HIDDEN HOWL

Chapter Fifteen: Torn Sketches

TRINITY

I sat quietly on the stone bench in the middle of the palace gardens, the vibrant hues of nature around me painting a picture more beautiful than any I could ever hope to capture.

The sun was beginning its slow descent toward the horizon, casting a golden glow across the flowers and trees. I was lost in it, sketching the fluttering butterflies as they danced from one blossom to the next, their delicate wings a perfect blend of soft pastels and bright, intricate patterns.

Each stroke of my pencil was a chance to bring a piece of the tranquility around me to life. I could feel the weight of my earlier encounter with Luna Mira slowly dissipating as I focused on the details—the way the leaves rustled in the breeze, the texture of the tree bark, the soft shadows playing across the petals.

I had trouble sleeping after our little conversation on the balcony. Once again, I felt like a bird trapped in an inescapable cage.

It was easy to forget everything when I was in the garden, immersed in the serenity of nature and the simple act of sketching. It was one of the very few things that actually brought me peace.

But of course, peace never lasts.

From behind me, I heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps—three sets of them, in fact.

My heart sank as I recognized the presence of my cousins. I didn’t have to look up to know who they were.

“You little b***h,” Maia’s voice cut through the quiet, sharp and filled with annoyance. “What are you doing here?”

I didn’t even bother to glance up from my sketchbook. “Just enjoying the garden. It's peaceful here.”

“Peaceful?” Maia scoffed. “You mean, you’re just sitting here, pretending like you belong.”

Before I could respond, Maia lunged at me. My sketchbook was ripped from my hands with such force that I couldn’t hold onto it.

“Hey!” I exclaimed, standing quickly to try to get it back, but it was too late. Maia had already started tearing through the pages, one by one. Each drawing—each piece of my effort and concentration—was destroyed.

“No!” I gasped, my stomach turning in knots as she shredded my sketches, letting the pieces flutter to the ground like confetti.

Amara and Selene stood off to the side, watching with expressions of quiet satisfaction. Amara’s lips curled into a subtle smile, but it was Selene who spoke next.

“You should have known better, Trinity. The Alpha triplets aren’t interested in you.”

I felt a surge of confusion and frustration. “I wasn’t planning anything,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “I had no idea the Alpha triplets were—”

“—Your mates?” Maia interrupted, her eyes burning with disbelief. “Don’t think we’re fools. We know exactly what you’re up to.”

“I’m not ‘up to’ anything!” I protested, trying to keep my voice steady despite the painful knot in my throat. “I never wanted—”

“Don’t lie,” Selene snapped. “You think we’re blind, don’t you? Trying to seduce them, we all saw it.” She leaned forward, eyes narrowed dangerously. “Whatever little schemes you have in mind, they’re not going to work. The Alpha triplets are ours, Trinity. And you’d better stay away from them.”

I took a deep breath, holding my ground. “I’m not trying to steal anyone from you. I didn’t even know they were my mates.”

They didn’t believe me, of course. Maia’s glare was venomous. She took a step closer, seething.

“Don’t play coy with us. You’ve been around them too much to be that oblivious.”

Amara’s voice, low and chilling, cut through the air. This was the first time she was speaking since they rudely came to shatter my peace.

Amara was always known to be the more quiet one among her sisters. But that did not make her a saint.

When Amara spoke everyone listened. Attentively at that.

Her voice always naturally demanded attention. It had the power to evoke fear in anyone.

Her eyes were cold and calculating, as always. They were filled with a hatred that didn't burn, but we're sharper than a shard of ice.

Goosebumps erupted across my skin as she closed the distance between us. She was always taller than me, so I had to crane my neck upwards to meet her eyes.

“You’d be wise to heed our warning, Trinity.” Her eyes locked with mine, and I could feel the weight of her words press down on me. “Reject the Alpha triplets. Do it before you’re forced to. And I assure you, that would be a lot worse than you think.”

I swallowed hard, the blood pounding in my ears. “What do you mean by that?” I whispered, my voice barely above a breath.

Amara didn’t answer. Instead, the three of them turned away from me, their footsteps purposeful as they began to walk off, leaving me standing there, the pieces of my shattered sketches littering the ground like pieces of my heart.

But just as I thought they were gone, a deep, commanding voice froze them all in their tracks.

“What is going on here?”

The air froze and became terribly chill. I knew that voice.

We all did.

Xerxes’ voice was a low growl, and I felt a surge of relief mixed with anxiety. He was standing before my cousins in a dark tailored suit, his hand in his pocket with his dark eyes scanning the scene with barely contained fury.

My three cousins turned to face him, expressions of surprise flitting across their faces. Maia stood tall, trying to maintain her arrogance, but I could see the slight tremor in her stance. Selene's eyes flicked nervously between him and me, while Amara remained eerily calm, her gaze never wavering from Xerxes.

But I could feel her fear.

It was there.

And even though his raging eyes weren't focused on me, I felt a terrible tremor in my heart.

Just then, Xerxes’ eyes met mine.

He took in my glassy eyes and I watched his features tighten. And at that moment, the doors of hell were flung wide open.

This was not going to end well.