Chapter 132
Elowen's POV
I looked at my mates. They were like statues. Beautiful, perfect statues. But their eyes still moved. They could see and hear everything.
"I don't understand," I said. My voice shook. "If you want privacy, why can they still—"
"Because they need to hear this too." Selene's golden eyes held mine. "But they cannot interrupt. Not yet."
Dread pooled in my stomach. "Why not?"
"Your mates are... impulsive." Her lips twitched. "Especially when it comes to protecting you."
That was true. I glanced at Casper and Cassian. Their eyes burned into me. Casper's amber gaze was worried. Cassian's ice-blue eyes were calculating, trying to figure out what was happening.
"What did you want to tell me?" I asked.
"You came here tonight with a question," Selene said. "About bringing back Alpha Austin."
My breath caught. "Yes."
"And you three had planned to discuss it together. To seek answers before making any final decision."
"We were going to ask about the price," I said slowly. "We needed to understand what it would cost before we could decide."
"I know." Selene's hand squeezed mine. "And that is exactly why we're here now. But I need you to understand something important about divine bargains."
My stomach tightened. "What do you mean?"
"The moment you three stepped into my garden with the intention to ask about saving your Alpha, you opened a door." Her voice was gentle but firm. "Not a door you've already walked through—but one that stands open, waiting. Once I tell you the price, once you hear the full truth of what must be sacrificed, you will face a choice. A real choice."
Relief mixed with anxiety in my chest. "So nothing is decided yet?"
"Nothing is sealed," Selene confirmed. "But understand this, Elowen—once the price is spoken, once you know what the universe demands, the choice becomes yours alone to accept or refuse. And if you accept..." She paused. "There will be no turning back."
I swallowed hard. "But we're supposed to decide together. The three of us."
"And you will." Selene's expression softened. "But the price must be heard first. And the nature of this particular sacrifice... it is bound to you in ways your mates cannot fully comprehend. Not because they love you less, but because the burden is uniquely yours to carry."
"I promised Cassian I wouldn't make decisions alone anymore," I whispered.
"You're not making a decision alone," Selene said quietly. "You're listening to information that concerns you most deeply. There is a difference between bearing the weight of knowledge and making a choice in isolation." She glanced at my frozen mates. "They will know everything you know. They will stand beside you, support you, help you carry what comes after. But you must be the one to hear it first. To understand its full meaning. Because if I tell all three of you at once, they will try to take this burden from you before you even have a chance to comprehend it."
Tears spilled down my cheeks. "I don't want to do this alone."
"I know, sweet child." Selene wiped my cheek. "But you're not alone. Look at them."
I turned to Casper and Cassian. Their eyes were desperate. Pleading. Cassian's jaw was clenched so hard I could see the muscle jumping. Casper's hands had curled into fists.
They wanted to move. To fight. To protect me.
But they couldn't.
And yet... they were here. Witnessing everything. Ready to stand beside me no matter what.
"They will hear every word," Selene said softly. "They will know every detail. And when I release them, you three will face this choice together. But first, you must listen. You must understand. Because only then can you truly decide—together—what path to take."
I looked at Austin in my mind. At Luna Ella's broken sobs. At Cindy losing her father. At Casper and Cassian's grief.
I thought about the baby growing inside me. About the future we were building together.
And I thought about how much I loved them. All of them.
"Okay," I whispered. My voice cracked. "Tell me. What's the price for bringing Austin back?"
Selene's golden eyes held mine. The weight of eternity seemed to press down on the garden.
"Are you sure you want to know?" she asked softly. "Once you hear the price, you cannot unhear it. The knowledge will change you. And then you—together with your mates—will have to decide whether to accept or refuse. But if you accept, there is no going back. The bargain will be sealed, and Alpha Austin will return to life."
My heart pounded so hard I thought it might break through my ribs.
I glanced at Casper and Cassian one more time. Their eyes held mine. Full of love. Full of trust. Full of an unspoken promise—we're with you, no matter what.
I took a deep breath and turned back to Selene.
"I'm ready," I said. My voice was steady now. "Tell me everything."
Selene nodded slowly. "Very well. But know this, Elowen Hartley—what I'm about to tell you will test everything you thought you knew about sacrifice, love, and the price of life itself."
Her hand tightened around mine.
"The price for bringing Austin back..." She paused, her golden eyes shimmering with ancient sorrow. "...is not what you think."