Trap of the King Alpha Triplet
Chapter 45 Emily in Wonderland

Emily's POV,

The early morning sun filtered through the ornate stained-glass windows of the training room, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the polished marble floor. I stood in the center of the room, my eyes closed, focusing on the magical energy thrumming through my veins. It felt like liquid moonlight, cool and silvery, just waiting to be shaped by my will.

"Now, Emily," Professor Hendrix said, who is my new teacher that Queen and King invited him here especially for me. His melodious voice cut through my concentration. "I want you to visualize a shield. See it in your mind's eye - strong, impenetrable, glowing with protective energy."

I took a deep breath, picturing the shield as he described. In my mind, it shimmered like mother-of-pearl, iridescent and beautiful.

"Good," Hendrix continued. "Now, project that shield outward. Make it real."

I felt the magic surge within me, responding to my intent. With a gesture that was becoming more natural by the day, I pushed the energy out from my core. There was a subtle shift in the air, a ripple of power that made the hairs on my arms stand on end.

"Excellent! Now open your eyes, Emily."

I did as she instructed, gasping at what I saw. Surrounding me was a dome of shimmering energy, just like the one I had imagined. It pulsed gently, responding to my breathing.

"Holy crap," I breathed, reaching out to touch the shield. It felt solid under my fingertips, despite its ethereal appearance. "I did that?"

Hendrix nodded, her silver hair catching the light as she moved. "You did indeed. Your progress is remarkable, Emily. In just a few days, you've mastered techniques that take most magical beings months to learn."

I felt a rush of pride at her words, followed quickly by a pang of longing. I wished the triplets were here to see this. They'd probably have some ridiculous comment about using the shield for impromptu hamster balls or something equally absurd.

"You should not be distracted. "Hendrix said.

I shook my head, "I just... think about the Triplets. It's weird not having them around, you know? They're usually so... present."

Hendrix chuckled. "Ah, young love. It's a powerful thing, especially when amplified by a mate bond. But remember, Emily, it's important to develop your own strength, your own identity. The boys can't always be there to protect you." I bristled slightly at that. "I don't need them to protect me. I can take care of myself."

"Of course you can," Hendrix said smoothly. "That's not what I meant. I simply think it's good for you to have this time to focus on your training, without distractions."

Something about his tone made me uneasy, but I pushed the feeling aside. He was probably right. I did need to focus on controlling my powers. The incident with Prince Alaric's eyebrows was proof enough of that.

Speaking of the prince...

"Emily!" Alaric's voice rang out as he entered the training room. "I heard you were making excellent progress. I came see for myself."

I turned to greet him, noticing with relief that his eyebrows had fully grown back. Thank the Moon Goddess for accelerated werewolf healing.

"Hey, Alaric," I said, offering a small smile. "Yeah, it's going well. I can make shields now, apparently."

His eyes lit up with genuine enthusiasm. "Fascinating! I'd love to see a demonstration sometime. Perhaps over dinner? I know this charming little restaurant in the heart of Lunaris that serves the most divine moonberry tarts."

I felt my cheeks heat up at the invitation. "Oh, um, that's really nice of you, but I should probably stick to training. You know, gotta stay focused and all that."

Alaric's face fell slightly, but he quickly recovered. "Of course, of course. Your dedication is admirable. Oh, that reminds me - I ran into Celeste earlier. She mentioned she was taking the triplets on a tour of the city. Isn't that nice of her?" I felt my stomach drop. The triplets were out with Celeste? And they hadn't even told me?

"That's... great," I managed, trying to keep my voice neutral. "I'm sure they'll have a good time."

Alaric nodded, seemingly oblivious to my discomfort. "Indeed. Well, since your usual companions are otherwise occupied, perhaps you'd like to join me for a run in the forest later? It's a beautiful day, and the fresh air would do you good after all this indoor training."

I opened my mouth to remind him that my wolf was still silent, but something stopped me. Maybe it was the eager look in his eyes, or the slight pang of jealousy I felt at the thought of the triplets gallivanting around the city with Celeste. Whatever it was, I found myself hesitating.

"That's really nice of you to offer, Alaric," I said carefully. "But I think I'll pass. I've got some, uh, research I want to do later. Rain check?"

He nodded, looking disappointed but not surprised. "Of course. Another time, perhaps. Well, I'll leave you to your training. Keep up the excellent work, Emily."

As he left, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in my gut. Something felt off, but I couldn't put my finger on what.

The rest of the training session passed in a blur of magical exercises and Hendrix's constant stream of praise and encouragement. By the time we finished, I was exhausted but exhilarated. I'd never felt so in tune with my powers before. As I made my way back to my room, my thoughts drifted to the triplets. Were they really out with Celeste? And if so, why hadn't they told me?

I tried to push the doubts aside as I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the sweat and tension from training. But even as I scrubbed shampoo through my unruly curls, I couldn't shake the nagging worry. After my shower, I changed into a comfy pair of leggings and an oversized sweater I'd stolen from Leo's closet. (What? It smelled like him, okay? Sue me.) Flopping onto the ridiculously plush bed, I pulled out my phone. No messages. No missed calls. Nothing.

With a sigh, I pulled up Leo's contact and hit call. It rang once, twice, three times before going to voicemail.

"Hey, it's Leo. Leave a message, or don't. I probably won't listen to it anyway."

I rolled my eyes at his typical bravado, even as a fond smile tugged at my lips.

"Hey, Leo," I said after the beep. "It's me. Emily. Your mate? Remember her? Just wondering where you guys are. Call me back when you get this, okay?"

I tried Logan next, then Luca. Both went straight to voicemail.

"Ugh!" I groaned, tossing my phone aside. "Stupid wolves. If they really are out on some magical mystery tour with Celeste, I swear I'll turn them all into toads. Or better yet, chihuahuas. See how they like being tiny and yippy for a change." As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across my room, I found myself growing restless. The thought of the triplets out there somewhere, possibly with Celeste, was driving me crazy. I needed a distraction. Before I could talk myself out of it, I was on my feet and heading for the door. A little nighttime exploration never hurt anyone, right?

The halls of the palace were eerily quiet as I padded along in my fuzzy socks. (What? They were comfy, and they muffled my footsteps. Win-win.) I let my instincts guide me, turning down corridors I'd never explored before.

As I rounded a corner, a flicker of movement caught my eye. I froze, pressing myself against the wall. There, at the end of the hallway, was a tapestry I'd never noticed before. It depicted a pack of wolves howling at a blood-red moon. But that wasn't what had caught my attention.

The tapestry was moving.

I blinked, sure I must be seeing things. But no- there it was again. A slight ripple, as if disturbed by a breeze. Except there was no breeze in the windowless hallway.

Curiosity overrode caution, and I found myself creeping closer. As I approached, I noticed a faint glimmer of magic surrounding the tapestry. It was subtle, the kind of thing I wouldn't have noticed a week ago. But now, with my heightened magical senses, it was as clear as day.

I reached out, my fingers brushing against the woven fabric. To my surprise, they passed right through, as if the tapestry was nothing more than an illusion.

"Well," I muttered to myself, "I guess we're doing this, Alice in Wonderland style."

Taking a deep breath, I stepped through the tapestry.

I found myself in a small, circular room lined with bookshelves. The air was thick with the musty scent of old paper and leather. In the center of the room stood a pedestal, upon which rested a massive, ancient-looking tome. "Okay, this is either really cool or really creepy," I whispered, my voice sounding unnaturally loud in the silence.

I approached the pedestal, my heart pounding in my chest. The book looked ancient, its cover made of some kind of dark, scaly leather that I really hoped wasn't what I thought it was. Etched into the cover in silver script were the words "Prophecies of the Moon."

"Bingo," I breathed, reaching out to touch the book.

As my fingers made contact with the cover, a surge of magical energy coursed through me. It felt different from my own power - older, wilder, almost feral. Images flashed through my mind: a wolf with eyes like molten gold, a shattered moon raining silver fire, a crown made of shadows and starlight.

I yanked my hand back, gasping. What the hell was that?

Shaking off the lingering effects of the vision, I steeled myself and opened the book. The pages were thin and delicate, covered in spidery handwriting that seemed to shift and change as I looked at it.

I squinted, trying to make sense of the words. "The moon's daughter shall rise," I read aloud, "born of magic and wolf, to unite or divide. In her hands, the fate of all. Beware the false alpha, for his bite brings only sorrow.""

A chill ran down my spine. This was it - the prophecy everyone had been talking about. The one that apparently centered around me.

I was so engrossed in the book that I almost missed the sound of approaching footsteps. Almost.

Panic seized me as I realized I was about to be caught in a secret room I definitely wasn't supposed to be in. I slammed the book shut, wincing at the loud thud it made in the silence.

Think, Emily, think!