Chapter 2: Claimed By Three Alphas

Returning to the kitchen, Freya's stomach growled hungrily, a relentless reminder of its emptiness. She could only salivate at the tantalizing thought of food and tried to calm her ravenous stomach as she surveyed the remnants of dinner in the empty pots.

The heaps of plates had also grown in size and number since most of the pack members already had their evening meals.

As soon as Freya began cleaning, a hushed voice jolted her to a momentary pause.

"No matter what, don't come out," the familiar voice warned from behind, causing her to nearly drop the fragile glass plate she cradled.

Mariah, snorted with a mix of amusement and disgust as she strolled forward. "The Alphas have arrived, and they don't seem to be in a very good mood. Who knows what they'd do if they caught sight of an omega."

Freya's grip on the plate tightened instinctively, her fingers trembling as Mariah's words hung in the air like a dark cloud as she involuntarily thought of the Alphas' scary reputations.

"Or maybe we should just hand you over to them. They'd be happy to put one more useless omega to death. Damn, I bet you have no idea how much they detest omegas," Mariah continued, her tone as sharp as her words.

She moved closer to Freya, leaning in to whisper something into her right ear. Whatever Mariah said caused Freya to shiver uncontrollably.

"What did they come for?" Freya inquired, her voice quivering as she struggled to conceal her tumultuous emotions.

"I see no reason why I should answer your question," Mariah replied, her demeanor strangely amused. "You should wash fast, so you can have dinner for the day and retire to your bin, okay?"

Mariah's chuckle lingered in the air as she turned and exited the kitchen, leaving Freya to her thoughts.

Freya paid little heed to Mariah's parting words. Her mind wandered to the legendary figures known as the three true Alphas. They hailed from three rival packs, and rumors painted them as nothing short of Greek gods – flawless in every aspect.

Not only were they physically formidable, but they had also ascended to their Alpha status simultaneously. This competitive spirit had fueled their determination to outdo one another and bolster their respective packs.

They staunchly rejected omegas, preferring to populate their packs with fierce warriors, gammas, and deltas. These leaders ensured their members lacked nothing or felt threatened by other packs. Their packs also flourished with both strength and prosperity.

"Alpha Hunter, Alpha Knight, and Alpha Steele," Freya whispered to herself, her voice a mere murmur amidst the silent kitchen.

She remained ignorant of their pack affiliations but was well aware of their prominence among both humans and other packs.

Freya toiled in the kitchen until the early hours, her efforts focused on washing the dishes and meticulously cleaning the entire kitchen.

"The d-d-door isn't opening!" Freya realized in dread. She wasn't supposed to be around the main packhouse or be seen by any member of the pack during the daytime. If the find her here tomorrow she'd be...

Panicking, she knew that screaming for help would only invite punishment, especially if it disturbed the slumbering Alphas.

With no alternative, she resigned herself to finding a discreet corner within the kitchen to spend the night.

The following morning, Freya was jolted awake, her eyes heavy with sleep. The drowsiness fled in an instant as she realized she was finding it hard to breath. She widened her eyes to meet the enraged gaze of Mariah, who loomed over her.

"Have you no shame, Freya?" Mariah rasped, applying more pressure to her leg, which rested firmly on Freya's chest.

Freya gasped, her vision blurring as desperation clung to her last breaths. "I... can't... breathe..."

A small crowd had gathered, a silent audience to this distressing spectacle. Despite the looming threat of Freya's impending demise, none dared to intervene.

"Hel...p...me...plea...se..." she wheezed, her feeble plea directed at Will, who stood just behind Mariah.

Frustration and helplessness overwhelmed her as she glanced around, finding no saviors among the onlookers. With weakened hands, she futilely attempted to push Mariah's oppressive leg from her chest, but her emaciated state rendered her efforts feeble.

A wry, resigned smile briefly touched her lips as she accepted the cruel certainty of her fate. Her eyes slowly closed, her heartbeat dwindling, and consciousness slipping away.

Suddenly, as if summoned by a desperate plea, three imposing figures materialized on the scene. One of them swiftly moved, his arm extended, grasping Mariah and hurling her across the room. Mariah's senses blurred as she glimpsed the three indistinct figures before succumbing to unconsciousness.

The figure who had knelt beside Freya, his eyes blazing red with an unmistakable fury, thundered at Alexander, who had rushed in alongside the Alphas.

"Is this how you treat a member of your pack?" he demanded, his voice a commanding force.

Alexander's gaze darted around, seeking support or justification from the stunned onlookers. However, fear silenced them all, for the man by Freya's side seemed to have his wolf in control, a formidable presence.

"Alpha Steele, this is an omega," Alexander began, his voice trembling. "I'm sure whatever happened here was her fault."

Alpha Steele's piercing red gaze shifted to Alexander, his rage palpable. He didn't bother engaging in a verbal exchange with the subordinate Alpha; instead, his attention turned toward the unconscious Mariah.

"I want her beheaded!" he ordered, his voice unwavering in its cruelty.

Alexander widened his eyes in disbelief. "Alpha Steele, that girl down there is an omega. Although she was my mate, I rejected her as my mate, so she's not the Luna of my pack."

"Do I look dumb to you, Alexander?" Steele scoffed, his anger simmering beneath the surface.

"Of course not, Alpha!" Alexander responded hastily. "I'm trying to say we should behead that wretched omega instead. You might not know this, but situations like this, where she plays the victim, are what she loves most."

"She's my mate!" Three voices growled in unison, their eyes blazing crimson.

Alexander's panic surged as he tried to address all three Alphas simultaneously. "She's a wolfless omega. She's not supposed to have a mate! Your mate must be Mariah. Yes, it has to be!"

The second Alpha behind Steele, known as Hunter, lowered himself to examine Freya, but Steele firmly seized his hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Hunter," Steele warned, a clear threat lacing his words.

Hunter did not withdraw his hand but maintained a defiant stance, his red eyes locked onto Steele's. "Get your paws off me and my mate."

The two Alphas locked into a tense standoff, their furious gazes clashing into each other's.

How swiftly they had all forgotten the dire situation. Freya struggled to hold on to life, her body desperately lacking the energy needed to endure.

Knight, who had maintained silence throughout the confrontation, lowered himself beside her. Gently, he grasped her right hand and spoke, his gaze averted from the bickering Alphas. "We'll talk about this when she's fine."

Blackened veins coursed through his arm for nearly a minute before he halted the process. He exhaled with visible discomfort, locking eyes with Alexander, a warning etched into his gaze. "She's in so much pain. But we'll discuss this when I'm certain she's fine."

"I won't let you touch my mate," Steele growled, swatting Knight's hand away.

"She's my mate as well," Knight retorted.

"And I can't have either of you touching her. In that case, someone needs to lift her," Knight declared, his voice firm. His attention settled on one of the pack members, who exuded an overpowering sense of fear. Although curious about her fear, his immediate concern was for Freya.

"Come," he commanded, and the pack member moved stiffly to comply.

"Be gentle when you carry her," he reminded, and she nodded in agreement.

Just moments ago, this pack member had looked on as Mariah attempted to end the life of the perceived 'pest' in their pack, rejoicing at the prospect of her removal.

Now, she was tasked with the responsibility of carrying Freya with utmost care.

She squatted beside Freya and helped her to her feet, the three Alphas following closely behind. Alexander, too, had no choice but to trail after them, and the tense crowd in the kitchen dispersed.

While maltreatment of an Alpha's mate would have been a grave offense, the onlookers had witnessed and allowed Mariah's attempt on the life of a mate shared by three powerful Alphas. The possibility of Freya having three mates weighed heavily on their minds, mingling with fears of potential retribution.

"Take her to my room," Knight muttered.

However, Steele and Hunter shot him cold glares.

"Take her to mine."

"Take her to mine!"

Steele and Hunter declared simultaneously, their rivalry evident.

The three men exchanged resentful glances while the pack member, her heart pounding in her chest, looked down at Freya. She was now breathing steadily, oblivious to her newfound elevated status and the revelation that the three most sought-after bachelors, both among humans and werewolves, claimed her as their mate.

"I still think you made a mistake," Alexander muttered, breaking the tension in the room.

None of the Alphas intended to hastily deal with Alexander and his pack until they were sure of Freya's safety.

"Take her to her room," Steele finally conceded, raising a brow in annoyance when he noticed the trembling pack member's reluctance to move.

"Prepare her a room," Hunter instructed Alexander.

Alexander's gaze briefly flitted to Freya before he nodded and swiftly left. He returned five minutes later, guiding the anxious pack member to the room.

The pack member gently laid Freya upon a queen-sized bed.

Hunter's brow furrowed as he observed the bed's size. "Don't you have a king-sized bed?"

"I do, but they are all occupied. I can have a new one delivered in less than ten minutes," Alexander replied, his eyes momentarily distant.

"No need," Knight interjected, securing a chair. "She's peacefully asleep and appears comfortable. Moving her now might disturb her rest or even wake her."

Alexander nodded in agreement, and the three Alphas procured chairs, positioning themselves alongside Freya.

"Shouldn't we discuss why you're here?" Alexander inquired, breaking the silence.

"No."

"Later."

Hunter and Steele simultaneously rejected the notion, while Knight casually mumbled "Later."

Alexander found it difficult to accept that all three of them were mated to Freya. As an omega without a wolf, she was considered practically useless, and it was exceedingly rare for an Alpha to mate with an omega. Just yesterday, she had been his mate, and today, three Alphas claimed her as theirs.

What bewildered Alexander even more was their complete lack of disdain for Freya's omega status. The realization left him uneasy, as he couldn't help but recall how he had treated her throughout the years.