ARIA POV
I spat out Alpha Darius’s blood, the bitter taste making gag. Nothing happened—no visions, no insights, nothing.
"It didn’t work," I said, wiping my mouth as howls echoed through the forest.
"We need to move," Kael ordered, pulling up. "Now!"
We ran through the dark trees, the pack hunters close behind us. My mother was too weak to keep up, so Lucien carried her. Jaxon and Mira brought up the back, making sure no one fell behind.
"This way," a voice whispered from the darkness.
Elder Malin erged between two ancient trees, waving us toward a path I’d never seen before. We followed him without question—there was no ti to argue.
The narrow path led to a small stone structure half-buried in the hillside. It looked like it had been there for hundreds of years.
"In," the Elder ordered, pushing open a heavy wooden door.
Once we were all inside, he sealed the opening with strange symbols drawn in glowing blue ash.
"That will keep them out," he said, "but not for long."
I looked around the small room. Moonlight stread through a round opening in the ceiling, illuminating walls covered in carvings of wolves and moons.
"What is this place?" I asked.
"The Temple of the Luna," Elder Malin answered. "Where female Alphas once trained."
My mother sat against the wall, her breathing heavy. "I never thought I’d see this place again."
Elder Malin gripped my shoulders firmly. "We have little ti. The Blood Moon rises tomorrow night, and you must be ready."
"Ready for what?"
"To claim your birthright," he said. "To beco what you were always ant to be."
The triplets traded uncomfortable glances. This was new ground for all of us.
"Stand in the moonlight," Elder Malin commanded.
Nervously, I stepped into the circle of light at the center of the room. Imdiately, warmth spread through my body, and the moon marks appeared on my hands again—brighter than before.
"Perfect," Elder Malin whispered. "The Moon Goddess recognizes her daughter."
For the next hour, while the others kept watch, Elder Malin taught about my background. The secret history of female Alphas, their link to the moon, and powers that male Alphas could never access.
"Your healing ability is just the beginning," he stated. "Female Alphas can feel others’ emotions, see through lies, and in rare cases, command the will of others."
"Is that why they were hunted down?" I asked. "Because they could control people?"
He nodded sadly. "Male Alphas feared their power. So they killed them all—except your mother’s line."
I glanced at the triplets, who were listening intently. "What about the mate tie I feel? Is it real?"
"Very real," Elder Malin agreed. "But difficult. True mates are rare, and tripled ties are unheard of."
"So why do I feel connected to all three of them?"
The old man’s eyes glead in the moonlight. "Because of the prophecy."
My heart beat faster. "Tell ."
Elder Malin’s voice dropped to a whisper: "Three flas, one heart, the forgotten will rise, one bond will tear three apart."
A chill ran down my spine. "What does it an?"
"The three flas are the triplets," he explained. "The forgotten is you—the lost female Alpha bloodline."
"And the rest?" I pressed.
"One bond will tear three apart," Elder Malin repeated grimly. "That’s what Alpha Darius fears most. That’s why he wants you dead before the Blood Moon rises."
I looked at Kael, Jaxon, and Lucien. Each returned my look with different emotions—Kael with determination, Jaxon with curiosity, and Lucien with sothing deeper I couldn’t na.
"But which bond is it?" I asked. "Which one of them..."
"That’s what you must discover," Elder Malin said. "One shares your blood—" "Kael," I interrupted.
"Not exactly," the Elder anded. "The blood you share is spiritual, not physical. It’s the Alpha power running through both of you."
I frowned, confused. "Then what about the others?"
"One shares your power," he continued. "Your strengths complent each other, making both stronger."
My eyes drifted to Jaxon, rembering how I’d healed him from the curse.
"And one shares your heart," Elder Malin ended. "Your true mate."
Lucien t my gaze then quickly looked away. Sothing tugged inside my chest—that familiar pull I’d felt since the beginning.
"Now," Elder Malin said, "you must learn to use your powers before the Blood Moon rises."
He taught how to focus the energy running through . How to guide the silver light with my thoughts. How to feel the feelings of those around .
I practiced on my friends, reading their feelings one by one. Mira’s allegiance and fear. My mother’s pride and pain. Kael’s confusion and drive. Jaxon’s curiosity and secret sadness. And Lucien—his feelings were a storm of longing, hope, and sothing darker I couldn’t identify.
"Very good," Elder Malin praised. "Now try to heal."
My mother offered her hurt shoulder. I placed my hands on the wound, focusing on making the silver light flow from my fingers. The skin joined together before our eyes.
"Impressive," Jaxon whispered.
"There’s one more ability you must master," Elder Malin said. "The hardest one."
"Commanding others," I guessed.
He nodded. "In the old days, female Alphas used this power only when necessary. It can corrupt if misused."
"I don’t want to control anyone," I protested.
"You may not have a choice," Elder Malin said sadly. "Alpha Darius won’t stop until you’re dead. Unless you can make him stop."
A loud bang against the door stopped us. The hunters had found us.
"We’re out of ti," Kael said, drawing his knife.
Elder Malin gripped my arm. "There’s sothing else you must know. About Alpha Darius."
"What about him?" I asked as another crash shook the door.
"He’s not—"
The roof exploded above us, raining down stones and dirt. Through the bigger opening jumped Alpha Darius himself, his eyes glowing red with rage.
"Found you," he growled.
Elder Malin stepped in front of . "You cannot touch her here. This is sacred ground."
"Sacred to a dead tradition," Darius laughed. He looked at the triplets. "My boys, co to now. Your Alpha commands it."
None of them moved.
Darius’s face darkened. "Very well. You’ve made your choice."
From his pocket, he removed a small black stone that pulsed with dark energy. As he held it up, Jaxon suddenly scread, falling to his knees. The sa darkness that had taken him before began spreading across his skin.
"Stop it!" I cried.
"Only I can control the curse," Darius said coldly. "And I say the firstborn will die tonight."
Kael lunged at his father, but Darius knocked him away easily. Lucien tried to reach Jaxon, but the darkness was spreading too fast.
I had to do sothing. Focusing all my energy, I stepped forward and shouted, "STOP!"
The word carried power—silver light burst from my mouth as I spoke. Alpha Darius froze in mid-motion, his eyes wide with shock.
"Impossible," he whispered. "You’re not fully awakened yet."
The order only held him for seconds before he broke free, but it was enough to surprise him. The black stone fell from his hands, rolling across the floor.
Lucien dived for it, but Darius was faster. As they fought, the stone cracked, releasing a cloud of dark smoke. It spun around the room before shooting straight into Darius’s chest.
His body convulsed, getting larger, his bones cracking and reforming. When he looked up again, his eyes were completely black.
"Now you see what I truly am," he said, his voice deeper and twisted.
Elder Malin pushed behind him. "Run," he whispered. "All of you. I’ll hold him off."
"We can’t leave you," I argued.
"You must," he urged. "Find the Moon Stone before the Blood Moon rises. It’s the only way to stop him now."
Darius—or whatever he had beco—laughed. "Yes, run little Alpha. Run while you can."
As we fled through the damaged door, I heard Elder Malin chanting in an ancient language. The ground beneath the temple began to shake.
We ran into the forest, the sounds of fighting fading behind us. When we finally stopped to catch our breath, I asked, "What’s the Moon Stone?"
My mother’s face was grave. "The source of female Alpha power—and the only weapon that can defeat what Darius has beco."
"Which is what exactly?" Kael demanded.
"A Shadow Alpha," she answered. "A werewolf possessed by dark power. He’s not your real father."
The three brothers stared at her in shock.
"What?" Lucien whispered.
"The truth was in front of you all along," my mother said. "Why do you think he feared the forecast so much? Why he wanted Aria dead?"
Before she could explain further, a howl unlike anything I’d ever heard pierced the night—part wolf, part sothing much more frightening.
"He’s coming," my mother said, fear in her eyes. "And now he’s more monster than man."
Reviews
All reviews (0)