Rylan’s POV
I woke up before the sun had fully risen, the darkness of the night still lingering in the air. I lay in bed briefly, my mind racing with thoughts of the previous night's conversation. My father's decision to make Daniella our chosen mate still lingered in my mind like a bitter taste in my mouth.
I threw off the covers and got out of bed, padding softly to the door. I opened it slowly, not wanting to disturb anyone else in the pack house. The hallway was quiet and dark, the only sound being the soft creaking of the wooden floorboards beneath my feet.
I made my way to the forest, my only destination. As I walked, the trees grew taller and the underbrush thicker until the dense foliage surrounded me. I stopped at a clearing, where I knew my brothers would be waiting for me.
I looked around, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. Rio was already here, his eyes fixed on me with a severe expression. Enzo was pacing back and forth, his agitation evident. Ed stood still, his eyes fixed on me with curiosity and wariness.
"Ry, what's going on?" Rio asked, his voice low and concerned. “Enzo told us about Tricia and Daniella. I don't know what to think.”
I took a deep breath before speaking. "We need to talk. Our father has decided that we will take Daniella as our chosen mate."
Ed’s eyes widened in surprise. "What? That's unbelievable! Of course, it's our choice, not anyone else?”
Enzo nodded vigorously. "Yeah, Dad can't just dictate who we're supposed to be with. We have to follow our hearts."
I spoke up, calm but firm. "I agree with you both. We can't just do something we don't want to because Dad says so."
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. My brothers were with me on this. “But there's something more," I said, hesitating. "I know it sounds crazy, but...hear me out. The White Wolf is Eliza, and she is our true mate."
My three brothers stared at me, their faces frozen in shock.
"What are you talking about, Ry?" Rio asked, his voice incredulous as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"I'm talking about Omega Eliza," I said. "I know it's not what our father will want, but I feel it in my heart. She's meant to be with us."
Enzo's face twisted in disgust. "Omega Eliza? Are you kidding me? She's an omega! She's not even strong enough to be a pack member. She ran off to Silver Moon.”
Ed shook his head. "Ry, come on, bro, this is ridiculous. We're quadruplets, not some fairy tale characters who get to choose their mate based on feelings alone."
Rio's eyes flashed with anger. "You're serious about this, aren't you? You think Eliza is our mate?"
I nodded,” Yes, I am. And I think we should at least consider it."
The three brothers looked at each other, their faces reflecting their disagreement. But I could see something else in their eyes, too - a glimmer of curiosity, a spark of doubt.
It was enough to keep me going.
"We need to talk more about this," Rio said finally. "But for now, let's keep this between us. We can't let Dad find out what we're thinking."
“Daniella will not be our mate or our Luna. I've had enough of saying it. Call me crazy, but Eliza is our mate.”
"How do you know she's our mate?" Rio demanded, his voice laced with scepticism. "I mean, I didn't feel anything towards her. What makes you think she's the one?"
I nodded, my eyes locked on Rio's. "I've seen her, Rio. I've seen her with Theron, and I know it's her. She shifted to her wolf form, like nothing I'd ever seen. She's a white wolf, Rio. A pure white wolf."
Enzo's eyes narrowed. "What does that have to do with anything?"
I took a deep breath. "Because when she shifted, I felt a connection to her. A connection I've never felt with anyone before. And when she rejected me...I didn't accept her rejection. Theron threatened me if I didn't leave...but I knew it was her. She's our true mate. You will see.”
Ed spoke up, his voice thoughtful. "Ry, that's just a coincidence. You're reading too much into it."
I shook my head. "No, Ed. I know what I saw. And I know what I felt. It's not just a coincidence. Eliza is our mate."
Rio snorted. "You're telling me that because some omega rejected you and her stupid alpha friend threatened you, you're convinced she's our true mate? That's ridiculous."
I met Rio's gaze. "I know what I saw, Rio. And I know what I felt. And I'm willing to risk finding out if it's true."
The tension between us was clear, but I knew that deep down, my brothers were curious. They wanted to know more about this and why I was convinced she was the one for us.
Ed spoke up, his voice calm but firm. "Rylan, even if what you're saying is true, it doesn't mean that Eliza is our mate. She's an omega, remember? She's not even strong enough to be a pack member. And Theron is...well, he's not the most trustworthy person.
Rio shook his head. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, Ry, but we can't just base our decisions on feelings or rumours. We need concrete evidence, something that proves Eliza is our true mate. We should take Dani as our mate and be done with it. Our father will never agree to take a weak omega as our mate.”
I felt a surge of frustration at my brothers' lack of understanding. I knew that they didn't get it, but I couldn't help feeling like they were blind to the truth.
"I'm telling you, guys, I know what I saw," I said, my voice growing more urgent. "I saw Eliza. She was scared, and she didn't want anything to do with me. But when she saw me, she looked at me with this...this glimmer of recognition. Like she knew we were meant to be.”
Rio raised an eyebrow. "And you're saying that's because she's our mate?"
I nodded, feeling a sense of belief wash over me. "Yes, I am. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I feel it in my heart. And I will do whatever it takes to prove it to you."
The three brothers looked at each other, their expressions sceptical but also...curious. I could see the wheels turning in their minds, and for a moment, I thought they might listen to me.
But then Rio spoke up, his voice firm and decisive. "Ry, we can't just blindly follow your feelings on this. We need to talk about this.”
“We should at least have our wolf get a run since we haven't been together like this much since we came back home?” Ed suggested.
As we stand together, our minds connected by the deep bond of our quadruplet bond, we begin to transform into our shared Wolf Enigma. Our bodies shift and contort, our limbs shortening and our senses heightening.
My skin itches as it transforms into the thick, black coat of Enigma, and my eyes turn into piercing yellow orbs that seem to glow with an inner light. I feel my brothers' energy coursing through me, their presence merging with mine as we become one being.
Just as we are about to run into the woods, we are interrupted by the hollering of our father.
“What the hell are you doing out here? I've been looking for you. Shift back and get back to the packhouse.” our father growled from the bushes around us.
"We need to talk," our father growled, his voice low and commanding. "There are things we must go over before the king's ball tomorrow."
Me, Rio, Enzo, and Ed shifted back into our human forms, our eyes wary.
"What's going on, Father?" Rio asked, his voice firm but respectful.
"I've been thinking about your future, sons," our father said, his eyes scanning each of us in turn. "And I've decided it's time for you to take a mate."
I felt a surge of resistance at this statement, my mind racing with the implications. But our father continued, undeterred.
"Myself and your mother have chosen a mate for you, and I expect you to accept her without question."
Enzo's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean? Who is she?" He knew full well who our father was talking about but acted clueless so our father didn't lose his temper even more.
"I've chosen Daniella. She's a strong and capable wolf, and I think she would be an excellent match for you."
I felt a pang of disgust at this announcement. Daniella was not our mate, and I knew we couldn't accept her.
“But father, have you forgotten about last night with Tricia and Daniella going behind our backs? They are traitors.” Enzo tried to reason, but our father was not finished. "Now, that was a misunderstanding, and I know that you may have some reservations about this decision, but I assure you that it's for the best. You'll be married to her by the end of the week, and you'll start your new life together.
Me and my brothers looked at each other, our faces filled with shock and disbelief. I knew we had to do something, but I didn't know what.
"We can't do this," Enzo said, his voice firm. "We can't marry someone we don't love or want. She tried to manipulate us, and she isn't worthy to be our Luna.”
Our father's face darkened. "You'll do as I say," he growled. "You'll marry Daniella and make her your mate. If you refuse, then the alpha title will go to Grayson. That's final. After the King's ball, we will get the arrangements into motion.”
I knew that we had to stand up to our father to tell him that we wouldn't accept his decision. But as we looked at each other, I knew we were all thinking the same thing: we couldn't do this.
“Fine.” Rio suddenly said, causing all eyes to fall on him. “We will do what you say.”