Fated to the Alpha–And His Triplet Brothers

Chapter 78: Danger

**~ Cyrius’s POV ~**

I dashed after her, into the crumbling ruins of the old building.

The air inside was thick cold and damp, with the heavy scent of moss and dust. The aura clung to my skin like a warning. Something terrible had happened here before. Maybe magic. Maybe blood. Maybe both.

I adjusted the twins, wrapped in cloth around my back. Their warmth pressed into me, steady and fragile. I kept one hand on them and the other ready at my side.

I spotted her silhouette tucked in the corner.

I moved carefully. Just as I turned around the pillar..

Steel met my throat.

A sharp dagger pressed into my neck, and I froze.

Her breath was shaky. Her brown eyes wide with fear, shimmering with tears—but her hand didn’t tremble. She was scared, yes, but brave.

I reacted quickly.

I knocked the blade aside and shoved her backward. She slammed against the cracked wall with a grunt. I closed the distance between us before she could recover, pinning her with one hand.

And then...Heather cried.

A soft, high-pitched wail. Muffled but undeniable. The girl’s expression twisted in confusion, her gaze darting to the babies strapped against my back.

She hadn’t expected that.

"What do you want?" she whispered, voice trembling, breath shallow.

I stared her down. "Your help," I said, voice low. "You. Your coven. The rest of Dahlia’s witches...what’s left of them."

Her lips parted. "Dahlia?"

"Don’t lie to me," I growled. "I’ve seen her. And you" I glanced her up and down. "You have her eyes. You move like her. You smell like her. You are one of them."

"I.." she started, but I wasn’t in the mood.

I pressed my arm across her throat. Just enough to make her cough.

"I don’t want games. I’ll end you right now. Then I’ll find the others and end them too. So choose wisely. Help me or die."

She gasped. "We..we don’t have anything left!" she choked out. "There’s nothing to help you with! We’ve lost everything. Our powers. Our anchor. Dahlia is dead. Our Queen Mother is gone. Without her, we’re not witches. We’re just women now. Human."

I narrowed my eyes. "You’re lying."

She shook her head, desperate. "You think we want this? You think we chose to live in hiding, powerless? We need her too."

I looked at her for a long moment. My jaw clenched. My fingers flexed against my palm. And then, finally..I spoke.

"I’m on your side."

Her eyebrows knit. "What?"

"I said—I’m on Dahlia’s side," I repeated. "She found me. Woke me from the coffin. Promised to help me become a Crescent. Promised me power. In exchange, I promised her the babies."

Her eyes widened.

She looked past me—toward the twins, now silent but watchful, pressed against my back.

"Are they—?" she whispered.

the prophesied ones. The reason for all of this.

them in awe, as if seeing holy relics. Her lips parted. "Oh my

I

looked stunned. Then, suddenly, she straightened

quickly. "If what you say is true, they’ll be hunting you. They’ll find you. The High

know that

Trackers with blood ties. If they catch a whiff of one of those babies, they’ll sniff you out like meat on a

"What do I do?"

her shoulder—then

the city. Now. Lay low. I’ll gather the others. I’ll call

narrowed my eyes. "And you expect me

she said honestly. "But what choice do you

I paused.

Fair enough.

and pulled a necklace from around her neck. It was a simple charm. A black stone, cracked in the center, with a small rune etched onto

"is all we have left of Dahlia’s protection. It doesn’t cast magic anymore. But it carries essence. I’ll enchant it with my own

you lost

anymore," she

an eyebrow. "You sound a

said softly.

down at the

only once. If I smell a

one," she said quickly. "Tonight. I’ll leave a mark at the East Gate wall. A crow’s blood sigil. Follow it.

...

left New Orleans just like

down..I knew she was

missing. And not just missing..twins.

So I ran.

Just past the edge

to go too far, in case

So I waited.

the time to care for the twins. I

Technically, I paid.

I stole

I didn’t steal

for the babies. That counts

night fell and

cradled the twins close and sped toward

There were wolves everywhere.

Moon patrol had already started locking down

led me into

Then..figures stepped out.

Three of them.

were masked. Cloaked. Moving like shadows in

I tensed.

gripped the babies tighter against

other hovered near the dagger beneath

them pulled

The witch from

"I’d

She turned and gestured.

followed her in silence, the forest growing denser around us. We moved for several minutes until the path opened—and in front of us

encircled by stones, ashes, and glowing runes. The scent of herbs and burnt

they emerged dozens

behind trees, from under branches, from the shadows of the hut. All women. Some old, some young. All of them murmuring, eyes

One stepped forward.

cut through

sharply, pointing at me. "This is a trap. This is a Salvatore! He