Chapter 51
Dawn was still hours away, but Elara couldn’t sleep. She sat by the window in the Alpha house, watching the forest where Council guards hid in the darkness. Her friends had finally fallen asleep after arguing for two straight hours about what to do. “They’ll take you either way,” Kael had said. “At least if you go willingly, they might treat you better.” “We fight,” Ronan had growled. “We don’t give up without a battle.” “Fighting the Council is suicide,” Darian had pointed out. “We need a plan p>
But what plan could work against the most powerful wolves in North America? A soft knock made her turn. “Come in.” The door opened, and Tobias stepped inside. Elara jumped to her feet, silver fire sparking in her hands. “Wait,” he said, hands raised. “I’m not here to hurt you.” “You tried to kill Celeste!” “No, I tried to save her. From her father, from Lydia, from all of it.” He looked tired, with bandages wrapped around his chest where the guardian had clawed him. “I’ve been trying to protect you for eighteen years.” “Protect me? You’ve been working against me since day one!” “Have I?” Tobias sat heavily in a chair. “Think about it, Elara. Every time real danger came, where was I?” She frowned, remembering. When James had tried to kill her, Tobias had been the one to tell her about the assassination attempt. When Lydia’s wolves charged, he’d positioned himself between her and the enemy. “I don’t understand.” “Your parents asked me to watch over you. To keep you safe until you were old enough to handle the truth.” He pulled a small silver charm from his pocket. “They gave me this to prove who I really am.” Elara’s breath caught. The bracelet was identical to one her foster mother had given her—the only thing she had from her “real” parents. “Open it,” Tobias said softly. Inside was a picture of a man and woman she’d never seen before. But the woman had her eyes. The same silver eyes that glowed when her power emerged. “Who are they?” “Your real parents. Alpha Selene Moonbright and her mate, Beta Lucas Moonbright.” Tobias’s voice grew quiet. “The most powerful Alpha pair in werewolf history.” “That’s impossible. My parents died in a car crash when I was a baby.” “No. They died protecting you from the Council.” The words hit her like a punch to the stomach. “What?” “Sit down, Elara. This story is long and painful.” She stayed standing, trembling with anger and fear.
“Tell me. Now.” “Your mother wasn’t just an Alpha. She was the Moon Alpha—the first one born in over five hundred years. She could do everything you just learned you can do, and more. She could see the future, speak to the moon goddess herself, control not just elements but time and space.” “You’re lying.” “The Council feared her power. They demanded she come live with them, let them study her, use her abilities for their goals. When she refused and mated with your father instead, they declared war.” Elara’s legs gave out. She sank into a chair, mind spinning. “Your parents fought them for three years. But the Council had resources, friends, ancient magic. They were losing.” Tobias leaned forward. “So they made a sacrifice. They used the last of their power to hide you, to suppress your skills and change your scent to smell like an omega. Then they died fighting to give you time to escape.” “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” “Because the silencing spell was tied to your eighteenth birthday. If you’d known the truth before then, it would have broken early. The Council would have found you.” “But they found me anyway!” “Not until your power awakened naturally. That gave us time to prepare, to make sure you had friends when the truth came out.” Footsteps pounded up the stairs. Kael, Ronan, and Darian burst into the room, having heard whispers. “What’s going on?” Kael commanded, eyes fixed on Tobias. “He’s telling me about my parents,” Elara whispered. “My real parents.” The triplets exchanged looks. “We know you’re adopted,” Ronan said carefully. “But what does that have to do with—” “She’s not just adopted,” Tobias interrupted. “She’s the daughter of Alpha Selene Moonbright. The famous Moon Alpha.” Silence filled the room. “That’s a myth,” Darian said finally. “Moon Alphas are just stories.” “Are they?” Tobias motioned to Elara. “Did controlling the parts seem like a story? How about speaking to every wolf’s mind at once?” “The Council wants her because of her bloodline,” Kael realized. “Not just her power.” “Exactly.
They’ve been looking for Selene’s child for eighteen years. They want to finish what they started—complete control over the most powerful bloodline in werewolf history.” “So what do we do?” Ronan asked. “There’s more,” Tobias said grimly. “The prophecy Lydia mentioned? It’s real. But it’s not about your bond with the kids breaking old bloodlines. It’s about you, Elara, deciding whether to save the werewolf world or destroy it.” “I don’t want to destroy anything!” “The choice might not be yours to make. Your mother’s power came with a price. Every Moon Alpha in history has either become a rescuer or a destroyer. There’s no middle place.” “What made the difference?” Darian asked, his cunning mind already working. “Love,” Tobias said simply. “The Moon Alphas who had true mates, real ties, became saviors. The ones who were alone, separated, or betrayed… they became monsters that had to be stopped p>
Elara felt the triplets move closer to her, their presence warm and protective through the bond. “So our mating isn’t just about love,” she said slowly. “It’s about preventing me from going dark.” “The Council knows this too. That’s part of why they want you. If they can separate you from your mates, break your ties, they can control whether you become a savior or a weapon.” “They want to make her into a destroyer,” Kael said, voice hard with anger. “Use her power for their own purposes.” “Which is why,” came a new voice from the opening, “you’re all coming with us. Now.” Elder Thorne stood in the entrance, surrounded by six Council guards. “Dawn has come early for you, young Moon Alpha.” “How did you get past our security?” Ronan snarled. “Your father invited us in,” Thorne smiled coldly. “Didn’t you, Marcus?” Alpha Marcus appeared behind the guards, his face strained with sadness and guilt. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to his kids. “They threatened to kill everyone in the pack if I didn’t cooperate.” “Dad?” Darian’s voice cracked. “The Council gets the girl. In exchange, the Blackwood Pack lives.” Marcus couldn’t meet their eyes. “It’s the only way.” “No!” Ronan lunged forward, but the guards were ready. Silver nets flew through the air, wrapping around all three triplets before they could shift. “Kael! Ronan! Darian!” Elara’s power flared, but Thorne held up a small rock that glowed with dark energy. “Suppression stone,” he said quietly. “Your mother’s power couldn’t break it either.” The silver fire in Elara’s hands flickered and died. She felt hollow, empty, like part of her soul had been ripped away. “The bonds,” she gasped. “I can’t feel them.” “Temporary separation,” Thorne assured her. “They’ll be returned to you once you’ve completed your training with us.” “What training?” “To become what you were always meant to be. The Council’s greatest weapon p>
As the guards dragged her toward the door, Elara caught Tobias’s eye. He mouthed two words: “Trust me.” Then everything went black as a dart hit her neck. The last thing she heard was her mates screaming her name, their voices getting fainter as darkness claimed her. When she woke up, she was in a cell made of silver and stone, with no windows and only one door. On the wall across from her was a message carved in beautiful script: “Welcome home, daughter of Selene. Your real education starts now.” Below it was a name that made her blood run cold: “Council Elder Thorne, your new father p>