Chapter 1



Vladimiri Castle,  June 1997

Queen Vlada was wondering through the castle looking for her mates. She was already panting due to her very pregnant belly. They needed to see the witch today.

She frowned when she didn't find them in the throne room. As she was catching her breath, her gaze wondered to the family portrait... or what remained of it. They had to destroy every trace of him. At least for her sanity. She could still feel shivers going down her spine by just thinking about him.

She left the throne room and stopped across the conference room when she had heard voices in the room. She didn't bother knocking and entered and a sigh of relieve escaped her. At leat she didn't have to search into the whole castle for them now.

She could've linked them if it didn't cause her those headaches. When she complained to Nyx, the witch that served her family for generations, she'd told Vlada it's because of the babies and she should try to stop mind linking anyone as it could affect the babies.

She saw her mates, Osiris, Leonardo and Gabriel talking to Andreas, Vlada's father.

"Good evening, Vlada." Greeted Andreas second chance mate Myra. After her mother's death, her father was broken. But then Myra appeared. She was a pack warrior to the Highbite Warriors Pack, a pack made only of hybrids that resided in mountains. They were very hard to get a hold of.

After Vlada's mothers murder, a war broke and Packs were called to help. So that's how Andreas met Myra. It's been 2 years already but the events back then still leaves Vlada a bitter taste in her throat.

Myra had been nice to Vlada and tries to build a relationship with her, giving the fact that she is her fathers mate. Vlada appreciates her for that and makes her best to not make Myra feel uncomfortable.

"What happened?" Asked Gabriel, panicked as usual. He was such a worry wart. Gabriel was the most sensible one in the group. While Osiris and Leonardo were more rough and commanding, Gabriel was gentle. A perfect balance.

"Did I disturb you?" Asked Vlada softly.

"No, we were only talking about some werewolf pack conflict." Answered Osiris.

"I came to tell you we have to go to see Nyx"

Osiris  looked at Andreas and their eyes flashed meaning they were mind linking and Andreas and Myra got up and left the room. Gabriel left the chair and signalled Vlada to sit.

"I know we have to see the witch but there's something we'd like to know" said Leonardo, sipping a whiskey glass.

"Why does Nyx want to see you? We haven't seen her since we ended the war." Asked Osiris  narrowing his eyes at Vlada. He knew his mate knew something and she didn't tell them.

"Well...Nyx told me she wants to see the future of my babies" answered Vlada, rubbing her belly in a loving way. She was having different triplets, each one with a father. But that didn't mean any of them would be treated differently by Osiris, Leonardo and Gabriel.

"Why?"

"You know when we found each other we believed that the prophecy was about us" said Vlada and then sighing. "She thinks the prophecy is about our children"

"I don't believe this!" Said Leonardo sharply.

"I know...After all, you're the skeptic one" laughed Vlada then adding. "But we have to make sure of it"

Osiris  sighed and sat up. He took his mate's hand and helped her get up.

"Well, let's see what does the witch see in our kids future"

Nyx was preparing her herbs for the spell and her spell book. She had seen different people's future but this time she had an uneasy feeling about her Queens babies.

She heard Vlada's heartbeat and opened the door for her using her powers.

"Good evening Your Majesty" curtsied Nyx, showing that where loyalty lies.

"Good evening Nyx. I've came here to let you see in my the future of my babies."

"Of course" nodded Nyx gazing at Vlada's large belly.

"You'll give birth in 3 days from now" said Nyx going to her spell book.

"How do you know that?" Asked Vlada rising her eyebrows in surprise.

"Witch ability Your Majesty. Let's get to business now, shall we?"

Nyx went to her spell book and opened it at a certain page then begun reading it in order to perform it. After that she went to Vlada and took her hand and led her towards a triangle that was enrolled in a circle.

"Go sit there so I can perform the spell"

Vlada looked worriedly at her mates that were outside the pictogram and were looking at her.

Nyx begun chanting the words. Her usually red hair turned gray, her eyes turned white and the veins near her eyes were black.

Minutes passed, and with each minute Nyx's voice was getting louder and louder. When she yelled the last words, white fog begun surrounding Vlada and then it disappeared. Nyx went to Vlada and took her out the circle and begun chanting again near the pictogram. The smoke was inside the pictogram and when Nyx threw a mix of herbs inside it, the smoke begun to twirl.

"Let's see what is the future holding for these little ones" murmured Nyx.

Three shadows were present. Shadows of a girl and two boys. A boy was holding the crown, the second was holding a scepter with a wolf's head on it and the girl had her eyes closed, a permanent frown on her lips and a black rose in her hand. The thorns were pricking her skin and blood was oozing out but she didn't seem to care.

"Impossible" murmured Nyx.

"What's happening Nyx?" Asked Erebus.

Nyx looked up and her eyes shot to Vlada's belly and furrowed her eyes. She raised her hand slightly and looked at Vlada as in asking permission. Vlads nodded. When Nyx touched her belly, Nyx retracted her hand as if it burned her.

"I-I can't see any more" stammered Nyx.

"Why?" asked Gabriel.

"It's like a barrier blocks me everytime I try to reach them"

"But what about these silhouettes we've just seen?" Asks Leonardo.

"This is all I could've seen in their future" explains Nyx. " The oldest will take the crown, the second will lead the most powerful pack of gifted hybrids and the third..."

"What about the third?" Questioned Vlada worried. She didn't like what she saw about her youngest. Especially the black rose.

"I don't know how to explain, but..."

"Explain already!" Snaps Vlada.

"The black rose, it symbolizes death and passing away, also indicates a major change or upheaval in the future."

Vlada's eyes widened. She couldn't believe it. Her future daughter will have a dark future.

"Is there any way to avoid this?" Asked Leonardo.

"I think we should raise them to not know about the true word. Especially the girl. She shall not know about evil or she will fall into darkness." Answered Nyx.

"Then so be it." spoke Osiris.

***

Three days had passed and as Nyx said, Queen Vlada had gone into labour. After 6 agonizing hours she gave birth to 2 boys and a girl. One had a tuff of brown hair, like Osiris and the other 2 had their mother's black hair.

The babies had been placed on Vlada's chest and she gazed at them in awe. She took a sniff of their scent, as in trying to memorise them and her eyes widened.

Vlada's mates repeated her actions and each one of them recognised their child and what they were.

The boys were hybrids.

But the girl?

The couldn't smell anything on her.

She didn't have a scent.

But they would protect her like the witch said.

Hours later, three maids took the babies to tuck them in their cribs. Minutes later, screams were heard. Osiris , Leonardo and Gabriel rushed to see what happened but what they saw made them lose control.

The maids were mauled.

With their necks torn.

And the babies were gone.

They vanished.

Without a trace.