Chapter 5 : The Triplets’ Arrival

Nicola’s footsteps echoed through the stillness of the night as she ran, her body moving on autopilot. She didn’t know exactly where she was going, but the pull in her chest, the sudden surge of energy from the bond, drove her forward, deeper into the woods. The darkness closed in around her like a blanket, muffling the sound of her labored breath and the rapid beat of her heart.

The scent of the triplets lingered in the air, warm and intoxicating - earthy, wild, and unmistakably theirs. It seemed to weave through the trees, twisting and curling around her like an invisible thread. She could almost taste it on her tongue, a sharp tang of desire and danger, and it made her wolf stir restlessly inside her.

No, no, no, Nicola’s mind screamed. I can’t do this. I can’t.

But her body betrayed her.

With every step, the pull of the bond grew stronger. Her wolf, always a silent presence at the back of her mind, clawed to the surface, urging her to turn back, to go to them. It was a primal, instinctive thing - an overwhelming need to be with them, to be claimed.

The wind whipped through the trees, sending a chill up her spine as she slowed to catch her breath. She ducked behind a thick cluster of ferns, pressing herself against the rough bark of a tree, trying to steady herself. Her hands trembled, and her chest tightened with the weight of the unfamiliar emotions surging within her.

Her 18th birthday had come and gone, and with it, the awakening of the mate bond. The ceremony, the anticipation, the promises she had made to herself to keep it at arm’s length - all of it was suddenly irrelevant. The triplets had entered her life with a force that left her breathless, and now she had no choice but to face the consequences of that connection.

Why them? Nicola thought, her mind spinning. Why did it have to be them?

Damien. Dylan. Dean.

The Blackstone triplets. Alpha blood ran through their veins, their power palpable even from a distance. They were everything she wasn’t - dominant, admired, sought after. And now they had found her.

She could still feel their eyes on her, even though she was miles away by now. She could still hear their voices, low and commanding, growling Mate in unison. The word echoed in her head, repeating over and over like a chant. Her heart stuttered in her chest at the memory of it.

The connection was undeniable.

Nicola squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the image of them - the way their eyes had glowed with hunger, the heat in their gazes as they looked at her. I can’t go back, she thought fiercely. I can’t be theirs.

She wasn’t like them. She was just an omega. And they were the pack’s golden sons - leaders, future alphas, destined to rule. They would never want someone like her.

Her breath caught again, and she gasped, her mind spinning with the rush of emotions that surged inside her. Fear. Desire. Anger. And something else - something darker, wilder, pulling at her, urging her to accept what was happening.

You’re not good enough for them, the voice inside her whispered, cold and cruel. They’ll never accept you.

But they called me mate, another part of her argued, the thought a flicker of warmth in her chest. They can’t be wrong.

She shoved that thought away, trying to push back the storm of emotions that was threatening to overwhelm her. Her wolf was restless, pacing inside her mind, whining for release. Let me go to them, it begged. Let me have them.

Nicola slapped her hand to her forehead, trying to clear the haze that seemed to be settling over her thoughts. This isn’t me, she told herself, but even as she said it, she wasn’t sure she believed it.

The air was thick with the scent of wet leaves and pine needles as she sank to the forest floor, her back against the tree. Her knees pulled up to her chest, her hands gripping her elbows tightly. She needed space. She needed time to think, to process what was happening to her.

It had been hours since the party. The wind had grown colder, and the sounds of the forest had deepened into an eerie silence. The woods felt alive around her, as if the trees themselves were watching, waiting.

But as much as she tried to lose herself in the darkness, there was no escaping the bond. No escaping them.

Her pulse still thrummed in her ears. The triplets' presence haunted every corner of her mind, a constant reminder of the bond that had just ignited between them. No matter how far she ran, how much distance she put between herself and them, she couldn’t get rid of the pull. It was like a chain wrapped tightly around her chest, pulling her toward them, drawing her back to the mansion.

Stop it, she commanded herself.

But the moment the words left her mouth, she realized that there was a truth she couldn’t deny. She didn’t want to stop it.

The sensation of being wanted - truly wanted -  by someone like them was intoxicating. It was as if the bond filled a void she didn’t even know existed. The triplets were more than just powerful alphas. They were...everything she’d been missing.

The truth settled on her like a weight, a crushing realization. Her wolf didn’t care about her insecurities. It didn’t care that she wasn’t the perfect mate for them. All it cared about was the connection, the bond, the desire to be claimed - to be theirs.

The sound of footsteps breaking through the underbrush made her jump. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart pounded. Her first instinct was to run, to disappear deeper into the woods, but her legs wouldn’t obey. Her body was frozen in place, rooted to the earth by the same force that had been pulling her all night.

The triplets were here.

Her eyes widened as the sound of the footsteps grew closer. Then, like shadows rising from the earth itself, they appeared.

Damien, Dylan and Dean.

The Blackstone triplets stood just a few feet away, their eyes glowing faintly in the dim light of the forest. They looked almost ethereal in the moonlight, their strong, athletic bodies silhouetted against the night.

Nicola’s breath caught as they moved closer, their scent hitting her like a tidal wave - rich, intoxicating and utterly overpowering. They surrounded her, their presence heavy in the air. Every inch of her skin tingled with the weight of their gaze. The bond between them was so strong now, it was like a living thing.

“Nicola,” Damien’s voice was deep, resonating with authority, as he knelt in front of her. His eyes darkened as he caught her gaze, the hunger in them unmistakable. “We’ve been looking for you.”

Nicola swallowed, her throat dry. She wanted to protest, to tell them to leave her alone, but the words didn’t come. Her body betrayed her, aching with need as the bond pulsed again, stronger than ever.

Dean stepped forward, his towering figure blocking out the moonlight. He was close now, his breath warm on her skin. “You’ve been running from us, sweetheart,” he said softly, almost lovingly. “But you can’t outrun this. You can’t outrun us.”

Nicola’s pulse quickened, and she clenched her hands into fists. “I don’t belong with you,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Dylan, who had been silent until now, let out a low chuckle. “You belong to us, Nicola. Whether you’re ready for it or not.” His eyes gleamed, the golden hue of his wolf flickering in the depths of his gaze.

The pull of the bond was undeniable. It was a magnet, and she was the metal, irresistibly drawn to them.

But still, she fought it. She had to. They were Alphas, and she was just an omega.

She couldn’t let herself be consumed by this - no matter how badly her body, her wolf, wanted it.