SOLD TO SIX ALPHA'S

Chapter 13: The Sixth Secret

"Lucian."

His name left my lips quietly.

Everyone turned toward him.

He stood completely still.

His usual calm expression had disappeared.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.

I swallowed.

"My father said to find the sixth Alpha."

Lucian's face tightened.

"There are six of us."

"Then why are you afraid?"

"I'm not."

"You are."

He looked away.

Kael stepped closer.

"Lucian."

"I said I'm fine."

Darius shook his head.

"You're lying."

Lucian's hands curled into fists.

The room suddenly felt smaller.

I looked at the six men.

Kael.

Darius.

Zayne.

Lucian.

Cassian.

And Rowan.

Five were standing before me.

One had disappeared.

But my father's words kept repeating in my mind.

Find the sixth Alpha before Malric does.

"Where is Rowan?"

Kael's expression darkened.

"He's gone."

"Then maybe Rowan isn't the sixth."

Everyone went silent.

Zayne frowned.

"What are you saying?"

"I don't know."

I touched the glowing marks on my wrist.

"But something isn't right."

Suddenly, Luna stirred.

Count them.

I looked around.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

My heart stopped.

There were only five Alphas in the chamber.

Rowan was gone.

And yet the sixth bond was still missing.

"Where is the sixth?" I whispered.

Lucian suddenly stepped backward.

"Lyra..."

I turned toward him.

"What?"

His eyes began glowing silver.

The fourth seal on my wrist pulsed.

Then a new mark appeared.

Not on my wrist.

On my palm.

Lucian stared at it.

"No."

I looked at him.

"You knew."

His face fell.

"I suspected."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was afraid."

"Of what?"

"Of what would happen when you awakened."

He looked at the other Alphas.

"I am not one of the Six Alpha Kings."

My heart dropped.

"What?"

He took a slow breath.

"I am the hidden Alpha."

The chamber became silent.

Kael stared at him.

"You knew all this time?"

Lucian nodded.

"I was ordered to hide my bloodline."

"By whom?" Darius asked.

Lucian looked at my mother.

"Queen Elara."

I stared at her.

"Mother?"

She nodded slowly.

"I needed one Alpha to remain hidden."

"Why?"

"Because Malric knew about the other five."

She looked at Lucian.

"He never knew about the sixth."

Lucian stepped toward me.

"I was supposed to find you when you turned eighteen."

My heart raced.

"But you didn't."

"I did."

I frowned.

"When?"

"The auction."

I froze.

"You were there?"

He nodded.

"I watched from the shadows."

"Then why didn't you save me?"

His eyes filled with guilt.

"Because I was ordered not to."

My chest tightened.

"By my mother?"

"Yes."

I turned away.

Once again, someone had decided my fate without asking me.

Then Lucian reached for my hand.

I pulled away.

"Don't."

He stopped.

"I don't trust you."

His expression hurt.

"I understand."

Suddenly, the palace shook violently.

A deep roar echoed through the walls.

Cassian looked toward the ceiling.

"Something is coming."

Kael drew his sword.

"Everyone prepare."

The windows shattered.

Black creatures poured into the chamber.

But these were different from the ones we'd fought before.

They wore armor.

Their eyes burned red.

And behind them walked a tall man dressed in black.

Malric.

He smiled.

"Finally."

His eyes settled on Lucian.

"The hidden Alpha."

Lucian went pale.

Malric raised his hand.

"Bring him to me."

The creatures attacked.

Kael and Darius shifted.

Zayne moved beside me.

Cassian attacked from the left.

Lucian stood frozen.

"Lucian!"

He looked at me.

"Wake up!"

Malric laughed.

"He's been afraid of his own bloodline for years."

Lucian's eyes changed.

Silver light exploded from his body.

A powerful wolf emerged.

It was enormous.

Its fur was pure white.

Malric's smile disappeared.

"No."

Lucian's wolf roared.

The entire palace shook.

My fifth seal ignited.

I screamed as the bond struck me.

Pain.

Power.

Fear.

Then something else.

Love.

I could feel Lucian's heart.

He had loved me before he ever knew my name.

He had watched me from the shadows.

Protected me without taking credit.

And now I understood why his presence had always felt strangely familiar.

The fifth seal burned brighter.

Malric stepped backward.

"No!"

Lucian looked directly at him.

"You wanted the hidden Alpha."

His eyes flashed silver.

"Now you have him."

He charged.

The battle exploded.

Malric disappeared behind a wall of darkness.

But before he vanished, he smiled.

"Five bonds are awake."

His gaze moved to me.

"Only one remains."

My blood ran cold.

Then he whispered:

"And when the sixth awakens..."

His smile widened.

"...your mother will die."

The darkness swallowed him.

I turned toward Elara.

"Mother!"

She was standing behind me.

But a black mark had suddenly appeared around her throat.

She gasped.

I rushed toward her.

"What's happening?"

She fell to her knees.

Kael caught her.

My fifth seal continued glowing.

Then a voice echoed through the palace.

"One bond remains."

I looked at the six empty symbols.

Five were glowing.

The sixth was dark.

And somewhere far beyond the palace...

A wolf began to howl.

Not like any wolf I had ever heard.

Ancient.

Powerful.

Familiar.

Luna whispered:

The last Alpha has found us.