Bound to the Triplet Alphas

ARIA POV

The silver arrow missed my head by inches.

I rolled behind a thick tree trunk as another arrow whistled past. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might explode.

"We don’t want to hurt you!" a female voice called from the shadows. "But we will if you bring those males any closer!"

I pressed my back against the rough bark, trying to catch my breath. We’d been following Maya’s decoded directions for two days, searching for the Hidden Valley where the Stone of Luna was supposed to be. Instead, we’d walked straight into an ambush.

"Aria!" Kael yelled from somewhere behind me. "Are you okay?"

"Stay back!" I yelled. More arrows flew in his direction. These women weren’t playing around.

"Show yourself, daughter of Elena Moonstar," the voice ordered. "Come alone, or we’ll fill your male friends with silver."

I took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the tree, hands raised. "I’m here. Don’t hurt them."

Three women came from the forest. They moved like dogs even in human form – silent, deadly, perfect. The boss had long black hair braided with silver ribbons. Her eyes were the same pale blue as mine.

"You have her scent," she said, sniffing the air. "Elena’s daughter, finally come home."