ARIA POV
The ground beneath shook so hard I fell to my knees. Dust rained from the roof of my cell as another boom echoed through the underground prison.
"They’re coming," I whispered, hope rising in my chest.
The scar on my shoulder glowed brighter, pulsing with energy. I could feel them—Kael, Jaxon, and Lucien—their combined power flowing through our bond like lightning.
I closed my eyes and tried to focus. If they could send power to , maybe I could send sothing back. A signal. A place.
"Aria!" Mira’s voice echoed from sowhere close. "Are you there?"
"Mira!" I shouted back, running to the bars. "I’m here! Cell number four!"
A crash shook the building again, closer this ti. The light bulb above swung wildly, making shadows dance across the walls.
I pressed my hand against my glowing birthmark, focusing hard. "Find ," I whispered. "Follow the bond."
The warmth spread through my body. My fingers tingled with strange new power—the Moon Alpha power Darius had feared. I grabbed the cell bars and gasped as they grew ice-cold under my touch, frost spreading from my fingers.
Another explosion rocked the building, and suddenly the wall at the end of the hallway collapsed. Three figures stepped through the dust cloud, their eyes sparkling in the darkness—red, gold, and blue.
The triplets had co.
Kael saw first. His usually cold face twisted with fury when he spotted behind the bars.
"Get away from the door," he growled, moving with supernatural speed.
I stepped back as he gripped the tal bars. With a roar that shook the walls, he ripped the entire door off its hinges and tossed it away like it weighed nothing.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, eyes searching my face as he pulled into his arms.
"I’m okay," I said, my voice shaking. "But Mira—"
"Already got her," Jaxon called out, appearing with Mira beside him. She looked shaken but okay.
Lucien stepped forward, his blue eyes fixed on my glowing shoulder. "The mark," he said softly. "It’s awakened."
"We need to leave," Kael said, keeping his arm around . "Darius has called for reinforcents."
"Too late," a cold voice said.
We turned to see Alpha Darius standing in the doorway, surrounded by six guards.
"You’ve dood us all," he said, his eyes locked on . "The fourth lock is breaking."
"The only thing breaking tonight is your rule," Kael growled.
"You don’t understand what you’ve done!" Darius shouted. "The curse—"
"We know about the curse," Lucien interrupted. "We know everything."
Darius paled. "Impossible."
"Elder Malin told us," Jaxon said with a smirk. "Turns out he’s been waiting for Aria to co along for decades."
I felt Kael’s arm tighten around protectively.
"You were wrong about her," he told his father, his voice tight with emotion. "I was wrong too. She’s not going to ruin us—she’s going to save us."
"You’re fools," Darius spat. "The Moon Chamber ritual is the only way."
"No," I said, finding my confidence. "There’s another way."
I stepped forward, putting myself between the triplets and their father. The power inside pulsed stronger, and I felt the three bonds—once separate—beginning to blend into sothing new.
"The curse exists because your bloodline betrayed the Moon Goddess," I said, the knowledge sohow flowing through . "Three brothers killed the true Alpha—a woman from the Moon Alpha line. My ancestor."
Darius’s face twisted with rage. "You know nothing!"
"I know everything!" I shouted, and my voice echoed with power that wasn’t completely my own. "My mother’s spirit has been trying to reach since I arrived. She showed the truth in my dreams."
The triplets moved to stand beside , making a line against their father.
"Your sons don’t have to die," I continued, more gently now. "They don’t have to kill each other. The curse can be broken without cost."
"How?" Darius asked, his voice suddenly unsure.
"By acknowledging the true Alpha line," I said. "By returning what was stolen."
Understanding dawned on Kael’s face. He turned to , his red eyes wide with understanding.
"You’re the heir," he whispered. "The true Alpha of the Moonclaw Pack."
My birthmark burned even brighter in answer. I nodded.
"This changes nothing," Darius growled. "Guards, take them!"
But the guards paused, looking from Darius to my glowing mark.
"The Moon Goddess has made her choice clear," Lucien said loudly. "Will you defy her?"
One by one, the guards lowered their guns and bowed their heads to .
Darius stood alone, shaking with rage. "This isn’t over," he hissed before turning and fleeing down the hallway.
"Should we go after him?" Jaxon asked.
"Later," Kael said, turning to . His usually hard face had softened. "First, we need to get you sowhere safe."
As we rushed through the underground tunnels, I felt his hand slip into mine. The touch sent a jolt through our link.
"I’m sorry," he said softly, so only I could hear. "I thought you were nothing but an oga who would ruin everything. I was wrong."
"You’re forgiven," I said, squeezing his hand.
We erged into the night air. The full moon hung low and bright in the sky, soaking everything in silver light. Pack mbers had crowded around, drawn by the commotion.
"What happens now?" Mira asked, coming to stand beside .
"Now we find Darius," I started to say, but suddenly doubled over in pain.
The scar on my shoulder flared with blinding light. I scread as it felt like my skin was being cut open.
"Aria!" Kael caught before I hit the ground.
"Sothing’s wrong," I gasped. "The fourth lock—it’s breaking on its own!"
The ground beneath us shook. In the distance, I heard a woman’s voice carried on the wind—the sa voice from my cell.
"My daughter," it called. "Find in the Moon Chamber."
Then everything went black as I fell in Kael’s arms, the last thing I heard was his desperate voice calling my na.
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