Chapter 4:

Three directions

Rhea's POV

I clutched the dress in my trembling hands, my breath catching in my throat. The smooth silk was torn from the waist down.

“Oh no,” I whispered, my voice barely a sound in the cramped little room.

My mind spun in panic. Lyra had given me this dress to wear tomorrow for the birthday ceremony—her birthday, and mine. How was I supposed to face her now? What could I possibly say?

I glanced at the door and my stomach sank. I hadn’t locked it, I’d closed it, yes, but…

“Shit,” I breathed.

Someone had been in here. I didn’t need to guess who. It had to be Mira. She’d been eyeing the dress earlier, dripping evil with every word. She’d had the nerve to sneak in here and cut it.

I had no proof. No one would believe a servant Omega over her. Confronting her would be useless.

Still, my chest tightened, and my pulse pounded so hard I could feel it in my ears. What was I going to do now?

I wasn’t going to let this ruin the ceremony or Lyra’s mood, not for a second.

So I marched to my little drawer, praying for a miracle. By some stroke of luck, there was a spool of thread the same shade as the dress. 

My fingers worked slowly, carefully, stitching along the tear. It wasn’t perfect, but it would hold.

When you’re thrown into a pit full of snakes, you learn to make peace with the poison.

By the time I finished, my eyelids felt like lead. I collapsed onto the bed, with my belly, and drifted into a shallow, restless sleep.

When I woke, sunlight was already spilling through the window. The day went by in a blur with me scrubbing floors, wiping tables, dusting corners no one would even notice. 

The birthday ceremony was tonight, and every inch of the house had to be flawless.

Before I knew it, it was 9 p.m. The air seemed thicker somehow, charged with the hum of music and voices drifting from the main hall.

Fresh from my bath, I stood staring at the dress. It hugged my hips in a way that made my throat tighten. I didn’t know why Lyra had chosen something so… lavish for me.

I put my hair in a bun with a worn out rubber band then stepped out of my tiny room. The hallway lights caught on the silk, making it gleam.

Halfway to the ceremony, Mira appeared. Her eyes flicked over the dress, her glare sharp enough to send daggers at me. She didn’t say a word, but the anger on her face spoke volumes.

I kept walking, my feet sinking slightly into the plush velvet rug that led to the open space.

The hall was alive and filled with laughter, glasses clinking, murmurs of conversation under the swell of music. I paused, taking it in.

This wasn’t my world. I should have been among the servers, moving quietly with trays of drinks and food.

And yet… here I was, in a dress that shimmered under the light.

So as I looked around, suddenly I heard my name being called.

“Rhea! Rhea!”

I turned and saw Lyra excitedly walking towards me. The way she moved was so elegant and graceful, like she was born to be admired. 

Her silver dress was breathtaking, matching her skin perfectly and her hair was styled so beautifully it almost sparkled in the light.

“Oh my, Rhea, you look so good! You wore the dress,” Lyra said warmly.

I smiled, praying she didn’t notice that I had stitched the dress… or that it had been torn at all.

“You look so beautiful. This dress is so nice,” I said honestly.

Lyra’s face lit up even more. “Cassian got it for me,” she said excitedly.

I nodded, taking in the reminder. Cassian and Lyra had been the couple of the town for years, and today being her 20th birthday, they were going to feel the mate bond and finally be together for life.

 Lyra loved Cassian more than anything. That much I knew.

Then she suddenly grabbed my hand. “Come, let’s get some drinks or something. The bar is right over there.”

I wanted to protest, but she was already pulling me by the wrist. We made our way to the counter.

“Two drinks, please. No alcohol,” Lyra told the woman at the bar.

The woman nodded quickly, turning to prepare them.

But all of a sudden, pain shot through my chest. My wolf howled in my head…Mate.

My whole body reacted and I struggled to conceal the heat spreading through my body.

But… something was wrong. The tugging pain in my chest wasn’t from one direction, it wasn’t one scent.

It was three. Three different and scents.

My head spun as my breathing turned shallow. I couldn’t even think.

“Mate…” I mumbled again, dazed.

Lyra looked at me, holding the two drinks. “Huh? Are you okay?”

I was so confused. The pull was everywhere, twisting around me, wrapping into my chest, making my heartbeat pound so loud I could barely hear the music. 

And it was getting stronger and stronger. It felt like my head was going to split in three

I lifted my gaze in front of me and it landed directly on Cassian.

To my right stood Dorian and to my left was Lucian.

And the scent… was coming from all three of them.

What?

No…This couldn’t be right. That was impossible, the mate bond didn’t work this way. It had to be some kind of glitch in my system, my wolf playing a cruel trick on me.

Then, all at once, the three of them spoke in perfect unison.

“Mate.”

The sound of it slammed into me, stealing my breath.

Behind me, I heard a sharp crash. The two glasses Lyra had been holding lay shattered on the floor, red liquid pooling across the tiles. But Lyra’s hands… were still frozen in midair, like she still held them.

Her wide eyes were locked not on me, but on them.

The crowd turned, people gasping as whispers rippled like wildfire through the room.

Slowly, Lyra’s gaze shifted to me.

“Rhea…” she said, her voice tight and almost trembling. “What did you say?”

Chapter 5:

A servant Omega

Rhea's POV

“What did you say, Rhea?” Lyra’s voice came sharper this time as she pushed me slightly.

I flinched, my eyes snapping to hers. “Lyra, I…” Words just tangled up and died in my throat. How could I possibly be mated to the Alpha triplets? How? Why?

“You’re their mate?” Her voice cracked, and for the first time, her elegant mask slipped. 

“You’re Cassian’s mate?” She looked at me like she didn’t even know who I was anymore. “Rhea, how could you?”

“Lyra, I don’t know.” My voice was pleading. “I’m as confused as you are.”

“This has to be some sort of prank.” She whirled toward them, her silver gown swaying with the motion. “Four of you

…you’re pranking me for my birthday, right? Okay, stop. It’s not funny.”

Cassian’s voice finally broke through the buzzing in my ears. 

“Lyra, we’re not pranking you. We’re as confused as you are. The three of us are feeling the bond coming from her.” His gaze turned to me. “How could she be mated to the three of us?”

Lyra’s eyes swung back to me, colder now. “Rhea you know I love Cassian. How could you be his mate?”

“Everybody go home. The party is cancelled.” Lucian’s voice boomed through the hall, making my heart jolt. 

The chatter stopped instantly, like he’d sucked the air out of the room. People began shuffling toward the exits murmuring low.

 I caught flashes of wide eyes, furrowed brows, and people glancing between me and the triplets as they slipped out. 

No one dared to ask what was going on, but I could feel the questions burning in every look.

Then Lucian’s gaze snapped to me. He moved toward me, and before I could even think to step back, his hand shot out and clamped around my wrist harshly. 

“You!” His voice was ice and fire all at once. 

“What sort of game is this, huh? Firstly, how can I be mated to an Omega like you? And then why would me and my brothers be mated to you?”

“I—” The words stuck in my throat.

“What sort of game have you played?” His steel grip tightened and pain flared up my arm. I winced, trying not to show it, but my pulse was racing so fast I thought it might burst out of my skin.

“Please… please, you’re hurting me,” I whimpered, trying to twist free, but his hold only tightened

Before I could cry out, Dorian moved in a blur, yanking me out of Lucian’s grasp.

“Lucian, what is this?” His voice was cold but laced with something protective. “You’re clearly hurting her. It’s not her fault, she’s as shocked as we are.”

Lucian’s eyes snapped to his brother, blazing. “How can the three of us be mated to her?” His glare locked on me. I flinched, every muscle in my body tightening under that look.

Cassian’s voice broke in, low and furious. “This is bullshit. Lyra is supposed to be my mate.”

Before anyone could say another word, a thunderous voice boomed through the hall.

“Silence!”

 All heads lifted, only to bow again instantly. Alpha Magnus was here.

He stepped into the space, his royal attire gleaming under the lights, the weight of authority clinging to him. Two massive guards stood behind him, their eyes scanning the room like hawks.

“What is the commotion about?”

Cassian’s jaw clenched, but he lifted his head just enough to speak. “Father, the three of us are mated to this—”

“I’ve heard,” Alpha Magnus cut him off, his tone brooking no argument. “The news has already spread.”

Alpha Magnus’s voice was steady, almost too calm for the storm in the room.

“The three of you are mated to her. You can’t change that. The Moon Goddess is not a fool. She knows what she’s doing. And so… we will deal with it this way.”

Lucian’s head snapped toward him, disbelief sharp in his eyes. “But how? How can the three of us be mated to one person? Who will become Alpha? How can we even handle this?”

Alpha Magnus didn’t blink. “The full moon is in three months. During that time, she will live among the three of you. And on the night of the full moon… she will choose who she wants. That man will succeed me.”

The words barely settled before Lucian’s voice rose. “You’re putting the fate of this pack in the hands of a stupid servant Omega?”

The Alpha’s eyes narrowed, a dangerous stillness in his tone. “This ‘servant Omega’ is your mate. And you will do as I say.”

Lucian’s jaw tightened, but he looked away silently.

My pulse was still slamming against my ribs when Lyra moved. She’d been silent this whole time, her wide eyes glossy with tears.

Her trembling fingers wrapped around my hand.

“Alpha,” she said quietly, “I would like to speak to Rhea in private. Just for a minute, please.”

Alpha Magnus studied her, then gave a single nod.

Before I could process, Lyra pulled me with her, weaving past a few stragglers until we reached the far corner of the open hall. 

It was just outside, where the cold air spilled in from the balcony. 

“Lyra, I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I don’t even know how I’m mated to them. I promise, I never wanted this.”

Her eyes were red and her face pale.

“I loved Cassian. With all my heart. With everything. I’ve been looking forward to this day my whole life and you know it.”

“Lyra, I—”

She cut me off, her voice rising. “I pulled you off the streets when you were nothing. A ruined Omega. I took you in as a little girl, brought you into our home. Gave you a roof over your head. And while everyone else treated you like dirt, I treated you like a sister. And this… this is what I get in return?”

I swallowed, my stomach twisting. “Lyra, this isn’t my fault. I didn’t know this would happen. I didn’t want to take Cassian from you.”

Her lips trembled, but then she wiped at her eyes with a quick, harsh motion. “Yes. You didn’t want to do it intentionally. It’s not your fault.”

She stepped toward me. I stepped back, feeling the cold air brush my back as I inched closer to the balcony railing.

“It’s not your fault, Rhea,” she said again, almost softly.

Her tone made my skin crawl.

“Yeah,” she continued, a bitter smile tugging at her lips, “you shouldn’t have existed in the first place.”

My breath caught. “Lyra… what are you—”

“I’m fixing the mistake of your existence,” she said, her voice like ice.

Before I could react, her hands shot down, gripping my legs with sudden, brutal strength.

“Lyra—!”

And then she shoved me over the balcony