BOUND TO THREE ALPHAS Chapter 30: RISING ALPHA

Chapter 30: Rising Alpha

Dawn broke over Shadowfang Pack with a heaviness that pressed against everyone’s chest. Alpha Thorne’s body lay in the holy hall, surrounded by white moonflowers. His death scent remained everywhere. Kael stood at the window, jaw clenched. The Alpha power buzzed under his skin like angry bees. Through their bond, Liana felt his rage, sadness, and fear tangled together. I’m not ready, his thoughts whispered to her. Yes, you are, she sent back, touching his shoulder. The door burst open.

Beta Marcus stord in, his face twisted with fury. "You can’t be serious about making her Luna!" "Watch your tone," Jace growled. "She’s an oga!" Marcus spat. "A nobody! The pack won’t follow her!" "The pack will follow their Alpha’s decision," Kael’s voice carried deadly calm. "Or they’ll face the consequences." Marcus’s eyes narrowed. "Half the soldiers are already talking. They say she chard you all with dark magic." Liana’s stomach twisted. Through their bond, she felt the triplets’ anger spike. "Anyone who questions my mate questions ," Kael stepped forward, power rolling off him in waves. "Spread the word, Beta. Challenge her, challenge us all."

Marcus backed away, but his glare stayed deadly. "This isn’t over." After he left, Rowan spoke quietly. "He’s not wrong about the pack being divided." "They’ll learn," Kael said, but doubt leaked through their link. "I should talk to them," Liana offered. "Show them I’m not a threat." "No," all three triplets said at once. "You’re Luna," Kael’s tone eased. "You don’t need to prove yourself to anyone." A knock stopped them. Talia peeked in, her usually bright face worried. "Sorry, but there’s soone here to see Rowan. Says it’s urgent." An old wolf entered, bringing dusty books that slled like centuries. "Master Rowan, I’ve found what you asked for." Rowan’s excitent fluttered through their bond as he took the books.

"The texts about unusual mate bonds?" "More than that," the elder whispered, looking nervously at Liana. "I found ntions of sothing called The Binding of Four." The room went cold. Liana shivered, feeling darkness at the edge of her thoughts. "What’s The Binding of Four?" Jace asked. The elder’s hands shook. "A rite from ancient tis. When one wolf joins with multiple mates simultaneously, it creates... sothing else." "Sothing else?" Kael’s voice hardened. "The books say it opens a doorway," the elder continued. "But they never say to what." Rowan opened one text, scanning quickly. His face paled. "It was banned three hundred years ago. The last pack that did it..." He swallowed. "They vanished. Every single wolf. Overnight." Through their tie, fear rippled between them. Liana pressed her hand to her chest, where a strange pulling feeling had started. "There’s more," Rowan whispered. "It says the bonded four must never—" Screams sounded outside. Warriors burst through the door. "Alpha! Rogues at the eastern border!" "How many?" Kael demanded. "Dozens! And they’re not normal rogues.

They move like shadows!" Kael shifted quickly, his massive black wolf filling the room. Stay here, he ordered through their link. Like hell, Jace shifted too, his brown wolf snarling. We fight together, Rowan added, his grey form materializing. Liana felt their protective feelings crushing her. "I’m coming too." No! Their joint ntal shout made her head pound. "I’m your Luna," she said strongly. "I fight beside my Alpha." Pride flowed from Kael before he could stop it. Fine. But stay close. They raced through the area, pack mbers joining them. At the border, confusion waited. Black shapes moved impossibly fast, tearing through their defenses. These weren’t regular rogues—darkness stuck to them like a second skin. Celeste’s magic, Liana realized. The fight exploded around them. Kael fought like a demon, his Alpha power destroying enemies. Jace danced between attacks, too quick to catch. Rowan struck with deadly accuracy. But Liana felt sothing else—a presence watching from the shadows. Every ti the four of them moved together, she glimpsed it: a fifth shadow that shouldn’t exist. Behind you! Jace’s warning ca too late. A huge rogue slamd into Liana. Pain burst through their bond as all four crashed down. The rogue’s teeth aid for her throat. Golden light burst from her chest. The rogue flew backward, screaming. Where it fell, only ash remained. Silence fell across the battlefield. Friend and foe stared at Liana, who glowed like a small sun. What was that? she asked, frightened. I don’t know, Kael revealed. The remaining rogues fled. But their win felt hollow. Pack mbers looked at Liana with new fear. "Did you see?" soone whispered. "She killed it without touching it." "That’s not natural," another voice added.

Back at the estate, Liana collapsed on the couch. The glow had faded, but she felt different. Wrong. "What’s happening to ?" Rowan studied his books frantically. "Here! Listen to this: ’When the Binding of Four is complete, the bonded beco a bridge. A fifth presence will manifest, drawn by their combined power.’" "A fifth presence?" Kael paced anxiously. "Like what Liana’s been seeing?" "The shadow," she whispered. "It’s getting stronger." Jace punched the wall. "Why didn’t anyone warn us?" "Because no one expected it to happen again," Rowan said. "The ritual was forbidden. The knowledge was supposed to die." Heavy footsteps interrupted them. Beta Marcus entered without knocking, warriors behind him. "What’s the aning of this?" Kael growled. "Pack eting," Marcus announced. "The elders demand answers about what happened at the border." "I don’t answer to demands," Kael’s eyes flashed red.

"Then maybe you’re not fit to be Alpha," Marcus sneered. "Not if you’re compromised by... whatever she is." Liana stood, anger burning through their bond. "I’m your Luna. Chosen by the Moon Goddess herself." "The Goddess wouldn’t choose an oga," a warrior spat. "You’re an abomination." Power surged through Liana again. The lights flickered. Windows rattled. "Enough!" Kael roared. "Anyone who challenges my mate challenges ! Tonight, at the gathering, I’ll make my position clear." After they left, Talia rushed in. "I had another vision," she gasped. "Celeste isn’t just recruiting rogues. She’s gathering outcasts from every pack—wolves who’ve been banished, criminals, dark magic users." "Building an army," Rowan concluded grimly. "For what?" Jace asked. Talia’s eyes t Liana’s. "To destroy the Luna who stole her destiny. She’s calling it the Shadow Army." Night fell too quickly.

The pack gathered in the great hall, tension thick as smoke. Whispers followed Liana everywhere. "Monster." "Cursed." "Death bringer." Kael stood at the podium, magnificent and terrifying. "Shadowfang Pack, you question my choice of Luna." Murmurs rippled through the crowd. "You’ve seen her power," he continued. "Power that saved your lives today." "Power that shouldn’t exist!" Marcus shouted. "She’s unnatural!" "She’s blessed by the Goddess!" Kael snarled back. "Prove it!" soone yelled. The challenge hung heavy. Through their bond, Liana felt Kael’s uncertainty. How could they prove divine blessing? Suddenly, wind howled through the hall. The moon, visible through skylights, turned blood red. A voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere: "THE FOUR ARE BOUND. THE FIFTH AWAKENS. THE SHADOW RISES." Wolves cowered in terror. The red moon pulsed like a heartbeat. Liana gasped as the fifth presence suddenly felt solid, real, close. In the corner of her vision, a massive shadow took shape—not quite wolf, not quite human, but sothing ancient and hungry. Do you see it? she asked desperately. See what? Kael responded, searching the room. Only she could see it. The shadow smiled with too many teeth. "Hello, little bridge," it whispered in her mind. "Thanks for opening the door." The lights went out. Screams filled the darkness. When they flickered back on, claw marks scarred the walls. Several wolves lay unconscious. And in blood on the floor, a ssage: "THE SHADOW ARMY COS. SURRENDER THE FALSE LUNA OR BURN."

Liana’s hands shook.

The fifth presence had vanished, but she felt it lurking, waiting. "Celeste," Kael growled. "She’s declaring war." "It’s worse than that," Rowan said, studying the bloody ssage. "Look at these symbols. They’re from the forbidden texts." "aning?" Jace demanded. "aning Celeste knows about The Binding of Four," Rowan’s face went white. "She knows what we’ve awakened." "And she’s using it," Liana whispered, the truth hitting her like ice water. The shadow presence hadn’t co from their bond—it had co through it. And now Celeste commanded it. Thunder crashed outside. Rain hamred the windows. In the distance, howls rose from every direction.

The Shadow Army had surrounded them. "Alpha," a warrior burst in, bloodied and gasping. "They’re everywhere! Thousands of them! And they’re led by—" His words died as a figure stepped from the shadows. Celeste stood in the doorway, eyes glowing purple with dark magic. Behind her, the shadow presence materialized fully—a monstrous wolf-thing with burning eyes. "Hello, false Luna," Celeste smiled coldly. "Ready to return what you stole?" The shadow creature’s laughter shook the walls. "The Binding of Four has a price. Tonight, you’ll pay it." Power crackled between them. The war had begun. But Liana suddenly understood the terrible truth—the shadow wasn’t just Celeste’s weapon. It was feeding on their bond. Growing stronger with every mont the four stayed connected. To defeat it, they might have to break apart. Forever.