Fated to the Alpha–And His Triplet Brothers

Chapter 3: Devil’s in disguise

Hazel’s POV

I didn’t waste a single second.

The moment Caspian disappeared from sight, I spun around and bolted to my room. My bare feet thudded softly against the wooden floor, and my breath came in shallow gasps. My hand shook as I grabbed the doorknob, and the second I crossed the threshold, I slammed the door shut behind me.

He saw me.

Beta Caspian. The second most powerful man in the Blue Moon pack. The second of the Triplets. The same man who was supposed to mate with my sister.

Saw me—the disgrace. The shame. The bruised, pathetic girl cowering at the top of the stairs in a torn nightgown and a haunted expression.

What if he tells my father?

What if Father storms up here, drags me downstairs by the hair, and finishes what he started whipping me raw right in front of Caspian?

My stomach twisted at the thought. My hands curled tightly around my gown, fingers digging into the fabric until my knuckles turned white. It was a habit I’d formed over the years clutching my dress to ground myself, to stop my body from shaking. A way to stop myself from breaking.

A skill born from survival.

Then I heard it.

An engine. Rumbling outside.

I gasped and ran to the window, heart pounding in my ears. I pushed the curtain aside and peered through the cracked glass.

There he was.

Beta Caspian stood by the car, impossibly tall and devastatingly poised. His driver had already started the engine. Sophia was clinging to him like a leech in silk, and before he could get into the vehicle, she leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek.

My stomach churned.

Ugh. Seriously?

He didn’t flinch or push her away, but he didn’t smile either. Caspian turned to shake hands with my father, expression unreadable. But then... his gaze drifted upward—straight to my window.

And our eyes met. Again.

I froze.

curved, not into a smirk of mockery, but into something gentler... amused,

and got into the

stumbled back from the window like I’d

hell... just

He smiled at me?

He smiled at me?!

wasn’t he looking at me like I was filth? Like every other wolf in this

he thought I was someone

face burned as the car rolled down the long driveway and disappeared into the distance. I pressed my hand to

and yanked it over my head, burying myself in the scratchy fabric as if it could hide the ridiculous blush on

What’s wrong with me?

at me. But instead of thinking about how close I was to breaking... I was thinking about the man who

Damn it, Hazel.

The door creaked open.

the doorway, tall and silent as a shadow. I shot to my feet and bowed, keeping my head down, eyes to the

just tried to kill me a

ignored my greeting and

know the man

once.

gave a stiff

came to inform us about the coming-of-age ceremony for him

my throat

chance," he continued coldly. "The final opportunity to prove you’re a

to be earned. Like it wasn’t something a father owed his child,

nodded again. A mechanical

if you don’t shift" he took a step closer, "that

shot out and wrapped around my throat. He

"you didn’t inherit

myself. And no one will stop me. Because

the corners of my eyes, but I didn’t sob. I couldn’t. Crying never helped me. I kept my hands locked around the folds of my gown,

survive

turned, and walked