Sacrificed To The Triplet Alpha Kings

Nicholas must have sensed her confusion through the bond because he leaned close and whispered, ”You stand with us. Not behind us. Not sitting. You stand as our equal.”

Lilith’s throat tightened but she nodded.

They climbed onto the platform together and turned to face the pack. Sebastian moved to stand on her right, Nicholas on her left, and Lucian just behind them. A united front.

Nicholas raised his hand and the murmuring in the hall stopped immediately.

”Thank you all for coming,” Nicholas said, his voice carrying easily through the space. ”I know many of you have questions about what happened last night. And you deserve answers.”

He paused and let his gaze sweep across the crowd.

”As you all know by now, Sebastian completed his bond with Lilith last night. The second of three bonds required to break our curse.” His hand found Lilith’s and squeezed once. ”The power surge you felt throughout the territory was a result of that bond completing. It was not an attack. It was not a threat. It was simply... power. Lilith’s power. Waking up.”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd immediately and Nicholas let them talk for a moment before raising his hand again.

”I know you’re afraid,” he continued. ”I know you have concerns about what Lilith is and what she might be capable of. And I’m here to tell you that we share those concerns.”

Lilith felt her stomach drop but Nicholas squeezed her hand again....reassurance through the bond that he knew what he was doing.

”Lilith is not entirely wolfless as we originally believed,” Nicholas said. ”She has magic. Power that is waking up inside her as the bonds complete. We don’t fully understand it yet. We don’t know the extent of it. But we are investigating, and we will get answers.”

”And what if those answers prove she’s dangerous?” a voice called from the back of the hall.

Nicholas’s eyes went cold and he scanned the crowd until he found the speaker....Elder Morris, standing near the back with his arms crossed. ”Are you suggesting our mate is a threat to this pack, Elder Morris?”

”I’m suggesting we have a right to know what we’re dealing with,” Morris shot back. ”That power surge last night could have killed someone if they’d been standing too close to the Alpha wing. What happens when the third bond completes? Will the entire estate come down on our heads?”

More murmurs, louder this time, and Lilith felt panic starting to claw at her chest.

”The estate is being reinforced,” Nicholas said firmly. ”And we will take every precaution necessary when the third bond is completed. But let me be very clear about something, Lilith is our mate. Your Luna. And she will be treated with the respect that position deserves.”

”Respect doesn’t mean we ignore danger....”

”Enough.” Sebastian’s voice cut through the hall like a whip and everyone went silent. He stepped forward slightly, his eyes flashing gold. ”You want to talk about danger? Let’s talk about it. Yes, Lilith has power. Yes, it’s strong. Yes, we don’t fully understand it yet. But she is not your enemy. She didn’t ask for this power any more than we asked for our curse. And she’s doing everything she can to learn to control it.”

”And if she can’t?” another voice called out....Elder Theodore this time.

”Then we’ll help her,” Lucian said, speaking for the first time. His voice was quieter than Sebastian’s but no less dangerous. ”The same way this pack has helped us control our wolves for the past twenty-six years. Or have you forgotten that we were dangerous too when we first shifted? That we nearly killed half a dozen wolves before we learned control?”

Silence stretched across the meeting.

”Lilith is not a threat,” Lucian continued. ”She’s family. And anyone who tries to remove her or hurt her will answer to all three of us. Is that clear?”

The threat hung in the air, unmistakable, and Lilith saw several of the elders shift uncomfortably.

Then a new voice spoke up from the middle of the crowd....Agnes, stepping forward with her chin raised. ”I’ve known Lilith since she arrived at this estate. I’ve watched her navigate an impossible situation with grace and strength. She didn’t come here looking for power or status. She came here to help break a curse. And she’s done that twice now at great personal cost. So before any of you start talking about removing her or containing her, maybe you should ask yourselves what kind of pack turns on someone who’s sacrificed so much for them.”

Several wolves nodded in agreement and Lilith felt tears prick her eyes.

Sera spoke next, her voice clear and strong. ”Lilith is my friend. And she’s a good person. If you’re scared of her power, fine. Be scared. But don’t pretend that fear gives you the right to punish her for something she can’t control.”

More voices joined in then....pack members Lilith recognized from the kitchens, from the training yard, from passing in the halls. Not all of them. Maybe not even half. But enough that the tide started to turn.

Elder Edward stepped forward and the hall went quiet again. He was older than the other elders, his hair completely silver, and when he spoke his voice carried the weight of authority.

”I have seen many things in my long life,” he said slowly. ”I have seen this pack survive wars and plagues and internal conflicts that should have destroyed us. And we survived because we adapted. Because we didn’t let fear rule us.” He looked directly at Lilith. ”This girl is young. She’s scared. She’s dealing with power she doesn’t understand. But she is also our Luna. Chosen by our Alphas. Bonded to them. And unless someone can give me concrete proof that she intends to harm this pack, I will not support any petition for her removal.”

Elder Morris started to protest but Edward cut him off with a raised hand.

”However,” Elder Edward continued, ”I do believe we need assurances. The pack deserves to know that precautions are being taken. That her power is being studied and controlled. That the third bond completion will not endanger innocent lives.”