Lahat ng Kabanata ng Bound by Blood, Fated to the Two Alphas : Kabanata 171 - Kabanata 180

ELARA'S POV "Look at the sky."Ronan's voice cut through our argument about Derek. I followed his gaze through the broken window.The moon was rising. But it wasn't normal.It was red.Blood red."A blood moon," I whispered.Kael frowned. "So what?"I felt it then. A pull. Deep in my chest. The baby in my arms shifted. His tiny heartbeat quickened."It's not just any blood moon," I said. "It's the one.""The one what?""From the prophecy."The ancient words came back to me. Words my grandmother had whispered when I was small.*When the moon bleeds red and the child of two worlds draws breath, the old powers will wake.*The baby's heartbeat synced with mine. Beat for beat. Like we shared the same heart."Elara," Kael said. "What's happening?"I didn't answer. Couldn't answer. The pull was getting stronger. The baby's eyes began to glow.Not the soft glow from before. This was different. Brighter. More intense."Something's coming," I said.Outside, the footsteps stopped. The voices we

RONAN'S POV "I can't leave."I said it to the empty forest. My voice echoed back.Twenty yards from camp and my chest felt tight. Thirty yards and it hurt.Forty yards and I couldn't breathe.What the hell was wrong with me?I tried walking north again. Same thing happened.Pain. Sharp and sudden. Like someone stabbing me in the heart.I turned around. Walked back toward the cave.The pain stopped immediately."Shit," I muttered.This wasn't normal. Even for us.I'd been bonded to Kael and Elara for days now. But this was new.This pulling feeling. This need to stay close.Like an invisible chain around my neck.I tested it again. Walked east this time.Ten steps. Fine.Twenty steps. Still okay.Thirty steps. There it was. The pain.Forty steps. I doubled over. Couldn't catch my breath.Fifty steps. I fell to my knees.Whatever was happening, it was getting worse.I stumbled back to camp. Kael was by the fire."Find anything?" he asked."No," I lied. "All clear."But it wasn't clear.

KAEL’S POVSomething's wrong.I can feel it. In my bones. In the way wind moves.Birds stopped singing an hour ago. That's never good."Stay close," I tell Elara and Ronan.We're walking through a mountain pass. Should be safe here. But nothing feels safe anymore.Not since the Gate opened. Not since that shadow thing tried to kill us.I killed it though. I watched it die. Saw black blood pool on the ground.So why do I smell death?"Kael." Elara touches my arm. "What is it?""Don't know yet."I look at the ridge above us. Trees look normal. Rocks look normal.But something's watching. I know it."Maybe we should rest," Ronan says. "Find shelter.""Not yet."I need to check something first. This bad feeling won't go away."You two keep walking. Stay on path.""Where are you going?" Elara asks."To look around.""I'm coming.""No.""Kael—""I said no."She gets that look. The stubborn one. Means she's gonna argue."If there's danger, we face it together.""If there's danger, I face it

ELARA'S POV I'm dreaming.But not dreaming. Something else.I'm standing in a place made of silver light. Everything glows. Ground. Sky. Air itself.This ain't normal sleep."Elara."Voice comes from everywhere. Soft but powerful. Like wind through trees.I turn around. See nothing."Who's there?""You know who I am, child."Light gets brighter. It forms into the shape of a woman.She's beautiful. More beautiful than anything I have ever seen. Silver hair flows like water. Eyes like a full moon.But she's scary too. Power radiates from her like heat from fire."Moon Goddess," I whisper."Yes."She moves closer. Don't walk. Just glides across silver ground."Why am I here?""Because you have a choice to make.""What choice?""You know what choice."I do know. Been avoiding it for days.Kael or Ronan. Love or friendship. Heart or duty."I don't want to choose.""Want has nothing to do with it."She waves hand. Silver light swirls around us. Shows me images.First image: Kael fighting s

KAEL'S POVThe ground starts shaking under our feet.Not normal shaking. This is different. Wrong."What's that?" Elara asks."Earthquake maybe," Kael says.But I know it ain't no earthquake. Feels like something waking up. Something big.We are still in the cave where we found the prophecy. Been resting here. Planning my next move.Baby's sleeping in Elara's arms. Little things don't know how much danger we are all in.Shaking gets worse. Rocks fall from the ceiling."We need to get out," I say."Yeah. Let's—"The floor splits open right in front of us.Cracks run from wall to wall. Deep. Really deep.And there's light coming from the bottom. Red light. Like fire. But not fire.Something else."What is that?" Elara backs away from the crack."Don't know. Don't want to know."Light gets brighter. Hotter. I can feel the heat on my face.Like looking into a furnace. Or into hell."Move. Everyone moves."We start backing toward the cave mouth. But crack keeps spreading.Follow us. Like i