Ari’s POV
“ARIELLA!” Alicia’s voice rings in my ears as I throw the last of my stuff in my bag. “You traitor!”I barely move before Alicia’s fist swings past my head.“Alicia, stop!” Tristen, her mate, grabs her. Well, I use the word mate loosely, more like Baby Daddy, Mates are fated, Tristen and Alicia are forced because he got her pregnant.“NO,” Alicia screams, taking another swing. “I out rank her.”Juliet- Come on, Ari, let me at her. I was made to defend you!Me- Down girl. Thanks to you, I got this.“No, you don’t,” I speak back to her for the first time since I was four. Juliet, my wolf, finally healed the crushed voice box in my throat. I’ll give you two guesses as to who crushed it.“Ari, you can talk?” Tristan can’t help the smile that takes over his face.“Really?” Alicia slaps him. “Congratulations on being able to talk. Now, cancel your travel. I need you here.”“No, Mother and Father promised me I could leave at 18 and I am leaving,” I say in my still raspy voice. “I had to wait for high school to end, but I am starting the summer program now.”“How can you do this to me when I took care of you when you couldn’t speak?” Alicia screams.Juliet- Oh, sweet goddess, she is laying it on thick.“Your idea of taking care of me is disgusting. You abused me terribly. I hope you are taken care of in a like manner,” I almost whisper it, but I know she heard me.I turn on my heals and head out the door. I’ve already said good-bye to my parents and brother. I promised to come home when my brother is crowned King by our father. But for now, I am free.Alicia made it clear from the moment I have any memories that she didn’t want a sister. She tortured me by taking my food, pinching me during ceremonies, and when I started to tell my parents what she did, she crushed my voice box. It took two surgeries to save my life. Whenever I would write things down for my parents, she would rip them up first. She forced me to write down that I didn’t want to be in the public eye anymore and got my parents to exclude me from official events.For once, she did me a favor. Now I can go to the University as a normal student.Well as normal as a werewolf can expect. I chose the Supernatural University at Conrad pack. Their Alpha is only 36 and his triplet sons are starting with me.When I get in the car, I am shocked. My Dad, the King of Werewolves, is driving! My Mom, his Queen, is beside him and my brother, Crown Prince Caleb, is in the backseat waiting for me.“What is all this?” I ask in a quiet voice.“We want to say goodbye without Duchess Bitch yelling and screaming,” Caleb smiles.“Caleb, she is your sister,” My mother hisses.“Yeah, so I guess that means we blame you and Dad for her behavior,” Caleb whips back.I can see both my parents are uncomfortable. I know they would have stopped her if they had known, and I know they were mostly unaware. But I mean, if they paid a little attention.“Thank you,” I say to them, easing the tension.Caleb makes jokes and they all compliment my laugh.“I finally get to have talks again and you are leaving me,” Mom has tears in her eyes as we say our final goodbyes.“If you find your mate, be sure he treats you well,” Dad hugs me. “If you need me call, text, email, smoke signal. I don’t care. I will never leave you as an outcast again.”“Thank you, Father,” I whisper in his ear.“Okay, so boys,” Caleb starts with an eye roll. “We are gross and have only one thing on our minds. You don’t have to have sex with boys for them to like you. So don’t.”“I will decide what I will and will not do,” I smirk.“Fine, but just understand any boy who touches you will answer to me directly. You are my little sister, the one I like,” Caleb jokes. He has been my protector as much as he could. He even tried to tell our parents many times, but Alicia seemed to get away with it.“You will not do anything,” I warn him with a finger in his chest. “You will behave like a perfect supportive big brother and keep your nose out of it.”Caleb runts his nose around as if putting it somewhere.“Can’t help it, instincts kick in. I got to protect my sister,” Caleb pulls me into a hug. “I feel like I just got you back.”“I’ve been talking since January,” I whisper, hugging him back.“It’s not enough. I need my sister close, always. I mean it, Sis, don’t let those college boys take advantage of you.”“If I am hurt by any of them, I promise to call my crazy big brother,” I tell him.He tightens me in a hug, and we wave goodbye.I haven’t spoken to anyone outside of family yet. But know I am speaking to ticket agents, security people and so many more.“You look nervous,” a young woman sits in the cube next to me on the plane.“First time on a plane,” I manage to get out. My throat is actually starting to hurt.Juliet- Sorry. The healing of old wounds is really hard.Me- I’ll be okay.I smile and nod to the lady before closing the door to my cube.Juliet- I’m trying to heal it completely. Maybe once we find our mate he will heal us too.Me- Hey, that will be really nice.Juliet- I can’t wait to have our mate. We will get Alicia back for all her crap.Ari’s POVA 16-hour flight, 2-hour bus ride and I’m standing outside the gate of Conrad Pack.“Name?” The guard asks.Out of habit I reach for the information card my parents had made me for.My name is Ariella Zillard. I am mute.Juliet- We don't need these anymore.I inhale deeply and smile.“Ariella Zillard,” I tell him. I hope no one puts together the royal last name. Most people have no idea we even have a last name.He checks a list, asks for ID before scanning it and opening the gate.“Kale,” he calls to a Warlock who comes over. “This is Ariella Zillard. She is in Philmore Hall.”Juliet- Yummy!Me- Mate?Juliet- No, but I approve of this snack.“Kale,” He holds out his hand and smiles.I smile and take his hand, “Ari.”He takes my duffle and puts it in the back of the ATV. Then, we are off up a steep hill. When we peak, I see the school.There is a large courtyard with a fountain.Kale stops the ATV and points out the building.“As a freshman, you will be mostly in the all-whi
Finch’s POV“Anderson, left hook,” My Beta, Turk, is instructing my eldest triplet as he fights my youngest triplet. “Finley, keep that guard up. You hear me telling Anderson what to throw you should be reacting to it. Anderson, let your wolf out if you can’t handle Finley.”I chuckle. My wolf, Duke, is also laughing. He has never been very connected to the boys. I think he sees them as the reason his mate is gone. I don’t resent them, but I think Duke does.“Remember when you told us to be nice to Finley because we were older and stronger?” Carter, my middle triplet son, asks as I stand next to him.“I do indeed,” I raise my eyebrows.“You lied,” Carter turns to look at me and I see his jaw healing.“You can’t be mad at him for putting in more effort than you and Anderson put together,” Turk reminds Carter.Carter clears his throat and looks down.I give him a shoulder squeeze as Finley finally blocks Anderson and lands a strong right to the chest.I clap as Anderson lays at his b
Ari’s POVKale holds me behind him as we are pushed into my apartment.“It's okay,” I tell Kale. “They are my mates.”“What the hell is your name and title?” A boy with a Farrah Fawcett flip asks.“Why is that important?” I demand. My voice cracks but I hold my head high.“Answer my brother,” a guy doing a Zach Morris impression growls at me.Juliet- They want to reject us.She is whimpering a little but not the howling in pain I would expect.My jaw drops slightly. As I look at them.“Why are you so angry?” I ask, realizing this is not how meeting my mate should go.“We don’t want you, give us your name and rank,” Farrah states again.“Wait,” I hold up my hands. “You don’t know me, why would you not want me?”“We don’t want a mate until after college. Just accept the rejection now and we will claim you after graduation,” A second Zach Morris explains.My heart clinches. I back up and Kale catches me.“Get your hands off of her,” all three growl at him.This pisses me off. They want f
Finch’s POV“So, what do you think?” Turk asks me as we head back to the packhouse.We are both laughing.“Either one comes out alive and the other is free, or they come out loving each other,” I can’t help the laughter. “Are you expecting the boys to come back tonight?” Turk asks, looking down the driveway way from the school.“I am not expecting them back for a couple of days. We have a large group of females who are here as new students and here for the summer session,” I follow his eyes and see the outlines of the boys coming down the driveway.“Did they walk?” Turk asks.“It looks like it. Did they leave their cars at the school?” I ask and we start walking to meet them.“They look sick,” Turk tells me. “That would explain why they are back so early,” I watch them.“You don’t think that they?” Turk trails off as we get closer.Duke- If they did, I will rip them apart! Me- No, you will not.Duke- You are right, but I will want to.Duke sits down in my mind and has a constant g
Third PersonThe next morning, all three triplets are standing outside Ariella’s door with flowers and scripted apologizes.When they hear the door start to unlock, they kneel down in front of her door.Ariella jumps back at the sight and Kale catches her.“We screwed up,” Anderson starts.“You were right the pain is too much,” Carter continues in a robotic voice.“Please, forgive us,” Finley pleads.They all three hold up their flowers.Juliet- I can’t hear their wolves anymore but I'm not buying this.Ariella- I thought you were going to heal.Juliet- I did. The magic of our Warlock fixed all the broken pieces inside of me.Ariella- So, sex fixed you?Juliet- Okay, the sex was nice, but he healed me.Ariella- I read Anderson and Carter as this is forced because they hurt too much. Finley really seems sorry.Juliet- Finley was the one who didn’t want to reject us.Ariella- I can’t keep Kale if I give them a chance.Juliet- Stab me in the heart.“Finley, I'm sorry, but they don't mean
Months Later (American Thanksgiving)Ari’s POV“Good morning,” Kale whispers as we untangle from last night.“Do you have to go home?” I ask with a whine. “I can’t imagine sleeping alone.”Kale smiles and captures my lips. Kale and I can’t get enough of each other.The triplets have been trying to win me back every day and I am determined to either always keep Kale or find a second chance.After Kale and I climax, we shower together.“Come with me,” Kale says as he packs his bag. “It would be nice to introduce you to my family.”I smile and pull my packed bag from the closet.Kale erupts in laughter.“Sorry, I was hoping you would ask me!” I giggle.“You are the silliest girl,” Kale pulls me to him for a long deep kiss. “I can’t believe you are with me.”“Why?” I ask, looking up at him. He has one arm around me, holding me close and the other hand holding my face.“Because I’m not good enough for you. But you and I laugh so much. Even when we disagree, we end up laughing. It’s so easy
Several weeks later (before end of Fall Term)Finch’s POV“Here is the Dean’s List,” Turk hands me the list.“The boys are not on here,” I say, shaking my head.“Have you seen them?” Turk asks me. “Their mate must be walking funny. She keeps them in agony every night.”I can’t help but laugh.Duke- I think they are simply getting a much-needed lesson.“It will end when she marks someone,” I laugh. “Honestly, we both warned them.”Turk shakes his head.“Anyway, there is a standout you need to know about,” Turk tells me. “Ariella Zillard. Her background is classified, but she has top marks in all her classes. She also has been impressing the trainers at the University.”“Werewolf?” I ask, trying to pull up her file.“Yeah, but I can’t find her pack,” Turk tells me.“Whoa,” I say, seeing her picture attached to her file. “She is beautiful.”Turk looks over my shoulder. “If you find 18-year-olds attractive.”I roll my eyes.Duke- I approve. So pretty.“Enjoying what the goddess has creat
Ari’s POVI pull back and go to the bathroom. Am I ready? Do I want my second chance? What about Kale? Can I just leave and pretend this isn’t happening?Juliet- Bet Kale understands. He is a great guy. But we have a mate! Our mate! We need to be running to him now.Me-What about Kale?Juliet- Bet he understands.I pull out my phone, I just need to hear his voice.“Hey, Baby, you okay?” Kale asks concerned.“My second chance is here,” I say quickly. “I don’t know what to do.”Kale is quiet for minute and then answers. “Yes, you do. You know what to do. Go to him. Have your perfect moment. I’ll move out tonight.”“NO,” I say quickly. “No, don’t leave me.”“Ari,” he says my name and I want to vomit. I’m Baby, my name is Baby. “You know you want your second chance. You deserve that perfect moment. All I ask is that we can be friends.”“I love you, Kale,” I say as a tear falls.“I love you too. I love you enough that I want what is best for you. Your second chance is best for you. It’s ok