"You're lying!"
Kaelen's voice burst across the Alpha's private study. I flinched as he slammed his hand on the wooden table, making everything on it jump. We'd been brought here right after returning from the forest, and now all four of us were stuck in this small room with Alpha Orion.
"I'm not lying," I said quietly, trying not to cry. "A man really did approach me. He said his name was Sylas."
"Sylas is dead," Alpha Orion said definitely. "I killed him myself eighteen years ago."
"Then who was I talking to?" I asked desperately.
"Probably one of his followers," Kaelen snapped. "Rogues are lies and tricksters. They'll say anything to confuse you."
"But he looked like me," I argued. "He had the same eyes, the same—"
"Enough!" Kaelen stood up so fast his chair fell over. "This is exactly why this bond is wrong. You're too weak, too naive. A real Luna would never fall for rogue tricks."
His words hit me like a slap. Through our link, I could feel his frustration and anger, but underneath it was something else. Fear.
"Kaelen," Lucien warned. "That's enough."
"No, it's not enough," Kaelen shot back. "Look at her! She can barely handle a simple talk without crying. How is she going to lead a pack?"
Tears did spring to my eyes then, which only made me angry at myself. He was right. I was weak.
"She's stronger than you think," Darius said slowly from the corner where he'd been standing silently.
"How would you know?" Kaelen demanded. "You never talk to anyone."
"I watch," Darius answered simply. "I see things you miss."
Alpha Orion held up his hand for quiet. "The question isn't whether Elara is strong enough. The question is who was in our area tonight, and what they wanted."
"They wanted me," I whispered.
"Why?" Lucien asked, leaning forward with curious eyes. "You're just—" He stopped himself, but I knew what he was going to say.
"Just an omega," I finished for him. "Just nobody important."
"That's not what I meant," Lucien said quickly.
"Yes, it is." I stood up, shocking everyone. "That's what you all think. Even with this bond, even after everything that happened tonight, you still see me as weak little Elara who can't do anything right."
"That's not true," Darius said softly.
I turned to look at him. His blue eyes were focused, like always, but there was something gentle in them too.
"Isn't it?" I challenged. "Then why won't any of you tell me what's really going on? Why won't anyone explain what this bond means or why people keep talking about prophecies?"
"Because some things are too dangerous to know," Alpha Orion said grimly.
"More risky than being attacked by rogues? More dangerous than having half the pack think I'm a murderer?"
Lucien sat forward, his face full of questions. "What exactly did this man say to you? Word for word."
I looked around the room. Kaelen was staring at me like I was his enemy. Alpha Orion looked worried and suspicious. But Lucien seemed truly curious, and Darius was watching me with those kind eyes.
"He said he was my father," I began slowly. "He said my mother lied about him being dead. He said the triple bond was my birthright, and that I was meant for something bigger than serving others."
"Classic rogue manipulation," Kaelen muttered.
"He also said the bond was a chain," I continued, ignoring Kaelen. "That it was keeping me trapped."
Silence fell over the room. I felt the triplets' emotions through our connection—Kaelen's anger, Lucien's curiosity, and Darius's worry.
"Do you believe that?" Lucien asked carefully. "That the bond is a trap?"
I thought about Sylas's words, about how different I felt when the bond had formed. Stronger, but also more lost.
"I don't know," I admitted. "Sometimes it feels like a gift. Other times it feels like pressure I can't handle."
"That's normal," Darius said, speaking up again. "New bonds always feel overwhelming."
"How would you know?" Kaelen asked his brother. "None of us have ever had a mate bond before."
"I read," Darius answered simply. "Unlike some people."
Before Kaelen could reply, a knock came at the door. Alpha Orion called for whoever it was to enter. My mother walked in, her face pale and scared. When she saw me, relief filled her features.
"Elara! Thank the moon goddess you're safe." She ran over and pulled me into a hug. I breathed in her familiar smell, feeling some of my fear ease.
"Mom, I need to ask you something," I said quietly.
She pulled back, worry creeping into her eyes. "What is it?"
"Is my father really dead?"
The question hung in the air like a bomb waiting to burst. My mother's face went totally white.
"Why would you ask that?" she whispered.
"Because someone claiming to be him approached me tonight," Alpha Orion said sternly. "Someone who knew things about Elara that a stranger shouldn't know."
My mother started shaking. She looked around the room frantically, like she was trying to find an escape route.
"Mom?" I said gently. "Please tell me the truth."
For a long moment, she just stared at me. Then her shoulders sagged in failure.
"Sylas isn't dead," she whispered.
The room burst into chaos. Kaelen started screaming. Alpha Orion roared questions. Lucien jumped up from his chair. But I just stood there, feeling like the world had turned sideways.
"You lied to me," I said to my mother. "My whole life, you lied to me."
"I had to," she said, tears running down her face. "You don't understand how dangerous he is."
"Dangerous how?" Alpha Orion demanded.
My mother looked at him with fear in her eyes. "Sylas didn't just lead a pack of rogues. He was trying to gather all the rogue wolves under one banner. He wanted to overthrow the pack system completely."
"And you mated with him?" Kaelen asked in disgust.
"I didn't know!" my mother cried. "By the time I realized what he was planning, I was already pregnant with Elara."
I felt sick. My father wasn't just a rogue. He was a rebel who wanted to destroy everything the packs stood for.
"There's more," my mother whispered, her voice barely audible.
"What more?" Alpha Orion growled.
"The prophecy Elder Mira mentioned. It's about Elara. About what she's meant to become."
"Which is what?" Darius asked quietly.
My mother looked straight at me, her eyes full of pain and love. "The prophecy says a child born of rogue and pack blood will either unite all wolves under one rule, or destroy them completely."
The room went deadly silent.
"And the triple bond?" Lucien asked, his voice hoarse.
"Is the sign that the prophecy has begun," my mother finished.
I stared at her, feeling like I couldn't breathe. "You're saying I'm either going to save everyone or kill everyone?"
Before she could answer, the lights went out. In the sudden darkness, I heard glass breaking. Cold night air rushed into the room.
"Elara!" multiple voices yelled at once.
But it was too late. Strong hands grabbed me from behind, and a cloth was pressed over my mouth and nose. The smell was sweet and chemical. As I lost awareness, I heard Sylas's voice whisper in my ear.
"Time to come home, daughter. Your real schooling begins now."