Chapter 2 Followed by the triplets

My eyes widened in disbelief that this stranger, whom I had just met for the first time, would behave so boldly with me. Although he was very handsome and charming.

"Let go of her—she's mine!" "She is our mate. “Yes. Mates.” A soft voice sounded in my head, startling me further.

The other two, showing their impatience, also rushed toward me. Their scents enveloped me. I was overwhelmed by a mixture of earthy and musky tones. Sandalwood. Leather and tobacco. Citrus with a hint of turpentine. It all wafted

toward me, evoking a sense of warmth and comfort. My breaths shortened and I felt myself growing wetter.

An angry scoff sounded behind me before Jimmy grabbed my arm and unceremoniously lifted me to my feet. He wrapped an arm across my shoulders, pressing me back into his body and eliciting growls from the three more imposing men in front of me.

“You will keep your hands off of my fiance.” He demanded.

I pushed against his hold in an attempt to extract myself. “Your fiance? We may have had an understanding, but I think that is null and void now.”

“Because of them?” He demanded, shoving me forward.

“No, because of you. And her. And the fact that you just told me it was over a few seconds after you pulled out of my stepmother.”

“Baby, don’t be like that. She was nothing. She was just a mistake. You know I love you.”

Amy's face contorted with rage, her nostrils flaring and her teeth bared in a feral snarl. She opened her mouth to let out a stream of seething words while Jimmy hurled his hand at her, his palm connecting with her cheek in a sharp stinging slap that echoed across the room.

She staggered backward, stunned by the sudden attack, and then retaliated with a slap of her own that landed on the side of his face with a meaty thwack. The air was thick with tension as they traded insults, their voices rising to a crescendo as they dredged up past hurts and wrongdoings. Each word felt like a bullet fired from a gun—fast, deadly, and without mercy.

The veins in Amy's neck bulged as she screamed at him, her voice cracking with fury. Her eyes flashed like daggers as they met Jimmy's cold gaze. There was no love left between them now, only hate and pain and regret.

I stood stunned at the exchange. I had never seen this side of either of them and I wasn’t quite sure how to react. Our companions seemed bored with the exchange, annoyed at the interruption more than anything.

“Would you care to join us at the cafe around the corner?” Armand asked.

“Yes, please get me out of here.”

I climbed into the luxury car with them and we drove off, leaving behind my ex-boyfriend and my ex-stepmother.

We pulled up to one of the most exclusive coffee shops in town, and Nicholas opened the door for me with a smirk. Once we were seated in a quiet corner with our drinks, Armand leaned forward and fixed his intense gaze on me. His hand, trembling slightly, touched mine in a gentle gesture of comfort.

"Your father," he began, voice thick with emotion, "was like a brother to me. I watched helplessly as his pain and grief over your mother's passing slowly consumed him until it threatened to overtake him completely. I wish I had been able to do more."

I felt my stomach clench with surprise. I'd only ever seen the man on television before this moment and suddenly there he was in front of me, speaking of my deceased father with tenderness and respect.

"I didn't agree with your father's wishes to keep you isolated from our world," he continued quietly. "But it wasn't my place to interfere. Please tell me he spoke kindly of me before..." He trailed off, eyes pleading.

I felt a lump in my throat as I heard his words and forced myself to keep a straight face. My palms were clammy as I was faced with the impossible task of telling him my father had never mentioned him to me before.

So instead I just nodded my head and murmured an agreement. "My father often spoke of his friends."

He waved a hand strangely through the air before fixing me with a knowing stare. With his fingers laced, he leaned forward, “I have some...uncomfortable things we need to discuss I’m afraid. The world as you know it does not actually exist.”

“I...I don’t understand.”

“You are not human, not entirely anyway. You see, the world is made up of two kinds: humans and werewolves. We,” he gestured to himself and his sons, “are werewolves. So was your father.”

“That’s not...I’m not...”

“Your mother, on the other hand, was human. Werewolves do tend to stick with werewolves, but your father fell in love with your mother and broke tradition.”

“Werewolves,” I stated dumbly.

“Werewolves” he nodded in confirmation. “There are far more of us than you even realize. We hold a significant amount of power in this world and control most of the resources. You’ll find that werewolves sit in many power positions from Senator Lucas Chambers to Lila Starr.”

“Lila Starr!?” I screeched before slapping a hand over my mouth and looking around at the other patrons. She was my favorite singer. I aspired to be just like her one day.

“You are a half-werewolf, but there are some additional complications. You are my sons’ mate. They felt the urge to mark you the moment they caught your scent. But, you are still underage. You cannot be marked until after you turn 18.”

My mouth fell open and my brows furrowed as the weight of his words settled over me. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing – that werewolves were real, that I was somehow connected to these three strangers.

"Mate?" I asked hesitantly, my heart pounding in my chest with a mixture of fear and excitement. I knew I felt a strange spark between us, but I had always believed mates to be a made-up concept in fantasy books—werewolves too if I was being honest.

"Yes, Beryl, mate. While they are still considered rare in our world, many werewolves find their mates after they turn eighteen."

"Sorry...I think there must be some mistake. I'm human, I don't even have a wolf." “Are you and your young friend engaged?”

At his words, I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of his question but caught myself. Nothing about this situation was funny.

“I don’t know what you saw when you arrived, but it certainly wasn't us getting engaged," I said firmly. "Your arrival came just after I found out Jimmy was sleeping with my stepmother. So, no we are most definitely not engaged."

"I see," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "I apologize for the assumption, Beryl. I only wanted to make sure you were taken care of. I promised your father that

I would watch over you should he pass. I think it would be best if you came home with us."

My eyes flickered nervously from Armand to his sons. Their gazes felt like a physical weight upon me, boring into my skin like red-hot iron rods. The intensity of their stares made me feel like a deer in hunter's sights—uneasy and apprehensive.

My body shifted uncomfortably in my chair as I tried to break away from their gaze.

Even though accepting his offer went against every instinct within me—you did not say no to the most powerful man in the supernatural world—I knew I didn't have a choice.

But, I could not accept his offer.

I felt a surge of anger at his words, but I didn't let it show on my face. "I appreciate your concern, but I am capable of taking care of myself. I realize that I am only seventeen, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I have been for some time now."

“You are at least part werewolf, Beryl. You belong in this world with us. I can assure you protection as the Alpha King,”

"I don't...I don't think it matters. My father kept me out of your world for a reason. I just want to be an ordinary person, live an ordinary life."

My voice sounded hollow as I said the words, and I looked away, trying to avoid the intense gazes of Armand and his sons. I felt my heart racing and my hands shaking; this was all too much for me.

The weight of the day's events threatened to overwhelm me: my father's death, Jimmy's betrayal, meeting Armand, discovering his sons were potential mates? My knees felt weak and I was grateful I was already seated. Reaching up, I shielded my face with one hand, still avoiding the triplets' gaze.

"Thank you for everything you did for my father, for coming to pay your respects," I said quietly. "But, I think it's best if I just go home now." I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling scared. “I appreciate the offer, really," I said weakly, "but I want to stay in my home, at least for now."

Armand leaned back, his expression unreadable. “Very well,” he said eventually. “If that is your wish, we won’t force you to come with us. But just know that our offer still stands should you change your mind.”

They returned me to my car in the parking lot of the funeral home. I paused as I stepped out, letting my eyes wander over the rows of cars, unable to shake the feeling that this was somehow a dream.

I stood there for a long time, feeling numb and disconnected from reality; exhausted tears stung my eyes as I tried to process what I had just experienced. Wiping away an errant tear, I slipped into my car and made the short drive home.

A paper notice affixed to the door informed me that I had twenty-four hours to vacate the premises My childhood home—my last remaining connection to everything I had ever known—had been taken from me too. Another thing lost too soon.

I was penniless and hopeless.

I felt my throat tighten and tears prick behind my eyes. I stumbled from my car and sank to my knees on the asphalt, overwhelmed by hopelessness and loss, sobs wracking through my body.

The golden Aston Martin stopped beside me with little sound. I knew it was them, though. I could smell their now familiar scents, the skin on the back om neck tingling at their proximity.

I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes, looked up, and saw the four of them stepping out of the car. The triplets stared at me with almost beastly eyes.

They'd been following my car?