323RD POV.Kyle drags his feet weakly as he nears Kade, who’s found a branch within the woods to sit on while he sips his coffee.“I wonder how you’re peaceful here, mute and static.” Kyle speaks out with a sense of pain in his voice. “I feel bored.”“Well, brother, there are a lot of wildlings in this wildness. Why don’t you go kill some of them, or maybe just chase them for the fun of it? I’m sure you’d find yourself in a happy mood sooner than later.” Kade advises before he goes back to his coffee.Kyle snorts as he puffs out his lips. “That’s such a bad idea. We’ve been waiting here for more than an hour.”“Yes, because we are the world’s most dangerous predator. We wait and wait till the ones who think they are predators as well—but nothing but prey—show a soft spot. That’s war. That’s winning. That’s triumphant.” Kade speaks with an odd tone, one taken from carefulness. It makes Kyle brush his hands into his hair in frustration. This is not his forte or his kind of thing, so he
33Kaya’s POV.“Here’s your food, Rag.” The man in front of me speaks in a tight voice.It is no hindrance that he doesn’t want me to be fed. He would enjoy it as I rot away in that one position that they’ve had me in for about a day now.I scramble on the ground as soon as the plate rattles onto the floor, licking clean the meat soup with a spoonful of rice from the rest of the plate.I did see the man spitting into it before he handed it over to me, and he didn’t even exactly hand it over but threw it to the ground.“She eats like a pig. I don’t get why we are asked to release her. She’s a witch. She hasn’t even suffered enough.” This man, speaking, would kill me without even blinking an eye, and I am certain he would believe that he had done the right thing just because I am a witch.Honestly, I have stopped trying to fantasize about why they ostracize me so much when I have never hurt a person in my life before. Is it from fear?Or is it because of fear? Do they think that I am au
34Kaya’s POV.I expected the air to hit me on the face, sprawling my hair and notifying me that this is my last second on this planet.My eyes are tightly shut, expecting my consciousness to fade away within a split second.Except neither of those came.Gravity didn’t take its course.I don’t feel like I’m falling.Then my brain comes back to reality. There’s a sharp sting in my elbow, and I hear the voice of a male, “are you okay?”The person taps me, but I don’t open my eyes, even though my eyelids flutter. I’m scared to open my eyes because I already know what has just happened.I am still awaiting my death.The male keeps hitting me on the shoulder till I finally open my eyes, and he cups my face in his hands. “Are you okay? Can you say a word to me?”I hit his hands away from my body and turn to the sides, looking around to see that I’m still on the roof.No, how could I not be dead?Now that the fear is sipping away, I recall feeling someone wrap their arms around my waist and
35Kaya’s POV.I’m eating like a wild animal, running everything into my mouth as if the food is running away. Aiden keeps watching me, and now he is fiddling with his fingers as he is adjusting himself on the bed.Then, when I finishwith the food, I blink up to see him. He is staring back at me with a smile that doesn’t reach his face.I glance away before I glance back at him. This situation is awkward.“I’m sorry...”“No, please, take your time.” He spreads his hands out at me while he fakes a smile again.This situation is indeed awkward.“Did I do something?”“Well,” he scratches a side of his head, “you agreed to talk about your situation, but it’s been twenty minutes and you’re still eating.”
36Kaya’s POV.From afar, my ears pick up on the sounds of cheering coming from a great crowd. I wonder what is happening that’s caused the guards to march to the center room where I was chained a few hours ago.Aiden is in the front, watching out for the both of us. We cannot afford to be caught, unknowing whatever could happen, especially for someone like me.I can’t see the triplets in this state. Just thinking about their existence alone is a fear that sends chills down my spine. My palms suddenly perspire from the trauma that I’ve faced in their hands, knowing that as long as I remain alive, I cannot escape it.But then, at least for now, I’m with Aiden, and I shouldn’t spoil the good mood. His whispering voice calls my attention before a wave from him.“Here, Kaya.” I raise my face to meet his and hurry to the side of the wall where we’ve hidden.Blinking profusely, my lips part at the sight in front of me, and my heart resumes its hammering, clanking against my sternum.I grip
373RD POV.The aura of the triplets fuses into the air, seeping into every inch of the atmosphere. In the distance is an ocean, clashing against its own body in a hefty wave.The air blows with rage and a howl of an external presence, wandering within the breezes.In the eerie scene are the triplets. They all have their eyes closed, their legs crossed under them in a sitting position, and a powerful connection of willness in their middle.Kade, tightening his grasp on Kieran’s and Kyle’s, speaks. “Brother, it is again the time when the crescent shape of the moon elevates the strength between us. It is yet another night of ritual where we connect our minds for betterment.Finishing, he joins back with his brothers in their silence. The ritual became one through Kade, who realized a long time ago that when they all focused their minds into one, like a big spherical ball, they could grow their powers.So, ever since then, the brothers have always performed the connectivity whenever the
38Kaya’s POV.My smile brigtens at the sight of the morning light, radiating into the room to beautify the interior decor.Ever since I’ve been captured by the triplets, I really thought it was the end for me, that is, enjoying the sight of the morning sunlight. It was so for some time, but Aiden turned out to be the guardian angel I needed in my life.He really did help me out.I roll out of bed and stretch, my bones releasing a crunchy sound almost inaudible to the ear.I go to the other side of the bed, stopping in front of the cabinet to pick up a robe, which I throw over my shoulder. Sighing, I make my way to the balcony.It’s been over two weeks since the triplets called on me; it’s as though they’ve forgotten me. They don’t even ask for anyone to check up on me or keep me confined to the room, a
39Kaya’s POV.“I did say it that you’d not regret this.”Is that a boast I sense from Aiden?I shake my head to glance at the naturalistic beauty, “if we are to count the whole trekking, then trust me, yes, I did regret following you.”Aiden laughs, “ouch, that hurts. But well, I am about to make it up to you.”“Ooh, in what manner do you plan to do that?” I wiggle my brows, joining into the laughing sensation as well.It’s fun being with Aiden. I could say that I’m tired but trust me, it was worth it, looking back at all the fun I had along the way. Everyday, he gives me a reason to laugh and I can’t thank him enough.I’ve come to forget my worries and now, just enjoying the moment.“We are here...” T
EPILOGUE ~A Few Years Later~ Following the sound of Kaya’s footsteps up the stairs, Yara and Nala snap their eyes open. Their sense of hearing is super heightened for seven-year-old pups, and knowing that their mother is coming for them, they jump out of bed. For Yara, she focuses on making the bed. Hurriedly, as she hurls the bedsheets into the air with such precision that the sheets fly in mid-air in their square shape, she hurries about gathering the pillows. Gravity makes the sheet fall, letting it settle back on the bed. Hastily, she has tucked it into the sides neatly with no roughness to be seen, then she places the pillows back on the bed. On Nala’s side, after she has run to lock the door, she’s using her legs to kick up their dirty clothes from the floor and her hands to pick up other dirt as well. Within a few seconds, she had finished cleaning the floor. The both of them smile at each other, two young wolves yet very powerful. Close to the room, Kaya senses the door
97Kaya’s POV.“Kaya,” my ears pick up on eerie voices, sinking into my head. A furrow wrestles on my face as I awaken to reality, and suddenly, I gasp when I feel the intensity of the voices when they call again. “Kaya.”My head snaps to the front, and there are three women at the end of the bed. They are in robes with the hood covering their faces, so I have no way of knowing if I recognize them or not.That aside, the aura they release sends chills down my spine, shaking me to my very core.“Who are you?” I ask with the nerves around my neck poking out.The women speak with raspy voices, an intent of darkness lurking behind each word. “You have seen our presence, great witch, because you made yourself come to our attention. Await your doom, for we shall come for you. And we do; the curse shall be back. You haven’t paid the right price, and we shall come for what is ours.”“Who are you? What do you want?” Although they dress entirely black, at the left chest area of their robes, I s
96Kaya’s POV.“Has anyone never been mated to three werewolves before?” I ask Luna Olivia, and she tsks in disagreement right before she glances at my reflection through the mirror.Olivia begins with a laugh, which results in a fixation of cease on the skin of my forehead. “Truth be told, a fidelity of love you are. I may be a Luna, but I learn a lot from you. I, for one, would have rejected three mates. It’d be a fucking confusion for me.”She isn’t being offensive, though. For the past few hours, we have been having a conversation about how I manage to accept the triplets, but for me, I just can’t say. I think it all has to do with love. Well, they say love is blind, so perhaps that is what I am.Perhaps unlike her, I do not see them as three beings but rather as one, and so far, each time I see the triplets, my inside runs with my heart beating fast. They make my hormones anxious, and my stomach erupts with blue butterflies.It is an intoxicating feeling.“But today is a big day,
95Kaya’s POV.The cold air fans onto my skin, seeping chills that would have my body shaking any other day, but lost deep into my thoughts, my senses aren’t very caring about my body.Disregarding the harsh weather, I remain on the balcony, staring ahead into the forest. Because of the absence of the moon in the sky and no light to reflect any radiating rays, it looks like a block of wall.Ever since I heard about the triplets dying on their thirtieth birthday, I couldn’t bring myself to enjoy today. There’s something about the feeling that has arisen since that time. It’s now deep into the night, and I just had to distance myself so I could attempt to cleanse my thoughts.I’m troubled. Honestly, a few months ago, I would have been happy. Hell, I even recall some times when I wished that the triplets never came back; that was the darkest time in my life when I wished them death. Now that I feel like that prayer is being answered, I’m worried why nature keeps punishing me, or better y
94Kaya’s POV.It’s a big night.The triplets are throwing a feast in celebration of their pack and the neighboring ones, working together to attain more peace and harmony. Every day, we walk closer to a blissful moment.The kingdom is thrown into disturbance, with maids running about to get things rightly done. I can feel the heat in the atmosphere, as something like this has not happened before, and the triplets must have given orders to have their plans executed without any flaw.Presently, I am standing in front of the mirror, staring at my own reflection, and something seems missing from my dress.“Elegant and glamorous.” I state the theme of the night according to the instructions given to me by Chester. That guy always finds a way to inconvenience me one way or another.My dress is eye-catching, and I have no doubt I’d capture all attention in the space. However, I can’t exactly place where there is a fault as I stare at my chest, narrowing my eyes from my forehead to my nostri
93Two months later.Kaya’s POV.Shuffling on the bed as my consciousness awakens back to life, my hands touch the side of the bed and feel nothing there. Then, I shift to the other side, still feeling no presence on the bed with me.My eyebrows furrow deeply as I rub my eyes and sit with my back against the headboard.“Kade?” I call into the muteness of the room, only to be replied to with silence. Pouting just before I yawn, I blink rapidly and want to roll down the bed, calling once again, “Kieran?” There’s still no answer, “Kyle?” And that’s when I realized that I was naked.“Oops,” I laugh at myself and quickly take off the robe next to the bed on a bedside table. The weather is chilling this morning, so darting my eyes to the end of the walls, I cast a whispering spell whose effect lit up the candles.My eyes are still wandering around the room, looking for the triplets. It’s been two months now, and almost every night, I find myself back in their bed after many times of having
92Kaya’s POV.One month later.The rays of the sun shine into the room, blessing me with an aura that is needed for the day. Each day is like one that I have never seen before.Each day that passes, I find more peace inside me, and my mental health has never been finer. I smile and open my eyes on the bed, having woken up for the past few minutes or so, but I’m too tired to get out of bed.And then, I suddenly remember that there’s a meeting today, and the triplets have asked me to be present. Although, they didn’t tell me what it was about, they did agree that I’d be surprised, and I shall like to be surprised today.“Who doesn’t like surprises?” I howl as I roll out of bed, replying to my own thoughtful question.Giggling as I walk into the bathroom, I head to take my bath and finish with the morning routine. There’s much to do to get myself ready for the day.Soon, in a few minutes, I am ready to go outside, but I take one last look in the mirror to see my reflection. Squinting my
913rd POV.They don’t know what to do or how to receive the truth. When people say that the truth hurts, it’s never been something that the triplets experienced because they were never weak.But these last few weeks?It hurts so much ever since they gave their hearts out for love. “Love is indeed a punishment that we accept because we are defaulted to,” but the triplets have never been the ones to retire to that.“Love is a weakness. Love is a curse, portrayed as a gift. Love is a pain that disguises itself as pleasure, just so we don’t realize how hurtful it has wounded us until it has broken our hearts. Love hurts us continuously, yet we embrace it. Love is a pain. And most of all, love is so powerful it locks you in continuous pain of betrayal and dependence, and you still crave for it.”“Why?” Kieran whispers as they all stop in front of their dying uncle.Jared’s body is still wilting, becoming more and more dead over time. He can’t move any part of his body anymore, and he’s ju
90Kaya’s POV.“You bitch. What the fuck are you doing here?” Jared curses at me, his teeth gritting, and I raise one of my brows.Wow. I’m surprised. I know he’s got a big mouth naturally, but after what he has just done to his nephews, he has acquired a very big mouth at that.He doesn’t seem to have any remorse or something of the sort. He looks perfectly okay, and if I hadn’t appeared here, he might still be flashing his teeth as the triplets walk one step closer to their deaths.“You don’t seem bitter at the fact that your nephews are dying?” I say as I shift my eyes to them. Kade’s body has weakened like the other time when Chester and I saved him from the hands of Olivia and the other alphas. His eyes are reddened from being strained by the poison.It must have been a strong one, and I wonder why Jared would be keeping such poison all this time just to get rid of the last ones he could call family. I don’t expect less since he was even the one who killed their mother, and I sha