Trap of the King Alpha Triplet
Chapter 46 Magical Rebellion

Emily.

My eyes darted around the room, looking for a hiding place. But the only furniture was the pedestal, and unless I suddenly developed a knack for invisibility (note to self: ask Queen Luna if that's possible), I was screwed. The footsteps were getting closer. In desperation, I did the only thing I could think of. I called upon my magic, visualizing the shield I had created earlier. But instead of projecting it outward, I wrapped it around myself like a second skin. Just as the tapestry rustled, signaling someone's entrance, I felt the shield come into place. I held my breath and prayed to every god I could think of that this would work.

But as the intruders stepped into the room, I realized it wasn't Alpha King or Luna Queen. It was the triplets. The three infuriating, gorgeous, completely unreachable-by-phone werewolves who had left me hanging all day. I bit back a scoff as I watched them tiptoe past me, completely oblivious to my presence. Oh, this was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Gotcha!

I dropped the shield, materializing right in front of them with a wicked grin. "Boo."

Their reactions were priceless. Leo actually jumped, his eyes comically wide. Logan let out a strangled yelp that he'd probably deny later, and Luca... well, Luca looked like he was caught between being impressed and having a heart attack. "Emily!" They tried to yell my name, but I shushed them immediately, pressing a finger to my lips.

Before I could say anything else, Leo swept me up in his arms, pressing a fierce kiss to my cheek. Luca and Logan crowded in, each planting their own kisses on my face. For a moment, I let myself enjoy their affection, the warmth of their bodies surrounding me, their familiar scents enveloping me like a comforting blanket.

But then I remembered why I'd been so angry in the first place.

I pushed them away, crossing my arms over my chest. "So, did you guys have a nice time on your little rendezvous with Celeste?"

Their faces morphed from relief to shock in an instant. "What?" Leo sputtered. "Of course not!"

"Emily, what are you talking about?" Logan asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

I narrowed my eyes, studying their faces for any sign of deception. "Alaric told me you were out touring the city with Celeste. And none of you answered your phones all day."

Understanding dawned on their faces, quickly followed by anger. "That lying, manipulative son of a-" Luca started, but Logan clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Em, we weren't with Celeste," Leo said, his voice low and urgent. "We've been investigating. Trying to figure out what's really going on here."

I felt a flicker of doubt. "But... your phones..."

"We turned them off," Logan explained. "We didn't want to risk being tracked or overheard."

"You really think we'd ditch you for Celeste?" Luca asked, looking genuinely hurt. "Come on, little witch. Give us some credit."

I wanted to believe them. God, I wanted to believe them so badly. But after everything that had happened... "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

Leo stepped forward, his golden eyes blazing with intensity. He cupped my face in his hands, his touch achingly gentle. "Emily, listen to me. You are our mate. Our everything. We would never, ever choose anyone else over you. Especially not some vapid princess wannabe like Celeste."

"Yeah," Luca chimed in. "I mean, have you heard her laugh? It's like a hyena being tickled by a cactus."

Despite myself, I felt a smile tugging at my lips. "That's... oddly specific."

Logan rolled his eyes. "The point is, Em, we're here for you. Always. And right now, we're trying to figure out what the hell is going on with Alpha King and Luna Queen."

I felt the last of my anger melt away, replaced by a surge of affection for these three ridiculous boys. "I'm sorry," I said softly. "I should have known better than to believe Alaric."

"Damn straight," Luca said, slinging an arm around my shoulders. "Rule number one: never trust a guy whose hair is shinier than yours."

I snorted, leaning into his embrace. "Noted. So, what exactly have you guys been up to all day?"

As they filled me in on their investigation, I felt a warmth spreading through my chest. These boys, my mates, had spent the entire day trying to protect me. To uncover the truth. "We think there's something big going on," Leo said. "Something to do with the prophecy and your powers."

I nodded, my earlier discovery weighing heavy on my mind. "I think you're right. I found this book-"

But before I could tell them about the Prophecies of the Moon, we heard footsteps approaching. Real ones this time.

Panic flashed across the triplets' faces. "Shit," Logan hissed. "We need to hide."

I grabbed their hands, calling on my magic once more. "Hold on," I whispered, wrapping my shield around all four of us.

Just in time, too. As we huddled together, invisible to the world, the tapestry parted to reveal Alpha King, Luna Queen, and Garrett.

"Are you sure about this, Arthur?" Luna Queen asked. "If we're wrong..."

Alpha King's jaw clenched. "We can't afford to be wrong. The signs are clear. The prophecy is coming to fruition, and we need to be prepared." Garrett nodded, his eyes scanning the room. For a heart-stopping moment, his gaze seemed to linger on where we stood, but then it moved on.

"The girl's power is growing exponentially," Garrett said. "If we don't act soon, she could become a threat."

I felt Leo tense beside me, a low growl building in his chest. I squeezed his hand, silently willing him to stay quiet.

"She's just a child," Luna Queen protested. "Surely we can guide her, teach her to use her abilities for the good of all supernatural kind."

Alpha King shook his head. "We can't take that risk. The prophecy is clear - she has the power to unite or divide. We can't leave that up to chance."

"So what do you propose?" Garrett asked, his voice eerily calm.

Alpha King's eyes hardened. "We need to bind her powers. Permanently."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Bind my powers? But why? I hadn't done anything wrong!

"Arthur, please," Luna Queen said, reaching out to touch his arm. "There must be another way."

He shrugged her off. "There isn't. We'll do it after the full moon ceremony. When her powers are at their peak."

"And the triplets?" Garrett asked. "They won't stand for this. The mate bond-"

"Will be dealt with," Alpha King cut him off. "They're young. They'll get over it."

I felt sick. This couldn't be happening. These were the people who were supposed to be helping me, protecting me. And all along, they'd been plotting to take away my powers?

As the three of them continued to discuss the details of their plan, we stood frozen in place, our minds reeling. I could feel the triplets' anger radiating off them in waves, their bodies coiled tight with the effort of staying still. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Alpha King, Luna Queen, and Garrett left the room. As soon as the tapestry fell back into place, my shield dropped, and we all let out a collective breath. "Those backstabbing, manipulative-" Luca started, but Leo cut him off.

"Not here," he hissed. "We need to get somewhere safe. Now."

We made our way back to my room as quickly and quietly as possible, our minds racing with everything we'd just learned. As soon as the door closed behind us, the dam broke.

"I can't believe this," Logan growled, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. "They want to bind your powers? After everything you've done for them?"

Luca punched the wall, leaving a small dent in the plaster. "I'll kill them. I swear to the Moon Goddess, I'll rip their throats out."

"No one is killing anyone," Leo said, his voice tight with barely controlled rage. "At least not yet."

I sank onto the bed, my legs suddenly feeling too weak to support me. "Why?" I whispered. "Why would they do this?"

Leo sat beside me, pulling me into his arms. I melted into his embrace, drawing comfort from his warmth. "I don't know, little witch," he murmured into my hair. "But we're not going to let it happen. I swear to you, we will protect you." Logan and Luca joined us on the bed, creating a protective circle around me. "We're in this together," Logan said, his hand finding mine. "All of us."

I looked at each of them in turn, my heart swelling with love and gratitude. "What are we going to do?"

Luca's eyes glinted with determination. "We fight back. They want to bind your powers? Fine. Let's show them exactly what those powers can do."

"But how?" I asked. "They're stronger than us, more experienced. And they have the whole pack behind them."

"Not the whole pack," Logan said thoughtfully. "There have to be others who would stand with us if they knew the truth."

Leo nodded, a plan already forming in his mind. "We need allies. And we need to figure out more about this prophecy. There has to be a reason they're so afraid of your powers."

I remembered the book I'd found earlier. "Actually," I said, "I might have something that could help with that."

I told them about the Prophecies of the Moon, watching their eyes widen as I recited the passage I'd read.

"The moon's daughter shall rise, 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,"" Logan repeated, his brow furrowed in concentration. "What do you think it means?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "But I think it's pretty clear that I'm the moon's daughter. And the false alpha..."

"Has to be Alpha King," Luca finished. "I mean, what kind of true alpha plots to bind their own pack member's powers?"

Leo stood up, his eyes blazing with determination. "We need to get that book. And we need to find a way to stop them before the full moon ceremony."

I felt a surge of energy, of purpose. For the first time since this whole mess started, I felt like we had a chance. "So what's the plan?"

The boys exchanged glances, a silent conversation passing between them. Finally, Leo turned to me, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. "How do you feel about a little magical rebellion, babe?"

I grinned, feeling my power humming beneath my skin. "Okay, hotties. Bring it on."