Kiera's POV
"Kiera, I know you're in there."
Damon's voice echoed from outside the cave, calm and controlled like he was discussing pack business instead of hunting me through the Lunar Grounds.
Thorne moved instantly, positioning himself between me and the sealed cave entrance. His body went rigid, every muscle coiled for violence.
"Stay behind me," he ordered, his voice low and dangerous.
I should have been scared. Should have been panicking. But rage burned hotter than fear.
"Come out and we'll talk," Damon continued from outside. "No violence. No tricks. Just a conversation between old friends."
"Old friends?" I nearly choked on the words. "Is he serious?"
"Alphas rewrite history to suit their needs." Thorne's eyes glowed in the firelight. "In his mind, he's the reasonable one trying to fix a mistake."
"The mistake being that he rejected me in the first place."
"Or the mistake being that he let you go before realizing how valuable you are."
That stung because it was true. Damon hadn't wanted me until the Council declared me cursed. Until other Alphas started sniffing around. Until I became something worth fighting for.
"Kiera, please." Damon's voice softened, taking on that gentle tone he used to use when we were together. The one that made me believe he actually cared. "I made a terrible mistake when I rejected you. I was scared of what the Council would do if they discovered your Oracle blood. But I've had time to think, and I realize now that I can't live without you."
My bitter laugh echoed through the cave. "How convenient. You realize you love me the exact moment I'm facing exile."
Thorne glanced back at me, something like approval in his expression.
"I was wrong," Damon called out. "I should have protected you instead of protecting myself. Let me make it right. Come out, accept our bond again, and I'll use my Alpha authority to shield you from the Council."
"He can't shield you from anything," Thorne said quietly. "He's lying to get you out of here."
"I know." I moved closer to Thorne, peering around his broad shoulder toward the sealed entrance. "I'm not that naive girl anymore."
"Good."
Outside, I heard movement. Multiple wolves shifting position, surrounding the cave entrance. My stomach clenched.
"How many are out there?" I whispered.
"Six. Maybe seven." Thorne's jaw tightened. "Three have Alpha presence. The others are warriors."
Three Alphas?
"Don't listen to my brother!" A new voice joined Damon's. Cade. Of course. "He rejected you first, Kiera. I'm the one who tried to save you!"
"Save me?" Anger exploded through me. "You tried to use me as your secret mistress while you courted someone else publicly!"
"I made mistakes too," Cade called back, sounding almost sincere. "But unlike Damon, I'm willing to admit I wanted you for the wrong reasons initially. Now I see clearly. You're special, Kiera. Powerful. You deserve someone who appreciates that."
"Someone like you?" I shot back.
"Someone better than the exile you're hiding with." His voice turned cold. "Thorne Ravenclaw is dangerous, unstable. Everyone knows the stories. He'll hurt you eventually. It's in his nature."
Thorne's hands clenched into fists, but he stayed silent.
"The stories aren't true," I said loudly enough for everyone outside to hear. "Unlike you three, Thorne has actually told me the truth about why he was exiled. About the Council's Oracle murders. About children being slaughtered to protect Alpha authority."
Silence greeted my words.
Then Damon spoke again, his voice tighter. "The exile has been filling your head with conspiracy theories. The Oracle Purge ended two centuries ago. Everyone knows that."
"Everyone knows what the Council wants them to know," I repeated Thorne's words. "But I'm an Oracle, Damon. I can see through lies. And yours reek of desperation."
"You're making a mistake," Cade snarled. "That exile can't protect you. He has no pack, no resources, no power."
"He has more honor than both of you combined," I fired back.
Thorne glanced at me again, surprise flickering across his face. Like he wasn't used to anyone defending him.
"Honor doesn't stop silver chains," Damon said quietly. "The Council is coming for you, Kiera. Tonight. They've authorized your capture. Your only chance is accepting protection from an established pack. From me."
"Or from me," Cade added quickly. "I'll make you Luna. Give you actual status and power."
They were bidding for me like I was property at auction. The realization made me sick.
"I'd rather face the Council alone than accept either of your so-called protection," I said.
"Then you're a fool," Cade spat.
Movement outside shifted. A new scent drifted through the sealed entrance, sophisticated and calculating.
Thorne's entire body went rigid. "No."
"What?" I grabbed his arm. "What's wrong?"
Before he could answer, a third voice joined the chorus outside. Smooth as silk and twice as dangerous.
"Touching reunion, truly." Ryker Nightshade stepped into view beyond the cave entrance, his wolf form massive and imposing. "The two Ironclad brothers fighting over the girl they both rejected. How poetic."
My blood turned to ice. Ryker. The third Alpha. The one who'd manipulated me most completely.
He shifted to human form, standing naked and unashamed beside Damon's wolf. His dark eyes found the sealed entrance like he could see straight through it.
"But I'm afraid you're both wrong," Ryker continued calmly. "Kiera doesn't belong with either of you. She belongs with me."
"You rejected her too," Damon growled, his wolf form bristling with Alpha dominance.
"A strategic error I'm prepared to correct." Ryker's smile was cold. "Unlike you two fools, I actually understand what she is. What she's capable of. The Nightshade pack has resources the Ironclads can only dream of. I can truly protect her from the Council."
"By using her as a weapon like you did before?" I shouted through the sealed entrance. "I know about your secret mate, Ryker. Your political alliance. I'm not stupid enough to fall for your lies again."
His expression didn't change. "That alliance is dissolved. My former mate proved less useful than anticipated. You, however, have value that transcends politics."
The casual way he talked about women as tools made my skin crawl.
"She's not going with any of you," Thorne said, his voice carrying enough menace to make the wolves outside pause.
"Ravenclaw." Ryker's tone held grudging respect. "I wondered who she'd chosen to hide with. Should have known it would be you."
"Back away from my cave."
"Your cave?" Ryker laughed. "You're an exile with no pack standing. You have no claim here."
"I have mate-right." Thorne's eyes blazed silver-gold. "She's my fated mate. That gives me every right to defend her."
Shocked silence greeted his announcement.
Then Damon shifted to human form, his face contorted with fury. "Liar! She was MY fated mate first!"
"You rejected that bond," Thorne said coldly. "Can't reclaim what you threw away."
"She's mine!" Cade insisted, shifting as well. "I claimed her second!"
"And rejected her second," Thorne countered.
Three naked Alphas stood outside the cave entrance, all staring at the sealed rock with varying degrees of rage and possessiveness.
"Gentlemen." Ryker's voice cut through their arguing. "We all want the same thing. The Oracle. Fighting among ourselves accomplishes nothing."
"What are you suggesting?" Damon asked warily.
"I'm suggesting we work together to extract her from Ravenclaw's protection. Then we can settle who gets to claim her properly."
They were talking about me like I was an object. A prize to be won.
Rage flooded through me so intensely my vision flashed silver. Power crackled at my fingertips.
"She doesn't belong to ANY of you!" I shouted, my Oracle power making the words echo with unnatural force. "I'm not property to be claimed or traded or fought over!"
"Easy," Thorne murmured, his hand finding mine. "Don't let them see how much power you have. Not yet."
"Three Alphas, all demanding you," I said bitterly. "This is my nightmare."
"It's about to get worse." Thorne's expression turned grim. "Because they brought Council guards with them. I can smell silver weapons."
Outside, Ryker spoke again, his voice carrying calculated menace.
"Kiera, darling, be reasonable. You have three Alphas offering protection and one exile offering nothing but danger. The choice should be obvious."
"The choice is obvious," I said clearly. "I choose myself."
"Then you choose death," a new voice said from the darkness beyond the three Alphas.
And Elder Steelclaw stepped into the blood moon's light, flanked by a dozen Council guards carrying silver chains.