Chapter : Blood Of Midnight

The silence between them stretched thick, laden with an unspoken challenge.

Roo felt it—the weight of their stares, the possessive heat in their gazes, the slow, suffocating pull of the bond.

Alexander still hadn't moved his hand from Roo's nape; the slow, measured strokes against his skin meant to soothe. But it only made Roo feel caged.

Not physically.

No chains bound him.

No locks, no bars.

And yet, their presence alone was a restraint, the sheer force of their obsession shackling him tighter than any prison ever could.

Alec watched him closely, his smirk ever-present but sharper now, like a blade pressed lightly against flesh. "You always get that look when you're thinking too much, piccolo."

"What look?" Roo muttered.

"Like you're still trying to figure out a way to escape."

Ace chuckled from where he leaned against the bar, sipping his whiskey lazily. "That's cute."

Roo exhaled sharply, his fingers curling into his lap. "I don't belong here."

Alexander's hand stilled for the first time, his thumb pressing slightly into Roo's pulse. "You belong to us."

Roo's breath hitched. "That's not what I meant."

"Doesn't matter," Alec said, tilting his head. "You're ours, piccolo. It's already been decided."

The finality in his tone sent an involuntary shiver down Roo's spine.

This was what terrified him the most.

Not their strength.

Not their power.

But their certainty.

As if the thought of letting him go had never even crossed their minds.

The First Strike...

The attack came at 3:27 AM.

The estate was silent, the world bathed in silver moonlight.

And then—

An explosion.

Glass shattered. Metal groaned. The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the mansion.

Alarms blared, flooding the corridors with urgent red light.

Roo jolted upright in bed, his heart hammering against his ribs.

Then—arms around him.

A flash of golden eyes.

Heat. Strength.

"Stay with me," Alexander's voice was low but commanding, his grip firm around Roo's waist as he pulled him against his chest. "Don't move."

The scent of burning filled the air.

Outside, voices rose in shouts, the unmistakable sounds of a battle unfolding just beyond the estate walls.

Alec's voice crackled through the intercom. "South entrance breached. We've got company."

Ace's growl was a low, dangerous thing. "They came straight for us. They knew."

"Then they made a mistake," Alexander murmured darkly. "Because they won't be leaving."

Roo's stomach twisted.

He knew what this meant.

Whoever had dared to attack them—

Would not live to regret it.

The night air was thick with smoke and the sharp tang of blood.

Roo barely had time to register what was happening before Alexander was moving—fast, lethal, his grip unyielding as he shielded Roo's body with his own.

Beyond the shattered windows, figures moved in the shadows.

Intruders.

Their mistake was thinking they stood a chance.

Alec and Ace were already outside. The golden gleam of their eyes cut through the darkness, their bodies shifting, cracking—wolves awakening beneath their skin.

"Get him underground," Ace's voice was steel through the intercom. "Now."

"You think they came for Roo?" Alec's tone was almost amused.

"They came to die," Alexander muttered darkly.

Then—chaos.

Gunfire split the night, the sharp cracks echoing through the estate. The enemy was well-trained, coordinated. But it didn't matter.

Because the DeLorenzo triplets were something else entirely.

Shadows and moonlight twisted as they moved.

Alec struck first, a blur of speed as he tore through the nearest attacker. The sickening crunch of bone echoed, followed by a scream that barely had time to form before it was cut short.

Ace was methodical, precise. He didn't waste energy—one strike, one kill. His claws sliced through flesh like it was nothing, his movements a terrifying contrast of elegance and destruction.

And Alexander—

His rage was controlled, calculated. He didn't rush into the fray. Instead, he positioned himself between Roo and the violence, his golden gaze scanning for the real threat.

"Cowards," he muttered. "They sent fodder first."

Roo shivered.

There was something terrifyingly calm about the way Alexander spoke—like the blood staining the grass meant nothing.

Alec grinned, wiping a hand across his cheek, smearing red across his jaw. "Maybe they thought numbers would help them."

"Maybe," Ace said, kicking a limp body aside. "Or maybe they just wanted to test how far we'd go."

Roo's stomach twisted.

He had never seen them like this before.

Not like this.

Not when they were hunting.

The moment Roo realizes...

A sharp whistle cut through the air.

It was fast—too fast.

Roo barely registered the blur of movement before he felt it—a hand snatching at his wrist, pulling—

Then—

A vicious snarl.

Alexander moved faster than thought.

One second Roo was being yanked away—

The next, the attacker was gone.

No hesitation.

No warning.

Just the brutal force of Alexander's claws slicing straight through the rogue's throat.

The body crumpled. Lifeless. Blood pooled at their feet.

Roo froze.

His breath came in short, shallow gasps, his pulse hammering violently in his ears.

And then—

Warm fingers on his chin.

Alexander tilted his head up, forcing Roo to meet his gaze. His golden eyes burned with something dark. "Look at me, piccolo."

Roo couldn't.

"Look at me," Alexander commanded again, softer this time.

Roo's gaze flickered up—

And he knew.

This wasn't just possession.

It wasn't just obsession.

It was madness.

A madness that had taken root so deep inside them that there was nothing they wouldn't do.

Nothing they wouldn't destroy.

Nothing they wouldn't kill.

For him.

For their mate.

"You're shaking," Alexander murmured, his thumb tracing along Roo's jaw. "Are you afraid?"

Roo's breath hitched.

He didn't know what scared him more—

The blood.

The violence.

Or the fact that some part of him didn't want to run.

Some part of him wanted to stay.

Chapter Thirty-Three The Aftermath of Madness

The battlefield was silent.

Bodies lay scattered across the estate grounds, the metallic scent of blood thick in the air. The triplets stood at the center of it all—Alexander with his claws still dripping red, Alec running a hand through his tousled hair, and Ace wiping a smear of crimson off his cheek with the back of his hand.

None of them looked winded.

None of them looked human.

Roo's breath came in short gasps. His fingers trembled as he stared at the devastation.

He should have been horrified.

He should have felt sick.

Instead, something inside him coiled tight at the sight of them like this—dangerous, dominant, undeniable.

His heart pounded.

They had slaughtered everyone.

For him.

Alexander turned toward Roo, his golden eyes still wild from the fight. His chest rose and fell with deep, controlled breaths, but the tension in his body remained.

"Still shaking, piccolo?" Alec's voice was smooth, teasing, but there was something sharper beneath it.

Roo forced himself to steady his breathing, though he knew they could hear the erratic thumping of his heart.

Ace tilted his head, stepping closer. "You've never seen us like this, have you?"

Roo swallowed hard. "Not this… up close."

Alec chuckled, stepping behind him, caging Roo between their bodies. "Do you like what you see?"

Roo clenched his jaw. "You just killed them without a second thought."

Alexander lifted a brow. "Should we have let them take you?"

The weight of his words sank deep into Roo's bones.

No.

They never would have let that happen.

Not in a million years.

"You belong to us," Alexander said, his voice softer now, but no less intense. "Anyone who dares touch you—"

"Dies," Alec finished with a smirk.

Roo shuddered.

He didn't doubt it.

Not after tonight.

The Enemy's True Intentions...

A rustling sound made Alexander's head snap up.

Ace growled low in his throat. "One's still alive."

The triplets moved as one.

Alec crouched beside the injured rogue, gripping his chin and forcing him to look up. "Who sent you?"

The man coughed, blood bubbling from his lips. His body trembled violently, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Still, he smirked. "You think… this was just an attack?"

Alexander's gaze darkened. "Explain."

The rogue's eyes flickered toward Roo. "They're coming for him."

Roo's pulse stopped.

"Who?" Alexander's voice was a low growl, a promise of death.

The rogue let out a breathless chuckle, his teeth red with blood. "Find out yourself."

Then—

A sickening crack.

Ace had snapped his neck.

Silence.

Roo stood frozen, his chest tight.

He had known there were people who wanted him dead.

But this was different.

This wasn't just about rogues.

This was bigger.

And now, the triplets knew it too.

Alexander straightened, his expression unreadable. "It seems we need to have a conversation, piccolo."

Roo stiffened. "About what?"

Alec smirked, running a hand down Roo's back, slow, teasing. "About who the hell is after you."