CHAPTER THREE

As we enter a room in the pack house, confusion etches my face upon realizing that my parents are present. I move toward them.

Alex paces the room with palpable fury, his brothers sharing the same anger.

"Why are you stopping us from claiming Alice as our mate?" Alex demands, his frustration evident.

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

“What!” The triplets exclaimed, their eyes widening in shock and confusion at their father's unexpected revelation. They exchanged 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 Alice 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 have enough experience to know we don’t require you boys’ involvement in such decisions.” Alpha George says

"Alice 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 the breaking of 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 had anticipated.

Cameron points an accusing finger at me, his words laced with anger. "You did this, right?" Shocks mirror my features, and I shake my head, denying any involvement.

“Don’t you fuck 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 Alice, 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 escaped everyone's lips as his strike reverberated 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 etches itself across his features. He finally speaks again.

"Yes, if anything were to happen to this girl before one of you married her, kiss the Alpha title goodbye."

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

"He is," Luna Marely says, and I stare at her in disbelief for the kindness she’s showing me. She doesn’t know me that much, 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 cheeks must still be stinging," she says, her fingers carefully grazing my face.

“It’s okay, it’s all 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. She’s just shaken by the slap 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 would bring? Why would they condemn me to such a fate?

“We also had Alex in mind,” Alpha George declares, smiling, 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. Alice 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 his Cameron and running after Alex.

Alpha George and Luna Marley share a look, anger etched into their faces from 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, following Alex' 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.