Fated To The Triplet Alphas

Episode 4

Scarlett's Stance

The crisp autumn air carried the scent of pine and approaching rain as I stood on the porch of the Pack house, my world tilting on its axis. Jaron's words echoed in my mind, each syllable a hammer blow against my carefully constructed walls.

"What did you just say?" I hissed, my voice barely above a whisper. The forest around us seemed to hold its breath, sensing the tension that crackled between us like lightning before a storm.

Jaron’s eyes widened, realizing too late the impact of his casual revelation. “I... uh..."

"Inside," Kaiden growled, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Now."

We filed into the Alpha's mansion, the warm, inviting interior a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within me. The entryway opened up into a spacious living room, all rich mahogany and plush leather furnishings. Under different circumstances, I might have found it welcoming. Now, it felt like a beautifully decorated trap, closing in around me with each passing second.

"Sit," Kaiden commanded, pointing to a large sectional sofa.

I perched on the edge of the seat, my body coiled tight as a spring ready to snap. The leather creaked beneath me, a sound that seemed unnaturally loud in the tense silence. Elian and Jaron sat across from me, their faces a mixture of guilt and apprehension. Kaiden remained standing, pacing the room like a caged animal, his agitation clear.

"Explain," I barked at Jaron, my eyes boring into him. "What do you mean, you and Elian already have mates?"

Jaron squirmed under my glare, unable to meet my eyes. "It's... complicated," he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

Elian sighed, running a hand through his hair, a gesture that spoke volumes about his discomfort. "We both found our mates about a year ago," he said, his voice steady despite the gravity of his words. "Winter is mine, Cherryville is Jaron’s."

I felt the blood drain from my face, a chill settling deep in my bones that had nothing to do with the temperature. "And you didn't think to mention this before now?" I turned to Kaiden, my voice rising with each word. The betrayal cut deep, reopening old wounds I thought had long since scarred over.

"We didn't know this would happen!" Kaiden protested, his blue eyes flashing with a mixture of frustration and something else... fear? "How could we? Multiple mate bonds aren't exactly common."

"Neither are cursed wolves," I muttered, the bitterness in my voice unmistakable.

Kaiden stopped pacing, fixing me with an intense stare that made my heart race despite my anger. "This doesn't change anything, Scarlett. Our agreement still stands."

I laughed, but there was no humor in it. The sound was harsh, bordering on hysterical. "Doesn't change anything? Kaiden, I'm apparently mated to three brothers, two of whom already have mates. This changes everything."

"No, it doesn't, he insisted, his jaw set stubbornly. "The contract-"

"To hell with the contract!" I exploded, jumping to my feet. The sudden movement sent a nearby vase teetering, the delicate porcelain a fitting metaphor for the fragility of the situation. "This isn't about politics anymore. This is about lives. Your lives. Your brothers’ lives. Their mates’ lives. Don't you understand?" My voice broke, the weight of my curse pressing down on me like a physical force. “Everyone I'm mated to dies. And now... now there are five of you at risk."

The room fell silent, my words hanging heavy in the air. I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the warm room. The scent of pine from outside mingled with the leather of the furniture and the faint aroma of coffee from the kitchen, creating a sensory backdrop to this surreal moment.

"Maybe..." Elian said hesitantly, breaking the oppressive silence, "maybe this is different. Perhaps having multiple mates changes things."

I shook my head, my voice barely above a whisper. "Or maybe it just means I'll lose all of you at once."

“We don't know that,’ Kaiden said softly. He approached me slowly, as if I were a wild animal he was afraid of spooking. "Scarlett, look at me."

Reluctantly, I met his gaze. The intensity in his blue eyes made my breath catch, the mate bond humming between us like a life wire.

"I meant what I said before," he continued, his voice low and earnest. "I don't believe you're cursed. I think you've had terrible luck. But maybe this is the universe's way of balancing the scales."

“By giving me three mates? Two of whom are already taken?" I scoffed, but the edge of my anger was beginning to dull, worn down by the sincerity in his eyes. "Some balance."

“By giving you a Pack,” Elian interjected. We all turned to look at him. He stood, moving to stand beside Kaiden, presenting a united front. "Think about it. You've been alone, isolated. Maybe what you need isn't just one mate, but a whole support system."

Jaron nodded eagerly, seemingly relieved to have something positive to contribute.

"Yeah! And between the three of us, we can keep each other safe. Strength in numbers, right?"

I wanted to argue, to point out all the ways this could go horribly wrong. But a small part of me, a part I thought had died long ago, stirred with hope. The feeling was foreign, almost painful in its unfamiliarity.

"And what about your mates?" I asked quietly, voicing the question that had been nagging at me since this revelation. "What will they think of all this?"

Elian and Jaron exchanged glances, a silent conversation passing between them. "They'll understand,” Elian said, though he didn't sound entirely convinced. “They're both strong women. They know the importance of Pack dynamics."

"We should call them,” Jaron suggested, his voice gaining strength. "Get them here so we can all talk this through together."

Kaiden nodded, his face thoughtful.

"Agreed. But first..." He turned back to me, his face softening in a way that made my heart skip a beat. "Scarlett, I know this isn't what you signed up for. If you want to leave, no one will stop you. But I'm asking you to stay. Give us a chance to figure this out."

I squeezed my eyes shut, taking a deep breath. The scent of the forest outside mixed with the unique scents of the three men before me — Kaiden's spicy musk, Elian's fresh mountain air, Jaron’s hint of citrus. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to get as far away from these men as possible before I doomed them all. Yet something held me back. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was the mate bond, already working its magic. Or perhaps, just maybe, it was that tiny spark of hope, fragile but persistent.

"One week," I said finally, opening my eyes to meet Kaiden's intense gaze. "I'll stay for one week. If we can't figure this out by then, I'm gone."

The relief on Kaiden's face was clear, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Thank you," he said softly, the words carrying a weight of sincerity that tugged at something deep within me.

Elian clapped his hands together, the sound startlingly loud in the quiet room. "Right! I'll go call Winter. Jaron, you call Cherry. We'll get them here as soon as possible.”

As the two younger brothers hurried off to make their calls, Kaiden turned to me. "Come on," he said gently. "I'll show you to your room. You look like you could use some rest."

I nodded, suddenly aware of how exhausted I was. The events of the day had taken their toll, and my body ached for sleep, for a brief respite from the emotional whirlwind.

Kaiden led me up a grand staircase to the second floor. The hallway was lined with doors, each presumably leading to a bedroom. The wood beneath our feet creaked softly, the sound oddly comforting in its normalcy. He stopped at the last door on the left, opening it for me with a gesture that was almost chivalrous.

"This will be your room," he said, his voice low. "My room is right across the hall if you need anything.”

I stepped inside, taking in the spacious bedroom. A large bed dominated one wall, covered in plush blankets and more pillows than I'd ever seen in one place. A bay window looked out over the forest, the view breathtaking even in the fading light. A door to the side presumably led to an en-suite bathroom.

"It's beautiful,” I murmured, overwhelmed by the simple luxury after years of bare-bones living.

Kaiden smiled, the expression softening his rugged features. "I'm glad you like it. Get some rest, Scarlett. We can talk more in the morning."

I nodded, already moving towards the bed, drawn by its promise of comfort. But as Kaiden turned to leave, a thought struck me. "Wait," I called out, surprising myself with the urgency in my voice.

He paused in the doorway, looking back at me. "Yes?"

"Why did you really offer me that contract?" I asked, the question that had been nagging at me since the beginning finally finding voice. "The truth this time."

He was quiet for a long moment, his face unreadable. Then, "Because from the moment I saw you in that clearing, I knew. You were special. Curse or no curse, I wanted you in my life. The contract... it was the only way I could think of to make that happen without scaring you away."

His honesty took me by surprise, leaving me momentarily speechless. "And now?" I whispered, hating the vulnerability in my voice but unable to mask it. "Now that everything's changed?"

He smiled, a soft, genuine smile that made my heart skip a beat. "Now, I'm even more certain that you're meant to be here. Goodnight, Scarlett."

As the door closed behind him, I sank onto the bed, my mind whirling. The mattress was soft, cradling my tired body, but sleep felt a million miles away. What had I gotten myself into?

Sleep came fitfully that night, my dreams a confusing jumble of faces and feelings. I woke early, the unfamiliar room disorienting me for a moment before the events of the previous day came rushing back.

I groaned, burying my face in the pillow that smelled faintly of lavender. Part of me wanted to stay in bed forever, hiding from the complicated mess my life had become. But I knew that wasn't an option. With a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of my soul, I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower.

The hot water helped clear my head, washing away some of the lingering cobwebs of sleep and uncertainty. By the time I emerged, dressed in clothes I'd found in the wardrobe (all my size, I noticed with a mixture of gratitude and suspicion), I felt more prepared to face the day.

As I stepped out into the hallway, the scent of coffee and bacon wafted up from downstairs, making my mouth water. My stomach growled audibly, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since yesterday morning.

I made my way down to the kitchen, following my nose and the sound of sizzling. I found Kaiden there, standing by the stove, flipping pancakes with the ease of long practice. He looked up as I entered, a smile spreading across his face that made my heart do a little flip in my chest.

"Good morning," he said, his voice warm. "I hope you're hungry.”

I nodded, taking a seat at the table, trying to ignore how domestic this all felt. "Starving actually. This looks amazing."

He slid a plate piled high with pancakes, bacon, and eggs in front of me. The aroma was intoxicating, reminding me of lazy Sunday mornings from a life that felt like it belonged to someone else. "Eat up. We've got a big day ahead of us."

As I dug in, savoring the first home-cooked meal I'd had in longer than I cared to admit, Kaiden poured me a cup of coffee. The rich, bitter scent grounded me, a small piece of normalcy in the chaos my life had become. "Elian and Jaron’s mates will be arriving this morning," he said, his tone carefully neutral.

I paused, my fork halfway to my mouth. "Oh." The single syllable felt inadequate to express the mixture of dread and curiosity churning in my stomach.

Kaiden leaned against the counter, studying me with those intense blue eyes. "Are you Okay with that? We can postpone if you need more time."

I shook my head, forcing myself to take another bite. The food, delicious as it was, suddenly tasted like ash in my mouth. "No, it's fine. Better to get it over with, right?"

He nodded, but I could see the concern in his eyes. "Scarlett, I want you to know... whatever happens, you have a place here. With us. With me.”

The intensity in his voice made me look up, meeting his gaze. The mate bond hummed between us, a constant reminder of the connection we shared. For a moment, I let myself imagine what it would be like to give in to it, to let myself fall for this man who looked at me like I was something precious, something worth protecting.

But then reality came crashing back in, cold and unforgiving. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Kaiden," I said softly, hating the tremor in my voice. "You don't know what you're dealing with."

Before he could respond, the sound of a car pulling up outside caught our attention. Kaiden moved to the window, peering out. "They're here," he said, his voice tight with an emotion I couldn't quite place.

My heart rate spiked, fear flooding my body. This was it. The moment of truth.

I stood slowly, my legs feeling like jelly. "I guess it's time to face the music."

Kaiden moved to my side, his hand coming to rest on the small of my back. The touch sent a jolt through me, the mate bond flaring to life with an intensity that left me breathless. "We're in this together," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear.

I nodded, taking a deep breath that did little to calm my nerves. Together, we moved towards the front door. I could hear voices outside, female voices mixed with Elian and Jaron's deeper tones. The sound sent a shiver of apprehension down my spine.

As we stepped onto the porch, I got my first look at Winter and Cherryville. They were both beautiful, in very different ways. Winter was tall and willowy, with long blonde hair that shimmered in the sunlight and ice-blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through me. Cherryville was petite and curvy, with a mane of wild red curls and bright green eyes that sparkled with intelligence and Curiosity.

Both women fell silent as they saw me, their eyes widening. I felt the exact moment they sensed the mate bond, saw the shock and confusion play across their faces. The air around us seemed to crackle with tension, the very atoms vibrating withthe . potential energy of this moment.

For a long moment, nobody moved. Nobody spoke. We all just stared at each other, the air thick with tension and unasked questions. The only sound was the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze and the distant call of a bird.

lt was Winter who finally broke the silence. Her eyes narrowed as she looked from me to Kaiden to her mate, Elian. When she spoke, her voice was as cold as her name, sending a chill down my spine: "What the hell is going on here?"