Two: The Three Alphas

Inez.

I saw it. It happened in a split second but it was not hard to miss. The look on his face, the dawning realization that I was truly his mate was quickly replaced by disgust. 

I recoiled as Alpha Lance advanced towards me, the anger radiating off of him was like deep heat waves. The people in the hall started to whisper, some pointing at us while others looked on quietly in their seats. I knew everyone watched the ongoing scene with bated breath. 

I backed up until I was pressed against the wall, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. I felt cornered.

Alpha Lance towered over me, his eyes dark and blazing with red-hot anger. Despite his intimidating figure, there was something undeniably handsome about him, a raw and unrefined masculinity that drew me in despiteme. 

The alpha was a tall and broad-shouldered man with chiseled features that commanded attention. His piercing blue eyes seemed to bore into my soul. And his deep, rumbling voice made it clear that he was not a man to be trifled with.

He moved with confidence and grace that suggested he was comfortable in any situation, and his air of authority was palpable. He was the sort of man who commanded respect without even asking for it, and people instinctively stepped aside when he entered a room.

Despite his rough exterior, there was a sense of raw power that radiated from him, a sense that he could handle anything that came his way. And he has been doing so very well since he emerged alpha. 

It was impossible to look away from this man, and even harder to ignore the way my heart skipped a beat even though he was very mad at me. He was truly a captivating figure and one that would stay in my mind long after he was gone. Until today, I never really committed any of these about the alpha to memory. Or was it the mate bond thing that was suddenly making me notice these tiny details about him? 

I felt myself shrink back. This was not in any way how I planned this day to go. I was supposed to just serve the drink and get the hell out ofthere. Not end up emptying the glass on the alpha, and not ending up as his mate when he had already chosen a fitting Luna. 

"You sick bitch," Ingrid, the bride-to-be yelled. She was already storming towards me, her hand in the air. 

I cowered, shutting my eyes tight and waiting for her to strike me. It would not be the first time I had been slapped or beaten in the pack. It was like an everyday occurrence. So I quietly waited, but the slap never came. 

Slowly, I peeled my eyes open and was shocked to my bones at what they beheld. The alpha was shielding me from Ingrid's attack. The bewildered stare on her pretty face could not be misconstrued. 

"What are you doing, Lance?" She had asked, her voice quivering from both surprise and embarrassment. 

"Mate," was Alpha Lance's only answer, and that elicited a collective gasp from everyone in the room. 

It was one thing for the priest to say that we were mates, it was another thing for the alpha himself to confirm it. I could not contain the immeasurable excitement and pure joy that radiated through my entire being. He acknowledged me, and our bond, and that made me extremely happy. 

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was finally seen; like I would be loved. I would not be a castaway anymore. I would now be accepted in the pack and not be treated like filthy garbage. 

My future in the Blood Moon pack was looking up. Or so I thought because as soon as Alpha Lance turned around to face me, my heart dropped to my stomach and a large lump formed in my throat. 

To say the alpha looked furious was an understatement. Alpha Lance was instantly filled with rage and his hands tightened into a fist. My heart raced uncontrollably as I went back to cowering. He looked like he wanted to break me. 

As the seconds passed and the alpha approached me, his anger only seemed to grow stronger. He was consumed by a white-hot fury that seemed to come from nowhere and threatened to consume me completely. I did not have the time to wonder why. 

I swallowed to wet my parched throat. 

"I...I am so sorry, Alpha." I begged, my voice steady despite my racing heart.

Alpha Lance sneered at me, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "You think you can just come in here and make a fool out of me? And on an important day like this? I will not stand for it."

I shook my head, trying to reason with him. "Not at all,Alpha. I did not mean to make a fool of you. This is all a big misunderstanding."

The alpha's eyes narrowed and he took a step closer to me, his anger evident in every line of his body. I toned out everyone in the room until I saw only the intimidating man before me. 

"You are lying." He roared. "You are trying to humiliate me and I will not stand for it."

I saw the determination in his eyes but also noticed that this was not just about the accident anymore. It looked like he was ashamed to have me as his mate and he was only trying to save his face. That plunged my heart into an immense sadness. 

I tried to duck past him, but he grabbed my arm and held me in place. I felt a surge of fear, and I shook like a leaf in a storm. 

Alpha Lance sneered at me, his grip on my arm tightening. "You think you are so smart, but you do not know anything."

I could not mistake the red haze of anger in his eyes. I needed to get away from him. I managed to twist my arm out of his grip but stumbled and fell to the ground. My heart pounded as I saw Alpha Lance lung towards me with a ferocious growl. I was in deep trouble. 

The alpha was one of the strongest alphas in the pack and his rage was unmatched. I had never seen him so furious, and the fact that this anger was directed at me made me shudder. I braced myself for the impact, but suddenly another alpha stepped in front of me, blocking my alpha's attack. 

"Get out of the way, Liam," Alpha Lance roared. "This does not concern you."

"The success of this engagement party concerns us all, Lance," Alpha Liam replied calmly. "You need to calm down and act reasonably."

But Alpha Lance did not listen to reason. He snarled and tried to push past Alpha Liam, but another alpha appeared, holding Lance back with a firm grip on his shoulder. 

"You need to calm down, Lance," the alpha said firmly. "You are not thinking straight right now."

Alpha Lance roared in frustration, trying to break free, but the two alphas held him back. The chaos caused a commotion in the halls, and a few people tried to get a good look while most ran outside in fear. I watched in awe as the alphas controlled Alpha Lance, keeping him from harming me.

Alpha Lance had never shown any interest in me before, so why was he so angry now? Was this still about the accident or about me being his mate? 

I got to my feet, feeling shaken and confused. Alpha Liam turned to me and offered his hand. "Are you okay?" he asked, his soft baritone voice filled with concern. 

I stared at him, completely smitten. This alpha was a tall, muscular man with warm brown eyes and a charismatic smile. He exuded quiet strength and confidence. His chiseled jaw was adorned with a well-groomed beard, and his brown eyes sparkled with kindness and intelligence. 

Despite his formidable appearance, there was a gentle curve to his lips that hinted at his warm and approachable nature. His hair was a rich chestnut brown, styled in a messy but stylish manner. He carried himself with grace, and his movements were fluid and effortless, like a lion on the prowl.

Overall, Alpha Liam was a perfect blend of strength and compassion, with physical features that reflect his inner character.

“Ummm…” he cleared his throat to get my attention. 

"Yes. Yes, I am fine," I replied, taking his hand. I dusted my dress as soon as I stood. 

Alpha Lance had calmed a bit and he sat in his chair. But when his eyes found mine, he glowered at me. 

Breathing hard, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes, trying to steady my racing heart. I knew that I had to be more careful in the future, but for now, I was only grateful to be out of Alpha Lance's reach. 

"Thank you so much," I smiled at the alpha who shielded me. 

He smiled back at me. "You are welcome."

I curtsied and turned to leave but he held me back. "Mate." He called out. 

This had to be a joke. I had two mates?

I was still trying to wrap my head around the newest development when the other alpha who had held Alpha Lance back walked up to me and went on one knee. 

"I am Alpha Phineas of the Dark Wood Pack. You are my mate." He said.