Their Broken Hybrid Mate

CHAPTER 4– THREE MATES AND A THREAT

*EMILY'S POV*

I stood there, frozen, my heart racing as Ethan's smirk filled my vision. How had this happened? Just moments ago, I had been dancing with Lucas, feeling alive, and now it felt like my world was crumbling. A million thoughts ran through my mind all at once and I struggled to keep myself in check. I couldn’t be mated to Ethan Walker. He was everything I didn't want—controlling, arrogant, and cruel.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “You can’t be my mate. This can’t be happening.”

Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “You feel it, don’t you? The bond?” His voice was rich and deep, sending shivers down my spine.

“I don’t feel anything!” I shot back. I tried to be brave but deep down, I was terrified.

But then, just as despair threatened to take hold, another scent wafted through the air—a sweet, tantalizing aroma that made my heart leap. I turned, eyes wide, as I caught another scent mingling with Ethan's. It was intoxicating and familiar, yet different. Could it be?

I spun around, searching for the source. My heart fluttered with a hope I hadn’t dared to feel. Could there be another mate? Was Ethan just a mistake? The idea filled me with a mix of excitement and dread.

As I turned to the direction the scent was coming from, I felt a strong pull from behind me. I turned to see Liam and Lucas stepping out of the shadows, their faces grim, and my heart sank.

“Mate,” they growled in unison, their voices deep and resonant.

Shock washed over me. Not just one mate, but all three of the Walker triplets? My mind reeled as reality crashed down. I was not just tied to Ethan; I was bound to all of them.

“No,” I gasped, with tears already etched at the corners of my eyes. “This can’t be happening.”

Liam stepped closer and reached out to hold me. “Emily, you don’t have to be afraid. We can protect you. We want you to be happy.”

“Please, just listen to us,” Lucas added, his eyes softening as he stepped forward. “You don’t have to do this.”

I shook my head, overwhelmed. How could they expect me to trust them all of a sudden, after everything I had been through.

“Accept us,” Liam urged. “We would protect you.

Their words tugged at something deep inside me, but fear gripped my heart like a vice.

“I don’t know,” I whispered, feeling trapped.

“Just give us a chance,” Lucas said, his voice earnest. “You don’t have to run away. We want to show you what it could be like with us.”

I wished it was only Lucas. He was the only one of the triplets who treated me like a human being.

The weight of their gaze bore down on me. My heart fought between the desire to escape and the promises of protection they offered. I thought about how my life would be with all three of them, and a shudder ran through me.

“I… I need time,” I finally managed, my voice trembling.

Liam reached out, his hand hovering near mine. “Take all the time you need, but know that we’re here for you.”

“I just don’t know if I can trust you,” I admitted, my voice breaking.

“Trust takes time,” Lucas said gently. “But we promise, we won’t hurt you. We just want you to be safe.”

As their words sank in, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe I didn’t have to be alone. Maybe there was a way out of this nightmare.

“Okay,” I said finally, my resolve strengthening. “I’ll consider it.”

Relief washed over their faces. “That’s all we ask,” Liam said, his smile warm and sincere.

When I got home that night, my mind spun with possibilities. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, imagining what life could be like with the triplets. I thought about Lucas—his gentle nature, how safe I felt in his presence. But Ethan's shadow loomed large in my mind, his dark eyes haunting me. I knew he was bad news, and I couldn’t let myself get trapped again.

After about an hour of deep thoughts, I finally decided that I couldn't risk it. I would stick to my plan. I would run away from the pack.

The night wore on, and I mentally prepared for my escape. I couldn’t stay here, not with Ethan so close. I had to be free.

Finally, I gathered the courage and snuck out of the house. My heart raced and my breathing quickened as I considered my plan again. It was a simple one: slip past the lawn and into the woods. From there, I would hike as far as I could and hope to reach another pack that would welcome me.

As I crept through the shadows, I felt a sense of freedom i had not felt all my life, wash over me. But just when I thought my plan had succeeded, I saw a pair of gleaming red eyes in the dark. I froze and my heart stopped for a minute.

“I expected this from you,” the familiar voice whispered from the shadows.

Ethan stepped out, his figure imposing and menacing.

“Emily,” he grunted. "Trying to escape I see."

“Get away from me!” I shouted, my voice shaky.

He stepped closer, the darkness swirling around him. “You know we’re mates. You can’t hide from that.”

I felt a chill run through me and I moved back as he inched closer to me.

“You don’t get to decide my fate!”

“Oh, but I do.” His gaze was piercing. "And i know your little secret."

The air was filled with tension as we faced off.

"I don't have any secrets," I stuttered.

“You’re a black witch, Emily," Ethan chuckled. "Your kind is forbidden in our pack. If you run, I will make sure they find you. And I will make sure they know what you are.”

Panic surged through me at his words. How had he been able to find out my secret?

My heart raced as I processed his words. He had leverage over me, a weapon I hadn’t seen coming. I felt trapped, cornered by the very fate I had tried to escape.

“Please,” I said, desperation creeping into my voice. “I can’t be with you. You don't even want me. You have a girlfriend.

He stepped closer, invading my space.

“A girlfriend, not a mate."

"She would kill me," I muttered. "I can't accept you."

You would accept me, Emily," Ethan pressed on. "But that's not all.

“What do you mean?” I asked, fear coiling in my stomach.

He leaned in, his breath warm against my skin. “You must reject my brothers. You can’t have all three of us. You need to choose.”

I felt the world tilt beneath me. Accepting Ethan and rejecting his brothers was going to cause problems far greater than I could ever imagine.

“You can’t make me do that!” I snapped.

“But I can,” he said, the intensity in his voice sending shivers down my spine. “You’re mine, and you need to accept that. Live by my terms, and just maybe you'll come to like me later on.

I stared at him, my heart racing. The weight of his words pressed down on me and I felt lost, caught between the darkness of his control and the flicker of hope that escaping had offered me.

“Choose wisely, Emily,” he whispered. “I’ll be waiting.”

With that, he stepped back into the shadows, leaving me standing alone in the woods. The choice loomed before me—either escape and risk being hunted down or accept his terms and reject the very idea of love I had longed for.

As the cold night air wrapped around me, I realized I was standing at a crossroads. I could either fight for my freedom or submit to a fate I didn’t want. Whatever the case, my decision was going to change everything, and I hoped it would be for good.