Unexpected

Loretta

I swallowed hard, walking up towards them, my heart slowly racing, my eyes observing their expressions.

"What's wrong?" I inquired, but Lewis was the first to walk up to me, holding my arms. Leo and Lucian stepped closer, my gaze drifting to all three.

But they never said a word. Somehow, my heart tugged with fear of the unknown. I didn't know what it was, but I could sense the unease etched on their faces.

"Someone please tell me what's happening!" I snapped. Only then did Lewis speak, breaking the stiffening silence.

"We are sorry to make you feel this way, but…" he paused, looking at his brothers, as Lucian moved over to my side, resting his chin on my right shoulder.

"Beta Luise wants us to stay away from you until the mating ceremony," Leo finally spoke, breaking through the fog in my heart.

"Why?" I asked.

"He thinks we are being distracted and aren't focusing on the activities of the pack," Leo replied, walking over to the other side and resting on my left shoulder.

"But I don't see how I'm stopping you from the activities of the pack, or am I?" I asked the triplets, but they shook their heads in unison.

"Dwell less on those things because we've already handled it. He's just so angry that we aren't interested in his daughter, whom he has groomed all these years," Lucian added with a scoff.

"But what do you think?" I asked, still unsettled by those words.

"Never get troubled, beautiful. We've always had things under control. He might be the current leader prior to when we turn eighteen, as our father wanted, but he certainly can't rule over our lives and decisions. Besides, we'll be turning eighteen in a few weeks from now," Lewis spoke, and something about the way he spoke made me trust their judgment.

Not that I had ever had a reason to doubt them, but I still wanted to be certain of their decisions.

"How about we relax those raging nerves of yours?" Lucian whispered into my ear, his hot breath sending a spark through me as the area around my legs tingled.

I grinned, gently tugging my hand through his rough curls.

"That isn't a bad idea," I mumbled, desiring that little distraction to take me away from whatever fear was beginning to creep in, as the thought of Anna and her father kept stealing a place in my heart.

Lucian scooped me up in his arms, carrying me bridal-style as he gently laid me over the bed. All three were around me, grinning impatiently. The fire around my core ignited as I felt a soft touch running along my neck and down toward my top.

I grinned at Leo, who tugged at the hem of my top, shredding it slightly in two, his eyes lingering on my cleavage, which was just barely covered by my bra.

His eyes darkened with hunger as he cupped my breasts, fingers sliding beneath the lace and peeling it away, leaving my bare skin tingling beneath his touch.

Lucian's lips found my left breast, and I felt the soft warmth of his lips on my hardened nipple.

A groan escaped my lips as Lewis moved down to my thigh, his hands gently sliding over my undergarment, slowly adjusting it, and I shivered, the last of my dignity slipping away.

"Is this right?" I asked, breaking through the thrill of pleasure threatening to unravel me.

Leo paused and lifted his gaze to meet mine. "Yeah, beautiful," he said, observing me closely. "Are you afraid of anything?" he asked knowingly.

But I smiled, looking at him and then at his brothers. "Not at all. But don't you think it's a little too fast, since the mating ceremony is just a few weeks away?" I asked instead.

"That shouldn't be a problem here. It's even to your—" he trailed off as a knock came at the door, which creaked slightly open, revealing one of the maids, who bowed her head respectfully.

"Your mum seeks your presence," she announced.

I winced, looking at her and then at the triplets, who turned to the maid.

"Tell Ma'am Isabella that she will be with her later," Leo spoke first, and the maid nodded, leaving and closing the door behind her.

"Isn't today supposed to be for us? Why is Mum seeking your presence?" Lewis asked, and I tapped him gently on the shoulder as I slowly rolled off the bed, clutching my half-split top.

"Never mind. I'll be right back before you know it," I whispered, though the knot of unease still tugged at my stomach. Forcing a smile, I kissed each of them on the cheek and turned toward the door, but Lucian's voice called me back.

"Not so fast, beautiful," he said, striding out of the bed, my lashes knitted.

Not certain of his next moves, but he walked up toward the wardrobe to retrieve a silky green polo, which he handed to me.

"Put that on instead. You can't risk showing off what's ours," he stated firmly, and only then did I realize how shredded my top was. A small gasp left my lips, followed by a smile.

I quickly took off my top and put on the polo, which was a bit oversized, but it made me grin, giving me that sense of calmness spreading through my chest. A sense of belonging.

"I won't be long," I promised softly, slipping out the door and pulling it shut behind me.

Outside the room, the weight of it all fell on me; cold, calm, uncertain. For some reason, I doubted everything was alright because Mum would never seek my presence urgently, knowing I was with the triplets, unless…

A gasp left my lips as a sudden coldness settled. What if there was something wrong?

My pace increased as I slid down the hallway. I had to know just what the issue was.

Just about entering the passage leading toward the kitchen, a figure stood in front of me, and I almost tripped.

I lifted my eyes only to meet an enraged Anna standing in my way. Surprisingly, there were blood and bruises on her cheeks and arms, her hands planted firmly on her waist as she glared at me, her eyes falling to the polo I wore.

"Anna, please, I don't need a fight right now," I said instead, about to shove past her when two arms gripped mine from behind. My mind barely registered everything when I stumbled forward, dragged along the passageway toward the courtyard and into the private chambers where no one was allowed except the men of the council.

"Let go..."

Panic surged through me as the guards' iron grip bit into my arms. My heart raced, wild and frantic. I twisted and fought, but they were too strong, their feral strength impossible to resist. The cold grip of dread coiled tighter in my chest. Where were the triplets? I needed them, desperately.

The guards tossed me onto the floor, and I lifted my eyes to meet the angry faces of Beta Luise and two members of the council, his close allies.

"So, you think so highly of yourself to do this to my daughter?" the angry voice of Beta Luise surged, and I jolted slightly.

"What right have you? What gave you the guts to inflict such pain on her?" he barked as I looked up to meet those angry stares lingering on me.

"I'm sorry, but I only slapped her by mistake," I said, causing a gasp of sheer disbelief on the faces of the council members.

"How dare you speak when you aren't asked to?" a member of the council roared angrily, and I sucked in air, still on my knees. At this point, my entire body trembled, the fear of the unknown clawing at me.

I knew what this was, but I still needed to prove myself, even though I was freaking terrified in their presence.

Anna walked over to her dad, who caught her up in his arms. Her eyes watered, tears dropping on her swollen cheeks.

I knew Anna, as much as her dad, was a thorn in my throat and would do anything, and I wasn't surprised at her thearice. But I only ever slapped her, and I wished I had done more, just glaring at those pathetic, fake tears on her face.

"And her cheeks and arms bruised?" Beta Luise blurted.

I bit my lips as I glared at them. But he turned instead to the guards.

The air fell silent as they communicated through the mind link.

I didn't know what he had told them or why their faces darkened, but whatever it was, it certainly wasn't going to turn out right.

I could sense it, and at that point, my instinct told me I should scream, but the chamber was far inside and even a thousand screams wouldn't cross the brick walls.

Then the guards walked up to me, my chest heavy with dread as I leaned into the floor.

"Please don't..."

Those words remained on my lips when I felt a hard knock at the back of my head. Gradually, everything began to fade off, voices turning to echoes, vision into darkness.

I could feel the pierced hands of the guards over me, dragging my limp body across the rough marble floor as the pain coated through me before everything fell into a blur...