77: The Blue Notebook

**(An entry from the late Alpha King Everett Ashford’s notebook, dated twenty years prior)**

I went to the Royal Seers today. My youngest and final son, Phoenix Ashford, was born a fortnight ago. I have come to rely greatly on the Seer’s expertise, given what I found out about all three of my sons’ mothers from them. Nikolai’s mother was the only one whom I’m not sure deserved her fate. The Seer had told us she wouldn’t make it through childbirth, and she hadn’t. At least she hadn’t been a traitorous bitch like my other two wives.

Phoenix was with his wet nurse now that his mother was dead. And I had needed answers about my heirs more than ever. I wish I hadn’t gone.

As I’m sitting down to write this, I’m not sure I should. It feels dangerous to put these words down in a place that could be easily accessible to servants or even my sons. But I feel I have no choice. It will be years before the Seer’s Prophecy can come to light, and I worry that if I don’t write it down, I’ll forget some of it. Even now, I’m having to paraphrase some:

*A woman will be born of three wombs and will carry her virginity to her fated mate’s bed.*

*Of them, there will be three. One she will believe she loves, but will grow to hate as he betrays her. The second, she will love fully, but he will break her heart. She will forgive him, but still drive a sword through his heart in the end. The third will seem her friend but will be a viper, striking her down when she least expects it.*

*She will give them each a son, carried at the same time, and born a fortnight before their father’s deaths. With them, they will bring madness and illness. Their father will try to strike them down to prevent the downfall of their kingdom, but their mother’s love will protect them.*

*All three of her fated mates will be buried alongside the ashes of their fallen kingdom.*

There were a few other things— details about how their relationships would come to be this way. I’m sure the Seer was trying to encourage me to stay out of this with those details. He probably wanted this all to come to fruition. I couldn’t let it. I don’t know her yet, but I already hate this woman.

I don’t want this to be true. None of it. But the facts of this prophecy are straightforward enough for me to believe them.

My sons will have the same mate.
She will lead them each to their deaths.
She will destroy the Kingdom I’ve worked so hard to keep standing.
I have to do something, anything, to stop this from happening.

I almost forgot. There was another prediction that the Seer made. He stated that all three of my sons would share the crown in equal strength or find that fate is their foe.

He clearly doesn’t understand how Royal Bloodlines work. Only one of them will rule, and it will most likely be my eldest, Darius.

**(An entry, dated five years prior)**
All of the things I have done to avoid this prophecy seem pointless. My three sons are old enough now to be mated and married, but all of them are refusing. They want to wait for their fated mates. To make matters worse, the servants have been talking about how they’ve been sharing women. Not just apart, but apparently together.

I know they haven’t found her yet. I’m beginning to think this is out of my hands. But I have to keep trying.

**(An Entry, dated a year prior)**

Each of them is so different. I am beginning to understand why the Seer predicted they would each rule equally. Darius has a mind for business and a passion for justice. He would rule fairly, but his temper would prevent him from achieving much on his own. Phoenix is kind. The people love him, but he resents them. I can see it every time we have an event. He doesn’t want the job, though he’d be the most merciful of the three of them. Nikolai would thrive in times of war. He could lead the armies of this Kingdom to greatness and would uphold the laws of the land with an iron fist. Yet, I see something in him lately that I didn’t think was possible. He has compassion.

I could see them ruling together and having the Kingdom be the strongest it’s ever been.

I’ve moved one of the Royal Seers into Oberon Castle. I worry that we are nearing the time that we may need to let my sons know what’s going on and why I have placed so many rules around who they mate with.

More to come.

**(An Entry, dated six months prior)**
Either way, my bloodline will die. That is what the Seer has told me.
If I do not let my sons have their children with their fated mate, they will not provide heirs. If I let them fully be with their fated mate, they will die.

I see only one option, one way forward: make it into a widespread competition. Call it the Selection. Reach out to the Kingdoms and ask them to send every unmated female wolf of age. Look for the three wombs and the blood trait the Seer wanted to watch for.

Make her into a surrogate. Don’t let them complete the mate bond. No matter what.

**( An entry from three months prior)**
Ada is getting more powerful with each passing day. She hasn’t noticed yet, and I can only hope my sons stay as blind as she is. Flowers freeze in the garden as she passes, and her Lady’s Maid has informed me that she’s singed several sets of sheets as she sleeps. I passed by her rooms the other day and swear I saw shadows swirling about behind her.

Luckily, she doesn’t even seem aware she has powers at all. Once she does, it will be catastrophic.

She is their fated mate, though for some reason, none of them know it. I need her to get pregnant before they find out. Soon. We’re running out of time. I can only hope that something happens that will protect my sons if they find out.

I wish I could just send her away. Or better, kill her. But both of those could weaken my son’s. I can’t risk their lives.

It pains me to see how much they think I don’t care. It’s easier for them to think of me as cold than for them to know their fate. I feel crazed, shouldering this burden on my own, but I can’t imagine how they would feel learning that the very person I’ve watched them each fall for would lead them to their deaths.

**(An entry from two days prior)**
The time has come. I am going to die. I’ve done what I can, but I can’t stop this. I only hope they make the right decisions once I’m gone.