CHAPTER 99: CHAPTER 99: WHEN LOVE BECOMES A WEAPON

Blood pooled beneath Elara as the fake Kael turned his ice blade deeper into her chest. "Does it hurt, omega?" he asked with Kael’s face but a stranger’s cruel voice.

"Good. You deserve every bit of pain." The real Kael roared with rage, launching himself at his double.

Their ice powers clashed in an explosion of frozen pieces that cut through the air like glass. "Get away from her!" Kael screamed, making a massive ice hammer. His evil twin laughed, dodging easily.

"She’s dying because of you, brother. Your weakness made this possible." Ronan and Darian were fighting their own fights.

Evil Ronan’s fires burned black instead of orange, leaving scorch marks on everything they touched. Evil Darian’s truth skills had turned into lies, making the real Darian stumble and doubt his own senses.

"We’re stronger than the originals," Evil Ronan mocked, his dark fire forming a whip. "We don’t have their pathetic emotions holding us back."

Elara tried to pull the ice knife from her chest, but her hands were too weak. Each breath brought more blood to her lips. The pain was intense, but something else hurt worse. Watching her friends fight wearing the faces she loved.

"This is what happens when you trust people," a soft voice said beside her. Elara’s head turned, and her heart shattered totally.

Her father stood there, looking exactly as he had the day he died. Same kind smile, same warm brown eyes, same protecting stance.

But this version felt different from the dog illusion. More real. More painful. "Dad?" she whispered. "Hello, sweetheart," he said sadly. "I’ve been waiting to talk to you."

"You’re not real either," Elara said, but her voice broke. "You’re another test." "Does it matter?" her father asked, kneeling beside her.

"Real or fake, the words are still true. You let me die, Elara. You were too scared and weak to help." Tears mixed with blood on Elara’s face. "I was just a kid." "So were other wolves your age," her father responded.

"But they fought. They tried. You hid in the storage room while rogues tore me apart." The memory hit like a physical blow.

She HAD hidden. When the attack sounds went off, fifteen-year-old Elara ran to the safest place she could find instead of joining the fight. "I heard you calling for help," she sobbed. "But I was too scared to come out."

"Because you’re a coward," her father said plainly. "Always have been. Always will be." Around them, the battle raged. Evil Kael had frozen the real Kael’s legs to the ground and was slowly advancing with another ice blade.

"Your precious mates are going to die too," her father continued. "Just like I did. Because you’re too weak to save anyone."

"That’s not true!" Elara tried to sit up but fell from pain. "Isn’t it?" Her father pointed toward the fight.

"Look at them struggling. They’re going to lose because they’re worried about you instead of focused on battle. Your weakness makes everyone around you weaker."

Evil Darian had wrapped his truth powers around the real Darian’s throat, killing him slowly. "Give up," Evil Darian whispered.

"You know you don’t deserve her love." "Never," Real Darian gasped, but his struggles were getting weaker. "See?" Elara’s father said.

"They’d be better off without you. Everyone would." The words cut deeper than any blade. Part of Elara had always believed exactly that. She’d spent years thinking her mates deserved someone stronger, someone better.

"Maybe you’re right," she whispered, feeling her life draining away. Her father smiled, but it wasn’t the warm look she remembered. This smile was cold and pleased.

"Finally, you’re learning," he said. "Give up, sweetheart. Let go. Stop fighting a battle you can’t win." Elara’s eyes started to close.

The dagger in her chest felt heavier with each beating. Around her, the sounds of fighting grew distant. But then she heard something that made her eyes snap open.

Kael was singing. It was barely a whisper, so quiet she almost missed it. But he was humming the song her real father used to sing when she had nightmares.

The same song her dad sang the night before he died, when she’d been scared about starting high school. "Sleep now, little star," Kael hummed softly, even as he fought for his life. "Tomorrow brings new light." The real memory flooded back.

Her father’s last words to her hadn’t been calls for help during the attack. They’d been "I love you, stay safe" as he kissed her face that final morning.

"You’re lying," Elara said to the fake father beside her. His kind expression flickered. "What?" "My real dad never called for help during the attack," she said, strength returning to her voice.

"He told everyone to protect the children first. Including me." "You’re confused from blood loss," the fake father said quickly.

"No." Elara grabbed the ice dagger and yanked it from her chest with a scream of pain. "My real father died saving people. He wouldn’t want me to give up. He’d want me to fight!" The fake father’s face twisted with rage.

"You stupid girl! You could have had peace!" "I don’t want peace," Elara snarled, her Bridge Walker skills suddenly flaring to life.

"I want my family safe!" Golden light burst from her hands, washing over the battlefield. The moment it touched the evil doubles, they began screaming and melting.

"Impossible!" Evil Kael shrieked as his form melted away. "You were supposed to break!" "I did break," Elara said, standing despite her wound. "But breaking doesn’t mean staying broken."

Her power connected with her mates, healing their injuries and strengthening their skills. Together, they watched the fake versions crumble into silver dust.

The Moon Goddess clapped slowly from the shadows. "Impressive," she said. "You learned the lesson faster than I expected."

"What lesson?" Elara ordered, golden energy still crackling around her. "That your greatest enemy isn’t outside forces," the Goddess explained.

"It’s the voice in your head that says you’re not good enough. Defeat that voice, and nothing can stop you." The fake father tried one last time to speak, but Elara’s power silenced him totally.

"My real dad believed in me," she said firmly. "And that’s stronger than any doubt." Kael, Ronan, and Darian rushed to her side, their faces pale with fear.

"Your wound," Kael said, trying to study her chest. But when Elara looked down, the stab wound was gone. Only a thin silver scar remained, formed like a crescent moon.

"Battle scars from the trials stay with you," the Moon Goddess stated. "Consider it a reminder of your strength." "Is the trial over?" Ronan asked carefully.

"This round is finished," the Goddess declared. "But something interesting happened during your fight." She waved her hand, and suddenly Elara could feel a warm flutter in her stomach.

Different from her healing skills. More... living. "What did you do?" Elara gasped. "I didn’t do anything," the Goddess smiled strangely.

"Your power surge during the battle created the right conditions. Life finds a way, even in the middle of death." "You mean..." Darian’s truth powers proved what they were all thinking.

"Congratulations," the Moon Goddess said happily. "You’re officially pregnant with the first prophecy child." Elara’s hand flew to her stomach.

She could feel it now - a tiny spark of life growing inside her. "But we haven’t even..." she started to say. "Haven’t what?"

The Goddess tilted her head innocently. "Magic works differently than biology, dear. Intense emotional bonds can make life without physical contact. Your link during the trial was... powerful enough."

The triplets stared at each other in shock. "Which one of us is the father?" Kael asked. "All of you," the Goddess answered. "That’s how the Triple Alpha link works. The child will carry traits from each mate."

"This is happening too fast," Elara said, suddenly dizzy. "Time moves differently during trials," the Goddess warned.

"What feels like hours to you has been days in the real world. Your pack is probably getting worried." "Days?" Ronan exclaimed. "Which brings us to your next problem," the Goddess continued easily.

"While you’ve been here proving yourselves, your enemies haven’t been idle." She waved her hand again, showing them a vision of their pack area. Smoke rose from several houses.

Pack members ran in fear. And standing in the center of it all, directing the chaos, was someone they’d hoped never to see again. "Celeste," Elara breathed.

"She’s not alone this time," the Goddess said grimly. "She’s brought friends. Lots of them." The vision showed dozens of rogues surrounding their home, all wearing strange silver collars that glowed with the same light as the trial creatures.

"She found a way to control rogues?" Darian asked in fear. "Worse," the Goddess said. "She found a way to make them as strong as Alphas. Every single one."

In the vision, they watched Celeste walk up to the pack house and kick in the front door.

"Where are they?" they heard her shout. "Where are the precious triplets and their omega?" "We have to go back," Kael said instantly. "The trial isn’t finished," the Goddess told them. "Then finish it!" Elara asked. "Our family needs us!" "Very well," the Goddess smiled.

"But know this - the final trials won’t wait for convenient timing. They’ll happen while you’re dealing with this attack." "We’ll handle it," Ronan said firmly. "Will you?" The Goddess’s face turned serious.

"Because Celeste isn’t just after payback anymore. She’s after the baby." "What baby?" Elara asked, confused. "The one you’re carrying carries the power to control any supernatural creature," the Goddess stated.

"In the wrong hands, that child could enslave every werewolf, vampire, and witch in existence." The image changed, showing Celeste holding a glowing silver blade.

"This knife can cut the bond between mother and child," the Goddess said quietly. "She plans to take the baby and raise it as her own weapon."

"Over my dead body," Elara growled. "That," the Goddess said sadly, "is exactly what she’s counting on." The vision faded, leaving them in darkness once again.

"Third trial begins now," the Goddess announced. "Save your pack, protect your child, and escape Celeste’s trap. Oh, and do it all while away from each other."

"Separated?" all four of them said at once. But they were already disappearing, being pulled back to the real world. "Good luck," the Goddess called after them. "You’re going to need it."

Elara felt herself falling through space and time, one hand on her stomach guarding the tiny life growing there. Whatever waited for them at home, they’d face it together. Even if they had to do it apart.