BOUND TO THREE ALPHAS Chapter 52: THE LAST NIGHT

Chapter 52: The Last Night

Three hours and forty-seven minutes until the eclipse hit totality. Liana sat on the roof of the Alpha’s mansion, watching Mara’s shadow army grow bigger in the distance. Red eyes dotted the countryside like deadly stars. "Found you," Kael’s voice ca from behind her. She turned to see him climbing through the window, his shoulder wrapped but his face determined. The curse had weakened him, but he was still fighting. "You should be resting," she said softly. "Can’t rest. Not tonight." He sat beside her, close enough that their arms touched. "Might be our last chance to talk." The words hung heavy between them. Below, pack mbers rushed around preparing weapons, setting traps, saying goodbye to loved ones. "I need to tell you sothing," Kael continued, his voice rough with emotion. "Before whatever happens next." Liana’s heart started beating faster. "Kael—" "I love you." The words ca out in a rush, like he’d been holding them back for months. "Not because of so mate bond or promise. Not because you’re great or special.

I love you because you’re brave and kind and you make want to be better than I am." Tears pricked her eyes. "The prophecy says—" "Forget the prophecy." His gray eyes blazed with fierce certainty. "I don’t care if loving you ans I die. I don’t care if it destroys the pack or breaks so old curse. I love you, and I needed you to know." Before she could answer, Jace’s voice called from below. "Family eting on the roof? Why wasn’t I invited?" He erged through the window, followed by Rowan. Both brothers looked like they hadn’t slept in days. "We could hear you two from downstairs," Jace said, but his normal teasing smile was missing. "Figured it was ti for so honesty." "Honesty?" Liana asked. Jace sat down across from them, suddenly looking younger than his twenty years. "Yeah. Since we might all be dead by morning." "Don’t say that," Rowan protested, sitting beside his brother. "Why not? It’s true." Jace’s green eyes were bright with unshed tears. "Mara’s got an army of thousands. We’ve got what—fifty dogs and a prayer?" "We have each other," Kael said firmly. "Do we?" Jace laughed, but it sounded broken. "I’ve spent my whole life fighting with you two. Trying to show I’m not just the screw-up middle brother." "You’re not a screw-up," Liana said softly. "Aren’t I?" Jace’s mask finally dropped completely. "I used a potion to fake our mate bond because I was so scared you’d choose them over . I’ve been pretending to be carefree and confident when really I’m afraid that I’m not good enough for anyone." Silence fell over the group.

In the distance, a shadow thing howled. "You want to know a secret?" Rowan said quietly. "I’ve been jealous of both of you my entire life." His brothers stared at him in shock. "Kael gets to be the responsible leader," Rowan continued. "Jace gets to be the fun troublemaker. And ? I’m just... the quiet one. The peacekeeper. The one who fixes everyone else’s problems while saying I don’t have any of my own." "Rowan—" Kael started. "I’m not finished." Rowan’s blue eyes were fierce now. "You want to know what my real fear is? It’s not losing myself to darkness. It’s that I already have. Every ti I make peace between you two, every ti I smooth over disagreents, I swallow my own feelings. I bury what I want so deep that sotis I forget it exists." "What do you want?" Liana asked softly. Rowan looked at her for a long mont. "I want to matter. Not as the brother who keeps everyone quiet, but as myself. I want soone to see —really see —and think I’m worth fighting for." The four of them sat in silence, the weight of their statents settling between them. "We’re all scared," Liana finally said. "I’m terrified that I’ll lose power to Selene or Mara. That I’ll hurt you or beco sothing you have to fight." "That won’t happen," all three brothers said at once.

Their instant, unified reaction made her smile despite everything. "See?" Jace said, his grin returning slightly. "We agree on the important stuff." "We do," Kael realized, looking at his brothers with new eyes. "We all love Liana. We all want to guard the pack. We all want to stop Mara." "The triplet bond," Rowan breathed. "I can feel it getting stronger." Liana could feel it too—invisible threads connecting the three brothers, tying their hearts and minds together. Their earlier honesty had done sothing the mate link never could. It had made them truly see each other. "Whatever happens tonight," Kael said definitely, "we face it together." "Together," Jace agreed. "Together," Rowan echoed. A warm golden light started to glow around the four of them. Not silver like Selene’s magic or black like Mara’s rot, but sothing entirely new. "What is that?" Liana whispered. "Pack magic," Elder Mira’s voice ca from behind them. They turned to see her climbing through the window. "The strangest kind. It only shows when wolves are truly united in purpose." The golden light pulsed brighter, then faded. "How long have you been listening?" Jace asked sheepishly. "Long enough," Mira smiled. "And I’m glad I did. You four just gave us our first real edge." "How?" Liana asked. "Mara feeds on separation, jealousy, and fear.

But pack magic cos from togetherness, trust, and love. If you can keep this bond during the battle..." "We might actually have a chance," Kael ended. Mira nodded. "Speaking of which, Liana, I need to speak with you privately." The brothers traded glances but didn’t argue. They understood so talks were ant to be private. "We’ll be downstairs," Rowan said, squeezing Liana’s hand quickly. "Don’t make any plans without us," Jace added with forced humor. Kael was the last to leave. He kissed her forehead gently. "Rember what I said. No matter what happens, I love you." After they left, Mira sat where Kael had been. "You’re worried about losing control," the elder said without preamble. "Shouldn’t I be? Selene is getting stronger every hour. And if Mara gets to possess ..." "That’s why we need a contingency plan." Liana’s stomach dropped. "What kind of plan?" Mira pulled a small silver knife from her robes. Ancient runes covered the blade, and it seed to absorb moonlight rather than reflect it. "This blade was forged by the Moon Goddess herself," Mira explained. "It can cut through any magical bond—including the one tying a spirit to its host." "You want to kill ," Liana said simply. "I want to give you a choice." Mira’s eyes were sad but resolved. "If you feel yourself losing control—to either Selene or Mara—this blade can free you."

"By killing ."

"By breaking the spirit bond. Your body would survive, but you’d lose all magical powers. You’d beco fully human." Liana looked at the weapon. It looked so small to hold such power. "The boys don’t know about this," she guessed. "They can’t know. They’d never let you make this choice." "And you think I should?" Mira was quiet for a long mont. "I think you should have the choice. If it cos down to saving the world or saving yourself..." "I choose the world," Liana ended. "Every ti." She took the dagger, feeling its cold weight in her hand. "There’s sothing else," Mira continued. "The blade works both ways. If I lose control—if the rot spreads to —you’ll need to use it." "Elder—" "Promise , child. Whatever happens tonight, don’t let Mara win." Liana looked at the woman who had beco like a grandmother to her. Who had led her through the most confusing ti of her life. Who was now asking her to possibly end it. "I promise," she whispered. Mira smiled, relief filling her features. "Good. Now hide that blade where the boys won’t find it." Liana tucked the knife into her boot, the tal cold against her skin. "Two hours until totality," Mira announced, standing up. "Ti to gather the troops." As they climbed back through the window, Liana caught sight of herself in the glass.

For just a mont, her reflection showed two faces—her own, and soone else’s looking back with hungry red eyes. Soon, a voice whispered in her mind. Very soon, little vessel. Mara was already trying to break through. And Liana was running out of ti to stop her.