The Flame-bound Wolf and Her Triplet Mates

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The night was eerily quiet, the kind of stillness that put my wolf on edge. Orion had insisted on taking first watch, his sharp gaze scanning the tree line as Flint and Evan stretched out on the cold ground. Karl lingered at the edge of the clearing, his back to us as though lost in thought.

I should’ve felt safe. The triplets were with me, their presence always grounding. But something about the night felt… wrong.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Orion asked

"My wolf is pacing. I can't calm down enough to sleep." I said. I glanced down at Flint and Evan who were stretched out next to me. "I'm surprised they are sleeping so soundly.'

"Flint can sleep through anything." Orion said chuckling at his brother. "And Evan is only now getting to sleep easily. When we were away from the pack, away from you. He would barely get a few hours of rest."

"And you?" I asked. Orion looked at me puzzled so I added, "What are your sleeping habits?"

"Honestly?" He asked. I nodded, "I can't sleep. Especially with everything going on. What if I close my eyes for 2 seconds and you disappear?"

"I find that hard to believe. You were always the ring leader of the bullying," I said plainly.

Orion flinched, clearly not wanting to talk about that. "I know, and I can't apologize enough for it. I'm sorry Milli."

I nodded and looked away from him. "What were the two years away like?"

"Hell on Earth. You know how my uncle is like. He didn't let anything fly. Especially when mom told him what we had been up to." He said, "And then having to hear about you and Malcolm from Jessa on top of everything was t*****e. What did you even see in that pup?"

I chuckled at the jealousy in Orion's voice. Thinking back to the moment that had triggered my crush on Malcolm. I couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but it must have been when he came to apologize to Maddie on behalf of his younger sister. Maddie had told me how awful Malcolm's sister was, but I had just chalked it up to kids being kids. Maddie, however, had reported it to Malcolm when he had picked his sister up from school and I guess that after talking to his sister he had found out about the teasing. I thought that he had been so mature and that was enough for me to like him, especially after having dealt with the immaturity of the triplets.

"Don't tell me you are thinking about another man when your mates are right under your nose," Orion said.

I smiled, "You brought him up, besides it's not like I want to act on it. Why would I want him when I have you three?"

"So we are better than Malcolm?" Orion asked. I could hear the teasing tone in his voice.

Responding to his question would do me no good, so I quickly bid him goodnight and dove under my sleeping bag.

***

I stirred awake, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. My wolf growled low in warning. The fire inside me, usually a quiet hum, flared, sending a wave of heat through my chest.

“Orion?” I whispered, sitting up. My voice barely carried over the faint rustle of leaves.

Before he could respond, a shadow darted between the trees, too quick to track. Then another.

The rogues struck like lightning.

A snarl ripped through the air as a massive wolf lunged at Orion. He shifted mid-leap, his powerful black wolf meeting the rogue head-on. Flint and Evan sprang to their feet, shifting in a blur of movement.

“Millicent, stay back!” Orion growled through the pack bond, his voice sharp with authority.

But the rogues weren’t ordinary. They moved with precision, flanking the triplets and cutting them off from me.

I stumbled to my feet, flames flickering at my fingertips. A rogue charged at me, teeth bared, and I instinctively threw a burst of fire. The flames erupted too wildly, scorching the ground and narrowly missing Flint.

“Careful, Plum!” he called, dodging another rogue.

Panic clawed at me as the rogues pressed in. There were too many. For every one the triplets fought off, two more seemed to take their place. I was too afraid to use my powers again, fearing that I would hurt my mates.

“Kael!” Evan barked, his wolf spinning to fend off an attacker. “Where is he?”

I glanced around frantically, searching for Kael's figure. But he was gone.

“He’s not here!” I yelled, my voice cracking. Had we been tricked? Why did we ever believe him in the first place?

A rogue knocked me off my feet, its claws raking across my arm. Pain seared through me, but before I could summon another flame, something cold and heavy snapped around my neck.

The silver collar burned like ice against my skin, and I felt the fire inside me flicker and die.

“No!” I screamed, thrashing against my captor.

The rogues were prepared. Enchanted nets ensnared the triplets, their struggles only tangling them further. Panic rose within me as I watched my mates struggle. Orion’s wolf snarled viciously, but the more he fought, the tighter the bindings became.

Evan shifted back to his human form, his eyes blazing with fury. “Let her go!” he roared, but a rogue slammed the hilt of a blade against his temple, knocking him unconscious.

Flint and Orion were subdued soon after, their growls fading into silence.

I was dragged to my knees, my wrists bound tightly behind me. A rogue with a jagged scar down his face crouched in front of me, his yellow eyes gleaming with malice.

“Our leader sends his regards, Flame-Bound,” he sneered.

“Why are you doing this?” I demanded, struggling against my restraints.

The rogue chuckled darkly. “You’ll see soon enough. The boss has big plans for you.”

“What does he want with me?” I spat, my voice trembling with equal parts fear and anger.

The rogue leaned closer, his breath rancid. “Power. And you’re the key to unlocking it.”

His words sent a chill down my spine. Before I could press further, he stood and barked an order to his friends. “Move out!”

We were marched through the forest, the triplets unconscious but alive. The silver collar around my neck kept my fire suppressed, leaving me feeling hollow and powerless.

As we moved, I noticed the rogues’ gear—daggers etched with strange runes, leather armor adorned with symbols. They looked eerily similar to the markings on the locket Tala had given me.

Kael, wherever he was, had been right. They had planted a trap for us and just thinking about how long this had been planned made me dizzy. Did I have any chance of winning?

“Where are you taking us?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.

“To meet your destiny,” the scarred rogue replied with a smirk.

After what felt like hours, we emerged into a clearing at the base of a massive cliff. Built into the rock face was a fortress, its walls bristling with spikes and glowing faintly with an unnatural light. This wasn't the type of building that sprung up out of nowhere especially for a group that was usually disorganised like rogues were. They must have been gathering resources for years.

The rogues dragged us through the gates, the air growing colder with each step. My heart pounded as we were brought to the center of the camp, where a massive bonfire roared.

A figure stood on the other side of the flames, shrouded in shadow.

I couldn’t make out his features, but his presence was overwhelming, his aura suffocating.

As he stepped closer, the firelight illuminated his face—sharp features, eyes like molten embers. He looked familiar in a way that made my stomach churn.

His gaze locked onto mine, and my wolf whimpered in fear and recognition.

“Welcome home, Millicent,” he said, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down my spine.

My wolf stirred, whispering a single word in my mind.

“Father.”