Chapter 5 - Ménage Dilemma

“Three mates...” Izzy murmurs as she lays chest-first on her bed.

She is still processing her situation. Won’t that be too much work? Besides, she has a job and hobbies. She also wants to spend time with her family and friends. Surely, these men will request time and attention from her.

Izzy takes a deep sigh, which she has been doing for a while now. Gratefully, she is not forced to spend the night with either of them. Although her inner wolf wants to.

She is bound to three mates. Miles, Landon, and Carter. Not one of them rejected the mate bond. Miles said that he will take his chances. Landon said that he needed a Luna. Most especially, Carter assured her that he would never reject the mate bond.

“Ugh!” she screams on her pillow.

And so, as the night wears on, she continues to wrestle with her thoughts, tossing and turning in her bed. She is torn between the undeniable attraction she feels for her mates and the fear of losing herself in the process.

When the morning sun peeks through her window, she realizes that she has to face them. She takes a deep sigh again. She just needs to get through the day, whatever this new day would bring. Now, she is certain that her friends will ask about her situation. It’s time to face them.

Izzy finds her friends in the kitchen of their pack house. As usual, they are still drinking their coffee leisurely, coupled with some bread. Seeing her, they rush towards her and hug her.

“I can’t believe it,” Chloe adds. “Are you okay?”

“Izzy, last night was amazing!” Aria exclaims. “Three mates! You’re so lucky!”

She forces a smile. “You know that it’s not something I call lucky.”

“But your mates are the alpha and his two betas! These are not ordinary men!”

“Unfortunately for them, they mate with an ordinary woman.”

Aria and Chloe exchange a knowing look before turning back to Izzy.

“You don’t like the Moon Goddess’ blessing,” Chloe remarks.

“You do know that mate bonds are considered a blessing from the Moon Goddess, right?” Aria asks, checking.

“It is a curse!” I exclaim. “I don’t want a single mate! Yet, as if a joke, the Moon Goddess gives me three!”

They all pause, but then Chloe asks, “What did you decide?”

“I haven’t decided anything yet,” she replies with a sigh.

“Why? What’s taking you so long? They are all gorgeous!” Aria exclaims. “Or maybe it’s because they are all gorgeous that it’s hard to choose?”

“I know they’re attractive, but it’s not just that,” Izzy whispers. “It’s the fact that I’m supposed to be with all three of them. It’s not what I expected. It’s not something I want. And they don’t even want to reject the mate bond!”

“I get it,” Aria says, squeezing her hand. “But maybe it’s not as bad as you think. Maybe it’s a good thing.”

“How could it be a good thing?!” Izzy exclaims, her voice rising with frustration. “I’m not even fit for one relationship, and now I have to handle three? All at the same time?”

Chloe looks at her with sympathetic eyes. She takes a sip from her coffee mug before saying, “Izzy, just because it’s unconventional doesn’t mean it’s bad. This could be an opportunity to explore love differently. Besides, your situation matches you. You’ve always been unconventional.”

She looks at Chloe with skepticism. “Different isn’t always good, Chloe. Different is just... different.”

“Well,” Aria interrupts, “maybe this ‘different’ is what you need. Maybe this is how your love story was meant to happen.”

“A story,” she muses sarcastically. “That means three leading men and one very confused woman whose life is getting destroyed in each passing day.”

“Or,” Chloe interjects. “It is a story about a strong woman who defied conventions and found happiness in an unexpected situation.”

Izzy stares at her friends, her brows furrowed. 

“Well, you’re not alone, right? You have three people who are going to be there for you, no matter what. You also have us. That’s more than what most people get.”

“We want the best for you, Izzy,” Chloe adds, leaning against the counter. “And if they make a mistake or hurt you, they’ll have us to deal with.”

Chloe’s statement brings a small smile to her face. The thought of her friends defending her honor is touching and comforting. But it doesn’t quite ease her apprehensions.

“But... the expectations,” Izzy admits, her gaze falling onto the counter. “The responsibilities that come along with being mated to such men... And you know, Alpha Landon discussed about me becoming his Luna, this pack’s Luna.”

“Oh!” Aria exclaims.

“It won’t be easy. But whatever you decide, we’re here to support you,” Chloe says.

The conversation lulls into silence, punctuated only by the clinking of spoons against plates and coffee mugs. Izzy’s gaze flickers to her friends, her mind churning with the unexpected situation she’s currently in.

*************

Izzy takes a deep breath. She is invited to discuss her situation with the elders and her mates. They are talking about the house where they would live, and how to divide the time spent with each mate who doesn’t want to reject the bond. Most importantly, the issue about becoming the new Luna for the pack.

“Who would take her first?” one of the elders abruptly asks and Izzy chokes on the biscuit she is trying to eat.

“I will take the honor!” Carter offers. Classic him. He is a well-known womanizer. It’s not as if she is expecting much from him.

“It should be with someone whom she is comfortable with,” Miles suggests, to which Izzy answers with a scowl. Why is he even participating in this farce?

“I am the alpha. I believe I deserve the right to do it.”

“Can we let the woman decide?” Finn asks instead.

Izzy’s head snaps up at the elder’s suggestion. “Yes, I think that would be best,” she says, grateful for someone to finally consider her feelings in this situation.

“Well then,” Alpha Landon says with a smile. “You should know who to choose, Isabella.”

Izzy looks at each of her mates. She understands that whoever she chooses has corresponding expectations and responsibilities.

“Can... Can I chose no one?” she stammers. “Can we all please reject the mate bond and be done with it? I also have a work call in an hour.”

Carter smirks confidently. “Well, I am the most experienced and charming out of all of us,” he offers again, ignoring what she just suggested.

Miles rolls his eyes. “Izzy needs someone who will treat her right and not just use her for his pleasure.”

“And you think you’re the one for that?” Carter retorts.

“I am her friend. I will make sure of that,” he answers.

“Enough!” Landon interjects, standing between his two betas.

The room falls silent as everyone looks at Izzy expectantly again. She is annoyed, but all she can do now, is to prolong this talk about intimacy. She takes a deep breath before speaking.

“I appreciate all your offers,” she starts, looking at each of them in turn. “But I need time to get to know each one of you before making a decision.”

Carter pouts, Miles smiles warmly at her, and Landon simply gives her a nod of agreement.

“That seems fair,” Landon says. “But you still need to choose which one of us you will spend time with.”

A heavy silence follows, and her eyes dart around the room. Her mind races and she can feel the weight of their gazes on her, the pressure of the decision she has to make.

“This isn’t what I expected. I don’t know if I can do this,” Izzy says instead, her voice shaking. “I’ve always wanted a different kind of life. I’ve always wanted to be independent, to make my own choices.”

“We understand that,” Miles says, his voice gentle. “But being mates doesn’t mean you have to give up your independence. It means you have three people who will support you, no matter what.”

“But I...” she says, her voice small.

“Izzy, I know this is unexpected, but I promise you, we’re going to have a lot of fun together,” Carter says, his voice bright and cheerful.

“I will still be your friend,” Miles adds. “No. I STILL want to be your friend.”

And then, “Fine, we will give you all the time you need to make your decision,” Alpha Landon concludes. “But know that we are here for you, always.”

“Thank you,” she says, as she can think of no other words to say.

Carter grins mischievously. “Well, I am sure you will choose me,” he says with a wink.

“So, should it be two days a week for each of us?” Landon asks, going back to the reason they are meeting. “Alternating? With one day to yourself?”

“Can I have four days instead?” she asks.

“NO,” is the answer from her mates and the elders.

“Your mates should have two days each,” another elder says.

Izzy can do nothing but nod. “Yeah, that sounds like I have no choice,” she retorts.

Then Carter raises his hand. “I will have the weekends!”

“It’s up to Izzy and what she feels comfortable with,” Miles denies.

“I want my weekends,” she answers, which starts the conversation about her days, where to spend it, and with whom she will spend it with.

Very soon, Alpha Landon is saying, almost happily, “Great! So it’s settled then. We’ll start next week.”

And Izzy can feel nothing but anxiety and dread.