The Triplet Alphas' Secret Mate

Chapter 21: Mate!

​Scarlett’s POV

​"Mate," my wolf howled again.

​My heart stuttered, then raced as her words sank in. Could it be? Was my mate here in the packhouse tonight?

​The thought sent a rush of excitement through me as my wolf urged me to go investigate, but I didn’t want to go in my wolf form. Consequently, I shifted back into my human form, and this time, the pain wasn’t quite as unbearable.

​I hurried to my closet, searching for a dress since the one I had been wearing was torn during my shift.

I picked the first dress my hand touched and got dressed.

​Taking one last glance at my reflection, I stepped out of my room, following the intoxicating scent that was pulling me forward.

​The scent was leading me toward the garden. My heart pounded in sync with my wolf’s excitement. Could it be that one of the guards was my mate?

The closer I got, the stronger the intoxicating scent became.

​The mansion was quiet, as everyone had already retired to sleep. It was past 12 a.m.

​As I stepped into the garden, my breath hitched. The air was thick with mint and dark spices; it was so intoxicating that my wolf howled in satisfaction. I moved faster, searching for him, and suddenly, I saw a shadow standing in the middle of the garden. His hands were tucked in his pockets, but his back was turned toward me.

​"Mate!" My wolf howled excitedly, but I stopped in my tracks, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. Who is this? Who was my mate, and why did his posture and his physique look so familiar?

​Slowly, and with a racing heart, I made my way toward him, trying to get a better look. The closer I got, the clearer he became. I kept moving, moving until suddenly, my eyes widened and he turned around.

​"Liam!" I exclaimed in shock. The man in the dark was Liam, the eldest of the triplets... my mate?

​"Mate!" My wolf howled loudly, confirming that Liam was indeed my mate.

lips trembled, and my heart raced as I locked gazes with Liam, who had a blank look on his face,

silence hung in the air. Even my wolf was silent, as she could feel the tension. There was no noise apart from the flowers rustling in the

speak. I had so many things to say, so many things to ask, but I didn’t know

voice to hold steady. "You knew all

watching me, his expression unreadable and his eyes cold and distant. I searched his face for something—remorse, guilt,

he

single word felt like a blade driven straight

neither of us could resist. But here

took a shaky step toward him. "Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t

"I should claim you? Why should I do that? I should claim the daughter of the people who had hands in the death of my mother!" he

tilted. I felt my wolf whimper

scent radiating from him. "I was waiting for this day, Scarlett. For the past two years, I have been waiting for you to get your wolf so I

just felt the joy of finding our mate, and now—this? A rejection before we even had a

heart. I knew there was no need to plead with him to accept our

a rejection just a few

My voice cracked, barely above a whisper. "I just got my wolf. She’s weak. I—" I shook my head, trying

closer, and I could feel the heat radiating off him, the intoxicating scent of mint and dark spices wrapping around me. My wolf purred despite the agony, drawn to him

lump formed in

jaw clenched as he exhaled sharply. "And that is

sharp breath. The rejection—it was coming. I could feel it in the weight of the air between us, in the anger brewing in his dark eyes. My wolf let out a distressed whine, pleading with me to stop

I did the only thing I could do.

trembling with desperation. "Don’t do this.

flickered in his eyes. Hesitation? Uncertainty? But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the same cold

change anything?" he mocked, shaking his head. "I don’t want a

blow, and this time, I couldn’t stop the tears from spilling down my

whimpered. "No. No, we can fix this. He’s our mate. He’s supposed to love

was no love in Liam’s gaze. Only

time," I pleaded again, my voice

at me, his

before he finally