Fated Mate to the Triplet Alpha-Chapter 35: Bonds of Blood and Fate

Pain shot through Kael’s body as he regained awareness. Blood matted his fur, but his cuts were already healing. The fighting had stopped. The forest lay silent except for groans of wounded wolves. He shifted back to human form, wincing as broken ribs snapped into place. His brothers lay close – Ronan clutching his mangled leg, Darian pressing a hand to a deep gash across his chest.

"Elara," Kael croaked, the name sending fresh pain through him that had nothing to do with his injuries. "Gone," Tobias limped toward them, his elderly face twisted with sadness. "Vargo took her." Ronan slammed his hand into the ground. "And Celeste?" "Disappeared with them," Tobias helped Darian sit up. "We need to move. More rogues could return." Kael shook his head, trying to clear the fog. Something burned in his chest – not pain, but connection. The mate bond. "I can feel her," he whispered, putting his hand over his heart. "She’s alive." Darian’s eyes widened. "I feel it too. Fear... confusion..." "And rage," Ronan added, his eyes flashing. "Pure rage." The brothers traded glances, a silent understanding passing between them for the first time since Elara had entered their lives.

"We have to split up," Kael decided, standing despite his body’s protest. "Cover more ground." "The Shadow Pack’s territory lies north," Tobias pointed. "Old mines and caves. Perfect for hiding." "I’ll take north then," Kael said. Ronan pushed himself up, ignoring his injured leg. "I’ll circle east. There’s an old shooting route they might use." "West for me," Darian nodded. "Through the river valley. Fewer patrols there." Tobias looked between them, worry etched on his face. "You’re all hurt. You need time to heal." "There is no time," Kael growled, his Alpha power ringing through his words. "She’s our mate. All of ours." The admission hung in the air – the first time Kael had recognized the bond he’d fought against for so long. "The prophecy," Darian reminded them. "One of us will betray her." "Not today," Ronan growled. "Today we save her." Tobias nodded slowly. "Then I’ll return to the pack. Luna Evelyn needs to know what’s happened." "And Father?" Darian asked.

A dark look crossed Kael’s face. "I’ll deal with him later." They gathered what weapons remained – a knife for Kael, a broken branch for Ronan, nothing for Darian but his thoughts. "Follow the bond," Tobias suggested. "It’s stronger when danger threatens. Let it guide you." With final nods to each other, the brothers split ways, each racing into the forest along different paths. Elara woke to cold stone beneath her skin. Her head pounded, and the taste of wolfsbane still burned her throat. Iron chains bound her wrists, etched with strange symbols that made her skin crawl. "Magic-binding chains," Vargo’s voice came from the shadows. "Can’t have our silver wolf running away." She sat up, squinting in the dim light.

They were in a cave, torches creating eerie shadows on the walls. At least twenty rogues lounged around fires, their eyes occasionally flicking to her with hungry interest. "Where’s Celeste?" Elara asked. Vargo smiled, showing those sharp teeth. "Attending to work. She’s quite useful, that one. Ambitious." "She betrayed her own pack." "Just as your precious Alpha did years ago." Vargo crouched before her. "Everyone has a price. Marcus wanted power. Celeste wants payback." "And what do you want?" Elara asked, stalling for time as she tested her ties. "A new beginning." Vargo touched the ring still hanging around her neck. "With your power, I can build a pack stronger than any other. Mates picked for strength, not chance." The pendant grew warm against her skin, responding to her feelings. "It won’t work," she said. "The power needs choice, remember? The prophecy says—" "I know what it says," Vargo cut her off. "But prophecies have loopholes." Footsteps neared, and Celeste appeared, now dressed in black leather. "The perimeter is safe. No sign of chase." "Good." Vargo stood. "Prepare the ritual circle. We begin at moonrise." Fear clawed at Elara’s throat. "What ritual?" "The transfer," Celeste smiled coldly. "Vargo doesn’t need you living to use your power. Just your heart." Kael ran through the northern forest, following the pull in his chest. Images flashed in his mind – glimpses through Elara’s eyes. Cave walls. Torches. Vargo’s face. The mate bond was stronger than he’d ever felt it, feeding him not just feelings but visions. Was this the silver wolf power Tobias had mentioned? He paused at a hill overlooking a valley. Below, smoke rose from secret places among the rocks. The Shadow Pack’s hideout.

Reaching out through the link, he sent a single thought: We’re coming. Ronan limped along game trails, his leg improving but still weak. The pain didn’t matter. Only Elara counted. He’d failed to protect her. The thought burned worse than any wound. The eastern path took him to a steep ravine. Far below, he spotted movement – rogues patrolling. This was it. Closing his eyes, he focused on the bond. Hold on. Darian slipped through the river valley, silent as a ghost. His mind raced with plans, analyzing everything Tobias had told them about the Silver Moon Pack. The ornament was key. If it truly channeled Elara’s power, it might be their benefit. He approached from the west, where the caves opened to a secret plateau. Guards paced the edges, but their pattern was expected. Darian touched the mate tie in his mind. We’re better together. In the cave, Elara jerked her head up. Voices – not spoken aloud but felt through the bond – whispered in her mind. We’re coming. Hold on. We’re better together. The twins. Their thoughts reached her across the miles. Vargo noticed her response. "What is it?" "Nothing," she lied, hope sparking to life. Celeste approached with a silver knife. "It’s time." Rogues formed a circle around her as Vargo started chanting in an ancient language.

The pendant at Elara’s throat got hotter, almost burning. "This won’t work," Elara said again, more firmly now. "The power requires choice." "Then choose," Vargo growled. "Choose to give me your power, or watch as I send my wolves to finish what they started with your mates." The word ’mates’ – plural – caught her attention. He knew about all three. The triplets were walking into a trap. "You’ll never defeat them," Elara said, stalling for time. "They’re stronger than you know." Celeste laughed. "Three injured dogs against thirty rogues? I’m not worried." Vargo raised the knife. "Last chance, silver wolf." Elara felt the mate bond pulse stronger, clearer. They were close. "I do choose," she said, sitting straighter. "I choose to show you what a true silver wolf can do."

The pendant exploded with light, so bright that everyone stumbled back, shielding their eyes. The marks on her chains glowed red, then cracked. "Impossible!" Vargo shouted. At that moment, three howls sounded from different directions – one from the north, one from the east, one from the west. The triplets had arrived. Chaos erupted as rogues rushed to protect the cave entrances. Elara focused on the pendant, feeling power flow through her blood. The chains snapped open. "Stop her!" Celeste screamed, lunging with the knife. Elara dodged, grabbing Celeste’s wrist and turning until she dropped the weapon. "You never should have betrayed us." A huge black wolf burst into the cave – Kael, his eyes blazing Alpha red. Rogues scattered before him as he tore through their lines.

From another entry came Ronan, limping but deadly, his jaws snapping bones with each bite. And from the shadows came Darian, human form moving with lethal precision, taking down guards with swift strikes. Vargo backed away, his plan collapsing. "Kill them all!" he ordered. Celeste broke free from Elara’s grip and ran for the exit. "This isn’t over!" Elara reached for the falling dagger, her eyes meeting Kael’s across the battlefield. A moment of understanding passed between them. The Alpha wolf charged toward Vargo while Elara chased Celeste into a narrow tunnel. Behind her, she heard the sounds of fighting fading. The tunnel opened onto the hilltop where moonlight bathed everything in silver. Celeste stood at the edge, nowhere left to run. "I was supposed to be Luna," she spat. "It was my birthright!" "No," Elara stepped forward, the pendant sparkling around her neck. "You wanted the title. You never understood what it means to lead." Celeste laughed bitterly. "And you do? The omega nobody?" "I’m learning." freēnovelkiss.com

Elara moved closer. "It’s about choice, Celeste. Not power." "Pretty words," Celeste hissed, backing toward the cliff edge. "But you’ll never be accepted. An omega Luna? The pack will rebel." "Maybe," Elara admitted. "But that’s my choice to make." A howl cut through the night – a victory cry. The fighting inside was over. Celeste’s face twisted with hate. "This isn’t the end. As long as I live, you’ll never be safe." Before Elara could answer, the ground beneath them shuddered. The edge where Celeste stood began to crumble. "Celeste!" Elara lunged forward, reaching for her. Their fingers touched for a heartbeat before the rock gave way completely. Celeste’s scream repeated as she fell into darkness. Elara stared in fear at the empty space where Celeste had stood. Three wolves burst onto the plateau – Kael, Ronan, and Darian, their fur matted with blood but eyes bright with victory. All three shifted to human form, running to her side. "Elara," Kael reached her first, his voice thick with emotion. "Are you hurt?" Ronan checked her for damage. "Vargo?" she asked. "Dead," Darian verified. "Along with most of his pack." Relief flooded through her, but the picture of Celeste falling haunted her. "Celeste fell. I tried to save her, but..." The ground shook again, stronger this time. Cracks spread across the hillside. "We need to leave," Kael pushed. "Now."

As they turned to go, a hand shot up from the cliff edge. Celeste pulled herself up, her face bloody, eyes wild with hate. "You think this is over?" she hissed, holding something in her hand – a glowing red stone. "I still have one card to play." The stone pulsed with dark energy as Celeste began to chant words in an old language. "No!" Darian shouted, recognition flashing across his face. "That’s a blood stone!" The plateau trembled fiercely as red light enveloped Celeste’s body. "What’s happening?" Elara gasped. "Blood magic," Darian explained, fear in his voice. "She’s sacrificing herself to release something far worse." Celeste’s laughter turned inhuman as her body began to change – not into a wolf, but something darker, ancient, monstrous. "The curse," Kael whispered. "The real curse of the Blackwood Pack."

The thing that had been Celeste fixed its glowing eyes on them as the ground continued to crumble beneath their feet. "Run!" Ronan yelled, grabbing Elara’s arm. But there was nowhere to run. They were trapped on a collapsing plateau with a monster born of blood magic and hate. And the night had only just started.