Fated to the Alpha–And His Triplet Brothers

Chapter 17: Council meeting

~Caspian’s POV~

The room was brimming with tension the kind that clung to your skin like smoke. We were seated around the long, oak council table carved generations ago by the founding wolves of our pack.

To my right sat Cayden, rigid in his seat, his jaw set as hard as stone. Across from us, Leon, our Gamma, leaned forward, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. He didn’t speak much, but when he did, his words often cut deeper than fangs.

The elders filled the rest of the room—three wrinkled old wolves clinging to their pride like lifelines. Elder Austin is the loudest. Elder O’Brian, the cruelest. Elder Gina, the only one with any damn sense left. My parents sat in their usual place, mother with her ever-present silk handkerchief, dabbing at tears that never seemed real. And at the far end, cloaked in calm power, sat Aurora the only witch in our territory. She kept her coven under us, helped with spells, and mostly stayed out of our politics.

Mostly.

But not today.

"We can’t make Hazel our Luna. She’s weak." Elder Austin’s voice sliced through the quiet, rough as gravel.

Cayden’s eyes flared, but his tone was collected, cold. "She bears both our marks now. Like it or not, she is Luna. Denying that now would be foolish." He looked straight at Austin, and I watched the old man shrink back slightly—but only just.

Liar. Bloody liar.

I ground my teeth together to keep from growling aloud. This was the same man who’d sworn to reject Hazel, to stay away from her, but no—he’d broken his vow, taken her to bed, and now here we were. Caged by fate and Cayden’s impulsive desires.

Elder O’Brien slammed his hand on the table, rattling the old wood. "I say we kill her. Put an end to this madness so the mark will disappear and the moon goddess will realise her mistake and pick a she-wolf this time."

I flinched. So did Cayden. Our wolves immediately surged, snarling in protest. I clenched my fists beneath the table.

"Are you out of your damn mind?!" Elder Gina shot up from her seat, her voice fierce and sharp like a whip crack. "You’d suggest murdering an innocent girl because fate chose her?"

"She seduced the Alpha," Austin growled, jabbing a crooked finger toward Cayden. "In his room, in his bed. Ask yourself who caused this."

My chest tightened. Did he... tell them that? Was it

silence that followed buzzed with unspoken

ground, not a battlefield.

fell silent again, but the tension was far from

loud, but it was final. "You caused this, son. You made your choice when you broke the news. And now you will pay the price. You will

eyes inwardly. The tears were as fake

child," O’Brien barked again. "She’s human. She’ll die

I had had enough.

for her choice. Not

scoffed, but this time Cayden’s glare shut

"I want a grandchild. An heir. Who’s going to give us

had been silent

she-wolf should be

The room went still.

statue at the corner of the room,

with Gamma

than a heartbeat, something passed between them. And then it was

sense in that?" Austin bellowed, slamming his cane

it," Gina said calmly, "then perhaps you don’t have any to

but genuine. Austin’s

this is the decision then? Hazel marries both my sons. A mistress

I nodded.

So did Cayden.

have? We were bound now—her to me, and him. Our fate was sealed by the marks she bore and the twisted, divine mess the Moon