SAMANTHA'S POV

It was finally time for the initiation, and I just walked into the crescent moon.

The Crescent Moon Hall was a circular room carved directly into the bedrock beneath the Academy, with walls that looked less like stone and more like dried blood.

In the center, a slab of black rock shaped like a crescent moon, and above it, a glass ceiling that showed the sky just beginning to darken, the first hints of red bleeding into the clouds.

There were maybe forty first-years in the chamber, and all of them were wolves, and they were all watching me.

I felt their eyes like hands on my skin, measuring and weighing, deciding whether I was prey or just pathetic.

Principal Vex stood at the head of the room, next to the Crescent Stone. She raised her hand, and the chamber went silent before she began.

"Tonight, you shed your first blood on Nightshade ground, and tonight, the Moon Goddess sees you, and she decides if you are worthy to be here or not." She spoke, her voice soft but firm.

A murmur rippled through the crowd. I didn't feel any excitement or fear; all I felt was just a strange, hollow calm.

"Now, every one of you is going to approach the stone in accordance with the pack; the Frost Fang pack will go first," she spoke further, with her face, which held no expression.

Karl stepped forward, and of course, he moved to the stone, pulled a blade from his belt matching the one he'd given me, I noticed, and drew it across his palm.

Blood welled up in his palm, dark and thick, and it dripped onto the black rock.

Just then the stone sang, and I heard it. A low hum that vibrated in my teeth, the blood soaked into the rock like water into sand, and for a moment, Kael's eyes blazed gold. A full wolf, beautiful and terrible.

"The Frost Fang heir is accepted, so the other can proceed now," Vex said, and immediately there was loud clapping in the room.

And one by one, the wolves approached. One by one, they bled, and one after the other the Stone accepted them, and within a few minutes it was finally my turn.

"Samantha Carter, the scholarship student, step forward. "I heard the principal say with a loud voice, loud enough for anyone at a distance to hear.

The murmuring got louder, and I heard someone laugh as I slowly took a few steps away from where I had stood.

“She is just a human that got in by mistake; I believe she will definitely get rejected or probably even die at the spot." I heard them laugh as I walked closer to the stone.

Felt their eyes on me, and immediately my heart started to beat rapidly. What if they were right about me dying on the spot? This thought rang in my head as my palm became sweaty immediately.

I could hear my heartbeat in my ears as I pulled out the knife Karl had given me and pressed the edge to my palm.

“Don't hesitate; just do it,” I told myself, and finally I drove the blade into my palm, cutting it.

The pain was sharp and immediate, and blood spilled down my fingers, hot and red and so alive it almost glowed, as I pressed my palm to the Crescent Stone.

Just then everything went wrong; the stone screamed instead of singing like it did with the other.

A sound that wasn't sound, that ripped through the chamber and sent wolves to their knees.

The black rock cracked, not the stone itself, but something under it, something ancient and sleeping and suddenly, violently awake.

I tried to pull my hand back, but I couldn't. My blood was pouring into the stone now, faster than it should, faster than was possible.

And then I smelled it; for the first time in my life, I smelled myself.

Moonflower and storm wind: something old and dark and powerful that made me want to run and never stop.

And just behind me, someone gasped, making me turn, still stuck to the stone, still bleeding, and just then, I saw them.

Four boys, four wolves, and four heirs, by the looks of them, and every single one of them had their eyes locked on me with an expression I finally understood.

Karl Blackwood was the closest. His gray eyes were pure gold now, his wolf rising to the surface, as he took a step toward me like he couldn't help himself.

"No," he breathed. "No, that's not possible." He said, making me stare at him in confusion.

"What's not possible?" My voice came out strangled.

A red-haired boy I hadn't met yet shoved past Karl; his eyes were the color of embers. "She imprinted on all of us, and I can feel it. Can't you feel it too?" He asked and gazed at the others.

The third boy hung back, with his dark hair and darker eyes, watching me like I was a puzzle he'd been waiting his whole life to solve.

The fourth blond, with golden eyes and with hands that were already glowing with healing light, just stared at his palm. At the mark that was forming there was a mate mark.

They all had it, spreading across their skin like fire, and principal Vex's voice cut through the chaos.

"Silence," she spat.

The chamber went silent, and even the Stone stopped screaming.

Vex walked to me with a puzzled expression and looked at my palm, still pressed to the rock, still bleeding, then looked at the four heirs; she looked at the marks blooming on their skin.

"Well," she sighed softly; her voice was very calm. "This hasn't happened in a thousand years." She added, still staring at the marks in their hands.

I finally wrenched my hand free, and just then the wound on my palm started healing, closing up like it had never been cut at all.

"What's happening to me?" I said in a whisper as I stared at my palm once more.

Vex looked at me, and for the first time, the principal's expression cracked.

"You're not human, Samantha Carter; you never were." She said, making me stare at her in confusion, trying so hard to understand what she meant by that.

Behind me, the four alphas took a collective breath; their wolves were straining against their skin, wanting and needing me.

"The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes," Vex continued.

"Which means she put you here for a reason and she gave you to them for a reason." She paused and gestured to the four boys.

"By dawn, every pack in the territory will know what happened tonight, and they will call it an abomination, a glitch." She spoke further.

"But it's not a glitch," I said before I could stop myself.

Vex smiled. It was not a nice smile. "No," she agreed. "It's not a glitch; it's so real." She added and slowly turned to address the other people watching all this while.

"The Initiation is over, so all first years, return to your dorms," she announced.

The wolves filed out in stunned silence, but the four heirs didn't move; they stood in a loose circle around me, bound by something none of them understood.

SAMANTHA'S POV

“Samantha, come with me; we need to talk,” Vex said with a cold voice, as she walked past me toward a side corridor, clearly expecting me to follow.

I stood there for a moment, considering my options, as I stared at the four alphas who were still staring at me. I didn't hesitate anymore and followed her.

Her office was at the top of the west tower. Circular room, windows on all sides, bookshelves stuffed with ancient texts that looked like they would crumble if I breathed on them.

A massive desk dominated the center, covered in papers and maps and something that looked like a family tree.

"Sit," Vex said, pointing her hand to the chair opposite hers. I sat without any hesitation.

"Tell me about your family, Miss Carter." She said, taking her seat as well, with her gaze fixed on me fully now.

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat as I stared at her. My palms were becoming sweaty already.

"Ma'am, I'm human, and I already told you, my parents are human, and that's the whole story," I explained to her.

"Your adoptive parents or your biological parents?" She asked me, making me stare at her in confusion.

I blinked. "What?"

"I mean, do you know if you were adopted by the human?" She asked again.

"I…" I stopped. "I wasn't adopted; I mean, no one ever told me that I was adopted or mentioned anything about me being found somewhere," I responded to her while she swallowed hard, taking a deep breath too.

“Okay, but does any of their attitude towards you show that you were adopted?” She asked further, and staring at her right now I could see curiosity all over her as she leaned forward.

I kept calm for a while, trying to recall my life with them.

“No, from what I know, they have never treated me badly; plus, they have every single picture of me, from my first day on this world until my current age,” I explained to her with a polite voice.

“Hmm,” she exhaled. “Then do you know if they have any ancient family secrets?” She asked further, her voice low and calm, while I immediately shook my head.

“No, they have never mentioned anything as such,” I responded to her with a soft but firm voice.

She immediately ran her hands through her hair before speaking further.

“Okay then, you may go,” she said, facing another direction.

I immediately got on my feet and walked out of her office.

I was already so tired; I had a long day, so a little rest will really be of so much good to me right now, I thought as I made my way back to my dorm.

Once I arrived at my dorm, I didn't hesitate to get changed and climb into my bed.

A loud knock woke me at 7 AM. I had fallen asleep the moment I entered my room the previous night, exhausted from all the revelations and the weight of everything that happened last night.

The knock came in again, sharp and insistent, pulling me out of a dreamless void into harsh reality.

"I'm coming," I spoke, wrapping my palms in my eyes, as I dragged myself to the door and opened it.

My eyes met with the four alphas standing in the hallway, making me gasp.

Karl looked impeccable, as always; the others were at their best, with one smiling like he was genuinely happy to see me, while another one just stood a little away, quiet.

"D…do you need anything?" I stammered over my words.

One of them stepped forward, grinning from ear to ear, as he finally spoke up. "Good morning to you, princess," he teased me, making me fake a frown.

“I'm not a princess, so please don't call me that,” I told him, hoping within me that he would call me again.

Strangely, I liked it, but I didn't want to make that known to him. “Okay, whatever. I'm Adrian Lockhart, alpha of the Dawn pack, and you are?” He asked softly, still grinning.

“I'm Samantha Carter, a human like you all know,” I responded to him while his smiles deepened as the other guy stepped further.

"I'm Darius Ash, the Ember Claw heir," the other guy introduces himself. While I just stared at him as he continued. “And that is Carla Vale, the alpha heir of the Shadow Prowl pack,” he said, pointing at the other guy, who kept his distance.

“It's nice to meet you all,” I said, waving my hands at them.

“So, you are our mate, ahhh?” He said with a smile curved at the corners of his lips.

“Yes, but I wished I wasn't,” I responded to him tiredly.

“Enough of the talk; we should be in the council hall by now,” Karl spoke up from behind Darius.

"Oh, my bad, we really need to go now, princess,” Adrian spoke up again, making me frown.

“I have said you shouldn't call me princess already,” I frowned.

"Okay, my bad, but we need to be in the council hall right now,” he said, grinning, while I widened my eyes in confusion hearing him mention the council hall.

“What are we doing in the council hall anyway?” I asked him.

“After what happened last night, the council members want to see us all,” Adrian responded to my question, making me gasp, and immediately panic settled in.

I hate drawing attention to myself, and right now that was happening, and I just wish there was a way I could probably stop it.

“So shall we?” Darius asked, while I just swallowed hard and nodded.

“Lead the way,” was all I could say as they all turned around and started walking away from the entrance of my dorm.

The Council Chamber was even more intimidating in daylight, and its tiered seating was packed with wolves from all four packs.

The elders sat in front, their faces carved from stone, and the principal stood in the center, holding a scroll that looked ancient.

"Samantha Carter," Mrs. Vex called to me as I entered the hall, while my gaze snapped to her almost immediately. "Come forward," she added.

I took a deep breath as I walked to the center obediently, and the four alphas took their positions behind their pack sections.

The air was thicker and full of sharper tension, but I tried my best to not let it get to me, especially now, at least.

“About what happened last night in the Crescent Stone Hall," she began.

“The Council has been discussing it all morning, and they have finally reached a decision," Vex announced, while I swallowed the leap that had formed in my throat as I stared at her.

"This decision is one we must all accept," she added. A murmur rippled through the room, and Vex held up her hand for silence.

"Samantha Carter." She was saying when Alpha Blackwood interrupted her.

I knew immediately that it was Karl's father, because Karl carries a resemblance to him, but Karl was younger and more handsome than he is.

“According to our ancient history, the bond with the four alphas is an abomination, so we have come up with a solution to it,” Alpha Blackwood said coldly, while I just stared on as he continued.

“You have to pick just one of the alphas and bond with him,” he retorted, while I blinked my lashes rapidly as I stared at the four of them again.

“And you have from now until graduation to pick,” he added coldly.

“And what if I can't pick one before then?” I asked him with a low but steady voice, with my heart beating rapidly as I awaited his response.

“Then you will be killed,” he said with a cold voice, making me swallow hard as my heart beat rapidly inside of me.

SAMANTHA CARTER

My heart stopped the moment those words left Alpha Blackwood's mouth.

"Then you will be killed."

The sentence echoed inside my head again and again until every other sound around me disappeared. My throat tightened, and I couldn't even remember how to breathe. My fingers curled into trembling fists at my sides, yet I forced myself to remain standing.

The Council Hall, which had been silent only moments ago, suddenly erupted into loud voices.

"She's an abomination!"

"The Moon Goddess has never made four mates!"

"She should be executed before disaster follows!"

"No! If the Goddess chose her, then killing her would be defying the Moon herself!"

The arguments collided from every direction, making my head pound, while I stood in the middle of the chamber feeling less like a person and more like a criminal being judged for a crime I didn't even know I had committed.

I hadn't asked for any of this. I hadn't asked to come to Nightshade Academy. I hadn't asked to be connected to four powerful alphas…

And I definitely hadn't asked for a death sentence.

"Silence!" Principal Vex commanded, slamming the end of her staff against the marble floor, and immediately a loud crack echoed throughout the chamber.

The room fell quiet once again, although the hatred in many of the elders' eyes remained.

I swallowed hard and lowered my gaze.

Was this really how my first day here was going to end?

"My Lords," Adrian said calmly as he stepped forward, keeping his voice respectful although disappointment flashed across his face. "With all due respect, Samantha did nothing wrong. She didn't create this bond."

Several elders frowned.

"The Moon Goddess created it," Adrian continued, meeting their eyes without fear. "If anyone should be questioned, perhaps it should be our understanding of the ancient laws."

A few murmurs spread through the chamber again.

"What nonsense!" one elder barked angrily, his wrinkled face twisting into a scowl. "Our laws have protected this world for centuries."

"Our laws were written by wolves," Adrian replied quietly, sadness filling his eyes. "Not by the Moon Goddess herself."

For the first time, several Council members had no answer.

Before anyone else could speak, another voice exploded across the chamber.

"This whole thing is ridiculous!"

Darius stormed forward, fury burning in his golden eyes while his chest rose and fell rapidly.

"You threaten to kill an innocent girl because your precious history books don't know what to do?"

His voice echoed off every wall.

"If anyone lays a hand on her—"

"Darius."

Karl's deep voice interrupted him.

Darius ignored him.

"I said if anyone lays a hand on her, they'll answer to me first," he declared, his jaw tightening as golden light flickered beneath his skin.

A low growl rolled through the hall.nSeveral guards instantly rushed toward him.

"Darius, enough," Adrian warned, placing a firm hand on his shoulder while concern crossed his face.

Darius glared at the elders for several seconds before finally taking one slow step backward.

The tension eased only slightly.

Karl stepped forward next. Unlike Darius, his face remained calm, though I noticed how tightly his hands were clasped behind his back.

"If Samantha has until graduation to choose," he began evenly, determination settling across his features, "then until that day, no harm will come to her while she remains within Frost Fang territory."

His father narrowed his eyes.

"Careful, Karl."

"I am being careful, Father," Karl answered, lifting his chin. "I simply refuse to punish someone for existing."

For a brief moment, neither father nor son looked away. The silence between them spoke louder than another argument ever could.

Then my eyes drifted toward the last alpha.

Carla.

He hadn't spoken once, not a single word. His face remained unreadable, his gray eyes fixed somewhere beyond everyone else as though none of this concerned him.

For some reason, that hurt.

Maybe I shouldn't have cared. Maybe I shouldn't have expected anything from someone who clearly wanted nothing to do with me.

Yet something caught my attention.

His fists.

They were clenched so tightly that thin streams of blood slid between his fingers before quietly disappearing beneath the sleeves of his black coat.

He was hurting himself. Still, he never said a word.

Principal Vex finally stepped into the center once more.

"The Council's decision remains unchanged," she announced firmly, authority filling every syllable. "However, additional measures shall be enforced."

Everyone listened.

"From today onward, Samantha Carter shall not leave the Academy grounds without authorization."

My stomach sank.

"She will be under constant protection."

The whispers began again.

"Furthermore..."

Vex unrolled another scroll.

"Due to the unstable nature of the unprecedented bond, Samantha Carter shall immediately be transferred into the Crescent Residence."

Confused murmurs spread across the chamber.

"The Crescent Residence?" someone repeated.

"The old Alpha quarters?"

"That place hasn't been used in decades."

Vex nodded once.

"She will reside there alongside the four bonded heirs until further notice."

"What?"

The word escaped my mouth before I could stop it.

Karl looked just as surprised. Adrian blinked several times. Even Darius stopped glaring at the Council.

Only Carla remained expressionless.

"I object," Karl said immediately, disbelief flashing across his face.

"So do I," Adrian added, concern settling into his voice.

Darius scratched the back of his neck.

"I mean... I don't exactly hate the idea, but shouldn't she get a vote?"

A few students laughed nervously.

"No," Principal Vex answered simply. "This is not a discussion."

I finally found my voice.

"You can't seriously expect me to live with four strangers."

"You are already mystically connected to them," Vex replied calmly. "Distance only increases the instability of the bond."

"But—"

"The decision is final," she cut in, raising her hand to signal that my words won't be considered.

I bit down on my lip so hard it almost hurt. No one asked what I wanted. Not once… not my parents… not this Academy… not the Council.

Not even the Moon Goddess.

Everyone else seemed to know what my life should be except me.

The meeting was dismissed shortly afterward.

Students flooded into the hallways almost immediately.

Everywhere I looked, people were staring.

"That's her."

"The human."

"No..."

"The Four-Marked."

"I heard the Stone screamed."

"They say she broke ancient magic."

"What if she's cursed?"

I lowered my head and kept walking. The whispers followed me anyway.

Karl moved to my left without saying anything. Adrian quietly walked on my right. Darius remained a few steps behind, glaring at anyone who stared for too long.

Carla walked several feet ahead, hands tucked into his pockets as though none of us existed.

After several minutes, Darius sighed dramatically.

"This silence is killing me."

Nobody answered.

"So..." he continued, forcing a grin. "Since we're apparently roommates now, I think introductions are overdue."

He pointed at himself proudly.

"Darius Ash. Handsome. Charming. Future legend."

Adrian laughed softly. "Don't listen to half of what he says."

"Half?"

"Fine."

"Ninety percent."

I couldn't stop the tiny smile that escaped me.

Darius gasped dramatically. "See? She likes me already."

"I smiled because Adrian embarrassed you," I replied before I could think.

For a second, everyone stopped.

Then Adrian laughed. Karl actually smiled. Even Darius placed a hand over his chest.

"Ouch," he groaned theatrically. "She stabbed me and didn't even need a knife."

Despite everything, I laughed. It wasn't loud or long. But it was real.

For the first time since arriving at Nightshade Academy, I almost felt normal.

Almost