Triplet Alpha Claim

Phera POV:

Nate's ceremony went by in a blur, and after half an hour, he was announced as the beta of the RedMoon Pack. Everyone hollered and clapped, she-wolves in the back, jumping up and down as he winked at them. I couldn't help but roll my eyes while chuckling. My brother, forever the casanova of the pack, I pity his mate when he finds her. She would be in for a ride taming the famous Nate Evans. All the noise died down instantly when Axel lifted his hand; everyone became quiet as a mouse waiting to see what their alpha had to say.

"As everyone must've heard by now that, our younger brother has found his fated mate..." Axel started, then looked towards Newmara smiling at her. Even though it was small twitch of his lips and couldn't be seen because of their angle, I picked it up instantly. Hurt squeezed my heart, it was just a smile, but still, it was more than I got since I came back. All I was getting was their smugness or protectiveness. Plus, I couldn't help but wonder did the triplets truly not feel anything for Newmara. She was mating someone else. At one point, she had been with them. I was broken out of my thought when Axel spoke up again.

"...Newmara Evans and Adam White come forward and kneel." He said.

The entire time the ceremony happened, Newmara and Adam couldn't take their eyes off one another. You could see the love sparkling so brightly in their eyes. They only looked away when they had to pledge their allegiance again to the triplets, and they blessed their bond. I always dreamed about a mating ceremony with the triplets when I was younger. How all four of us would kneel in front of the king and queen, and we would have the same look in our eyes just like Newmara and Adam did. Ironic how I wanted no part in it now that it could come true. I could feel the tears building up in my eyes, but I sniffed them back, not wanting to ruin Newmara and Nate's day. I looked up, and my eyes caught with the triplets. You could see the worry in them as if silently asking if I was alright. I looked away, and just as the crowd started cheering for the newly mated couple, I got up and left. I walked so fast, not knowing where to go or where I was going, till I reached a clearing on the other side of the packhouse grounds. The tears I held back fell down my cheeks one by one. I furiously wiped them away. Why was I crying? I had nothing to cry about! However, that thought made them pour out even more furiously until I slumped to the ground. I didn't know how long it had been. It could've been minutes or hours, but stayed there until I had no tears left to cry.

"I'm not going to ask you if you're okay, P, because I know you're not. But I do know this isn't the Phera Evans I know." Josh's words rang out next to me, making me turn to him as he sat down next to me.

I didn't say anything, just laid my head on his shoulder as he held me rubbing my back like all those times when I had broken down before about the triplets.

"I don't know what to do, Josh. Are they truly not jealous or have any emotions towards Newmara and Adam's bonding? They probably did feel something for her. That's why they were with one another that night, or why would they risk their friendship for a fling? But now, when I look at the four of them, it seems as if there was nothing ever, to begin with, other than friendship. I just don't know anymore." I said, bearing myself to Josh like I always did.

Josh just held me tighter as I leaned into his chest, as he rubbed soothing circles on my back, making a tiny bit of the anxiety fade away, but what my body truly craved was the triplets. For them to hold me and tell me what I saw was a lie, and there was never anything between them and Newmara. I knew even if the first part happened, they couldn't deny the second part. I had seen them with my own eyes, and nothing could justify that.

"I wish I had an answer for you, P. I truly do, but only four people can give you that: your mates and sister. I know you're scared to get your heart

broken again, but will you be able to live with yourself if you make a decision not knowing the whole story? If something else was the truth in the first place, could you forgive yourself?" Said, Josh

His words made sense. I knew I was being unreasonable by not giving them a chance, but if they genuinely wanted to be with me, why weren't they explaining their aloof behaviour over the past years? Why now suddenly claim me when they could have almost four years ago when I turned eighteen? I had so many questions and zero answers. Josh was right though. I had to put on my big girl pants and face them, demanding to know the truth from them if they wanted to be part of my life.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

"You're right..." just as I was about to tell Josh what I was going to do, my mate's scent caught my nose. I didn't need to turn around to know they were mad at what they saw; me wrapped in Josh's arm and clinging to him as if my life depended on it. You could feel their aura rushing to us in tidal waves that even had me whimper, which says a lot since being their mate makes me immune to their aura and commands. I felt Josh stiffen. He was scared I could tell but smiled at me and held me despite the aura rushing over him. Taking a deep breath, he let go and stood up, turning around and bared his neck to the triplets.

"You dare touch what is ours." Zane seethed.

Quickly getting up and turning around, I saw their fists clenched to their sides as they shook, eyes black as night, ready to pounce on Josh. I stood in front of Josh in a protective stance as they walked toward us. "Stop! you can't hurt him." I said with as much conviction as I could.

"I suggest you move sunflower. We warned him not to come close to you, but this mutt seems to not understand simple instructions." Said Damon as he stared right at Josh over my head.

All my cowardness left me when I heard him calling Josh a mutt. How fucking dare he! I walked right to him with only a foot of space between us as I poked his chest repeatedly with my finger and gritted out each word.

"Don't you ever call him that! Josh is my friend, my best friend, and you have no right to call him a mutt. When you three have been acting like that..." I had no clue why I had to clarify to them that Josh and I were only friends now. I should've let them twist their brains knowing I had a boyfriend, but I couldn't make myself do that for some reason, well a reason I knew but chose to ignore it.

"Love, I suggest you watch what you're saying and who you are choosing. He may be a so-called friend, but we are your mates." Said, Axel.

I huffed and rolled my eyes! They got to be kidding me right now, right? Just as I was about to give them peace of mind, Josh spoke up, coming around me and standing beside me at a respectable distance.

"I apologize for anything you mistook alphas; that was not my intention. Phera and I have been friends for almost eight years now, and I hold the utmost respect for her and you three, as well as the bond you share. She was upset and needed a friend, and I was just that at the moment," He said.

Bowing his head and then turning to leave before giving me an encouraging smile. The triplets didn't say anything to his words or acknowledge him leaving as they stared at me.

"You know you three act like I've done something so horrible, but have you seen what you've three been doing over the past years? Do you have any explanation for anything? Please give me one reason why I should be with you. Why should I look past everything you all did with those random she wolves after your eighteenth birthday, you signing of my departure, and not once calling me despite us being so close to one another and then being with my sister." I said.

The last part came out as a whisper, but I knew they heard it. But what hurt more was that they didn't flinch at the accusation; instead, they looked hurt or was that guilt that flashed? What right did they have to be hurt? They sure as hell didn't have a right to be guilty either! They weren't the ones who got their hearts broken.

"Say something! Anything, please." I said, tears filling my eyes.

"Now isn't the time, Love," Axel said

"But trust us. It's not what it looks like, sunflower. You are our world, our mate, our luna." Said Damon

Tears fell from my eyes, and I shook my head in denial, taking steps back from them. They knew I was there and still did it, knowing I was their mate back then.

"No, I can't look past this. You hurt me! Not once did you reach out to me. You three have not once cared for me. You have no right! No, right!" I screamed.

I turned around and ran from there, from them, the packhouse, this life. I should've never come back.