The Triplet Alphas' Secret Mate

Chapter 6: Strange

​Liam’s POV

​I placed Scarlett onto my bed, my frown deepening as I stepped back, forcing my hands away from her burning skin. My wolf was restless, pacing in my head and snapping at me for letting this happen. "She’s ours. We should have protected her."

​"Shut up," I snapped at him internally, shoving the bond deep down.

​The door burst open. I expected my brothers, but it was Lana, our younger sister, who hurried in first. Leon and Leo stalked in behind her, their expressions hard and unreadable.

​Lana gasped, rushing to the side of the bed. "What happened to her? Why is she covered in blood and... is that orange juice?" She looked up at us, her eyes wide with shock. "Liam? Leon? Someone answer me!"

​"She was disciplined for theft," Leo said coldly, crossing his arms. "It’s none of your concern, Lana."

​"Disciplined?" Lana’s voice rose in disbelief. "She looks like she’s dying! You three were her best friends. How could you let the guards do this?"

​None of us answered. We couldn’t.

A sudden knock on my door made me turn. "Come in," I called. My brow furrowed when the pack healer stepped inside. I hadn’t called for her. "Who sent for you?" I asked.

​"I did," Leo responded, and I narrowed my eyes at him. I thought he didn’t care, so why did he call the healer so quickly? I wanted to challenge him, but I held back and watched the healer attend to Scarlett. She placed her hands on Scarlett’s forehead, whispering words of healing incantations as she released her energy.

​We all stood there in a heavy, suffocating silence.

I glared at my brothers.. something dosent seem right.. I knew my brothers better than anyone. Something about the way Leo’s fists were still clenched, and the way Leon’s eyes lingered on her with a strange intensity, made my stomach churn. They were angry, but not for the reason they should be. It wasn’t because I had saved her—it was because they hadn’t.

​I swallowed hard, my nails digging into my palms. No. That couldn’t be right. She was my mate. She couldn’t be theirs, too. If she were, one of them would have said something.

Right?

Moments later, the healer stood and stared at us with a blank look. "She will be awake soon, but I advise that she doesn’t go through such strain for now. Remember, she doesn’t have her wolf yet; her vitals are weak, like those of an ordinary human."

to my personal guard

guard reached for her. For a split second, my

her out, Lana turned on us, her

us. "Stop punishing her for deeds she didn’t commit. You men are

This situation is

how they made life miserable for Mother for years? All because of a ’misunderstanding’ they refused to see through? You are doing the exact same thing to

There are photos.

looked at me

said quietly. "You men once loved her more than anything. I just hope you don’t

wait for a rebuttal. She turned on her heel and walked out, leaving the three of us standing in

was staring at the

bottle of whiskey, and poured a heavy glass. I took a slow sip,

Sir Leon,

Father never called us together unless it was serious.

Father’s study to find him relaxing on a single-seater couch with

we

week is

are prepared for the

he has removed all vulnerabilities. That brings me to the matter of your mates. You are twenty-two. Most men are hunting for their fated halves by

hard. The image of Scarlett’s pale face flashed in

a fated mate, Father. I’ll select a high-ranking female when the time is right. A fated bond is a chain I

slow, approving

hilt of his dagger a little too tightly. "I don’t need the Moon Goddess choosing

had spent our childhoods listening to the legends of the mate bond, but now they were tossing it away like trash. I felt a hollow ache in my chest, but I couldn’t let it

you, Liam?" Father asked, his gaze boring into

the lie tasting like ash. "I will choose

"A mate bond only makes you weak. If you are to lead together, you cannot afford

​Distractions?

I had seen it in the

he speaking as if the bond