MATED TO THE TRIPLET DEVILS

CHAPTER 2 - A POTENTIAL SUITOR

JESSICA

The whole world seemed to be spinning right beneath my feet. If anyone had told me that I would catch my boyfriend cheating on me with my sister, I would have never believed it. But it was happening right now, before my very own eyes.

Tears of anger welled up in my eyes and I fought the urge to let them drop. I couldn't allow that b***h see me cry.

"Dan!" I mumbled in a shaky voice. "How could you?"

"I'm really sorry, Jessica hunny," He muttered as he struggled with the zipper of his trousers. "Can we talk about this in private?"

"What else is there to talk about!" I cried. "You're cheating on me with my own sister."

"It's really not what you think," Dan muttered as he edged closer to me.

He reached out to caress my chin and I slapped him hard across the face.

"Don't you dare put your filthy hands on me you cheat!" I cried. 

Dan remained rooted to the floor. His left hand cupped his cheek and there was shock written all over his face. In the five years that we had been together, I had never laid a hand on him.

"You little wimp!" Dan fumed. He grabbed me by the arm and his sharp claws dug into my skin. He brought his lips closer to my ears and whispered slowly.

"The only reason I've been managing you for the last five years is because of your father, Alpha Carlson."

I stared at him, shocked as he ranted on.

"And now I hear the old bastard is dying. I hear that his new wife is planning on making her daughter, Mia the heir to the Carlson fortune instead of you."

He brought his gaze down on me and grinned devilishly.

"Now, tell me. What exactly do I need you for, Jessica?"

I felt a knot tighten deep in my stomach as the painful realization hit me. Dan Bolton had been using me. He was only dating me because he thought my father was wealthy, and now that things looked like they were no longer in my favour, he had quickly switched to my step sister.

"You bastard!" I snarled. 

"Mind the way you speak to your future Alpha," He said with a low chuckle.

"My father would never allow you rule his pack!" I growled. 

"If you would excuse us," Mia cut in. "We were a little busy before you walked in."

I spun around to meet her gaze. Mia winked at me before calling Dan to join her on the bed, and then, I decided I couldn't watch them any longer. I turned on my heels and marched out of the room.

My mind was clouded with a million revenge plans as I marched down the stairs that led to the living room, and that was why I didn't see the gentleman standing in the doorway with a glass of wine in his hand, until it was too late.

I bumped into him and the glass fell from his hand, shattering to the floor and spilling red wine all over his suit.

"Oh my - " I gasped. "My apologies."

He ignored my apology, and after a prolonged gaze, he walked over to a chair opposite the sofa where my step mother, Rachel sat. 

"I don't have all day," I heard him say to her. "Show me the girl and let me be on my way."

"Yes," Rachel nodded. "I promised to make it snappy. She's the one over there."

I caught her pointing, and I noticed that the man's dark eyes were fixed on me. For the first time, I had the chance to assess him fully, and I gulped hard when I noticed how handsome he was.

He had lush, dark brown hair that hung over his grey eyes. The pointed nose he sported, complemented his defined cheekbones. He had a thin moustache hanging above his upper lips and from where I stood, I could see a streak of red in it from the wine that had spilled on him a few seconds ago. Was it just me, or did the wine on his moustache actually make him look even sexier?

As I struggled with my assessment of him, he rose up to his feet. His face was clouded now and he didn't seem to be impressed with whatever deal my stepmother had offered him - which included me.

"I'm sorry, but I'll decline," He grunted, eyeing me. "She's not my type. Not sure my brothers would be impressed as well."

My heart skipped a beat at his words. What did he mean by that?

"She's the best fit for you, Tristan," my stepmother urged him. "And trust me, your brothers would love her."

He didn't even spare me a second glance before he started walking towards the door.

"Don't you dare walk out on me, Tristan Rodriguez!" Rachel snapped. 

The name, "Rodriguez" rang a bell and I quickly remembered the news I had seen on TV about an hour ago. The business man, Javier Rodriguez who lost half his fortune. Was the handsome young man standing before me in any way related to him?

"Yes, Lady Rachel?" Tristan eyed her. "I've already made my decision."

Rachel inched closer to him. Her heels clicked on the marble tiles as she walked up to where he stood.

"I'm not sure daddy told you all the catch," Rachel snickered. 

"What catch?" Tristan frowned.

"None of you are getting a dime from him unless you get mated to a lady of Alpha blood," Rachel spat out. "Jessica here is your last chance of that, considering the fact that no other lady in her right senses would want to get mated to a saucy and block headed brat like you."

"Wait. What?" I cut in. "I'm not getting mated to anyone!"

Tristan was taken aback by my outburst. He creased his brows at me.

"And why would that be?" He asked with a frown.

I wanted to tell him that I had a boyfriend but after what I had seen upstairs, I was obviously single.

"Well, I'm not just interested in you!" I blurted out before turning to glare at Rachel. "And how dare you try to mate me off without my permission?"

"It's for your own good, Jessica - " Rachel started.

"And since when did you start caring about my welfare?" I cut in angrily. 

"She's fiesty," Tristan chuckled. "I think I like that."

"There," Rachel smiled. "I told you she was the perfect match for you."

"I'm not the perfect match for anyone!" I snarled. "And I'm definitely not getting mated to the rude and annoying brat whose father lost half his fortune in one day!"

I didn't mean to put it that way, but the words flew right out of my mouth before I could stop them.

I noticed that Tristan's face got clouded immediately and I moved back cautiously. 

"You know my father?" Tristan frowned.

"The news is everywhere," I retorted. 

Tristan nodded slowly, with a smile on his face and his eyes fixed on me. 

"I want to see my mate at my mansion tonight at 8pm," He addressed my stepmother. "Not a minute later."

And without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heels and walked right through the door. 

"Are you f*****g deaf!" I screamed as he walked out. "I said I'm not yours, and I can never be! You would not see me in your bloody mansion by 8pm."

I turned my attention to my stepmother who was watching me intently, and suddenly, I remembered that I had just caught my boyfriend together with Mia.

"You all disgust me!" I hissed. "You, for trying to mate me off like an animal, and your daughter who dared to steal my boyfriend!"

"Dan has been cheating on you for two years now," Rachel replied with a smile. "But that should be the least of your concerns now. Your father is dying - "

Her voice trailed off and in that moment, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I remembered my sick father in the hospital. We had already spent a fortune trying to save his life and it seemed there was nothing more we could do to help him.

"If you marry Tristan, we would be able to get the money to give him appropriate treatment," Rachel added with a shrug. "We both know that Carlson Corporations is on the brink of bankruptcy - "

I didn't need her to tell me that. I had access to all financial records and truly, the company was on the brink of bankruptcy. We were damn broke, and it was all thanks to my stepmother's poor management skills and extravagant spending.

"You know I'm not forcing you," Rachel ranted on. 

She grabbed her cellphone on the couch and dialed a number.

"I would tell him that you're not interested."

"Wait!" I stopped her.

Rachel dropped her phone and turned to me with a smile on her face. It was all a setup and I knew it very well. She knew that I would agree, just to save my father's life.

"I would marry him," I muttered through gritted teeth. 

"Very well," She smiled. "Off you go. I'll text his address to you."

I rose to my feet and picked up my handbag, prepared to leave, but her voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

"One more thing, Jessica," She said. "Never step your foot in this house again."