Bound to the Triplet Alphas-Chapter 48: Blood of the Moon

ARIA POV

The bright light faded, leaving Darius frozen in place, his knife still at Elira’s throat. But something had changed. The air shimmered around us with silver energy.

"Now!" I shouted.

Kael and Jaxon moved like lightning. They grabbed Darius’s arms, pulling him away from Elira, who dropped to the floor gasping. Lucien rushed to her side.

"You fools!" Darius roared. His eyes glowed with strange red fire. "You have no idea what you’re dealing with!"

I ran to the altar where my mother’s spirit waited. I could feel her now, a warm presence just beyond reach.

"The ritual," I said quickly to Lucien. "We need to do it now."

Darius laughed, the sound echoing off the room walls. "You can’t break my curse. I’ve spent twenty years building it."

"The blood must be freely given," I remembered. "From all three sons and both daughters of the Moon Alpha line."

Elira stood shakily, her face pale but resolved. "I’ll help," she said, startling me. "He’s been controlling me with his magic for years. I want to be free."

"You’ll betray me?" Darius growled at her. "After all I promised you?"

"You promised me lies," Elira shot back. "You said I would be Luna to all three boys. You said I was special." She turned to me, tears in her eyes. "I’m sorry, Aria. I didn’t know what he was planning until it was too late."

Darius fought against Kael and Jaxon’s grip. "This chamber will collapse if the ritual fails," he threatened. "We’ll all die here!"

"We need to hurry," Mira urged, pointing to cracks forming in the walls. "The chamber is already unstable."

I turned to the altar where five small bowls sat in a circle. In the middle stood a crystal that pulsed with dim light.

"Each of us needs to give blood willingly," I explained, remembering the knowledge from the chalice. "The crystal will judge our hearts."

Lucien took a small knife from his belt. "I’m ready."

One by one, the triplets stepped forward. Each cut his palm, letting blood drip into a different bowl. The crystal flickered brighter with each drop.

"Your turn," I said to Elira.

She paused only a moment before taking the knife. "For freedom," she whispered, slicing her palm. Her blood joined the others.

When I cut my hand, the pain felt distant. My blood looked different from the others—it shimmered with tiny gold specks.

"Moon Alpha blood," Elira gasped. "Just like mine."

As my blood touched the final bowl, the crystal burst into bright light. The air filled with whispers in an old language I somehow understood.

"The curse’s origin," I translated. "We have to know how it began to break it."

A ghostly picture appeared above the altar—a young Darius performing a dark ritual in this same chamber.

"I see it now," Lucien said quietly. "He cursed his own sons before we were born."

"To ensure I could control you," Darius confirmed, no longer fighting. A chilling smile crossed his face. "One must die for the power to pass. That’s the price of Alpha strength."

"But why?" Kael demanded.

"Because I was weak!" Darius shouted. "My father was upset. I needed power. The Moon Goddess wouldn’t give it naturally, so I took it."

"And cursed your own sons," Jaxon said, disgusted.

"The blood ritual," I continued quickly. "We need to join hands around the altar."

The five of us formed a circle. As our bloody hands linked, energy crackled through us.

"Repeat after me," I said, the old words coming to me. "By blood freely given, by hearts joined in purpose, we break what was wrongly made."

Everyone repeated the words. The crystal pulsed faster.

"By the Moon Goddess’s light, we dispel the darkness of false power."

More cracks emerged in the walls. Dust fell from the roof.

"By the true bloodline of the Moon Alpha, we claim our rightful legacy."

The crystal began to spin, spraying light across the cave.

"Now!" I shouted. "Everyone focus on breaking the curse!"

I could feel the triplets through our bond—their drive, their hope. Even Elira’s energy joined ours, her real desire for redemption shining through.

The rock rose into the air, spinning faster. Light shot from it into each of our hearts.

"It’s working!" Mira cried.

Suddenly, Darius broke free with unexpected power. He lunged toward us, his hands glowing with dark magic.

"I will not be defeated!" he roared.

Before anyone could stop him, he grabbed the crystal.

Darkness burst from his touch, fighting against our light. The chamber shook strongly.

"He’s corrupting the ritual!" Lucien shouted.

"Hold on!" I urged everyone. "Don’t break the circle!"

The conflicting forces tore through the room. I felt like my body might split apart. Through our link, I could feel the triplets’ pain too.

"Aria!" Kael called. "The curse is fighting back!"

Darius began chanting in a dark language, his eyes totally black now. The crystal turned a dark purple.

"We’re losing!" Elira cried.

Then I felt another presence—warm, familiar. My mother’s spirit appeared beside the altar.

"Mom?" I whispered.

"The final piece," she said softly. "Blood of the original Alpha line."

Understanding filled me. "Everyone," I called above the chaos, "we need more power!"

"How?" Jaxon asked through gritted teeth.

"The bond," I said. "Our mate link. All three of you are connected to me. Let it flow!"

I closed my eyes and focused on the golden threads linking me to each brother. Not one true mate, but three different bonds, each unique, each strong.

The room groaned around us. Parts of the ceiling began to fall.

"Aria," my mother’s spirit whispered, "you must choose. The triple bond cannot live in harmony. It defies nature."

"No," I argued. "The Moon Goddess chose this path for us."

"Then prove it," she challenged. "Give up your blood a second time, willingly, knowing the cost."

I didn’t pause. I cut my hands deeper, letting more blood flow into my bowl. "I choose all of them."

The crystal flashed blindingly bright. Darius screamed as the dark energy rebounded on him. He fell to his knees, his face twisted in pain.

"The curse is breaking," Elira said in wonder.

I felt the chamber moving, the power building to an unbearable level.

Then everything went wrong.

The crystal cracked down the middle. Raw energy burst outward, throwing us all backward. Our group broke.

"NO!" I screamed.

As if in slow motion, I saw Darius crawling toward Elira, a knife in his hand.

"If I die," he growled, "I take a true Moon Alpha with me."

I lunged toward them, but I was too far away. Time seemed to stretch as the knife arced toward Elira’s heart.

Then a shadow moved—faster than should be possible.

Lucien threw himself between them.

The knife plunged into his chest.

"LUCIEN!" I screamed.

The chamber gave one final, powerful shake. The last thing I saw before darkness took me was the crystal shattering totally, releasing a wave of wild, uncontrolled magic.

And Lucien’s eyes, meeting mine, as the life drained from them.