Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Brothers DividedElara had trouble sleeping. The words of Alpha Marcus kept

    playing over and over in her mind: the prophecy calls for her

    blood to be spilled freely. Dawn wasn’t coming for hours, but she

    needed to find Luna Evelyn right away. It was quiet in the west

    wing as Elara crept through the dark halls. She jumped at every

    sound. The old nursery door was slightly open, and there was a

    dim light inside. "Luna Evelyn?" Elara whispered, pushing the

    door. There was no one in the room. There were toys all over

    the floor. Three small beds that were once used by the triplets

    were strewn around in the corner. "She’s not coming." Elara

    spun around. In the dark, Darian stood in the doorway, his silver

    eyes shining. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Saving

    your life." He stepped closer. "My mother was caught trying to

    leave you a message. Father has her locked away." Fear gripped

    Elara’s chest. "Is she okay?" "For now." Darian looked at the

    hallway. "But we don’t have much time. The second trial begins

    at noon tomorrow." "The hunt," Elara remembered. Darian

    nodded. "It’s not just any hunt. You’re the prey." The blood

    drained from Elara’s face. "What?" "Father changed the rules.

    Whoever catches you first wins." His eyes darkened. "But that’s

    not all he wants." "The prophecy," Elara whispered. "What is

    it?" Darian pulled an old, worn paper from his pocket. "This

    belonged to my mother. It speaks of an omega who isn’t an

    omega—a Luna born with the power to break the curse that’s

    plagued our pack for generations." Elara studied the faded

    writing. Her hands trembled as she read: When three wolves

    share one mate, only blood freely given will break the chain. One

    will love her, one will leave her, one will take her to her doom.

    "That’s why your father wants me here," she realized. "He needs

    my blood." "Yes, but—" Darian tensed suddenly. "Someone’s

    coming." Footsteps echoed down the hall. Darian grabbed

    Elara’s hand and pulled her behind a large closet. They pressed

    together in the tight space, barely breathing. The nursery door

    swung open. Kael walked in, followed by Celeste. "This better

    be important," Kael growled. "I need rest before tomorrow’s

    trial." Celeste smiled sweetly. "Just wanted to be sure we’re still

    on the same page, Alpha-to-be." "I told you I’d refuse the bond. sea??h thё Novёl?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    An omega can’t lead this pack." "And if Ronan wins?" Celeste

    pressed. Kael’s jaw clenched. "He won’t." From their hidden

    spot, Elara could see Darian’s face harden at his brother’s words.

    "Good," Celeste purred, moving closer to Kael. "Because once

    you’re Alpha, we can finally be together. Just as we planned."

    Kael didn’t push her away when she kissed him. Elara felt a

    strange ache in her chest—not jealousy, but sadness. "Just

    make sure you win tomorrow," Celeste whispered before leaving.

    After Kael left, Darian and Elara emerged from hiding. "Well,"

    Darian said dryly, "now you know where my big brother stands."

    "And Ronan?" Elara asked, hating how much she cared about

    the answer. "Ronan’s feelings are real." Darian’s voice held

    a feeling Elara couldn’t name. "He’s been searching for you all night." "And what about you?" Elara dared to ask. "Where

    do you stand?" Darian’s eyes met hers. "I’m still deciding."

    Before she could ask him further, shouts erupted from outside.

    They ran to the window. In the open below, Ronan faced off

    against three pack guards. "What’s he doing?" Elara gasped.

    "Being Ronan," Darian sighed. "Come on." They ran downstairs

    and burst outside just as Ronan knocked down the last guard.

    "Ronan!" Elara called. He turned, relief filling his face. "Elara.

    I’ve been looking everywhere." "What happened?" Darian

    demanded. "Father changed the hunt," Ronan growled. "He

    wants us to hunt her." "I know," Darian said quietly. "I told

    her." Ronan’s eyes narrowed. "And why would you do that,

    brother? Planning to win yourself?" "Stop it," Elara stepped

    between them. "We need to focus. Your father wants my blood

    for some prophecy." "The Luna Prophecy," Ronan nodded.

    "Mother told me parts of it years ago. I never thought..." He

    trailed off, looking at Elara with new understanding. A slow clap

    stopped them. Kael emerged from the shadows, his face cold.

    "Secret meeting without me?" he asked. "How touching." "Just

    telling the truth," Ronan snapped. "Something you wouldn’t

    understand." Kael’s eyes flashed dangerously. "The truth? The

    truth is one of us will be Alpha. The rest will submit." "And

    Elara?" Darian asked quietly. "What about her?" Kael glanced

    at her, something like regret crossing his face before hardening

    again. "She’s part of the prize." "She’s not a prize!" Ronan

    lunged at his brother. The two crashed to the ground, Ronan’s

    fist meeting with Kael’s jaw. Kael flipped him over, holding him

    down. Their barks filled the night air. "Stop!" Elara shouted.

    "This is exactly what your father wants!" Darian pulled them

    apart with surprising power. "She’s right. We’re playing into

    his hands." The brothers looked at each other, breathing hard.

    "The hunt starts at noon," Kael said finally. "Father will expect

    us all there." "I won’t hunt her," Ronan vowed. "Then you’ll

    lose," Kael answered coldly. "And she’ll belong to whoever

    wins." "I don’t belong to anyone," Elara snapped. Kael studied

    her, something shifting in his eyes. "You’re braver than I gave

    you credit for, omega." "My name is Elara." The corner of his

    mouth twitched—almost a smile. "Elara, then." A howl cut

    through the night. Alpha Marcus was calling the pack. "He

    knows we’re missing," Darian warned. Kael fixed his clothes.

    "We need a plan." "Since when do you care?" Ronan chal-lenged. "Since I realized Father is using all of us." Kael’s voice

    hardened. "Even Celeste." Darian raised an eyebrow. "Your

    girlfriend won’t like that." "She’s not my—" Kael stopped,

    shaking his head. "That doesn’t matter now." Another scream,

    closer this time. "We need to split up," Darian decided. "I’ll

    make a distraction. Ronan, take Elara to the east border cave.

    Kael—" "I’ll handle Father," Kael ended. Ronan looked un-certain. "Can we trust you?" For a moment, the mask slipped

    from Kael’s face, showing the weight he carried. "I don’t know.

    But I won’t let him hurt her." Elara felt the mate bond pulse

    at his words. Darian nodded once before fleeing into the trees.

    Ronan took Elara’s hand, his touch warm and safe. "Be careful,"

    Kael said, his eyes meeting Elara’s one last time. As he walked

    away, Elara called after him. "Why did you reject me? The real

    reason." Kael paused. "Because I saw how you looked at Ronan."

    Before she could reply, he was gone. Ronan squeezed her hand.

    "Come on. We don’t have much time." As they ran toward the

    forest, Elara looked back at the pack house one last time. In an

    upstairs window, she caught a glimpse of Tobias watching them

    run. He wasn’t alone. Beside him stood Luna Evelyn, her face

    streaked with tears as she mouthed a single word: Run. Behind them, barely visible in the shadows, stood Alpha Marcus, his

    cruel smile obvious even from a distance. The hunt had already

    started.Elara had trouble sleeping. The words of Alpha Marcus kept

    playing over and over in her mind: the prophecy calls for her

    blood to be spilled freely. Dawn wasn’t coming for hours, but she

    needed to find Luna Evelyn right away. It was quiet in the west

    wing as Elara crept through the dark halls. She jumped at every

    sound. The old nursery door was slightly open, and there was a

    dim light inside. "Luna Evelyn?" Elara whispered, pushing the

    door. There was no one in the room. There were toys all over

    the floor. Three small beds that were once used by the triplets

    were strewn around in the corner. "She’s not coming." Elara

    spun around. In the dark, Darian stood in the doorway, his silver

    eyes shining. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Saving

    your life." He stepped closer. "My mother was caught trying to

    leave you a message. Father has her locked away." Fear gripped

    Elara’s chest. "Is she okay?" "For now." Darian looked at the

    hallway. "But we don’t have much time. The second trial begins

    at noon tomorrow." "The hunt," Elara remembered. Darian

    nodded. "It’s not just any hunt. You’re the prey." The blood

    drained from Elara’s face. "What?" "Father changed the rules.

    Whoever catches you first wins." His eyes darkened. "But that’s

    not all he wants." "The prophecy," Elara whispered. "What is

    it?" Darian pulled an old, worn paper from his pocket. "This

    belonged to my mother. It speaks of an omega who isn’t an

    omega—a Luna born with the power to break the curse that’s

    plagued our pack for generations." Elara studied the faded

    writing. Her hands trembled as she read: When three wolves

    share one mate, only blood freely given will break the chain. One

    will love her, one will leave her, one will take her to her doom.

    "That’s why your father wants me here," she realized. "He needs

    my blood." "Yes, but—" Darian tensed suddenly. "Someone’s

    coming." Footsteps echoed down the hall. Darian grabbed

    Elara’s hand and pulled her behind a large closet. They pressed

    together in the tight space, barely breathing. The nursery door

    swung open. Kael walked in, followed by Celeste. "This better

    be important," Kael growled. "I need rest before tomorrow’s

    trial." Celeste smiled sweetly. "Just wanted to be sure we’re still

    on the same page, Alpha-to-be." "I told you I’d refuse the bond.

    An omega can’t lead this pack." "And if Ronan wins?" Celeste

    pressed. Kael’s jaw clenched. "He won’t." From their hidden

    spot, Elara could see Darian’s face harden at his brother’s words.

    "Good," Celeste purred, moving closer to Kael. "Because once

    you’re Alpha, we can finally be together. Just as we planned."

    Kael didn’t push her away when she kissed him. Elara felt a

    strange ache in her chest—not jealousy, but sadness. "Just

    make sure you win tomorrow," Celeste whispered before leaving.

    After Kael left, Darian and Elara emerged from hiding. "Well,"

    Darian said dryly, "now you know where my big brother stands."

    "And Ronan?" Elara asked, hating how much she cared about

    the answer. "Ronan’s feelings are real." Darian’s voice held

    a feeling Elara couldn’t name. "He’s been searching for you all night." "And what about you?" Elara dared to ask. "Where

    do you stand?" Darian’s eyes met hers. "I’m still deciding."

    Before she could ask him further, shouts erupted from outside.

    They ran to the window. In the open below, Ronan faced off

    against three pack guards. "What’s he doing?" Elara gasped.

    "Being Ronan," Darian sighed. "Come on." They ran downstairs

    and burst outside just as Ronan knocked down the last guard.

    "Ronan!" Elara called. He turned, relief filling his face. "Elara.

    I’ve been looking everywhere." "What happened?" Darian

    demanded. "Father changed the hunt," Ronan growled. "He

    wants us to hunt her." "I know," Darian said quietly. "I told

    her." Ronan’s eyes narrowed. "And why would you do that,

    brother? Planning to win yourself?" "Stop it," Elara stepped

    between them. "We need to focus. Your father wants my blood

    for some prophecy." "The Luna Prophecy," Ronan nodded.

    "Mother told me parts of it years ago. I never thought..." He

    trailed off, looking at Elara with new understanding. A slow clap

    stopped them. Kael emerged from the shadows, his face cold.

    "Secret meeting without me?" he asked. "How touching." "Just

    telling the truth," Ronan snapped. "Something you wouldn’t

    understand." Kael’s eyes flashed dangerously. "The truth? The

    truth is one of us will be Alpha. The rest will submit." "And

    Elara?" Darian asked quietly. "What about her?" Kael glanced

    at her, something like regret crossing his face before hardening

    again. "She’s part of the prize." "She’s not a prize!" Ronan

    lunged at his brother. The two crashed to the ground, Ronan’s

    fist meeting with Kael’s jaw. Kael flipped him over, holding him

    down. Their barks filled the night air. "Stop!" Elara shouted.

    "This is exactly what your father wants!" Darian pulled them

    apart with surprising power. "She’s right. We’re playing into

    his hands." The brothers looked at each other, breathing hard.

    "The hunt starts at noon," Kael said finally. "Father will expect

    us all there." "I won’t hunt her," Ronan vowed. "Then you’ll

    lose," Kael answered coldly. "And she’ll belong to whoever

    wins." "I don’t belong to anyone," Elara snapped. Kael studied

    her, something shifting in his eyes. "You’re braver than I gave

    you credit for, omega." "My name is Elara." The corner of his

    mouth twitched—almost a smile. "Elara, then." A howl cut

    through the night. Alpha Marcus was calling the pack. "He

    knows we’re missing," Darian warned. Kael fixed his clothes.

    "We need a plan." "Since when do you care?" Ronan chal-lenged. "Since I realized Father is using all of us." Kael’s voice

    hardened. "Even Celeste." Darian raised an eyebrow. "Your

    girlfriend won’t like that." "She’s not my—" Kael stopped,

    shaking his head. "That doesn’t matter now." Another scream,

    closer this time. "We need to split up," Darian decided. "I’ll

    make a distraction. Ronan, take Elara to the east border cave.

    Kael—" "I’ll handle Father," Kael ended. Ronan looked un-certain. "Can we trust you?" For a moment, the mask slipped

    from Kael’s face, showing the weight he carried. "I don’t know.

    But I won’t let him hurt her." Elara felt the mate bond pulse

    at his words. Darian nodded once before fleeing into the trees.

    Ronan took Elara’s hand, his touch warm and safe. "Be careful,"

    Kael said, his eyes meeting Elara’s one last time. As he walked

    away, Elara called after him. "Why did you reject me? The real

    reason." Kael paused. "Because I saw how you looked at Ronan."

    Before she could reply, he was gone. Ronan squeezed her hand.

    "Come on. We don’t have much time." As they ran toward the

    forest, Elara looked back at the pack house one last time. In an

    upstairs window, she caught a glimpse of Tobias watching them

    run. He wasn’t alone. Beside him stood Luna Evelyn, her face

    streaked with tears as she mouthed a single word: Run. Behind them, barely visible in the shadows, stood Alpha Marcus, his

    cruel smile obvious even from a distance. The hunt had already started.