Thank you for reading!
Finley"Finley," Dane's voice comes again, tension now evident beneath his controlled tone. "Your position is becoming compromised. The circle they're creating will surround the central team if completed.""Agreed," Liam adds immediately. "Western team prepared to create a distraction for extraction if needed."Their coordinated concern—rivals in all else suddenly united in protecting me—would be touching under different circumstances. Right now, it just complicates my tactical assessment."Negative on extraction," I decide after quick consideration. "We still need to document the complete pattern. Five more minutes for data collection, then controlled withdrawal."The reluctance on their ends is palpable, but neither challenges my decision directly. They understand the mission parameters even when instinct pushes against them."Central team, tighten formation," I instruct my warriors, who respond with immediate precision. "Defensive perimeter while Tara completes documentation."The e
Liam"Stone. Male Beta of Alpha blood. Second of three."The creature's words echo in my mind as I lead my team through the dense forest, every sense on high alert for signs of pursuit. Though we've put nearly two kilometers between ourselves and the ritual site, the unnatural recognition—that thing knowing my name, my bloodline, my position in whatever this "triad" represents—has left a chill I can't shake."Western approach maintaining course," I report through the communication channel, keeping my voice steady despite Storm's agitated pacing beneath my skin. "No pursuit detected.""Eastern team confirming the same," Dane responds, his tone equally controlled. "Forest sounds returning to normal patterns approximately 1.5 kilometers from site perimeter.""Central team in transit," Finley adds. "Documentation secure. ETA to compound approximately forty-five minutes at current pace."The brief exchange contains no unnecessary information, nothing beyond mission-critical updates. Yet ben
Liam As the teams disperse to complete equipment return and security protocols, the three of us follow Alpha Bennett toward the secure wing in silence. The professional distance feels both necessary and somehow false after what we experienced at the ritual site. After being named as connected parts of something larger than our individual pack roles.First of three. Second of three. Third of three. The triad awakens.Inside the secure wing, Celina already waits with various magical implements arranged on the central table. Her expression is grave as she examines the recording equipment Tara hands over, her fingers hovering above it without touching as she assesses the magical residue clinging to its surfaces."Powerful remnants," she observes, her voice tight with concentration. "The recording itself may be contaminated with influence effects. We'll need purification before viewing.""How long?" Alpha Bennett asks, practical as always."Twenty minutes for basic cleansing," she estimate
Liam As if summoned by my thoughts, Ryleigh appears at the corridor entrance, her expression brightening when she spots me. "Liam! You're back." She moves toward me with purposeful steps, her relief at seeing me unharmed evident despite the calculation I now recognize beneath her warmth. "I've been worried sick. No one would tell me anything about the mission.""Classified information," I respond automatically, still too caught in thoughts of triads and blood magic and cosmic choices to fully shift mental gears. "Standard protocol."She reaches me, her hand finding my arm with familiar ease, though I note how she positions herself to block my view of where Finley works with Celina. Not subtle, but effective if I weren't already aware of the tactic."You look exhausted," she observes, her concern seeming genuine. "Was it dangerous? Did you find what you were looking for?"The questions, innocent on surface, remind me sharply of Alpha Bennett's warning. The Skinwalkers are studying us,
Dane Summit paces restlessly beneath my skin as I review the archives in front of me, agitated by both the looming deadline and the proximity of his mate. Through the open doorway, I can see Finley working with Celina on energy signature analysis, her profile illuminated by the soft glow of magical instruments. Every few minutes, she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear with an unconscious gesture that somehow manages to be both innocently practical and devastatingly appealing.I force my attention back to the texts, irritated by my own distraction. Three days to understand what connects our bloodlines, what power emerges when we combine, what choice awaits us at the alignment. I can't afford to be diverted by our bond, however natural it might be."Any progress?" Liam asks, entering with additional references from Glass Lake's archives. Despite his casual tone, I catch the way his gaze immediately finds Finley before settling on me. The instinctive verification of her location, her
Dane "This changes nothing," Liam says as our stand-off drags on. "Accessing ancestral memory through the mate bonds doesn't resolve anything between us.""Agreed," I reply, though something in me questions whether that's entirely true. Can we engage genuinely with these connections, access whatever power flows between our bloodlines, without being changed by the experience? Without facing truths we've been avoiding?"She's still hurt," he observes, surprising me with his perceptiveness. "By both of us. Your deception about Aria. My rejection for Ryleigh. Neither is easily forgiven. And neither of us will take advantage of her vulnerability to push her into it before she’s ready."The observation stings because it's accurate. We've both caused Finley pain, both complicated what should have been simple through our choices. Both lost her trust in ways that no ritual can't simply erase."Trust requires consistency," I acknowledge, remembering her challenge to me after my public declarat
Dane "Twenty-four hours," I acknowledge instead of arguing with my father any further, neither accepting nor rejecting the ultimatum explicitly. "I understand the parameters.""Do you?" Real question enters his voice now, something almost like concern beneath his carefully held Alpha authority. "Do you understand what formal bloodline revocation means? What exile from Mountain Ridge territory entails? What severing from pack protection represents in practical terms?"I do, with painful clarity. Formal exile means more than political repositioning or ceremonial distancing. It means vulnerability to any challenger without pack intervention. Means loss of territorial access, resource rights, alliance protections. Means becoming effectively a rogue, subject to elimination by any pack viewing unaffiliated wolves as a threat."I understand the consequences," I confirm, the weight of potential exile settling alongside my responsibility to Finley. Another impossible situation requiring an imp
Finley "The mate bonds serve as natural channels," Celina explains as she arranges crystals around the ritual circle. "They already connect you energetically."I nod like this is totally normal, like having two mate bonds isn't the biggest complication of my life after the whole "female Alpha" thing and, you know, the impending doom facing all supernatural creatures.No pressure or anything.The sacred clearing is beautiful at midnight, bathed in silver moonlight that makes everything look a little otherworldly. Under different circumstances, it might even be romantic. Instead, I'm about to open myself up to two men who've broken my heart in completely different ways. Yay.Nova shifts restlessly beneath my skin, confused and excited in equal measure. She doesn't understand the human complications—to her, having both mates present just feels right. Must be nice to have such a simple view of things."You look nervous," Brynlee observes, her amber eyes reflecting the moonlight as she hel
Liam "Focus," Mom says for what feels like the hundredth time. "Intent without emotion. Direction without reaction."Easy for her to say. She's not the one trying to light a candle with her mind while simultaneously not burning down the entire training room."I am focusing," I mutter, staring at the unlit candle with enough intensity to melt it if the heat in my gaze was actually physical."No, you're glaring at it like it personally offended you," she corrects with that infuriating motherly patience. "Fire responds to emotion, Liam. Right now, you're feeding it frustration, which creates erratic, unpredictable responses."I take a deep breath, trying again to find that elusive balance she keeps talking about. Twelve hours of practice since my gift first manifested against the Skinwalkers, and I've managed to melt more ice sculptures, warm the room to uncomfortable levels, and accidentally set a practice dummy's hair on fire. What I haven't done is produce a single controlled flame o
Dane "Exile declaration stands," my father says, turning back to me with formal authority. "But Mountain Ridge acknowledges a potential external threat requiring our temporary cooperation."Translation: I'm still exiled, but he's not leaving me completely vulnerable while investigating the larger threat to allied packs. Political face-saving wrapped in tactical necessity—classic Alpha Parker strategy."Forest Trails appreciates Mountain Ridge's cooperation in addressing concerns that affect all territories," Alpha Bennett responds diplomatically. "Joint investigation of this specialist and his connection to recent supernatural events serves everyone's interests."As the leaders begin establishing parameters for this unexpected alliance, Aria approaches me, her expression a complex mixture of emotions."That couldn't have been easy," I say quietly, genuinely appreciative of her intervention despite our complicated history. "Going against your father's representative, potentially compr
Dane "What do you know of triads?" My father demands, momentarily dropping the formal script he clearly came prepared to deliver."Enough to recognize when someone is trying to deliberately disrupt one," I reply, watching the Silver Creek representative's reaction carefully. The flash of calculation in his eyes confirms my suspicions—this is no coincidence, no standard honor reparation.My father studies me with new assessment, as if seeing something unexpected in his disappointment of a son. "You believe Silver Creek's challenge is connected to supernatural matters beyond pack politics," he says, not quite a question."I know it is," I state with absolute certainty. "Just as I know their Alpha has been influenced by external forces since returning from the northeastern territories with certain... artifacts."The Silver Creek representative's composure cracks visibly at this, confirming Aria's information was accurate. My father catches the reaction, his tactical awareness never dull
DaneTwenty minutes until my exile becomes official.The countdown that's been ticking in my head all day is nearly at zero, and I still don't have a clear answer. Stay at Forest Trails, officially cutting ties with Mountain Ridge forever? Or accept Silver Creek's suspicious blood oath proposal and potentially compromise the triad right before the Night of Seven Stars?Talk about your lose-lose situations.I pace the length of my quarters, Summit restless beneath my skin. He doesn't understand the human complications, the pack politics. To him, the solution is simple: stay near our mate, protect the triad, to hell with everything else.If only it were that easy.A knock at my door interrupts my thoughts. I open it to find Malia, her expression more serious than usual."Your father is here," she says without preamble. "Just arrived with an official Mountain Ridge delegation. Alpha Bennett is meeting them now in the reception hall."My father. Here? Honestly, I thought, or maybe hoped,
Finley"I don't know," I admit, finally answering Liam’s lingering question. "I haven't thought that far ahead.""I have," he says quietly. "I've thought about nothing else since realizing what a colossal mistake I made two years ago."This is dangerous territory, emotional landmines I'm not sure I'm ready to navigate. "Liam—""Just hear me out," he interrupts, taking another step closer. "I know I screwed up. I know I hurt you in the worst possible way. I know trust doesn't magically reappear just because I finally realized what an idiot I was.""But?" I prompt, hearing the unspoken continuation in his tone."But I'm not giving up without a fight," he says with sudden intensity. "Not this time. Not again. I was a coward before, choosing the safe option instead of what my heart and my wolf knew was right. I won't make that mistake twice."The declaration hangs between us, genuine and raw in a way that catches me off guard. Nova responds instantly, pushing forward with hopeful recogni
FinleyI find Aunt Kat in the western training grounds instead of Dane, watching Liam attempt to channel his newly emerging gift in a controlled environment. The enclosed space has been cleared of flammable materials, protective wards established around the perimeter, and water stations positioned strategically for worst-case scenarios.Liam stands in the center, eyes closed in concentration, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool evening air. His mother circles him slowly, her voice calm and measured as she guides him through what appears to be a basic focusing exercise."Feel the heat within you," she instructs. "Not as something separate, not as something to fight against, but as an extension of your own nature. Your birthright finally awakening."I hang back, not wanting to disrupt what looks like delicate training. There's something mesmerizing about watching Liam like this—his usual cocky confidence replaced by intense concentration, vulnerability in his effort to contro
Finley"So your proposal is a blood oath instead of traditional combat?" I clarify, keeping my expression neutral despite the alarms blaring in my head. "That's... unusual."Alpha Blackwood smiles with practiced diplomacy, though something about it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "These are unusual times, Alpha Candidate Bennett. The traditional approach seems unnecessarily limiting given the current circumstances."We're back in the reception hall after the Skinwalker attack, the Silver Creek delegation having been kept in secure containment during the entire incident. Dad sits beside me, his presence both reassuring and tactically necessary—as acting Alpha, his authority supersedes mine in formal negotiations."And what specific terms would this oath entail?" Dad asks, his tone giving nothing away."Still to be determined through appropriate negotiation," Alpha Blackwood replies smoothly. "But focused on proper acknowledgment of the dishonor Dane caused my daughter, suitable reparatio
Liam "So much for maintaining human pretense. They no longer need it," Dane observes. "Which means they're done gathering intelligence and ready for direct engagement.""Engaging now," Finley confirms, and without further hesitation we move into a coordinated attack.I've been in plenty of fights before, but nothing like this. We move together like we've been training for years—Finley setting the foundation with direct central engagement, me somehow knowing exactly how to connect our movements, and Dane completing whatever strategy forms between us.The Skinwalkers are freaky-strong, bending in ways nothing should be able to bend, coordinating their attacks like they share a hive mind. But despite this, we're holding our own, maybe even winning.Then I notice their pattern—two targeting Finley at the front of our triangle, two focusing on Dane, and one specifically coming after me. They're trying to break our formation, targeting each position in the triad separately.They know what
Liam"Keep those positions tight," I call to the warriors lining the corridor outside the archives. "Silver verification at five-minute intervals. These things can look like anyone."The warriors nod, adjusting their formation with practiced efficiency. I've always been good at this part—the tactical coordination, the battlefield management—ever since Kaden made me his Beta. It's the personal stuff I keep screwing up.The alarm continues blaring, but there's something different about this attack. The Skinwalkers' movements are more coordinated, more deliberate than previous encounters. Less random aggression and more... purpose.I press the comm link. "Western defense, status report.""Multiple entities confirmed," Jackson reports, his voice tight with tension. "Seven, possibly more, approaching in formation from the northwestern perimeter. Using mimicry forms—three wearing Forest Trails colors.""Maintain distance," I instruct. "Silver verification protocols for anyone approaching th