CLAIMED BY THE FIVE ALPHAS'

Chapter 5: Safe Haven

I woke up in a bed that wasn't mine, in a room I'd never seen before, wrapped in sheets that smelled like pine forests and winter storms.

For a moment, I lay perfectly still, trying to remember how I'd gotten here. Then it all came rushing back. The awakening. The five Alphas. The temple. The bond that now connected my soul to theirs.

I sat up quickly, my heart racing, and immediately felt their presence through the connection. Not physically here, but close. Somewhere in this building, whatever building this was. The sensation was strange, like having a compass in my chest that pointed in five different directions at once.

The room itself was beautiful in a simple way. Large windows showed a forest view, sunlight streaming through leaves that were colors I'd never seen in nature before. Golds and silvers mixed with normal greens. The furniture was carved from dark wood, and everything felt sturdy and real and grounding.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," I called, then wondered if I should have asked who it was first.

Phoenix entered carrying a tray with food and what looked like tea. He smiled when he saw me awake, and through the bond I felt his genuine pleasure at seeing me okay. "Morning, beautiful. Thought you might be hungry."

"Where are we?" I accepted the tray, realizing I was starving. When had I last eaten? The cupcake seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Atlas's territory, the Western Coast. His pack's main lodge." Phoenix settled into a chair near the bed, completely comfortable despite being in another Alpha's domain. "We decided it was the most defensible location, and Atlas has the strongest protection wards."

I bit into what looked like toast but tasted like honey and sunlight. "How long was I asleep?"

"Fourteen hours. The bonding took a lot out of you." His expression grew more serious. "How do you feel? Can you sense us through the connection?"

"Yes," I admitted. "It's weird. I know where each of you is right now without looking. Kieran is somewhere below us, probably in a meeting. Dante is outside, moving fast like he's running. Atlas is close, maybe in the hallway. And Raven is far, on the edge of the property, watching something."

Phoenix's eyebrows rose. "That's remarkably accurate for a new bond. Took most Catalysts weeks to develop that level of awareness."

"Is that bad?"

"No, it's good. Means the bond is strong." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Means you're accepting it instead of fighting it."

I set down the toast, my appetite suddenly gone. "I didn't have much choice, did I? Accept the bond or die."

"There's always a choice, Aria. You could have kept fighting. Some Catalysts do, right up until the end." Phoenix leaned forward, his brown eyes intense. "You chose to trust us. That matters."

Through the bond, I felt his sincerity. That was going to take some getting used to, feeling their emotions like they were my own. "So what happens now? Do I just live here with all five of you?"

"For now, yes. Until we're sure you're safe and you have better control of your power." He grinned suddenly. "Don't worry, the lodge is huge. Plenty of space for everyone. Even Kieran and Raven might manage not to kill each other."

As if summoned by his name, I felt Kieran's presence grow stronger through the bond. Moments later, another knock sounded and he entered without waiting for permission. His silver eyes swept over me, checking for injuries or problems with the same thorough intensity he probably used for battle strategies.

"You're awake," he stated. "Good. We need to discuss security protocols and begin your training immediately."

Phoenix rolled his eyes. "Good morning to you too, Frost. Maybe let her finish breakfast before you turn her into a soldier."

"The council knows where she is," Kieran said coldly. "Marcus already sent three messages demanding access to Aria for evaluation. We're not safe just because we're behind Atlas's wards."

The mention of Marcus made my stomach twist. Something about that man set off every alarm bell I had. "What kind of evaluation?"

"Power testing, mostly. They want to measure your strength and determine how useful you'll be to the territories." Kieran's jaw tightened. "I told him to go to hell."

"Politely, I'm sure," Phoenix murmured.

"There was nothing polite about it."

Despite everything, I smiled. Through the bond, I could feel Kieran's fierce protectiveness, even if his words came out cold and commanding. "Thank you for telling him no."

Something flickered in Kieran's eyes, surprise maybe, at being thanked. "You're not a tool for the council to use. The sooner everyone understands that, the better."

Dante's presence suddenly blazed stronger through the bond, accompanied by a spike of alarm. All three of us felt it at the same moment.

"Something's wrong," I said, standing up from the bed.

Kieran was already moving toward the door. "Stay here with Phoenix. I'll check it out."

But I was already following him, Phoenix close behind me. The bond pulled me toward Dante with an urgency that overrode common sense. If he was in danger, I needed to be there. Some instinct deeper than thought drove me forward.

We found him in the main hall of the lodge, surrounded by Atlas and Raven. All three Alphas were staring at someone I'd never seen before, a young woman with wild red hair and eyes that glowed yellow like a wolf's.

"I'm telling you, they're coming," she said urgently. "The rogues. Scar is leading them himself. He knows the Catalyst is here and he's bringing an army to take her."