Trap of the King Alpha Triplet
Chapter 49 Liars

Emily's

POV.

Garrett smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Indeed. I didn't expect to run into any familiar faces on my day off. Especially not so far from the castle."

Alarm bells were ringing in my head. How had he recognized me through the disguise? And where were the boys? "Oh, you know," I said, forcing a laugh, "just thought I'd do a bit of sightseeing. Lunaris is such a beautiful city." Garrett's eyes narrowed slightly. "Alone? That seems... unwise, given recent events."

I opened my mouth to respond to Garrett, but before I could form the words, a cacophony of chaos erupted from a nearby alley. The sound of snarling, feral and vicious, pierced the air, followed by the jarring crash of breaking glass. My heart leaped into my throat as a yelp of pain, unmistakably Luca's, echoed off the brick walls.

Without a second thought, I bolted towards the sound, my feet pounding against the cobblestone street. Garrett's presence faded from my mind, replaced by a singular, desperate need to reach my mates. The world around me blurred as I ran, the busy street giving way to the dim, grimy confines of the alley.

I skidded around the corner, nearly losing my footing on a patch of slick garbage. The scene that greeted me was one of pure chaos, like something out of a nightmare. My eyes darted frantically, trying to take in everything at once. Luca was sprawled on the ground, his face contorted in agony. He clutched his left arm, which bent at an angle that made my stomach lurch. His usual cocky grin was replaced by a grimace of pain, and I could see the effort it took for him to stay conscious.

"Luca!" I cried out, taking a step towards him.

His eyes met mine, a mix of relief and fear clouding their usual mischievous glint. "Em," he grunted, "stay back. It's not safe."

A thunderous growl drew my attention to Logan. He was locked in a brutal grapple with a werewolf I'd never seen before - a behemoth of muscle and fur, easily twice Logan's size. They crashed into a dumpster, the metal groaning under the impact. Logan's face was a mask of determination, but I could see the strain in his muscles as he fought to keep the massive wolf at bay.

"Logan, hold on!" I shouted, my hands already beginning to glow with magic.

But before I could intervene, a blur of motion caught my eye. Leo was engaged in a deadly dance with the cloaked figure we'd been tailing earlier. They moved with inhuman speed, trading blows that would have shattered normal bones. Leo's disguise had been ripped away, revealing his true appearance - his golden eyes blazing with fury as he fought.

As I watched, Leo managed to get a grip on the cloak, yanking it hard. The fabric tore away, and I felt my blood turn to ice in my veins.

It was Celeste.

But this wasn't the vapid, giggling girl I remembered from the castle. Her usually perfect features were twisted into a snarl of pure rage, her teeth bared in a feral grimace. But it was her eyes that truly terrified me - they glowed with an unnatural red light, pulsing with malevolent energy.

"You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?" she spat, her voice dripping with venom. Her gaze locked onto me, and I felt a chill run down my spine. "You had to go poking your nose where it doesn't belong. Stupid little hybrid, playing at being a real wolf."

I felt my magic surge within me, responding to the threat and my own anger. Silver light danced along my skin, and I could feel Eartha stirring in the back of my mind, her presence a comforting warmth. "Get away from them," I growled, surprised by the power in my own voice. My hands began to glow brighter, tendrils of moonlight curling around my fingers like living things.

Celeste's laugh was harsh and mocking, the sound grating against my ears like nails on a chalkboard. "Oh, sweetie," she crooned, her tone sickeningly condescending. "You have no idea what you're up against. Did you really think your little light show could scare me?"

She raised her hand, palm out towards me, and I felt a wave of... something hit me. It wasn't physical, but it might as well have been. Dark magic, colder than the deepest winter and blacker than a moonless night, slammed into me like a freight train.

I stumbled back, my lungs burning as I gasped for air. It felt like all the warmth had been sucked out of the world, leaving only an aching, empty void. My vision swam, dark spots dancing at the edges.

"Emily!" Leo's shout cut through the haze of pain and disorientation. I blinked hard, forcing my eyes to focus. He was staring at me, his golden eyes wide with panic. In that moment of distraction, Celeste lashed out, her claws raking across his chest.

"No!" I screamed, my own pain forgotten as I watched crimson bloom across Leo's shirt.

Logan roared, a sound of pure fury that shook the very air around us. With a herculean effort, he managed to throw off his massive opponent, sending the werewolf crashing into a pile of crates. In the blink of an eye, he was at Leo's side, supporting his brother as Leo swayed on his feet.

Luca had managed to pull himself up, leaning heavily against the alley wall. His injured arm hung uselessly at his side, but his other hand was curled into a fist, ready to fight despite the pain etched into every line of his face. We were outnumbered, outmatched, and quickly running out of options. I wracked my brain, trying to think of a spell, any spell, that might turn the tide. But before I could act, before any of us could make another move, a new voice cut through the chaos like a knife through butter.

"That's quite enough."

The words weren't shouted, but they carried a weight of authority that seemed to freeze the very air around us. We all turned, almost in unison, to see Garrett standing at the entrance to the alley.

Gone was the affable, slightly bumbling professor I'd come to know. In his place stood a man of power, his eyes glowing with an inner light that spoke of ancient magic. His expression was grim, lips pressed into a thin line as he surveyed the scene before him.

With a wave of his hand - a gesture so casual it might have been swatting away a fly - Celeste and her werewolf companion were suddenly bound in shimmering magical chains. The links pulsed with a pale blue light, and I could feel the power radiating off them even from where I stood.

Celeste snarled, her beautiful face contorted into something feral and ugly as she struggled against her bonds. "Professor," she spat the word like a curse, "you're making a mistake. The Alpha King will-"

"The Alpha King," Garrett cut her off, his voice colder than I'd ever heard it, "will be very interested to hear about your extracurricular activities, Miss Delacroix. I'm sure he'll be particularly intrigued by your use of forbidden magic in the heart of Lunaris."

Celeste's eyes widened, a flicker of fear breaking through her mask of rage. For the first time, she looked uncertain, almost young. It was a stark reminder that for all her power and cruelty, she was still just a girl, not much older than me. Garrett's gaze swept over our battered group, his expression softening slightly as he took in our injuries. "I think," he said quietly, the words carrying easily in the sudden silence of the alley, "it's time we had a talk. All of us."

I looked at the triplets, seeing my own confusion and wariness reflected in their eyes. Leo, still bleeding but standing tall, gave me a slight nod. Logan's jaw was set, his eyes never leaving Celeste as if expecting her to break free at any moment. And Luca, despite the pain he must have been in, managed to quirk his lips in a shadow of his usual grin.

As Garrett began to lead us away from the alley, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. The adrenaline from the fight was wearing off, leaving behind a bone-deep weariness and a growing awareness of every ache and bruise. "Professor," I said, my voice sounding small even to my own ears, "are we going to the palace hospital? I think Luca needs medical attention."

Garrett's expression was unreadable as he glanced back at us. "Of course," he said smoothly. "We'll get you all taken care of."

Something about his tone made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, but I pushed the feeling aside. Garrett had just saved us, after all. Why would I doubt him now?

We made our way through the winding streets of Lunaris, the usual bustle of the city seeming muted and distant. I walked between Leo and Logan, supporting Luca on my other side. His face was pale, a sheen of sweat on his brow from the pain of his broken arm.

"Hang in there," I murmured to him, squeezing his good hand gently.

He managed a weak smile. "No worries, little witch. I've had worse."

As we approached the palace gates, I felt a growing sense of unease. The guards barely glanced at us as Garrett led us through, which seemed odd given our battered appearance and the fact that we were supposed to be in disguise. We passed through opulent hallways, our footsteps echoing on marble floors. But instead of heading towards the medical wing, Garrett led us deeper into the heart of the palace. "Professor," Leo spoke up, his voice tight with suspicion, "where exactly are we going?"

Garrett didn't slow his pace or turn around. "To see someone who can help us make sense of all this."

Before any of us could question him further, we arrived at a set of massive double doors. With a wave of his hand, Garrett sent them swinging open, revealing the throne room beyond.

My heart sank as I saw Alpha King and Luna Queen waiting for us, their faces grim. This wasn't right. We were supposed to be avoiding them, not walking right into their lair. "What's going on?" I demanded, taking a step back. The triplets moved with me, forming a protective circle.

Garrett finally turned to face us, and the look in his eyes made my blood run cold. Gone was the kindly professor, replaced by someone I didn't recognize at all.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this," he said, though he didn't sound sorry at all. "But we can't allow you to interfere any further."

"Interfere with what?" Logan growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Alpha King stepped forward, his presence filling the room. "With the natural order of things, young wolf. Emily's powers are too unpredictable, too dangerous to be left unchecked."

I felt my magic stirring within me, responding to the threat. "So you're just going to bind my powers against my will? How is that any different from what the Rogue Alliance wants?"

Luna Queen's laugh was cold and brittle. "Oh, child. You really don't understand, do you? The Rogue Alliance is a myth, a boogeyman we created to keep you in line."

The revelation hit me like a physical blow. All this time, all our fears and preparations... it had all been a lie?

Leo snarled, his eyes blazing gold. "You won't touch her. We won't let you."

Garrett's lips curled into a sneer. "You don't have a choice."

Without warning, he thrust out his hands, sending a wave of dark magic hurtling towards us. I reacted on instinct, throwing up a shield of silvery light. The two forces collided with a thunderous crash, sending sparks flying. "Run!" I shouted to the triplets, pouring everything I had into maintaining the shield.

But they stood their ground, flanking me on either side. "Not a chance, little witch," Luca said through gritted teeth. "We're in this together."

Alpha King's eyes glowed red as he began to shift, his body contorting and growing. Luna Queen raised her hands, intricate patterns of light dancing between her fingers.

We were outnumbered and outgunned, facing off against some of the most powerful supernatural beings in Lunaris. But as I felt the triplets' presence beside me, their strength flowing into me through our bond, I knew we weren't going down without a fight.

"Together, then," I said, drawing on every ounce of power I possessed.