Chapter 3

THORN’S POV

"Outside. Now."

Hunter and Dylan rushed outside at my command. Once we stepped into the hallway and shut the door behind us. We glanced at each other with the same shocked look on our faces.

"How long has Jerry been spying on us?" Hunter asked and folded his arms.

"I don't think that's it. Even our nanny couldn't tell us apart," Dylan reminded him. "What's with that woman? I noticed her eyes when we spoke. She was observing us carefully."

"Everyone else has tried to do that too," I told him. "How could she know in less than thirty minutes?"

"Even Kate couldn't tell us apart," I clenched my fist at Hunter's words.

"Nor Rebecca," Dylan added.

"Nor Jane," I rubbed my forehead and began to pace the halls, moving further away from the door. I could feel the presence of my brothers behind me. We walked in silence, each to our own thoughts but we could tell what we were thinking so easily.

Those women we mentioned were our mates. From the most recent to the first- not leaving out Anna. In the span of seven years, we had met four mates and lost all four of them.

Anna was the first. We met her at eighteen. Destined to be our mate, we went on with the mating ceremony like any other couple but after a year, she died. While we were still grieving, the moon goddess bestowed a second chance mate upon us- Jane. She easily took away the pain of losing the first mate and with the bond, we were bonded to her and decided to live the rest of our lives but the same tragedy befell.

We lost her to the cold hands of death. Once again, a third chance mate came and a fourth, we lost them all.

"She's not our mate," Dylan said.

"I know that," I clarified. I didn't feel the mate bond towards her. That was a relief. At this point, I was certain that my brothers and I needed a break and we hoped the moon goddess could hold out on sending a mate to us.

We reached the other end of the hallway and Hunter sent the guards away for privacy. Out of habit, we all folded our hands and stared at each other.

"So the plan," Hunter began.

"The same one you keep walking out on?" Dylan asked with a tease in his voice, causing Hunter to roll his eyes.

"A bait, huh?" he glanced at me. "I don't quite like the idea."

That was exactly what he said the first time we brought it up. Hunter was having cold feet and without all three of us agreeing to do this, we would hardly proceed.

"It's just to fish out the killer," we wouldn't say it to each other but we knew we were ashamed to even admit that none of our mates had died natural deaths. It wasn't until the third- Rebecca, that we got to know that they were murdered. Even worse, right under our noses.

The humiliation shattered us and affected us in different ways. It was evident in the bags under Hunter's eyes. He could hardly sleep. Not after what happened with Kate.

"If there's one thing we know about this killer, it's that it only strikes on Dad's death anniversary," I explained. "That gives us enough time to prepare beforehand."

"At least, before the moon goddess sends the fifth," Dylan mentioned. That was one thing we dreaded. The idea that our fifth mate could be on her way to us and could probably suffer the same fate. I didn't even want to think about it.

"We need collateral damage," I stated.

"Someone of little to no importance," Dylan continued.

"Someone who would die anyways," Hunter glanced at us before looking towards the other end of the hallway. "I see that the opportunity has presented itself," he chuckled. "We will be fools if we let it go."

His agreement was a relief and I made sure to let him know that without everyone's approval, we wouldn't carry on with it. I gripped his shoulder and he smiled.

"You're a baby sometimes," Dylan mocked.

"I am the third after all," Hunter said in his defence and we started to head back. "But it’s so strange that she could tell us apart. She's going to be an interesting one."

"Indeed," Dylan agreed. "So what's the plan this time?"

"We treat her right. We make her Luna and we wait and prepare for the anniversary which is in eight months. We have a lot of time on our hands," I informed them as we approached the door. I held the door knob and paused.

"If you're about to set rules, I'll die," Hunter started to say but it was already too late.

"No sex. We cannot risk being attached."

"After all we've been through?" Dylan scoffed like I just mocked our heart wrenching journey. "You don't need to say it twice. This is just a plan to uncover the truth, Thorn. We understand."

"Yet he feels the need to baby us," Hunter chipped in.

"I'm just looking out for you," as the eldest- by two minutes- I always felt responsible for us. I just couldn't bear to see them hurt again. I could trust myself to keep my emotions away. Heck! I did that the second time we lost our mate but Hunter kept on falling and falling which broke him into pieces.

Dylan on the other hand, came around a little later. He became distant around the third so the death of the fourth didn't affect him. I wish I could say the same for Hunter.

With a deep breath, I pulled the door open. I held her gaze immediately and she looked past me to my brothers before lowering her eyes. I motioned for the guard to leave and he bowed before walking out.

We sat on the desk, watching her stare at the floor for a while before Hunter broke the silence.

"What is your name?"

She perked her head up and looked straight at him.

I was stunned at her behaviour. The fact that she knew who spoke without even looking at us was strange.

'Did she just,' Dylan trailed off through the mind link and I felt the surprise coming from both of them.

'I guess she did,' Hunter confirmed.

"Emy," She answered after blinking out of her shock. Her gaze fell again and she stared at the floor strangely. Even with the dirt on her face, I could tell she had a pretty face. As for her body shape… well… she was on her knees so-

"You're going to die, Emy," I dropped the bomb and I could almost hear Dylan's sigh and Hunter slapping his forehead. There was no need to dilly-dally.

She touched her head to the floor, shaking with her fist squeezed. I could already imagine the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Unless you'd like a trial," Dylan got up and began to head towards her. "If you do, the outcome will be the same regardless. You not only trespassed into our land, you're also a spy."

She shook her head where she bowed with her shoulders shaking tremendously.

"Do you have anything to say to this?"

"I-- I-- I'm not a spy," her voice broke and she sniffed. "I was only asked to carry the supplies. I'm only a slave."

So she was an Omega. I could hardly smell that. She had no distinctive smell other than the smell of dust and dirt around her. I could hardly tell.

"You partook it in. It doesn’t matter what you did-"

"Please, please believe me. I was forced to do it."

"Why did the Alpha send you here?" Hunter joined in. "What does he want to know?"

Again, she shook her head, refusing to lift them, "I guess he just wanted to have any information about this Pack. That's what they said on our way here. I didn't meet with the Alpha directly-"

"We'll let you pick how you want to die."

To this, she jerked her head up and stared at Dylan with shock and hopelessness on her face. Her jaw was left hanging and tears rolled down her eyes freely. She looked frightened and at this point, she seemed like she could do just about anything to  get out of the situation.

That was the plan after all.

"But," Dylan squatted to her level. I could hear the smirk in his voice. I admired the look of hopelessness and fright on her face. She wore it well. Her eyes were round and big. Seeing how glassy they looked with tears and how devastated she was, I smirked and looked the other way.

"There's something that could get you out of death," he presented it to her like a saviour and she stared into his eyes like a sinner who had somehow managed to get the mercy of the moon goddess.

I wondered what she would do if she knew the plans we had for her; that the hope we were about to give her would still take her life in the end.

There was no escaping death. She was wrapped around our fingers already. The minute she took on her mission, her fate had been sealed.

"You're an Omega?" Dylan asked, wanting to make sure. He too was having troubles with her smell, for sure.

"Wolfless," she added. "I have no wolf."

"No wonder," I heard Hunter mutter beside me.

I didn't know what they saw but all I saw kneeling before us was the perfect bait to lure out our mate hunter.

"You're a trespasser, a spy and you're wolfless," Dylan chuckled. "Well, well, Emy, Death should be a mercy for you-"

"Please, don't let me die," she begged again. She was falling apart too easily. "Please, I'll do anything."

"Anything?" Dylan asked with an outstretched hand. She glanced at it with suspicious eyes before looking past him at Hunter and I.

She gulped and nodded, placing her small dirty hand in his own to show her agreement.

"If that is what you wish," Dylan pulled her up to her feet. "We have an offer for you. Be our Luna.”