons," she scoffed disdainfully.

The Luna Queen, I guessed right. She was supposed to hold the kingdom together and protect everyone alongside the Alpha King, just like him. She seemed to be a devil reincarnate, showing no concern for the lives of others. She trampled upon the poor, making their lives unbearable. Though I had no idea what she looked like, I yearned to gaze into her eyes and confront her about how their oppressive rules had cost the lives of innocent children and girls and reduced someone like me to a mere breeder for the royal family.

'’My Queen,’' the Alpha King muttered under his breath, '’if she has finished producing heirs, she is useless. She will be discarded.'’

In their eyes, I was nothing more than a disposable object to be disposed of once I had fulfilled my purpose of bearing the prince's children. It was unfathomable that they saw me this way as if I were not a werewolf.

'’The royal princes have arrived!'’ An announcement echoed from the room's entrance, and my heart raced faster.

A peculiar sensation engulfed me, defying description. My wolf urged me to turn around, speaking in my head after a long time.

"‘Face your destiny, Freya,’' the commanding voice resonated, and as if trapped by a spell, I defied the first rule of werewolves.

Never lock eyes with the royals and nobles.

Gasping, I watched as the princes approached me; their scents mixed, and I couldn’t tell whose scent it was. I had expected they would look alike, but I was surprised to see they differed. The first prince, positioned at the center, stood tall with eyes that gleamed like golden orbs, shining as bright as the sun. Adorning his forehead was the mark of the moon, while strands of brown hair cascaded, partially veiling his oval-shaped face.

The second prince possessed darker hair and hazel eyes. Standing an inch shorter than the first prince, he positioned himself on the right side. Unlike his brother, he bore no mark, and his face showcased flawless features, his chiseled jawline seemingly carved by the moon goddess herself.

The third prince captured my gaze with sapphire-green eyes and flowing blonde locks that brushed his shoulders. A sly smirk played across his face as his finger extended, pointing directly at me.‘’She is the one?’’ he inquired. ‘Is she the one chosen to carry our children?’

Amaya, who noticed my gaze, stood up and bowed her head to the princes. ‘’ Forgive me, Your Highnesses,'’ she pleaded. ''I had already warned this breeder not to meet the eyes of the royals, but in her foolishness, she refused to listen. I shall administer the appropriate punishment.'" she said and looked at me. ‘’lower your head!’’

Despite her warnings, I refused to lower my head. The connection between us was unexpected, and Rayla muttered in my head. ‘’ 'Mates!' it resounded, leaving me gasping in disbelief as I looked from one prince to another. How could this be? I wondered. I had been cursed by a fate that bound me to my enemies. Their stern expressions bore into me, and anger burned in the eyes of the first prince.

‘'How dare you lock eyes with us!’' he bellowed, storming past me.

At that moment, I questioned whether he felt the mate bond. Was his anger a result of disgust at being mated to me? It felt surreal, knowing I was bound to the princes of Salvador.

'’Mother, father,’' the first prince called out, his voice filled with outrage. '’Did you summon us here to inform us that this woman will be our breeder?’'

'’Yes,'’ the Alpha King responded, his tone bored.

'’How could this be!'’ the first prince exclaimed, his frustration evident. ‘'Why in the world are you forcing us to be with these women when they all end up dead?'’

‘'Nolan,’' the Luna Queen interjected, and my entire body trembled as I turned to face her—a breach of yet another rule I never thought I would break.

I shifted my gaze from the queen to the king, noticing the striking resemblance their sons bore to them. Though I had seen the portrait of the Alpha King in the hallways, I never expected him to appear even colder than he did in the picture. The Luna Queen, on the other hand, possessed silver hair and flawless skin, defying age. She embodied beauty, yet her countenance held the air of an evil villainess.

'’How dare you, you filthy thing, stare at me?” the queen spat.

'You brought the filthy thing to the royal mansion,' the second prince interjected. Unlike his brother, whose voice dripped with disgust, he sounded like he had no choice but to accept what his parents commanded.

'That is true,' the third prince stepped forward. 'I refuse to stoop so low as to lay with that woman! She is a nobody. Why on earth should a nobody become our breeder?'

'Ethan,' the Luna Queen addressed her son by name, heaving a deep sigh. She rose from her seat and approached them. '’You are all aware of the prophecy. The only way to break your curses and ensure the continued rule of this great kingdom is by siring heirs.'’

'’With a rankless wolf!’' the first prince erupted, his anger surpassing that of his brothers. 'How could I possibly...?' He pointed directly at me.

I met his gaze, awaiting his following words, but the realization of being mated to him and his brothers overwhelmed me. Why was I destined to be bound to those I despised so profoundly? It was unfathomable, and even if I were to tell someone, they would never believe me.

'Nolan,' the Alpha King spoke up, commanding attention. 'You will be the first to lay with her!' The king's proclamation caused me to gasp as they all redirected their focus towards me.

'Guards!' the Luna Queen shouted, and two burly guards entered the room. With a clear understanding of the Luna Queen's intentions, they forcefully lifted me from the ground. My face snapped to the side as her hand struck me with a resounding slap. I tasted blood on my lips and saw red, thinking that the assault had concluded, only to be met with another stinging blow.

Desperate for help, I glanced at the princes, whose faces displayed disgust. I wondered if they could not sense the mate bond or if they feigned ignorance of my pain simply because I was a nobody.

'You will learn your place, and if you weren't such an important vessel, I would have ordered your immediate execution. However, it seems you are not to be harmed until you bear a child. Consider these beatings a lesson for daring to lock eyes with the royals!' she shouted at me before pushing me backward and returning to her throne.

"An important vessel, you say?" I spoke up, surprised at the sudden surge of courage within me.

"You dare to speak back to me!" The Luna Queen screamed, and though fear coursed through my trembling body, her words hinted at the fact that I still had my life, even if I dared to voice my thoughts.

"I was already aware, and the rumors surrounding the Royals were not mere rumors but the grim truth. How can you all sleep at night, knowing that your actions have destroyed countless lives?" I challenged her. "You subject others to such cruelty to maintain the hierarchy. I lost my parents because of all of you, and I swear I will destroy the royal family for the immense pain you've caused me!"

The Luna Queen's eyes widened, and she moved toward me in a flash, intending to strike me once again, but the Alpha King intervened.

"That's enough," the Alpha King commanded, rising from his throne. "If you weren't a vessel for my sons to break the curse, I would have eliminated you long before you realized it," he chuckled. "I knew a nobody like you would react this way, so I had a contingency plan in place."

He grinned at me, and as we conversed, the door burst open, and Benjamin stepped in, holding my brother’s hand.

‘’Cody!’’ I shouted his name. ‘’you are here!’’

Slowly, my brother raised his head to meet my gaze, his eyes widening in astonishment. "Is that you, Freya?" he asked, his voice trembling with emotion before breaking into tears. ‘’Freya!’’ he shouted, struggling against Benjamin's grip.

"Cody!" I fell to my knees, moving closer to him. "Cody!" Tears streamed down my face as I embraced him tightly, unable to contain my overwhelming emotions.

I never expected such a reunion, but little did I know that it would be short-lived. The Alpha King's voice sliced through the air, shattering our moment of happiness. "I didn't plan for this reunion, but you will pay for your words about destroying the royal family. I will show you why I am known as the Alpha King."

"Guards!" he bellowed, pointing towards my mother. "Punish him in place of the girl!" His wicked grin turned towards me. "lock him up in the cold room!’’

The words echoed in my mind, and I stared at my brother as he was forcibly pulled away from me. "Cody!" I cried out, desperation filling my voice. "Cody!" I couldn't believe he was about to face consequences just when I reunited.

Had I made a grave mistake by challenging the royal family without knowing my brother would be in danger? They were all the same—heartless and cold, showing no regard for wolves like myself. Even the royal princes, who turned out to be my mates, shared the exact callous nature of their parents.