300 Days With The Alpha Beta Triplets
THE PORTAL

THIRD PERSON POV:

The trio drove for hours, finally making it to the frost pack.

"I was not going to Howlstone because I did not have time for their numerous security checks," Halle said, and Hazel took out her phone, asking Bella to meet them at a restaurant.

She placed her phone back into her pocket.

"Bella and Finn would meet us at the restaurant. I told them Halle didn't want to go to Howlstone," she explained to Riley and Halle as Riley drove to a random restaurant in town.

Soon, they came to a halt and stepped out of the car. Then they made their way through the sliding doors of the restaurant. They chose a booth and made themselves comfortable. Then Hazel communicated the name of the restaurant to Bella and Finn. Luckily for them, Bella and Finn were close by, and soon they walked through the front door.

The cozy atmosphere of the restaurant felt at odds with the tension that hung over them all. As they approached them, Hazel felt a bit of relief, which allowed her to soften her worried expression. Maybe she wanted to be strong for Bella, but they were in the same predicament.

Bella slid into the booth beside Hazel and Halle while Finn took the seat next to Riley.

"We need to handle this quickly," Halle said, breaking the silence. "I cast a temporary protection spell, but it is not enough if what we were dealing with was as dangerous as I thought."

Finn glanced at Bella with his brow furrowed.

"What exactly were we up against?" he asked.

"Someone opened a portal. They were trying to scare Hazel and Bella from using their powers."

Bella straightened herself on the hard seat beneath her bum with her jaw tensed.

"So we can stop them, right?" she managed to ask.

Halle nodded.

"Yes, but it will not be easy. We need to close the portal before things escalate, and we need to do it soon."

"Where is this portal?" Finn asked, concern edging his voice.

"We will know soon," Halle replied, her eyes darting to Hazel.

Hazel swallowed hard, understanding what Halle meant. She had to come with her because it was her duty to learn to keep people safe.

"We are going to handle this," Halle said firmly, her gaze locking onto Hazel. "But you need to be prepared. You both need to stop being afraid of what you can do. The forces at play are feeding off your fear."

Hazel glanced at Bella, who sat silently, her eyes clouded with doubt. "We can do this," Hazel said softly, more to reassure herself than anyone else. "We just need to close the portal, and everything would go back to normal."

Halle reached into her bag, pulling out a small vial filled with a shimmering liquid.

"This is a protection spell," she explained, holding it out toward Bella. "I was going to cast this on you. It would keep you safe for now."

Bella hesitated before accepting the vial.

"What about me helping? Shouldn't I be there too?"

"No," Halle's voice was sharp. "You're strong, Bella, but you are not ready for this. We need Hazel to be focused, and you should go back to school."

Bella's lips pressed into a tight line.

"I am not sitting this out, and I do not care how dangerous it is. I have had enough of this thing, and if I am supposed to help in the future, then I should know everything Hazel can do since we had to work together."

Halle narrowed her eyes with her patience, wearing thin. She knew Bella, and she knew she was hot-headed, which made her regret speaking about the portal.

"This isn't about bravery, and one distraction could lead to a huge mistake."

Hazel, seeing Bella's determination, spoke up. "She is right, Halle. We are in this together. Bella is strong, and we'd need all the help we can get. You could consider this as practice."

Halle let out a frustrated sigh but seemed to consider it. One, they were wasting time conversing, and secondly, Hazel was right; they needed to train and know each other's weaknesses.

"Fine," Halle conceded. "But you listen to me and follow my lead. No recklessness. Understood?"

Bella nodded. "Understood."

Riley, who had been silent, leaned forward.

"So, what exactly is the plan?"

Halle raised a brow. "You two aren't coming!"

Riley and Finn glared at her for a while, causing her to break. Then her brows crumpled.

"Fine! We'd head back to the source of the disturbance, locate the portal, and close it," Halle explained. "But you

need to be prepared. Whoever opened it would not want us to shut it down."

As Halle's words sank in, the reality of the situation weighed heavily on all of them.

Hazel looked at Bella, squeezing her hand under the table.

"We can do this," she whispered.

The group left the restaurant, stepping out into the crisp evening air. Riley led the way to his car, with Halle and Hazel following close behind. Bella and Finn headed toward their own car. As soon as the doors shut, their engines roared to life, and they drove off.

Halle didn't waste time. She leaned forward from the back seat of Riley's car, directing him with a steady voice. "Take the highway north. There's an old path off the main road. It'll lead us close to where we need to go."

Riley nodded, his grip tightening on the steering wheel as he tried to focus on the road and not on the ill feeling hanging in his chest. He loved Hazel, and although a part of him wished his life was easier, he couldn't back away now, and he was grateful to the moon goddess. Hazel, who was sitting close to him, had her mind swirling with a mix of fear and anticipation. When he noticed how uneasy she was, he reached for her thighs, causing Halle to roll her eyes. Although Halle's presence gave her a strange sense of reassurance, Riley's hands on her thighs made it better. As they drove, Bella and Finn followed closely behind, the headlights of their car illuminating the dark road ahead. Bella couldn't shake the tension in her chest as her mind raced through every possible scenario. She was supposed to help the entire Moon Fire, and yet she felt as dumb as a rock.

Finn, sensing her anxiety, reached over and placed a comforting hand on her leg.

"We've got this, Bella. You were stronger than you think."

She glanced at him, grateful for the support, but she couldn't shake the nagging doubt. At that moment, she thought about Ryder and Kai.

"I hope you are right, and I cannot believe we are out here closing portals while those two are on a bromance holiday!" she sighed in frustration, causing Finn to chuckle.

The drive seemed to stretch on, and the sky darkened further as they ventured deeper into the outskirts, where the forest thickened and civilization vanished. The road narrowed, and soon they found themselves turning onto an overgrown path with tall trees on both sides, their branches twisting like skeletal fingers.

"There," Halle said, her voice cutting through the silence. "Pull over."

Riley slowed the car, parking near the edge of the path. Bella and Finn followed suit, parking just behind them. The group stepped out into the cool night, their breath visible in the air as they huddled close together.

Halle was the first to move, her eyes scanning the ground as she paced forward without fear.

"The portal is just beyond those trees," she said, pointing toward a small clearing ahead. "We needed to act quickly."

The others followed her lead, trekking through the thick underbrush until they reached the clearing.

Halle knelt down, opening her bag and pulling out various tools.

"We were going to seal this portal before anything else gets through."

She began to draw symbols on the ground with chalk in a swift and precise movement. Hazel watched closely, her heart pounding as she recognized some symbols from her spell book.

Finn stood beside Bella, watching Halle work.

"This place gives me the creeps," he muttered, his eyes darting around the clearing.

Bella didn't disagree. She was scared, and Halle's presence was the only thing keeping her sane. There was something about that place that felt wrong, like the air was alive with unseen eyes. She felt a shiver crawl up her spine, but she stood firm, refusing to let her fear take control.

Halle continued her preparations, pouring a thin line of salt along the edges of the circle, then placing small crystals at key points within the drawn marks.

"Once I start the spell, no one steps outside the circle," she warned. "The portal is unstable, and I cannot protect you you are outside my barrier."

if

Hazel nodded, her mouth dry as she tried to calm the rising anxiety within her. This was real, and she couldn't afford to make a mistake.

With the symbols and protections in place, Halle stood as she handed Hazel a small talisman.

"This will amplify your magic. You'll need to focus. Once the portal becomes visible, we'll close it together."

Hazel swallowed hard, clutching the talisman in her hand. "What if I mess up?"

Halle's eyes softened slightly, though her tone remained firm.

"You won't. Trust in your power, Hazel. You're stronger than you

think."

Bella, stepping inside the protective circle, watched intently. She hated feeling useless, standing by while the others handled the danger, but she knew better than to argue with Halle. For now, all she could do was wait.

Riley stood near Hazel, his eyes focused on the symbols etched into the ground. He trusted Halle, but the tension in his body was unmistakable. They were stepping into unknown territory, and anything could happen. This was like yesterday, and he was right. He only prayed he would be wrong today.

Halle took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she raised her hands to the sky. Her voice rang out, strong, chanting the incantation that would bring the portal into focus. The ground beneath them began to hum with energy, and the air grew colder, swirling around them like an invisible storm.

Hazel's heart pounded as she felt the magic pulsing through her veins. She gripped the talisman tighter, her mind focusing on the spell.

The portal flickered into view, a shimmering rift in the fabric of reality. Dark, swirling mist leaked from its edges, and a low, eerie hum filled the air. Hazel's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the gaping void before them.

"This is it," Halle said, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. "Now we close it."