Fated to the Alpha–And His Triplet Brothers novel Chapter 163

Chapter 163: Protect Hazel

*~Caspian’s POV~*

The pack and I were outside, finishing the final touches for the ceremony. Decorations were going up, security had been doubled. We were doing everything in our power to make sure this day went perfectly.

Cayden had a gut feeling—that something bad might happen today. And when Cayden has a gut feeling, we listen.

So we were on high alert.

The omega wolves helped Mother with the floral displays while Leon coordinated the outer gate patrols. As beta, I had to make sure everything stayed tight while our alpha—my brother—prepared himself for the ceremony.

That was when something hit me.

A small thud bounced off my chest.

I looked down. A pebble? No. Not a rock—a piece of folded paper.

I picked it up.

One word was scribbled across it:

Rooftop. Now.

My brows drew together. I glanced around. No one looked suspicious. I was about to signal Leon but hesitated. Why involve him yet?

Something told me I needed to handle this alone.

I lifted my gaze toward the rooftop—and caught a shadow disappearing just out of sight.

Without wasting another second, I moved. I leapt onto the ledge and pulled myself up the upper wall, landing silently on the rooftop.

There—two figures. Cloaked.

"Who are you?" I barked. "And what are you doing here?"

One of the figures took a slow step forward.

"I must be losing my mind," I muttered. "Coming up here alone to meet cloaked strangers in the middle of pack territory."

The figure on the left pulled down her hood.

And I froze.

"Hazel?" I whispered.

"No," she corrected sharply. "Lilith."

My chest tightened. Lilith...?

"You still haven’t recognized the face of your mate?" she said bitterly. "I’m disappointed, Caspian."

She stepped closer. That’s when I noticed her face—scratched, bruised, torn like something had mauled her. Deep gashes ran across her cheek and brow, and... she wasn’t healing.

"What happened to you?" I asked, my voice cracking. "Why aren’t you healing? What’s wrong with your face?"

Her eyes met mine, wild and desperate.

"Hazel is in danger."

My blood ran cold.

"This isn’t my real body," she continued, panting. "My actual body is chained to a chair. I only managed to get here with a spell—this is just a shadow of myself. But I had to come."

I stepped toward her, gripping her shoulders. "What do you mean she’s in danger? Who’s threatening her?"

But I already knew the answer.

"Jonathan," she said, confirming my worst fear. "He’s coming. Today. During the ceremony."

"How did you—? What are you even talking about?" I asked, stepping back. My mind spun. "Is this some kind of joke? A prank? Where have you been all this while, Lilith? You vanished. Hazel and the babies were missing, and you—you were nowhere to be found. You didn’t show your face, not once. And now you suddenly appear out of thin air on the very day your daughter is naming her children?"

Lilith’s expression broke—anguish clear in her swollen, wounded face.

"I know," she whispered. "Believe me, Caspian... I wanted to stay away. But I made a mistake. A terrible mistake."

I clenched my fists. "What mistake?"

Her gaze locked onto mine, intense. "Remember that day—the day black blood dripped from your eyes?"

My chest tightened. I remembered it. Too well.

"I awakened something that day," she said quietly.

I turned slowly toward the second cloaked figure—forgotten until now. She hadn’t spoken. Hadn’t moved. But as my eyes met hers, she pulled her hood down.

My breath caught.

Red hair. Not as wild as Aurora’s—but close. Softer, more matured. Her face was older, more regal, but the resemblance was there. Clear. Obvious.

Even a blind man could tell she was blood. She looked like Aurora.

"What... what is going on here?" I muttered. "How? Who is she?"

Lilith’s voice came next, gentle but heavy. "I brought back my Crescents."

I turned back to her. "What do you mean, brought back?"

"That day," she said, "when the black clouds formed... and black blood rained from the sky—it wasn’t just weather. That was the day of awakening. The day I resurrected them."

"Them...?"

"The Crescents. All of them. And because the babies—your children—shared a piece of their power with you, you carried Crescent blood in that moment. That’s why you cried black. That’s why all Crescents cried black that day."

My heart thundered. "And now... one of them wants Hazel?"

Lilith nodded solemnly. "He claims he’s Hazel’s true mate."

Suddenly, the other Crescent—Aurora’s look-alike—stepped forward. "In thirty minutes," she said. "Jonathan and others will begin moving. They’re already preparing to head out. We have to act fast."

We all turned to her, urgency crashing over us.

"If Lilith’s prison is far," the other Crescent continued, "then the distance will weaken the magic on the chains. It’ll give her a better chance of breaking it. Once she’s free, we’ll make our move and head directly to the High House."

Lilith turned back to me. "Is that a good plan?" she asked.

I took a deep breath. "Yes. It’s risky... but it might be the only way."

"Then make sure everything goes smoothly," she said, her voice sharp. "Only tell the ones you trust. Just Cayden and Aurora. No one else. Not even the guards. We can’t risk a single slip."

I nodded firmly. "I’ll handle it."

Lilith and the other Crescent locked eyes with me one final time—then vanished into the wind.

I jumped down and rushed straight to Cayden’s chamber.

He was seated regally before a tall mirror, dressed in an opulent king’s robe laced with silver and encrusted with diamonds. He looked every bit the Alpha—calm, powerful, composed—as the maids moved around him, adding finishing touches, brushing down his sleeves, adjusting the folds of his collar.

The moment he saw me in the reflection, he turned slightly, his eyes narrowed.

"Wrong time, brother," he said coolly. "As you can see, I’m being glamoured. Not exactly ideal for conversation."

"This can’t wait," I snapped. "We need to talk. Now."

He turned fully, his expression sharp. "Of all the times in the world, you choose now?" He scoffed. "I’m sorry, but I’m quite busy—"

"It’s about Hazel," I interrupted. "And the figure. I think it’s connected to what you’ve been sensing."

His face immediately changed. The edge in his voice dropped. He turned to the maids. "Leave us."

They hesitated. He didn’t repeat himself. One look, and they bowed quickly, retreating out of the room. We waited until even their heartbeats faded down the hallway.

Cayden stood slowly. "What did you find out?"

"I saw Lilith."

His eyes widened.

"She used a spell to send a projection of herself to the rooftop. Said her real body is chained somewhere. She came to warn us."

"Warn us?" Cayden echoed. "Yes," I said. "Someone is coming. For Hazel."

His breath caught. I saw it—the realization clicking in his eyes.

"So that’s why that figure came to me," he muttered. "He told me he was coming to take something that belongs to him."

His jaw clenched.

"He meant Hazel."