The Triplet Alphas' Secret Mate

Chapter 46: His Declaration

​Leon’s POV

​Today. I have just today to stand in front of everyone and declare that Scarlett is my mate. She didn’t just challenge me; she dared me. But how do I stand before the entire pack and say it out loud—that the so-called "traitor’s daughter" is mine?

My jaw clenched. The pack will mock me. My brothers will laugh at me. And my father? I could already see the disgust in his eyes.

​Why do you still care, Leon? My wolf snapped inside my mind. Do you love her or not?

​"Of course I do," I muttered, dragging a hand through my hair. I’ve always loved her, even when I tried not to. Even when I ignored her and walked past her like she meant nothing while she suffered. Guilt burned in my chest, but this was different. This was war with my family, my name, and everything I’ve been raised to protect.

​Stop acting like a child, my wolf growled. You’re about to become an Alpha, yet you don’t even have the backbone to claim your own mate? The words hit harder than any blow. I was supposed to lead and protect, yet I hesitated.

​You watched another man put his hands on her, my wolf reminded me, his presence heavy. You watched him call her his woman and said nothing.

​"I know!" I snapped, my voice echoing in the empty hallway. The following silence was suffocating because he was right. I leaned against the wall, dragging a shaky breath into my lungs. One day. She gave me one day. If I fail, I lose her forever.

​My throat tightened, but then something shifted inside me. Fear and doubt were still there, but beneath them, something stronger began to rise.

​"I won’t lose her," I said quietly. My wolf stilled, then growled in approval. Then prove it.

​Hours later, we were all seated for breakfast. The dining hall was unnaturally quiet. Father Lennox sat at the head of the table, his face calm, but I could see the tension in his jaw. Liam and Leo were silent beside me; no one was eating. Ethan, on the other hand, looked completely relaxed, like he didn’t feel the tension in the room at all.

​"I want her here," he said casually, reaching for his drink. "Send a maid to get Scarlett."

​Father’s eyes snapped to him immediately. "This is a family breakfast."

"I know." Then he leaned back

shut it down, to remind Ethan whose house this was. But he didn’t. Something flickered in Father Lennox’s eyes... and it

really looked at him. The way he sat there, calm, like he already knew how this would

the maid. "Go get

at Father, waiting for his permission. Father nodded at her before she hurried away. I exchanged glances with

heard footsteps, and Scarlett walked in. She looked confused, her eyes instantly finding mine. That one-day clock

to the empty chair beside

fated mate—sitting like a coward while another man claimed her. My wolf was screaming at me to move, to pull

reach for the silver tongs, Ethan was already filling her plate. He moved with a practiced, possessive ease, piling her favorite fruits

a glance at Liam and Leo; they were both staring intently at their own plates, their forks moving rhythmically but without any food

you," Scarlett whispered, her voice small and

his eyes. It was the smile of

awkward silence. "How long exactly do you intend on staying here? Surely your own pack requires their

if he

eyes widened. One month? The silence was shattered by the sound of Liam’s fork

sudden anger. "You’re an Alpha, Ethan. You can’t just

cool, gray gaze toward my brother, his expression bored. "I’m taking a break to rest, Liam. Managing the strongest pack in the north is exhausting work." He paused, his eyes flickering to my father and then back to us. "Unless, of course, you’re trying to drive me away? I thought we were

family made my skin crawl. He was mocking us. He knew we were trapped, and he knew Father was paralyzed by whatever leverage Ethan held

to stay," Father Lennox muttered, but he didn’t command

​I looked at Scarlett.

at her plate, her shoulders slightly hunched, like she was trying to make herself smaller...

wrong. Everything about

I was sitting

drink, completely unbothered by the tension

said casually, like he was talking about the weather, "I’ll

​My brows furrowed.