Claimed Under The Mistletoe: The Triplet Alphas' Destiny

Chapter 51

Gwen

The night was quiet, but sleep had abandoned me.

I woke suddenly, a strange tug deep inside my chest—like a thread pulling me away from the warmth of the bed and the steady rhythm of the triplets’ breathing nearby.

I slipped out from under the covers, careful not to wake them, and padded softly toward the terrace doors. The cool night air greeted me as I stepped outside, the stars sharp and distant overhead.

That’s when I saw him.

A lone figure standing at the edge of the woods, just beyond the tree line. His silhouette was familiar but blurred by shadow. Something about him made my heart race with confusion and curiosity.

Without thinking, I started toward him, drawn as if by a magnet I couldn’t resist.

But then Akira stirred inside me, a low growl vibrating through her—a warning I couldn’t ignore.

I stopped, torn. The pull was strong, but Akira’s presence was stronger. She circled protectively, nudging me back toward the house.

“No,” I whispered, voice shaking. “I have to know who he is.”

Akira’s eyes glowed faintly in the moonlight. She wouldn’t budge.

Reluctantly, I stepped back inside, the figure’s outline fading into the trees as I retreated.

I didn’t know who he was—or why I felt drawn to him—but I knew one thing with terrifying certainty: something was shifting inside me, and it wasn’t toward the men I called my mates.

Akira

I move silently inside Gwen's mind as she wandered the terrace, the night heavy with tension that even I can feel deep in my bones.

This pull—this wrenching tug at her spirit—it’s not natural. It’s tearing at the threads of the mate bond I’ve fought so hard to protect. The bond that ties her to Cain, Cash, and Cole.

I growl softly in warning, my golden eyes flashing with urgency. I wish I could simply roar it into her mind: Remove the necklace. Tear it from your skin. Don’t let it poison the bond.

But she won’t listen. She clutches that cursed talisman as if it’s the only thing keeping her sane. It isn’t. It’s a trap. A cruel illusion, a shadow trying to replace what’s real and sacred.

I can feel the bond weakening—slipping away from me, from her mates, as if an unseen hand is unweaving the tapestry we spent so long weaving together.

Desperation claws at me. If I lose this bond, I lose everything.

I pace the room, restless. I want to protect her. To shield her from this dark influence. But how do I fight something she can’t see?

And worse—how do I guard a heart that’s being stolen right from under my paws?

I close my eyes and reach out—not with claws or teeth, but with the thread of our bond, the whisper of the Moon Goddess’ blessing that flows between us.

“Gwen,” I call gently, voice soft but urgent, echoing inside the quiet recesses of her mind. “Please. You have to listen. This talisman—it’s poisoning the bond. It’s not you. It’s not us.”

I feel her hesitation, a flicker of doubt, a trembling uncertainty beneath her surface. I press closer, weaving my presence like a shield around her, trying to anchor her soul back to the three who love her—who need her.

“You’re being pulled away,” I warn. “But it’s a lie. The pull is false—dangerous. You don’t have to wear it. You don’t have to be trapped.”

Her resistance is fierce. I know this pain—she clings to it like a lifeline, scared of what’s beneath the surface if she lets go.

“I’m here,” I say, voice trembling with the weight of my own desperation. “Let me protect you. Trust me. Trust us. Take it off. Please.”

There’s a long silence. Then, a quiet, fragile thought.

“What if I don’t want to lose him?”

That breaks my heart.

“Lose who” I whisper fiercely, claws sinking into the earth beneath me, fighting for every inch of her heart. “You don't know who he is. This bond isn't real!.”

But she wasn't listening to me. What was I going to do?

Justin

The moonlight slanted through the dense canopy, casting eerie shadows across the clearing where Justin stood, tense and restless. The Morwenna’s dark eyes gleamed as she watched him pace.

“You’re impatient,” she murmured, voice smooth as silk but edged with warning.

Justin stopped and met her gaze. “I need to see her. To reach her. She’s slipping further away every day.”

The witch’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “That’s why you must wait. The bond is stronger in daylight, harder to break. But the full moon...” She lifted a pale hand toward the glowing orb above the treetops. “That’s when your power will be at its peak, and your presence will feel less like a shadow and more like… destiny.”

Justin’s jaw clenched. “Three more days?”

She nodded, her eyes dark and unyielding. “Three nights. Then you reveal yourself. Until then, patience will be your greatest weapon.”

He exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing just a fraction. “Very well. I’ll wait. But when that night comes, I will make her see me—for who I truly am.”

The witch’s smile deepened, almost triumphant. “Yes. And she will be powerless to resist.”

Jordan

I found Gwen sitting alone on the back porch, the evening breeze ruffling her hair, her eyes distant and troubled. Cain, Cash, and Cole had asked me to talk to her—something about a necklace she was wearing and the way she’d been acting lately. As I approached, she looked up, a flicker of frustration flashing through her gaze.

“Gwen,” I began gently, “can we talk about that necklace? How are you feeling?”

She took a deep breath, clutching the pendant in her palm. “It was given to me by Cain,” she said quietly, voice tight. “But lately, I’m starting to feel like… like those three aren’t really my mates. Like I was tricked.”

I blinked, taken aback. “What do you mean, tricked?”

She hesitated, then her words spilled out. “I think there’s some spell on me—some magic that makes me think they're my mates when they’re not. Remember that bracelet Cain wore to hide his scent? He obviously knows witches. Maybe—maybe they all cast some spell on me.”

My heart pounded. “Gwen, no. That’s not true. Your bond with them—” I paused, trying to keep my voice calm “—it’s real. I’ve seen it. You’re their mate. They’re your mates.”

Her eyes flashed with anger. “How can you be so sure? How do I know I’m not just some pawn?”

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “Because the bond isn’t about magic tricks. It’s about who you are, who you’re meant to be with.”

She shook her head, tears threatening. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.” Without another word, she stood abruptly and stormed off into the night, leaving me standing there, helpless and worried.