~Nyra

I was trembling all over as I glared at my mother-

Hoping that she would back me up, hoping that she would understand and take me away from this hellhole. Hoping that she would save me from those terrifying triplets.

"Leave? Why would you need to leave now?" King Reid asked, a frown suddenly overtaking his face.

Almost as if I had succeeded in angering him.

"You do not like my hospitality? Is my house not to your liking?" His voice dropped lower with every word, and I unknowingly backed away.

Suddenly, my mother broke into laughter. "Nyra got you good!"

I frowned in confusion as I turned to face her, and the rest of the room followed suit.

"Nyra always likes throwing serious jokes around when I least expect it. I didn't expect her to pull one here. She must really feel comfortable with you, my love," she went on, walking to Reid and touching his cheek.

Strangely, just like that, his anger vanished, and he smiled at her like she was a light at the end of his tunnel.

"Indeed, she got me. I thought she seriously wanted to take you away from me, after we just got married," he muttered before turning to me. "I'm sorry I lost my temper earlier."

All I could do was blink rapidly at what had just happened as I struggled to comprehend the situation.

"Nyra," Mom called again when she noticed how quiet I'd gone. "Don't you need help unpacking? Come, let's do it now."

Yet Reid grabbed her wrist just before she walked away from him and claimed her lips. "Don't be gone too long."

He sounded clingy, and I questioned again how any of this was even possible.

"We'll come back down for dinner once I'm done with her, boys. Then you can get to know your sister better," she added.

Cassian chuckled. "Indeed, there's a lot I want to know about Nyra. I cannot wait for us to get our alone time..."

Another chill scattered across my spine at his choice of words, and when I looked into his golden eyes- so much like his father's- they stared deep into my soul.

"You have more than enough time to do that," Reid called before walking away.

Mother instantly grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs. I was too shaken to snap out of it. It was only until we were alone in my room that I released a heavy breath I hadn't even realized I was holding.

"What the fuck was that out there? Are you trying to ruin this perfect marriage? Our perfect escape?" Mother scolded me.

I released a shaky breath as I sank into my bed. "Mom, those men- the triplets- they are the same werewolves who threatened to come for me."

She froze for a split second, then glared at me before snapping out of it. "They must have been toying with you. They like to play around."

"Mom!" I cried, tears filling my eyes. "Mom, they are dangerous. I watched them tear vampires to shreds. I watched them carry out a massacre within seconds, and there wasn't even a hint of remorse."

"They didn't massacre humans or werewolves, did they? They killed the vampires that were after you-and they let you go. Do you really think that if they wanted to harm you, they wouldn't have done it immediately?" she demanded.

I stopped lamenting for a moment and considered her point, but it did nothing to ease the fear I felt toward them.

"Either way, I watched them kill-and they enjoyed every part of it. It was like a game to them. They are monsters and they enjoy killing." I wiped my tears and looked into her hazel brown eyes. "We need to leave. We need to go. It's not safe for me- for us here."

Mother only pulled me into a hug. "I understand how you feel, but I think that you're overreacting. I understand that you're scared, but you need to know that Reid will not let harm come to you. You're perfectly safe here. If they try to harm you like you believe, then you can just take the matter to Reid. He will discipline his triplets."

She pulled away, and I stared at her for a long time, realizing that there truly was no turning back from this. I was already doomed to be stuck with them forever.

"You're sure King Reid won't be impartial and favour his own sons?" I blinked at her, waiting for clarity.

"Not with me by his side, waiting to use the power of emotional blackmail." She winked at me before smiling warmly. "You're safe. I'm your first protector, and as long as I'm alive, I won't let anyone hurt you."

I sighed heavily, her words bringing some assurance to my soul, and I nodded.

"Fine. Let's unpack already."

Mother smiled at my change in mood and led me to my bags, which had already been brought to the room.

It took us a while to finish, and by the time we were done, I was giggling again like my usual self.

A gentle knock sounded at the door, and I gasped. Mother touched my shoulder, as if to reassure me, before answering the door.

"Come in."

A petite maid walked into the room. "The King asked that you both come down for dinner."

Mother nodded, and the maid walked away. She raised her brows at me, silently asking if I was ready.

I exhaled sharply and rose to my feet, changing into a dress my mother insisted I wear. It felt like there was a silent pressure in this castle to always be well-dressed for dinner.

It was a red silk dress that flowed over my body and fit me perfectly. She led me out of the room, down the stairs, and into the grand dining hall.

The hall was enchanting, lit with dim, warm lights designed to give a romantic atmosphere.

Reid and his sons were already seated when we arrived, but he stood to welcome my mother and help her into her seat. I was about to find an empty seat beside her when Cassian suddenly rose and pulled out a chair for me.

It was between him and Rylan, who only glanced at me for a split second before looking away again.

I wanted to ignore them, but Reid was watching, and I couldn't risk angering him a second time. Mom couldn't keep saving me.

Cassian flashed me his charming smile as I reluctantly sat in the chair, and he gently pushed it into place.

"Dearest Nyra... the most fascinating person in the room right now," he whispered into my ear before sitting down.

The air from his mouth made my ear tingle, and I tried to act unaffected as I looked straight ahead-only to meet Sylver's piercing green gaze across the table.

He was openly staring at me.

"I have an announcement, everyone," Reid broke the silence.

We all turned toward him, under the soft glow of the chandelier above us.

"Lyora and I are leaving for our honeymoon tomorrow," he announced.

And my blood ran cold.

Because that meant I would be left alone in this house- with the triplets.

~NYRA

"What?" I exclaimed as I shot to my feet.

My heart began to pound heavily as I looked from Reid to my mother.

"Nyra... Sit down!" Mother ordered through clenched teeth.

I turned back to Reid and I saw that his expression was already turning into anger. "Usually, I would punish anyone who speaks out of turn or interrupts me in any way..."

I gasped and instantly sank to my feet.

"But my father will spare you since you're now our new sister and it's your first time," Cassian finished before flashing me his signature smile.

I swallowed hard. "I- I'm sorry I did that. I- It's just that I've never been away from my mother. We always go everywhere together."

Reid broke into laughter. "What are you, human? Eight?"

Rylan chuckled before going back to eating his food like he didn't just laugh.

"I'm so sorry about Nyra. She's just very attached to me too much and so am I. But I'll be more than happy to go on a honeymoon with you, knowing that Nyra will be perfectly safe with her brothers." Mother touched his arm.

Reid smiled proudly before turning to her and beginning to kiss her like we were all not in the room.

Rylan sighed heavily at the sight of them. "Why am I subjected to watch this?"

I blinked too as I heard both of them moan. They both seemed inseparable and it all still felt like a dream.

"Rest assured, Lyora... We will look after our little sister," Sylver said before rising from his seat.

Reid stopped kissing Mother at this point and stared at his son. "And where are you going, Sylver?"

He scoffed. "Isn't it obvious, I'm excusing you two, so that you can have your privacy. It's not like I'm hungry anyway."

Then Sylver turned to his brothers and nodded once. They all stood up at his wordless command and began to follow him when Rylan suddenly stopped and turned to me.

"Little Human, didn't you get the message?" His voice sounded as if merely talking was too much work for him.

I swallowed hard and turned to Reid only to see that he was also waiting for me to leave. I looked at my mother and she smiled in encouragement. It was indeed my cue to leave.

"I- I'm sorry."

I shot to my feet and hurried after them. We went up the stairs in silence and I believed that we were all going back to our rooms.

It was until we reached the top of the stairs and entered the corridors, far from Reid's eyes that Cassian grabbed me from behind and pulled me backward so that my back hit his chest.

I gasped, not just because of his masculine aura and warmth but because I could swear I felt his hardness poking against my lower back.

I froze in place, not able to move as Cassian's fingers began to play around my lower stomach.

I shuddered at the feelings his fingers were provoking within me. It was like a forbidden dark fire coming alive in my core and threatening to ask for more.

"What are you doing?" I breathed when I finally got the courage to speak.

By then, even Sylver had stopped and was now resting his back against the wall of the long corridor. Rylan did the same to the opposite wall while Cassian and I remained in the center of the corridor.

Cassian pulled back my hair with his free hand and brought his lips so my left ear that I felt hot tingles assault my skin. "We promised to come back for you that night. Didn't we, Nyra?"

My heart skipped two beats at that moment. I blinked multiple times as I realised that my fear had finally caught up with me.

Sylver pushed off the wall at that moment and slowly made his way to me, making sure that every step he took, intensified the power of dominance in his aura.

"We never leave unfinished business," he whispered before grabbing my chin roughly and forcing me to look up at him.

"W- what do you want from me?" I managed to say in a terrified whisper.

They all chuckled. Including Rylan who was standing there and looking as if he was not paying attention.

I swallowed hard as my body started trembling this time. Cassian began to move his overly warm hand lower down my stomach until he stopped on my private area.

Heat scattered inside me at the mere thought that his hand was there and I bit my lower lip gently.

"You have no idea the scent that you possess, do you?" Cassian asked still behind me.

"How do you expect her to know?" Rylan asked before shaking his head. "I wonder why a mere human like her has the rare Blood Orange scent."

I blinked twice at his words and I wanted to ask him what he was talking about but I was too scared to because I feared that it would prolong my time here with them in this dimly lit hallway.

Sylver leaned over my face. "Neither do you have an idea how much that scent drives our control level crazy..."

I released a shaky breath in that moment and he shut his eyes gently as if he was revelling in the air before opening his eyes again.

Then he revealed his tongue and slowly but deliberately licked my lips. I widened my eyes at him as I began to panic.

Why was he doing this? Why was Cassian even touching me in this provocative and inappropriate manner?

Our parents had just gotten married! We were now siblings in the eyes of the law! This was not even supposed to be happening.

Yet it was, and deep down, at the darkest corner of my mind, I wanted more.

Sylver inhaled sharply as if the taste he had gotten of my lips awakened something within him and in a split second, he claimed my mouth- roughly.

I was too shocked to react as he moved his lips hungrily against mine, drinking me in like he had been waiting forever to do this and my heart began to race faster than normal because somehow, I was enjoying this.

He suddenly pulled away before exhaling sharply. Then he looked at his brothers as if he was passing a secret message to them and they suddenly broke into a chuckle.

Cassian released me at this moment and I staggered as I tried to catch my weight but it was futile.

I was about to fall when Rylan pushed off the wall swiftly and caught me.

I widened my eyes as I looked up at him. He was the last person I expected to do that. He looked down at me as if he was unaffected and turned me around so that he pinned me against the wall.

That was when I made the mistake of looking into his eyes. I was mesmerised.

His ocean blue orbs had begun to glow and they looked enchanting up close. He watched me silently as if I was a strange species.

Then he leaned so close that I thought he was going to kiss me too when he spoke instead.

"Whatever you do, don't bleed... Or you will unleash the very monsters you fear from within us..."