Fated Mate to the Triplet Alpha
Chapter 61: Awakening the Storm

Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Awakening the Storm

Dawn was breaking when Dawn Rivers burst into the cave, her wolf form collapsing from tiredness. "Enemy packs," she gasped as she shifted back to human. "Thirteen of them. Allied with the Six." Elara felt her blood turn to ice. "How long do we have?" "Tonight," Dawn whispered. "They attack tonight." The cave erupted in fear, but Kael’s voice cut through the chaos. "Everyone calm down. We knew this was coming." "Not thirteen packs," Derek argued. "That’s three hundred wolves against our fifty."

"Then we’d better make sure I’m ready," Elara said quietly, her silver eyes blazing with determination. Tobias stepped forward, old books clutched in his weathered hands. "The training starts now." "Training?" Ronan scoffed. "We have maybe twelve hours." "Twelve hours to unlock power that’s been sleeping for eighteen years," Tobias answered firmly. "It’s possible, but it won’t be pleasant." An hour later, Elara stood in the middle of the cave’s largest chamber.

The triplets made a triangle around her, while Tobias and Margaret watched from the edge. "Close your eyes," Tobias commanded. "Feel the silver light inside you." Elara obeyed, reaching for the power that had saved them so many times. But instead of warmth, she felt... nothing. "I can’t find it," she said, fear creeping into her voice. "Because you’re looking in the wrong place," Darian said softly. "You’re searching for light, but Moon Alpha power comes from balance." "Balance?" "Light and dark," Kael explained. "You can’t have one without the other." "I don’t understand," Elara admitted. Ronan moved closer, his green eyes fierce. "You’ve been fighting the evil inside you your whole life. Trying to be perfect, pure, good." "But real power comes from accepting both sides," Darian added, though his voice carried strange pain. Tobias nodded approvingly. "The boys are right. Moon Alphas don’t just channel light. They channel everything." "Show me," Elara ordered. "Very well," Tobias said. "But prepare yourself. This will hurt." He put his hands on her shoulders, and suddenly Elara’s mind exploded with visions. She saw herself as a baby, silver power blazing from her tiny form. She saw her parents’ terrified faces as they made the choice to suppress her abilities. She saw the moment they died, killed by creatures who sensed her hidden strength. She saw eighteen years of loneliness, of feeling useless, of believing she was nothing special. And beneath it all, she saw rage. Pure, burning fury at a world that had tried to destroy her before she could even protect herself. "Let it out," Tobias whispered. "Stop fighting it." "No," Elara gasped. "If I let go—" "You’ll become who you were meant to be," Kael interrupted.

"But what if I hurt someone?" "You won’t," all three triplets said at once. The mate bond flared between them, and suddenly Elara could feel their total faith in her. Their love. Their readiness to trust her with their lives. The walls she’d built around her anger collapsed. Silver fire exploded from her body, but this time it wasn’t pure light. Streaks of shadow danced through the flames, making something beautiful and terrifying. "Incredible," Margaret breathed. The power kept building, fed by years of suppressed emotion. The cave walls began to shake as Elara’s energy pressed against them. "Control it," Tobias pushed. "Don’t let it control you." But Elara was lost in the storm. Every painful memory, every moment of doubt, every tear she’d shed in the darkness—it all became fuel for the burning power. "She’s going to bring down the mountain," Dawn warned, backing toward the exit. "No, she’s not," Darian said with absolute confidence. He stepped forward, straight into the path of the chaotic energy. "Darian, don’t!" Kael shouted. But Darian kept going until he stood directly in front of Elara. The silver fire licked at his skin, but he didn’t flinch. "I know you’re scared," he said softly, his voice somehow carrying over the roar of power.

"I know you think this makes you dangerous." Elara’s eyes snapped open, blazing with silver and dark. "Stay back. I don’t want to hurt you." "You can’t hurt me," Darian answered, reaching out to touch her face. "Do you know why?" "Because I love you too much to let my power harm you," she whispered, understanding flooding through her. "Exactly." The jumbled energy began to settle, flowing in controlled patterns around them. The dangerous storm became a gentle dance of light and shade. "How did you know that would work?" Ronan asked in amazement. Darian’s smile was sad. "Because love is stronger than prophecy. Always." But his words held weight that no one else understood. Only he knew that his love for Elara would soon be tried in the most terrible way possible. "Now what?" Elara asked, her power settling at a level that made the air itself hum with energy. "Now we test your new abilities," Tobias said with excitement. "Margaret, bring the practice targets." For the next several hours, Elara learned to shape her balanced power. She could make shields of solid light, weapons of condensed shadow, and barriers that bent reality itself. "Try projecting your consciousness," Tobias offered. "True Moon Alphas can be in multiple places at once." Elara focused, and suddenly there were three of her standing in the cave. Each projection was fully real, capable of separate thought and action. "Magnificent," Margaret said with tears in her eyes. "I never dreamed I’d see such power in my lifetime." But as impressive as Elara’s skills were, everyone knew they were running out of time. "The sun’s setting," Derek noted grimly.

"They’ll be here soon." "Let them come," Elara said, her various selves speaking in perfect unison. "I’m ready." "Are you?" Dawn asked quietly. "Ready to kill three hundred wolves?" The question hung in the air like poison. Elara’s images flickered as doubt crept in. "I don’t know if I can," she revealed. "They’re still people. Still wolves like us." "They chose their side," Kael said firmly. "You can’t save everyone." "But I have to try," Elara answered. "If I become a killer, how am I different from the creatures we’re fighting?" "Because you’re fighting to protect, not destroy," Ronan countered. "There has to be another way," Elara urged. Darian watched this exchange with growing dread. He could see the path forming, the decisions that would lead to his moment of betrayal. When the final fight came, Elara would try to save everyone. Even their enemies. And that kindness would become her weakness. The weakness the Harbingers would attack. The weakness that would force him to make an impossible choice. "Movement outside," one of the Northern Territory scouts reported. "Lots of it." Everyone rushed to the cave opening. In the distance, torches moved through the trees like angry stars. Hundreds of them. "They’re surrounding us," Dawn noted. "Good," Elara said, her power flaring. "Let’s end this." But as they prepared for battle, none of them spotted the figure watching from the shadows. One of the Harbingers stood just beyond the cave’s protected wards, its burning eyes fixed on Darian.

Soon, it whispered into his mind. Very soon, you’ll have to choose. And we both know what choice you’ll make. Darian’s hands curled into fists. The forecast was closing in around them like a trap. And somewhere in the approaching force, Vincent Ravenclaw smiled as he gave the signal to attack. "Tonight," he announced to his allies, "the Moon Alpha dies. And the old ways are protected forever." But in the cave, Elara stood surrounded by silver fire and dark, her power finally awakened. She had no idea that her greatest enemy wasn’t coming from outside. He was standing right beside her, his heart breaking with every beat.