One thing in common

Four Years Later


Kira's POV


“Kira, please don’t look!” My mother’s desperate voice echoed in my head like a haunting memory. It wasn’t real, just a nightmare I couldn’t escape. The loud beeping of the alarm jolted me awake, snapping me back to reality. Groaning, I reached for the wall clock.
5:00 a.m.
"Shit!” I cursed, leaping out of my bed. “Not again!”
I darted into the bathroom, taking the quickest shower I could manage. The cold water did little to calm my frazzled nerves. Putting on my servant’s uniform, I ignored the mirror entirely. There was no time to check my reflection. I grabbed my things and rushed out of my cramped room in the servant quarters, sprinting toward the pack house.
The pack house was already lively with activity, servants bustling in every corner, rushing to meet their endless list of tasks. No one stopped to talk; there was no time for that. My feet carried me straight to the kitchen, where my first task of the day awaited me.
Serving the triplets their morning coffee. 
This was the most dreaded task of my life since starting work here as a servant four years ago.
Arriving in the kitchen, I grabbed the tray with the three cups of steaming coffee, carefully preparing it according to the triplets' preferences. No mistakes were tolerated by them. My hands trembled slightly as I balanced the tray.
The triplets—Darius, Damien, and Dane—were notorious for their tempers and cruelty. Working here was a nightmare, but after the tragedy that struck my family four years ago, I had no choice. I was forced into this life, supposedly to pay for my parents’ sins.
The hallway leading to their wing felt longer than usual, each step heavy with fear. Their wing was lavish, designed to showcase the wealth and power of the pack's leadership. Deep red carpets, expensive paintings, and the faint scent of cedar lingered in the air.
I stopped in front of the massive double doors leading to Darius’s room. My heart raced as I lifted my hand to knock, praying he wasn’t in one of his moods.
“Stop knocking and get the hell in!” his irritated voice growled from inside.
Swallowing hard, I pushed the door open, the tray trembling slightly in my hands.
The sight that greeted me turned my stomach. Darius was sprawled on his bed, tangled with a blonde girl, kissing her so deeply it was as if I weren’t even there. They didn’t pause or glance in my direction.
I quickly looked away, my chest tightening. This wasn’t the first time I’d walked in on a scene like this, and I doubted it would be the last.
Moving silently, I placed the cup of coffee on his desk, hoping to escape before he noticed me. But as I turned to leave, his sharp voice stopped me.
“Wait.”
I froze, my heart sinking at his command. The girl’s annoyed groan was followed by Darius shoving her away.
Turning reluctantly, I found him walking toward me in nothing but his underwear, his broad chest on display. My eyes betrayed me, flickering downward briefly and catching sight of his bulge. Heat crept up my neck, and I quickly focused my eyes on the floor.
Darius grabbed the coffee cup from the table, took a sip, and immediately scowled. “You added sugar to this?” he snapped.
Panic surged through me. I’d made the same mistake again, mixing his coffee with Dane’s. Darius hated sugar in his coffee; Dane preferred his coffee sweet, and Damien took both.
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly, my voice trembling as I tried to fix my mistake. “I’ll bring you another one right away—”
But my words were cut short when he suddenly poured the coffee on me, and I flinched, taking a step back. The hot coffee stained my dress and brought discomfort to my skin.
Darius’s growl, his frustration obvious. “What the hell is wrong with you, Kira? You’ve worked for us for the past four years and still can’t get this right?”
“I—” I started, but the anger in his eyes silenced me.
“Get out!” he barked.
I nodded quickly, grabbing the cup and practically bolting from the room.
Once outside, I leaned against the wall, clutching the tray to my chest as I tried to catch my breath. My hands trembled, and I hated how easily he got to me.
After a moment, I straightened, forcing my emotions back into the box where I kept them. I couldn’t afford to break down.
Damien’s room was next. Unlike his brother, he was a bit more playful, but his mood swings made him just as dangerous.
Steadying my emotions, I knocked on his door.
“Come in,” his cold, commanding voice echoed from inside.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside, keeping my gaze low to avoid meeting his piercing sea-blue eyes. Damien was sitting at his desk, shirtless, with his dark hair slightly disheveled. His sharp features and well-built frame made him the kind of man most women would swoon over, but his cold demeanor was enough to freeze anyone in their tracks.
“You’re late,” he said, his voice calm but laced with irritation.
“I apologize, Damien,” I murmured, placing the coffee on his desk.
Before I could step back, his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist. His grip wasn’t painful but firm enough to make me freeze.
“Look at me, Kira.”
Reluctantly, I lifted my gaze to meet his. His eyes bore into mine before darting to my stained uniform. His brow furrowed, and he didn’t need to ask because he already knew who did this.
“You’re shaking,” he observed, his tone softening slightly. “Are you scared of me?”
I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. Honestly, I was scared of him, but more importantly, I hated him. He and his brothers took turns making my life miserable.
He held my gaze for a moment longer before releasing me.
“Leave,” he said curtly.
Without hesitation, I turned and left the room, anger bubbling inside me.
The last stop was Dane’s room. He was the quietest of the three but no less intimidating. His dark brown eyes seemed to see right through you, and his silence often spoke louder than words.
When I entered his room, he was already up, standing by the window with a book in his hand. He didn’t even glance at me.
As I set the coffee down, Dane’s smooth voice broke the silence, laced with a quiet intensity that always unsettled me.
“In the end, we are all just stories, waiting to be told.’” His voice carried the line effortlessly, but there was an edge to it, a challenge that sent a shiver down my spine.
I froze, unsure if I was meant to respond. When he turned to face me, his dark brown eyes locked onto mine with an unreadable expression. “Do you know what this means, Kira?”
I swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. My heart pounded against my chest as I shook my head. “N-no, Dane,” I stammered, hoping my voice wouldn’t betray the lie.
Dane’s gaze darkened, his calm demeanor melting into something much sharper. He snapped the book shut with a loud thud and strode toward me.
“Don’t lie to me,” he said, his voice low and venomous as he stopped just inches from me. His towering frame made me feel smaller than I already did. “I know you’ve read this book. I’ve seen you sneaking books out of the mansion library. You think I don’t notice?”
My breath hitched as my mind scrambled for a response. “I… I wasn’t—”
“Enough,” he growled, cutting me off. “Do you think I’m a fool, Kira? That I wouldn’t catch on to your little hobby of stealing books? Do you know what that makes you? A thief. Just like your traitor parents.”
His words hit like a slap to my face, the mention of my late parents twisting a knife in wounds I thought I’d buried. I bit my lip, trying to keep the tears from falling. I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.
“I didn’t steal—” I began, but he stepped closer, his voice a dangerous whisper now.
“Lying too?” he sneered. “You’ve inherited more than just their blood, haven’t you? You’re just like them. A thief. A liar. Betrayal’s in your veins.”
His words hurt me, but I couldn’t let him see the pain they caused. Instead, I straightened my back and clenched my fists, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “I don’t deny borrowing books, but I returned every single one. I’m not a thief,” I said, my voice trembling.
Dane’s lips curled into a humorless smirk, his eyes narrowing as if daring me to hold my ground. For a moment, I thought he might lash out, but then he stepped back, shaking his head as if I wasn’t worth the effort.
“Pathetic,” he muttered, turning away. “This is your last warning. If I catch you lying or stealing again, there will be consequences.”
Without another word, he dismissed me with a wave. As I stepped back into the hallway, I rested my back against the wall and closed my eyes. The triplets may have different facial features, behaviors, personalities, skills, and emotions, but they have one thing in common. They all hated me, And I hated them just as much.
The sudden sound of footsteps forced my eyes open.
“Here you are, Kira. The head maiden is asking for you, and she seems furious,” Titus, a guard, said.
I swallowed hard, wondering What trouble had I gotten myself into this time?