Fated To The Triplet Alphas

Episode 3

Scarlett’s standpoint.

Kaiden's words echoed in my mind as he led me into Jonathan's office, the scent of old leather and parchment enveloping us.

"I know about the curse, Scarlett. And I have an offer for you."

My heart raced, a potent mixture of fear and curiosity coursing through my veins. The small room felt suddenly stuffy, the bookshelves lining the walls seeming to close in around us.

The office was cozy yet imposing, with a large oak desk dominating the space. Kaiden closed the door behind us, the soft click seeming to seal us off from the rest of the world. The sound felt final, as if we were about to step into a realm of no return.

I turned to face him, crossing my arms over my chest, a defensive posture I'd perfected over years of pushing people away. "Alright, we're alone. What's this offer of yours?"

His piercing blue eyes studied me intently, as if trying to read the very essence of my soul. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down my spine. "First," he said, his voice low and serious, carrying the weight of authority, "I want you to know that I believe you about the curse.”

I blinked in surprise, the unexpected words catching me off guard. "You do?"

He nodded, his expression solemn. "I've heard whispers of such things before. Rare, but not unheard of. And I can see the pain in your eyes, Scarlett. No one could fake that kind of sorrow."

His words hit me hard, causing me to stumble back slightly. I turned away, unable to bear the weight of his gaze and the understanding I saw there. "Believing me doesnt change anything." I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. "If anything, it should make you want to run as far away from me as possible.”

I heard him move closer, felt the warmth of his body behind me, his scent — a mixture of pine and wild herbs — enveloping me.

"I'm not running anywhere," he said firmly, his breath tickling the back of my neck. "In fact, I want to make you an offer."

Curiosity got the better of me, overriding my instinct to maintain distance. I turned back to face him, eyebrow raised in challenge. "What kind of offer?"

He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for battle. "A marriage contract."

For a moment, I was sure I'd misheard him, the words not registering in my mind. "I'm sorry, what?"

"A marriage contract," he repeated, his voice unwavering. "Formal, legal, binding. No mate bond involved."

I stared at him, waiting for the punchline, for some indication that this was all an elaborate joke. When none came, I burst out laughing, the sound harsh and bitter even to my own ears. "You can't be serious."

But his expression remained deadly serious, his eyes never leaving mine. "I am. Think about it, Scarlett. A political alliance between our Packs, strengthened by marriage. It solves both our problems."

"Both our problems?" I echoed, my laughter dying away as quickly as it had come. "What problem of yours does this solve, exactly?"

He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that spoke of frustration and perhaps a glint of nervousness. "My Pack is pressuring me to take a mate," he admitted, a hint of vulnerability creeping into his voice. "They believe an Alpha needs a strong partner by his side. And from what I've seen and heard of you, Scarlett, you're one of the strongest wolves I've ever encountered."

I shook my head, disbelief warring with a strange sense of hope that I thought had long since died. "This is insane. You don't even know me."

"I know enough," he countered, taking a step closer. "I know you've faced unimaginable loss and come out the other side. I know you're fierce enough to push away your own mate to protect him. And I know that despite everything, you still care enough about your Pack to hear me out."

His words stirred something deep within me, a longing I'd thought long dead. But I squashed it ruthlessly, years of pain and loss serving as a stark reminder of why I couldn't allow myself to hope. “And what about the curse?" I challenged, my voice rising. "Are you really willing to risk your life for a political alliance?"

His face softened, a gentleness entering his eyes that made my heart ache. "Scarlett, I don't believe you're cursed. I think you've had a string of terrible luck. But even if I'm wrong, a marriage contract isnt a mate bond. It's just a piece of paper. If something were to happen to me, it wouldn't destroy you the way losing a mate would.”

I wanted to argue, to point out all the flaws in his logic, to make him see the danger he was putting himself in. However, a small, traitorous part of me was tempted. So very tempted. "And what would this contract entail, exactly?"

"A year," Kaiden said, his voice filled with determination. "Give me a year. Come to the Blue Locket Pack with me. Be my partner in leading, in strengthening our alliance. If at the end of that year, you want to walk away, you can. No strings attached."

I paced the small office, my mind whirling with possibilities and potential consequences. The wooden floorboards creaked beneath my feet, the sound matching the tension in the air. "This is crazy," I muttered, more to myself than Kaiden. "Completely insane."

"Maybe," he agreed, his eyes following my movements. "But isn't it worth a try? What do you have to lose?"

I stopped pacing, fixing him with a hard stare that had made lesser wolves cower. "My heart," I said quietly, the words heavy with the weight of past losses. "Again."

He stepped closer, so close that I could feel the heat radiating from his body, could see the flecks of silver in his blue eyes. "I promise you, Scarlett, I will do everything in my power to protect your heart. And mine.”

I searched his eyes, looking for any sign of deception, any hint that this was all some cruel joke. But all I saw was sincerity, and a determination that matched my own.

"One condition," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "We resist the mate bond. Completely. I won't risk it pulling us in deeper than we intend to go."

He nodded solemnly, his expression grave.

“Agreed. This is a business arrangement, nothing more."

I took a deep breath, hardly able to believe what I was about to say. The words felt foreign on my tongue, as if I were speaking a language I'd long since forgotten. "Then... I accept."

The smile that broke across Kaiden's face was like the sun coming out from behind storm clouds, brilliant and warm. He held out his hand, a gesture of partnership and new beginnings. "Partners?"

I hesitated for just a moment, my hand hovering in the air between us. This was a turning point, I realized. A moment that would change the course of my life, for better or worse. Finally, I took his hand, feeling the warmth of his skin against mine. “Partners.”

As we shook on our agreement, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was making a terrible mistake. But for the first time in years, I also felt a glimmer of hope, fragile and tentative, like the first green shoot after a long winter.

The next few days passed in a whirlwind of activity. There were papers to sign, legal documents that bound us together in the eyes of both human and wolf law. Bags to pack, my meager belongings, a stark reminder of how little I'd allowed myself to accumulate over the years. And goodbyes to be said, each one feeling like a small death.

Jonathan tried to talk me out of it, right up until the moment I climbed into Kaiden's sleek black car. His eyes were filled with worry and a sadness that made my heart ache.

"You don't have to do this, Scarlett," he said, his voice pleading. "We can find another way to secure the alliance. You don't need to sacrifice yourself."

I smiled sadly, reaching out to squeeze his hand, feeling the hardness that spoke of years of hard work and dedication to our Pack. "I know. But maybe... maybe this is my chance to start over. To be something other than the cursed she-wolf.’

He pulled me into a fierce hug, his familiar scent of pine and tobacco wrapping around me like a comfort blanket. "You were never just that to me," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Be safe, little one. And come back to us."

I hugged him back just as tightly, blinking back tears that threatened to fall. "I will," I promised, hoping it wasn't a lie. "One way or another."

And then we were off, leaving behind the only home I'd ever known. I watched in the rearview mirror as the Pack house faded into the distance, wondering if I'd ever see it again. The forest that had been my sanctuary for so long slowly gave way to unfamiliar landscapes, each mile taking me further from everything I knew.

Kaiden glanced over at me, worry etched on his face. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. He seemed to understand, turning his attention back to the road without pressing further. The silence between us was comfortable, filled with unspoken understanding.

The drive to the Blue Locket Pack lands took several hours. I spent most of it staring out the window, watching the landscape change from the dense forests I knew to rolling hills and, eventually, mountains looming in the distance. The air grew cooler as we gained elevation, and I found myself pulling Kaiden's jacket tighter around me.

As we crossed into Blue Locket territory, I felt a change in the air. The scents were different here, the energy of the land unfamiliar. I straightened in my seat, suddenly alert, every instinct on high alert.

Hebnoticed my change in posture. "We're almost there," he said, his voice a mixture of excitement and nervousness. "Nervous?"

I shot him a wry smile, trying to mask the anxiety churning in my stomach. "Terrified, actually. But don't worry, I hide it well.”

He chuckled, the sound warming something inside me. "You'll be fine. My Pack will love you."

I wasn't so sure about that, but I appreciated his optimism. The weight of expectations — both his and my own — settled heavily on my shoulders.

As we crested a hill, the Blue Locket Pack house came into view. My breath caught in my throat, a gasp escaping before I could stop it. It was massive, easily three times the size of my old Pack house. Built of stone and timber, it looked like something out of a fairy tale, both beautiful and imposing.

"Welcome to your new home," Kaiden said softly as he pulled up to the front of the house, the gravel crunching beneath the car's tires.

Home. The word felt foreign on my tongue, almost painful. I hadn't had a real home in years, not since I'd isolated myself from my Pack. Could this place ever truly be home to me? Or was I destined to always be an outsider, cursed to never belong?

As we got out of the car, the crisp mountain air filling my lungs, the front doors of one of the biggest in the Pack house burst open. The Alpha's house, I guess. Two men came bounding out, identical grins on their faces. They looked so much like Kaiden that they had to be related, their faces a mirror image of the man beside me.

“About time you got back!" the taller of the two called out, his voice carrying easily across the distance. "We were starting to think you had gotten lost.”

Kaiden rolled his eyes good-naturedly, a fond smile playing at his lips. "Scarlett," he said, turning to me, "meet my brothers. This is Elian," he gestured to the taller one, who carried himself with a quiet confidence, "and Jaron," the slightly shorter one, whose eyes sparkled with mischief.

I nodded politely, suddenly very aware of how I must look after hours in the car. "It's nice to meet you both," I managed, my voice steadier than I felt.

Elian stepped forward, his grin widening. "So you're the one who's finally managed to tie our brother down. I have to say, I'm impressed.”

I opened my mouth to correct him, to explain that this was just a business arrangement, but the words died in my throat. Because at that moment, I felt it. The pull. The undeniable tug of a mate bond, stronger than anything I'd ever experienced before.

But it wasn't coming from Kaiden.

My eyes locked with Elian's, and I saw the moment he felt it too. His grin faded, replaced by a look of shock and something that made my heart race — recognition, and perhaps a hint of fear.

"I..." Elian started to say, but he was cut off by a gasp from Jaron.

I turned to look at the third brother, and felt the world tilt on its axis. Because there it was again. Another pull. Another mate bond, just as strong, just as undeniable.

For a long moment, nobody moved. Nobody spoke. We all just stared at each other, the air thick with tension and confusion. The only sound was the rustling of leaves in the mountain breeze, a stark contrast to the turmoil unfolding before us.

It was Kaiden who finally broke the silence, his voice tight with an emotion I couldn't quite place — anger? Fear? Jealousy?

"What's going on?" He demanded, his eyes darting between me and his brothers.

I turned to him, my mind reeling, struggling to make sense of what was happening. "Kaiden," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, "I think we might have a problem."

His eyes narrowed, flicking between me and his brothers. And then I saw it dawn on him. The realization of what had just happened, of the impossible situation we now found ourselves in.

"No," he said, shaking his head in denial. "That's not... it's not possible."

But we all knew it was. Somehow, against all odds, I wasn't just mated to one of the brothers.

I was mated to all three.

As the implications of this sank in, I felt the familiar tendrils of panic start to creep up my spine, cold and insidious. This wasn't supposed to happen. This couldn't happen. One mate was dangerous enough, but three? It was unheard of, impossible, and yet...

I backed away, my eyes darting between the three brothers. Kaiden looked shocked and angry, his earlier warmth replaced by a storm of emotions. Elian appeared confused but intrigued, a spark of excitement in his eyes that terrified me. And Jaron... He looked terrified, his face pale and drawn.

"I have to go," I said, my voice shaking, barely recognizable as my own. "This was a mistake. I can't... I can't do this.”

I turned to run, my instincts screaming at me to flee, to get as far away from this impossible situation as I could. But Kaiden's hand on my arm stopped me, his grip firm but not painful. "Scarlett, wait," he said, his voice pleading. "We can figure this out."

I shook my head, tears threatening to spill over. "No, we can't. Don't you see? This is the curse. It's happening again, and this time it's going to take all three of you. I can't... I wont be responsible for that.”

Elian stepped forward, his face serious, all traces of his earlier joviality gone. "We don't know that. Maybe this is the universe's way of breaking the curse. Three mates, three times the strength to fight it."

"Or maybe it's a way to make it three times as potent," I countered, my voice rising with hysteria. "To take three lives instead of one. I won't risk it. I can't."

Jaron, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up, his voice soft but steady. "What if... what if we all just calm down and talk about this? Inside. Away from prying eyes."

I glanced around, realizing for the first time that we had drawn quite an audience. Pack members had gathered on the porch and in the windows, watching the drama unfold with undisguised curiosity. Their stares felt like physical weight, pressing down on me from all sides.

Kaiden nodded, his hand still on my arm, a warm anchor in the storm of emotions. "Jaron’s right. Let's take this inside. Please, Scarlett. Just hear us out.”

I wanted to refuse. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to get as far away from these three men as possible before I doomed them all. But something held me back. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was the mate bond, already working its insidious magic. Or maybe, just maybe, it was hope — fragile and terrifying, but undeniably present.

Taking a deep breath, | nodded, feeling as if I were sealing my fate. "Fine. We'll talk. But I'm not promising anything."

As Kaiden led me towards the house, his brothers falling into step behind us, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into something far more dangerous.

Just before we entered, Jaron leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear as he whispered:

“By the way, did Kaiden mention that Elian and I already have mates?”