Claimed Under The Mistletoe: The Triplet Alphas' Destiny

Chapter 39

Cole

Her lips didn’t pull away.

If anything, Gwen leaned into the kiss with quiet urgency, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt. The soft sound she made—a breathy moan that vibrated against my mouth—nearly unraveled every thread of control I had.

I responded instinctively, flipping us so she was beneath me, cradled gently by the mattress. Her hands gripped my shoulders, eyes wide, but not with fear. With need.

Still, I hesitated.

“You okay?” I murmured, voice hoarse as I hovered above her.

She nodded, pulling me back down to her by the collar of my shirt. “I want this,” she whispered, breath hitching. “I want you.”

That admission settled into me like gravity, heavy and real. I pressed a kiss to her jaw, then her throat, feeling her shiver as I moved lower. When I reached the swell of her breast, she arched into me, hips moving restlessly beneath mine.

“Cole,” she gasped, breathless. “Please.”

I couldn’t deny her. Not when she was looking at me like that—like I was someone she could trust with the softest parts of her. I slipped a hand between us, fingers brushing over her heat. She was already so warm, so ready.

I slid one finger inside her, slow and careful. Her body clenched around me, her hips lifting, seeking more. "Goddess, Cole. That feels so good," she moaned.

“You’re perfect,” I breathed, kissing her again as I added a second finger, curling just right. Her moans turned into something desperate and beautiful.

She fell apart in my arms moments later, trembling as I whispered soothing words against her skin, holding her through every wave.

But I didn’t push further.

Not yet

When she finally settled, tucked beneath me with her face buried in my neck, I wrapped my arms around her and held her close—because loving Gwen wasn’t just about passion.

It was about patience.

And I would wait forever if that’s what she needed.

Gwen

Cole’s arms wrapped securely around me, the slow rhythm of his breathing grounding me. My body still hummed from the release, but it was the way he held me—like I was something sacred—that made my heart ache in the best way.

I nestled closer, resting my head against his chest. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt… safe. Wanted. Whole.

I opened my mouth to speak, to tell him that, when—

Knock knock.

Cole sighed softly. “Ignore it.”

But the door opened before I could even sit up.

Cain and Cash stepped inside, both stopping dead in their tracks.

I froze.

Cain’s jaw clenched.

Cash’s eyes widened—and then immediately narrowed.

And then, I saw it. Felt it. The tension ripple through the room, heavy and primal. Their eyes darted to where Cole’s bare chest pressed against my cheek, and I saw their nostrils flare.

They could smell me.

The arousal still lingering in the air.

Oh gods.

Cain’s eyes darkened, and his voice came out rough. “We need to go.”

He grabbed Cash’s arm, who growled low in his throat and jerked away.

“No,” Cash snarled, fists clenched. “She was with him—”

“Enough!” Cole’s voice cut through the room like a blade as he slid from the bed, positioning himself protectively in front of me. “You’re going to scare her.”

Cain looked like he was barely holding himself back, but it was Cash who took a step forward, muscles taut.

“She smells like—”

“She smells like our mate,” Cole snapped, his eyes flashing. “But if you keep acting like this, she’s never going to feel safe enough to come near either of you.”

Cain stiffened.

Cash’s rage faltered.

I pulled the blanket tighter around myself, heart hammering.

Cain exhaled sharply, grabbing Cash’s shoulder again. “Let’s go.”

This time, Cash didn’t fight it. He glanced at me once—shame flickering across his face—and left the room.

The door clicked shut behind them.

I sank back against the pillows, throat tight. “Did I… do something wrong?”

Cole turned to me, gentler now. “No, Gwen. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just… hard for Alphas. Especially when their mate smells like she just—” He stopped himself and scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Your scent—it’s… intense. And when one of us is with you like that, it sends the others into a frenzy.”

I winced. “Like I’m triggering some territorial instinct?”

“Exactly.” He sat beside me again, brushing a loose curl from my face. “They’ll get better at controlling it. But that’s also why I think we should do something.”

“Like what?”

“Move into a suite together,” Cole said. “Something big enough for all four of us. So you’re not running between rooms and we’re not fighting over time with you. Being close might make it easier on all of us—especially you.”

I blinked. “You really think that would help?”

“I do,” he said simply. “And you deserve a space that feels like home.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

Cain

I stood outside her door for at least five minutes, staring at the polished wood like it might bite me.

Cole hadn’t come back to his room last night.

He’d stayed with her.

And I couldn’t even be mad about it.

He earned it—her trust, her softness.

I just… wanted that too.

Finally, I knocked once and opened the door. She’d left it unlocked.

Gwen was curled on the couch, legs tucked beneath her, hair loose around her shoulders. A book lay forgotten in her lap.

She looked up and stilled. “Hey.”

“Hey.” I closed the door quietly behind me. “Can we talk?”

She nodded, patting the cushion beside her.

I sat, leaving a bit more space than I wanted to. Her scent surrounded me anyway—soft, warm, tinged with the lingering trace of Cole.

It made Achilles stir under my skin, but I forced him down.

“This isn’t about last night,” I said. “Not entirely.”

She didn’t say anything, just waited.

“I owe you an apology,” I continued. “For how I acted when I saw you and Cole. That wasn’t fair to either of you.”

“You were upset,” she said quietly.

“I was possessive,” I corrected. “And I promised I wouldn’t be that way with you. You’re not mine—you’re ours. And I’m trying to get better at sharing that.”

Her brows lifted a little. “You’re not doing a terrible job.”

I gave a dry laugh. “Debatable.”

Silence fell between us again, thick but not uncomfortable.

“I know you trust Cole,” I said. “And I know you’ve known me the longest, but… sometimes I feel like I’ve already let you down too many times to earn that kind of closeness.”

She turned toward me fully now. “Cain…”

“No, let me get this out,” I said. “I didn’t stop what happened to you with Justin. I kept secrets about Achilles. I let my instincts get the better of me last night. I just… I want to do better. For you.”

Gwen studied me for a long moment. “You’ve never made me feel unsafe. Not once. That matters more than you think.”

I swallowed hard. “Even when I’m not the one you turn to first?”

She reached for my hand.

“I’m learning to lean on all of you,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t like you just as much. You’ve always been my anchor, Cain. Even when everything else was falling apart.”

My throat tightened.

She moved closer, her hand resting on my chest now, over the spot where Achilles clawed to reach her.

“I want you to feel secure with me,” she whispered.

“I do,” I murmured, “when you look at me like that.”

Her lips curved into a soft smile, and she leaned up to press them to mine.

Slow, unhurried.

Not a kiss of passion.

A kiss of promise.