Chapter 3

We enter an office in the pack house, and the scent of leather and old books fills my nostrils. The room exudes power and authority, with dark wood paneling and an imposing desk dominating the space. Confusion etches on my face upon realizing that my parents are present, standing near the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining one wall. I move toward them, my footsteps muffled by the plush carpet underfoot.

Alex paces the room with palpable fury, his brothers sharing the same anger. "Why are you stopping us from claiming Helen as our mate?" Alex demands, his frustration evident.

"Because one of you is already betrothed to someone else," Alpha George states, and his gaze shifts toward me. Confusion mirrors in my expression. Why is he looking at me?

“What!” the triplets exclaim, their eyes widening in shock and confusion at their father's unexpected revelation. They exchange incredulous glances, the weight of their father's announcement settling heavily over them.

"Yes, one of you must marry Hannah, daughter of the Alpha of The Silver Pack. So, you boys can't claim Helen as your mate."

My heart quickens, confusion and disbelief marring my features. "What?" I blurt out, my eyes searching for confirmation or denial from my parents. They avoid my gaze, refusing to meet my eyes. The realization hits me like a sudden storm—I have been betrothed without my consent.

Cameron voices the disbelief that resonates within me. "You must be joking, Father."

"He's not, son," Luna Marley interjects.

"How can you make such a huge decision without consulting us first?” Lorenzo questions, frustration evident in his voice.

"We’ve enough experience to know, and we don’t require you guys' involvement in such decisions,” Alpha George says

"Helen is our mate. You both know the importance of the mate bond. How can you expect us to ignore it and marry someone who's not our mate?" Alex argues.

"You boys are strong enough to overcome the damage caused by breaking the mate bond. This alliance will be made," Alpha George insists.

"No, we are not!" Alex erupts in anger.

"You are! This alliance must be made," Alpha George declares, sealing the fate that intertwines the destinies of the triplets and me in a union none of us anticipated.

Cameron points an accusing finger at me, his words laced with anger. "You did this, right?"

My eyes widen, and I feel the blood drain from my face as I shake my head, denying any involvement.

“Don’t you fucking lie to me, bitch. This has you written all over it,” Lorenzo adds, joining his brother in the belief that I had a hand in the situation. If only he knew how shocked I was.

"I swear I had nothing to do with this," I protest.

"Lies! I don’t believe you. You must be the one responsible for this." Lorenzo moves closer to me, eyes glaring with deep hatred.

"You've always been jealous of Helen, and now you finally get a chance at taking what's hers," Cameron accuses.

"I swear I didn't know about this.”

“Stop fucking lying!" he yells, striking me across the face. A gasp escapes everyone's lips as his strike reverberates through the room. I raise my gaze, locking eyes with Cameron, disbelief etched across my face. If not for the sting on the side of my face, I wouldn't believe he actually hit me.

"What is wrong with you; why would you hit her?" Alpha George intervenes, pushing Lorenzo away from me.

“I can’t believe he did," Luna Marley says, walking to my side and checking my face. She looks at me with remorse in her eyes.

"That’s what she deserves for taking our mate away from us, and if she’s not careful, she might receive something worse than a slap," Cameron says.

"Enough!" Alpha George's voice echoes through the room. Cameron and Lorenzo exchange heated glances but step back, restraining their anger at Alpha George's command.

"Do you think I would still give the title to one of you if something happened to her?"

"Father!" Alex exclaims, the shock written across his features.

He finally speaks again, "Yes, if anything were to happen to this girl before or after one of you marries her, you can kiss the Alpha title goodbye."

"You can’t be serious," Cameron says, his voice mirroring his brother's disbelief.

"He is," Luna Marley says, and I stare at her in disbelief at the kindness she’s showing me. She doesn’t know me well, but she protected me while my own parents just watched. I feel a pang of sadness in my heart.

Luna Marley turns to face me, her hands gently enveloping mine. "I'm sincerely sorry for my son's behavior. Your cheek must still be stinging," she says, her fingers carefully grazing my face.

“It’s okay, it’s healed already,” I assure her with a faint smile.

“That’s good to hear, and I promise you once you move to our pack, no harm will come to you. My mate and I will make sure of it,” she adds.

"Thank you, but I don't think that's necessary."

Her brow furrows with concern. "What do you mean?"

“I am grateful for you choosing me to marry one of your sons, but I will have to decline,” I respond, shifting my gaze toward Alex. Despite my feelings for him, this forced union is not what I desire.

Someone's eyes linger on me, and I glance at my parents. I swallow hard, seeing the burning glare in their eyes, but it's gone in a second as my mom forces a smile on her face, approaching Luna Marley. “Don’t mind her, Luna Marley. The slap just shakes her and doesn’t actually mean it,” Mom says, attempting to downplay my refusal.

"Yes, Hannah is more than happy to marry one of your sons, and if I may suggest, Alex would be a suitable match," Dad adds, my heart sinking. What are my parents doing? Can't they see the hardship and unhappiness this marriage will bring? Why would they condemn me to such a fate?

“We also had Alex in mind,” Alpha George declares, smiling and worsening the situation.

“You people fucking serious right now? How can you decide…” Alex protests, annoyed at our parents for disregarding our opinions. I also notice he stops talking midway, his eyes turning golden, indicating he's having a conversation with his wolf. His eyes widen in panic.

“I need to go right now. Helen is in trouble,” he declares, running out the door.

"What happened to her?" Cameron asks.

"Go after him, and we will find out," Lorenzo says, grabbing Cameron and running after Alex.

Alpha George and Luna Marley share a look, anger etched into their faces at the triplet’s behavior. But that’s not what has my brows furrowing in confusion.

“Go after him,” Alpha George instructs.

“Me?” I'm taken aback; he surely knows I'm the last person Alex wants to see right now.

“Yes, you are going to be his Luna. Use this opportunity to talk and sort things out. Go after him,” Luna Marley encourages.

“We can talk another time."

“Alright, just go after him and make sure he’s fine. His wolf seems on edge,” Alpha George says.

I part my lips to decline again, but one glare from my mother pushes the words back down my throat.

“No problem; I will,” I say, exiting the room and following Alex’s scent. I hope to find him, but at the same time, I dread the encounter. I don’t think he wants to see me right now, and I certainly don't want to worsen an already difficult situation.