"Prepare the omega," Alpha Thorne continued, the silver knife glinting in the fading light. Aria backed away, bumping into Kael who steadied her with strong hands on her shoulders. "Father," Dax said quietly. "The ritual requires willing participants." Alpha Thorne's eyes narrowed. "She will be willing. Won't you, Aria?" Before she could answer, a voice called from deeper in the temple ruins. "Alpha Thorne! A moment of your advice." Elder Vaughn appeared from the shadows, his white eyes glowing in the dusk.
The Alpha's face twitched with anger, but he nodded. "Kael, show her to the preparation room. Dax, secure the borders." As the men departed in different ways, Aria found herself alone with Kael. "This way," he said, leading her toward a small stone chamber. "You'll change into the ceremonial robes." "What exactly happens in this ritual?" Aria asked, trying to keep her voice steady. Kael's green eyes gleamed. "The mate bond will be tried. Blood mixed with moonlight shows truth." He touched her face. "Don't worry. I won't let any hurt come to you." "And your brothers?" His face hardened. "This is about us, Aria. Not them." Inside the room, white robes lay folded on a stone altar. Kael left her alone to change, the heavy wooden door closing behind him. Aria quickly pulled the vial from her pocket. Elder Vaughn had said to drink it at the moon's peak. She tucked it inside a secret fold in the robes, along with the bone dagger. Just as she finished changing, the door creaked open. She expected Kael, but instead found Liora slipping inside, her face streaked with tears. "Liora!" Aria let out a gasp. "How did you get here?" "I followed you," Liora whispered, looking nervously at the door. "I had to warn you." "About what?" Fresh tears spilled down Liora's freckled cheeks. "The ceremony. It's not what they're telling you." Aria grabbed her friend's shaking hands. "What is it then?" "A binding," Liora choked out. "Once complete, you'll be tied to whichever brother gets the most power from your blood. Your choice won't matter anymore." Cold fear washed over Aria. "How do you know this?" Liora paused, then pulled up her sleeve. A fading mark, similar to Aria's but paler, circled her wrist. "You're someone's mate?" Aria whispered in shock. "It was three years ago," Liora stated, wiping her tears. "I was brought to this temple during a blood moon. They did the rite, but something went wrong." "With who?" Liora's eyes darted to the door again. "Ren," she whispered, her voice breaking. "He doesn't remember. The rite failed, and Alpha Thorne had a witch erase his memory of our bond." Suddenly, many things made sense – Liora's pain whenever Ren was mentioned, her tears at the window as they left. "You're still in love with him," Aria realized. "It doesn't matter now," Liora said, straightening her shoulders. "What matters is stopping this ritual before you lose your freedom." She reached into her bag and pulled out an old leather book, different from the one Dax had given her.
"The Legend of Three Wolves," Aria read from the title. "It belonged to my grandmother," Liora revealed. "Read it carefully. Especially the part about the Moon Goddess's daughter and the cursed triplets." "Cursed?" Aria's heart skipped. Liora nodded. "The triplets aren't just brothers, Aria. They're—" The door swung open. Kael stood there, his face twisted with anger. "What are you doing here?" he asked, glaring at Liora. "I brought herbs for the ritual," Liora lied easily, pulling a small pouch from her pocket. "Elder Vaughn requested them." Kael looked suspicious but stepped away. "Deliver them and leave. This temple is forbidden to unmated wolves during the event." Liora squeezed Aria's hand before hurrying out, saying, "Be careful." Kael watched her go, then turned to Aria. "What did she tell you?" "Nothing important," Aria lied, clutching the book behind her back. "Just wishing me luck." He seemed to accept this, his eyes softening as he took in her look in the white robes. "You look like a true Luna," he said, stepping closer. "My Luna." His fingers traced the mark on her wrist, sending heat rushing through her body. Despite everything, she couldn't deny the pull she felt toward him. "It's almost time," he whispered. "I need a moment," Aria said. "Please." Kael nodded reluctantly. "Five minutes. Then we begin." Once alone again, Aria quickly opened Liora's book. Most pages held old fairy tales and legends, but near the end, she found what she was looking for. A beautiful drawing showed three wolf brothers circling a silver-eyed woman beneath a blood moon. The text beside it made Aria's blood freeze: "Three pieces of one cursed soul, bound to the Goddess's daughter. Only one road leads to life. Two routes lead to death. The chosen brother lives, the others become shadows. The circle repeats until the curse is broken." The same symbols from Dax's book lined the borders.
A soft noise made Aria look up. At the small window high in the wall, a bird perched – no, not a bird. A bat with unusual violet eyes. "Moira?" Aria whispered. The bat squeaked once before flying away. A small scroll fell to the floor where it had been. Aria unrolled it with trembling fingers: "The ritual ties not just mates, but souls. Choose wrong, and two will die. The bone blade cuts more than flesh – it cuts fate itself. Use it when the moon touches blood." Footsteps approached. Aria quickly hid both books and the letter in her bag. The door opened to show Dax, his face unusually tense. "It's time." He led her through dark hallways to the heart of the temple – a circular chamber open to the sky. Moonlight poured through, illuminating a center altar surrounded by three smaller stones positioned like points of a triangle.
Alpha Thorne and Elder Vaughn stood beside the altar. Kael waited at one of the triangle points, his eyes hungry as they followed her. "Where's the third brother?" Alpha Thorne commanded. "Ren couldn't—" Aria began. "I'm here," a voice called. Everyone turned in surprise. Ren limped into the chamber, his side still bandaged but his golden eyes fierce with resolve. "You're injured," Alpha Thorne growled. "The ritual requires strength." "I have strength enough," Ren insisted, taking his place at the second triangle point. Dax moved quietly to the third point, completing the triangle around Aria. Elder Vaughn's white eyes met Aria's briefly. His fingers tapped his robe pocket – a memory of the vial. "Bring the omega to the altar," Alpha Thorne ordered. As Aria approached, she felt the three mate marks on her wrist pulse in time with the brothers' heartbeats. The bone dagger felt heavy against her thigh, hidden in the folds of her robe. The vial waited in another pocket. Elder Vaughn raised his hands to the moon. "Tonight, three become one.
Three paths revealed, one path picked." Alpha Thorne lifted the silver knife. "Blood will show the way." Aria glanced at each brother's face as she was taken to the altar. Kael – confident, ambitious, certain of success. Ren – in pain but driven, something desperate in his eyes. Dax – calm on the surface, but she noticed his hands clenched into fists. The moon moved higher, nearly at its peak. "Lie down," Alpha Thorne commanded. Heart racing, Aria obeyed. Cold stone pressed against her back. Above, the moon shone straight down, bathing her in silver light. Alpha Thorne raised the knife. "With blood, we bind." Moonlight glinted off the blade as it plummeted toward her palm. At that moment, a bone-chilling howl echoed through the temple. Everyone froze. "That's not one of ours," Kael said, changing toward his wolf form. Another howl answered, closer this time. "Rogues," Alpha Thorne snarled. "In our territory!" A third howl joined, this one from inside the temple itself. "Protect the omega!" Elder Vaughn yelled. Chaos exploded as dark shapes poured into the chamber. Wolves with matted fur and crazed eyes struck from all sides. Aria rolled off the altar as Alpha Thorne and the brothers changed fully into their wolf forms to fight. Elder Vaughn pulled her behind a fallen column. "Drink the vial!" he pushed. "Now!" Before she could reach for it, a massive gray wolf with one eye jumped over the column. Elder Vaughn shoved Aria aside and faced the beast. "Run!" he ordered.
She scrambled away, but not toward safety. Something pulled her back toward the altar, where moonlight still pooled like liquid silver. The fighting raged around her. Through the chaos, she spotted a familiar face among the charging rogues. Lyra. But changed somehow – her eyes glowing an unnatural red, her moves jerky and wrong. "Found you," Lyra hissed, lunging toward Aria with claws extended. Aria ducked, falling against the altar.
As her hand touched the moonlit stone, a shock of power rushed through her body. The bone knife vibrated against her leg. The vial burned in her pocket. Three ways. One choice. Above the fight, a woman's voice whispered in her mind: "Remember who you are." Aria reached for the knife just as Lyra attacked again.