Chapter 7: Impossible Choice
1021words
"Get her to the safe room," Griffin ordered, already moving toward the source of the explosion.
"No," I grabbed his arm. "I'm not hiding while everyone fights."
"You don't know how to fight," he growled.
"Then it's time I learned."
Lucien appeared with a small bag of herbs. "We need to move. They're targeting this wing specifically."
"How many?" Valerian asked, suddenly serious, all playfulness gone.
"At least twenty. Well-armed."
Another explosion rocked the building. Plaster rained from the ceiling.
"Follow me," Griffin said, leading us through a hidden passage behind a bookshelf. Classic.
We emerged in what looked like a command center. Maps covered the walls, and several werewolves monitored security screens.
"Status?" Griffin barked.
"Perimeter breached in three locations," a young werewolf reported. "They have silver weapons, UV lights, and wolfsbane gas."
"They came prepared," Lucien murmured.
"Too prepared," Valerian added, eyes narrowing. "They knew our defenses."
Griffin turned to me. "Stay here. We'll handle this."
"But—"
"No buts. You haven't transformed yet. You're vulnerable."
As the three men prepared to leave, panic rose in my chest. The full moon was hours away. I needed to choose a guardian before my first transformation. But how could I choose now, in the middle of an attack?
"I need to decide," I said, stopping them. "Before you go. Before the moon rises."
They exchanged glances.
"Now?" Griffin asked incredulously.
"If not now, when? Between explosions?"
I looked at each of them, these three powerful, dangerous men who had turned my life upside down in less than a week.
Griffin—strong, protective, unyielding. A natural leader who would keep me safe at all costs.
Lucien—wise, gentle, with hidden depths of power. A healer who could teach me control.
Valerian—unpredictable, cunning, seductive. A survivor who understood the darker side of power.
"I'm supposed to pick one of you," I said, thinking aloud. "My guardian. My... whatever this is."
"Your anchor," Lucien supplied. "Through the transformation and beyond."
I paced the small room. "I'm supposed to choose between muscle man, sad prince, or danger boy? How is that fair?"
Valerian's lips twitched despite the situation.
"I need Griffin's strength and protection," I continued. "I need Lucien's wisdom and healing. And yes, I need Valerian's cunning and adaptability."
"Or all of us," Valerian whispered near my ear, suddenly close. "Why choose?"
Griffin frowned. "That's against the rules."
"But not impossible," Lucien added quietly.
I stared at them. "What are you saying?"
"Female Alphas are rare," Lucien explained. "Their abilities... unpredictable. The bond might work differently for you."
"Multiple bonds have been theorized," Valerian said, surprising me with his knowledge. "Never proven."
"Because no one's tried," I realized.
Griffin shook his head. "The Council would never—"
Another explosion, closer this time. The lights flickered.
"We don't have time for this," Griffin growled. "Choose, or stay here while we fight."
I closed my eyes, searching for an answer. The wolf inside me, still new and unfamiliar, stirred. I felt it reaching out, not to one, but to all three men.
"I choose all of you," I said, opening my eyes. "I need all of you."
Silence fell, broken only by the distant sounds of fighting.
"That's not how it works," Griffin insisted, but I saw uncertainty in his eyes.
"How do you know?" I challenged. "When was the last female Alpha? Fifty years ago? Things change."
Lucien stepped forward, placing his hand on my forehead. A soft blue glow emanated from his fingers.
"Her energy..." he murmured. "It's different. Stronger than it should be before first transformation."
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"It means you might be right," he said, looking surprised. "Your wolf is reaching for all three bonds."
Valerian laughed suddenly. "Always breaking rules, little miracle."
Griffin still looked skeptical, but another explosion decided for us.
"We don't have time to debate werewolf metaphysics," he said. "If you're choosing all three, so be it. We'll deal with the consequences later—if we survive."
"How do we do this?" I asked.
"Blood bond," Lucien said. "Quick version."
Each man sliced their palm with a claw. Griffin took my hand, making a small cut across my palm.
"Blood to blood," he said, pressing his wound to mine.
A jolt of energy shot up my arm, warm and powerful. I gasped as something clicked into place inside me.
Lucien repeated the process, his touch gentle. Another surge of energy, cool and soothing.
Finally, Valerian took my hand, his eyes locked on mine as he pressed our wounds together. The energy was electric, wild.
Three bonds, three different sensations, all connecting to something primal within me.
"It worked," I whispered, feeling their presence in my mind.
"Impossible," Griffin muttered, but I could feel his amazement through our new bond.
"We need to move," Valerian said, head tilting as he listened to something beyond my hearing. "They're getting closer."
As if on cue, the door burst open. A hunter stood there, weapon raised.
Before I could react, all three men moved as one—Griffin charging forward, Lucien creating a shield of blue energy, Valerian disappearing only to reappear behind the hunter.
The coordination was perfect, as if they'd fought together for years instead of being rivals.
Through our new bonds, I felt their surprise at this synchronicity.
"The bonds," Lucien realized. "They're connecting us to each other, not just to Lyra."
"Fascinating," Valerian said, wiping his blade clean. "But let's discuss magical theory after we survive."
Griffin nodded. "Valerian, clear a path to the east exit. Lucien, prepare the defensive herbs. I'll gather the pack."
"What about me?" I asked.
Griffin's eyes softened slightly. "Stay close to Lucien. The moon rises in two hours. When it does..."
"I transform," I finished.
"And then," Valerian said with a dangerous smile, "the hunters become the hunted."
As we moved through the building, I felt the three bonds pulsing with energy. Whatever I'd done by choosing all three, it had changed something fundamental.
The question was whether it would be enough to keep us alive through the night.
