I felt them before I saw them.
The triplets stirred violently, their pulses no longer calm but sharp and reactive, sending waves of discomfort through my body. I pressed a hand to my stomach instinctively, breath hitching.
"They're close," I murmured.
Ronan straightened beside me, his entire posture shifting into something lethal and commanding. "Who?"
I didn't answer.
Because the doors to the council hall opened—and my past walked in.
My former mate.
And my former best friend.
The room went deathly quiet.
Kade looked older than I remembered. Harder. His once-proud posture faltered the moment his eyes landed on me. On my swollen belly. On Ronan's possessive hand resting at my waist.
Beside him stood Lyra.
She wouldn't meet my gaze.
Of course she wouldn't.
My wolf snarled inside me, rage flooding my veins so fast I nearly staggered. The triplets reacted instantly—one flaring hot, another sharp and crackling, the third cold and heavy like an approaching storm.
Ronan felt it. His fingers tightened slightly at my side, grounding me. "Easy," he murmured under his breath. "I've got you."
Elder Maerith cleared her throat. "Kade of the Iron Crest Pack," she announced. "You demanded audience. Speak."
Kade dropped to one knee.
The sound echoed like an insult.
"My King," he said, voice rough. "I come to challenge the legitimacy of Aria's claim."
The room erupted.
Ronan didn't move—but the temperature dropped sharply.
"Choose your next words carefully," he said.
Kade swallowed. "She disappeared for five years. Returned carrying children not sired by her bonded mate. The laws—"
"The laws," Ronan cut in, voice deadly calm, "state that a rejected mate bond dissolves all claims."
Kade flinched. "She never formally rejected me."
I stepped forward.
The movement alone silenced the room.
"I didn't need to," I said coldly. "You broke the bond when you crawled into her bed."
Lyra gasped softly.
Finally, she looked at me.
Her eyes filled with tears. "Aria… I never meant—"
"Don't," I snapped.
The triplets surged violently.
A pulse of energy rippled outward, cracking the marble beneath our feet.
Several elders stumbled.
Ronan swore softly. "Aria—"
"I know," I breathed, fighting to rein it in. "I know."
But it was too late.
Lyra cried out suddenly, clutching her head. "It hurts—what is that—?"
The air shimmered.
One of the triplets—my first—lashed out instinctively.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Memories flooded the room.
Lyra's betrayal played out like a living nightmare: whispered lies, stolen touches, the satisfaction on her face when she thought she'd won.
Gasps echoed.
Kade looked horrified. "Make it stop!"
I shook, tears streaming down my face. "I didn't do this," I whispered. "They did."
Ronan moved instantly, wrapping me in his arms, pressing my face into his chest as his power flared protectively. "Enough," he commanded, voice echoing with ancient authority.
The energy snapped back.
Silence fell.
Lyra collapsed to her knees, sobbing.
Kade stared at me like he was seeing a stranger. "What are you?"
I lifted my head slowly, meeting his gaze with calm fury.
"The consequence of your choices."
Ronan turned to the council. "This hearing is over."
"But the realm—" one elder began.
"The realm will adapt," Ronan said coldly. "Or it will break."
He looked down at Kade. "You lost her the moment you chose betrayal. You will never speak her name again."
Kade bowed his head. Defeated.
Guards escorted them out.
When the doors closed, my legs finally gave out.
Ronan caught me, lifting me effortlessly into his arms. "You did nothing wrong," he murmured fiercely. "None of this is on you."
"I hate that they feel it," I whispered. "The anger. The pain."
He pressed his forehead to mine. "They're protecting you. Just like you protected them."
Later, alone in our chambers, I lay back against the pillows, exhaustion weighing heavy in my bones. Ronan sat beside me, one hand resting over my stomach, thumb moving gently in slow circles.
"They're strong," he said quietly. "Stronger than anyone anticipated."
"I'm scared," I admitted. "What if I can't control it?"
He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my temple. "Then we learn. Together."
Outside, the realm whispered.
Some feared me.
Some revered me.
Some plotted.
And the Purge?
They were watching.
Waiting.
But one truth had become undeniable:
I was no longer the girl who ran.
I was the woman they would have to face.
And my children?
They were already choosing sides.