Mute And Marked: The Feared Alphas' Mate

13: Confrontation At The Field (II)

~Rina~

“Touching,” Axel’s voice drawled, laced with sarcasm and something darker that sent a shiver down my spine. Callan immediately stiffened as he faced the triplets.

Axel, Ryder, and Kade stood there, their imposing bodies almost blocking the view in front of me. They were intimidating, even when they weren’t trying to be, and right now, they weren’t holding back. The air around them seemed to crackle with tension, an evident force that made it hard to breathe.

“Mind telling us why you’re so interested in Rina?” Ryder asked, his voice deceptively casual, but his eyes were sharp, locked onto Callan with an intensity that was hard to read.

Callan didn’t back down, even as the three Alphas closed in on him. He stood his ground, his shoulders squared, refusing to be intimidated. “I’m not interested in her the way you think,” he said evenly. “But I won’t stand by and watch you bully her.”

Kade’s lips curled into a smirk, his gaze flicking between Callan and me. “Bully? Is that what you think we’re doing?”

“It’s exactly what you’re doing,” Callan shot back, his voice firm. “She’s not your toy, or something you can push around because you think you’re better than everyone else.”

Axel’s expression darkened, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he took a step closer to Callan. “You’re awfully bold for someone who doesn’t know what they’re getting into,” he said, his tone cold enough to freeze the air around us. “This isn’t a game, Callan. You don’t know anything about Rina.”

My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst. The tension between them was thick, the mate bond pulling at me like a physical force, urging me to do something, anything, to stop this before it escalated further. But I was frozen, trapped between my fear and the overwhelming emotions inside me.

Callan’s gaze didn’t waver, even as Axel loomed over him. “Maybe I don’t,” he admitted, his voice calm and steady. “But I know enough to see when someone is being mistreated. And I won’t let that slide, no matter who you are.”

Kade let out a low chuckle, but there was no humor in it. “You really think you can take us on?” he asked, his tone dripping with condescension. “Three Alphas against one? Do you even know what you’re up against?”

Callan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t back down. “I’m not afraid of you,” he said, his voice firm. “And I won’t let you intimidate me. Rina deserves better than this.”

The words hung in the air like a challenge, and I could see the flicker of surprise in the triplets’ eyes. They weren’t used to being defied, especially not by someone like Callan, who wasn’t an Alpha, but someone strong and respected in his own right.

Axel’s expression shifted, his icy gaze settling on me for a moment before turning back to Callan. “You really don’t understand, do you?” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “This isn’t about what Rina deserves. It’s about what she is.”

The cryptic words sent a chill down my spine, and I could see the confusion in Callan’s eyes. He didn’t know. Of course, he didn’t know. No one did, except the triplets and me. They weren’t just tormenting me out of some twisted sense of superiority—they were bound to me, just as I was bound to them. But they refused to acknowledge it, refused to give in to the bond that connected us.

Before Callan could respond, Cassandra appeared at Axel’s side, her expression smug as she linked her arm with his. “Don’t waste your breath, boys,” she purred, her voice sickly sweet. “He’s not worth it. Let him play the hero if he wants. It’s cute, really.”

Rage flared in my chest at the sight of her so close to Axel, but I forced it down, swallowing the bitterness that rose in my throat. Cassandra wasn’t worth it. None of this was worth it.

But Axel’s gaze remained fixed on Callan, his eyes narrowing as if he were considering something. “You’re right, Cassandra,” he said finally, his voice cold and detached. “He’s not worth it.”

Without another word, Axel turned and walked away, his brothers following close behind. But before they left, Ryder paused, his eyes meeting mine for a brief moment. There was something in his gaze—regret, maybe, or guilt—but it was gone too quickly for me to decipher.

As the triplets disappeared into the crowd, I felt the tension in my body begin to ease, though the weight of everything that had just happened still pressed down on me. Callan turned back to me, his expression concerned. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, his voice gentle.

I nodded, though my mind was confused and in pain. “I’ll be fine,” I signed, though the words felt hollow. I didn’t know if I would ever be fine again.

Callan seemed to sense my unease, but he didn’t push. Instead, he offered me a small, reassuring smile. “If you ever need someone to talk to, or…just someone to listen, I’m here, okay?”

I managed a weak smile in return, grateful for his kindness, even if it didn’t change the reality of my situation. “Thank you,” I signed, hoping he understood how much I meant it.

As Callan walked away, I was left standing alone in the middle of the field, the remnants of the confrontation still echoing in my mind. The mate bond pulsed in the back of my mind, a reminder of what I could never escape.

I hated them for what they were doing to me, hated them for refusing to reject me, for leaving me trapped in this endless cycle of pain and longing. But more than anything, I hated myself for still wanting them, for feeling the pull of the bond even when I knew it would only lead to more heartache.

As the sun began to set across the field, I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t run from this. I couldn’t run from them. And as much as I wished otherwise, I couldn’t run from the truth that bound us together.

I was theirs, and they were mine. Whether I liked it or not.