Fated to the Alpha Triplets, Bound by Vengeance

CHAPTER 7: CALLISTA

CALLISTA POV

This entire place is SO gorgeous! I feel like Martha Stewart should be here! I’m being shown the immediate area around the palace. As “immediate” as a place this size can get, I mean. I’m still being led around a huge area.

First, they showed me the fragrant, lush garden at the side of the palace. I can smell nothing but roses, peonies, and lavender. There are flowers of every color and variety in here. There is a cute cobblestone path cutting through the center of the garden. It leads to a beautiful arbor that is covered with weeping wisteria, making this place feel almost ethereal. Under the arbor sits a bench, perfect for relaxing and taking in the view of the entire garden. I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of my time out here.

From the garden, they lead me towards the back. Let me say, the back yard gives off major rich person vibes! There are two, count them TWO, Olympic sized swimming pools back here surrounded by lounges and umbrellas. Who needs two pools? There is a huge pool house with a screened in sun room on the front. I assume there are more rich people things inside. I’ll have to check that out later. Doesn’t look like we’re going inside anywhere yet. Only outside things. Got it.

The water lady from earlier comes running out of the back door with a fancy golden tray. On it is an equally fancy pitcher and five glasses, each with an orange slice on the rim. Ok? I’m sure a handful of water bottles would probably have sufficed. . . How did she know we were back here, anyway? They must do a lot of tours around here. She lowers her body in an almost curtsy as she sets the tray on the small table near the lounge chairs that we are standing by.

“Thank you, Maria. You may be excused to attend to your other duties, now.”

“Yes, sir.”

Um. . . Ok? What is with all the “yes, sirs”?

Just as she is leaving another woman comes barreling out of the pool house with towels, sunscreen, and paper fans. She comes straight up to the triplets with all this. “ Good afternoon, A. . . Sirs. Are you going for a swim? Do you need extra towels? Would you like me to bring you some melon or perhaps some fresh strawberry daiquiris?”

Geez! She said all that so fast, I’m not sure I even caught everything she just said.

Jackson obviously catches it all though because he answers her. “No. Not right now, Sue. We’re giving a tour of the grounds at the moment. Maybe later though.”

“Ok, sirs. I’ll be on standby if you decide to go for a swim.” She bows also and then hurries away back into the pool house. Twitchy little thing, isn’t she? This is starting to get freaky.

We drink our fancy glasses of water, which are honestly quite delicious. I guess this is infused water. I roll my eyes. Rich people. Can’t just drink normal water.

After our water, we head further back where there is a little farm. By little, I mean that it is also huge. There is a barn with pigs, goats, and sheep. I also see a chicken coop. They also have a stable for the horses and cows. There is also a huge vegetable garden back here! They’re growing corn, wheat, broccoli, tomatoes, melons, pumpkins and really anything you can think of. There is so much growing over here I can’t even identify everything.

Off to the right of the vegetable garden is a fruit tree orchard! Oh my freaking goodness! I LOVE this place! There are apple trees, peaches, oranges, plums. There are even avocado trees! They have pineapple plants, blueberry bushes, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Anything you want to eat is out here, fresh from the garden.

One of the farm workers comes over with a basket full of freshly picked fruits. He holds it out to the triplets and bows. Ok! What is with the bowing, here? “My Alph. . . Um. . . Misters Harrison, please let me present you with some of our finest fruits!”

Jeremy takes the basket and hands it over to James. “Thanks, Tony. Everything looks really great. Keep up the good work, man!” He claps him on the back and the man bows again!

“Thank you, sir!”

We are going to just ignore this display right here. Only focus on good things, like. . . Um. . . They’re pretty self sufficient here, huh? Maybe, they are some sort of dooms day prepper colony. All they need is their dooms day bunker and they’re set. I have to stifle a laugh at the thought. I’m being ridiculous. Of course they’re not preparing for Armageddon. They just have more money than they need and make good use of it. I’m being judgy. Ok, back to enjoying the tour.

After the orchard, they lead me back in the direction of the pools. Just beyond them is a sports area. They have a tennis court and a basketball court, surrounded by a full sized track. Hmm. . . I could make good use of that. . . We keep walking so that we are to the other side of the palace, though still in the back. There is a huge field of wild flowers over here! Just beyond the field is a medium sized lake. Not like Lake Michigan or anything, but definitely bigger than a pond. There is a tire swing strung up in one of the trees and a few picnic tables spaced out around the area. Looks like this is a well used swimming hole. Cute. What a nice place to hang out.

Just between the field and the lake is an old stone well. The kind you see in movies, with the little roof and the rope and bucket. This is such a charming place, actually. I think my nerves were getting to me earlier. Those triplets are still weird but this is going to be a NICE place to live.

I walk over to check out the well. I wonder if they still use it?

Jackson’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “And this is our panic bunker.” . . . And there it is! “If we announce to go to the panic room, this is where you come.” He pushes in one of the stones on the side of the well and the whole thing lifts up off the ground like it is sitting on a hinged door. Well, I guess that answers the question of whether or not they use the well. . .

As the well lifts, the long tunnel underneath automatically lights up with lights built into the concrete walls. I unintentionally gasp. HOLY SH.IT! THEY HAVE A FU.CKING DOOMS DAY BUNKER! I REPEAT, THEY HAVE A MOTHER FU.CKING DOOMS DAY BUNKER! This is not a drill. I absolutely was not wrong earlier. Things are weird here.

I keep my face as blank as I can manage even though I’m sure my eyes are as wide as saucers. I try to steady my breathing even though I am actually freaking the he.ll out, right now! My dad! I have to find my dad immediately! We have to get out of here, like yesterday.

I slowly spin around and try to act normal. I slowly speed walk back the way we came, leaving all of the guys standing there with confused looks on their faces. I stealthily lookover my shoulder as I go. Yeah, you heard me, slowly speed walking. I’m trying to act natural, remember? I can’t go frantically running away while screaming and waving my arms! I’m doing exactly this inside of my head, by the way, but this is the best I have at the moment. I CANNOT let them know that I’m on to them.

I see Lydia and my dad over by the pool house. Almost there, I just need to get to my dad and let him know what’s going on so we can get the he.ll out of here. I can’t believe he hasn’t figured it out yet. . . He is going to be shocked. . .

This is a freaking doomsday cult and the triplets are the leaders!