POV: Maya
The water pitcher crashed to the floor, sending ice-cold water splashing across Kai's expensive shoes. I stood frozen in fear as the future Alpha looked down at his soaked feet, then up at me with those piercing golden eyes.
"I'm so sorry!" I gasped, dropping to my knees to clean up the mess. "I'm so, so sorry!"
My mate mark burned like fire under its bandage, pounding so hard I thought everyone could see it glowing through my sleeve. Being this close to Kai made my whole arm throb with painful heat.
"Maya, it's fine," Kai said gently, stepping back to give me room to clean. "Accidents happen."
But it wasn't a mistake. The mark had pulled my hand toward him so strongly that I'd lost control of the pitcher. For one terrifying second, I'd felt an overwhelming desire to touch his face, to press my marked wrist against his chest.
"Let me get fresh water," I mumbled, collecting the broken pieces with shaking hands.
"Are you hurt?" Kai asked, squatting down beside me.
When his hand brushed mine as he helped pick up glass, my mark burst with silver fire. I jerked away so fast I cut my finger on a sharp piece.
"Ow!" I sucked on the bleeding cut, trying not to cry from the pain in both my finger and my wrist.
"Let me see," Kai said, reaching for my hand.
"No!" I scrambled backward, holding my hands to my chest. "I'm fine. Really."
Kai's eyes narrowed with worry and something else. Suspicion, maybe. "Maya, you've been acting strange all morning. Are you sick?"
I couldn't tell him the truth. That my mate mark was going crazy every time I got near him or his brothers. That I was pretty sure one of them was my chosen mate. That I was scared of what would happen when everyone found out.
"Just tired," I lied, taking the broken pieces and running toward the kitchen.
Behind me, I heard Logan's words. "She's been jumpy all day. Almost dropped my breakfast this morning too."
"And she spilled coffee at breakfast," Ethan added. "Maybe she really is sick."
I burst through the kitchen doors, my heart beating and my mark still burning. Mrs. Peterson looked up from chopping veggies, her face stern.
"What's all that noise?" she asked.
"I dropped a pitcher," I said quickly. "I'll clean it up and get fresh water right away."
"You'd better," she snapped. "The Alpha's sons don't need you making a mess during their lunch."
I grabbed cleaning materials and fresh water, trying to calm down before going back out. But my mark kept throbbing, sending little shocks up my arm. It was like it had a mind of its own, pulling me toward those three boys whether I wanted to go or not.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed through the doors again. The triplets were talking quietly at their table, probably about my weird behavior. Sophia sat close with her perfect blonde hair and confident smile, looking like she belonged there.
I wished I could disappear.
"Fresh water," I said softly, approaching their table with careful steps.
"Thank you, Maya," Ethan said with his kind smile. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, much better," I lied.
As I poured water into their cups, my mark pulled toward each brother. When I filled Ethan's glass, it warmed gently like a cozy fire. When I reached Logan, it pumped with strong, steady beats. But when I got to Kai...
The mark blazed so hot I gasped and nearly dropped the pitcher again. Kai's golden eyes met mine, and for one impossible moment, I felt linked to him in a way that made my heart stop.
"Maya?" Kai's voice sounded far away. "Are you alright?"
I blinked and realized I'd been looking at him for way too long. My face burned with embarrassment as I mumbled something about finishing my work and hurried away.
But I could feel all three brothers watching me as I served other tables. Every time I glanced their way, my mark replied differently to each one. It was like the mark couldn't decide which brother it wanted.
"You're acting weird today," Jamie whispered when I came back to the kitchen for more bread. "Even weirder than this morning."
"I'm fine," I said automatically.
"No, you're not. Your face is all red and you keep touching your wrist." Jamie stepped closer, dropping her voice. "Maya, did something happen? Did you get your mate mark?"
I froze. "What? No! Why would you think that?"
"Because you're acting exactly like my sister did when she got hers last year. All jumpy and nervous around certain people." Jamie's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh, you did get one! Who is it? Someone from our pack?"
"Jamie, please," I begged, looking around to make sure no one else heard. "I can't talk about this."
"So you did get one!" She grabbed my arm excitedly, right over my wrapped wrist.
Pain shot through me like lightning. I screamed and jerked away, falling backward into a shelf of dishes. Plates and bowls crashed to the floor as I clutched my aching wrist.
"Maya!" Jamie reached for me, but I scrambled away.
"Don't touch me!" I gasped, tears running down my face. "Please, just don't touch me!"
The kitchen door burst open and all three brothers ran in, probably hearing the crash and my scream. Behind them came Alpha David and several other pack members.
"What happened?" Kai ordered, his eyes scanning the broken dishes and my tear-stained face.
"I don't know," Jamie said, looking scared. "I barely touched her arm and she screamed like I hurt her."
"Let me check for injuries," Ethan said, moving toward me with his healer's senses.
"No!" I pressed myself against the wall, holding my wrapped wrist protectively. "I'm fine. Just startled."
"Maya," Alpha David's voice was gentle but authoritative. "Let Ethan examine you. You're clearly in pain."
"I said I'm fine!" I snapped, then instantly felt terrible for raising my voice to the Alpha.
Logan stepped forward, his blue eyes serious. "Show us your wrist."
My blood turned to ice. "What?"
"You keep protecting your left wrist," Logan said. "And you screamed when Jamie touched your arm. Something's wrong with it."
"Maybe it's broken," Ethan offered. "That would explain why you've been dropping things."
I looked around the kitchen desperately. Everyone was looking at me, waiting for me to explain. Sophia watched from the doorway with a strange look on her face.
"It's just a burn," I whispered. "From cooking yesterday."
"Burns don't make you scream like that," Kai said quietly. He took a step closer, and my mark responded instantly, sending warmth up my arm. "Maya, we want to help you. But we can't if you won't tell us what's wrong."
I stared into his golden eyes and felt my resolve breaking. Part of me wanted to show them the mark, to stop hiding and lying. But I was so scared of what would happen next.
"I..." I started to speak, then stopped.
That's when I noticed Sophia's face. She wasn't confused like everyone else. She looked... knowing. Like she'd figured something out.
Our eyes met across the kitchen, and Sophia's lips bent into a small, cold smile.
She knew. Somehow, Sophia knew about my mate mark.
"Maya?" Kai's words brought my attention back to him. "Please. Let us help."
I looked at the three brothers standing there, wanting to protect me. I thought about Elder Rose's words about the Triple Star Mark and fate. Maybe it was time to stop lying.
Slowly, I started to remove the bandage around my wrist.
"Maya, don't," Sophia's words cut through the silence like a knife.
Everyone turned to look at her, surprised by her sharp tone.
"I mean," Sophia said quickly, her smile returning, "maybe this should be done quietly. In case it's... embarrassing."
But I saw the warning in her eyes. The threat.
Somehow, Sophia knew my secret. And she was telling me to keep quiet about it.
The question was: what would she do if I didn't listen?