MATED TO THE BEAST ALPHA BROTHERS
Chapter 71: Liora

Chapter 71: Liora

"You lied to me."

The words cut through the silence like a dagger to the gut.

Seraphis didn’t flinch. "Say it louder, Haelyn."

"You said she was bound. Contained. That the wards would hold her back..."

"And they did. Until they didn’t."

Haelyn’s jaw clenched. "Because you knew this would happen. You were waiting."

"For what?" Seraphis raised a brow. "For her to feast on your child? Don’t be stupid."

"Don’t you dare..."

"Then don’t act like a child who didn’t want to see the truth." Seraphis stepped forward, her voice like steel dragged through ash. "Nemesis never wanted Archer. Never wanted Artemis. She wanted him."

Haelyn gripped Ezra tighter, her heart hammering.

"My son."

"Yes."

Silence.

Ezra stirred in his sleep, unaware that his name had just become prophecy.

Archer stood in the doorway, arms crossed. "Say what you’re not saying, Seraphis."

She looked between them. "There’s something in his blood. Something older. The Wolf King’s legacy was never meant to end with you. It was always meant to begin with him."

Haelyn took a step back, eyes wide. "No. No, he’s just...he’s just a child."

"So was Nemesis once."

"That’s not fair!"

"Neither is destiny."

Archer stepped forward. "Explain."

"Ezra’s birth didn’t just seal the bloodlines...it amplified them. Your darkness. Haelyn’s divine link. The remnants of Keres. They fused inside him. He’s not a vessel. He’s a spark."

"A spark for what?"

"The end," Seraphis whispered. "Or the beginning."

Haelyn sank to the floor, clutching Ezra. "I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t want him to be a weapon."

"Then you better pray you can raise him into a shield."

Midnight.

The cave had grown cold.

Archer sat beside the small fire, sharpening his blade for the fifth time that night.

"You haven’t said anything," Haelyn whispered.

"Neither have you."

"He’s our son."

"I know."

She looked at him, searching his eyes. "And?"

"I’ll protect him."

"That’s not what I’m asking."

He turned the blade in his hand slowly. "What do you want me to say, Haelyn? That I’m not terrified? That the idea of another war breaking out before his first birthday doesn’t make me want to rip the stars down?"

She blinked, caught off guard.

"I just..." Her voice trembled. "I just wanted peace."

"There’s no peace for people like us," he said quietly. "There never was."

She reached for his hand.

This time, he pulled away.

"Archer."

He stood. "I need air."

He walked out into the dark, the wind biting at his skin like old ghosts.

That’s when he saw her.

Standing at the edge of the cliff, arms behind her back, was Lilura.

She turned when she sensed him.

"Well. I wasn’t expecting you."

Archer narrowed his eyes. "You were warned."

"And I ignored it. You’re not exactly terrifying when you’re heartbroken."

"Say what you came to say and leave."

Lilura smirked. "You still don’t get it, do you? I didn’t come here. I was sent."

His jaw locked. "By who?"

She smiled.

"You already know."

He moved before she finished the sentence, blade drawn, at her throat.

Her smile didn’t waver. "Do it. But if you kill me, you’ll never know who whispered to Nemesis. Who opened the gate."

He froze.

"What?"

"Oh, poor Archer." Lilura leaned in. "Still think betrayal only comes from enemies?"

He shoved her back, hard. "Speak."

Lilura dusted herself off. "It wasn’t me. Wasn’t Nemesis. Not even Tiago. The gate to the Moonstone Keep...the breach in the wards...wasn’t an outside attack."

His stomach turned.

"It was someone inside."

She whispered the next words.

"Marlyil."

Back inside the cave...

Haelyn watched Ezra sleep, his small fingers wrapped in her scarf. He twitched slightly, a whimper escaping his lips.

She stroked his forehead.

"I won’t let them use you," she murmured. "Not for prophecies. Not for war."

"You already did."

The voice from behind her made her go still.

She turned.

Marlyil stood there.

Expressionless.

Dagger in hand.

Haelyn rose slowly. "Marlyil..."

"I didn’t mean to," Marlyil said softly. "But it happened anyway."

"What... what did you do?"

Marlyil’s hands shook. "I just wanted the pain to stop. The voices. The guilt. I never knew they’d twist it all."

Haelyn’s throat dried. "What did you do?"

"I let her in."

Time froze.

Haelyn’s eyes blurred.

"You opened the gate?"

"She said she’d give me peace. That Ezra would be safe. That the suffering would stop."

"You let them into the Keep. You betrayed all of us."

"I didn’t know they’d hurt him...!"

"You handed my son to monsters!"

Marlyil screamed, rushing forward, dagger raised.

But Haelyn was faster.

Her blade cut clean through Marlyil’s wrist...sending the dagger clattering.

They stared at each other.

"You were like a mother to me," Haelyn whispered.

"I am."

"No," Haelyn said coldly. "You’re nothing now."

Outside, Archer watched Lilura disappear into the mist.

Then he heard it.

The scream.

He ran.

Marlyil was on her knees, cradling her ruined arm.

Haelyn stood over her, face pale, blood on her fingers.

Archer skidded into the cave, blade raised. "What the hell happened?!"

Haelyn didn’t answer.

Ezra cried.

Marlyil sobbed. "I didn’t mean to..."

Archer pointed the blade at her throat.

"She lives only because you held back," he growled to Haelyn.

"She lives," Haelyn whispered, "because she was my family."

Archer stared down at Marlyil.

"Exile," he said coldly. "If I see you again, I’ll finish what she didn’t."

Marlyil didn’t argue.

She stood.

And left.

Bleeding.

Alone.

Night fell again.

They didn’t speak.

Didn’t touch.

Just sat.

Until finally, Haelyn whispered...

"We trusted the wrong people."

Archer looked at Ezra, who slept between them.

"Then we raise him to trust no one."

But far away...

In the ruins of the Keep...

A single petal fell from the Moonstone tree.

And the earth shuddered.

Something else had awakened.

Something worse.

The air beneath the Moonstone Tree was unnaturally still.

Even the wind held its breath.

Nemesis lifted the glowing petal in her fingers, light glimmering against her face like a false halo. She twirled it slowly, her expression unreadable, before she sneered.

"So delicate," she murmured. "Like a promise. Like a prophecy."

She crushed it between her fingers.

The tree trembled.

A low growl echoed behind her.

Chains clinked, iron biting into flesh.

"You’ll never get what you want," Cerius snarled, fangs bared, breath ragged from poison lacing his veins.

He was on his knees, chained by wrists and neck to the roots of the sacred tree. His once-silver fur was matted with blood and sweat. Eyes dull...but defiant.

Nemesis turned, her face curling into a smirk.

"Look at you," she cooed mockingly, "reduced to nothing but a common animal."

"I’d rather rot like this," Cerius growled, "than kneel to you."

Nemesis laughed. Cold, sharp, ringing across the field like shattered glass.

"Oh, but you already did kneel, once, didn’t you?" she purred, circling him. "You all did. You pledged loyalty to a throne that couldn’t even protect its cubs."

He lunged forward, chains yanking him back. The wolfsbane scorched his skin on contact. He winced, but didn’t stop snarling.

"Do you know," Nemesis whispered, leaning closer, "who let me out of the gates of hell?"

He glared, silent.

Her eyes lit with unholy glee.

"Do you know who opened the Moonstone Keep for me?"

Cerius flinched, just slightly.

Nemesis chuckled.

"It wasn’t an outsider."

Her laughter rose like thunder, echoing into the forest beyond.

"No, no...it was someone you trusted. Someone who swore to protect the child."

Cerius’s lips curled. "You’re lying."

"Am I?"

She reached down, brushing her fingers under his chin.

"Why else would the wards collapse? The seals rupture? Why would Marlyil hesitate when the boy cried?"

Cerius froze.

And Nemesis knew.

"Oh... you didn’t know."

She let the petal fall from her fingers.

It hit the earth with a sound like thunder.

"I’m becoming impatient!!" she roared suddenly, her voice deepening, distorting. "What’s so hard about bringing me a child?!"

A flicker of shadow slipped past the trees.

Zareth stepped out like smoke from flame, his long coat dragging the ground behind him.

"Still screeching?" he said lazily.

Nemesis narrowed her eyes. "You’re late."

"And you’re loud."

Zareth’s gaze flicked to Cerius. "Charming. Didn’t realize you were keeping pets."

"He’s leverage."

"He’s baggage."

"Still useful," she snapped. "Unlike Tiago."

As if summoned, Tiago emerged from the shadows, arms crossed, expression cocky and wild. Blood stained his clothes...some of it his, most of it not.

"If it was so easy," he said, voice low and mocking, "why haven’t you gotten the child yet?"

Nemesis turned slowly.

The air shifted.

"Careful," she warned, voice barely above a whisper. "I’m not in the mood to restrain myself."

Tiago smirked. "You think I fear death? I’ve met worse monsters than you."

"Not like me," she said flatly.

Zareth sighed, stepping between them before her magic snapped.

"I didn’t walk through a battlefield to watch you two size up your egos," he muttered.

Nemesis stepped back, glaring. "He’s failing."

"I’m improvising," Tiago snapped.

"You were given an army."

"You gave me a war without maps. Don’t cry because you underestimated the girl."

Zareth raised a brow. "He’s not wrong."

Nemesis’s eyes blazed. "They have Archer...and Artemis was never meant to survive."

Zareth chuckled. "You really thought Artemis wouldn’t crawl out of death just to spit in your face?"

She didn’t answer.

Zareth tilted his head.

"You’re losing control."

"I’m not."

"Then why haven’t you taken the child?"

Silence.

Cerius laughed, blood on his teeth. "Because you can’t."

Nemesis rounded on him, voice venom. "Speak again and I’ll cut your tongue out."

"Try," Cerius growled. "I’ve bitten worse things than you."

Tiago let out a low whistle. "You sure you want him alive?"

"He knows things," Nemesis snapped.

"Yeah? So does a book."

Zareth’s patience snapped. "Enough."

He strode forward, crouching in front of Cerius.

"You knew what the boy was."

"I knew he was innocent."

"He’s more than that," Zareth said softly. "He’s the key."

"To what?"

"Everything."

Cerius didn’t speak.

Zareth stood, brushing off his coat. "If you won’t talk, you’ll rot."

Nemesis turned to the sky. "The petal fell. The old magic is waking."

Tiago scoffed. "Then wake it."

"I need the boy to unseal the Tree," she hissed.

"Then take him."

She spun, rage igniting.

"I’ve tried!" she screamed. "She cloaks him with ancient blood. Archer protects him like he’s the gods’ last breath. And Artemis...Artemis crawled from hell itself to bleed me."

"You want sympathy?" Tiago mocked.

"I want results."

A pause.

Then a new voice slithered in from the trees.

"Then you’ll need me."

Everyone turned.

Liora.

Cloaked in moonlight, pale hair like silver flame, eyes sharp and cruel.

Zareth tensed. "We didn’t summon you."

"You didn’t have to," Liora purred. "I came for him."

Her eyes flicked to Cerius.

He stiffened. "No."

"Hello, brother."

Nemesis blinked. "Brother?"

Liora smiled. "Half. You never asked where Cerius got his bloodline."

Cerius growled. "Don’t."

Zareth’s smirk returned. "Well, well. This got interesting."

Nemesis watched them. "You were hiding her."

"I was hiding from her," Cerius snapped.

Liora walked up to him, knelt, and touched his face.

He flinched.

"Still soft," she whispered. "Still clinging to morals. You were always the weak one."

"And you were always a monster."

She smiled wider. "You’ll help me."

"I’d die first."

She leaned in. "You already are."

Zareth stepped in. "Enough family drama. Can you get us the child or not?"

Liora stood, brushing off her cloak. "Easily."

Nemesis’s eyes narrowed. "How?"

"By breaking what holds him."

Haelyn.

Archer.

The bond.

The heart.

"I will break her," Liora whispered. "And the child will come willingly."

Cerius screamed, lunging...but the chains held.

Nemesis smiled again.

"Then let’s begin."

Back in the cave, Haelyn gasped awake.

Ezra was whimpering.

Her chest burned.

A name whispered through her soul.

Liora.

Something had been unleashed.

And it was coming straight for her heart.