The Triplets And Their Mysterious Mate

Trust

Calista POV

I opened my eyes and realized I was submerged in water. Panic washed over me as I splashed around, desperately trying to regain control and shift into my human form. The sound of my own heartbeat echoed in my ears, drowning out all other sounds. The scent of saltwater filled my nostrils. I tried to get up, only to be stopped by a firm hand grabbing my arm.

"It's okay, you're safe," a soothing voice greeted me. It was Cade. As I looked around, I took in the sight of the spacious tub, surrounded by walls covered in tiles the color of the ocean. Cade extended his hand towards me, and I could feel the cool, dampness of his skin against mine as he helped me up.

"We filled the bath with water from the ocean since it seemed you needed it. You took on your true form and have been in the tub for a few hours," he explained.

"So you saw me." I muttered.

He nodded. "We all have. Your beauty, Calista, was mistaken for a monster before we even got to know you. I'm truly sorry."

"If I wasn't your mate..." I whispered.

"We would still be protecting you. Our intention was never to harm you, unless our lives were at risk. We failed to make that clear. We came here to find you and ensure that those who have been after you for so long didn't get their hands on you," he assured me.

As fear crept through me, I tried my best to hide it. "By locking me away, is that my fate now? I get it. I sealed my fate by choosing to jump in after Tate. And it's not like I can deny my weakness when I'm feeling so vulnerable right now."

Cade held out a towel, breaking through my thoughts. "Come," he said, his voice gentle yet commanding. I hesitated, unsure of what awaited me. "Let me show you the truth. I think it's better if you see with your own eyes," he explained. Reluctantly, I walked towards him, feeling the softness of the towel as he wrapped it around my shivering body.

"The new clothing Dean got you is on the bed in this room. I'll give you a moment to dress," he said, walking out of the room and leaving me alone. As I slid off my bottoms, a sharp pain shot through my shoulder, causing me to yelp. Cade returned quickly, freezing in his tracks.

"s**t, sorry," he muttered, turning away.

"I need help," I admitted, feeling vulnerable. The realization that I couldn't dress myself due to my injured shoulder made me feel exposed, and the knowledge Cade struggled to control himself when I was undressed added to my discomfort.

"Did you need me to get you something?" he asked.

I winced in pain, my arm throbbing intensely, making it impossible for me to untie my top with one hand. "I... I need help getting changed," I admitted, my voice strained.

"Oh," he cleared his throat, his gaze shifting uncomfortably. "You want me to help you?" he questioned, his hesitation evident.

"If you're uncomfortable, can you ask Tate or Dean?" I suggested, trying to ease the tension.

"I can help," he finally said, turning towards me. His eyes locked with mine, but it was apparent that he was trying hard not to look at my body. It was almost amusing how determined he was to avoid it. He seemed more mature than the others in many ways, but this.

As he approached, his fingers fumbled with my top, his nervousness palpable. I couldn't help but think that he wasn't being entirely honest about controlling his urges; he was simply nervous about seeing me naked. Once my top was removed, he reached into the bag, his shaky voice responding, "Just the shirt and shorts are okay?"

"Okay," I agreed, knowing that putting the whole outfit on me might be torture for him. He bent down to help me with the shorts, but then hesitated, his hand gently resting on my back. "The tattoos Tate mentioned," he murmured, his finger tracing their outlines against my skin. It felt surprisingly good, relieving some of my pain. I understood why it had such an effect on me; my kind drew strength from close and intimate contact with the opposite s*x. It was one of the things I despised about my nature, as it often led to the seduction and manipulation of men. "They glow," he whispered, captivated by their brilliance.

They must still be very dark due to my weakened state in this form. I breathed out, feeling the weight of his touch driving me crazy in my current state. The room seemed to spin around me as I spoke. "They represent my power. I'm the only one who has them. That's why you all want me. Only the one born as a dark siren is cursed with them. It should be a blessing, yet being who I am is a curse, one I never asked for."

"You are no curse. You are perfect," he reassured me, his words like a gentle melody in my ears. "It's just when one is special and holds power, others become power hungry and think they have a right to use those blessed. You are safe now, and I know it will take time for you to believe that, but you are my family. My family has faced many challenges, Calista, all to protect those who are special. And now you're a part of my family. And as I said, even if you weren't our mate, we would have still kept you safe."

His hand met my side, and I felt a wave of warmth radiate from his touch, soothing the ache that had settled within me. "Your touch," I whispered, the words barely audible, "it's making the pain vanish." Before I could say another word, his lips were on my skin, a soft brush of sensation that sent shivers down my spine. The nerves that had been tangled within me seemed to untangle, dissolving into thin air.

"Then I'll touch you more if it helps," he murmured against my skin, his voice a caress in itself. "But you need to tell me to stop if I'm taking things too far."

I remained standing, feeling his mouth work its way up the back of my body, the sensation both electrifying and tender. His hands, moving slowly, slid up against my breasts. It was as if he was still being respectful, not daring to look at me completely without permission, yet his touch was a silent promise of more to come.

"Is it true that being intimate gives you energy?" he asked, his voice filled with a mix of curiosity and longing.

I nodded, my senses heightened by his proximity. "Yes, it does. And outside of the water, it helps me heal," I admitted, my voice barely a whisper carried by the air.

"Will you still give us a chance?" he asked, holding me tighter against him.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts. "You still have the week," I responded.

"But has it changed? Do you still plan on just leaving us, Calista? Or instead, will you possibly accept us and stay?" His grip tightened slightly, a silent plea for me to consider his words.

"You have the remainder of the week to earn my full trust," I said, the words heavy with vulnerability. "I've given some already because of how kind you all have been to me. Even now, in your arms, you are only doing what I've given permission for. And I know this can't be easy with me being your mate. Just show me I can really trust the three of you, that it is really okay to stay with you. If you can, I'll accept your marks at the end of the week. But you three also need to show me what being with all of you will be like." As I finished, a soft chuckle escaped his lips, filling the room with a warm, comforting sound.

"Is that you asking for a preview of what having three mates is like?" he whispered against me, his warm breath tickling my ear.

"Maybe," I replied. "I've only ever thought love was shared between two."

"That's understandable," he said. The feeling of his touch intensified, igniting a fire within me. "I've kissed all three of you now, but what happens when..." I started to speak, but he interrupted.

. "Mate," he asked, his voice filled with longing.

"Yes," I responded, my heart pounding in my chest. Part of me needed to know what I would be getting myself into if I accepted them.

"Well, we could always show you," he joked at first, causing a playful smile to spread across my face. "We would figure it out," he continued, his voice filled with reassurance. "At the end, we want it to be a relationship you're comfortable with. If you need time alone with all of us individually at first, we would understand. But ultimately, we would want you to share a bed with all of us and to mate with all of us together. However, we are well aware that may take time. We also don't want to overwhelm you right away. Meaning, when you're ready and if you accept us, you pick one of us to start with. It won't hurt me, Dean, or Tate on who you pick," Cade tried to explain.

"Musical triplets," I said, trying to find the right words.

"What?" he asked, genuinely intrigued.

"The children's game, musical chairs. You pick a chair, right?" I said, causing him to burst into laughter.

"Thanks for explaining that to me," I said. "It makes me more comfortable. I feel better now, so I won't torture you any longer."

"It's not torture," he admitted, his voice filled with desire. "Touching you is more like a temptation that's hard to resist." He then helped me put on my clothing, his hands lingering on my skin, leaving a trail of warmth behind. "As you get more comfortable with us, we really would like to know more about you. Even in texts, the knowledge on Sirens is limited. The more we know, the more we can help you," he explained, his voice gentle and caring.

"Maybe starting with how long can you really stay in this form without hurting yourself?" he asked.

"Usually a week," I replied. "But something in the air, the demons released a potion, is making it hard to even go a day. And then, on the boat, they put something in the drinks, speeding it up even more. I feel okay now, but I doubt I'll last more than a day."

"What we did, filling the bath with water from the ocean, did that work?" he asked, his voice filled with hope.

"It helps, but ultimately I need to return to the ocean. My body needs to connect with it," I admitted.

"Can it be shallow water?" he inquired, his voice filled with curiosity.

"Yes," I responded.

"Tate said they sense you in the water," Cade questioned.

"Yes, my kind does. And I'm sure they have now, with me staying for as long as I did last time. I try to limit my time to no more than ten minutes. It's hard, but it's the only way I've stayed safe," I admitted.

"So you can't venture far from the ocean," he asked.

"No." I admitted.

"If and when you need to go, can you always do so with one, if not all of us, so we can try and help keep you safe?" he asked.

"Also, please don't ever disappear on us," he pleaded, his voice tinged with worry. "Always tell us if you are leaving, even at the week's end if that's your choice."

"I will. I'm not the bad creature you all believe me to be. I've only hurt those trying to harm me. I only use my voice to protect myself and, well, you three," I confessed, the weight of my truth hanging in the air.

"On the yacht, that scream... it stopped the demons enough for us to get the upper hand. That was you," he said, awe and admiration coloring his words.

I nodded, the memory vivid in my mind. "Yes."

"When you're comfortable, can you show us your voice?" he asked, his curiosity evident.

"You mean a Siren's lullaby, the one the demons want?" I questioned.

"So you know what they're after?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes. Every Siren is born with their own lullaby, as humans labeled it. It's not a song like you know of on land, one with lyrics. It's that we are born each with unique sounds that only we can create. And mixed together, they create our Lullaby, the key to our power. When we use it, we can access our powers," I explained, the melody of my words hanging in the air.

"Will me being one of the sea and you three being creatures of the land really work? Are you sure you really want me? I can never travel far," I admitted, my insecurities resurfacing.

"We will make it work. The goddess would not have made us mates if we couldn't," he reassured me. He led me out of the room, and we entered a large living room.

"A house," I whispered.

Cade nodded. "I rented a house under a fake name, it's just outside of town, not too far. Tate warned that it would be dangerous for you to travel far. I found this place right on the ocean."

"Tate and Dean have been working tirelessly for hours, using fae spells to build a protective barrier around us. We plan on asking our family for more help, but we thought it best to wait until you feel ready and comfortable. Right now, they have no idea that we've found you." he explained.

"Thanks," I replied.

"Now, for what I wanted to show you," Cade said, walking towards a bag on the ground. He opened it up, and the sound of the zipper filled the air. He pulled out a file and handed it to me. I flipped it open, the pages rustling beneath my fingertips.

"What is this?" I asked, my voice filled with curiosity.

Cade stepped closer to me. "This was the place we were going to bring the Siren, to bring you, Calista. As you can see, it's not a prison. It's a safe house, equipped with a saltwater supply."

"But now, knowing that it's not enough for you, it's a good thing. It was simply meant to be a safe home for you." he explained. I looked at the photos, trying to make sense of it all.

"What is all written?" I asked.

"Can you not read? I'm not judging, just curious to know," Cade inquired gently.

The feeling of embarrassment washed over me as I replied, "I can, well, sort of. I taught myself enough to get by, just like I taught myself how to write enough to message you. But I'm not that good."

"The document speaks of the location, but it's coded so that if the file fell into the wrong hands, it wouldn't be deciphered. Other than that, it details everything that has been done to the place and the main objective, which is to protect you." he explained. "I will teach you to read and write better," he promised.

"Thanks," I responded, gratitude filling my voice as I heard a door creak open. "Way to tell us she was awake," Tate's voice broke through the air, followed by the sound of Dean's footsteps. I turned to see them both in the doorway.

"Thank you for helping me and keeping me safe," I said to both of them.

Dean walked closer. Tate hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I'm sorry. You tried to save me, and I hurt you," he admitted.

"It's okay. It's not like you knew it was me. I'll heal, and Cade was kind enough to dress my wounds," I assured him, my voice filled with understanding.

Tate stood in the doorway, his laughter filling the air, adding a vibrant energy to the scene. "Damn, I wish I had been here when you woke up," he said.

As he looked me over, his eyes roamed my body, devouring me with an intensity that Cade and Dean lacked. The sight of his shirtless form, alongside Dean’s, showcased their perfectly sculpted bodies, a sight that left me in awe. But amidst the physical perfection, my eyes landed on a small mark on Tate's shoulder, resembling gentle waves. My heart quickened, and a sense of unease washed over me, causing me to lose my balance. However, Cade was quick to catch me, his concern evident in his voice.

"Calista, are you okay?" he asked, his worry palpable. I stumbled to find my words, trying to remain calm. "Tate, the mark on you... am I imagining things?" I managed to say, my voice trembling.

Tate raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You mean the weird wave tattoo? I was actually going to ask you about that," he replied.

My stammering continued as I confessed, "I... I marked you."

When I saved him, I was worried he wasn't okay. He wasn't breathing. I used all my energy to shift back to my human form and pulled him onto shore in the cave. I kissed him and tried to use my power to make him breathe. They can sense me as a mate, but using my power on the one meant for me leaves a mark. I wasn't thinking in my panic. If I use any power on Dean and Cade, the same thing will happen to them. I marked Tate without his consent.

"I'm sorry," I stammered.

"I'm not," Tate said. "I'm your mate, Calista. All three of us are. You marked me trying to save me, and I understand and accept your mark. I'm not upset, and although it's torture, I'll wait for you to accept my mark." Tate said.

"All three of us, Calista. You're the only one we'll ever accept. Mark us when you're ready and tell us when we have permission to mark you. We'll wait." Dean added.

It seems fate is making sure we stay together. Maybe I should just stop fighting it. Maybe, for once, I need to accept it, accept their help, and accept that maybe I have a life outside of hiding.