Bound to the Triplet Alphas-Chapter 87: Darkness Rising

ARIA POV

"Everyone get down!" I screamed as another wave of dark energy blasted through the trees. The forest around us shook, trees splitting and falling like matchsticks.

I dove behind a rock, hands protecting my pregnant belly as the ground trembled beneath me. Dirt and leaves rained down as the wave passed over us.

Three days had passed since the First Enemy escaped in Jaxon’s body. Three days of tracking him through the territory, watching helplessly as he got stronger.

"He’s getting closer to the pack lands," Kael said, crawling to my side. Blood trickled from a cut on his face. "We can’t let him reach the pack house."

My heart felt like it was being torn in two. Part of me still saw Jaxon when I looked at the monster he’d become. The other part knew we were running out of time.

"Did you see that?" Lucien whispered, pointing through the trees.

I peeked over the rock. In the distance, Jaxon—or what used to be Jaxon—floated above the ground. His skin glowed with that strange blue light, and darkness swirled around him like a storm cloud.

"What is he doing?" I asked.

As if hearing my question, Jaxon’s head turned toward us. Those black eyes seemed to stare right into my soul. Even from this distance, I could feel the cold hate radiating from him.

He raised his hand, and the ground beneath our boulder began to crack.

"Run!" Kael shouted, grabbing my arm.

We sprinted through the trees as the ground split open behind us. Trees fell, roots tearing from the dirt. The sound was thunderous.

"He’s playing with us," Lucien said as we reached a small pond. "He could kill us if he wanted to."

"No," I said, catching my breath. "Jaxon is still in there somewhere. He’s fighting back."

Kael looked uncertain. "Aria, you need to accept that Jaxon might be gone. That thing inside him is getting stronger every day."

I shook my head stubbornly. "I felt him through our bond. It’s weak, but it’s still there."

"We need to warn the pack," Lucien said. "If that thing reaches the pack house, there will be a massacre."

As we turned to leave, a cold voice spoke from behind us.

"Going somewhere?"

We spun around. Jaxon stood on the other side of the creek, but he wasn’t touching the ground. He hovered a few inches above the water, which boiled and steamed beneath him.

"Jaxon," I said, stepping forward despite Kael’s attempt to hold me back. "I know you’re in there. Fight it."

The thing wearing Jaxon’s face smiled. "Your mate is getting weaker by the hour, Luna. Soon there won’t be anything left of him."

"I don’t believe you," I said strongly. "Jaxon is stronger than you think."

The thing laughed, and the sound sent chills down my spine. "Would you like to see what he’s become? What we’ve become together?"

Before any of us could move, Jaxon’s body began to change. But this wasn’t a normal werewolf shift. His skin turned to a deep gray, and his muscles grew, ripping through his clothes. His face elongated into something between dog and man, but wrong somehow. His teeth lengthened into razor-sharp fangs, and his hands became hooked weapons.

When the transformation ended, what stood before us wasn’t a werewolf. It was something else—something ancient and frightening.

"The First Wolf," Lucien whispered in horror. "The legends were true."

The creature howled, and the sound shook the trees. Birds took flight, and small animals fled in terror.

"Run," Kael said quietly. "Back to the pack. Now."

We turned and ran as fast as we could. Behind us, the monster that had been Jaxon let out another howl—this one sounded almost like laughing.

"It’s not possible," Elder Malin said, shaking his head. "The First Wolf was destroyed centuries ago."

We had met in the pack house’s war room. Maps of our region covered the table, and warriors prepared weapons around us.

"Well, it’s back," Kael said sadly. "And it’s using Jaxon’s body."

I sat quietly, one hand on my belly, the other holding the small stone carving we’d found at the shrine months ago. The drawing that had started all this.

"The Shadow Division must have extracted DNA from this," I said, holding up the stone. "Combined it with Jaxon’s DNA. Created something they couldn’t control."

"And now it’s coming for us," Elder Malin said, his old face grim. "The First Wolf was an enemy of the Moon Goddess. It sought to destroy all her children—all werewolves."

"Can it be stopped?" Lucien asked.

Elder Malin paused. "The ancient books speak of a weapon forged from moonstone and silver. But it was lost long ago."

"I know where it is," Emma said suddenly. Everyone turned to look at her. "The Shadow Division has it. It’s in their safe."

Hope flared in my chest. "Then we get it."

"It’s not that simple," Emma warned. "The facility is locked down. Security is tripled since our break-in."

"I don’t care," I said, standing up. "If that weapon can save Jaxon, I’m going after it."

Kael frowned. "You’re pregnant, Aria. You can’t risk yourself or the kids."

"I won’t sit here and wait for that thing to kill everyone I love," I protested. "Jaxon needs me."

The room fell silent. I could see the doubt in their eyes. They thought Jaxon was already gone.

"I felt him," I insisted. "Through our link. He’s still fighting."

Elder Malin studied me carefully. "The Luna bond is strong. If anyone can reach him, it would be you."

"Then it’s settled," I said. "We go back to the building. We get the weapon."

A loud crash interrupted our plans. The ground shook, and dust fell from the roof.

"He’s here," Lucien said, running to the window.

Outside, pack warriors were already shifting, making a defensive line. But they looked tiny compared to the huge creature stalking toward them. Jaxon—the First Wolf—towered over them, darkness whirling around his monstrous form.

With one swipe of his clawed hand, he sent five fighters flying. They hit the ground hard and didn’t get up.

"Get the pups to the safe room," Kael directed. "Everyone else, prepare to fight."

But I wasn’t looking. I was staring at the First Wolf, trying hard to feel Jaxon through our bond.

Jaxon, I called quietly. Please. Come back to me.

For just a moment, the thing paused. Its black eyes seemed to flicker.

"He heard me," I whispered. "He’s still in there."

Taking advantage of the moment’s hesitation, our warriors struck from all sides. But their claws and fangs barely scratched the First Wolf’s tough hide.

The creature roared in anger, and darkness burst outward. Warriors were thrown back like rag dolls. The ground cracked. Windows smashed.

"I need to get closer," I said, moving toward the door.

"Aria, no!" Lucien tried to stop me, but I was already running.

Outside, chaos ruled. The First Wolf smashed through our barriers like they were nothing. Bodies lay everywhere—some moving, many still.

"Jaxon!" I yelled, standing in the open where he could see me.

The huge creature turned toward my voice. Those black eyes locked onto mine.

"I know you’re in there," I said, taking a step closer. "Fight it, Jaxon. For me. For our pack."

The First Wolf growled, but didn’t attack. It seemed confused.

I took another step forward, my hand raised. "Remember who you are. Remember us."

For a heartbeat, I thought I saw recognition in those terrible eyes. Then the First Wolf threw back its head and howled in pain or rage, I couldn’t tell which.

When it looked at me again, something had changed. The black eyes had tiny bits of blue in them—Jaxon’s eyes.

"A-Aria?" The voice was distorted, barely identifiable, but it was him.

"Jaxon!" Hope raced through me.

"Run," he growled, his body shaking as if two beings fought for control. "Can’t hold it back... much longer..."

"I won’t leave you," I said, still moving closer.

"You must," he growled, backing away. "It wants..." He doubled over in pain. "It wants the kids. Your kids. Their power."

Ice filled my blood. "What?"

"Ancient bloodline," Jaxon gasped, fighting for each word. "Moon Goddess... in your blood. In theirs. It needs their power... to finish the transformation."

The First Wolf’s body convulsed furiously. The blue flecks in its eyes were disappearing.

"Find the weapon," Jaxon said, his voice getting fainter. "Silver blade... with moonstone. Only way to..."

His words cut off as the thing roared, darkness swirling faster around it. When it looked at me again, the blue was gone. Only blackness remained.

The First Wolf smiled, showing hundreds of razor-sharp teeth. "Thank you for that information, Luna," it said in that terrible voice. "Now I know exactly what I need."

It lunged toward me, claws extended. I couldn’t move, couldn’t run.

Then something slammed into me from the side, knocking me out of the way. Kael rolled with me to safety as the First Wolf’s claws slashed the empty air where I had stood.

"The babies," I gasped. "It wants our babies."