Bound to the Triplet Alphas-Chapter 144: The Shapeshifter’s Dilemma

ZARA POV

The blast knocked me off my feet.

I hit the ground hard, my ears ringing as chunks of rock fell around me. Through the smoke and dust, I could hear screaming. Our sanctuary—the one place we thought was safe—was under attack.

"Zara!" My little sister Kira’s voice cut through the noise. "Help me!"

I pushed myself up, ignoring the pain in my ribs. Kira was stuck under a fallen beam, her face pale with fear. Without thinking, I changed into my bear form and lifted the heavy wood off her.

"Are you hurt?" I asked, changing back to human form.

"I’m okay," she said, but I could see blood on her arm. "But Zara, they found us. The Shadow Lords found our home."

My stomach dropped. For three hundred years, our shapeshifter refuge had stayed hidden. We didn’t take sides in the war between the magical races. We just wanted to live in peace.

But peace was over now.

"Where’s Mom?" I asked, helping Kira to her feet.

"She’s with the Council," Kira said. "They’re trying to decide what to do."

Another blast shook the ground. This one was closer.

"We need to get you somewhere safe," I said, but Kira grabbed my arm.

"No, Zara. I’m coming with you. We stick together, remember?"

She was right. It was the promise we’d made when our dad died five years ago. No matter what happened, we would never leave each other.

"Okay," I said. "But stay close."

We ran through the tunnels of our underground city. Everywhere I looked, I saw my people running and screaming. Children crying for their parents. Elders too old to move quickly.

This was my fault.

Three days ago, a wounded werewolf had stumbled into our area. He was badly hurt and asking for help. I knew I should have turned him away—that’s what our rules said. But I couldn’t just let him die.

Now I wondered if he had led the Shadow Lords right to us.

"Zara!"

I turned to see Marcus, one of our spies, running toward us. His face was covered in dirt and blood.

"The main entrance is blocked," he said, breathing hard. "Shadow Lords everywhere. But that’s not the worst part."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"They’re not just attacking us," Marcus said. "They’re moving us toward the old mines. Like they want to trap us all in one place."

My blood went cold. The old mines were a dead end. If the Shadow Lords got us all in there, we’d be sitting ducks.

"How many of them are there?" I asked.

"At least fifty," Marcus said. "Maybe more. They have some kind of boss with them. A woman with silver hair who’s giving orders."

I felt Kira tense beside me. We both knew who that had to be.

"Lady Vex," I whispered.

Everyone in the magical world knew about Lady Vex. She was the Shadow Lords’ most dangerous leader. The one who had killed entire vampire clans and werewolf packs.

If she was here, this wasn’t just a random crime. This was planned.

"We need to find Mom," I said. "Where’s the Council meeting?"

"The Great Hall," Marcus said. "But Zara, you can’t go there. It’s too dangerous."

"My mom is there," I said firmly. "I’m going."

Marcus looked like he wanted to argue, but another blast cut him off. This time, the lights went out.

In the darkness, I heard Kira whimper. I reached for her hand and squeezed it.

"I’m scared," she whispered.

"I know," I said. "But we’re going to get through this. I promise."

I just hoped I could keep that promise.

We felt our way through the dark tunnels, following the sound of voices. When we reached the Great Hall, I could see flickering light from inside. The Council was still meeting.

I pushed open the heavy doors and saw my mother standing in the middle of a circle of our elders. She looked up when we entered, and I saw relief flash across her face.

"Zara, thank the spirits you’re safe," she said, running over to hug us both.

"Mom, we need to evacuate everyone," I said. "The Shadow Lords are herding us toward the mines."

"I know," she said sadly. "We’ve been discussing our options."

"What options?" I asked. "We have to run."

"It’s not that simple," said Elder Thorne, our oldest Council member. "The Shadow Lords have given us an ultimatum."

I felt my heart skip a beat. "What kind of ultimatum?"

My mother’s face was grim. "They want us to choose a side in the war. Join them, or be destroyed."

"That’s no choice at all," I said.

"Actually," said Elder Thorne slowly, "there might be a third choice. But it would take a great sacrifice from one of us."

I didn’t like the way he was looking at me when he said that.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The Shadow Lords are looking for something," my mother said. "Or rather, someone. They believe one of us has information about the site of the werewolf stronghold."

My mouth went dry. "Do we?"

"No," my mother said. "But they don’t know that. They’re willing to spare our people if we give them a volunteer. Someone to take back to their fortress for questioning."

I understood immediately. "A volunteer who would never come back."

"Zara, no," Kira said, grabbing my arm. "You can’t be thinking about this."

But I was thinking about it. I was thinking about all the children hiding in the caves. All the families who just wanted to live in peace.

"How long do we have to decide?" I asked.

"They’re giving us until dawn," Elder Thorne said. "After that, they attack with full force."

I looked around the room at all the worried faces. These people had raised me. They’d taken care of Kira and me when we had nowhere else to go.

How could I let them all die? "I’ll do it," I said quietly.

"No!" Kira shouted. "Zara, you promised we’d stick together!"

"This is the only way to save everyone," I said, trying to keep my voice calm.

"There has to be another way," my mother said desperately.

But before anyone could argue further, we heard heavy footsteps in the hallway outside. The doors burst open, and Shadow Lords poured into the room.

At their head was Lady Vex herself. She was smaller than I’d expected, but her presence filled the room like a dark cloud.

"Time’s up," she said with a cold smile. "Have you made your decision?"

I stepped forward, my heart beating. "I’ll come with you."

"Zara, don’t!" Kira screamed.

But Lady Vex raised her hand, and my sister’s voice was cut off. Magic. Kira was frozen in place, her eyes wide with fear.

"Interesting," Lady Vex said, studying me. "You’re ready to sacrifice yourself for these people. How noble."

"Just let them go," I said. "I’m what you want."

Lady Vex laughed. "Oh, child. You have no idea what I want."

She stepped closer, and I smelled something strange. Something familiar.

"You see," Lady Vex added, "I didn’t come here for information about werewolf strongholds. I came here for you especially, Zara."

My blood turned to ice. "What?"

"Did you really think your father died in an accident five years ago?" Lady Vex asked with a wicked smile. "He was working for me. And now, it’s time for you to finish what he started."

The world seemed to spin around me. My father, working for the Shadow Lords? It was impossible.

"You’re lying," I whispered.

"Am I?" Lady Vex pulled out a small device and pushed a button. My father’s voice filled the room.

"The shapeshifter sanctuary is hidden beneath the Whispering Mountains. My daughter Zara has the key to access the old magic stored there. When the time comes, she will bring it to you."

I felt like I was going to be sick. My father’s voice. Giving away our spot. Betraying us all.

And somehow, I was meant to have some kind of key to ancient magic? I didn’t even know what that meant.

"Now," Lady Vex said, "you’re going to come with me freely. Or I’ll kill everyone you love, starting with your sister."

I looked at Kira, still frozen by magic, tears running down her face. I looked at my mother, who was staring at me with a mixture of love and fear.

"I don’t understand," I said desperately. "I don’t have any key. I don’t know anything about old magic."

"You will," Lady Vex said. "Trust me."

She pointed, and two Shadow Lords stepped forward to grab my arms.

"Wait," I said. "I need to know one thing. Is my father still alive?"

Lady Vex’s smile got wider and more terrible.

"Oh yes," she said. "He’s been waiting for you."

JAXON POV

The fire burst out of my hands before I could stop it.

The training dummy burst into flames, then the wooden fence behind it, then the grass beneath my feet. I stumbled backward, watching in fear as the fire spread faster than I could think. frёewebηovel.cѳm

"No, no, no!" I shouted, trying to call the fires back somehow. But they just kept growing.

That’s when I heard the scream.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel