Bound to the wrong mate

CHAPTER THREE: WHISPERS OF THE MOON

The packhouse was in chaos when they returned. Warriors paced the halls, their voices low but tense, while elders gathered in the meeting room, their murmurs heavy with concern. The air smelled of fear and anger—a bitter cocktail that set Aria’s nerves on edge.

Ethan didn’t waste a second. He barked orders to the warriors, his usual commanding presence magnified as he demanded patrols doubled and the borders reinforced. Liam lingered in the doorway, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow, every face, as if Klaus might reappear at any moment.

Aria stood in the foyer, clutching her arms around herself. She felt like an outsider in her own home, a fragile piece of glass in a world of steel and fire.

“Aria,” Ethan’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and impatient. “Go to your room. You’ll be safer there.”

She blinked, startled by the brusqueness of his tone. “What?”

“I said go to your room,” he repeated, his gaze briefly softening. “I don’t have time to argue with you about this. Klaus is unpredictable, and I can’t risk—”

“Risk what?” she interrupted, her voice trembling with frustration. “Me being in the way? Or me finding out more secrets you’ve kept from me?”

A muscle in Ethan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t answer. He turned back to the warriors, dismissing her as if she were a child who didn’t belong in the conversation.

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Liam said, stepping forward. His tone was calm, but there was an edge to it, like a blade hidden beneath silk.

Ethan spun to face him, his alpha energy flaring. “This is pack business. You don’t get a say anymore.”

“I think I do,” Liam replied evenly, his gaze flicking to Aria. “She’s more than just your mate, Ethan. She’s a person. And she deserves to know the truth.”

“Enough!” Ethan’s voice was a thunderclap that silenced the entire room. The tension between the brothers was palpable, a storm brewing right in the middle of the packhouse.

Aria’s heart raced. She wanted to disappear and scream all at once. But before she could decide what to do, a voice interrupted the charged silence.

“She’s right.”

All heads turned as an elder stepped forward—a woman with silver-streaked hair and piercing green eyes. Elder Maris was one of the oldest members of the pack, her wisdom revered and her authority unquestioned.

“Aria is the alpha’s mate,” Maris said, her voice calm but firm. “She is tied to this pack’s fate, whether we like it or not. If she doesn’t understand the stakes, she’ll never be able to protect herself—or us.”

Ethan’s shoulders sagged, his alpha aura dimming under the elder’s scrutiny. After a long pause, he turned to Aria, his expression unreadable.

“Fine,” he said finally. “You’ll know everything.”

~Later That Night~

The moon hung low in the sky, its light spilling through the windows of the packhouse like liquid silver. Aria sat across from Ethan and Liam in the council room, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. The flickering candles cast shifting shadows on the walls, and for the first time, the room felt suffocating.

“You need to understand what Klaus is after,” Ethan began, his tone low. “It’s not just power—it’s chaos. He thrives on it. And now, he thinks he can use you to get it.”

“Use me?” Aria’s voice wavered.

“It’s the bond,” Liam said, leaning forward. His voice was softer, less commanding than Ethan’s. “You and I… we’re connected in a way that’s rare. The Moon Goddess chose us. But Klaus—he sees it as a weakness in Ethan’s leadership.”

Aria’s stomach churned. “Why me?”

Ethan hesitated, his jaw tightening. “Because you’re special, Aria. The Moon Goddess doesn’t make mistakes. She chose you for a reason, and that makes you a threat to anyone who doesn’t understand her will.”

“Or a tool,” Liam added bitterly.

The weight of their words pressed down on her, and suddenly, the walls felt too close, the room too small. She stood abruptly, pacing toward the window.

Outside, the moon seemed to pulse, its light almost alive. A shiver ran down her spine, and she pressed a hand to the cold glass.

“I don’t want to be a pawn in this,” she said softly.

“You’re not a pawn,” Liam said, his voice closer now. She turned to find him standing just a few feet away, his gray eyes filled with something she couldn’t quite name.

“You’re more than that,” he continued. “You’re… everything.”

Her breath hitched, her pulse racing as his words wrapped around her like a warm blanket. For a moment, she forgot Ethan was in the room, forgot the war brewing outside these walls. All she could feel was the pull—strong, undeniable—drawing her closer to Liam.

“Aria,” Ethan’s voice broke through the haze, sharp and commanding.

She turned to find him watching them, his expression a mix of anger and something deeper—fear, maybe.

“This isn’t the time for—whatever this is,” he said, gesturing between her and Liam. “We need to focus.”

Aria stepped back, her cheeks burning with shame. She couldn’t deny the connection she felt with Liam, but she couldn’t bring herself to face Ethan either.

“What do we do now?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan hesitated, his gaze flicking to Liam before returning to her. “We prepare for Klaus. And we protect you at all costs.”

But as the words left Ethan’s mouth, a howl tore through the night—loud, guttural, and chilling.

Aria froze, her heart pounding as the sound echoed through the packhouse.

“That’s close,” Liam said, his voice tight.

Too close.

Ethan’s eyes darkened, his alpha energy flaring. “Get her to the safe room. Now.”

Before Aria could protest, the windows shattered, shards of glass raining down like deadly stars. A figure stepped into the room, his emerald eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

Klaus.

“Didn’t I promise we’d see each other again, little one?” he drawled, his voice laced with dark amusement.

Aria’s blood ran cold as Klaus took a step closer, his smirk widening.

“Let’s see what makes you so special.”

To be continued….