The Triplets’ Bookworm

CH 13 - AMBER

AMBER POV

Out of the corner of my eye, three massive figures moved, dark shapes streaking across the snow like shadows given life. Three enormous black wolves, their golden eyes blazing, barreled toward us at full speed.

Christian didn’t notice them until it was too late.

Not that it could have ended in any other way.

The triplets hit him like a freight train, their combined weight knocking him off me. Christian’s wolf yelped as the force sent him sprawling, and then the real fight began.

Alek’s wolf was the first to leap, his teeth sinking into Christian’s scruff and dragging him backward. Alan was next, ramming into his side with a snarl. Aaron circled, his growl rumbling like thunder as he snapped his teeth at Christian’s legs.

I scrambled to my feet, backing away as the fight turned into a whirlwind of claws, teeth, and fur. The triplets were merciless, coordinated like they’d been born for this.

Christian barely had a chance to defend himself.

And for the first time, I wasn’t afraid.

I was furious.

“Enough!” I shouted, my voice cracking like a whip. And they stopped, they really did it!

The wolves froze mid-motion, their heads whipping toward me in unison. Christian’s chest heaved, blood matting his fur, but his gaze darted from me to the triplets as if weighing his options.

Alek’s wolf growled low, his eyes locked on Christian like he was daring him to move.

“Get. Out,” I said, glaring at Christian.

For a moment, I thought he might lunge at me anyway. But then Alek took a deliberate step forward, and Christian’s wolf let out a defeated snarl. He backed away, his body trembling with rage, before finally turning and slinking into the woods.

I stood there, shaking from adrenaline, as the triplets shifted back into their human forms one by one, the cracking and snapping of bones somehow more unsettling now than before.

And then it hit me.

They were naked.

Completely, utterly, blatantly naked.

My brain short-circuited for a moment as I registered the situation, my gaze immediately darting upward to avoid... well, everything. My cheeks flamed red-hot, and I felt like my face might combust.

“Are you okay?” Alek asked, his voice low and rough, his eyes scanning me like he was looking for injuries.

“Fine,” I snapped, brushing snow off my clothes. “I didn’t need your help.”

He raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Really? Looked like you had it totally under control.”

"Seriously?" I muttered under my breath, staring at the treetops like they were the most fascinating thing in the world.

Alan, of course, was the first to notice my mortification.

"Aww, what's wrong, Amber?" he teased, his voice dripping with fake innocence. "Don’t tell me you’re shy now. You’ve got three perfectly fine specimens of male anatomy in front of you—what’s the harm in looking?"

“Alan!” Alek barked, but I could hear the faintest trace of amusement in his tone too.

I refused to dignify the comment with a response. My arms crossed tightly over my chest as I glared at a particularly interesting branch, willing my heartbeat to slow down.

Aaron joined in, his deep chuckle making it worse. “You’re turning red, little bookworm. Didn’t think you’d be this bashful.”

“Shut up!” I snapped, unable to hold back anymore. “Why don’t you guys ever wear clothes? You’re wolves, not freaking exhibitionists!”

Alan grinned. “Wouldn’t mind being both, if it gets this kind of reaction out of you.”

That was it. I’d had enough.

“You’re all insufferable,” I said through gritted teeth. I spun on my heel, stomping away toward the parking lot.

“Hey! You know, a thank you wouldn’t kill you!” Aaron shouted after me.

I didn’t turn around, but my hand shot up in a dismissive wave. “Let’s say we’re even with what you’ve done, shall we?” I spat back, not caring how much venom was in my voice.

The silence that followed was almost satisfying.

Almost.

By the time I reached the parking lot, I spotted Vic leaning casually against her car, her thumbs flying furiously across her phone screen. She didn’t even notice me until I was almost right in front of her.

“Oh, finally!” she whined, dramatically tossing her head back. “I thought you got abducted or something! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting here?”

I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my expression neutral, though my insides were still in knots from... well, everything. “Relax, Vic. I’m fine.”

She narrowed her eyes at me but didn’t comment on my tone. Instead, she pocketed her phone and stood upright. “So? How did it go? Was Christian on the football field? Did you ask him about the limo?”

The question hung in the air for a moment, and I had to stop myself from groaning out loud. The limo. How could I have forgotten about that stupid thing in the middle of all this?

“Well...” I began, drawing the word out as I tried to figure out how to summarize the absolute shitshow that had just happened.

Vic’s sharp green eyes locked onto mine, instantly suspicious. “Oh no. What did you do?”

“Why do you assume it’s my fault?” I shot back, exasperated.

“Amber, you’re standing here covered in snow, your hair is a mess, and you look like you’ve just survived a wrestling match with a bear. What did you do?”

I winced. “Okay, first of all, not a bear. Second of all... it’s complicated.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Complicated? Babe, you went to ask a guy about prom transportation, not negotiate a peace treaty. What happened?”

“Christian’s a jerk. That’s what happened,” I snapped, crossing my arms and slipping into the car.

As Vic drove, the hum of the engine and the soft whir of the tires on the road were the only sounds filling the air, but my mind was still racing. I didn’t even know where to start. The encounter with Christian had been... a lot. And the triplets? Yeah, definitely more than I bargained for today.

“So, what happened exactly?” Vic asked, keeping her eyes on the road but her voice full of curiosity and an hint of apprehension.

I shifted uncomfortably in the seat, my fingers fiddling with the edge of my jacket. “I saw Christian sucking a random redhead’s face before football practice. That’s what happened,” I muttered trough clenced teeth.

It hurted ok?

“I knew he was another jerkface,” she muttered, but then turned to glance at me, eyes narrowed. “But did you punch him?”

I snickered “I may have grabbed his jewls roughly”

She laughed wholeheartdly “good girl ho.e! And how did you end up in that then?” She eyed me suspiciously, pointing to my snow covered hair.

I sighed heavily, feeling the weight of the memory pressing down on me. And i spilled. Almost all of it. I didn’t tell her the part in which Alek saved me from my embarassment and licked my tear. She would have done a charade about hidden emotions and s**t.

When I told her about him shifting she was mad, really really mad and I could understand her, if something similar had happened to her I would have been too.

Her jaw tightened in disbelief. “Amber—”

“It’s handled it, Vic. Trust me.” My voice was firmer this time, but my stomach still twisted at the thought of it.

“How it is handled, please tell, humour me” She spat clencing her fingers on the steering weel

“The Savage Triplets handled it” I whispered rapidly, hoping she wouldn’t caught all of it.

Of course she didn’t!

There was a long pause before she asked softly, “the triplets?”

My face immediately turned red, and I groaned inwardly. “They, uh... intervened.”

Her eyes widened, and I could practically see the wheels turning in her head. “Intervened? What does that mean?”

I shifted awkwardly, looking out the window for a second. “It means they showed up, shifted into wolves, and dealt with Christian.”

Her jaw dropped, and she gasped. “Wait. You’re telling me the three of them—together—beat the crap out of him?”

I shrugged, feeling my face grow even hotter. “I wouldn’t say ‘beat the crap out of him.’ More like... put him in his place.”

“Same difference,” Vic muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing in thought. Then, she seemed to realize something. “Wait. If they shifted back, that means they—”

“Don’t,” I warned, cutting her off, my face flaming now.

Vic’s mischievous grin returned in full force, and I could already feel the impending teasing. “They were naked, weren’t they? Oh my God, Amber, you *perv*!”

I groaned loudly, my hands flying to my face in embarrassment. “Shut up!”

“I knew it!” she said, barely able to contain her laughter. “You totally looked, didn’t you? Were they as... you know, *gifted* as people say?”

“Oh my God, Vic!” My face was on fire now, and I didn’t even know where to hide.

She burst out laughing, leaning against the steering wheel as she tried to catch her breath. I just sat there, trying not to die of embarrassment.

“Look, can we just let it go?” I snapped, exasperated, trying to move the conversation forward.

“Fine, fine,” she said, still giggling. “But you owe me all the details later.”

I rolled my eyes. “Not a chance,” I muttered under my breath, slamming the door when she finally pulled up to my house.