Avenging The Triplet Alphas
Chapter 35

Arielle's

POV

"I suggest we cancel every trip we have planned outside the territory. I won't put you both lives at risk now we've learned about the potential threat your ex-mate possesses. He's a desperate man right now and desperate men have no limit to what they'd do to As soon as I was done discussing with Ethan, he left me and I waited for a couple of minutes before making my way down to Luciana's place.

achieve what they want." Luciana said.

She had been babysitting my son for a while now and I had been informed that she had left my room as soon as I left and made her way to her quarters. She didn't have any child of her own, nor had she been tasked with looking after a newborn child before but she had made the seamless transition into becoming a full-time nanny, much to my pleas of hiring a professional nanny but she wouldn't hear any of it. Despite everything, I was proud of her progress over the past few months.

"I'm not scared of them, not anymore. Not Loki, Jonathan, or Elijah, I was past that now. Their antics to disrupt this new life I've carved out for myself will not work." I insisted.

I wasn't going to alter my life because they were coming after me, it would be playing into their hands like they wanted. This was a game, a game they were used to playing so many times over. But if there was one thing I've learned over the past year, it was fortitude. Those horrible memories were now a thing of the past, I wasn't going back to who I was back then.

"You're not going back to that person anymore, I promise." Luciana grasped both my hands in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I feel obligated to make sure you're safe. A war is brewing, I know this. There has been an ominous development over the past couple of weeks, it's been transparent and it has caused quite a stir in the pack but now, we know what's going on."

I sighed, shutting my eyes for a brief moment as she let go of my hand and I sank deeper into the couch I was sitting on.

"I know you wouldn't want to admit to it, Ethan didn't want to admit either when we spoke earlier but what is happening now is my fault."

Luciana bit back a smile and I couldn't help but notice a few things her facial expressions revealed, it was almost like she knew it was coming. She wore a look on her face that made me assume she had the premonition that I was going to say this and that I was going to blame myself for everything, right from the moment I walked into the room.

I felt naked before her eyes.

"Are you planning on making me regret taking you under my wing all these months?" She asked me.

"No, no." I hurriedly began, eager not to get her angry. "I'm only saying that you all wouldn't be worried about the potential risk of going to war if I didn't end up here."

"I know you don't see it yet but you've been a blessing to all of us here," Luciana began. "And not just to us but to yourself and your daughter as well. Ethan and I were close to giving up on him ever finding a mate after what happened with Mara and his uncle. We've been searching for years, well, I have mostly. But there was none, no one could fill the void within him, and then by some stroke of luck, he suddenly decided to join in the patrol duty for the first time since I could remember and he stumbled upon you."

"I know you don't see it yet but you've been a blessing to all of us here," Luciana began. "And not just to us but to yourself and your daughter as well. Ethan and I were close to giving up on him ever finding a mate after what happened with Mara and his uncle. We've been searching for years, well, I have mostly. But there was none, no one could fill the void within him, and then by some stroke of luck, he suddenly decided to join in the patrol duty for the first time since I could remember and he stumbled upon you." "I-I don't..." I opened my mouth to speak but I couldn't get the words out.

"You don't need to say anything, just listen to what I have to say." She smiled at me. "Can you do that?"

I nodded.

"Despite his first instinct to leave you to your fate out in the woods, he had a sudden change of heart and he brought you back here safely and that's all that matters to me, nothing else does. The moon goddess sent you here to answer my prayers, I don't care what anyone else might say or think, you're not the cause of whatever happens from here onward. You're a blessing sent to our pack and if I had the chance to relieve this all over again, I'll take it without thinking about anything else."

I felt the tears sting at the back of my eyes threatening to fall. "I just don't want anyone to die for my sake, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"You don't get it yet, do you?" She cut in. "If it comes to war and if it does happen, the pack warriors wouldn't be fighting to keep Nia Xander, a rogue wolf safe and here in the pack where she belongs. No, that wouldn't be why they'd go to the war. They'll be going to war for their incoming Luna and Queen to keep her from falling into the hands of intruders. They'll fight and die for your sake out there on the battlefield. That's why they'll be going to war."

"I'm not scared of them, I'm scared of what they'll do to everyone else," I replied she didn't understand. Maybe it was because the pack was far up North and they hadn't heard anything about the tales of the Van Tyson's.

"I know what they are, believe me. I've lived a long time on this earth and I'd be a fool to never have heard anything about the Van Tyson's and like I've been trying to tell you repeatedly, I don't give a damn about what they want or why they're coming here. You're going to wear that crown and become Ethan's Luna by right and when the time comes, you'll become a member of our pack and by tradition, they would have no power to claim you or your child. Your bond with them can burn for all I care, you're special to all of us and I know this. Someday, I know you'll see it too. I can only hope that it won't be too late by the time it comes around."

"You sound so sure that Ethan will come around and claim me to be his mate in the right way, we love each other to a fault but there are still a couple of things we haven't brushed off yet." I began, staring at her warily. She seemed like she knew something that I don't. I didn't want to get my hopes up anymore after the emotional storm I had been through with Ethan a few months back but she sounded convincing.

"Call it a mother's instinct." Luciana laughed. "I just have this feeling that your story with Ethan is far from being filled with drama yet and this reality isn't what I feel it'll end up being at the end."

"Our relationship can best be described as nerving and at the same time, breathtaking," I joined in her laughter. "He comes off as too strict sometimes."

"He's trying to fight and beat himself at his own game," Luciana shrugged, taking a sip from the glass of water on the table next to her. "You have to be crazy and strong enough to dare to try doing something as terrifying as that and he is both of those things." "He acts like he has a stick up his a*s," I said. My eyes widened with realization as I slapped my hand over my mouth.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"You're right, Nia." Luciana burst out laughing. "Ethan does act like he has a stick up his a*s, I wouldn't lie."

"I hope he loosens up soon. I like him better when he's a lot more relaxed but the truth is, I know I have my issues too and I have to work on them as well." I began, sounding a little bit worried. "If there's one thing Loki is incredibly good at, it's deciphering people's feelings and emotions within record time. It would be folly to meet him when we have our troubles lying underneath our relationship."

"Right now, that should be the least of your worries." Luciana patted my knee.

"Why?" I said, sitting upright as I heard the excitement in her voice.

"Just before you came in, I got wind of the news of the Van Tyson's impending arrival into the state. Things have gone up a notch ever since."

I felt my heart beat at a rhythmic pace, there was no tension or anything relating to it. I wasn't scared, I was eager to face my fears and carry out my plans. They would pay for everything they'd done to me, I would make sure of that.

"Can you look after Ethan for a few more hours?" I asked, making my way to my feet.

"Yes. Why? She replied, staring at me.

"I have to be there when they arrive. I can't miss this for the whole world."