Sacrificed To The Triplet Alpha Kings

Lucian turned around.

His golden eyes were burning. ”Six weeks.”

”Yes.” Sebastian replied.

”Until the deadline.”

”Yes.” Sebastian also replied.

”And if the triple bond is not complete by then.”

Nicholas turned to him and held his gaze. ”The marking becomes permanent in the wrong direction. Not mate bond. Curse bond. We go feral.” He paused. ”And we take her with us.”

Sebastian stood up.

Moved to the window beside Nicholas and stood there with his brother.

”Victoria....” Sebastian trailed off.

”Callum got word this morning,” Nicholas said. ”She has crossed into the eastern territories.”

Lucian turned his head sharply.

”How close.”

”Days,” Nicholas said. ”Maybe less.”

Lucian exhaled through his nose.

Sebastian’s hands were still at his sides but Nicholas could see them. the slight curl of his fingers. Rhen pressing hard on him and Nicholas noticed that Rhen has being doing that lately.

”She felt the binding shatter,” Sebastian said.

”Every witch within a hundred miles felt it,” Nicholas said. ”Victoria felt it from wherever she has been for twelve years and she has been moving ever since.” He looked at both brothers. ”When she gets here she is going to want Lilith. She has information about the bloodline, about what Lilith is, about what she can do, and she will use every piece of it.”

”To pull her away from us,” Lucian said.

”To pull her away before the triple bond is complete,” Nicholas said. ”An incomplete bond can be argued and broken easily,” His eyes moved to look at Lucian, ”But a complete triple bond cannot be broken by anyone. Not Victoria. Not even by the Witch Council..”

Lucian looked at the ceiling briefly.

Something flickered across his face that Nicholas recognized, the look Lucian wore when he was doing the math and not liking the answer.

”She does not know any of this,” he said quietly. ”She is somewhere in this estate right now not knowing that her aunt is days away. Not knowing what the post actually means. Not knowing....” He stopped.

”No,” Nicholas said.

”Nicholas....”

”Not yet.” His voice was firm. ”I know what you are going to say. I know she deserves to know. I know every day we wait is a day we are carrying something that belongs to her.” He looked at his brother directly. ”But think about what she is already carrying. The marking. Her power breaking open and not understanding why. Her father....” He stopped. ”We tell her when the triple bond is complete. When Victoria cannot use the truth as a weapon to separate her from us. When she is protected.”

Lucian looked at him for a long moment.

”But she is going to be furious,” he said.

”Yes.” Nicholas replied.

”When she finds out we knew and said nothing she is going to feel betrayed.”

”Yes,” Nicholas said. ”I know that, and i have made peace with that.” His jaw was tight. ”Her anger is a price I will pay. Her being alive and protected and whole is not negotiable.”

Lucian said nothing.

Sebastian had been quiet through all of this.

Nicholas looked at him.

”The post,” Sebastian said. Not a deflection, he had been thinking about it, Nicholas could tell. Working through it the way Sebastian worked through everything. ”Eli traced it further.”

”This morning,” Nicholas confirmed. ”It is not random. It is not a pack member guessing.” He paused. ”Whoever is behind it has specific knowledge. About Victor’s death and about the Blackwood family’s involvement.” He held Sebastian’s gaze. ”Someone is feeding this deliberately. Someone who wants her destabilized before she understands what she is.”

”Before she is protected,” Sebastian said.

”Yes.” Nicholas replied.

”Victoria?” Sebastian suggested.

”Possibly. Or someone working toward the same end.” Nicholas shook his head. ”Callum is still working on it. We don’t have a name yet.”

Sebastian nodded slowly.

His hands had closed into fists at his sides.

Nicholas watched him.

Watched Rhen pressing close to the surface the way it always showed in Sebastian’s shoulders, the way that meant his wolf was right there and had been right there for days and was running out of patience.

Then Lucian said ”Can I say something.”

”You’re going to regardless,” Sebastian said.

”Yes,” Lucian agreed. He looked at both of them. ”We are sitting here talking about Victoria and the post and the curse and the six weeks deadline, while and all of it matters, but none of it is the actual thing we need to talk about.”

Lucian took a deep breath and continued. ”The actual thing,” Lucian said, ”is that Sebastian and I have not marked her. And every day we don’t...” He stopped. Pressed his hand flat against his own chest briefly. The gesture he made when Zev was right there. ”Zev has been impossible. Three days. I have been running the territory borders at night because it is the only thing that keeps him manageable.” He looked at Nicholas. ”I cannot hold this much longer. And I do not think Sebastian can either.”

Sebastian said nothing.

Which was its own answer.

Lucian looked at Nicholas steadily.

”So what are we waiting for,” he said. ”Tell me what we are waiting for.”

Nicholas looked at his youngest brother for a long moment.

Then.....”Her choice,” he said. ”Freely given. Without pressure. Without the bond pulling at her and the curse clock ticking and three Alphas who need something making her feel like she has no real option.” His said quietly..

”She came to us the first time because she was sent to us as payment for a debt She stayed because of a contract. I will not have her marked because she felt she had no other way out.” He looked at both of them. ”She chooses. Freely. Completely. Or we do not proceed.”

The room was quiet.

Sebastian looked at the floor.

That expression Nicholas knew, the one that meant he disagreed and was deciding whether to say so.

”She told me this morning she is not asking me to wait,” he said quietly. ”Those were her exact words. I did not use the bond. I did not pressure her. I told her I was running out of patience and I told her to tell me if she needed more time.” He looked up. ”She said she is not asking me to wait.”

Nicholas held his gaze.

”Then don’t,” he said.